The Newspaper Club stood in front of the school passing out their latest issue. The front-page story was "Art Teacher Petrifies Students and Vanishes In the Dead of Night." The student body was buzzing about the story all morning. By the time the club members had to leave for homeroom, there was only one copy left.

"Ya-hoo hoo! This is the best turn out we've had since our first paper on Gin-senpai!" Kurumu cheered.

"Alright, can we forget about that already?" Gin growled.

"Nuh-uh. You're still a perv even if you aren't peeping anymore! Don't think I haven't caught you looking at a certain someone." Kurumu smirked and looked pointedly at Harry(who failed to take note of the conversation).

Gin sputtered, briefly losing his cool composure.

"We're really on a roll, you guys! We should have a party to celebrate our hard work paying off!" Moka cut in.

Kurumu's eyes lit up. "Yeah! I can make Harry-kun my special cookies... and I guess I'll bring some plates for the rest of you."

"Oh, come on. You can't just make sweets for Harry-kun. I want in on those cookies!" Yukari whined.

"Not a chance, Pancake."

Harry smiled, ignoring his friends' bickering as he sat down to read over the work he'd done with them. It all looked really professional if he did say so himself. It was certainly better than the absolute drivel that the Daily Prophet published. Maybe if he didn't end up getting murdered by Voldemort, he'd look into a career in journalism.

"There any papers left?" a voice spoke from the tree line.

Harry looked up to see a girl with light purple hair and a lollipop in her mouth. She had an aloof expression, but for some reason, Harry thought she looked sad. He looked down at the paper in his hands and back up at her.

"Yeah. Lucky you, this is the last one. Enjoy."

The girl stepped into Harry's space. A soft smile cracked the stone face for a mere second before it was gone again. "Thank you. You must be Potter Harry. Your articles are my favorite… and you're even cuter than I imagined."

Before anyone could react, the girl turned and walked off.

"The hell? Why do the pretty ones always run to Harry?" The wolf's tone was playful, but he glared at the girl's retreating back, small traces of jealousy seeping through. He already had enough competition as it was.

"Who was that girl, anyway?" Kurumu snapped, crossing her arms.

"I don't know. She said she liked my articles, but I've never seen her in the line."

"Whoever she was, she's got no manners at all. She was practically sitting on you," Moka grumbled. Her cheeks were puffed angrily.

Yukari nodded in agreement, fuming at the thought of another girl trying to steal Harry's heart.

"Well, whatever her deal was, we're going to be late for class if we don't leave soon," Harry noted.

The group set about putting the stand away and getting their things together for class. By the time they were ready to leave, the strange girl was forgotten and the party became priority once again.

The day had continued as usual, save for an appearance by the strange girl- whose name was apparently Mizore Shirayuki- in homeroom.

As Harry walked to his next class, he noticed that the hallway was colder than usual. He pulled his blazer a bit tighter around him. He felt like he was being watched. Harry started to walk a bit faster, and whoever was following him sped up as well. Harry swung the next corner quickly, turned around and pulled out his wand.

A second later, Mizore Shirayuki turned the corner and peered up at Harry like a kid caught with her hand in the candy jar. Harry, seeing that she wasn't currently a threat, lowered his wand.

"Why are you stalking me?" Harry asked bluntly. He needed to get to his math class(which he was just barely passing) soon, and he really didn't want to be late again.

Mizore averted her eyes, a small blush on her cheeks. "I… I'm really not great with people. That's part of why I've been ditching most of the year. I've mostly been relying on Nekonome-sensei delivering me the newspaper to find out what's going on here. I always loved your articles, Harry-kun. You're always so humble and kind… I always felt like I knew you even if we've never met. So, I want you to be my first friend, Harry-kun."

Mizore's genuine expression made Harry's heart skip a beat. He could see that she was lonely, and he remembered a time when he was the same. Back at Privet Drive, he'd been all alone. He'd always hoped that someone would reach out to him. Maybe this was his chance to do the same for someone else.

"I'd be happy to, Mizore. Would you like to come to the Newspaper Club party with me? I'm sure you can make plenty of friends there if you'd like to join afterward."

Mizore seemed to debate with herself for a moment. Then, she looked up at Harry and a small, sweet smile spread across her face.

"I would love that."

After his math class, Harry left the classroom to find Mizore waiting patiently outside the door. Harry wanted to say something, but when he saw the joy in her eyes, he couldn't bring himself to object to her truancy. Instead, he offered the girl a smile and walked with her to the club room.

Harry walked through the door, was promptly attacked by one of Kurumu's "hugs" and had a plate of cookies shoved in his face. Mizore narrowed her eyes dangerously at the succubus. She raised her hand threateningly, and her hand turned into an ice spear.

"Woah!" Harry jumped in front of Kurumu quickly before this could escalate. "Hey, it's not that serious, Mizore. You can, uh, put that away. Kurumu just does that sometimes. I'm not getting hurt." Too much.

"But she was smothering you," Mizore argued, still not putting her hand down.

"Yeah. Funny little habit she's got, but it's alright, I'm alright, promise. Let's just put away the pointy ice, please?"

Mizore looked between Harry and Kurumu a few times before slowly dissolving the ice weapon. Harry turned back to his friends who were watching the scene. They were on edge and tensed to defend their friends if necessary.

"Hi, guys. As you may know, this is Mizore Shirayuki, and she's in most of our homeroom. She's also a possible new recruit. Please treat her well," Harry introduced awkwardly.

Moka was the first to greet her, though she looked a bit hesitant. "Um, hi, Shirayuki-san. It's nice to meet you. I look forward to getting to know you."

"Kurumu." The succubus didn't even look at Mizore as she tossed her introduction over her shoulder.

"Hello, my name's Ginei Morioka."

"I'm Yukari."

"Great! Now that everyone's been introduced, let's start the party," Harry said, ushering Mizore towards the snack table.

He sent a pleading look over his shoulder at his friends to play nice before rejoining Mizore on her quest for food. She stayed away from the heavier food, taking cubes of cheese and grapes before sitting quietly across from Harry.

Moka had some upbeat pop song playing on a radio by the window. Harry sat with Mizore while she ate, exchanging small conversation with the shy girl.

He watched as his friends danced around. Kurumu instructed the others in some of the newest human dance trends. Gin took to it relatively quickly, but Moka and Yukari stumbled over the foreign actions. They didn't seem to mind much. Moka laughed as she tripped over Yukari's cape in her attempt at muggle dance. Harry wanted to join in on the festivities.

Mizore stared at Harry's expressions as he watched his friends. His smile was so bright and relaxed. When he was with her, he was awkward and tense. She was going to lose him to them at this rate.

Mizore mentally berated herself. Why had she believed him when he'd promised her new friends in this Club. She should've just frozen him solid and brought him home to marry like a proper snow woman. That's all she should ever want, after all.

But…

Mizore gazed passively at the impromptu dancefloor where Harry's friends were gathered. They all looked so happy. She wanted that for herself.

After Mizore finished eating, Harry tried to coax her onto the dancefloor. The corners of her lips tightened as her eyes scanned the dancefloor apprehensively.

"Come on, Mizore, it'll be fun. You don't have to be good at it, just let loose a little."

Mizore still looked anxious, so Harry leaned in a bit and whispered, "I'll tell you a secret, I'm no good at this either."

Mizore stared at Harry doubtfully. She couldn't imagine Harry being bad at anything. He was, as the humans would say, her Prince Charming. But his smile was so kind, and he looked so hopeful. She couldn't turn him down. Mizore nodded.

Harry grinned and stepped out with her onto the floor. Harry swayed, definitely off-rhythm to the catchy tune. Mizore looked confused as she tried to imitate his movements.

"No no no. Don't follow me, it won't do you much good. Just close your eyes and move however you feel to the music."

Mizore raised a skeptical brow but followed his advice nonetheless. She closed her eyes and swayed gently, like a snowflake on its way to the ground.

Harry cheered her on and slowly led her closer to the rest of the club. The others continued dancing. Moka smiled encouragingly at their new recruit. Even Kurumu wouldn't sneer at the honest effort she was making, but she watched the girl closely, jealousy and apprehension in her gaze.

Harry joined in the circle, happy to dance around and hop from partner to partner as Mizore discovered the joy of dancing. He spun Moka around by her hand. Kurumu almost knocked him over with her enthusiastic hip bump. Gin, ever playful, dipped Harry, catching him just before he could hit his head on the floor. Yukari put both her feet on Harry's, giggling lightly as he stepped for both of them.

Harry circled his way back around to Mizore and took her hands in his. He pulled the girl- now far less tense- to the center and danced with her. Even though she'd only just learned, Mizore was a much more graceful dancer than he was. Luckily, he managed to avoid stepping on her toes.

The pop song tapered off and a ballroom dance started up. Everyone partnered up and toed around each other with the backs of their hands raised and pressed against each others'. After a few revolutions, they switched partners.

Mizore ended up with Moka, and Harry got Kurumu. Harry chuckled lightly at the other two pairings. Mizore was still shy with anyone who wasn't Harry, but she handled the new arrangement with grace. Yukari barely came up to Gin's waist, so Gin had to hunch over to dance with her.

"So, I noticed you aren't really keen on Mizore joining the club. Any reason in particular?" Harry asked calmly.

Kurumu frowned, caught. "She- I could tell from the moment she walked into the classroom. Mizore is a yuki-onna." Mistrust and worry flitted across her face as they spun around and she watched her dancing with Moka.

Harry raised a brow. "I'm not sure why that's cause for concern."

From the youkai lore he'd studied, Harry had also guessed what Mizore was from the way everything became cold in her presence. Yuki-onna were typically solitary creatures with little other desire than to find a husband and keep him trapped in their snowy homes. Mizore agreeing to join the Newspaper Club had cemented Harry's initial theory that she was different from what her species' legends portrayed.

Kurumu didn't seem to share his opinion. "Harry, my mom's been telling me about these yuki-onna since I was a baby. They're trouble. If a yuki-onna has taken interest in you, she'll freeze you solid and keep you to herself. She may not look it now, but she's dangerous."

"Oh, like if a succubus takes an interest in you, she'll turn you into a love slave?" Harry said, not convinced.

Kurumu recoiled as if struck. "That's different. You're my Destined One, Harry, you know I would never-"

"Then why is it a different story with Mizore? You should get to know her before you judge her good or bad." Kurumu looked like she wanted to protest again, but Harry stopped her. "Just remember that monsters aren't always the same as their textbook definitions. And if you forget again, look in the mirror."

That said, their last rotation ended, and Harry gave Kurumu's hand a soft, encouraging squeeze, before switching partners. Kurumu stared after him for a second more before reluctantly turning to the only person without a new partner- Mizore.

Mizore hesitated, having sensed Kurumu's earlier animosity towards her. Kurumu stared at Mizore, searching. Mizore avoided her eyes, afraid to find judgment in them when she was finally starting to feel accepted. It was fine. She knew that she wasn't very likable. Maybe Kurumu was right to view her with such contempt.

Mizore sighed and turned to sit out this round of the dance. A hand shot out and grasped her wrist firmly. Mizore turned, surprised. Kurumu looked her in the eyes, and Mizore found none of her earlier enmity.

"I'm… sorry." She said it like the words stung to say. The prideful succubus hung her head in shame. "I shouldn't have been so quick to judge. Welcome to the Newspaper Club, Shirayuki-san."

Kurumu raised her hand, the palm facing towards herself. Mizore stared at her for a second before giving the succubus a small smile. Kurumu looked at the softness in the girl's icy features, and she wondered how she could've thought her a threat. Mizore touched the back of her hand to Kurumu's, and they began to dance.

She smiled softly at Kurumu. "I accept. And… my friends can call me Mizore."

Kurumu's face lit up. "Then I'm happy to be your friend, Mizore."

Mizore quickly wove herself into their tight-knit group. Her little quirks were accepted by the others, and she soon made her intentions to win Harry's heart clear. Kurumu embraced their rivalry sportingly, treating her just as she did the others. They exchanged insults and sometimes came to blows, but there was never any real resentment between them.

Harry finally managed to get Mizore to go to her classes. She was pretty far behind, but Moka and Yukari were helping her study. Apparently, Ms. Nekonome had been giving her school work, so she was passing most of her classes. The only ones she had a failing grade in were math and P.E.

She was trying hard to improve her math grade, but the only way to pass P.E. was to go to the class, and for some reason, Mizore refused to go. Harry and Yukari tried to reassure her that it was okay if she wasn't good at physical things; they would be at the bottom of the class right along with her due to their human bodies.

Mizore wouldn't hear it. Whenever they tried to convince her to give it a shot, she became closed off and cold, not responding until they changed the subject. After a few tries, they stopped. If taking P.E. made Mizore's eyes turn to stone and her smile fade to a grim line, then the class just wasn't worth taking.

The Newspaper Club's newest issue was pretty standard stuff. There were a few fights between some of the upperclassmen. The Newspaper Club had been lucky enough not to be involved this time. Harry and Mizore were on an info run, looking for witnesses and the monsters involved.

Harry saw three boys approaching. "Hey, did you two happen to see the fights earlier this week?"

The boys were upperclassmen, tall and already growing facial hair. None of them looked interested in talking to Harry.

"You Shirayuki Mizore?" the one on the left growled. He was the taller of the two. He had red hair and a nose ring.

This guy appeared to be on a mission. Harry read the situation quickly. These three were looking for a fight. They were outnumbered, but three on two were beatable odds. Harry stepped in front of Mizore protectively.

"Who's asking?" Harry answered, reaching for his wand.

"We've been asked to pay you a visit," the second boy said.

The first boy acted quickly, dodging around Harry and going straight for Mizore. Harry turned to defend her, but the second boy tackled him from the side. Harry grunted as his head hit the ground, throwing him off long enough for the monster to transform. He was a troll. Harry smirked.

This brings back memories. First year was a far simpler time, wasn't it?

"Obtundo!"

The spell hit the monster in the stomach and knocked the air out of him, but he recovered quickly, as Harry had expected. The troll took a few steps toward Harry.

"Accio branch." Harry put a lot of magic into the spell, making the branch rocket towards him. The tree branch struck the troll on the back of his head on its way to Harry, knocking him out cold.

Harry whirled around, ready to take on the next opponent, but the other two were already frozen in large blocks of ice. Harry grinned at Mizore, and she blushed, proud of her victory.

Harry did not think it was endearing or cute in any way.

The two continued on their way, wondering what that had been about. As they turned the corner, they ran into the P.E. teacher, Mr. Kotsubo. Mizore tensed, sliding behind Harry as much as she could.

"Hey, you two. Haven't seen you in a while, Mizore-chan. You should come to class more often, I've missed you." Mr. Kotsubo's smile had a few too many teeth.

Something about Mr. Kotsubo was just off. It was like he was looking right through Harry to Mizore. Mizore hid further behind him.

"Yeah, nice seeing you Mr. Kotsubo. We've got somewhere to be," Harry said hurriedly. Harry reached behind him and grabbed Mizore's wrist, keeping her out of the man's sight as he walked away.

When they were out of Mr. Kotsubo's sight, Harry let go of Mizore's wrist only to notice that she was trembling.

"Mizore?" Harry eyed the snow woman, concerned. "What's wrong?"

Just like when Harry would ask about why she wouldn't take P.E., Mizore's eyes turned to spheres of ice.

Harry's eyes scrunched in thought as he started to put the pieces together. This reaction wasn't just general aversion. Something had to have happened. And with Mr. Kotsubo's weird behavior around Mizore…

Harry's brows pulled together as his suspicions formed. "What did he do to you?" Harry asked, struggling to keep the anger out of his voice.

Mizore's closed off eyes flashed briefly with terror.

Suddenly, Harry didn't need to know. Something stirred inside him, demanding bloody retribution. And looking at his friend, at the kind and shy Mizore so closed off and scared, Harry was obliged to answer.

First things first, though. Harry gently took Mizore's hand and led her back to the club room. The others were still working on their respective articles. Gin turned when he heard the door slide open.

"Hey, you two. That was really fast, we should really have you two scout more often." Gin looked between the two of them for a moment, taking in Mizore's closed off expression and Harry's furious expression. "What's wrong?"

Mizore slid onto a cushion in the corner of the room and hugged her arms tightly, not looking at anyone.

"There's a teacher on this campus who needs the Ishigami treatment," Harry hissed, eyes hard.

The others turned around at that, worry coloring their faces. For Harry to be this angry, something really bad must've happened. The only question needed in a situation like this was-

"Who?" Gin voiced the question in everyone's minds.

"Guys, trouble!"

The club members turned to the sound of Nekonome-sensei's voice. Her tail was thrashing anxiously behind her, and her ears were glued to her head.

"I just got a letter saying Kotsubo-sensei is trying to get Shirayuki-san and Harry-kun expelled! He says you two attacked a couple of his soccer club boys earlier today. We've been summoned to the Headmaster's office immediately!"

"What?! We can't let that happen!" Kurumu exclaimed.

Yukari grabbed her laptop and a copy of the school's handbook. "He's crazy if he thinks we're letting you two get expelled!"

The group rushed to the Headmaster's office to refute Kotsubo-sensei's allegations, leaving Mizore in the club room, alone.

Nekonome-sensei knocked on the Headmaster's door timidly, startling when the door swung open on its own. The group piled into the room, facing the Headmaster who sat in his desk with his fingers steepled under his chin.

Most of his face was hidden by his hood. Two chilling, glowing white eyes were all that could be seen. He wore a priest's garbs and a rosary. Those piercing eyes slid over the group and stopped on Harry.

"What brings all of you to my office?" he asked, seemingly amused.

"Uh… didn't you summon me here?" Nekonome-sensei asked.

"No. I suspect you've been misled."

Why would someone want all of us to come to the Headmaster's office for no reason? Harry's eyes slid over the group, narrowing as he tried to puzzle out an explanation. Well, not all of us, Mizore isn't here…

"Mizore!" Harry yelled abruptly.

He turned and ran out of the Headmaster's office. The others were fast on his tail. Harry grabbed onto the door of the club room, nearly sliding by it in his haste.

Mizore wasn't there.

"Shit!" Harry slammed a fist into the wall next to him.

"Harry, what's going on?" Moka asked, her eyes tight with worry.

"That bastard, Kotsubo. He's done something to Mizore, and he's likely the one who took her. We need to find her now, or he might do something to her."

Harry sprinted out of the classroom after the short explanation. Gin followed after Harry, worried that his rage would lead him to get himself hurt.

They checked the faculty room and Kotsubo's office with no success. The soccer field was empty as well. Harry was ready to sprint off to the next location, but a hand on his shoulder stopped him. Harry shot Gin a questioning look, wanting to continue his search as soon as possible.

"I heard something," Gin explained, a pensive expression on his face. His head tilted, following the sound before snapping in the direction of the forest. Harry should've known.

Harry followed after Gin as he ran towards the sound that had captured his attention. He took them through the trees to a familiar scene. They were at the cliff near the bus stop.

Kotsubo was partially transformed into his true form, a kraken. His many arms grabbed onto Mizore, fondling her breasts and forcing her arms out of the way.

Mizore eyes were wide with fear, and tears leaked from the corners.

Harry's blood boiled. His vision went red, and his magic rushed through his veins, begging to be used. Harry was more than willing to oblige. Harry slid down the hill, wand already in hand.

"Bombarda!"

Kotsubo's tentacles writhed at the blow. He was forced to let go of Mizore. Gin dropped in to catch her before she could collapse.

Kotsubo snarled at Harry. "Little fucking cockblocker, I'll kill you!"

He swung one of his tentacles at Harry.

"Diffindo!" Harry yelled.

The spell sliced the tentacle neatly in half. The end of it fell to the floor, still thrashing about in phantom pain. Kotsubo attacked, feeling cornered with the sudden loss of a limb. He moved quickly, using his remaining limbs to propel him directly towards Harry.

One of the tentacles slammed into Harry's midsection, knocking the air from the wizard's lungs. Harry gasped, holding an arm over his injured stomach. Another tentacle was coming at him. He rolled out of the way.

"Expulso," Harry hissed instinctively.

The spell blasted through the incoming tentacle, sending splatters of blood everywhere. The part of Harry that balked at violence had checked out the moment he'd seen Mizore's terrified expression. All that remained was wrath. Something deep inside Harry stirred at the bloodshed, grinned big and gruesome, relished it. For the briefest moment, Harry's emerald eyes glowed, bright Avada Kedavra green and furious.

Harry's spells zipped about the area, sending blood and tentacles flying in their wake. Another tentacle dropped with a wet thwack against the ground. Kotsubo swore loudly, trying to back away from Harry, fear creeping into his panicked eyes.

"C'mon kid, I wasn't gonna hurt her, just have a little fun! How can you even blame me? Have you seen her?" Kotsubo tried. His voice trembled.

"You weren't going to hurt her?!" Harry sent another spell at him, this one almost breaking his collarbone. "Bullshit! Do you know how she looked any time we brought up anything even having to do with you?!" Another spell, dislocating his shoulder. "You were her worst nightmare, and then you had the balls to come back and try to harass her again?! REDUCTO!"

The spell flew out of Harry's mouth before he could think to reign it in. The most destructive spell that Harry knew ripped through the skin of Kotsubo's chest and threw him into the air. The three students watched as the force of the spell flung his battered body off the edge of the cliff.

Kotsubo's eyes met Harry's for a moment, filled with dread, before he fell out of sight.

Harry raced to the edge of the cliff, cursing at his lapse in control, and kneeled by the edge to see if Kotsubo managed to swim away. Harry squinted, searching for the teacher's white clothes in the red water. Along the base of the cliff, a layer of craggy rocks jutted out to meet the waves.

On one of them…

Harry scrambled away from the edge of the cliff with a loud gasp. "Oh Merlin, what have I done." His stomach turned as his mind tried to catch up with what his eyes had just seen.

Down at the base of the cliff, Kotsubo's body bobbed with the waves, never fully coming up off of the giant spike through his chest. He was, without a doubt, dead.

Harry shook his head in denial, visibly trembling. He hadn't meant to. The spell was strong, but it wouldn't have killed him. Probably maimed or seriously injured, but never… this. He wasn't supposed to die.

Harry felt worse as a small, dark part of him cheered at the death of his adversary, proud of the slaughter. Harry shook his head wildly, as if he could shake the feeling away. He clutched at his head, digging his nails into his scalp. Why was he feeling like this? He'd just killed someone! What was wrong with him?

Moka smiled sweetly at him.

"I knew you wouldn't kill him even then because you're the sweetest person I've ever met, Harry-kun"

"Something inside of me was telling me to spill blood, and when I did, I enjoyed it."

"I was completely certain that you'd choose mercy over violence."

Harry's head shot up as a hand settled on his shoulder. Gin sighed deeply and gave Harry a small, nervous smile. Harry turned away from him.

"Harry."

He didn't deserve to have people like Gin around him.

"Harry."

He wouldn't be able to face any of them. They'd hate him.

"Harry, look at me."

He was a murderer.

"Harry, please?"

Murderer murderer murderer MUR-

A hand grasped Harry's face and turned it until he was looking directly into reddish-brown eyes. Gin's brows were creased with worry. When he finally got Harry out of his head, he let go of him.

"Harry, I know you're beating yourself up over this, but please listen to me, alright? You are not a bad person for killing a bastard like Kotsubo."

Harry looked away from him, disbelieving.

"Hey, no look at me, Harry. He was trying to kill you. He was trying to rape Mizore. Remember that? Look at her, Harry."

Harry refused to look up from his hands, still trapped in the heart-sinking revolving door of I killed him, part of me loved it, I'm a murderer.

Gin grabbed Harry's face once again, forcing him to look at Mizore, who sat curled up near the edge of the cliff. She was still trembling, and a few tears still leaked from her eyes, but she looked so relieved. She looked like she'd just woken from a nightmare.

"Look at her and tell me you're sorry for putting that look on her face. Tell me you're sorry for killing the fucker who tried to hurt her."

Harry's eyes widened, his mind trying to process what was being said. He'd killed someone, and they still wanted him? Mizore was happy?

"You- you don't hate me?"

"Harry, this is the monster world. There is no black and white. We're all fifty shades of fucked up around here, and sometimes you gotta kill a man to stop him from raping your friend. That's just how it works. It's harsh, and it's scary, but there's good here. You bring out a lot of that good, Harry, so don't you dare think you're a bad person because of this."

"B-but before, Moka said- it's just that everyone has such high hopes for me to be this beacon of light or whatever, and I can't-" Harry hiccupped, tears pouring from his eyes. "I can't do it. I'm a murderer, and-" And part of me liked it.

Gin gave Harry a knowing look. He knew, better than most, of Harry's struggles with darkness. He opened his mouth but shut it back as a second hand came to rest on Harry's other shoulder, cold as ice. Mizore sat beside Harry, her hands still shaking, and her eyes still blurred with tears, but she was determined.

"Harry-kun, Ko-" Mizore's throat caught around the word, unable to say the man's name even after his death. "That man was the real reason I stayed out of school for so long. He was a piece of shit, and I'm relieved that he's gone. I don't care what anyone else says." Mizore finally met Harry's eyes, and they were hard as steel. "If they tell you're going to hell for this, I'll follow you through the gates, and so will the others."

"You bet your ass we will," a voice said from behind them.

Kurumu was the first to come out of the forest, followed by Moka and Yukari.

Moka gave Harry a soft, understanding smile. "We saw… the result of the fight when Kurumu was flying us over." She knelt by Harry, brushing a thumb across his cheek affectionately. "I'm sorry if I made you think we wouldn't accept you, Harry-kun. I guess I should've been more clear that day. Back then, I knew that you wouldn't kill Gin because you knew it wasn't necessary. I trust you to know when it is. We'll support you no matter what." Moka's voice was steady and reassuring.

"That's right, desu! Harry-kun is my hero!"

Harry smiled cautiously, his heart feeling lighter with his friends' acceptance. Harry wrapped his arms around his friends, holding them as close as possible and basking in the fact that they were safe and here. Harry knew then, as they all leaned into his touch instead of away, as they looked at him like he was the center of their world. They were his, and he was theirs, no matter what. They would never leave him or judge him for what he'd done, for who he was.

This is the monster world, after all.