Hello, everyone. ThunderReborn from 2025. This chapter has originally been edited by Darklord331. Finally, in April 2025, this chapter was edited again by my current beta reader, Waroyer123. Thank you and I hope you enjoy the story.
The following is a fan-based parody.
Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo, TV Tokyo, Viz Media, and Studio Pierrot.
Harry Potter is owned by J.K Rowling.
All other references of characters or abilities are not mine.
Please support the official release.
"Hello." – Normal talking
"Hello." – Ichigo's thoughts.
"Hello." – Zanpakutō speaking
"Hello." – Zanpakutō thoughts.
": Hello Human. : " – Goblin Language
": Hello :" – French.
"$: Hello :$" – Parseltongue
Chapter 40:
Time Skip: One Week
It had been a week since the Quidditch World Cup Finals. Kaien and Artoria had received a large number of letters from witches and wizards—many thanking them for their actions during the event, while others criticized their methods. Kaien used the critical letters as targets for Artoria to practice her spells. Despite being significantly stronger than most wizards, Kaien insisted that Artoria continue her studies in magic. Once Mysteria deemed Artoria's magic up to standard, Kaien began dueling with her. She was allowed to use everything except for Avalon, while Kaien was limited to using only his staff. They dueled three times a day, with each match ending in Kaien's victory.
Now, once again, Kaien and Artoria stood facing each other in the training room. Artoria held her wand firmly, while Kaien had Mysteria, his staff, in hand. Mysteria, the embodiment of Kaien's magic, stood in the center.
"Begin!" Mysteria shouted.
Kaien immediately launched a large wave of fire. Artoria dodged the attack, firing a concentrated blast of water to the side. Kaien responded by summoning a gust of wind, which intensified the flames and transformed them into a swirling fire tornado. He directed the tornado toward Artoria. Calmly, Artoria summoned a massive wave of water, sending it crashing into the tornado, neutralizing the flames in a clash of elements. The room quickly filled with steam, obscuring their view of one another.
Artoria stood her ground, waiting for Kaien's next move. Suddenly, a bolt of blue lightning shot out from the steam, heading straight for her. Instinctively, Artoria conjured a stone wall to block the attack. But before she could react, more lightning bolts rained down around her. She swiftly transfigured the stone wall into a dome, sheltering herself from the onslaught. The lightning continued to strike the stone dome, but Artoria focused on regaining her composure.
Without warning, a pillar of metal shot up from the ground, destroying the top of her dome. Artoria's eyes widened. She quickly opened the dome and attempted to flee, but she was hit by a blast of water, forcing her back into the metal pillar. The impact dented the pillar, but before she could recover, the solid metal morphed into a liquid state and wrapped around her in metallic tentacles. The tentacles swatted her wand away, trapping her further as the metal solidified around her.
Struggling against the grip of the metal, Artoria fought to break free. A bolt of white lightning struck down from above, coursing through her body and sending searing pain throughout her.
"Gra!" she yelled as the lightning surged through her, and her vision began to fade to black.
Moments later, Artoria woke to find Kaien smirking and Mysteria looking amused.
"Winner, Kaien," Mysteria declared.
Artoria groaned in frustration. "Dammit."
Kaien extended a hand, and with a sigh, Artoria took it. He pulled her into a hug. The two often explored London together, and during this time, their bond had grown closer. They were no longer just friends. Kaien was aware of Artoria's feelings toward him, but he wanted her to be the one to express them first. He could still tell that Artoria had difficulty showing her emotions.
"All right, lovebirds, it's 10 o'clock now," Mysteria teased. Artoria's cheeks flushed lightly at the comment. They pulled apart from their hug.
"Come on then," Kaien said as they left the training room.
Scene Change: Hotel Room
Kaien and Artoria arrived at their hotel room. They had been moving between hotel rooms every week to avoid drawing attention. Kaien held a letter from Professor McGonagall, informing them that they would be sorted into a Hogwarts House, a formality for points and class enrollment. After ensuring they hadn't left anything behind, they checked out and sat in the lobby, waiting.
A few moments later, a taxi pulled up in front of them.
"Kaien and Artoria Shiba?" the driver called.
"Yes," Kaien answered as they climbed into the taxi.
"Morning. How can I help ya?" the driver asked.
"King's Cross Station, please," Artoria requested.
"Right away, young lady." The taxi driver pulled out into the street. They sat in silence as they made their way to the station.
When they arrived at King's Cross Station, Kaien handed the driver 30 pounds for the 27-pound fare and they quickly exited the taxi. Following directions from a station employee, they soon found Platforms 9 and 10.
"There are several wards around these platforms," Kaien observed.
"An illusion ward, a teleportation spell embedded into the wall, and a barrier spell," Artoria deduced.
"Correct," Kaien confirmed. Together, they approached the stone wall between Platforms 9 and 10 and passed through the barrier. Ahead of them stood the Hogwarts Express, a massive maroon train. The sign read "Platform 9 ." Families bustled around, some parents hugging their children, while students boarded the train.
Kaien and Artoria navigated through the crowd and boarded the train, finding an empty compartment. Kaien cast a privacy spell, along with a notice-me-not spell, and placed a compulsion charm on the door to target three specific students. They each pulled out a book and began reading, waiting for the inevitable encounter.
It didn't take long. The compartment door slid open, and three familiar faces appeared.
"Kaien! Artoria!" Hermione exclaimed, rushing to hug them. Kaien and Artoria returned the hug. "You made it!" Hermione smiled.
"We did," Artoria replied, her smile matching Hermione's. Harry and Ron followed her into the compartment, closing the door behind them.
"Man, so many people are still mad at what you two did at the World Cup," Ron said.
"We know," Kaien replied. "We've received quite a few letters. Thankfully, Gringotts screened mine first."
"Gringotts can do that?" Harry asked, surprised.
"Yes," Kaien nodded. "The goblins offer many services to those who pay well."
Ron grinned. "Bill mentioned that."
"Bill?" Kaien asked.
"Yeah, one of my older brothers," Ron said.
"Interesting," Kaien mused. The group chatted for a while, with Harry and Ron showing Kaien and Artoria some wizard games to pass the time. Soon, the rain began to fall, and Ron left to join some of the other boys. Hermione pulled out a large book and began reading, while Harry settled in for a nap.
Kaien and Artoria, meanwhile, sat by the window, watching the passing scenery. In the distance, they could see the silhouette of a castle.
Hermione closed her book and looked up, her eyes meeting Kaien and Artoria's.
"Kaien, can you please wake Harry up?" Hermione asked.
"Sure," Kaien replied, gently shaking Harry.
"Harry, wake up," Kaien said as softly as he could.
"His body feels so thin. Could he be malnourished?" Kaien thought to himself. Harry stirred and slowly opened his eyes.
"Are we at Hogwarts yet?" he asked groggily.
"Close, maybe twenty minutes or so," Hermione replied, pulling her robes out of her trunk. Kaien and Harry quickly understood what was happening and stepped out of the compartment. Once the girls were finished changing, they switched places. As Kaien changed, he glanced at Harry again.
"So, he is malnourished. Could he be abused at home?" Kaien thought, troubled.
When they returned to the compartment, everyone settled in as they got their first proper look at the castle ahead. Kaien felt a strange sense of déjà vu. "Did I see this castle before?"
"For you, who has only seen my memories of it, it may be difficult to recall, but for me—who helped build it—it's unmistakable," Artoria explained.
"Wait... you mean..." Kaien trailed off, realizing.
"Yes. The castle we are arriving at is Camelot."
"I see," Kaien said, now understanding.
"To think it still stands to this day. Now, it's being used to teach the future generation. Myrddin would be very happy," Artoria thought wistfully.
The train soon came to a stop at Hogsmeade Station. The rain continued to pour down. Kaien cast an air dome around them, shielding them from the downpour. As they stepped off the train, Kaien noticed a large silhouette approaching them on the platform.
"Hi, Hagrid!" Harry shouted, recognizing his friend.
"All right, Harry?" Hagrid bellowed back, waving.
Hagrid turned to Kaien and Artoria. "You must be the two new students?"
"We are. I'm Kaien Shiba."
"And I'm Artoria Shiba."
"Glad to meet ya! I've got instructions from Professor McGonagall to take you two with the first years."
"Very well," Kaien said. "See you at the feast," he added, as they followed Hagrid, still carrying his air dome along with them.
Hagrid had gathered the rest of the first years, all of whom were soaked to the bone. Kaien, feeling some pity, expanded his air dome and dried them all with a wave of his hand. The first years marveled at the magical feat.
As they made their way down a narrow, steep path, Hagrid called over his shoulder, "Ye'll get yer first sight of Hogwarts in a sec. Jus' round this bend here."
The narrow path opened up suddenly, revealing the edge of a massive black lake. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side was the grand castle of Hogwarts, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, surrounded by turrets and towers.
"Oooooh!" The first years exclaimed in awe.
"No more than four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of small boats along the shore. "Well, except for you two," he added, nodding to Kaien and Artoria. "You two will take one boat together."
Kaien and Artoria sensed the subtle disappointment from the other first years, but they didn't let it bother them. They climbed into their boat, joined by the others.
"Everyone in?" Hagrid shouted from his own boat. No one responded. "Right then—FORWARD!" he called.
The fleet of boats moved off simultaneously, gliding across the smooth-as-glass lake. Everyone was silent, staring up at the magnificent castle as they sailed closer to the cliff it stood on.
"Head down!" Hagrid yelled as the first boats neared the cliff. They all bent their heads, and the boats passed through a curtain of ivy that concealed a wide opening in the cliff face.
Suddenly, Artoria flinched as they crossed Hogwarts' wards. She felt them hit her like a wall, their weight pressing down on her shoulders. A wave of nausea rose in her, and her head began to throb. Kaien, noticing her discomfort, gently stroked her back. Slowly, the nausea and headache faded, replaced by a warm, comforting sensation. She could feel the wards of Camelot reaching out to her beneath the layers of foreign magic.
Artoria cracked a small smile as the boat continued to the underground harbor. When they arrived, everyone disembarked, and Hagrid led them up a passageway toward the castle. They climbed a flight of stone steps and gathered around the giant oak front door. Hagrid raised his massive fist and knocked three times.
The door swung open to reveal Professor McGonagall, who greeted them with a warm smile. She escorted them down a hallway, and Kaien and Artoria made small talk with her as they walked. Soon, they were greeted by a parade of ghosts.
"It seems that none of them have a Chain of Fate," Kaien thought, observing the ghosts. As they greeted the first years, the ghosts turned their attention to Kaien. Each one gave him a subtle nod before disappearing once more.
The doors to the Great Hall swung open, and Professor McGonagall led them inside. The hall was illuminated by thousands of floating candles, casting a warm glow on the four long tables where the rest of the students were seated. Glittering golden plates and goblets were set before them.
Professor McGonagall placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years and placed the Sorting Hat on top. She began reading the names of the new students, one by one. Each student walked up to the hat, which would quickly announce their house.
Soon, only Kaien and Artoria were left standing.
"Many of you have noticed the two students still standing," Headmaster Dumbledore said, rising from his seat. "This year, we are fortunate to welcome two students from Japan. Though they are officially adult wizards with NEWTs, please treat them as students."
"Shiba, Artoria," Professor McGonagall called.
Artoria walked confidently up to the stool. She didn't need to sit down, and Professor McGonagall placed the Sorting Hat on her head. Almost immediately, she felt a presence in her mindscape.
Scene Change: Artoria's Mindscape
Artoria opened her eyes to find herself seated on her black and red throne. Around her, knights in full-body armor knelt before her. She could sense the foreign presence in her mindscape.
"Knights. Apprehend the intruder," she ordered calmly.
The knights stood in unison, slamming their armored fists against their breastplates.
"Yes, Your Highness!" they shouted before rushing out of the throne room.
Artoria surveyed the grand hall of Camelot, still standing strong. One of the towers had been replaced by a giant knight chess piece, but the castle remained intact. The sky above was pitch black, save for the shimmering stars and a red moon.
She heard footsteps approaching, and soon, her knights returned, holding the limbs of a struggling man. The man appeared young, dressed in a black wizard's robe.
"I assume you must be the Sorting Hat?" Artoria asked, her voice calm but firm.
"Your mind is the most complex I've ever encountered," the Sorting Hat said.
"Do you have a name, Hat?" Artoria asked.
"I do. It's Gideon the Sorting Hat," the hat answered.
"Well then, Gideon... I will allow you to watch my memories, but you must swear, on the magic that created you and the magic of Hogwarts, that you will never reveal, in any shape or form, what you see in my memories," Artoria commanded.
"Very well then. I, Gideon the Sorting Hat, swear on the magic that created me and the magic granted to me from Haugh's Wards, that I will never reveal anything I learn from Artoria's memories to anyone, in any shape or form. So, mote it be." Gideon glowed golden as the oath took effect.
"Guards… stand down." The knights released their hold on Gideon. "Follow me," Artoria instructed.
She and Gideon walked down a corridor, arriving at an empty wall with a stone beneath it, engraved with an incision. Artoria manifested a beautifully crafted sword, blue and golden, and stabbed it into the stone. The wall began to glow, and the bricks moved aside.
"Before you enter, I must warn you," Artoria said, "What you learn from my memories cannot be unlearned."
Gideon rolled his eyes. "I've seen many things in my time here at Haugh's Wards. I'm sure seeing the memories of a young adult girl isn't that bad," he said, stepping into Artoria's memory room. The doors closed behind him. Artoria sighed as she summoned a chair and sat. She could hear Gideon's varied emotions from within the memory room.
"So, you're showing him your memories?" Kaien said, appearing next to Artoria.
"I am. I hope he'll be a great ally in the future," Artoria reasoned.
Kaien nodded. "Agreed... but could you tell him to hurry up? It's been ten minutes, and everyone's staring at you."
Artoria sighed again. "I can't force him to go faster. He's going to watch everything in the memory room." They didn't have to wait much longer. The memory room door opened, and a tired Gideon walked out.
"Your Majesty, if you need anything, please let me know," Gideon said.
"Thank you, Gideon. We'll call you if you are needed," Artoria replied.
"If both of you are done, we should head back to the Great Hall. Everyone is staring at both of you," Kaien said.
Gideon looked at Kaien. "You're here too?"
"I was curious to see what was taking both of you so long," Kaien answered.
"Very well," Gideon said, leaving Artoria's mind. Kaien smirked as he followed. Artoria rolled her eyes as she exited her mind.
Scene Change: Hogwarts Great Hall
Kaien and Artoria opened their eyes. Artoria saw that everyone was staring at her and the Sorting Hat. The Sorting Hat's eyes blinked open.
"I have finished looking at her mind, and I am unable to sort her. She embodies all the features of the four houses," Gideon announced.
"I see…" Professor McGonagall said, taking the Sorting Hat off of Artoria's head. "Shiba, Kaien."
Kaien walked toward her. He stopped a few steps in front of her and turned around. Professor McGonagall barely managed to place the Sorting Hat on his head. Kaien sighed as he heard the Sorting Hat's screams of agony in his mindscape. Kaien entered his mindscape to guide Gideon.
Scene Change: Kaien's Mindscape
Kaien opened his eyes to find Gideon surrounded by various spirits in his mindscape, all ready to attack the hat.
"Guys. Let him go," Kaien said.
"Are you sure, King?" Zangetsu asked.
"Zangetsu, you should know why he's here," Kaien replied.
"Very well," Zangetsu said, stepping away from Gideon. "I'll be watching you, Hat," he growled before vanishing with a shunpō. The other spirits disappeared as well.
"Follow me," Kaien said, walking ahead. Gideon followed closely behind. They arrived at the bottom of a mountain.
"Before we continue, I would like to request an oath from you as well," Kaien said.
Gideon sighed. "I, Gideon the Sorting Hat, swear on the magic that created me and the magic granted to me from Haugh's Wards, that I will never reveal anything I learn from Kaien's memories to anyone, in any shape or form. So, mote it be." Gideon glowed golden for a moment before the light faded.
Kaien cut his finger and wrote 'memories last forever' in kanji on the wall with his blood. The kanji glowed red before it seeped into the wall. The wall began to shake, revealing a cavern. They walked inside and came upon a pool filled with clear water. Gideon approached the pool and slowly submerged his head. Kaien sat by the cave and waited. After a few minutes, Gideon pulled himself out of the water.
"How was it?" Kaien asked.
Gideon looked at him before leaving Kaien's mindscape. Kaien rolled his eyes as he exited his mind as well.
Scene Change: Hogwarts Great Hall
Kaien opened his eyes to see Artoria looking at him, amusement on her face.
"Just like before, I am unable to sort him into a house," Gideon announced. Professor McGonagall took the Sorting Hat off of Kaien's head.
"Professor McGonagall, where should we sit?" Artoria asked.
"Um…" McGonagall turned to Headmaster Dumbledore, but he didn't seem to know how to answer the question.
"Why don't we sit at a different table each day?" Kaien suggested.
"That would work," Professor McGonagall agreed.
With that, Kaien and Artoria walked over to the Gryffindor table and sat with the first years. Soon, the feast began. Kaien grinned as Artoria resisted the urge to grab everything and devour it. She gave herself a plate with a bit of everything. As Artoria ate, Kaien answered some of the first years' questions while asking a few of his own. The feast continued, and by the end, Artoria had managed to devour six plates of food.
Dumbledore stood again.
"So!" Dumbledore began. "Now that we are all fed and watered, I must once more ask for your attention while I give out a few notices. Mister Filch, the caretaker, has asked me to tell you that the list of objects forbidden inside the castle has been extended this year to include Screaming Yo-yos, Fanged Frisbees, and Ever-Bashing Boomerangs."
"Do wizards and witches really create things like that?" Kaien thought.
"Apparently," Artoria replied.
"The full list comprises some four hundred and thirty-seven items, I believe, and can be viewed in Mister Filch's office, if anyone would like to check it out," Dumbledore continued, his mouth twitching into a small smile. "As ever, I would like to remind you all that the forest on the grounds is out of bounds to students, as is the village of Hogsmeade for all students below the third year."
Headmaster Dumbledore took a breath before continuing. "It is also my painful duty to inform you that the Inter-House Quidditch Cup will not take place this year." Kaien could hear the outcry from around him. Dumbledore waited for the noise to die down before continuing. "This is due to an event that will begin in October and continue throughout the school year, consuming much of the teachers' time and energy. I have great pleasure in announcing that this year at Hogwarts—" But at that moment, a deafening rumble of thunder interrupted him, and the doors of the Great Hall banged open. Everyone turned to see a man standing in the doorway, leaning on a long staff, cloaked in a black traveling robe. He lowered his hood, shook out a long mane of grizzled, dark gray hair, and began walking toward the teachers' table. Every step he took echoed with a dull clunk. He soon reached the top table. A flash of lightning illuminated his face, revealing it to be scarred. The stranger raised his hand toward Dumbledore, cracked a small smile, and shook his hand. He then walked to the only remaining empty seat at the teacher's table and began to eat.
"May I introduce our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher… Professor Moody."
The Great Hall fell silent. No one knew how to react. Only Dumbledore and Hagrid knew what to do, and they clapped for him. They quickly stopped when they realized they were the only ones doing so.
"As I was saying… We are honored to host a very exciting event over the coming months, one that has not been held for over a century. It is my great pleasure to inform you that the Triwizard Tournament will take place at Hogwarts this year." Once again, the Great Hall erupted in chatter. Kaien and Artoria remained quiet. Soon, the students quieted down again.
"The Triwizard Tournament was first established some seven hundred years ago as a friendly competition between the three largest European schools of wizardry: Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang. A champion was selected to represent each school, and the three champions competed in three magical tasks. The schools took turns hosting the tournament every five years, and it was generally agreed to be an excellent way to foster ties between young witches and wizards of different nationalities—until, that is, the death toll grew so high that the tournament was discontinued."
"This confirms that these wizards and witches really are stupid," Kaien thought.
"Agreed," Artoria replied.
"There have been several attempts over the centuries to reinstate the tournament, but none have been very successful. However, the Department of International Magical Cooperation and the Department of Magical Games and Sports have decided to try again. The heads of these departments, along with us headmasters and headmistresses, have worked hard over the summer to ensure that no champions will find themselves in mortal danger," Dumbledore said, calming the potential contenders. "The heads of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will arrive with their potential champions in October, and the selection of the three champions will take place at Halloween. An impartial judge will decide which students are most worthy to compete for the Triwizard Cup, the glory of their school, and a thousand Galleons." With the prize announced, many students grew excited at the thought of entering the tournament. Dumbledore chuckled as he noticed their eagerness and continued his speech.
"I can see that many of you are eager to enter the Triwizard Tournament. However, everyone has agreed that only students who are seventeen years old will be allowed to compete." Some students voiced their outrage in the Great Hall. Dumbledore ignored it and carried on.
"This decision was made because the tasks are designed to test the limits of our wizards, and we all believe that only seventh-year students will be capable of handling them. I will personally ensure that no underage student attempts to trick our impartial judge into making them Hogwarts' champion. I hope this warning will prevent you from wasting time trying if you are underage."
"The delegations from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving in October and will remain with us for the rest of the school year. I know all of you will treat our foreign guests with the respect they deserve and offer your full support to our Hogwarts Champion when he or she is selected."
"It's getting late, and all of you have lessons in the morning. Bedtime for all of you," Dumbledore said, sitting down. The Great Hall was filled with the sound of benches scraping as students stood up and began filing out. Kaien and Artoria stood to see Professor McGonagall walking toward them.
"Allow me to escort you to your chambers for the duration of your stay." Professor McGonagall led them to the fourth floor, where they arrived at a painting. The painting depicted a knight dressed in full black armor, standing on a grassy plain. The armor concealed the knight's identity.
"Hello, Professor McGonagall," the painting greeted.
"Hello, Black Knight. I've brought you the two who will be staying in the chambers behind you."
"I see," the Black Knight said, turning his gaze toward Kaien and Artoria. The Black Knight and Artoria locked eyes.
"You may set the password to anything you won't just tell the Black Knight," Professor McGonagall instructed. Kaien and Artoria nodded as she left.
"The password will be Arondight," Artoria said. The Black Knight nodded, and the portrait opened to reveal a spacious room. Kaien and Artoria walked inside. The room had a small living area with two doors leading to private rooms, each with a bathroom. They quickly inspected the room.
"I found a few listening spells on the furniture," Artoria remarked. "Should we remove them?"
Kaien smirked. "No. This gives us a significant advantage. We can control what the enemy knows." He gathered all the listening charms and placed them on objects in the private room. Kaien then added perimeter silence charms to each object. If he wished to share something with the speaker, all he had to do was cross the perimeter and speak.
"All clear now," Kaien said. Artoria turned toward the Black Knight, who had been watching them.
"It's been a long time, hasn't it... Lancelot?" Artoria said.
The Black Knight removed his helmet, revealing a Caucasian man with purple hair and hazel eyes.
"Indeed, my king," Lancelot replied.
"Are any of the knights here?" Artoria asked.
"As far as I know, I am the only one," Lancelot replied.
"I see…" Artoria responded.
"But what I want to know is, how are you still alive?" Lancelot asked.
"That, my old friend, is an interesting story," Artoria said as she began to tell her tale to Lancelot. Kaien let out a yawn and went to bed.
Time Skip: Next Morning
Kaien opened his eyes to find Artoria lying peacefully on his chest, fast asleep. Kaien sighed and gently shook her awake.
"Noo… let me sleep," Artoria moaned.
"Come on, Artoria. We'll miss breakfast," Kaien said.
"Grrr," Artoria growled as she got out of bed and headed into the bathroom. Kaien rolled his eyes and noticed Lancelot watching them with a small smile.
"She's finally acting like a human now," he remarked. Kaien smiled in response.
"She is," Kaien said, heading to the other bathroom. After a while, they both walked down to the Great Hall, which was filled with students eating breakfast. Kaien and Artoria made their way to the Hufflepuff table.
"Excuse us, can we sit with you?" Kaien asked.
"Sure. The name's Cedric Diggory, sixth year," Cedric replied. Kaien and Artoria sat down with him.
"I'm Beatrice Haywood, seventh year," Beatrice added.
"I'm Susan Bones," Susan said.
"Any relation to Madam Bones?" Artoria asked.
"She's my aunt," Susan replied. Kaien nodded as they started eating.
More Hufflepuffs introduced themselves.
"Kaien and Artoria Shiba?" someone called out. Kaien and Artoria looked up to see a slightly older witch with short, gray, wavy hair, holding sheets of parchment.
"Yes?" Kaien asked, raising his hand. The witch walked over to them.
"I'm Professor Sprout, Head of Hufflepuff House and I teach Herbology."
"Nice to meet you," Kaien said.
"I have a copy of the Seventh Year's Schedule for all four houses for you two." She handed them each a set of parchments. "I'm glad you two are following through on your idea." She walked down the table, looking for another student. Kaien and Artoria pocketed their schedules and returned to eating.
"So, are both of you considering entering the tournament?" Hanna Abbott asked. Kaien stared at her for a few seconds to gauge whether she was serious or joking.
"Why would I enter the tournament? I'm not technically a Hogwarts student," Kaien replied.
"Oh… I'm sorry," Hanna said, looking embarrassed.
"Hanna, my goal wasn't to embarrass you. I just thought the staff already explained why we're here," Kaien said.
"Why are you here, then?" Cedric asked.
"I just wish to learn Western Magic," Kaien answered.
"I see…" Cedric said, nodding. Just then, a loud bell rang, signaling the start of class.
"Kaien and Artoria, do you want to join us for Defense Against the Dark Arts?" Beatrice asked.
"Sure," Kaien said. Kaien and Artoria joined the seventh-year Hufflepuffs and headed to the DADA classroom. They were soon joined by the seventh-year Ravenclaws. The classroom was filled with various equipment, and the students chatted while they waited for Professor Moody. Kaien and Artoria sensed him standing by the door under an invisibility cloak.
"Hm… why is he standing there?" Kaien thought.
"Perhaps a surprise attack to see who would be able to react in time?" Artoria thought. Their thoughts were quickly answered. As soon as the late bell rang, Professor Moody threw off his cloak and began casting spells at the students. Many shrieked in fright, and some froze in shock. Kaien kicked a table up to block one of the spells. Artoria summoned her wand and began casting spells at Professor Moody. Ichigo ensured none of their spells hit the scared students. The two dueled for a minute before Professor Moody called out.
"Enough. Both of you pass this test." Artoria stopped casting and smirked at Kaien.
"A test?" one of the Ravenclaw students asked.
"Exactly. A practical test to see how all of you would react to a surprise attack from a dark wizard," Professor Moody said, walking to the front of the classroom. He waved his staff, and the damage was quickly repaired. "And all of you, except for those foreign students, managed to do something in that attack." He then turned to the rest of the students. "Until the end of class, you'll pair up and duel each other. No lethal spells."
The students began to pair off and duel. Kaien and Artoria cast spells at each other, impressing the other students with their speed and precision. However, Professor Moody noticed they were holding back, clearly playing with each other.
"Interesting. There's more than meets the eye," Moody thought, his magical eye focusing on them.
Soon, the bell rang, signaling the end of class. Professor Moody slammed his staff into the ground, regaining the students' attention.
"Here's the most important thing to remember… CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" he bellowed. "Be aware of your surroundings. You may think you're in a safe area, but you can never be too careful." He paused before adding, "All of you will write me one sheet of parchment with ideas on how to booby-trap this classroom without making it appear out of place."
The students began to file out, and Kaien and Artoria grabbed their bags and walked over to Professor Moody.
"Yes?" Kaien asked.
"I noticed you two were playing around with each other earlier," Professor Moody remarked.
"We were," Kaien confirmed.
"Why?"
"When we duel each other…" Kaien began.
"It usually gets wild and messy," Artoria finished.
"I see… How did you know about the surprise test?" Artoria cracked a small smile.
"Yes. We were able to detect you hiding by the door," Kaien said.
"How?" Professor Moody asked, raising an eyebrow. Kaien smirked.
"That wouldn't be a good idea to explain. After all, isn't not being constantly vigilant a bad move?" Kaien replied. Professor Moody let out a hearty laugh.
"Smart lad," he remarked as Kaien and Artoria left the classroom. Kaien and Artoria walked down the corridor toward the stairs.
"Which class are we going to attend next?" Artoria asked.
"Maybe Transfiguration," Kaien said, though his thoughts lingered on the fact that they didn't have a map to find the class. Just then, Kaien noticed a ghost floating up from the ground.
"Good morning," Kaien greeted the ghost.
"Good morning," the ghost replied. "Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington at your service. Resident ghost of Gryffindor Tower."
"Can you point us in the direction of the Transfiguration Classroom?" Kaien asked.
"Certainly. Allow me to guide you there," Sir Nicholas said, leading them through the halls.
"Mister Shiba, the resident ghosts wish to speak with you later tonight," he added as they walked.
"Very well. Where will we meet?" Kaien asked.
"I will guide you from the Great Hall," Sir Nicholas replied.
"Understood," Kaien said. They soon arrived at a closed classroom door.
"Well, this is your stop. See you soon," Sir Nicholas said before floating away. Kaien knocked on the door. It opened to reveal Professor McGonagall.
"Ah, Mister and Miss Shiba. Come in. I was just about to start my lecture," she said. Kaien and Artoria entered, taking seats at the side as the rest of the class filled the room. The classroom was filled with seventh-year students, and Professor McGonagall began explaining the theory behind human transfiguration.
Kaien thought about a few theories on why transfiguring inanimate objects to animals and humans to something else was so difficult. He made a mental note to ask her about it when he could arrange a private session.
Soon, the class ended with Professor McGonagall assigning a foot of parchment explaining why human transfiguration was so dangerous.
"Professor McGonagall," Kaien called out. She turned to see him standing, waiting.
"Yes, Mister Shiba?"
"I have a few questions about Transfiguration. Would it be possible for me to ask you these questions tomorrow?" Kaien asked.
"I don't see why not," Professor McGonagall replied.
"Thank you. See you tomorrow," Kaien said as they left the classroom.
"What class should we visit next?" Artoria asked.
Time Skip: Evening
They visited the Charms class next, which was taught by Professor Flitwick. They watched as he demonstrated nonverbal spells. By the end of the class, Kaien had a few questions that he felt would complicate the lesson. He decided to ask for a private meeting with him in two days, and Professor Flitwick quickly agreed.
After that, it was time for lunch. Kaien and Artoria sat with Ravenclaw students. After introducing themselves, the students began asking Kaien and Artoria a variety of questions. Some asked where they were from, others about the spells they'd cast in DADA, and one even asked if they were single. Kaien and Artoria did their best to answer or dodge the questions.
Eventually, lunch was over, and it was time for their afternoon classes. Kaien and Artoria decided to attend the Fifth-Year Arithmancy class, as the Sixth and Seventh Years were in Advanced Arithmancy Studies. The first math problem the professor wrote on the board almost made Kaien laugh—it was algebra. He tried to calm himself as she explained how to solve three-variable equations by hand.
"Glad we have a calculator," Kaien thought.
Artoria, on the other hand, was lost.
"What… what sorcery is this?" Artoria complained.
"You know, that's kind of ironic. We're in a school that teaches magic," Kaien said, smirking.
Soon, the class ended. Kaien was curious to see what the students in Advanced Arithmancy Studies were learning. Artoria decided to head back to her room. As the class began, Kaien almost groaned in disbelief—they were learning statistics, and it had to be done by hand.
"Man, I was really lucky to have a calculator," Kaien thought.
Soon, the class ended, and Kaien met up with Artoria at the Great Hall for dinner. They sat with the Slytherins. Many of them kept their distance, eyeing them as though they were aliens. Kaien sighed and tried to ignore the stares as they continued eating.
"Artoria, do you want to come with me to meet the ghosts?" Kaien asked.
"No thanks," Artoria replied. "I'm going to find a place where we can spar."
Kaien didn't have to wait long. Sir Nicholas soon floated out of the Great Hall.
"Ready to go, Mister Shiba?" Sir Nicholas asked.
"I am. You can call me Kaien," Kaien replied. They walked in silence as they made their way down the corridor to the lower levels of the castle. Sir Nicholas passed through a door, and Kaien opened it to find a room filled with various ghosts. Kaien stepped inside and closed the door behind him.
"So, Reaper, why are you here?" asked one of the ghosts, who was dressed in robes covered in silver bloodstains and carried chains.
"Isn't it rude not to introduce yourself?" Kaien asked.
"I am known as the Bloody Baron," the ghost replied.
"Well, call me Kaien then," Kaien said.
"Are you here to put us to rest?" asked an older woman ghost with waist-length hair, wearing a long cloak.
"And you are, my lady?" Kaien asked.
"I'm known as the Gray Lady," she replied.
"My actions will release the one who will help all of you lay to rest," Kaien said.
"Your actions?" The Gray Lady raised an eyebrow.
"Exactly. I am an agent of the gods tasked with assisting the completion of someone's destiny," Kaien explained.
"I see…" The Gray Lady replied.
"So, you're not going to attack us ghosts?" asked one of the younger ghosts.
"Please. He doesn't have a weapon capable of harming ghosts," one of the older male ghosts said. Kaien summoned Yorugetsu from his mindscape.
"Does anyone want to test out that theory?" Kaien asked.
"I'm willing," Sir Nicholas said, floating down. "But can you do something for me?"
"Sure," Kaien replied.
"Decapitate me," Sir Nicholas requested.
"Um… sure," Kaien said. With one fluent strike, he decapitated Sir Nicholas. The head was swiftly caught by Kaien, who handed it back to the ghost.
"F-f-finally!" Sir Nicholas yelled with joy. Kaien couldn't help but feel mildly amused as he watched the ghost dance around.
"Um… allow me to explain," one of the ghosts said. "I'm known as the Fat Friar. Sir Nicholas wanted to join the Headless Hunt, but he couldn't because his head was still attached to his body by a small sliver."
"And my action allowed him to join the Headless Hunt," Kaien added.
"Correct," the Fat Friar confirmed. Kaien watched as Sir Nicholas floated over to a group of ghosts on horses, proudly showing off his headless body and separated head. "Good night to the rest of you," Kaien said as he made his exit. He returned to his room to find Artoria fast asleep. Kaien rolled his eyes, then climbed into bed beside her.
Time Skip: Next Day
The morning started much like the previous one. This time, Kaien and Artoria sat with the Gryffindors. With some help from the other seventh-year students, they managed to find the Ancient Runes Classroom. Kaien and Artoria sat at the back as Professor Babbling began the class. She started with a review of the Runic Alphabet and tested the students with several objects inscribed with runes.
Many of the runes Professor Babbling demonstrated were the same ones Kaien had learned from Scáthach. However, upon closer inspection, Kaien noticed that Professor Babbling's runes appeared more roughly drawn compared to Scáthach's precise work. She also demonstrated the process of inscribing runes onto objects and charging them with magic.
"Strange. Scáthach was able to write her runes in the air with her magic. Is that a lost skill, or something else? Also, does the neatness of the runes affect their power?" Kaien thought. "More questions to dissect."
Soon the class ended, and Kaien decided to ask Professor Babbling about what he had observed.
"Professor Babbling," Kaien called out.
"Yes, Mister Shiba?" she replied.
"I have a few questions about runes," Kaien said.
"Go ahead," she encouraged.
"I noticed that the runes you wrote appear rougher than the ones my teacher taught me," Kaien said.
"Oh?" Professor Babbling glanced over at what Kaien had written. She examined it closely, then looked back at her own work. Kaien's runes were noticeably neater. "You're right," she said, surprised. "I was wondering if the quality of the written runes affects their performance?"
"Hm… I'm not so sure," Professor Babbling mused, then activated one of her runic sentences. The runes began to glow with a yellowish light. She tried Kaien's runic sentence, and the runes shone with a brilliant white light.
"Hm… I believe your theory is correct," she said. "When this runic sentence is done normally, it would create the yellowish light you saw with mine. I've seen students with dull yellow lights, but yours shines with a bright white light."
"My runic teacher also showed me that runes could be written in the air and still work," Kaien added.
"Hm… I've heard of this before," Professor Babbling said. "It used to be a skill many Celtic Druids could perform. Over time, wizards lost the ability to do that."
"Could it be that those wizards lack the skill to write the runes so neatly?" Kaien theorized.
"Possible. If only we could test that theory," Professor Babbling replied.
Kaien focused his magic on his pointer finger and began writing the runes in the air. The runes glowed red as he wrote. When he finished, he swiped his finger, sending the runic sentence spinning through the air. It activated, blasting a burst of white light toward the wall. Kaien carefully broke the sentence, stopping the white light.
"Amazing," Professor Babbling said, her eyes wide with awe. "I… I need to make a note of this." She hurried to her desk and grabbed a blank sheet of parchment, scribbling down everything that had just happened.
"Go ahead. Just make sure I get some credit for it," Kaien said with a grin as he made his way out of the classroom.
Kaien sighed when he realized it was lunchtime. He walked to the Great Hall and saw it was partially filled with students. He spotted Artoria sitting with the Hufflepuffs and joined them at their table for lunch.
Afterward, they headed down to the Greenhouse for Herbology. It was an interesting class. Professor Sprout ran the class with a hands-on approach, allowing the students to help care for the school's greenhouse plants. Kaien chuckled when he discovered that his glare made many of the more intimidating plants become docile.
Following Herbology, they had a short break to wash up before heading to Care of Magical Creatures. Professor Hagrid was showing the class unicorns, which was fascinating. However, it became sad for Artoria when she tried to pet a unicorn, but it kept trying to get away. Kaien sighed and went over to comfort her.
"It's all right, Artoria. You don't see me getting upset over not being able to pet a unicorn," Kaien said.
"But Kaien, unicorns normally go to girls because they're 'pure' in the eyes of the unicorn," Artoria said. "Does it mean that it doesn't consider me pure?"
Kaien sighed, realizing Artoria really wanted to pet the unicorn. He slowly walked over to the unicorn, releasing a calm holy aura as he approached. The unicorn, sensing his calm energy, stood still as Kaien reached out and gently touched it.
"Mister Shiba," Hagrid called out, but Kaien ignored him, continuing to walk toward the unicorn. The unicorn stood its ground. Kaien was now within touching distance.
"May I and my sister touch you?" Kaien asked. The unicorn stared at him for a moment, then nodded its head. Kaien gently petted the unicorn and led it toward Artoria. Artoria didn't notice the unicorn at first, but when it suddenly licked her face, she looked up to see Kaien smirking as he petted the unicorn.
"You… you," she muttered.
"Go ahead and pet her," Kaien encouraged. Artoria hesitantly walked over and gently petted the unicorn, a bright smile appearing on her face.
Kaien smiled at the sight of Artoria's happiness. Hagrid walked over to them, his eyes wide.
"Amazing. I've never heard of a man being able to pet a unicorn," he said in awe.
"Guess I'm a first," Kaien replied with a grin.
Soon, the class ended, and Kaien and Artoria washed up before joining the Ravenclaws for dinner. Afterward, Artoria decided to explore the castle. Kaien made his way to Professor McGonagall's private quarters and knocked on the door. It opened to reveal Professor McGonagall.
"Ah, Mister Shiba, come in," she said.
"Please, call me Kaien. I'm not one for formalities," Kaien said.
"Very well, Mister Kaien," she replied, causing Kaien to sigh as he entered her office. Her office was small but comfortable. He sat at her desk, which was covered in paperwork.
"Would you like some tea?" she offered.
"Sure," Kaien replied. Professor McGonagall poured two cups of tea, and Kaien took one.
"Mmm. Earl Grey?" Kaien guessed.
"Correct," Professor McGonagall replied. "So, what's the reason for this private meeting?"
"For a few things. The first is regarding transfiguring inanimate objects into animals," Kaien began.
"Mh… continue," Professor McGonagall replied.
"I've read that transfiguring inanimate objects into animals is difficult because it requires more power and greater focus when performing the spell," Kaien said. Professor McGonagall nodded, signaling him to continue.
"Is it also hard because the student doesn't fully understand the biological aspect of the animal?"
"Biological aspect?"
"Yes. For example, the animal's organs. Some animals share similar organs to humans, so we subconsciously know what some of them are. However, there are other parts that humans don't have, like a bird's beak, talons, and feathers, or a fish's gills, or the claws or skin of other animals."
"Hm… interesting theory."
"We could test it out."
"How?"
"We could have maybe a fifth- or sixth-year student tasked with transfiguring a chair into a bird. We only show them a picture of the bird, with no other description. Later, we could teach about the bird, including an autopsy, and then ask them to redo the transfiguration," Kaien suggested.
"Hm… this is an interesting experiment," Professor McGonagall said, clearly intrigued.
"I also believe that lack of knowledge could cause difficulties in human transfiguration," Kaien added.
Professor McGonagall nodded. "Also, a possible theory."
"Have you also thought about the other thing I mentioned earlier?" Kaien asked.
"The one about that Muggle law?"
"Yes."
"How would we test it?" Professor McGonagall asked.
"I have just the thing. I need to grab it from my room," Kaien said as he stood to leave.
Kaien returned to his dorm and summoned a large, clear box with an airtight seal from his mindscape. He made his way back to Professor McGonagall's office and set the box on the floor.
"Do you have something that would fit in the box?" Kaien asked.
Professor McGonagall placed a cup inside. Kaien closed the box and sealed it.
"Try to transfigure it into something larger than the cup that isn't living," Kaien said.
Professor McGonagall nodded and transfigured the cup into a large towel.
"Now, turn it back," Kaien instructed. The towel returned to its original form as a cup.
"Can you vanish the air in the box without opening it or touching the cup?" Kaien asked.
"Unfortunately, no. But Professor Flitwick should be able to," Professor McGonagall replied. Kaien nodded, and she left to fetch him.
Soon, Professor Flitwick entered the office.
"Hello, Mister Shiba. I thought we agreed to meet tomorrow?" he said with a smile.
"I'm aware of that. However, Professor McGonagall said that you would be able to banish the air from the box without opening it or touching the cup," Kaien explained.
"I can," Professor Flitwick said, flicking his wand and banishing all the air in the box. "Though I am curious to see why."
"Professor McGonagall, if you please," Kaien said.
Professor McGonagall flicked her wand and transfigured the cup into the same towel. However, unlike before, the towel appeared much smaller.
"It worked," she said, smiling.
"What worked?" Professor Flitwick asked.
Kaien quickly explained to Professor Flitwick the Law of Conservation of Mass and his theory regarding Transfiguration.
"I'm curious to see the significance of this," Professor Flitwick said.
"It shows that the magical world and the nonmagical world may not be that different from each other, as previously believed," Kaien replied.
"I see…" Professor Flitwick mused.
"When I was in Arithmancy and Advanced Arithmancy, I recognized the math Professor Vector was teaching. It was the same taught in my nonmagical school."
"Really?" both professors asked in surprise.
"It is, and at my nonmagical school, they teach much harder math and have tools that help solve many of the Arithmancy problems."
"I see…" Professor Flitwick said, processing this new information.
"Anyway, Mister Kaien, I will write about our discovery today and publish it in your name," Professor McGonagall said.
"Both our names, with a special mention of Professor Flitwick," Kaien insisted.
"Mister Shiba, that is unnecessary," Professor Flitwick said with a sigh.
"It is necessary. You helped banish the air from the airtight box, which was a crucial step in the experiment. It's something that neither Professor McGonagall nor I were able to do," Kaien replied.
Professor Flitwick sighed again. "Very well."
With the experiment completed, Kaien walked back to his private room to find a smiling Artoria coming from the opposite direction.
"What's with the smile?" he asked.
"I found an old corridor that we could train in," Artoria replied.
"Great," Kaien said, his expression lightening. They soon entered their room, showered, and called it a night.