Chapter IX

The silence in Dumbledore’s office was rather oppressive. Harry had reached inside the building in time to find Snape stalking up to Dumbledore’s office with Sora and Draco in tow. Snape hadn’t even noticed that Harry had joined as well, so when he finally noticed him in the office, it was with mild surprise. Harry flexed his fingers, the leather of his gloves creaking slightly. He looked up to see Sora’s eyes; she, at least, looked glad to see him there.

They all started as they heard the sound of stone grating against stone. When the door opened, Harry found himself looking at Leiko’s cold eyes once more. Her eyebrows were raised slightly as she stepped into the room, surveying its occupants as if they weren’t worth her time.

“Dumbledore, Severus,” she said quietly with an inclination of her head. “Sora, Draco, Harry.” A slightly sour note entered her voice as she said Harry’s name.

“Yeah, it’s nice to see you again, too.” Harry said as he crossed his arms; he didn’t bother to hide the note of sarcasm in his voice. That earned him looks from Snape and Draco.

“A pleasure to see you again, Mrs. de Vyns,” Dumbledore said as he rose from his seat. “Is there a particular reason as to your visit this time?”

“Since Sora saw fit to come here without my knowledge, I have come to see that the school meets my expectations. This is the only time I could find free in my schedule,” Leiko smiled politely. “Undoubtedly, you have hired some new teachers since my two sons were here. I hope this won’t inconvenience you in any manner.”

“Not at all,” Dumbledore said cheerily. “If you follow me, I can introduce you to the staff here. The rest of you may stay here. We won’t be very long.”

Harry watched as Dumbledore led the way, Leiko following after him. It was only when the sound of stone scraping against stone stopped that Sora rounded on him.

“Are you mad?” she hissed. “What in Merlin’s name possessed you to do that!?”

“If you think I’m letting her treat me like some inferior, then you’re just wrong!” Harry retorted.

“You idiot!” Sora threw her hands up in exasperation as she rose from her seat. “Are you always so transparent?”

“You have no idea.” Snape murmured.

“Sod off, Snape,” Harry growled.

“Don’t you dare talk to my godfather like that!” Sora snapped. “Merlin, I can’t believe you just did that! If you possess an ounce of Slytherin qualities, I suggest you dredge them up and put them to good use before you get yourself killed!”

“I deal with things in my own way, Sora. I don’t need you telling me what to do, all right?!” Harry snapped. “And maybe you haven’t noticed, but I seem to go through at least one threat on my life a year, so I think I know how to look after myself considering this year, something has yet to materialize!”

Draco snorted. “Same old arrogant-”

“Draco, just shut the hell up!” Sora shot, her eyes still on Harry. She took a few breaths before she spoke again. “Use your goddamned brain for once Harry! She’s not here to inspect the quality of my education; she never bothered with it in the first place!”

“I can put two and two together,” Harry said coldly. “She's obviously here to see if she can find some pretext to get you out of here. Because you know, she just won’t want her daughter to have an ‘inferior’ education; that just won’t stand. That and for all we know, she could be trying to find an alternate way into the school.”

“My my, the cogs do turn in that brain of yours,” Sora‘s jaw clenched for a moment before she spoke again. “The last thing you want to do is give my mother incentive when she’s looking for something. And now, because of you, and your rash mouth, she’ll be looking for a way to get Merlin knows what in here. For all we know, even Voldemort! You just potentially screwed us over!”

“Oh, I’m sorry for caring!” Harry yelled at her. “I get knocked off my broom by a Bludger, fall down God knows how many seats, run here, all banged and bruised up and barely make it here in time to find out that I don’t have to warn you. So I find it to be a small wonder that I have any sort of fuse left. But I draw the line at when people insult me. I had to put up with it for seventeen summers and couldn’t do a bloody thing about it. And if you think that I am going to let myself be insulted in a place that I consider home, and not respond then I should have stayed out on the damned Quidditch pitch, and said to hell with you!”

“Don’t-” Sora started

Harry didn’t give her a chance to finish. “Besides, I think we all know what’ll happen if it even does come to that. ‘Oh, Harry Potter’s here,’” he made his voice a sickeningly sweet falsetto. “‘He stopped Voldemort once before. He can do it again. He’s our Goddamned, bloody, freaking saviour! Save us, Harry, save us!’” he let his voice return to normal. “And every deluded person in the wretched Wizarding world, who doesn’t seem to realize that I am just a normal kid, will expect me to do in that insane half Muggle wizard! Me!”

“Harry-” Sora tried again, after a few moments of awkward silence.

But Harry didn’t let Sora speak; this had been sitting inside, festering since sixth year when Uncle Vernon started abusing him. “Not you, not Malfoy, not Snape, not even Longbottom! Me! Hell, I could use an Unforgivable on him and Fudge, with all of his inane, insipid stupidity, just might slap me with an Order of Merlin! First Class, for ‘doing away’ with Voldemort once and for all!”

“If you two are quite done,” Snape said quietly. “Dumbledore and Leiko are coming back up.”

Harry and Sora took their seats again, sullenly staring ahead. By the time the door opened again Sora and Harry had schooled their expressions into ones of careful neutrality. Dumbledore took his seat, while Leiko came to stand beside her daughter. When she rested her hand on Sora’s shoulder, the almost imperceptible twitch wasn’t lost to him.

“Well Dumbledore, I must admit that was rather fast. The staff here is quite excellent and knows what they are doing. I do only want what is best for my daughter.” She squeezed Sora’s shoulder slightly. “It wouldn’t do for her to have…undue influences.”

Harry could feel Leiko’s eyes on him, but he wouldn’t even give her the pleasure of a response. He simply sat there with a neutral expression.

“As is perfectly understandable,” Dumbledore said with a smile. “Is there anything else to this visit, Mrs. de Vyns?”

“I did want to speak to my daughter,” Leiko paused for a moment. “In private.”

“Mother, whatever you have to say to me, you can say in front of them.” Sora said somewhat stonily.

Leiko arched an eyebrow slightly. “This does call for discretion Sora.”

“And I have noting to hide from the men in this room,” Sora said quietly. “Say what you wish to say; other than that, go so I can get back to my homework.”

Leiko didn’t say anything as she reached into a pocket and drew out a long silver necklace. On the end, a dark blood red ruby glimmered in the light. Sora looked at her mother puzzled as it was placed in her hand. Leiko closed Sora's fingers around it, gently.

“Anata no obaasan wa shinda da.” Leiko said softly as she bent down to whisper in Sora's ear. “Ima, minna, mo shoyuuchi no kazoku de Nihon, wa tameni anata, gaki. Demo, suihou anata o sukuu. Yokubuchi, aijou, yokubuchi*.” Leiko straightened. “Gentlemen, I’ll see myself out.”

Sora sat there, expressionless as her mother walked out of the room. Her fingers curled around the necklace tightly, her knuckles turning white. “You,” she whispered in a stark voice. “How could you do such a thing? To flesh and blood that gave you life?”

“There was apparently a lot of blood,” Leiko didn’t say anything for a moment, not turning around. “The Ministry officials are still investigating. It did have a slightly suspicious air. They even called in Laetitia Kuromatsuto, the poison specialist. Good day…Sora.”

Harry watched his cousin carefully, along with Dumbledore, Snape and Draco. Her hand was shaking now, her bones pressing starkly against the skin. She rose with a sharp jerk and proceeded to walk over to the wall and throw punches at it. Unfortunately, the wall in question was covered by a painting and its occupant jumped out of the way quickly into another picture as Sora proceeded to rip the bottom half into shreds via her fists.

“That bitch!” she swore angrily, hitting the wall. “That cold blooded bitch!” Another punch. “Bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch…”

Sora kept muttering the word over and over again, pummelling the wall continuously. Draco walked over and tried to get her to stop but she shrugged him off and continued. Snape watched her for a moment before he walked over to Dumbledore and murmured something quietly before he promptly left. Harry glanced at Draco and met the same worried look. She finally stopped when Dumbledore pulled her away from the wall and seated her gently in the seat. Sora’s knuckles were ragged and bleeding, but there was no indication of pain on her face.

“Sora,” Dumbledore asked quietly. “Is there anything you wish to say?”

She nodded her head before she spoke. “The next Hogsmeade weekend…I’ll need to go somewhere else. If…that’s not too much trouble. If…I’m allowed.”

Dumbledore nodded. “Where to?”

“Japan.” Sora's eyes were strangely vacant now.

“Are you this is-” Draco began, but stopped as Dumbledore gave him a look that asked for silence.

“Which city, Sora?” Dumbledore asked gently.

“It doesn’t matter,” she stared ahead with that disconcerting look of blankness. “It doesn’t matter, so long as I go.”

Dumbledore nodded. “I’ll arrange a Portkey. The next Hogsmeade trip is scheduled for right after the Halloween Ball. Is that a problem?”

“No,” Sora murmured. “That works out rather well in fact. Thank you for being so understanding.”

“Not a problem. Would you two make sure she gets back to her rooms?” Dumbledore asked looking between Draco and Harry as Sora rose.

They nodded and didn’t say anything, simply following after Sora as she walked out rather woodenly. The entire walk back down to the dungeons was filled with a rather uncomfortable silence. Sora walked ahead, not saying anything; that left Harry and Draco to their own devices, which plainly refused to even talk.

When they reached the stairs that descended down, Draco turned to face Harry. “I’ll be there in a minute, Sora.” Draco said

Harry arched an eyebrow, looking past the blond Slytherin; Sora had already disappeared down the stairs; Draco’s words were completely lost on her. He gave a dry snort and crossed his arms.

“What is now Malfoy?” Harry asked in a slightly tight voice.

“Since Merlin knows you will go with Sora come hell or high water,” Draco sneered. “Watch out for her uncle.”

“And just what makes you think that I’ll listen to you.”

Draco shrugged with a knowing smirk. “Maybe you’ll just have to see for yourself then, Potter.”

Harry scowled slightly. “Watch out for what? Her pure-blood uncle who might call me a filthy half-Mudblood?”

“Quite the opposite. He does have that same problem as Arthur Weasley; an obsession with Muggles. However, he is all for telling Muggles about the Wizarding world.”

“Quit joking Malfoy. So what if I go with her? I doubt any wizard would want to do something that foolish.”

Draco simply shrugged as he started walking down the stairs. “Do as you wish, Potter. But don’t let it be said that I didn’t warn you. He just might drag you shopping with him.”

Harry watched as Draco’s blond head disappeared down the stairs before he turned and started back to the Quidditch pitch. He paused when he reached the door and turned around, heading back for the Gryffindor common room. He knew if he went back outside, he’d have to deal with questions from his team mates.

And he didn’t want anymore questions, at all for day. He didn’t want the concern of anyone else, and he certainly didn’t want to figure out why Draco was suddenly trying to be nice to him. All he needed and wanted now was to go to sleep and forget things for at least an hour or two.

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Sunlight streamed in from the window by his bed, while motes of dust danced down. Harry stared out the window before he looked at the blank parchment on the table before him. It was far past the time that he should have written a letter to Alexandre. He hadn’t gone to Quidditch practice after yesterday, but simply holed himself up the room. On the plus side, all his homework was now done, including that massive three foot long essay for Snape. But all he was left with was to mull over his words from yesterday; those bitter angry words. He shook his head and dipped the quill in ink; he was here to write a letter, not brood and become philosophical about his own view of how others saw him.

‘Uncle Alexandre,

Sorry I didn’t get to write you sooner; things have been rather hectic and I’ve only found myself with a spare moment now. School is going well, and Sora's doing well in Slytherin from what I can tell. I’m doing well in all my classes and can say, for once in my life, that I’ve gotten decent grades on all my assignments so far; even the ones from Snape.

The first Quidditch game is on the 30th, just before the Halloween Ball. Since we’re facing Hufflepuff, I’m not all that worried, but I’ve been practicing all the same.’

Harry looked at the sentence; it wasn’t exactly a lie. Yesterday had been the only practice he’d missed - and even then, it was something of a semi-miss, since he was there for half of the hour and a half Dean had booked the pitch for. He dipped the quill end in the ink again and continued writing.

‘I don’t think I’ll be going to the Halloween Ball. Every year I’ve gone had invariably ended up with me being alone or going with someone I’d rather not. And after fifth and sixth year with Cho Chang - a girl I was with for a bit…I’d just rather avoid the whole thing. So I’ll probably be spending that night alone doing some extra credit work perhaps. Or take a walk down by the lake.’

That most certainly wasn’t a lie. It seemed that every five minutes Cho was either angry at Harry or crying about Cedric. By the time sixth year rolled around and Cho had ended up sobbing through the entire night of the Ball, about how much she missed Cedric, Harry was sick and tired of it. What made it even worse was that when he told her it was over, she cried just as much, calling him an insensitive jerk - which he found to be a bit hypocritical. Harry didn’t care if it meant he wasn’t used as a human hankie again.

‘I’m not too sure if you know this, but Leiko came to the school yesterday; under the pretext that she wished to see Sora's teachers for herself. I was just wondering if you ever heard of the word ‘yokubuchi’. Do you have any idea of what that means? And she gave Sora a ruby necklace, which Sora didn’t look too happy to get.

Other than that, not much has really happened here - aside from the previous stuff and me catching my two best friends, Ron and Hermione, snogging in the library, and my ongoing rivalry with Draco Malfoy. I certainly hope things are much more interesting for you back at the manor.

Harry.’

Harry looked over the letter before he rolled it up and sealed it with a quick tap of his wand - that really was a handy little charm that Flitwick had taught them in sixth year. He wrote ‘Alexandre de Vyns’ on it before he set it aside and wrote a similar letter to Remus. Hopefully, Remus would be at the Order headquarters, so if he sent it to Mrs. Weasley, she would make sure it found its way into Remus’ hands. After that was done, he sealed it, wrote Remus’ name on it before writing out a note to Mrs. Weasley, wrapping it around the letter to Remus and sealing that letter with a tap of his wand as well.

Rising from his seat, he stuck the letters in his pocket and headed up to the owlery. It was nice when the school was quiet like this; almost every single student was outside, enjoying what was probably the last of brief warmth before winter came in with its icy grip. The trip to the owlery was rather uneventful, but when he opened the door, he saw Snape, his back towards him. There was a brief strange sensation in Harry’s chest before he quashed it and walked in, closing the door behind him. Thankfully, Hedwig flew down to greet him, her beak nibbling lightly on his ear. He chuckled and tied the letters to her leg.

“Make sure that Mrs. Weasley doesn’t lose this. And I want a decent reply from my uncle, all right?”

Hedwig gave a small hoot before she flew off. Harry watched her until her white plumage disappeared in the bright sunlight quickly. He turned around to leave, trying to not look at Snape. He was a bit curious as to why the Potions professor was up here on a Sunday morning; or rather, why he left the haven of his dark dungeons to come up here. He shrugged it off as he grasped the door handle and walked out, closing the door behind him. He certainly didn’t need to start prying; that would just give Snape an excuse to give him a detention that he hadn’t been able to dish out in almost two years to Harry.

He walked back up to his room, pulling out a book and stretching out on his bed to read. But after a few minutes he put it down, staring up. Those words from Saturday afternoon still swirled in his mind and didn’t help to concentrate on - he closed the book and glanced at the cover - Advanced Charms for the Advanced Student.

He put the book down with a sigh and folded his hands behind his head and closed his eyes. There were kernels of truth behind those angered words he had uttered. He was expected to kill Voldemort and save the Wizarding world. And it sickened him to no end that this alone was expected of him; nothing more, nothing less. Kill Voldemort. As if that was his sole purpose for existing, for living where others had died.

Harry gave a deep and thoroughly disgusted sigh. Ever since Dumbledore had told him of how deep the connection between him and the Dark Lord, Harry had raged and stormed. And every other single reaction he had, including the truly venomous ones, he’d managed to successfully bury deep inside. Now it was bubbling back up to the surface slowly, burning as it went.

Kill Voldemort.

Kill the immortal insane wizard who had become the bane of wizards and Muggles alike.

Killing would end it all, for good.

Kill Voldemort.

Kill himself.

Killing Voldemort meant killing himself.

Placing himself on a pedestal of martyrdom for every person in the Wizarding world to admire and reflect upon.

And it would be at the time Dumbledore appointed as right.

Not when Harry said, not when Voldemort said; not even when fate might have said.

Dumbledore. Dumbledore the puppet master.

Who would say when to kill Voldemort.

Kill Voldemort.

He laid there, his mind stuck on the loop. If he had one, he would have certainly welcomed a drink at the moment. He didn’t even know how much time had passed. When the door slowly creaked open, he didn’t move; it was probably just someone who forgot something.

“I think he’s asleep, ‘Mione.” Ron’s voice was quiet.

“Looks like it.” Hermione agreed quietly.

“Is there something you two want?” Harry asked keeping his eyes closed.

Hermione gave a small cry of surprise before she stalked over to the bed - he could hear her footsteps. “Harry, you really shouldn’t do that. How have you been?”

“All right,” he sat up, running a hand through his hair. “Why?”

“You didn’t come back to Quidditch practice. And no one’s really seen you at all since then. You sure everything all right?” Ron asked.

“Yeah, everything is all right. Leiko always brings out my rotten side. If I came back to practice, you’d would have had to deal with a sarcastic Harry who would have been a prat.”

“Works for me,” Ron said with a shrug. “What?” he asked as Hermione shot him a look. “If he was gonna be like that, he was bound to get on Dean’s bad side. And that wouldn’t have been any good. Oh, I stashed your broom behind the headboard and the wall.”

Harry pulled the curtain back to see the broom handle. “Thanks.”

“Are you coming down to dinner?”

“It’s dinner already?” Harry asked.

“Yeah, you know; dinner; that last meal of the day.” Ron said.

Harry shrugged as he picked up the book once more. “I’m not really that hungry. You guys go on.”

“Harry, you’ve been doing an awful lot of work and not eating much. Just come and eat something. You look a bit thinner.” Hermione said.

“I suppose.” Harry said, putting the book down and standing up.

The noise and chatter from the dining area swirled around him like a vortex, but Harry hid the wince; he had become rather accustomed to the quiet in such a short space of time. He’d put something on his plate and ate at it slowly, while Ron and Hermione talked with everyone else. Now, he was left with half a plate of food that he was pushing around out of boredom. He looked around a few times, some people waving to him. He waved half heartedly back before returning to his plate. These were the people who were expecting him to save them.

“Heh, the more I think about it,” he mumbled to himself. “The more I can see why he went insane.”

“What was that Harry?” Ron asked after swallowing a bit of roll.

“Nothing Ron, nothing.” He said with a quick smile. “You know, you might choke like that if you talk too fast after swallowing.”

“I suppose,” Ron replied. “But it is rather good.” And with that he turned back to his chicken.

The smile disappeared quickly from Harry’s face as he returned to pushing his mashed potatoes around on his plate. He paused for a moment when he sensed a pair of eyes boring into his back. He looked around slowly. He wasn’t expecting it to be Snape; that’s why he looked right past him the first time. But when he looked again, he realized it was Snape who was staring at him. He regarded him for a moment before he looked away; he felt too sick from what he had been thinking about to even bother to pull up anger against the man.

He waited until everyone else was done eating before he started filing out with everyone else. As soon as he got back, he went up to his bed. That’s when he saw an owl perched outside on the ledge, waiting patiently. He opened the window, and the owl hopped in, holding its leg out. There was a letter as well as a pouch. Harry took the letter and pouch, and let the owl go before he closed the window, sat down on his bed and opened it.

‘Harry,

It’s quite all right; I myself have been pressed for time. Your letter came at an excellent moment. I was able to read it during a rather boring Ministry meeting - Fudge does have a talent for prattling on about himself at great length - and write back. And since Hedwig was pecking me rather enthusiastically when she delivered it, this shall be a lengthy reply as you wanted.’

Harry laughed; the comment on Fudge was something of an understatement. And he was glad that he was getting a good amount to read.

‘I am glad to hear that you are doing well in your classes. Becoming an Auror is no easy task, but with someone of your fortitude, I am sure that you are up to the challenge. But even if you change your mind, keep in mind that there are other options out there.’

He had to agree there; from what he last saw, Fred and George Weasley were doing very well with their store, ‘Weasley’s Wizarding Wheezes’.

‘I know that Severus can be rather harsh, but if you’ve made it this far, then he must see something worthwhile in you. He is very picky about who he takes into his N.E.W.T classes and selects them with no bias, despite what you might think of him.’

Harry found that a bit hard to swallow.

‘I’m sure you will pound Hufflepuff into the ground on the 30th - they weren’t much of a challenge for me as a Ravenclaw. And try to convince Sora to go and see the game. When she wrote last, she said that she wasn’t feeling very well and had an episode. Though she left the details vague, and I have no wish to press her for them, I could tell that she isn’t feeling herself. I had hoped she would fit into Hogwarts, but it seems that she is very lonely.’

“Both me and Sora,” he muttered before continuing to read.

‘And as for the Halloween Ball…well, even I skipped out. Women are far too complicated and I never had any luck with them. You saw for yourself Harry; I even married the wrong one. It does sound however, that you are rather fed up of girls and such. I will state this now: whatever your preference, it doesn’t matter; just so long as you are happy.

If you want to go, then go. If not, then don’t and if anyone bothers you about it, tell them to bugger off. Life is too short to be spent pleasing others rather than doing something for yourself. Of course, if you can make it look like you are pleasing others while getting what you want, then you should count yourself lucky.’

Harry put the letter down for a moment before he looked at it again; Alexandre had said ‘whatever your preference’. He didn’t even want to go into that.

‘Now, in regards to Leiko, I am aware that she came to the school yesterday. If there is one good thing about her, she hates to tell news in an impersonal manner. Unfortunately, she is something of a sadist and enjoys seeing people’s reactions when she comes to tell bad news. I have always been rather ashamed when she does this in public. I would like people to not fear our name; but Leiko seems to be doing a good job of doing just that - making them fear it.

She came to tell Sora that her grandmother had died. As if she ever cared a shred for Sora.

And I must tell you now Harry, the news has spread to all the pure-blood families - I rather hate that term ‘pure-blood’ - that Sora has inherited everything. The lands, the sake refineries; all of it is in Sora's name, not Leiko’s. And that has angered my wife immensely. What you must do is watch carefully. All kinds of ‘suitors’ will be crawling out of the woodwork to try and get at her. But, undoubtedly, between you, Draco and Severus, she will not have much problem there.

The ruby necklace is a Matsushita family heirloom that has been passed down for many years. Even Sora's grandmother, Yukiko, didn’t know its purpose. It is very old, hailing from the beginnings of the Matsushita family. It originally had a purpose, but that was lost and it became a trinket given to the daughters of the family. Yukiko said that it would one day be Sora's when she passed on. And that it would be Sora's filial duty to perform the ancient rites.

The word ‘yokubuchi’ is a word used only by the vampires of Asia. It translates roughly as ‘bloodlust’, though it means more. I am curious to know though, just where you would have heard a word like that. Since it usually heralds a coming of age transformation in vampire circles, I would imagine that wherever you heard in, in whatever context, mustn’t be good.’

“You don’t want to know,” Harry said as he shook his head.

‘I was half expecting you to ask about the Matsushita family motto after your inquiry for the meaning of ‘yokubuchi’, since they do tend to run along the same lines. The Matsushita women come from a long line of a warrior clan and take the motto seriously. To the men, it is something of a creed, and taken to mean Muggles and outsiders who try to divide the family up. Well, with the exception of Shigeru; he simply loves Muggles and finds them fascinating. But, since I am wandering, the Matsushita family motto is not something to be taken lightly.

That is the Matsushita motto, meaning: "I will drink the blood of my enemies". Perhaps one day you will understand it when you have a seen a fully, and rightly angered, Matsushita clan, you’ll understand better; just take my word for it Harry.

I suppose however, that I should be glad to be receiving questions from you, rather than some report of one of your…‘exploits’ for which you have become rather famous. Severus rants of them from time to time, which does amuse Lucius and I for quite some time. You should be rather proud; you do infuriate him like nothing else and it takes much to infuriate Severus; though I get the feeling that I might have outstripped you simply by telling you that. If you do show this to Severus, he will be pleased to know that I don’t care what he curses me with and I’ll simply send one more back at him.’

The note of sardonic cheerfulness wasn’t lost on Harry.

‘And despite whatever you may have heard Severus and Lucius are far from being the Death Eaters they are portrayed as. They are clever, cunning men who are dangerous when provoked; be glad that they are on Dumbledore’s side rather than Voldemort’s. Only men of their calibre can act as double agents. I unfortunately cannot do what they do, due to reasons that would simply make this letter much longer than it is; so I am in the Ministry counteracting Fudge’s inane acts.

And don’t worry about this falling into the wrong hands. I cast a charm on it that lets only you and Severus see its true contents. If it was intercepted, some one would have found a letter between two lovers. Or rather, I should say, a letter between a teacher and their ‘romantic liaison’ of a graphic sort.’

Harry just about choked on laughter at that one; Alexandre had a wicked sense of humour.

‘If you do have a pressing matter that you can’t send to me, please, speak to Severus about it. You and he are much more alike than you two might realize. And he will raise some fuss, act like a prat and be extremely rude and sarcastic, but he will help.

Now, make sure that not much keeps happening. I’m glad for your friends Ron and Hermione. Just so long as they don’t flaunt it in front of you, then all is well. And do try to get along with Draco, for Sora's sake. He is about the only friend she does have and it would disappoint her to have you two at one another’s throats constantly.’

“No surprise there. Now I barely tolerate him.” Harry mumbled.

‘There is one more thing I would ask of you; please, go with Sora to Japan for the rites. Undoubtedly, Severus and Draco will insist on going with her. And I shall insist that you do as well. I shall not be able to make it, and Sora will worry herself sick if she can’t find a third person. Don’t ask me why, but it requires three people, one of those old tradition things. In the pouch is something that might help to pass the boredom in Binn’s class. Yes, even I remember the soporific power of his voice. If you aren’t taking the History of Magic again, then it’s something for those times when you just need amusement. It kept me going when I was incredibly bored.

Uncle Alexandre.

P.S. - Though you can see whatever you wish, I highly suggest the magical monuments of the 20th century. Just tap and go.’

Harry looked at the postscript in puzzlement before he opened the pouch, to see a strange spherical shaped object. He turned the bag upside down and the glass object fell into his palm. He looked at it blankly in disbelief.

“A Remembrall; it’s just a Remembrall.” Harry shook his head in disbelief. “A Remembrall.”

Harry sat there looking dumbly at the ball. There had to be more to it that this. He picked up the letter, looking over the postscript again. With a shrug, he picked up his wand. What did he have to lose?

He tapped the ball lightly. “Magical monuments of the 20th century.”

Nothing happened for a moment, then, the ball opened up like a flower almost, and a parade of buildings appeared before his eyes. He grinned as he quickly folded up the letter again, shoved it in his pocket and sat to watch the orb present him with the buildings created by wizards from all over the world. It was small enough to be hidden, but clear enough to be seen easily. This would definitely help get him through some classes.

Note

*Your grandmother is dead. Now, everything, even the family estate in Japan, is for you, brat. But nothing will save you.

aijou - my daughter

When Darkness Comes - Chapter Eight || When Darkness Comes - Chapter Ten