Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Power In Many Forms ❯ Here for You ( Chapter 4 )

<b>Power in Many Forms</b>

Word Count: 2,266 (not counting the Disclaimer and Notes)

 

<b>Disclaimer: YuYu Hakusho, Inuyasha, Harry Potter, and Anita Blake are not mine; they belong to their respective creators. I hold no claim on them; just minor original characters.</b>

 

<i>Author's Notes: A little shorter than I would have liked, but it's all I could do with this chapter. Oops. And no Harry this time either, I swear I'll get him to make an appearance in the next chapter or two. But we do get a small glimpse of Anita at the end of this one…and Nathaniel! It's a very small glimpse though…don't hurt me. And I apologize if Neville's Grandmother seems out of character. But she's in the process of freaking out so she's acting strangely…that's my story and I'm stickin' to it.</i>

 

XXX

 

Neville stood in front of the house that he'd grown up in. He gazed at it in wonder, hardly able to believe that he was going to leave it behind. His future was ahead of him; full of good things (from what he could tell) new friends and family that wouldn't berate him or put him down…or call him a faggot or monster. All in all, things were looking up.

 

Life was going to change for him. All he had to do now was actually go inside and finish packing. He shivered, no matter his newfound bravery, the old woman was bound to be home and she was really scary. Really, really scary.

 

“Kurama?”

 

“Are you ready Neville?” Green eyes smiled softly at him.

 

“No…but that doesn't really change anything does it.” He bowed his head for moment more. “I guess we should just get this over with.”

 

“That's the spirit kid. Jump in head first.” Kuwabara gave him a thumbs up and huge grin.

 

“I am not a kid.” Was Neville's response as he turned the knob to the kitchen door; there was no way he was going in the front way; he wasn't insane thank you very much.

 

The kitchen was quiet, empty, and in Neville's opinion it was safe to enter. Not one crazy old woman in sight. He motioned for them to follow him as he crept inside, as quiet as he could. However a second later he found himself face flat on the floor.

 

“Neville? Are you all right?” Kurama stepped forward to help him up, a frown on his face.

 

“I'm fine. J-just being my usual c-clumsy self.”

 

The frown vanished. “Not quite, remember what I said about your seal. It's cracked; therefore your powers are leaking through, it's the irregular surges of power that make you stumble.”

 

“Huh…that d-does sound better than just b-being a walking disaster.” Neville smiled as he stood up once again.

 

“Why are we sneaking in anyway?” Kuwabara asked.

 

“Um…b-because the old woman is scary.”

 

The taller male laughed despite Neville's shushing. “Neville, you haven't seen scary until you've seen Shizuru on a rampage.”

 

“Shizuru?”

 

“Kuwabara's older sister.”

 

“Oh…is she really that bad?”

 

“She can be.”

 

“Hmm.” Neville still didn't believe that any woman could be as scary as his grandmother, but to each their own.

 

“Where is your room?” Kurama asked, placing a hand on Neville's shoulder.

 

“Ah…this way.”

 

xxx

 

Koenma sat at his desk grumbling to himself as he looked over the most recent information the ogres had given him. George was pacing about the office nervously.

 

A moan escaped Koenma's lips as he futilely dropped the papers and hit his head on his desktop.

 

“Koenma-sama?”

 

“Where's the ogre that brought me this?”

 

“Waiting out in the hall…what's going on?”

 

His voice was somewhat muffled as his face was still flat on his desk. “Tell him to take a vacation with pay. He <i>needs</i> to get <i>out</i> of the palace <i>now</i>.”

 

“Sir?”

 

“He missed some vital information. What he just brought to me should have been given to Kurama before he left for England. Tell that stupid ogre to get the hell out of here. If he's still here when Kurama comes back I won't be responsible for his life, or the end of it.” Koenma hit his head on his desk again. “Stupid ogre.”

 

George stared at the Prince worriedly before stepping into the hall to relay the message to the small red ogre waiting outside the doors. The ogre's reaction while mildly amusing was probably not a good sign, especially when the little guy raced down the hall, a look of pure fear on his face.

 

Stepping back into the office he took in the sight of Koenma lightly bumping his forehead on the desktop, over and over. All the while he continued to grumble about stupid red ogres with death wishes.

 

“Koenma? How bad is it?”

 

Koenma sat up in his chair again and rubbed his now aching head. “Kurama has a great-grandson that is half human. According to the files, his mother, Toorima's daughter has been incapacitated for nearly seventeen years. Leaving his great-grandson to be raised by his paternal grandmother…Kurama is not going to be happy.”

 

George frowned. “Oh my.”

 

“You can say that again.” Koenma mumbled, glancing in George's direction. “What do you want Hiei?”

 

George jumped and made a very undignified squeak when he noticed Hiei standing beside him. “Hiei-sama, I wish you wouldn't do that. I'm too old for surprises.”

 

“You'll live George.” Hiei smirked as he approached Koenma's desk. “Already sent the fool who over looked that information into hiding did you?”

 

Koenma sighed. “If he's not out of here before Kurama returns it's not my fault. He's been working here for centuries, he should know better than to slip up like that…How is Kurama?”

 

“Not happy that he was not informed as he should have been. But he seems to be overjoyed that not all of his family is lost to him. He's taking the boy back to his Grandmother; it seems the old witch kicked him out only a few hours ago. He'll be bringing the boy and his parents here.”

 

Koenma looked thoughtful for a moment. “Will the boy be staying here? His name is Neville, correct?”

 

“Neville.” Hiei nodded. “His parents have been tortured so badly that their minds are nothing. They will need constant care. Botan is arranging their release from the hospital. Kuwabara has gone with Kurama and Neville to finish the boy's packing.”

 

“Alright…George have someone set up a room in our clinic for the parents. And a room near my own for Neville. Kurama will want to keep him close.” George nodded and gave a small bow before he left the room.

 

“There's something else.” Hiei lowered his voice.

 

“What is it?”

 

“The mother…they called her Alice. She carries a seal, and it is shut tight, despite her being a full demon.” Hiei frowned. “But the boy has a similar seal. And even though he is only a half demon his seal is cracked. Apparently it's been cracked for a long time. He said he's always been…clumsy.” Hiei looked thoughtful.

 

Koenma returned the look. “Either the spell was not performed right, or he cracked it at a very young age.”

 

“Perhaps, but if he is of Kurama's blood I think the second is more likely. It's not just Kurama's blood either, but Koronue's, and a wolf from Kouga's tribe. And the boy's father is a Wizard. That's a powerful combination.”

 

Koenma let his head hit his desk again. “It figures.”

 

Hiei smirked. “What are you going to do now?” A small thud sounded as Koenma's head hit the desk…again. “Bruising your brains, what little you have, will not help.”

 

“Shut up Hiei.” A great and weary sight left the immortal's lungs. “Let's get him settled in first. But in any case I may want you to take a closer look at the seal. We'll leave it up to Kurama and the boy to decide if they want it removed.”

 

“You may make a wise King yet.”

 

Koenma raised his head and glared at Hiei. “I don't like you.”

 

“Then again.”

 

Koenma resisted the urge to make an obscene gesture at the fire demon. “Go make sure that everyone knows to keep out of Kurama's way when he returns. I'd rather not have any bloodshed inside the palace…And not one word of this gets to my Father.”

 

Hiei snorted. “You can't hide this from him forever.”

 

“I don't plan to. In fact I'm going to tell him now…I'd just rather he hear all this from me and not a lackey.”

 

“Fine.” Hiei turned and made his way to the double doors.

 

“Thank you Hiei, for going with Kurama.”

 

“Hn.” And with a flicker he was gone.

 

“My life sucks.” Koenma slumped in his seat and contemplated just how he was going to explain the current situation to his Father.

 

xxx

 

“You have more stuff than most girls I know.” Kuwabara grumbled as he folded yet another cloak.

 

“Um, K-Kuwabara…I don't need that many cloaks. Just two will be fine.” Neville smiled at the orange-haired young man.

 

“And you couldn't have said something before I stuffed ten of them in this sack?”

 

“Well you j-just looked so determined. Like you were on a m-mission.”

 

Kuwabara glared at Kurama as he snickered under his breath across the room. “I know you're laughing at me Kurama.”

 

“Indeed, I find it appropriate as you were laughing at me earlier.” He smiled good naturedly at his friend.

 

“Ah, I am sorry about that. Trevor didn't mean to st-startle you.” Neville bit back a laugh at the memory of Kurama nearly leaping across the room when Trevor had hopped out from under the pillow.

 

“No need to apologize, I'm sure Trevor was much more frightened than I.”

 

“Yeah, but Hiei will be mad he missed it.”

 

Kurama sent his own glare at Kuwabara. “You speak a word of that to Hiei and you'll regret it.”

 

Kuwabara waved him off. “Don't worry fox boy, your secret it safe with me.”

 

“Hmm.” Kurama rolled his eyes and turned back to the box he was packing. For a moment he caught Neville's gaze. “Is everything all right?”

 

Neville just smiled. “Yeah. I think so.”

 

“Good.” He picked up a framed picture, his eyes widening as he looked at it. “Are they supposed to move?”

 

“Huh?” Neville moved to stand next to his great-grandfather and looked at the photograph. “Yeah, they're different from muggle photographs. Something to do with how they're developed.”

 

“These are your friends?”

 

“S-sort of. They're people in my house. That's Ron Weasley, his sister Ginny, Hermione Granger, and that's Harry Potter. Harry's the one I told you about.”

 

Kurama smiled, but it turned to a small frown. “Sort of?”

 

“Um, well I d-don't exactly have a best friend…wait that's not t-true. I'm very g-good friends with Luna Lovegood, have been for nearly two years. And I guess I'm sort of c-close with Harry, especially this past year. We were in a club together and t-talked a lot. If anyone understands trouble with relatives it's Harry.”

 

“Is that why you wanted to let him know where you'll be?”

 

“Yes, but I guess I should t-tell Luna too. I've been writing to them b-both.”

 

Kurama smiled again and this time it stayed. “Whatever you want to do Neville. Just let me know and we'll have Botan deliver the letter.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

Kuwabara looked up from the trunk he was packing. “Kurama…someone's coming.”

 

Kurama and Neville turned to face the door as it opened, and the fox frowned as his new charge let out a small growl, the boy's eyes just beginning to lighten.

 

Mrs. Longbottom looked at each of them in turn, a look of disgust growing upon her face. Finally her gaze landed on Neville, and though she paled just a bit it didn't stop her from speaking.

 

“I'm not even going to ask what these <i>men</i> are doing in your room. You're going to be just like your mother aren't you. First it was that poor misguided boy writing love letters to you, now you're bringing your lovers here.” She pointedly sneered at the word lovers. “No more. I told you I wanted you out of here this morning. Monster.”

 

Neville growled again, much louder this time and took a step toward the old woman who he had once called family. Kurama put a hand on his shoulder.

 

“Easy Neville. I'll take care of this.” He walked to stand in front of the old witch.

 

“I am here to collect Neville, and any papers regarding his guardianship. He is not seventeen yet, and according to your laws he is still a minor for at least two months.”

 

She looked up at him. “And just who are you to come collect the boy?”

 

“Family. From his mother's side, her biological family that is.” Kurama smiled at her.

 

“You can't tell me that you actually want to take that abomination in? He's some sort of monster! Just this morning his eyes were—“

 

“His eyes were what my Lady?” Kurama growled, his voice different from before.

 

A gasp sounded from the elder woman as she looked at Kurama's eyes. “You.”

 

“That's right. I am the same as Neville. Now, please go fetch the guardianship papers. Kuwabara here will act as a witness when you sign over your rights as guardian—“ And she was gone before he could finish.

 

“I've never seen her move that fast before.” Neville glanced at Kuwabara who was laughing. “Impressive.”

 

Kurama turned to look at Neville, gold gaze meeting gold gaze. “I suppose she had good reason to move fast.” And he smiled.

 

“Yeah.”

 

xxx

 

“Anita. Are you okay?”

 

I glanced at Nathaniel and nodded. “Yeah I'm fine. Just tired, it's been a long week.”

 

“But it's over now.” He gave me his small smile, the one only for me and moved closer, his arms wrapping around me. I leaned into the warmth and let the scent of vanilla surround me.

 

“Yeah…I still can't believe those kids. Voodoo isn't something you play around with.” A shiver went through me as I recalled the mangled corpses of the four unfortunate teens. They'd thought it would be fun to raise their own zombie. One of them had the right kind of magic, but not the experience or control. It had ended badly.

 

“Are you cold?”

 

I looked into the deep lavender pools that were Nathaniel's eyes and smiled for him. “It'll pass.”

 

XXX