Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Power In Many Forms ❯ Little Things ( Chapter 8 )

Power in Many Forms

Word Count: 3,782 (not counting the Disclaimer and Notes)

 

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.

 

Author's Notes: Yegads! Look! A Chapter! Are you surprised? Me too.

 

XXX

 

Harry took aim carefully, eyeing his target with great care. It was different from all those times he grabbed the snitch in a game of Quidditch. That was fast, instinct with no time for thought, and a lot more exciting than flicking lint balls into a hole in the wall. Still he took aim and flicked the little ball of blue lint from the top of his trunk into the hole. A small smile flickered over his face before disappearing and he bumped his head down onto the trunk dejectedly.

 

“Sad isn't it Hedwig? The boy who lived reduced to playing with pocket lint just to have something to do.” He lifted his head to glance at Hedwig who still wasn't acknowledging him. Harry didn't know what had happened when she'd tried to deliver a letter to Neville a few days before. But whatever it was had left her feathers singed and her in a foul mood. So she was giving him what amounted to a cold shoulder. “I apologized already Hedwig, how was I supposed to know that whatever happened would happen? The last time I wrote to Neville you didn't get hurt.”

 

Hedwig ruffled her feathers and made a noise that sounded suspiciously like a snort. Harry sighed and set his head back onto the top of the trunk. “I hope he's alright.” Hedwig hooted in agreement. “It's not like he's helpless, he's one of the best in Dumbledore's Army, and he's really come a long way this past year…if it weren't for him Hermione and Ron would've been hit by that nasty curse in the last battle.” Harry shuddered as he remembered the sight of Neville just barely deflecting the curse aimed at his best friends, the curse had been redirected at the caster and his body just began melting, poor bugger couldn't even scream because his entire body was liquefying. Harry shuddered again and turned his thoughts back to what Neville might be doing. “Hope he's having more fun than me.”

 

A sort of scratching noise from above made him look up at the ceiling. “Aunt Petunia will go ballistic if that's a mouse. She'll probably make me go after it in the att—“ He never finished his sentence because suddenly a blue haired woman in a pink robe flew through the ceiling not a meter from him.

 

“Ossu!” She waved at him but he never actually noticed her cheery smile as he simply reacted. He rolled over the top of his trunk, flipping it open to provide some cover and somehow managed to draw his wand in just a second or two…three? He barely realized he'd even moved. But he managed to glare at her coldly, wand pointed at her. “Who are you? How did you get in here?”

 

She blinked large pink eyes at him and gave him a sad smile. “Gomen! I'm so sorry! I didn't even think—my friends are just so used to me doing that…” She bit her lip in a worried fashion and slowly floated down to the floor where she dismounted her…

 

“Is that an oar?”

 

“Oh, um yes.”

 

“Why don't you ride a broom like a normal witch?”

 

“I'm not a witch.”

 

“Right, because Muggles fly through solid objects on a regular basis.” Harry snapped.

 

The woman sighed and the oar disappeared with a flick of her hand. “Really I'm not a witch, or a muggle, obviously.” She shook her head. “What I am isn't important, I'm here to deliver a letter to Harry Potter, and you are Harry Potter aren't you?” Her smile was gentle and warm. It made him all the more suspicious.

 

“A letter from who?”

 

“Neville of course.” She glanced at Hedwig who was blinking at her with accusing eyes. “I heard an owl had tried to gain access and was shocked a bit. My apologies Owl-san.” Hedwig seemed to accept that and hooted in a friendly way.

 

“Her name is Hedwig…and if Neville really sent you, then do you know the password?” Harry asked lowering his wand a fraction.

 

The woman's smile grew and she nodded happily. “Patronus.”

 

Slowly Harry stood from his crouched position behind the trunk. “Is Neville alright?”

 

“He's more than alright; he's getting on very well.” She reached into one of her sleeves and pulled out two envelopes. “One is for you, the other for Luna. Neville asked that you forward Luna's to her.”

 

Harry cautiously took the envelopes from the woman. “I'm sorry for being rude…but you did surprise me.”

 

She smiled and Harry got the impression that she was a very bubbly person. “It's completely my fault, Kazuma and Hiei are always telling me not to surprise people, but sometimes I just can't help it…I tend to be somewhat spontaneous. Except when George is concerned, I just like to rile him.”

 

Harry blinked at her wondering when she was going to take a breath…or if the mystery woman even needed to breath. “Um…who are you exactly?”

 

“Oh my, I can't believe I'm being so forgetful, usually I remember my manners!” She bowed deeply. “My name is Botan, I'm a friend of Kurama, Neville's relative. Pleased to meet you.”

 

“I'll get back to you on that last part.” Harry blinked. “I've never heard him mention any Kurama.”

 

Botan nodded in agreement. “He wouldn't have as they only just met recently, it should all be there in the letter.” She giggled. “Neville said to wait for your response so I'll just make myself at home okay?” And with that she sauntered over to Hedwig's cage and began petting her.

 

“Right…I'll just…read Neville's letter then.” Harry edged away from the strange woman, whose name was apparently Botan. Still wary of the newcomer he kept her in front of him as he sat at his desk. He opened the sealed envelope addressed to him and glanced down at the letter. Relief flooded him when he recognized Neville's handwriting which was a bit neater than his own, but no where near as precise as Hermione's.

 

As he read the letter a mixture of emotions assaulted him. Anger at Mrs. Longbottom for kicking Neville out for something so unimportant, what did it matter if Neville liked blokes? In Harry's humble opinion you accepted love where you bloody found it. Next he felt pride because Neville had handled the situation well, for a Gryffindor at least. Though he was worried too because where exactly was a minor supposed to go when their guardian kicked them out? But as he read on he smiled at Neville's luck to have met one of his Mum's blood relatives.

 

He remembered one of their conversations after a DA session had ended and the other members had turned in for the night. They'd talked for about an hour, comparing childhoods when it came out that Neville's Mum had been left on a doorstep much the way Harry had been. It was the first of many late night conversations that they had shared together. And while Ron and Hermione would always be his best friends, Neville had slowly taken his own place in Harry's life. He was happy that his friend had finally found a home where he could be himself.

 

Harry shook himself out of his musings and read the last bit of the letter and a mild blush painted his cheeks, he could feel the light burn and glanced up to see Botan ignoring him and feeding Hedwig some treats. Thankful for the privacy she was giving him Harry pulled out a sheet of parchment and got his quill ready and began to write his response.

 

When he was done he rolled the letter up, tied it with a bit of string and cleared his throat to get Botan's attention. She looked up from her conversation with Hedwig and smiled at him.

 

“Is your letter ready?”

 

“Yes…and tell Neville I'll have Hedwig deliver Luna's letter. And—“ Harry blushed again. “Tell him I'll see him in July.”

 

Botan clapped her hands and practically bounced over to him. “Wonderful! I'll be sure to tell him.” She held out her hand for the letter and placed it in her sleeve, Harry really hoped she wouldn't lose it.

 

He watched her whip her oar out of thin air and his curiosity got the better of him. “You said before that you weren't a witch…but you obviously have some sort of magic, what are you? If you don't mind me asking?”

 

“Not at all.” She winked at him and hopped on her oar.

 

“So?”

 

Botan grinned. “I'm a grim reaper.” And she was off again, flying through the ceiling. Harry could only stare at the spot she'd gone through.

 

“Bloody Hell.”

 

xxx

 

Kagome stared listlessly ahead of her as she walked her head in the clouds, for lack of a better description. She was on her way to Neville's quarters to pick up Shippo who after meeting the older boy the day before begged to stay the night so he could get to know his new Shippo-proclaimed older brother. Kagome had been ready to say no because Neville was still new to the castle and might want some time to rest. But to her surprise, and delight, Neville had smiled at the hyper fox's antics and said he wouldn't mind having the company, and that he'd always wanted a little brother. So after a quick trip home to grab some things for Shippo (being able to open portals was extremely handy) her kitsune was set for a sleepover.

 

“Oneesan!”

 

Ginta's voiced jerked her out of her thoughts and brought her to a stop a few doors from her destination. Ahead of her were Kurama, Koronue, and Ginta. The three youkai were standing outside Neville's door and looking at her curiously.

 

“Hello Ginta! Have you come to meet Neville?”

 

Ginta nodded at her, and though he was smiling he looked anxious. She finished walking toward them and took his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Oneesan?”

 

“You'll be fine. Neville is a great kid.” Kagome smiled reassuringly at him.

 

“He is.” Kurama agreed. “Is there something you needed Kagome-san?”

 

“Oh, I'm just here to pick up Shippo. He's seems to have adopted Neville as his older brother and spent the night.”

 

Ginta gave her wide eyes. “What's Shippo doing here? Isn't he a little old to be staying over with Neville?” Kagome giggled.

 

Koronue looked at her. “Shippo would be?”

 

“Ah, gomen. Shippo is my son…well adopted son. He's a kitsune.” She smiled at Ginta. “Shippo is only twelve, I brought him back to my time…another reason I'm in trouble with Reikai. I wasn't supposed to bring anyone from the Feudal Era back with me.” She blushed a bit. “But Shippo's been mine since I was fifteen and I'm never going to give him up. He is my son, just as he would be if I had actually given birth to him.”

 

Kurama shared a smile with Koronue and the bat chuckled. “Far be it for me to deny a mother who is a Miko. No demon would be so foolish.”

 

Ginta snorted. “Especially the Miko who guards the Shikon no Tama.” This time Koronue made a surprised face.

 

“Really.”

 

Kagome nodded and placed her hand over her heart. “It's not so much an object to be guarded these days. It's a part of me.”

 

Kurama smiled kindly. “Indeed, then may the powers of the three realms help whoever tries to take it.”

 

“Agreed. Shall we? I need to get Shippo home.” Kagome smiled back and waited for Kurama to open the door.

 

The front room which doubled as a sitting room was empty of life, except for the small table which held a toad in a locked tank. So quietly the four made their way to the bedroom and peeked inside as the door was open.

 

There atop the covers Neville and Shippo were curled together sound asleep. Kagome almost hated to wake her little kitsune, but she was ready to head home for a bit and Ginta and Koronue had waited long enough to meet their descendant. Softly she crept to the bed until she was beside it. Leaning over just a bit she nudged Shippo's shoulder.

 

“Mmph.” Shippo grunted, and Kagome nudged him again.

 

“Shippo-chan.”

 

“Mama?” Green eyes blinked at her until the little fox could focus on her.

 

“Time to go home Shippo.”

 

“Kay.” Shippo carefully extracted himself, trying his best not to wake the older boy. Once he was untangled he slid off the bed only to pounce on Ginta with a hug. “Hi Ginta, bye Ginta.” He whispered before trotting out of the room.”

 

“He's grown a lot since the old days.” Ginta murmured. “I can remember when he was small and still he did his part in the battles with Naraku.”

 

Kurama and Koronue stiffened at the name and sent oddly comical disbelieving glances at Ginta and Kagome. Kagome nodded in agreement with Ginta.

 

“He had a rough start with both of his parents being killed, then all that mess with the jewel shards and Naraku's evil. But he's growing into an honorable young youkai.” She smirked at Ginta. “And he's much more polite than Inuyasha ever was.” With a bow and a wave she followed the path Shippo had taken, pausing to scoop up his duffle. “Later Ginta.”

 

“Bye.”

 

Koronue watched her leave warily. “That is the Miko of Legends? A young woman on Parole because she violated Reikai's no long term time travel rule?”

 

“Astounding.” Kurama smiled. “Does she know Inuyasha is still alive?”

 

Ginta shook his head. “I doubt it. She hasn't asked me about him at all. But I think she'd finally given up on him back in the old days. They were sort of together back then. But it just didn't work out. Kouga chased her around then too.”

 

“She seems happy.” Koronue looked thoughtful. “For someone Reikai is keeping a close eye on.”

 

“From what I'm told she and Botan have become very good friends…and that thought scares me just a little.” Kurama muttered.

 

A throat cleared and three sets of eyes moved to gaze at the only occupant of the large bed. Neville looked at them nervously, deciding to concentrate his own gaze on the familiar face. “Kurama?”

 

“Neville. I'm sorry, did we wake you? I meant to let you sleep a little longer, but our conversation got away from us.”

 

“No it's okay, really. So um…who did you bring to meet me?” He looked at the other two curiously.

 

Kurama smiled at the way Ginta and Koronue began to fidget nervously. “Neville, I'd like you to meet Koronue and Ginta.”

 

Neville smiled and clambered off the huge bed, stumbled a bit and managed to get to his feet without further embarrassing himself. “It's nice to meet you.” He held out a hand to Koronue first and the bat could do little more than take the boy's hand.

 

Ginta couldn't wait and dove in for a hug, a tear making it's way down his face. Koronue embraced Neville as well who was looking more than a little confused. “Um? I guess you're glad to see me—“ Neville's eyes glazed over as he caught their scents.

 

He could feel something inside him shiver and try to unfold within his body, but the space was too small, something was confining whatever it was. His eyes flashed gold and Kurama could smell the different scents swirling about on the spikes of power coming off of Neville. First bat, then wolf, then fox, it was as if Neville's abilities didn't know what to do with themselves.

 

Koronue and Ginta pulled back and gazed at Neville in surprise.

 

“A cracked seal.” Koronue murmured in wonder. “I've never felt such power in one so young.”

 

“You'd be surprised.” Kurama smiled. “I've known many youths who have shown a great capacity for power. Urameshi Yusuke being one of them.”

 

“You think this is special, you should have seen Kagome-oneesan when she was kicking youkai tail. Talk about scary.” Ginta grinned at Neville. “You okay kid?”

 

“Not a kid.” Neville muttered as he sat back down on the bed. “That was…different. It's never happened before.” He looked at them, with green eyes still laced with gold.

 

Koronue looked at Kurama worriedly. “The seal will be removed soon?”

 

“It will. That's what we need to talk about, both of you need to be present for the removal. Can we count on your contribution?”

 

“Do you even have to ask me that?” Koronue looked at Kurama with a raised brow and a smirk. Kurama smiled softly and Koronue became serious again, shaking away the mirth he felt. “When do you need me?”

 

“In an hour or so.”

 

Ginta looked from one to the other and shrugged. “I'm ready whenever.” He looked back at Neville. “So…I'm not really sure how to go about this, but I want to get to know you a bit. What kind of things do you like?”

 

Kurama smiled at them and motioned Koronue to follow him back into the sitting room. Once they were alone he gave his former lover a very solemn face. “Things are different now Koronue.”

 

“I know, and I apologize. For a moment it felt like…”

 

“Those days are over, I've changed.”

 

“Only on the outside Kurama, you—“

 

“Look at me Koronue.” What would have been a demand back in their youth came out as a request. “I have changed on the inside as well. I had a chance to grow up with a human mother. An experience like that changes everything about you. Shiori became my whole world while I was `growing up'. And now she can't wait to meet Neville.”

 

“She knows what you are?”

 

“And she accepts it.”

 

Koronue nodded. “I am sorry Kurama. I slipped back into what felt like an old routine. It won't happen again. I respect both you and Koenma too much to let it happen again.”

 

Kurama smirked this time. “You're telling half truths Koronue. Tell me old friend, have you met someone here in Reikai who has stirred the coals?”

 

“Perhaps.”

 

“Tell me of him.”

 

xxx

 

Koenma walked around the room slowly, his amber colored eyes critically taking in every detail, making sure nothing was out of place. The removal of a seal while not exactly difficult tended to use a lot of power, magic, and blood. The blood they had used for the main circle was his own, as out of all of them he could spare the most without being affected. However each of the others, Neville included had donated a few drops for the cause. Every drop of blood was given freely; no malice or ill will was felt. Neville needed his seal removed and the call of family, of blood, and of non-blood kin was strong.

 

Koenma nodded in approval and made his way to a raised platform which over looked the series of circles drawn onto the floor. Neville sat in the center circle, the circle of Koenma's blood, a symbol of power and protection, even in death. In front of Neville was a line of rose petals leading to Kurama, the line became a circle to surround the kitsune. Kurama held his hands out, a drop of blood in the palm of each. In the right was his blood, in his left Neville's. Koenma met his lover's eyes and they smiled at one another.

 

The others were situated in similar positions, each within a circle, a line leading to them. Each of them had a drop of their own blood in their right hands and a drop of Neville's blood in their left. Koronue was behind the boy within a circle of gold dust, a line of the same substance leading to Neville's circle of blood.

 

Ginta was to the east within a circle of woven wolf fur, and to the west was Kagome in a circle of salt, both looking inward towards Neville.

 

Neville shifted in the center circle nervously, a drop of sweat ran down beside the five drops of blood on his forehead. He clasped his hands together tightly; the palms were slit enough for his blood to mingle with the drops each being present had given him. He was as ready as he'd ever be.

 

Koenma nodded and began speaking in a language that no other in the room knew. It was so old that only the gods knew of it, of it's age and it's origin. In this language of beautiful sounds and sometimes harsh undertones Koenma began to gather his energy. And as the words came faster the others raised their power accordingly, each glowing with so much raw energy that they shown as brightly as stars. And suddenly Koenma was yelling in that language older than time itself and all the power gathered was rushing toward the center circle and filling the young man who sat there.

 

Neville gasped, it was a strangled sound, a barely attempted scream. He shown so brightly for a moment, images ghosting over his body. Phantom wings, tails, ears, but they were gone in the blink of an eye. And Neville collapsed, unconscious and he was so still Koenma feared for a moment, but he had not felt the boy die. Still, the others were relieved to see Neville's chest rise and fall with a steady breath, a strong breath.

 

Koronue laughed. “What a rush that was!” Kurama rolled his eyes. “What? Don't tell me you know of something that can compare to that!”

 

The kitsune gave him a secretive smile. “I'm lovers with a demi-god.”

 

Koronue groaned. “I stand corrected.”

 

“You mean you're lying there not moving…anyone else having a problem standing?” Ginta asked as he tried to get to his feet, only to fall back to the floor in a boneless heap.

 

“I haven't felt this wiped out since the jewel returned to my body.” Kagome grumbled, not even attempting to move. She was quite content to pretend she was a part of the floor.

 

Kurama, who was also still on the floor, glared at Koenma who stood tall and practically bouncing on the platform above them. The demi-god looked at his lover in confusion as he rocked back and forth on his feet. “What?”

 

“We can barely move, and you gave more power than us, and more blood.” Kurama stated, looking at his lover in disbelief.

 

Koenma blinked. “You kidding? I could do this twenty more times today and then tackle the mountain of paper work that hides my desk on a daily basis…just don't tell George or my Father that.”

 

Kurama simply shook his head in wonder.

 

XXX