Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Harry Potter sat in a chair at the end of a row of chairs next to Hermione, who was sitting next to Ron, feeling numb. He was not happy, not sad, not angry, nor surprised or shocked. He could not seem to feel anything, and he wished he could; at least to feel sadness or even anger.

His eyes shifted up idly to the sky. It was a bright blue and the sun was out shining down on everything. It was a nice day out with warm air, but it didn't at all fit the occasion.

Not at all. He thought quietly as his eyes shifted back down and to the object he had been staring at.

Ahead of him were two adult sized caskets sitting on the vibrant grass of the backyard of the Burrow. In the chairs behind him were extended family and friends of the Weasley family there to mourn the life of Fred and Ginevra Weasley.

The final battle where he had defeated Voldemort once and for all was only almost two weeks ago. Both siblings of the Weasley clan had been killed before the self-proclaimed dark lord had died by his own reflected Killing Curse.

From his understanding from what he had been told Fred had died from an explosion inside the castle, outside the Room of Requirement, and Ginny had died in the Great Hall fighting Bellatrix Lestrange while he was dueling Voldemort.

Harry closed his eyes, blocking out the sight of Ginny's coffin, as the sound of her screaming his name at the sight of his seemingly dead body echoed through his mind. It was the last time he had heard her voice.

Just like with mom. He thought quietly as he opened his eyes, once again settling his sight on the shiny cheery wood coffin.

He sighed silently as his green eyes moved along the length of the coffin. He heard the sounds of talking but he tuned out the words. He didn't care about what was said; didn't need to keep track. He had not been asked to speak, and even if he had he doubted he could have.

He had attended a lot of funerals over the last week. Not as many as he had wanted to since he felt that he should have attended them all, because he didn't have the strength without Ginny by his side. But the point was he had spoken at many of them, but he could not speak at this one.

Not only was he numb he was also speechless. He could not have forced himself to speak if his life depended on it.

Ginny was gone. His Ginny was gone. She was the reason he had fought so hard, the reason he had labored through the daunting task of hunting down Horcruxes, the reason he had walked to what he thought would be his death in the Forbidden Forest.

All of that had been the right thing to do in his opinion, for the good of the Wizarding World, but he had mostly done it so he could live a safe free life with Ginny. And when he thought he had to die, so she could live in a safe world free of an immortal Voldemort.

It's why I broke up with her and left her behind, so she would be safe and not hunted without being able to use magic. He thought numbly though with a hint of tears.

At the moment it was hard for Harry to understand why he was still alive. Everyone he had loved or dared to try to love was dead. His parents were dead, Sirius was dead, Dumbledore was dead, Remus was dead, and now Ginny was dead.

I can't even have a piece of Remus through Teddy, because I can't have access to him. He thought as he blinked his eyes slowly.

Remus had mentioned the idea of him being the godfather to his unborn child, but he had learned at his and Tonks' funeral, both having died at the final battle, that they hadn't named him as the godfather before their deaths. And on top of that Tonks' mother, Andromeda, didn't think he was the right choice for such a role, so she wasn't going to put him in that position either.

All she had been willing to tell him, aside from the fact that he couldn't have anything to do with the child, was that they had a boy, and his name was Edward Remus "Teddy" Lupin.

Why am I still here? He asked himself as he stared at Ginny's coffin.

Harry knew that he wasn't alone. Everyone was mourning, but he still had the rest of the Weasley's. He had Ron and Hermione; although he wasn't so lost in himself that he hadn't noticed the two of them were a bit closer than they were during their travels.

But none of them are Ginny. He thought quietly. He had wanted to build a life with her, a family, and live his version of happily ever after. He thought he would have deserved it if he survived.

And he had survived…only to find that his Ginny had not.

Harry blinked as the sound of crying penetrated his mind, and he looked around to see people starting to stand and share hugs. He sighed lightly and turned his eyes back to the coffins.

He was sorry Fred was gone, knew that George was beyond devastated and the rest of the Weasley's felt similarly, but he couldn't help his focus being on Ginny. She was the Weasley he had been closest to, and that included his friendship with Ron. She had understood him and accepted him for himself more than anyone ever had since before his parents died.

His eyes focused on Ginny's coffin, and he morbidly wondered when they were going to bury her since it appeared the service was done. He thought she or rather her body had a nice place to rest. He had been at the Burrow enough to know that this particular spot was free of foot traffic and always had the sun shining on it when the bright orb was out.

Harry hadn't seen her since she had been laid out next to Fred in the Great Hall, but he had been gifted with the choice to choose the dress she would wear into her eternal rest, so that was what he imagined her wearing. Only instead of being inside her shiny wooden coffin she was standing in front of him.

It was a blush red sleeveless evening dress, for all the times she had blushed for him since he had known her, with a matching lace overlay with a delicate flower print. She was smiling at him, the soft smirk she always gave him, with her hand on her hip and her head tilted slightly to the side.

She lifted an eyebrow at him as if to say 'well, what do you think?' and he almost smiled, but was suddenly hugged from the side. He blinked as he dimly realized that Hermione was hugging him, and pain suddenly shot through his chest as the Ginny he had imagined faded away.

Harry lightly hugged Hermione back even as he silently cursed her for interrupting the moment with his imaginary Ginny.

"We're heading inside now." Hermione said softly as she pulled back. "Are you coming?"

"Not yet. I'll find my way inside eventually." He replied quietly.

Hermione hesitated as she stared at him but ultimately nodded and walked away.

Harry watched her until she reached Ron and saw her grasp his hand before guiding him toward the house. He turned his attention back to the coffins and stared at Ginny's as it gradually began to grow quiet around him.

He stood up after a few long minutes and walked forward, his brand new black dress robes rustling silently as he moved, and stopped in front of her coffin.

It's not fair. She should not have died. She should be here; alive. She deserved it after what she went through. He thought, recalling her terrible first year at Hogwarts and her struggle with the sixteen year old Tom Riddle.

You should not be gone. You should be here. With me! He told her as he stared down at the coffin. Why did you leave me alone? Why did you have to die? If only I had been quicker in ending Riddle! You would still be here.

Damn you Bellatrix! He cursed the death eater that had taken his godfather and the woman he wanted to spend his life with.

Of course she was dead and gone as well. Mrs. Weasley having gotten to her right after she had taken down Ginny. At least the bitch hadn't gotten to celebrate her success.

How am I supposed to go on without you? He asked her. How am I supposed to deal with this life?

Ever since he defeated Voldemort he had been plagued by nightmares. They came in all shapes and sizes. From those that had died blaming him for their deaths, to Voldemort killing him, to being hunted and tortured by Death Eaters, to being possessed and taken over completely by the horcrux that had been in him since the night his parents died.

He supposed he should be grateful that his nightmares were not happening while he was awake, but he knew it hadn't been long since the war ended and there was still a chance they could start.

Harry closed his eyes and released a quiet shuddering breath as he admitted to himself that his worse nightmares were the ones where Ginny blamed him for her death, and asked him why he had left her.

They were the worst because he questioned himself constantly. Wondered if she would still be alive and here with him if he hadn't left her; if he had brought her with him.

Even worse were the dreams where she asked him if he had ever cared about her, ever loved her.

Did she know? Did she know that I loved her? He asked as he opened his eyes sadly.

~HPxXxMC~

Harry sat in a bedroom in Number 12 Grimmauld Place, the same bedroom that Ginny had shared with Hermione the last time they had all been confined in the house together.

He had stayed at the Burrow with the Weasley's after the final battle, but only a few days after Ginny and Fred's funeral he found that he was unable to stay in the house. He just could not live there without Ginny's presence, so he moved out and came to stay in the Black family house.

He didn't want to be in this house either with its bad memories, but at least here he had some privacy. Here he didn't have to explain himself, didn't have to hide his nightmares, and didn't have to worry about the press finding him with everyone knowing he was so close to the Weasley family.

And I don't have to constantly be surrounded by everyone mourning. I feel guilty enough as it is; I don't need it reinforced day after day. He thought as he sat on Ginny's old bed in the middle of the night.

Harry had claimed the room because it made him feel closer to Ginny, but also because he couldn't stand to actually sleep in his previous bedroom that he had shared with Ron or Sirius' old room.

Sleeping in her old bed didn't stop the nightmares, but at least he had privacy and was close to a place she had been.

Ron and Hermione were still living at the Burrow and he hadn't even thought to invite them to come live with him. He had honestly spent enough alone time with the two of them during the Horcrux hunt to last him quite some time, and poor Kreacher had died during the final battle helping the house elves defend the castle.

So he was here all alone, and he made sure he wouldn't have any unexpected company. That was something he took care of the moment he moved in. People who already knew about the house could still find it, but they couldn't get inside without him allowing it.

They had to knock like muggles instead of Flooing or Apparating in without notice like they had the right.

Being alone was something he was especially glad of after the nightmare that had just had him screaming himself awake.

Tonight's horror had featured him watching a sixteen year old Tom Riddle suck the life out of an eleven year old Ginny before being tortured in The Chamber of Secrets, and then it shifted into him being tortured in the Great Hall by Voldemort before being forced to watch Ginny being tortured and killed by Bellatrix Lestrange.

Harry knew that the only thing about his nightmare that had actually happened was Ginny's death, but even though he hadn't seen it personally he knew it definitely hadn't been in the gruesome way he had just dreamed.

She had been killed by the Killing Curse. He had heard that fact straight from her mother's mouth. He had been told by his parents that it didn't hurt to die, in that way at least, and it hadn't hurt for him, but he worried that she had felt pain. That it hadn't been a quick seemingly instant death for her.

What if she did feel pain? What if it wasn't instant? What if it was instant, but that instant for me was like an eternity to her?! He thought frantically as he ran his fingers through his hair and pulled slightly.

I need to find out! He decided after a long agonizing moment.

Harry grabbed his glasses off the nightstand and got up and went to his trunk. He dug in it, not deterred by the dark of the room since he knew where what he was looking for was, and grabbed the Mokeskin pouch that Hagrid had given him and sat back on the bed.

He opened it and reached inside, his hand and then his arm disappearing inside as he searched for what he wanted, and soon he pulled his hand out with the object he was after.

Opening his hand he looked at the object lying innocently on his palm. It was small, the size of a coin, and an opaque black in the shape of a three dimensional pyramid with the etching of the Deathly Hallows symbol on it.

It was the Resurrection Stone.

He had actually kept the Resurrection Stone after using it to summon his parents, Sirius, and Remus before he walked to what he thought would be his death. He had pocketed it along with his invisibility cloak, which he now knew to be the Cloak of Invisibility, before revealing himself to Voldemort and his Inner Circle of Death Eaters and told no one.

No one alive knew he had used it. In fact, no one alive even knew it had been inside the snitch that Dumbledore had willed to him in the first place.

On top of that he had also kept the Elder Wand, having put a fake inside of Dumbledore's tomb since everybody knew he had it because of his speech during his duel with Voldemort, and no one alive knew about that either.

Harry had just felt that instinctively he needed to keep both highly sought after items of The Deathly Hallows along with his invisibility cloak, and he was determined to follow his instincts from now on. He felt that if he had done that more since returning to the magical world instead of trying to please everyone and fit the image everyone had of him things would have gone more smoothly for him.

Maybe Ginny would still be alive if I had. He thought sadly before he took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He placed his Mokeskin pouch, that contained the other two Deathly Hallows along with some other possessions, aside and looked to the stone.

Harry took the Resurrection Stone between his fingers and determinedly turned it three times while picturing Ginny's face in his mind. Instantly her figure appeared in front of him, standing in the dark room with only moonlight coming in through the window.

She was transparent yet more solid than a ghost, but definitely not an actual living person. She was in color; her fiery red hair hanging down her back, her brown eyes looking at him softly, and dressed casually in a sweater shirt and a pair of jeans.

She looked healthy and not in any pain, which he was pleased to see even if he wasn't happy about the fact that she was dead.

"Ginny." Harry breathed as he stared into her eyes and closed his hand around the stone.

"Harry." Ginny said in return, and he closed his eyes at the soft quiet tone of her voice.

"Are you okay?" He asked as he opened his eyes.

"Yes Harry." She answered. "I'm not in any pain, I have no more angst over what happened with the diary and Tom. I'm at peace."

"That's good." Harry said as he nodded, and then he hesitated before speaking again. "It…it didn't hurt did it? You didn't feel any pain right?" He questioned, his tone quietly pleading for her to deny it.

"Oh Harry." Ginny said sadly. "No it didn't hurt. It was quick; like falling asleep. No, it was less than that. It was like one instant I was there in the battle with the spell coming at me, and then the next thing I knew I was in a calm beautiful place with Fred greeting me." She assured him truthfully. "In his usual manner." She added with a grin.

Harry smiled as he imagined how Fred would have greeted her, and sighed in relief that she had felt no pain; and better she hadn't been alone once she reached the other side.

He gazed at her calmly as he leaned back against the wall, watching her as she looked around taking in the room he was in, and his smile slowly faded.

"I wouldn't have come back if I knew you would be gone after the war was over." He said quietly, and watched her look back to him quickly.

"I'm glad you decided to live. The world needs you, and not because you're Harry Potter." Ginny said, and then sighed. "I wish we had had more time together, but I'm happy with the time that we had. I don't want you closing yourself off from love because I'm gone."

"But I love you! I can't see myself with anyone else!" Harry said intensely. "You understood me better than anyone I know. You listened to me without judgement, never put me down or disregarded my ideas or thought everything I said was stupid. You saw me for me and not because I'm The Boy Who Lived!" He explained even as he realized he had started crying.

It was the first time he had cried since long before the final battle.

Ginny stood silent for a few moments as she watched him cry; hating that she was the cause of his rare tears.

"When you die you learn a lot of things." She said slowly, and then grinned slightly. "At least when you stay dead." She added jokingly, knowing he had died briefly.

"I can't tell you much, but what I can say is that there is another for you out there. One who will see you for yourself, and love you just as fiercely as I do; probably more. I hope that our time together will help you recognize her when she appears in your life." She said as she looked into his vibrant green eyes.

Harry couldn't imagine himself being with another girl. Couldn't imagine a girl that could see beyond his scar. In fact, he couldn't even imagine himself allowing himself to be open enough for a girl to see beyond his scar.

Unless this miraculous girl isn't a witch, but I can't see myself being with a muggle. Of having to hide what I am until things get serious, and then hope that she's understanding enough to believe me when I tell her and not run away screaming; let alone stay with me. He thought dubiously as his tears slowed.

Of course all this was moot as far as he was concerned, because he couldn't see himself getting over Ginny to even try to move on with another girl whether she was a witch or a muggle.

"Will you do something for me?" Ginny asked after a moment.

"Anything." He said instantly as he wiped his eyes.

"Go to your family vault as soon as possible; don't wait or let anyone or anything distract you from going. I also want you to check yourself for foreign magic. Do it yourself, and when you aren't around anyone." She said seriously.

Harry nodded even though he was surprised and confused. I have a family vault?

"I'll do it." He assured her. "Do you have a particular order I should do them in?"

"Yes. Go to your vault first, and then when you're someplace safe and private check yourself." She answered.

"Alright." He said, and sighed. "I'm not looking forward to that visit."

"I can imagine." Ginny said with a small smile, and he knew then that she knew about his last visit to the bank and exactly how he had left it.

"Do one more thing for me?" She asked.

"Of course." Harry agreed.

"Always be yourself, and stop trying to live your life by other people's standards and desires for you." Ginny said firmly. "Don't let anyone dictate how you live your life ever again. Don't keep people in your life just because they're first friends or you feel you owe them for what they may have done for you."

Harry looked into her slightly transparent brown eyes and knew exactly what she was talking about even if he didn't want to admit it to himself. Still, he nodded firmly.

"The war is over, you won, your duty in that regard is done Harry. Now you can live your life the way you want to and not limit yourself. Do what you want to do, live wherever you want to, and know whoever you want to know." She told him.

"I understand. I'll do that." He said seriously.

"Good." She said as she nodded. "I should go now. You can talk to me whenever you need me, but I want you to live your life and find your happiness. You've more than earned it." She said emphatically. "I'll be watching you with all of your parents."

Harry smiled lightly and nodded. "I love you." He told her, wanting to make absolutely sure she knew.

"I love you too." Ginny replied softly.

Harry looked down and moved his hand holding the Resurrection Stone to the space on the bed beside him and looked back to Ginny with a long look. She smiled gently and nodded. He nodded in return and released the stone, and watched as her form faded away from his sight.

~HPxXxMC~

After a surprisingly peaceful few hours of sleep after speaking to Ginny Harry readied himself for the day before heading to Gringotts Wizarding Bank. He Apparated to Diagon Alley, bypassing the Leaky Cauldron, and walked through the alley straight to Gringotts.

He went in and made his way to one of the counters and needlessly identified himself, since even the Goblins knew who he was, especially after what he did at the bank, and made it clear he wanted to make things right.

After being granted a meeting with one of the higher up goblins he repeated what he said to the earlier goblin. He made it clear he wasn't sorry about breaking into the bank vault. He was sorry about the damage done by his leaving and wished the entire ordeal could have been avoided, but it needed to be done. If it hadn't then he wouldn't even be there having that conversation because Voldemort would still be alive and oppressing everyone.

Harry just barely stopped himself from condescendingly telling the goblin that they should amend their policies, so they didn't have dark objects in their bank that would help keep a dark lord intent on killing everyone immortal and a situation like what he did would not happen again.

He also made it clear that he was only doing his part. If Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger wanted access to their vaults they had to make things right with the goblins on their own. They were just as responsible as he was after all.

Understandably they weren't happy with him, or his friends, but were willing to work with him to right the wrong. It was decided that he would work to help fix the damage done down in the lower levels, and pay a hefty fine.

So after making arrangements for when he would start working he paid the high fine, and was escorted down to his family vault without a problem.

The Potter family vault turned out to be on the level directly under the one where Bellatrix Lestrange's vault was, so he had gotten a good view of the damage he had helped cause and what he would be working on.

They stopped in front of his vault and he and his goblin escort climbed out of the cart. He was informed that the vault didn't have a key and he needed to place his hand on the door. The door's magic would verify his identity and allow him access.

With that instruction in mind he placed his right hand in the middle of the solid stone door and waited.

Almost instantly the stone directly beneath his palm began to warm, growing hotter and hotter, almost to the point of pain before it stopped and the stone wall split down the middle and opened away from each other like sliding doors.

Harry's eyes widened as he took in the large cave. Just from where he stood he could see large piles of gold Galleons and neatly placed furniture.

"Is there a way to tell exactly what's in here and how much gold as well?" He asked his goblin escort as he looked to him.

"Yes." The goblin answered. "All such paperwork is held by the manager of your accounts."

Accounts? He wondered, and then he remembered that Sirius had likely named him his heir and had received his vault.

"Would the manager be available after I'm through looking through here or should I make an appointment?" He asked.

"He is available." The goblin answered. "I can send word that you wish for those documents and have them ready by the time you finish here if you will be a while." He added.

"Please. I would be grateful for that. I'm going to take my time looking through here." Harry said.

"Very well. I will take care of it." The goblin replied.

"Thank you." He said before he turned and walked into the vault.

As Harry reached the first piece of furniture he looked to his left, and his eyes widened as he realized the vault was much larger than he had first thought. It opened into an almost massive cavernous room with furniture, paintings, bookshelves, trunks, and piles of gold Galleons, silver Sickles, and bronze Knuts all over the place.

This is…this is my family history. All of this. He thought as his eyes shifted around, landing on everything.

He took a few more steps and his eyes landed on a little table that had a large envelope on top of it with a small white envelope on top of that. He stepped toward it curiously and blinked in surprise as he saw that the small envelope had his name written on it.

He picked up the envelope and examined the writing. It looked feminine and he imagined it might very well be from his mother. He opened it and pulled out a single piece of white paper; surprised that it wasn't parchment, but then he thought maybe she felt more comfortable using plain paper since she was muggleborn.

My Darling Harry,

If you are reading this it means you are at least seventeen and there is no one left to tell you the truth. If your father and I, and even Sirius, were alive then this letter would not exist.

First I want to tell you that your father and I love you very much. You struck our hearts the moment we set eyes on you, and that is why we acted as we did.

You see when you were only a few months old you were involved in an accident. A terrible car accident that took the lives of two people very close to you, and yet somehow left you alive and completely unharmed.

Their names were  Daichi  Chiba and Akina Chiba. They were your parents.

There you were, this beautiful crying baby, so far from home and suddenly all alone. Your father and I didn't even hesitate after we found you despite how dangerous the times were. You needed someone to care for you, so we determined we would be those someones.

Now, before your mind completely runs away with you, we did this the right way. We went through the muggle authorities to first let them know about your birth parents death, and to try and find your next of kin. After quite the agonizing wait, since we were growing to love you more and more, we were notified that you had no other family.

With that knowledge we decided to make it official and adopt you both in the muggle world and the magical world. Filling out the muggle paperwork was tedious, but we had to be careful and do it quietly when it came to the magical paperwork. The last thing we wanted was for some ministry employee to slip the information to a death eater.

Once all the paperwork was done and everything was legal we performed a blood adoption ritual to truly make you ours. It was the happiest we have ever been, and we were incredibly surprised when you developed a rather strong magical core. Almost immediately you started displaying accidental magic, and it was a joy to watch.

Do not  ever  doubt our love darling. Just because you were not physically birthed from us does not mean we love you any less. You have our blood running through your veins so you are ours. However, we also believe that your birth parents loved you just as fiercely, so  never  doubt that either. You were and are very loved.

Your father and I have left you all the paperwork and information you need to know about your adoption in both worlds.

Take care of yourself my darling. Be happy, and know that your father and I will be watching over you with your birth parents.

With all my love,
Your mother,
Lily Potter

Harry stared at the letter with wide almost disbelieving eyes. He was happy to have a sample of his mother's handwriting, more so that it was written specifically for him, but at the same time he was shocked beyond belief.

He was adopted! He was not born of the body of Lily Potter. Apparently he came from the body of another woman, Akina Chiba, his real mother!

How could no one have told him?! Why had no one told him?! There had to have been others who knew! Why was this hidden from him?!

He looked back to the letter, and spotted Sirius' name. He had obviously known; had been named his godfather. Why hadn't he told him when they first met or any time after that? It was all about him looking just like his father and having his mother's eyes, but never that he had had another set of parents!

Harry put the letter down and picked up the larger envelope before he opened it and pulled out a thick stack of paperwork. He looked through each sheet wide eyed. Copies of the adoption papers, both magical and muggle, and so much more information was there.

He slowed and then stopped his frantic flipping through the papers as he found his original birth certificate. It stated his parents were Daichi Chiba and Akina Chiba, and his listed name was Mamoru. He had been born on August 3 in Tokyo, Japan.

Just beneath that significant sheet of paper was his adopted birth certificate that had his parents listed as James Potter and Lily Potter, and he had been named Harry James Potter. His birthdate was listed as July 31, and he guessed that was the day that the blood adoption ritual had been done. His place of birth was listed as Godric's Hollow in West Country, England.

He stared at the two birth certificates in shock, and then he remembered Ginny's words, that she would be watching him with all of his parents. He hadn't caught that at the time, but he had remembered it; and now he understood it.

Harry didn't know how long he sat there staring at the two official sheets of paper before he shook himself and flicked through the rest of the papers. He shook his head slowly as he found that there was even a copy of his parents, adopted parents, Will.

He straightened the papers and returned them to the large envelope, and added his mother's letter to the stack of papers before he placed it back on the table.

He reached under the neckline of his shirt and pulled his Mokeskin pouch out and over his head. He wore it shrunken down like a necklace so it looked like nothing but a couple of Galleons or a single piece of small jewelry could fit inside it, having decided to always keep it on him whenever he left the house.

Since it contained The Deathly Hallows he had decided that since he had made the choice to keep them he needed to make sure nothing happened to them, and it was his responsibility as the Master of Death to keep them with him at all times even if he didn't understand yet what exactly the title entailed beyond simply having the items.

He opened the pouch, enlarging it, and placed the all-important documents about his adoption inside. He took a deep calming breath, trying to push his shock aside, and began to roam around the vault.

He grabbed a few interesting books that caught his eye on subjects he thought he might have to work at the ministry to be able to access, and slipped them inside his pouch as well.

Reaching a shelf with things on display that wasn't too far from the table that had contained the information that changed his world he paused. He reached forward and lightly touched the bracelet there before he picked up the piece of paper next to it.

Harry read it and realized it was instructions for how to use a Portkey that would take him to his family manor. Considering the last two wars he was reasonably sure that anyone who knew about the house was dead, so it would be the perfect place for him to stay. A safe private place that no one had access to.

Replacing the paper he picked up the bracelet and looked it over. It was a multilayered black leather braided wristband bracelet with a gold pendant attached in the shape of the capital letter 'P'.

He nodded and slipped it inside his pouch before he moved on to see if anything else caught his eye. When nothing did he closed the pouch, slipped the strap back around his neck, and put it back underneath his shirt as it shrunk back down to resemble a necklace.

Harry made his way back through the vault, idly pocketing a handful of Galleons, and to the entrance. As soon as he stepped out onto the landing where a cart awaited him the stone slabs slid closed and sealed so it once again looked like a solid wall.

He rode the cart back up with his goblin escort, whom he thanked, and once he reached the main floor of the bank he was ushered into the office of the manager of his accounts where he was handed a folder directly by the goblin behind the desk.

He was informed that it contained a list of all the contents of the Potter family vault, the Black family vault, and his trust vault. The two family vaults each on their own guaranteeing he would never have to work a day in his life if he so wished it.

Harry thanked his account manager, and informed him that next time he needed to see him he would be sure to make an appointment.

With that said he was escorted back to the lobby and held in a sigh as he began to make his way toward the bank doors.

Now that his mind was not focused on the business at hand it was trying to force multiple topics at him at once, and there were a lot of topics that were swirling around for him to think about. Most of them he had absolutely no wish to acknowledge, but the most prominent was the glaring fact that he had been adopted.

He had not been born a Potter; he had been made a Potter.

I have two sets of parents. Two mothers and two fathers, and both sets are dead. He thought quietly. Unlike most people who learn they're adopted I can't go out and search for my birth parents in the hopes of making that connection and having a family. They're dead. I'm still alone.

I wish Ginny was here. He thought with a sigh. She would make everything…

"Harry." He suddenly heard his name in a feminine tone with a familiar French accent, and turned to see Fleur Weasley behind him.

"Hi Fleur." Harry said as he stopped and waited for her; welcoming the interruption to his thoughts.

"How are you doing mon petit frère?" Fleur asked gently as she reached him; knowing how he had felt about Ginny.

Harry sighed wearily.

"I'm dealing." He answered with a slight shrug. "I just came here to make arrangements with the Goblins to work in order to make right the damage I caused to the bank, and I went to see my family vault for the first time since I just found out about it."

"At least you are getting out in the fresh air instead of being cooped up inside." She said sympathetically. "Why don't you come over for dinner?" She asked, and he blinked.

"Will that be okay with Bill?" Harry asked hesitantly.

"Oui. It will be no problem." She assured him. "Bill has been spending time with all the family, but we have not seen you since you moved out of The Burrow."

"Yeah sorry." He said as he ran his fingers through his hair. "I…I just couldn't stay there with everyone mourning. I was starting to feel more guilty then I already do, and I didn't need that. I needed to get away, I needed privacy, to grieve in my own way." He explained, and then sighed heavily.

"Ginny was the only one I felt comfortable opening up to, and now she's gone, so I'm trying to deal." He added quietly.

"Oh Harry." Fleur said sadly, her accent sounding thick in her sadness as she stroked his arm comfortingly. "Maybe we can help some or at least take your mind off everything for a while."

"Yeah." Harry said dully as he nodded. "Yeah. I'll be there. What time should I come?"

"Six o'clock. Will that be okay?" She asked.

"Yes. That's fine. Six o'clock it is then." He said.

"I'll let Bill know." Fleur said. "Be safe out there."

"I will." Harry said with a nod before he continued on his way out of the bank.

Once he made it down the stairs he Apparated back to Grimmauld Place, and found himself in one of the cleaned sitting rooms. He pulled his Mokeskin pouch off, opened it, and placed his folder inside before he pulled out the Portkey to the family manor house.

He slipped the bracelet over his left hand and watched as it automatically shrunk to fit snugly around his wrist. He closed the pouch and once again stored it around his neck before he focused on the gold 'P' pendant, and wanting to go home to the Potter Manor.

From one moment to the next he found himself deposited inside what looked like a rather large foyer. It was the smoothest Portkey ride he had ever had. The only reason he knew he had changed location was because he could clearly see he was in a different place.

Harry looked around the space and saw that it was bright, which was a nice change from the dim darkness of Grimmauld place. He took a breath and began to wander to see what was there.

On the first floor he found a room off to the side of the foyer, and what he guessed was the front door, that housed a large fireplace. He thought it was for guests to Floo in, which he thought was smart. He had never liked the idea of someone Flooing into someone's personal living space; especially if they were rude enough to do it without notice.

Beyond that he found a dining room, the kitchen, a study, a sitting room, a staircase, and a door that led to a small attached glasshouse. The space was big enough to house some decorative plants and a small table and chairs where one could sit and eat or read.

Another door led to a finished basement with two large rooms. One was used for what looked like storage, and the other was an empty room but he sensed magic surrounding it. He guessed it was room to practice spells in, but he wasn't sure.

After heading back to the first floor he found yet another door, which led into what was obviously a well-lit Potions lab.

Going up the staircase he found a small yet full library, that looked like it could definitely compete with the one at Grimmauld Place, another sitting room, a bathroom, a couple of bedrooms, a closet, and another staircase.

Heading up he found a sitting room and what was obviously the master bedroom with how large it was. It had a big four poster canopy bed, a fireplace, a large walk-in closet, and an attached bathroom.

Harry sat on the end of the bed, instantly finding it soft and comfortable, and looked around the room. The manor house appeared to be three levels, not counting the basement, full of large windows to let in plenty of light, and was decorated with light brown wood floors, cream colored walls, and accented with blues, golds, and whites.

At first glance he saw that everything was clean with no cobwebs in sight, so he guessed that meant there were preservation charms on at least the interior of the house since it didn't look like Grimmauld Place did.

In any case it saved him the trouble of having to clean, which was a good thing since there were no house elves as none had come to greet him.

Well, Ginny said to check myself for foreign magic when I was in a safe place with privacy. He thought as he pulled off his jacket and draped it on the bed beside him. So here goes.

He closed his eyes and took a few calming breaths to relax himself as he pushed all of the clamoring topics to the back of his mind and out of the way. He knew they wouldn't stay there for very long since he hadn't been able to learn Occlumency, but hopefully it would be long enough for what he needed to do.

Harry knew Ginny couldn't mean magic from another country, so she had to mean magic from another person. He had had spells, charms, and curses cast on him enough to recognize when he was under one, so it was a surprise to realize that he did in fact have someone else's magic in him.

He calmly studied the magic, trying to figure out its purpose, and realized it seemed to be an almost permanent glamour charm. Mentally looking at it a bit longer he understood he hadn't noticed it before because it was tied into his own magic in a way that his magic was actually feeding it; keeping it going.

It's a glamour charm, but I can't tell what it's supposed to be covering up or rather hiding. He thought, instantly outraged.

Harry quickly and instinctively cut the connection the foreign magic had with his magic and canceled the charm as he opened his eyes. Immediately his eye sight blurred.

He squinted and adjust his glasses in confusion, and noticed his sight was clear when he shifted his eyes downward. He slowly took off his glasses and gasped as he was able to see clearly; more so then he ever had with his glasses.

He stood up and walked to the bathroom attached to the bedroom and moved toward the mirror over the sink. A loud gasp escaped his mouth as he looked into the reflective surface.

His vibrant green eyes were gone, replaced by intense blue, and his hair was messy but not the wildness he had struggled with as long as he could remember.

Harry stared, stunned beyond thought, as he idly dropped his glasses on the counter around the sink. He couldn't understand this situation, but then in a flash he remembered Ginny specifically asking him to check himself.

He took a few deep breaths and let them out slowly, calming himself, and used the intelligence Ginny had always believed he had.

Okay. It was a glamour charm, which means it was put in place to make me look different, a specific way, to everyone; including myself. It obviously made me look like my adopted parents, but why would that be? He asked himself as he gazed into unfamiliar eyes.

Harry closed his eyes with a sigh, blocking the view, and thought back to how that foreign magic felt, and realized abruptly that he recognized the magical signature. He had felt that man's magic a number of times, and could recognize it from any other; Dumbledore.

That old man! That bastard! He thought angrily as his eyes popped open.

Dumbledore had known from the start that he was adopted and likely put that glamour on him after his parents died, so no one would question that they were his parents, and no one would know he was adopted. Including himself!

That was likely also why he had not known he had a family vault; why he had not been told. He would have learned about his adoption. Learned that he had another identity out there. Another nationality! He had been born Japanese for goodness sake!

Bastard didn't even tell me after I took that Killing Curse! He thought angrily. For all he knew he could have looked as he did right now, but hadn't known because there hadn't been any reflective surfaces in that limbo space.

His parents, James and Lily Potter, had done a magical blood adoption, so they were his parents, but he had another set he knew nothing about! All he knew was that they were dead and that was why he had been adopted in the first place!

He was so used to seeing Dumbledore as a good man, a symbol of the light side of magic, but the part of him that had been becoming louder, the part that Ginny had further brought out with her last words to him, was glad that Albus Dumbledore was dead.

Since his parents had died that man had taken it upon himself to run his life, strain what information he could receive when he wasn't hiding it altogether or outright lying to him, and control him to do what he wanted.

He suspected this was one of the things Ginny had learned in death, and why she said what she did to him.

"Thank you Ginny." He said softly before he took a deep breath, idly realizing he had been doing that a lot, and let it out slowly, pushing his anger aside.

He needed to be calm and get back to the matter at hand, which was his changed appearance. He still looked mostly the way he had since he could remember. The only difference was that his eyes were blue, he had normal eye sight, and he would be able to manage his hair now.

Clearly the blood adoption had only given him magic from his Potter parents. Although, it might have given him their facial features since he didn't think he looked Japanese.

He still had the scar on his forehead, so that was a telling sign of his identity even with the change of eye color and the more relaxed hair. He supposed his glasses were a major part of his identity as well.

Harry hummed and wondered if he would actually be recognized if he covered up his scar and went out with how he looked now.

I'll try it. I'll take a walk in Diagon Alley and see what happens. If it works it'll definitely be useful. He decided. But before I do that I want to see what this house looks like from the outside, and what's around the property.

With those decisions made Harry left the bathroom, grabbed his jacket, and made his way down through the house so he could go outside.

*mon petit frère: my little brother
*Oui: yes

Chapter Text

Harry made it outside in no time. After leaving out the front door and walking around he saw that the manor was no mansion, but it was large enough for a large family. The entire Weasley family would have fit comfortably and still have room for guests.

If the entire family was still alive. The thought floated quietly through his mind, but he shook his head to try and clear the somber morbid fact.

The land surrounding the manor was spacious and open grass; large enough for a Quidditch pitch if he desired one. If he ever wanted to put up a fence or any other protection enclosing the entire property he would have to find the land boundaries.

After Harry was finished looking around he did as he said he would and went to test out his new look; the only thing he concealed was what remained of his lightning bolt scar.

He Apparated directly to Diagon Alley and walked around, going in and out of stores, but no one recognized him. He even went into the Leaky Cauldron and still found that no one recognized him.

Just to be extra sure he Apparated to Hogsmead and roamed the village and stores, but no one approached him or pointed at him; no one whispered and stared at him. He couldn't understand why since he didn't think he looked that different. Different color eyes, less wild hair, and no scar; that was all.

Harry guessed that was just the way witches and wizards were. Maybe they had conditioned themselves to only see what they expected to see when it came to identifying him by sight.

Either way he liked the anonymity it gave him. The way he looked now was the way he should have looked all these years; this was the true face of Harry Potter.

Would Ginny have liked the way I look now? He wondered sadly. He knew she had loved his green eyes, but would she have liked the blue they should have been all this time?

Harry sighed heavily. What now? He wondered since he was finished testing his new features, his eyes looking around for inspiration.

After a few blank moments where he looked around like he was lost he decided to go ahead and officially move into the manor house.

He Apparated to Grimmauld Place and gathered his trunk, which already had all of his belongings in it since he hadn't felt the need to unpack, and locked the house down so no one would be able to enter without his presence as the legal magical owner.

He returned to the manor house, successfully Apparating just to see if he could, and arrived in the foyer. He made his way back up through the house and placed his trunk in the master bedroom, idly removing the glamour from his scar, and decided after a few blank moments to go shop for some food.

He was eating out that evening, but he was going to be living in the house now and would need food to eat.

Since he already had some muggle money there was no need to go back to Gringotts, so he left the house and went to a grocery store he was familiar with but where he likely wouldn't be recognized with his changed looks.

~HPxXxMC~

Harry returned home to the manor after an hour of shopping and put the food away in the kitchen. After he finished the mindless activity he tried to think of something to do to pass the time before he needed to head to Bill and Fleur's house.

Unfortunately, since he had nothing to immediately occupy his mind multiple topics he had no wish to think about began to come at him all at once. Most prominent was the fact that he was adopted, and that he had just been in a war.

However, unlike at Gringotts, before Fleur had interrupted his thoughts about his shocking adoption, this time the war pushed its way to the front of his mind.

A lot of people had died. He personally had lost a lot of people, and had seen so many more die.

Harry could see their faces in his mind; sometimes in his dreams sometimes when he was awake. He knew some of their names, many he didn't, and he couldn't help wondering if less of them would have died if he had been faster in finding the Horcruxes.

It wasn't even just the people who had died during the last year; it went back to his reintroduction to the magical world when he was only eleven.

He could see Professor Quirrell's face in his mind. Could see his face turning to ash beneath his hands. He didn't know if the man had been into the darks arts, a supporter of Voldemort, and been willingly possessed or if he had been a victim, and had no choice but to do what Voldemort wanted since he had been inside his body. He had never found out, but either way the man had died hideously at his hands; literally.

He had even seen the sixteen year old Tom Riddle down in the Chamber of Secrets with bright light punching holes out of his body and forcing cracks in his face to stream out.

It might not sound so bad, being light and all, but it had looked bad. It had looked painful, excruciating, like the light was burning him from the inside out.

Harry knew that Tom Riddle at that age was already heavily into the dark arts and had already branded himself as Lord Voldemort. He was smart, he didn't need anyone to tell him that that piece of his soul deserved what it got. He knew that it was actually seeing that event that had traumatized his mind.

If he was a muggle and had seen some non-magical trauma he would have gone to get therapy, but he was a wizard and unfortunately there were no healers that specialized in mental health.

A service he could have also used back in his third year because of Dementors. Because of those creatures he had seen his mother's death, and knew the sound of her terrified scream.

If nothing else, knowing that sound, of her screaming my name, let's me know that despite being adopted she really did love me. He thought sadly as he walked through the silent manor.

Unfortunately, it also made him wonder if she and his father would have lived if they had never adopted him.

Another person he had been seeing was Cedric Diggory. His confused and then blank face, his wide open eyes. He could also see Peter Pettigrew chopping off his own hand; a horrific sight to go along with his pained scream.

He could still see Sirius' surprised face as he sailed back through the veil in the Department of Mysteries, and Dumbledore's expression as the green light of the Killing Curse struck him; shocked yet accepting.

I can even see the calm face of my beloved Hedwig before a Killing Curse hit her. He thought, grimacing as he paused in his steps and leaned against the wall.

He missed her so much. She was so loyal, always there, and made sure he was never alone. She had been through the worst with him. He still hated that he hadn't been able to bury her. She deserved that much for all she had been through; she deserved that honor and respect.

He grimaced again as he was reminded that she was like Sirius; neither of them had left behind a body for him to bury and mourn over.

Harry ran his hand over his face as he closed his eyes and then sighed gustily as he opened them again. He looked around idly and realized he was standing outside the library, so he stepped forward and opened the door and walked in.

He walked around seeing all the books, and eagerly approached the closest ones in a bid to distract his mind from his grim thoughts.

There were various subjects and topics in multiple books by multiple authors that dated back from around the time his parents were last in school to years and years back through generations.

Hmm…the war took my last year at Hogwarts from me so I couldn't finish, but maybe I can do self study and finish on my own. He considered thoughtfully.

He definitely had the time now, and no longer felt the pressing need to focus mainly on defense spells. There was also no need to worry about writing up essays and studying for tests.

There was no hurry either, and there would be no Hermione nagging and rushing him. He could take his time and go at his own pace. Not to mention there would be no hateful relatives treating him like an abused house elf and giving him no time to really get into his studies before interrupting him.

I might actually be able to do it. He thought as he nodded and looked around at all the books.

Harry checked the time and decided he could be a few minutes early to dinner, as long as it stopped his grim thoughts, but he needed to make a few adjustments first.

He made his way upstairs to the master bathroom and pulled off his Mokeskin pouch before he dug in it briefly. When he found what he was looking for he pulled his hand out and nodded at the object in his grasp.

He needed to look like the Harry Potter everyone was used to if he was going to go spend time with Bill and Fleur, and the best way to do that was to change his appearance back to what it was only hours ago.

And use the Elder Wand for good measure. He thought as he looked in the mirror before closing his eyes and picturing the way he had looked all these years.

He opened his eyes and waved the wand over his face and watched as his eyes changed to vivid green, then waved it over his head and watched as his hair became the usual wildness he had been dealing with.

Harry nodded and then picked up the glasses he had left on the counter when he realized they were pointless, and waved the wand over the two round pieces of glass before he put the glasses on.

Good. He thought, nodding when he saw that he could see clearly through the lenses. His slight transfiguration was a success, and with the strong glamor over his looks he looked exactly as he did when Fleur saw him earlier at Gringotts.

Exactly as everyone expected Harry Potter to look, because he had no intention of telling anyone that he had been adopted. The only one he would have told was gone now, and in death she knew anyway.

With that done he replaced the powerful wand safely back in his Mokeskin pouch and returned it to its place around his neck before he secreted it under his shirt.

Looking around idly to make sure he wasn't leaving anything he needed, and seeing nothing, he made his way down through the house and to the foyer. He had no idea if he could Apparate from anywhere inside the manor, and didn't want to risk any negative consequences if he couldn't.

Harry paused in the middle of the foyer and pictured where he wanted to go before he willed himself there, Apparating without a sound, and appeared just outside the wards surrounding the Shell Cottage property.

He nodded in approval as his disguised eyes briefly examined the wards. It appeared the only ward that had been taken down was the Fidelius Charm.

He thought it was good that Bill and Fleur had kept the wards up. From what he had overheard while in Diagon Alley most people had taken down their protections. Even the majority of the wards around the Burrow had been taken down, which was another reason he hadn't hesitated to move out.

Just because the war was over didn't mean there was no more danger. There were still Death Eaters out there. None of the really dangerous ones since they had all either been killed or were already in custody awaiting trial, but there were others that had no problem hurting people and had just used the banner of Voldemort's name to do it.

Harry calmly walked through the wards and along the stretch of grass to the door and knocked. It opened only a few moments after to reveal the tall figure of Bill Weasley.

"Harry!" Bill said with quiet enthusiasm. "Come on in." He welcomed him as he stepped aside.

"Thanks." Harry said quietly as he stepped inside the warm house.

"Harry." Fleur greeted him with a smile as she stepped forward and hugged him and kissed his cheek. "I'm glad you made it." She said as she guided him to the sitting room.

"So how are you doing?" Bill asked as they all sat down, and he watched the young man sigh heavily.

"I don't know. I guess I'm dealing as best I can." Harry said with a shrug. "How is everyone?" He asked, and this time the older young man sighed heavily.

"Mom has barely left her room, the same with George which isn't surprising, and Dad's dealing with his grief by helping out at the Ministry." Bill said. "Percy is splitting his time between helping at the Ministry and spending time with George."

"Charlie's been helping out where he can, but he's going to be heading back to Romania tomorrow. And Ron has been spending all of his time with Hermione; the two of them actually left a few days ago for Australia to get her parents."

"I'm not surprised about that. I'm also not surprised I wasn't told." Harry said with a shrug, and silently wished Hermione luck considering what she had done to her parents.

Ron had been confused about why she had altered her parent's memories, but ultimately decided she knew what she was doing and knew her parents best. Harry for his part thought she used the best solution that would allow her to do what she wanted to do.

If his hateful relatives could be secreted away to safety then her parents could have as well, but she hadn't wanted to tell them she was going on a dangerous mission for the war so that could be done; because she knew her parents wouldn't have allowed it.

I wonder what that relationship will be like once they remember who they actually are. He thought idly. He doubted the older Granger's would ever completely trust their daughter again.

"I hope Mrs. Weasley and George will be okay, and I'm glad everyone else is finding ways to get through this." He said. "What about you two? How are you both handling everything?" He asked, and watched the couple look to each other.

"We are leaning on each other." Fleur answered as she looked back to him. "There are good days and bad days, but I believe we will heal and learn to manage the grief so it is not so intense."

Harry nodded slowly wondering if he would be able to do that. He couldn't imagine his grief over losing Ginny being any less than it was now.

"What do you plan on doing now?" Bill asked curiously.

"I'll probably go traveling at some point in the near future, but right now I want to focus on finishing my education." Harry answered. "I don't know what's going to happen with Hogwarts, and I don't want to go back there anyway. Is it possible to just do independent study, and go take my N.E.W.T.s at the Ministry?"

"Of course it is." Bill answered instantly. "That's how people who are homeschooled take their exams. All you would have to do is go to the Department of Education and make an appointment for when the next exam schedule comes around, which is likely to be in the next month or two."

"Do you think you will be ready for the tests by then?" Fleur asked.

"I don't know, but I'm going to study, and see how I feel when the time for the tests comes around." Harry said, and then shrugged. "It will keep me and my mind busy if nothing else."

"True." Fleur agreed as she nodded. "Hopefully it will give you time to process everything that has happened in the war."

"I hope so." He said with a weary sigh.

"Come, let's get a hot meal into you." She said as she stood up. "If nothing else a full stomach will help you sleep better tonight."

"Come on Harry." Bill said as he stood up as well. "Fleur made soup tonight."

Harry stood up silently and walked with the couple to the kitchen dining area, and sat at the table at Fleur's direction. She served him a generous bowl of soup and did the same for herself and Bill before joining them at the table.

As they ate Harry peppered them with questions about their jobs with the Goblins. He wanted to keep his mind from wandering, and he was curious about what they did for a living.

He didn't know what he wanted to do for his career, being an Auror was no longer interesting, but it didn't hurt to start learning about different types of jobs.

Bill and Fleur were happy to tell him all he wanted to know.

~HPxXxMC~

A month had passed since the war and Harry had been busy during that time.

He had just finished his work with the Goblins after two weeks, but during that time they had asked about Ron and Hermione. He had told them that he didn't know what the two were thinking since he hadn't talked to them about it. He figured it was Ron and Hermione's responsibility since they knew what they had done.

Harry thought Hermione must not have needed any gold, but then he honestly wasn't sure if she actually had a vault at the bank. If she didn't then she just came in and exchanged muggle money for Galleons. Ron he knew didn't have a personal vault; he got his money from his parents.

He thought they were both foolish if that was why they hadn't gone to make reparations with the Goblins. If they planned on living in the Wizarding World they would eventually need to establish vaults, and the Goblins highly likely wouldn't let them until they made things right with them. The longer they waited the worst it would be.

Aside from his work with the Goblins he helped out at Hogwarts, getting the castle repaired and ready for the new school year.

He hadn't wanted to go at all, didn't want to be back there, but he didn't want to deal with the reporters talking about him not helping out and then making up something outrageous for him to deal with.

He was putting in time helping out at the Ministry when it came to putting away all the Death Eaters. Making sure the hardcore ones got the long and severe sentences they had earned, and the ones that didn't do anything too dangerous or dangerous at all got the less severe sentences they had earned.

Basically making sure everyone got the right amount of time in Azkaban for the right charges.

He was also studying for his N.E.W.T.s. He had made himself a study schedule, finally understanding why Hermione liked them so much when she was studying, but it wasn't the madness that she usually created.

It was a simple schedule to help him study around his other responsibilities. He had looked at the subjects he had taken in his sixth year, and decided that he would focus on two subjects a day; working on the theory and the practical.

Despite only focusing on two subjects a day he was very serious about his studies. He didn't just focus on the material he would have learned in his seventh year; he went all the way back to first year material since he had access to all of the textbooks.

He read them cover to cover, something he had never done, and to his surprise he realized there was much more material in them than he thought. There were spells and explanations in them that they had not learned in class. Things that were useful for random everyday things.

With that discovery he was glad he had decided to read the books in their entirety instead of sections here and there.

On top of those studies he decided to study up on mind magic, Occlumency specifically, from a couple of books he found in the manor library feeling like he would have a better chance at finally learning it without a death eater instructor that hated his father and therefore him because he looked like the man.

He thought it would help him with remembering all the information he was studying, and of course protect his mind and his secrets.

Harry had built up his mental defenses, and surprisingly turned his mind into a mixture of a garden and a library. Or rather a garden surrounding a library.

There was a field of vibrant red roses as far as the eye could see in all directions and seemingly in the center of it was a white marble roofless gazebo with green vines winding up the four pillars.

The walls of his mind consisted of a large transparent dome that was tied to his magic, so any intruder with a different magical signature than his would not get in. Should they somehow manage to breakthrough he imagined the roses to act like Devils Snare and do what that deadly plant did best.

The gazebo itself didn't have a barrier but once he reached it he saw that stretched between the pillars was what looked like golden transparent panes of glass.

That confused him since he hadn't imagined that to be any part of his defense or the look, and he couldn't help wondering if that was the color of his magic because he had always thought his magic was blue since that was the color of his Patronus.

Either way he could tell that the golden energy was strong, stronger than the dome that made up the boundary of his mind.

Once through that energy he found he was not in a gazebo but in a large circular building. The walls were white, as was the marble floor, with gold assents along the edging at the top and bottom of the room. The ceiling was a dome with round windows spaced out along its circumference, and he could see that instead of glass there was the golden transparent energy in place.

Lining the walls around the room were dark brown wooden empty shelves and in the center of the room was a podium with a single book on it.

At first Harry had been confused by that, and wondered what was going on with his mind since the room was empty; clearly his memories weren't in this empty room that was obviously meant to be a library.

That had cleared up when he went and opened the book. The pages were blank, but as the memory of Tom Riddle's diary flashed through his mind, triggered by the blank pages, the pages began to fill up.

It didn't take a genius to figure out what to do next. He focused and began to fill the book with the memory of his first encounter with that cursed diary. After deciding that book would only hold that memory he closed it and lifted it off the podium and another book appeared in its place.

From there he began to fill the blank books that appeared with his memories and place them on the shelves. Organizing them by year and subject as he went.

So far he thought the organization was helping him remember all the information that he was gaining through his studies better, and he thought it was also helping him manage his emotions better.

Beyond that he was growing more and more certain that he wanted to travel and get away from everything, all the constant reminders of the war, and have a change of scenery. He was seriously considering going as soon as after he got his N.E.W.T. results back; he just needed a starting destination.

At the moment Harry was making his way through the Ministry on his way to the designated Apparition area near the fireplaces so he could head to the Burrow.

He had still been trying to move pass the nightmare he had woken from that morning, this one about Voldemort winning and taking him prisoner and him being constantly visited by the spirits of the people who had lost their lives during the war, when Mr. Weasley approached him and invited him to lunch at the Burrow, saying that others would be there and he thought it would be nice for everyone, family wise, in the country to get together.

Harry had nodded, knowing that the only one that wouldn't be there was Charlie since he was in Romania, and agreed; saying he would be there.

Now he just needed to get to the Apparition point, and get out of the building without being stopped by someone who wanted pointless conversation with The Boy Who Lived.

~xXx~

Harry sat in the sitting room at the Burrow, in a side chair, gazing at the fire in the fireplace, wondering if he was strong enough to visit Ginny before he left the Burrow.

"So Harry, where are you living?" Hermione asked as she joined him, sitting on the couch at the end closest to him. "I haven't been able to get into Grimmauld Place, so you can't be there."

"What do you mean you haven't been able to get inside?" Harry asked calmly as he looked at her.

"Just that." She answered primly. "I tried to Apparate inside, Floo inside, and unlock the front door, but nothing worked so I figured you weren't there."

"It didn't occur to you that I have the place locked, so you would need my permission to get inside? I haven't received any word from you that you were trying to visit me." He said.

"I didn't think I needed to send you any word. You never had a problem with me walking into your dorm room at the castle, and you didn't have a problem when we were all living at Grimmauld Place together." Hermione said.

Harry stared at her; very glad he had decided to move into Potter Manor, not that she would have been able to get into the Black family townhouse if he had still lived there.

Really. What did he care if she had walked into a room he had been sharing with four other guys? It wasn't like he had walked around naked, so if the others hadn't minded what did it matter?

And at Grimmauld Place he had been sharing his room with Ron, so if the red head hadn't minded he hadn't either. Again, it wasn't as if he had been naked in the room, and at the time the house hadn't belonged to him so it hadn't been a problem.

"That was then. We're adults now, and I require privacy. I no longer have anyone dictating where I can and can't live, and what I can and can't do. I am free now, and that freedom requires privacy." Harry stated bluntly.

"You wouldn't dream of walking into Bill and Fleur's home without an invitation or even any notice that you were coming, and you certainly wouldn't do it here." He pointed out.

"You live with your parents; how would you like it if I suddenly showed up and walked through the front door or Apparated in without a word? You wouldn't like it, and your parents certainly wouldn't. So why should I be any different?" He asked.

"But we're friends, so it's different with you." Hermione pointed out in return.

"No it isn't." Harry said seriously. "Being my friend doesn't give you the right to me and my house. None of my other friends think they have that right. I don't know why you think you're special, and can get away with that."

Hermione sighed. "Alright alright." She said, but the look on her face said she didn't agree with him.

Harry sighed silently and looked away; glad she didn't know where he lived.

"So, where do you live now?" Hermione asked, circling back to her original question.

"Somewhere private." He answered simply, fighting not to roll his eyes.

"But where?! How am I supposed to get in contact with you?" She asked.

"Send me an owl like everyone else does when they want to contact me. We can always meet up somewhere and hangout that way if you want to do that." He said almost carelessly, losing interest in the conversation now that he had made his opinion perfectly clear.

"Oh come on Harry!" Hermione said.

"Don't take it personally; no one knows where I live, and that isn't going to change anytime soon." Harry replied. She huffed, and he decided to change the subject as Ron came into the room and joined them.

"So, what do you two plan to do with yourselves now?" He asked the pair.

"I'm going back to Hogwarts." Hermione said instantly. "I want to finish my education, my last year, since the school is offering an eighth year for the seventh year students that weren't able to go back to the castle because of the war."

Harry wondered how she knew that since she hadn't been at the castle helping out; neither had Ron for that matter. He supposed she could have learned from one of the Weasley's working at the Ministry.

"I'm going to help George with the joke shop instead of going back to Hogwarts until I can figure out what I want to do. I might go into Auror training." Ron said from his seat on the couch next to Hermione.

"You should really come back to Hogwarts with me and finish your education; it would definitely help toward Auror training." Hermione said to him as she placed a hand on his thigh.

"What about you? What do you plan to do?" She asked as she looked to Harry.

"I don't know. At the moment I'm focused on helping out with the repairs at Hogwarts and the preparation for the trials at the Ministry." Harry said.

Of course he didn't say that he was studying for his N.E.W.T.s and seriously thinking about traveling. He might tell them about his travels, just before he left, but they didn't need to know about him taking his N.E.W.T.s or what his results were.

"Why don't you go back to Hogwarts and finish your schooling?" Hermione suggested. "You'll need your education no matter what you decide."

"Uninterested. I can barely stand being at the castle now just helping out. I can't imagine living there day after day with my memories." Harry said instantly.

It doesn't help that nearly everyone who went to Hogwarts last year have told me what it was like there. He thought as he closed his eyes briefly.

He had known that Snape had been Headmaster and Death Eaters had been teaching some classes and just being around, but he couldn't imagine what the students had gone through.

Being chained up in the dungeons and tortured, being tortured in class, being denied food, being threatened in the hallways with physical and sexual assault.

It was horrifying and his mind had immediately gone to Ginny, and what she must have suffered. She had had no choice but to return to the castle being pureblood as she was and unable to use magic without the trace, then had a hellish year of the school being run by Death Eaters, and then died in the final battle.

No. I'm definitely not returning to Hogwarts for any kind of education. My mind would be torturing me with wondering where she had been in the castle, and what horror she had experienced in a particular spot. He thought as he worked to push his cruel imaginings away so he could put them away in one of the books in his mind.

And that doesn't include what people would tell me unsolicited; not to mention the general irritation of being The Boy Who Lived and the one who defeated Voldemort. That alone would have students pointing, whispering, and approaching me. He thought with a quiet sigh.

"But what about your education? You too Ron?" Hermione asked as she looked back and forth between him and Ron.

Ron looked uncomfortable with the question, and Harry vaguely wondered what he would say to Mrs. Weasley when she came out of her grief enough to start questioning him.

"Don't worry about it Hermione." Harry said as he looked from Ron to her. "You know what you want to do; you want to finish your education, and that's fine. Just don't worry yourself about what I'm going to do."

"But, but…" Hermione said with a frown.

"Worry about yourself Hermione." He said as he stood up and began to head to the kitchen, having spotted Fleur going in.

Maybe he could help with preparing lunch or just sit and talk to her without the worry of her trying to pressure him to return to Hogwarts.

~HPxXxMC~

Harry had taken his N.E.W.T.s, thankfully he was able to take them at the Ministry instead of joining the testing that had happened at Hogwarts to see where everyone was and what year to put them in, and was sure he had done well.

Studying and learning magic had been a lot easier without Hermione constantly nagging at him about how he should be studying, when he should be studying, and what he should be studying at a particular time. Not to mention where he should be studying.

He'd also done better and got more done without Ron around to constantly want to take a break or talk about flying and Quidditch when he should be focused.

Bill had been right; the Ministry had somehow managed to schedule the N.E.W.T.s for a month and half after the war had ended. He expected his results any day now, but in the meantime he had decided it was finally time to address his adoption with the major people who knew.

He had deliberately waited to give himself time to adjust to the knowledge, and not interfere with his studies. Not to mention to try and get some distance from the memories of the war.

He had adjusted to and accepted being adopted, and finished his studies for his N.E.W.T.s, but the memories were still there and plaguing him nearly nightly.

There was nothing he could do about that, so it was time to get on with his plan.

He pulled out the Resurrection Stone from its safe storage around his neck, and turned it three times as he focused on his adopted parents.

Instantly they appeared just as they had the first time he had used the powerful stone. They were both transparent yet more solid than ghosts and in color; looking healthy and perfectly fine.

Lily Potter had long red hair, nearly as fiery as his Ginny's, and emerald green eyes. While James Potter had short wild black hair, brown eyes, and wore glasses.

Looking closely at their height and faces as he stood in the master bedroom in Potter Manor he could clearly see that they were both tall. He might have gotten his height from them, having grown more in fifth and sixth year at Hogwarts, and he definitely had their facial structures.

"Mom; Dad." Harry said as he closed his hand around the stone.

"Harry." James said with a smile.

"Harry dear." Lily said softly as her eyes drank him in. He wasn't wearing his concealing glamours, and wondered if she hadn't seen him like this since she died.

Although, if they've been watching me then they've both seen me with my true appearance in the last month and a half. He thought as he in turn drank in their appearance.

They were his adopted parents, but they were still his parents; still the two he had been missing all these years. Their sacrifice was something he had been trying to live up to for the last seven years. He had, understandably, been distracted the last time he had summoned them, and it was good now to see them looking happy and at peace.

"You adopted me." Harry stated as he looked back and forth between them.

"Yes." James confirmed as Lily nodded.

"Why?" He asked.

Harry needed to know. He needed to know why they hadn't sent him back to Japan or put him in an orphanage. Why they took such a chance when they were essentially living in a time of war. His mom's letter said he had struck their hearts, but he needed to hear it from them since he had this unique ability that allowed him to do so.

"Well, the first time we saw you was right after the accident that took your birth parents." James began.

"Yes. We were actually the ones that discovered the accident site. We could hear you crying and followed the sound to you." Lily said and closed her eyes, likely against the memory.

"It was not a pretty scene." James continued with a grimace. "How you survived…you clearly have an important purpose in this life."

"Yeah, I think I've already fulfilled that." Harry said as he ran his free hand through his hair. The Boy Who Lived, The Chosen One… The titles drifted unhappily through his mind.

"No." Lily said empathically. "That prophecy was only the beginning. We didn't know, didn't realize it, the last time we spoke. We honestly thought you were actually going to die with that horcrux being inside of you, but when you didn't we understood that there was more in store for you."

"There is definitely more in store for you, but you should live your life the way you want. Not because you think you have this important purpose you need to find." James said. "But back to your question; we adopted you because you lived, you survived such a horrific accident, and you needed to be cared for and loved."

"You were such a cute little baby, and we had so much love to give." Lily said with a smile. "We thought nothing of starting our family with you."

"But if you hadn't you might still be alive!" Harry cried out.

"Oh Harry!" Lily moaned, tears in her eyes as she brought her hands up to her mouth.

"The key word in there son is might." James said as he put his arm around Lily. "It was a dangerous time, and we had already faced Voldemort a number of times. There was no guarantee that we would have survived another attack even if we hadn't brought you into the family."

"He's right Harry." Lily said as she sniffled. "We don't regret having you in our lives for the time we did at all. You are our only child; our legacy to the world. The only thing I regret is that you had to experience life with my sister and her husband. That never should have happened."

"And it wouldn't have happened if Sirius had been more mature, and had his priorities in order." James said with an aggravated frown. "Even after he got back into your life his priorities hadn't exactly been what they should have been. You can be sure that he got more than an earful when we met him on this side."

Harry nodded and smiled slightly, pleased that even in death his parents had been looking out for him. He completely understood what his dad was talking about. Even after he broke out of prison it was all about getting Peter Pettigrew rather than getting himself cleaned up and situated, so he could provide him a home away from the Dursley's.

Harry hadn't had the mental capacity in his third year to think like an adult, but Sirius certainly had; and he definitely did now. It was like the man had forgotten he was a wizard! He had obviously gotten a wand from somewhere and he clearly had access to his vault if he could buy him an expensive racing broom.

There was no reason he couldn't have thrown on some glamour charms, bought some clothes, and got himself a place to live in the muggle world. Magic could do a lot of things and Sirius seemed to have completely forgotten that, and was content to sit back and take advice and decisions from Dumbledore instead of being the adult wizard he had been!

"You can also be sure that Dumbledore heard from us as well for all he did to you." Lily added, her eyes flashing. "Changing my baby's looks!" She grumbled.

"Not that you didn't look nice as practically my twin with your mother's eyes, but we loved you as our blue eyed little boy and we wanted you to stay that way." James said firmly.

Harry smiled a little wider, happy that his mom and dad liked him, loved him, with his true looks. Sadly the reminder brought his mind to Ginny.

Would Ginny have liked me this way? He wondered sadly as he looked down.

"Have you…have you guys seen Ginny?" Harry asked hesitantly as he looked back to them.

"Oh yes. She's a lovely young woman." Lily said as James grinned.

"I miss her. She would have eventually been my wife." He said sadly.

"And she would have made you a great wife." James said gently before he smiled. "Especially being a red head. We Potters have an unconscious tradition of picking red heads as our partners in life."

"But you're not only a Potter." Lily said gently.

"Ginny said there was another out there for me." Harry said quietly.

"I'm sure there is. We certainly don't want you to spend the rest of your life alone." James said.

"You don't know? Ginny sounded certain." He asked in surprise.

"We probably could know, but we've tried our best to not get any foreknowledge. We want to see your life as you live it not know what's going to happen ahead of time." Lily told him.

Harry nodded. That let him know that they really had been watching over him all this time since they died.

And Ginny's watching with them, and knows what's going to happen; or at least knows some things that will happen. He thought before he sighed.

"I should let you go now. Thanks for letting me know. I just…I needed to know." He said.

"We understand Harry." Lily said as she nodded.

"Be happy, and go live your life." James said insistently. "There's no more prophecy in the way, and no meddling old man who thinks he has the right to dictate your life. You are in control now; as it always should have been."

Harry nodded. "I love you both." He told them.

"We love you too." Lily said with a smile and a wave.

Harry waved back and then dropped the Resurrection Stone into his free hand, and watched his parents disappear from his sight. He sighed and then focused on the next person he needed to have a conversation with; picturing their face in his mind.

He once again turned the stone three times, and watched his godfather appear looking as he did when he had summoned him in the forbidden forest. A colorful yet transparent young healthy man that looked bright eyed and at peace.

"Sirius." He said calmly.

"Hey there Pup!" Sirius said with a grin. "Good job against Moldyshorts."

"Yeah. Thanks." Harry said with a grimace as he unwillingly remembered that final battle with Voldemort throwing a second Killing Curse at him that night.

Is it possible that even in death he hasn't matured? Maybe his time in Azkaban stunted his mental growth. He wondered as he looked at the man.

It was always possible, however, the man had been the same age as his parents, and his parents had been mature enough to decide to adopt him. Not just adopt him but literally make him their own blood and raise him as their own.

"Why didn't you tell me I was adopted?" Harry asked seriously. "You knew that Lily Potter hadn't birthed me. The letter mom left in the family vault said you knew, and you never said a word!"

Sirius sighed heavily.

"At first, when I had first escaped from Azkaban, I was so focused on trying to capture that rat and keep you safe." He said, and Harry refrained from rolling his eyes. Even in death Sirius couldn't refer to Peter Pettigrew by his name.

"Then I was on the run and didn't want to risk saying it in a letter, and after that Voldemort was back and everything seemed to take a backseat to dealing with him." Sirius said.

"And when we were at Grimmauld Place together the summer before my fifth year? You couldn't have told me then?" Harry asked with a frown.

"I..I honestly didn't think about it then." Sirius admitted. "You were James and Lily's son, and that was all that mattered."

"You should have told me! I shouldn't have had to find out from a letter secreted away in my family vault!" He said angrily as he tightened his hold on the Resurrection Stone.

"Do you know how shocking that revelation was?! How shocking it was to break the strong glamour that had been tied into my magic for years, and discover that I had blue eyes and perfect eye sight!" He continued.

"That! That you had to have noticed when you first saw me with green eyes! And you still said nothing! I deserved to be able to speak to someone about this, but of course with my usual luck I find out when everyone who knew is already dead!" He raged at the unfairness.

"It is only my determination to follow my instincts and keep the Resurrection Stone, and use it to my advantage, that has allowed me to speak to you now. Otherwise, all I would have is a letter from mom, the adoption papers, and my birth certificates!" Harry said angrily before he glared at his godfather, and began to pace around his bedroom.

He hadn't realized how angry he was, and it was all aimed at his godfather. His parents had done all they could before they died. His mother had had the foresight to leave him a letter, they had left all the legal documents together and in one place with the letter, and had picked out a guardian for him should anything happen to them.

Sirius should have raised him and told him he was adopted, but no. He had decided that his revenge against Peter Pettigrew was more important than doing his job as his godfather.

And even now he was giving him flimsy half-assed excuses. He was trying to keep him safe from Pettigrew when he learned that he was at Hogwarts with him, but apparently before that he had been perfectly content to waste away in Azkaban with Pettigrew out in the world potentially already close to him. After all, he had no idea where he was before that newspaper article.

Then he was on the run and didn't want to write it in a letter. What a load of crap! His mother had no problem leaving the information in a letter. And hadn't he been a part of making the Marauders Map? If he was really that concerned he could have used the same charms to make it so only he could read the letter.

And then Voldemort being back. That dark maniac being back was why Sirius couldn't have an important conversation with him? He hadn't been back and out in the open; he'd been back and laying low. Sirius was locked down in his family house and had nothing but time. He could have told him if he really wanted to. Seeing his green eyes should have been a constant reminder that he needed to have the conversation.

Sirius' last answer revealed all his previous excuses for what they were anyway. He thought it didn't matter, because he was James and Lily's son. He was a Potter, so what did it matter if he ever knew?

He probably liked looking at my wild hair and glasses, because they reminded him of my dad; his best friend. Harry thought as he stopped and looked to Sirius.

"I'm sorry Pup." Sirius said quietly. "I really thought it wouldn't make a difference. James and Lily did a blood adoption, so you were a Potter. What came before didn't matter."

Harry looked at him incredulously.

"Of course it matters!" He burst out angrily. "I'm glad mom and dad thought it mattered as well! Did you know my birth name or did you think that didn't matter as well?! It's Mamoru Chiba. The name the man and woman who brought me into this world gave me; the two people who didn't matter according to you."

"Mom and dad may have adopted me and given me their blood, but that didn't erase what came before. I'm still Mamoru Chiba; I'm still Japanese! That identity can still affect my life!" Harry said insistently.

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize that it would matter. I didn't realize how much not knowing would hurt you." Sirius said, and then sighed. "I guess I judged based on my own family history."

Harry saw that as yet another excuse. For someone who hated his family Sirius seemed to judge everything based on them and their ideals, and that when he wasn't doing the opposite of their ideals.

I doubt I'll be talking to him again, so I better end this and move on. I got the anger out and expressed, so maybe now I'll feel a bit better. He thought as he nodded to his godfather.

"I understand." Harry said, and nodded to him again. "I better let you go. Thanks for answering my questions and explaining."

"No problem Pup, and I really am sorry for not telling you when I was alive." Sirius said.

"It's okay." Harry said even though it wasn't.

"Be happy." Sirius said with a wave.

Harry nodded even though he couldn't see that happening without Ginny around, and dropped the stone into his free hand. Sirius disappeared from his sight and he sighed heavily. He had one more conversation to have, and he wasn't even entirely sure it could happen.

Did the Resurrection Stone work on non-magical people?

Harry was about to find out. He took the stone between his fingers and focused on the names Daichi Chiba and Akina Chiba and their connection to him personally as he turned the stone three times.

Instantly two colorful yet transparent figures appeared in front of him. Both had short hair cut above their ears, but the woman's hair was styled in a way that enhanced her femininity. His was black and hers was a dark brown, and both had blue eyes but in slightly different shades.

They were both dressed comfortably and casually, and the woman had dangling double pearl earrings in her ears.

Harry stared at them intently and silently; taking in every detail he could of their appearance. He realized he got his shade of blue eyes from his father, and the messiness of his hair from his mother. They were both tall, so he thought it was possible he got his height from them as well.

And I have my father's nose. He thought quietly as he watched them looking at him just as intently.

"Mother; Father." He said hesitantly as he idly closed his hand around the stone. He wasn't sure if language mattered when one was dead, so he wasn't sure if they would understand each other.

"Son." Daichi replied with a smile.

"Mamoru." Akina said softly also with a smile.

"I..I don't know what to say. I just learned about you both only a little over a month ago." Harry said quietly.

"It's okay son. We know. We have been watching." Daichi said.

"Yes. We were so happy when Lily and James brought you into their family. We were so worried about what would happen to you being in a foreign country with no family." Akina said.

"Then we learned about magic, that there were magical societies in the world, and that the Potters were part of the English society; that they were a witch and a wizard." Daichi said with remembered excitement.

"And we watched in amazement as our little Mamoru became a wizard." Akina said proudly, and Harry could tell that she really was proud that he was a wizard.

"We have seen your childhood son. We've seen your years at the magical school, and the war you were involved in." Daichi informed him. "We have also met your Ginevra."

"Such a polite and beautiful young lady." Akina said softly.

Harry smiled sadly; once again remembering Ginny's words about watching him with all of his parents.

"I agree." He said quietly.

"Oh I'm so sorry to cause you pain. That's the last thing I wanted." Akina said in dismay.

"It's not your fault. I just miss her." He said with a shrug, sure that they knew how he felt about Ginny.

"Since you have watched me all this time can you tell me about you, and the life we had before the accident?" Harry asked, wanting to know all he could about his birth parents.

Akina and Daichi had no problem and eagerly began to tell their son all about themselves, and the life their little family had had in Japan.

~HPxXxMC~

After his conversation with his birth parents Harry decided to learn to speak Japanese to honor them and his heritage, and because he had decided to travel to Japan. He wanted to return to his birth country, and see what it was like for himself. He even wondered if he would like it enough to stay permanently, and get away from all The Boy Who Lived hype.

He had searched the manor library to see if he could find any books about learning different languages before he went out and bought any, and ended up finding an old book that had a potion in it that would make learning a language much easier than he thought.

The explanation of the potion's use was that a person was to drink it while listening to the language they wanted to learn, and from there continue to listen until they were fluent.

As the person listened they began to understand the spoken words, and when they read they began to understand the written words, and eventually they found they had no problem writing it. All they had to do aside from listening to people talk was simply practice reading, writing, and speaking the language.

Each brewing of the potion was for a single use, lasting two weeks, and all of it had to be drunk at once. Thankfully it was also noted that it could be taken as many times as was necessary, and highly suggested that it be used to learn one language at a time.

To Harry it was clear that the potion was invented for people who would be in the country of the language they would be learning, so they would be surrounded by it with no possibility of interference from another language.

The recipe was easy to follow and only took a day to brew. After checking the potion lab he had gone out and bought the ingredients he didn't already have access to, and then carefully brewed the potion.

He let it cool overnight and then transferred it into a goblet he had transfigured to look like a nice blue muggle water bottle.

Currently Harry was on his way to Japantown, an area that was smaller than a mall and yet larger than a plaza, after helping with the repairs at Hogwarts all morning. He had first come across the shopping plaza while wandering around muggle London when he needed a break from studying.

The mall-like plaza carried all things Japanese, and it seemed many of the Japanese English population did a lot of their shopping there, so he thought it was the perfect place to learn the language.

He entered the front doors to the plaza and walked to the indoor eating area and sat down at a small table. He placed a regular bottle of water on the table along with his disguised potion, and a small Japanese English dictionary he bought.

It was late afternoon, and judging by the amount of people sitting at the tables, he had chosen the right time to come. He picked up his transfigured bottle and began to drink the potion.

The potion was nasty, not as nasty as some he had been forced to drink, but nasty enough that he fought to keep drinking it. He just reminded himself why he was subjecting himself to it, and that made it a bit easier to go down.

As soon as he finished every last drop he opened his water bottle and drank half of it to try and get the taste out of his mouth. He sighed and opened the dictionary and began to read through it even as he listened to all the conversations going on around him.

The book hadn't said how long it would take to start noticing results, so he planned to stay in the plaza as long as he could.

And that was exactly what Harry had done. When he got tired of reading he began to walk around and explore the stores. It wasn't until the plaza was about to close that he found he began to understand some of the words being spoken around him.

After that he began to spend a lot of time at Japantown, Apparating directly there from his home when he could to avoid hearing other languages, listening to the language and seeing what was there. He hoped the time he spent there would start helping him get used to the culture.

One of the more curious things he noticed was all the Sailor V merchandise. He couldn't help wondering what that was all about. Apparently she was some kind of real life muggle super hero that had been fighting a group of criminals to supposedly protect the planet.

She was a blonde haired young woman that wore a red bow in her hair, a golden crescent moon on her forehead, a red mask over her blue eyes, and had a white choker around her neck with a golden crescent moon on it.

She wore a white sleeveless midriff shirt with some red accents along the sides that showed her stomach with a blue collar with two red stripes on it, had a red bow on her chest with an orange round brooch at the center, and white armor-like shoulder guards.

She had white long gloves with a smooth orange-yellow band around their top edges, a short blue skirt with a red border and a back bow at her waist, and blue shoes with ankle straps.

Harry hadn't actually seen anything about the sailor girl outside of Japantown, but that didn't mean there wasn't anything to see. It could just prove that he wasn't spending a lot of time in the muggle world or he had just been too busy with the war.

Either way there was a lot about the young sailor woman to see in the plaza. Posters, dolls: pose-able plastic ones and small stuffed ones, jewelry, replica masks, gloves, skirts, and shoes.

It was a bit much but it gave him things to read to better his understanding of the Japanese language.

In addition to his efforts to learn the Japanese language he began to study up on the country of Japan, and learn more magic in preparation for being on his own in a foreign country.

It was no different than his previous studies for his N.E.W.T.s. It was actually more like a continuation, which proved to be easy to do considering all the books at the manor and the few he had grabbed from his family vault.

When it came to learning about the magical aspect of Japan he found that there wasn't much information to be found. He knew they had a Ministry of Magic but not where it was, and that they had a magical school but he could only find the name of the school and the fact that it was apparently a really good school.

During all this Harry began to grow distant from Ron and Hermione. The two friends had finally become a couple and were spending so much time together, and on top of that Ron was grieving the loss of Ginny and Fred. He would be his usual self and then get bursts of anger, and it was usually directed at Harry when he was around.

Harry didn't want to deal with any of that. He had his own grief and emotions to deal with, and he didn't want to see them being lovey dovey and romantic in front of him. He just couldn't stand seeing couples right now. He was also busy himself; having thrown himself into his studies of magic and the Japanese language.

Plus, he vaguely thought it was a good idea that he was distancing himself from them. He highly doubted he would be keeping in touch with them when he left for Japan.

In fact, it was highly doubtful he would even be telling them where he was going. He would likely just tell them he was going traveling, and who knew when he would be back.

However, unlike with Ron and Hermione he was actually growing closer to Bill and Fleur. Not close enough to actually tell them about him being adopted, but still close. It wasn't a result of distancing himself from Ron and Hermione; he just felt more comfortable around them. They were quiet, patient, and understanding.

They were a married couple, but when he was around they didn't display their physical affection in an obvious way; the way Ron and Hermione had begun to do. He could talk about his memories of Ginny without worry of them brushing him off or being angry about the type of memory it was.

He also occasionally went to their cottage to study when he didn't feel like being alone, but didn't really want to talk. He just wanted the presence of people he knew around him. Something that they easily accepted.

It was nice to have those simple considerations.

~xXx~

It was one of those days when Harry sat in the kitchen in Shell Cottage. He had a book on tricky everyday Charms and a muggle notebook open on the table in front of him, and a muggle pen in his hand, but his eyes stared off into space; his mind elsewhere.

Fleur walked into the kitchen to begin preparing lunch. She was going to go simple with sandwiches and a salad. However, she paused as she glanced at Harry and saw his green eyes dazed and staring across the kitchen.

"Are you alright? Are you having any trouble understanding?" She asked as she glanced to his book and notebook. It looked like he had stopped mid-sentence in his notes.

Harry blinked up at Fleur blankly, and then blinked again, this time clearing his eyes.

"I miss Ginny's blush." He said calmly yet sadly. "It would always spread across her nose and cheeks, and make her freckles stand out."

"Oh Harry." Fleur said sadly as she pulled out the chair next to him and sat down. "Did you always like her blush?" She asked gently.

"No." He said quietly. "When she just had a crush on me I didn't think anything of it, because I didn't understand it; I was only twelve."

"And after you started dating?" She asked.

"I thought it was cute. It always reminded me of the days where she used to have a crush on me, and then she made me see beyond the cuteness of it. She made me see the intimacy of it." He answered honestly.

"What else do you miss about Ginny?" Fleur asked gently.

"Her smile, the way she smiled at me, and her brown eyes. The way she looked at me. No else had ever looked at me the way she did." Harry said as he pictured the softness in her brown eyes.

"Her voice." He added suddenly. "I don't want to forget the sound of her voice." He said urgently.

Although, he knew he could use the Resurrection Stone to talk to her, and hear her voice, he didn't want to become reliant on using the stone that way. He didn't want to repeatedly interrupt her peace.

"You won't Harry. You won't." Fleur assured him. "If you keep thinking about her, keep her alive in your mind, then you will always hear her voice."

Harry nodded slowly, seriously hoping she was right. He did not ever want to forget Ginny's voice. He didn't want to forget her expressive brown eyes, her fiery red hair, her smile, her love of flying, her belief in him, and her acceptance of him as just Harry.

~HPxXxMC~

Harry sat in the Gryffindor common room late one night with Ginny comfortably on his lap. The fire was low in the fireplace, and yet it was enough to provide them with plenty of light to hangout by.

They had both stayed away from each other all day because they both needed to study and get homework done, and now they were thoroughly enjoying their quiet time together regardless of the late hour.

Ginny had her arms around his neck, gently running her fingers through his hair, and they kissed and talked about nothing in particular. It was just small talk about their day, and random things here and there.

It was just a regular night but Harry had never been happier as he played with her red hair, enjoyed the feel of her weight, and the sound of her voice softly flowing through his ears.

Then in the blink of his eye she was gone. One moment she was smiling softly at him, and the next she was gone.

Harry blinked in surprise and then looked around as if Ginny had simply somehow moved across the room, but she was nowhere in the cozy room. She had disappeared into thin air.

"Ginny?" He said her name quietly as he stood up and looked around. "Ginny?" He called louder this time.

Still, there was nothing. There was no answer, and she didn't appear as quickly as she had disappeared.

Suddenly Harry began to hear muffled sounds, and he moved to the window to try and find the source. It was dark out there, but he could still see the grounds in general, and didn't see anything that could be the cause of the sound.

However, he could still hear it so he headed to the entrance to the common room to see if it was coming from the corridor. He opened the portrait hole and stepped out into a blast of screaming and raucous laughter.

Immediately he recognized the voice screaming as Ginny's, and he instantly pulled out his wand and ran forward, his mind barely registering that this wasn't the corridor leading to the Gryffindor common room, but actually one of the corridors in the dungeons.

He slammed unexpectedly into an invisible wall, stopping him in his tracks, and he beat his fists against it as he listened to Ginny's pained screams.

The people surrounding her were wearing Slytherin robes, and he recognized all of their faces. Crabbe, Goyle, Malfoy, Zabini, and Nott.

" Crucio !" He heard someone cast the agonizing  Cruciatus Curse , and he could see Ginny' s  legs twitch and her beautiful hair flying as her head moved with her pained screams.

Harry's mind finally moved passed his surprised shock, and he tried to use magic to break the barrier in front of him but nothing worked. His spells just bounced off the transparent wall.

"Ginny!" He called out helplessly as he once again beat his fists against the invisible wall keeping him from her, his wand shooting out sparks in another expression of his emotions. This was torture, he was being tortured right along with her with hearing her screams and not being able to get to her.

Suddenly the corridor seemed stretch, and Ginny and her attackers were getting further and further away from him.

"No! Ginny! Ginny!" He shouted as he beat at the invisible wall in front of him, watching helplessly as she grew further and further away from him.

Once the small group was out of sight the invisible wall mysteriously disappeared, and he ran forward as fast as he could to try and catch up.

Harry was confused when he saw nothing. Even as fast as he was running he still couldn't see them, couldn't even hear them, but he soon saw a corner and was sure they were right around it.

He turned sharply as he reached the corner, but stopped short in complete shock as he practically ran into a field of chaos. He was momentarily stunned to suddenly find himself in the Great Hall almost surrounded by mini battles going on all over the place.

He quickly shook himself out of it and went searching for Ginny, which was easier said then done as he navigated all the fighting. For once only defending himself as he passed instead of staying to help where he could.

"No!" He suddenly heard a shout, and he turned in that direction and finally spotted her; his Ginny.

Harry took off sprinting in her direction, but was suddenly grabbed around his neck by an arm. He didn't see any black cloth so he knew it wasn't a robed death eater that had him, and the person was too big to be a student. Beyond that anyone who knew him shouldn't be stopping him.

All this he realized in a matter of seconds and he quickly stunned the person from over his shoulder, and took off running again as soon as he felt them go slack.

He continued toward where he had heard the shout, and finally saw who Ginny was facing. His heart nearly stopped at the sight of Bellatrix Lestrange. He ran faster to try and reach Ginny and help her since she was alone, but the world around him seemed to slow suddenly and frustratingly.

A vivid sickly green light left Bellatrix' wand and he watched in horror, his feet pounding along the stone floor yet not moving any faster, as it sailed through the air; inching closer and closer to the woman he loved.

His eyes shifted to Ginny and he saw that she was dodging away, but he knew that she wouldn't make it. The spell was traveling too fast.

"No! Ginny!" Harry screamed, and her eyes moved away from the incoming spell and landed unerringly on him. Her gaze was soft, sad, and yet accepting.

Before he could do more than sadly return her look the spell struck her, and she crumbled to the ground. Only then did the world speed up again, and he was with her in a matter of seconds.

Harry dropped at her side and lifted her into arms as if he could help her, but he knew she was gone. Her limp body clearly told him that.

"No!" He screamed in helpless grief as he held his loves body.

Harry's eyes snapped open, his heart racing and tears streaming warmly from the corners of his eyes, as he lay in bed in the dark of his bedroom.

He moaned his sorrow and rolled onto his side, curling up, as his tears came harder and faster. The nightmare having done nothing but torture him with the reminder that Ginny was dead. His Ginny was gone, and she would never come back.

Although his eyes were closed his tears flowed freely, and he did nothing to stop them. He didn't even bother with wiping them away. There was no need to; there was no one there to see his tears, his grief. No one there to try to comfort him with useless words he didn't want to hear anyway.

He could still feel the weight of her sitting on his legs, her arms draped around his neck, and her fingers stroking through his hair. He could feel the silk of her hair against his fingers, the softness of her lips against his, and the soothing sound of her voice in his ear.

Harry moaned again, clutching at the blanket covering him, as his tears soaked into his pillow.

It wasn't fair! Ginny was supposed to live, to survive the war, so they could be together. They were supposed to be safe and free to do what they wanted without the threat of Voldemort around.

It had taken him a long time to allow himself to imagine what life would be like when he no longer had Voldemort after him. It was Ginny who had convinced him that it was okay to think about it, and that it would give him the strength to fight harder.

He had imagined them openly getting back together, because even though he had broken up with her they weren't really broken up. The kiss she had given him for his birthday before Bill and Fleur's wedding had proven that.

Their split was only so she would be as safe as possible since he couldn't bring her with him. If everyone thought they had broken up, including his closest friends, then Voldemort and his Death Eaters would believe it and not try to use her to get at him.

Once they were together they were supposed to continue where they left off and eventually he was going to ask her to marry him. They would go on with their lives and get married, and she was going to give him the family he had been missing since his parents died.

That imagined life had only been curtailed briefly when he learned he had been made into a horcrux and needed to die, but after he had decided to come back and live everything was back on track.

But she had not survived! She was gone! He was alone, and the life he had imagined having was nothing more than a fantasy!

Harry sniffled and panted with how hard he was crying, but he couldn't stop. The pain was intense. Sadness would come and go, anger would come and go, numbness would come and go, but when the pain came it was intense and shorter than the rest but felt like it lasted the longest.

He didn't know how long he lay in his bed crying his eyes out, but it was still dark when his tears finally slowed to a stop. He wiped his eyes and stared blankly at the wall before he reached for his wand and checked the time, and found that it was the middle of the night and he definitely wasn't going back to sleep.

He climbed out of his bed and headed for his bathroom; his wand still in hand. He walked in, flicking on the light, and looked in the mirror at his blue bloodshot eyes and pale face aside from around his eyes and nose.

He turned on the cold water tap and splashed the cool liquid on his face a few times before he turned the water off. He dried off his face, grabbed his wand, and turned the light off as he left the room.

Deciding he needed to distract his mind he turned to studying as he had been doing for weeks, and considering his dream he went to the library searching for ways to break barriers and wards. He quickly found that he needed knowledge in Ancient Runes, so he began to look for books on that subject.

Thankfully the textbook for Ancient Runes was there, a book he recognized from Ginny and Hermione taking the class, so he grabbed the book and sat in one of the comfortable chairs and began to read.

Time passed slowly and yet quickly to Harry, light gradually growing beyond the window as the morning grew later. He glanced to the closest window and idly wondered if he should start making himself breakfast, but it only took moments for him to decide he wasn't hungry.

Maybe later. He thought before he continued on with his reading.

When afternoon arrived Harry decided to pause his reading and go continue to work on learning Japanese. He showered and changed into some comfortable and casual clothes before he Apparated as close to Japantown as he could get without being seen.

He headed inside as usual and began to roam the plaza, his ears open to every conversation he could hear.

He saw a shop that sold traditional kimono and yukata, and he wondered how he would look in traditional Japanese clothes; if they would look right on him. He supposed it might be all about ones mentality. After all, he hadn't thought wizard robes would look good on him, but he thought he had looked well in them the pass few years.

Harry continued on his walk and passed by a jewelry shop and saw a great deal of gold and jade on display in the form of rings, necklaces, bracelets and earrings.

He passed a hair salon, a store that sold incense, a flower shop, a spa, and paused to look at a restaurant he had been moving pass. It wouldn't have been special, but he saw that the chefs were cooking at the individual tables on flat smooth grills.

He had never seen that before, and thought it was very cool. He definitely wanted to try it, but there weren't many people he would want to try it with since it looked like you needed to be in a group.

Bill and Fleur came to mind, but he didn't know if they liked that type of food; even if they did cook things other than Japanese cuisines he didn't know if they would like going to a muggle restaurant.

He continued on his way after staring at the closest table and watching the chef do his thing, and stopped in at a bookstore that was two levels. The top floor sold a variety of books and magazines, and the bottom floor sold nothing but comic books and manga.

He took his time exploring the bottom, having not seen it before in his previous explorations. He saw that that level of the book store also had some memorabilia in shirts, posters, figurines, and other things from the most popular manga and anime.

After Harry had satisfied his curiosity he left and stopped at a bakery/pastry shop. He found himself hungry but not enough for a full meal. He sucked up his courage and tried out the language to place his order, and, judging by the smile and Japanese response from the employee, which he understood, he did well much to his pleasure.

He paid for and took his snack and ate in the open seating area of the plaza, and listened to the talking all around him as was his usual. When he finished he went back to his exploration and continued on for a couple of hours before he needed to leave.

He Apparated back home and went straight to the closest bathroom and pulled the Elder Wand from his pouch and changed his eyes to vibrant green and made his hair wilder. He replaced the wand and pulled out his prop glasses from the pouch, and put them on as he made sure he looked like the Harry Potter everyone was used to.

The glamour was needed because he was going out to spend time with his friends having gotten an invitation a few days ago that was for all DA members.

Harry wasn't particularly looking forward to it, but he figured he should go to show support as a fellow DA member, and because it would be good to show his face. Many of the surviving members hadn't seen him since the war ended and others only saw him occasionally at Hogwarts since they were helping with the cleaning and repairs as well.

Once he was assured that his appearance was appropriate for who he would be around he Apparated to Diagon Alley, and made his way to the location the invitation had named.

It was a new place that had sprung up in the wake of the war called The Sorcerer's Spot. He thought the name was interesting, and he supposed he would see if the place was any good. At the moment he didn't even know if the place was a restaurant or a pub.

Going off the directions he had been given he walked down Horizont Alley, an alley he had never been through, and found it close to the entrance. The pub front was black and dark blue with large windows and two black wooden benches, each placed in front of one of the windows.

The hanging sign was the words 'Sorcerer's Spot' in blue with a black wizards hat placed on the first capital 'S', and an elaborate brown staff attached horizontally along the bottom of the letters as if they were resting on it.

Harry sighed and opened the door and found the interior to be a well-lit pub. There was a long bar counter with stool seats lining it, and there were tables everywhere; some that were high two seaters, some that were regular four seaters, and a few that were larger and obviously for groups, and people at a number of them.

He hummed quietly and walked further in, thankful there was no bell on the door like at the Leaky Cauldron, and was soon spotted by a couple of DA members that were already there.

He went over and greeted them, and from there it went as he expected. He made the rounds, greeting and being greeted, and having short conversations here and there.

Everyone mostly talked about what they planned to do with themselves. Some were going to work, others being apprenticed, a couple were headed back to Hogwarts to finish their education, and the rest didn't know what to do.

As more DA members began to arrive the memories started to flow and everyone was exchanging stories about their time in the DA or their experience in the war.

By that time everyone he knew as more than an acquaintance was there. Neville, Luna, Ron, Hermione, George, Susan, Dean, Seamus, Lee, Parvati, Katie, Cho, Alicia, Hannah, and Angelina.

Harry eventually found himself sitting alone at the bar with a shot of Beetle Berry Whiskey sitting in front of him. Seamus had ordered it for him and told him to drink, loosen up, and have a good time.

He didn't particularly want to loosen up or have a good time, but he did want to drink. He was sure that if he drank enough it would eventually make him forget or numb his pain. Something that was closer to the surface after listening to so many war stories and sharing a few of his own.

However, his instincts were insistently telling him no, not to go down that path, and he decided to listen as he had been since the end of the war. He pushed it away without taking even one sip, because his instincts were right. He couldn't afford to get drunk; he had a lot of secrets to keep and he didn't need loose lips.

Instead he called to the bartender and ordered a Butterbeer. Within moments he had a cold bottle in front of him, and he thanked them before he took a long sip.

As he worked to push his pain behind his Occlumency shield, inside the dome in his mind, he turned away random girls that approached him and tried to flirt. None of them were DA members and were actually young women that worked in the alleys or were brought along by some DA members.

Unfortunately, the most recent one was a DA member, and should know better than to approach him; especially for the reason she was.

"Hey Harry." He heard a familiar voice, and turned his head in time to see Cho Chang stop beside him. "What are you doing over here all by yourself?"

"Enjoying my butterbeer." Harry said in a deadpan tone.

"Why don't you come join me and my friends?" Cho said with a smile. "We can relax and have fun."

"No thanks. I'm good right here." He said before he took a sip of his drink.

"Well, how about I join you then?" She suggested softly. "We can catch up. We haven't had a chance to really talk at all since I got here."

That was on purpose. Harry thought as he took another sip of his drink.

He had greeted her like he did everyone when she arrived, but he hadn't been interested in spending any time with her. He had been avoiding such a thing since his disastrous date with her in his fifth year, and that wasn't going to change now just because he wasn't in a relationship.

"Another time Cho. I'm not really in the mood to socialize." He said with a light sigh.

"Oh come on Harry." Cho said as she stepped closer to him, nearly pressing her chest into his shoulder. "That's the point of this get together. We're here to socialize as you put it. I can show you how if you've forgotten with everything that's happened." She said as she ran her hand down his arm.

"No thanks." Harry said as he pushed her hand away.

"Oh don't be that way." She said poutingly. "We can talk about old times. You remember how much fun we had together right? We can do that again. I'm all for having fun with you Harry. Don't you want to have fun with me?" She asked suggestively as she placed her hand on his arm again.

Harry sighed heavily and pinched the bridge of his nose, pushing his glasses up slightly, as he tried mightily to push his anger and pain away. He could not believe what he was hearing. What was wrong with Cho?! How could she approach him knowing he had lost his girlfriend in the war?!

Just because she had tried to use him to move pass her grief after Cedric's death didn't mean he would do the same. They were not in Hogwarts anymore; they were adults now and should know better!

Well, he did, but apparently she didn't.

"Get off him!" He suddenly heard another familiar voice, and watched Neville appear and pull Cho away from him by her shoulder. "What's wrong with you Cho?! You of all people should know how he's feeling after losing Cedric the same way!"

"Go back to your friends, and leave Harry alone. I'm sure the last thing he needs or wants is a one night stand or someone to come along trying to insert herself into his life now that he's a war hero on top of his already famous status!" Neville said, proving he knew what she was all about and shaming her in the process.

"Thanks Neville." Harry said as he watched Cho walk away with her head bowed slightly. Neville hadn't been talking quietly so everyone in the immediate area heard him.

"It's no problem." Neville said before he took a seat on the stool next to him. "She really should have known better, but then considering what I suspect she was after I doubt she cared."

"I think you're correct since I was thinking she was after the same thing." Harry replied as he looked to his friend. "While she was talking I was thinking she should know better since we're adults now; we're not in Hogwarts anymore."

"Yeah I remember your short time with her back in fifth year." Neville said with a slight smirk.

"So do I, and I was as uninterested in repeating it as I have been since then." Harry said as he shook his head. "I just wanted to come here, hangout a little, and try to relax."

"And instead you get Cho trying hookup with you." Neville said as he shook his head.

"True. Along with the other ones. She was just the only one that didn't back off when I said I wasn't interested." He said before he took a swallow of his drink. "Although, I will admit I did hangout as much as I wanted to with most everyone, and I relaxed a bit." He added with a shrug.

"That's better than nothing." Neville said before he asked the bartender for a Butterbeer. "I just wanted everyone to have a chance to hang out and do something different from whatever they had been doing since the war. I know I've been busy and needed a change of pace."

"I've been busy as well." Harry said, and then sighed. "I just figured it would be good to see everyone before we all get pulled into living life now that we're done with Hogwarts. At least I'm done with it."

"Yeah. I know what you mean." Neville agreed. "I'm done with it too. I took my N.E.W.T.s so I don't have to deal with it anymore. With how horrendous last year was sometimes studying was the only way to take my mind off of what was happening in the castle, so I was lucky in that regard."

"At least something good came out of that for you." Harry said as he nodded.

"I was lucky that was what worked to occupy my mind." Neville said, and then sighed. "So what have you been up to aside from helping at the castle and at the Ministry?"

"Well," Harry said before he briefly looked around. "don't tell Ron and Hermione, but I took my N.E.W.T.s as well. I just took them at the Ministry instead of at the castle."

"Why at the Ministry?" Neville asked curiously.

"No pressure, and to keep people out of my business about what I've been doing since the war aside from the obvious." He replied, and his friend nodded.

"And that included Ron and Hermione." Neville said.

"Yes." Harry answered instantly. "She's already asked me what I plan to do now that the war is over, and that I should go back to Hogwarts with her to finish my education. Ron has been quiet about wanting to know what my plans are, but I think that's because he thinks he doesn't have to ask; that I'll tell him."

"So what have you told them?" Neville asked.

"That I'm focusing on helping out at the Ministry and Hogwarts, and don't know what I plan on doing after that." He answered with a slight smirk, and Neville laughed quietly.

"And she's left you alone?" He asked.

"Yeah. Although, whenever I see her she tries to talk me into returning to Hogwarts with her." Harry said before he shook his head. "Truth is I haven't been spending a lot of time around them. They're a couple now, and I have zero interest in being around them when they start getting all..affectionate, which is all of the time. Plus, Ron has been angry with me."

"Why's that?" Neville asked with a frown before he took a drink of his butterbeer.

"It's the grief." Harry said with a shrug. "He gets these bursts of anger, but when I'm around he focuses it on me. I honestly don't know if his anger is toward me when I'm not around, and I haven't asked anyone. I've been minding my own business these days."

"Well, I'd stay away too." Neville said with a slight shrug. "Everyone grieves differently, but you don't need to stick around and have that directed at you; especially when you're grieving as well."

"I'm glad you understand." Harry said with a light smile. "Anyway, I've also been studying, continuing to learn magic beyond N.E.W.T.s. I figure it was something I should do with what I plan on doing."

"And what's that?" Neville asked curiously.

"I'm going to go traveling." He answered and watched Neville's eyes widen. "Yeah. I just…I need to get away. I need a change of scenery away from people who know me and have been a part of the war."

"I can understand that." Neville said as he nodded. "Are you just going to go wherever or do you have a single place in mind?"

"Wherever my feet take me." Harry said. He may be sharing, but he wasn't about to share his actual destination with anyone. "So what do you plan on doing with your N.E.W.T.s out of the way?"

"I'm actually going to go into Auror training." Neville said with a small smile.

"Really? I thought you would do something with your interest in Herbology." Harry asked. "But then I'm sure everyone thinks I'm the one who would go into Auror training."

"True on both accounts." Neville agreed. "Let's just say the final battle really showed me that I'm also good at Defense, and I think I would be good in that job."

Harry nodded understandingly. He had seen and heard of Neville's experiences, and thought he would be good as an Auror if that was really what he wanted to do.

"If that's what you want then I'm sure you'll do well, and I'm sure you'll figure out a way to use your skill in Herbology in the job while you're at it." He said with certainty.

"Thanks." Neville said gratefully. "I hope…" He began, but was cut off by a loud voice.

"I can't believe you!" They both heard Ron's voice nearly shout, and they turned to look behind them to see Ron walking toward them with Hermione trying and failing to stop him.

Harry and Neville exchanged a wary look. It looked and sounded like Ron was drunk, and now they were going to have to deal with him.

"I saw you flirting with Cho! I can't believe how much you've changed since the war!" Ron continued. "It's like you don't care about anything anymore; especially since you moved out of the Burrow! Not about Fred or Ginny! You're not even emotional when you talk about them!"

"Clearly you didn't care about Ginny as much as you claimed to or rather pretended to!" He added angrily.

"I resent that!" Harry said quietly, offended. "I care about their deaths, and I loved Ginny, still love her, but I don't need to grieve in front of you personally to prove that. In fact, I don't need to prove anything to you at all!"

In that moment Harry remembered Ginny's words about not keeping friends just because they were first friends. He knew Ron was grieving and people said things they didn't mean when they were grieving, but this was entirely out of line and not the first time Ron had acted this way.

Alcohol couldn't even be blamed for all of it, because he had been acting similar toward him while being completely sober.

"I can't believe you didn't stop him from saying this nonsense!" Harry said as he looked to Hermione.

"I was trying to stop him from coming over here." Hermione said defensively. "But we did see you talking to Cho, and you didn't look like you minded her being next to you. In fact, you actually did look like you were flirting with her."

"When have you ever known me to flirt?!" Harry said incredulously. He didn't think he had even ever flirted with Ginny, and if he did he certainly didn't know it.

"Come on you two." Neville said wearily. "I saw the whole thing, and Harry looked like he wanted to be left alone. He definitely wasn't flirting with her. She on the other hand was shameful enough to do it." He said in disgust.

"He was flirting with her!" Ron shouted. "And that just further proves how much he's changed! He's emotionless, and doesn't care about anything anymore!"

"If you want to believe that than go ahead. If that makes you feel better then good on you. That's your decision. I don't care." Harry said as he turned back to the bar, and took a sip of his drink.

Instead of reacting angrily and causing a bigger scene he focused on pushing his feelings behind his Occlumency shield, and trying to relax the way he was before Ron came along with his belligerence.

~HPxXxMC~

Six months had passed since the end of the war and it was now only days away from Halloween. The day Harry had been branded with The Boy Who Lived title, and the day his adopted parents were killed.

Harry had long since received the results of his N.E.W.T.s, and he had been happy that he had gotten all passing grades of Exceeds Expectations and Outstanding.

Aside from that his eighteenth birthday had come and gone; regardless of if he went by his actual birthdate or by his adoption birthday. He had celebrated it quietly with some of the Weasley's: Bill, Fleur, George, and Mr. Weasley to be specific.

Mrs. Weasley was still grieving, Charlie was in Romania, Percy wasn't close enough to him, and Ron was still angry. Hermione hadn't come because she felt she needed to support Ron, which had told him all he needed to know when it came to their friendship, but she had sent him a gift.

Ginny's seventeenth birthday, meanwhile, wasn't celebrated when it came around. Everyone was too saddened by her loss, but he had gone to the Burrow in the early morning hours, to avoid disturbing and being disturbed, and left flowers on her grave and wished her a happy birthday.

Now with it being October Hermione was back at Hogwarts finishing up her last year, and he had decided he was comfortable and confident enough with his ability to use the Japanese language to begin his travel plans.

Harry had been thinking a lot about his wish to keep his travels private, so he decided that the first thing he needed to do was cover his tracks from being able to be tracked magically.

This was simply because he wouldn't put it pass the reporters and even ministry workers to try and find him when he left; thinking to follow his travels and get pictures and information on how he was living after the war.

He had made an appointment to see his account manager Sharprod, and when they met he explained what he wanted to do, which was something he had heard vaguely when he was living with the Dursley's.

Thankfully Sharprod understood what he meant and informed him that Gringotts could perform the service. With that assurance he had his trust vault, the vault he had been using since he reentered the Wizarding World, closed, and all the galleons, sickles, and knuts inside converted into muggle money.

Sharprod then issued him a cashier's check that looked just like it would with any muggle bank. It was white with light gold lining and lettering with Gringotts' name and address on it, as well as the words: cashier's check at the top of it, the amount that the check was for, the date, and had Sharprod's signature on it as authorization.

Harry took that check and went to the muggle bank Barclays, and used it to open an account. Once everything was signed and in order he took out half the money from that account, and went to yet another back, Mizuho Bank, and opened an account under his birth name.

He didn't think any witch or wizard would be able to see what was happening in his Barclays account; just that he had it, so no one would know about the large amount of money that had gone to Mizuho Bank.

He figured with all this done if anyone checked they would think he would be using the Potter account to travel around the muggle way if anyone was able to see that his family vault wasn't being used. Meanwhile, in Japan he could go to one of the Mizuho Bank branches there using his birth name to withdrawal money as he needed it.

With both new accounts he made sure to get a debit card, and have no paper statements mailed to him so he didn't have to worry about that piling up when he was away.

After that he decided it was time to inform a few select people that he was going to be leaving in the near future, which is why he was currently walking through a hallway on the first level of the Ministry.

He soon reached the front office of the Minister for Magic and approached the secretary's desk.

"I have an appointment to see the Minister." Harry said quietly.

"Name please?" The male secretary asked without even looking up from his papers.

Harry wondered if he should inform the still fairly new Minister about his secretary's rudeness, but decided quickly that it wasn't his problem nor his business.

"Harry Potter." He answered, and watched the man's head snap up with a gasp.

"One moment please." The man said before he got up, and went to the elaborate door off to the side of his desk. He knocked and opened the door a moment later before he spoke quietly to the occupant.

"He will see you now." The man said as he waved him forward.

"Thank you." Harry said as he walked pass him and entered the office.

"Harry. It's good to see you." Kingsley Shacklebolt said with a smile as he waved him to a seat in front of the desk as the door closed.

Kingsley had been acting as the interim Minister directly after the war ended, and a couple of months after that he had been officially voted in as Minister for Magic. They had worked together for weeks to prosecute all the captured Death Eaters to make sure none got out of their rightful punishment like what happened after the last war.

Harry had helped in the preparation for the trials, reading witness statements from dozens and dozens of people as well as documenting his own, and then actually testifying during the trials. The trials themselves had happened back in August, so he thankfully didn't have to worry about it anymore.

"It's good to see you too." Harry said as he sat down with a sigh.

"So what brings you here?" Kingsley asked as he resumed his own seat.

"I wanted to let you know that I'm going traveling soon." He said readily. "I don't know when I'll be back, but I didn't want to just disappear on you without a word. I trust you to keep this to yourself, so I'm letting you know."

"Thank you for letting me know." Kingsley said gratefully. "I can't imagine the chaos that would likely ensue once it was learned you had left and no one knew when or why. Although, I imagine they would think you were just being a hermit since you're barely seen out as it is now."

"That could work for a while, but people would start to wonder when the weeks and months start passing without any sign of life." Harry replied.

"Are you really going to be gone that long? What about Auror training? I thought you wanted to be one." Kingsley asked with a slight frown.

"That year on the run and then the final battle was enough to let me know I'm not interested in the job anymore; not to mention I'm not in the right frame of mind for it." Harry said as he shook his head.

"And I have no idea how long I'll be gone. I just need to get away and…find myself and my purpose." He added with a heavy sigh. "The dreams I had of life after the war are no longer possible."

"Why is that?" Kingsley asked with a frown.

"They died with Ginny." Harry said flatly, proving that half a year later he still wasn't over her death.

"Ah. I'm sorry." Kingsley said as his expression cleared. "I don't know where my mind is right now."

"It's okay. I think only a few people realized how serious I was about her." Harry said, and then huffed slightly. "And only three of them are part of her family."

Kingsley shook his head at that. Even he had been able to see how serious the young man was about her. Even after their breakup. It was clear at the Weasley wedding, with the way he looked at her, that it was only temporary.

"Well, whenever you decide to go don't forget to get your passport." He said.

"Where can I get that?" Harry asked. He had known he needed to get his muggle passport, but he hadn't realized that witches and wizards needed passports too or even had them.

"The Department of Magical Transportation, and at Gringotts." Kingsley supplied the answer readily. "Personally I would get it from Gringotts, because they'll take their time registering it with the Ministry. That way you'll be long gone by the time any reporters got word of it."

"I'll do that; thanks." Harry said. "And thanks for the heads up. I didn't know I would need a magical passport. Didn't even know they existed."

"Yes. Most people don't find out until they're all packed and ready to go, and sometimes after they've already left and find out they have to check in at the foreign Ministry." Kingsley said as he shook his head. "Their vacation ruined as they're sent back home."

"Wow. That's terrible!" Harry said as he imagined going through that. "I'm even more glad you told me."

"Anytime." Kingsley said.

"Well, I better go and let you get back to work." Harry said as he stood up. "I still have some people to inform, and apparently a visit with the Goblins."

"Alright." Kingsley said as he too stood up. "You take care of yourself Harry. Send me word when you're leaving or at least when you arrive at a location." He added as he shook his hand.

"I will." Harry said as he shook Kingsley's hand. "Stay safe, and don't stress out too much."

"You too Harry. You too." Kingsley said before he watched the young man who had saved their way of life walk to and out of his door.

Chapter Text

Harry walked through the first level of the Ministry on his way to the Apparition point, and once there he focused for a moment before he Apparated to Diagon Alley. He walked down the alley and straight to Gringotts determined to find out if he needed an appointment to get a passport.

He went inside and asked the first available goblin if he needed an appointment to get a passport, and was told he didn't and was directed to another goblin that was called forward. The goblin escorted him to a side door, and he went inside to be greeted with another goblin sitting behind a desk.

He then began to go through the process of getting his magical passport. Filling out a few documents, signing them, adding a drop of blood to each to further verify his identity, then taking a headshot picture, and finally paying the fee.

When all of that was finished he was informed that his passport would be mailed to him in a few days and he would be cleared to travel.

Harry thanked the goblin and saw himself out and was then escorted by a waiting goblin to the lobby of the bank. He left the bank after that and walked back down the alley before he turned on a side street and entered Carkitt Market.

Carkitt Market was an outdoor shopping area that he learned about after his visit to The Sorcerer's Spot. He had decided he needed to explore the side streets and alleys of Diagon Alley, and it was a good thing he did because he had not known there was a post office, and that was something he needed.

He knew when it came to getting muggle mail there was no way if you lived in a magical area unless you wanted to take your chances and give your actual address and see what happened.

Then he found the Owl Post Office, and saw from the advertisement on the window that they had P.O. Boxes. That was perfect for him since he knew he would need an address to get his muggle passport.

Harry walked through the market until he came upon the post office and opened the door and went inside. He quickly rented a P.O. Box for three months judging that more than enough time for his muggle passport to arrive once he applied for it.

He was informed of the options to either have his mail sent directly to him once it arrived or be sent an owl with a notice that he had mail so he could come pick it up. He decided to go with the option of having his mail sent directly to him once it arrived, so he didn't have to deal with going down to the post office to pick it up.

With that done he left the office and checked the time. He still had time before Bill and Fleur would be home from work, so he decided to go deal with the reason he got the P.O. Box, and went to start the process to get his muggle passport.

Harry left Carkitt Market and Diagon Alley altogether through the Leaky Cauldron and made his way to the closest muggle post office.

When he'd made the decision that Japan would be his travel destination he knew he would need a muggle passport, so he had done his research to find out how to get one. Apparently they had the applications, ability to take the required picture, and were also able to help check that everything was in order before sending it in.

He went inside and grabbed an application from where they sat easily accessible and then left and returned home. He settled in the library since that was where his muggle pens were and began to read through the application.

As he read Harry was instantly glad for the discovery he had made among the important papers his parents left him with his adoption papers. He had dual citizenship in England and Japan, because he was born in Japan and legally adopted in England.

On top of that his Potter parents had made sure he had the legal use of both his birth and adopted names, which he was pleased about since he intended to use his birth name over in Japan.

He would have to register as a citizen with the Ministry over there, but he wasn't worried since his birth name would legally work for that as well. His muggle papers were already done and on file, and he was already in the records of having been adopted and was living in England.

He read that he would need two photos, which wasn't a surprise since he had had to take a picture for his magical passport as well, and that they could be taken at the post office.

Good. I'll take them when I bring the application back and pay the fee. He thought as he continued to read, and then his eyes almost popped out of his head.

What?! Ten to fourteen weeks to get the passport!? He thought in shock. He was not about to wait months before he could leave. Even the shortest time of ten weeks was too long!

Harry sighed and calmed himself as he pulled off his Mokeskin pouch and dug through it briefly before he pulled out the large envelope that held all the important papers concerning his identity and adoption. He then reached back inside the pouch and pulled out the Elder Wand.

He sorted out the documents he would need and carefully used the Elder Wand to make copies, so they would look like the originals since he wasn't willing to send the originals even though the application said they would send them all back.

Reaching for a pen he pulled the application closer and carefully began to fill it out; making sure he wrote out his birth name and spelled it correctly.

Once he was sure all the right information was there and nothing was missing he reached for the envelope that had accompanied it, and wrote out the P.O. Box address he had rented for the return address. Muggles would see the name Mamoru Chiba, but witches and wizards would see Harry Potter.

Harry then picked up the Elder Wand and put a strong compulsion charm on the application and the envelope it would be sent in, so it would get through, approved, and back to him as fast as possible. Ten to fourteen weeks was beyond too long to wait.

He was about to return the wand to his pouch, but paused as he glanced at the copies of the documents he had made. In the next moment he put a strong compulsion charm on each document as added reassurance that his passport would get back to him quick.

With that done he put the wand back in his pouch, and returned his identity and adoption papers to their envelope and put that back in his pouch as well before he replaced it back around his neck.

He slipped the application and requested papers inside the envelope that came with the application, and stood up as he checked the time. He still had time before he could head over to see Bill and Fleur, so he grabbed the envelope and headed out of the library and down to the foyer as he concealed his pouch beneath his shirt.

Harry paused as he reached the foyer and focused for a moment before he silently Apparated to the alley across the street from the Leaky Cauldron. He looked around to make sure he wasn't noticed and then took a step to walk out, but stopped as he remembered that he still looked like Harry Potter.

Can't have that for a picture of Mamoru Chiba. He thought as he pulled out his wand and removed his glamours. He pulled off his glasses and put them and his wand away before he walked out onto the sidewalk, and headed for the same post office he had gotten the passport application from.

He went inside and walked up to the first available clerk, thankful the place wasn't busy, and after the usual polite greetings he explained that he needed to take pictures for his passport application.

The woman waved him over to a different area that was clearly set up for passport photos, and they got his two pictures taken quickly. She then went about double checking his application and the required documents before she watched him sign the application. Apparently that was something that was needed, because she then signed it as well as a witness.

Everything went inside the envelope before it was sealed, and he used his Mamoru Chiba debit card to pay the fee before it was mailed off. He check the time with the clock on the wall and then left the post office. He walked back to the alley across the street from the Leaky Cauldron and Apparated back home.

Walking out of the foyer he found the closest mirror and reapplied the glamour to his hair and eyes before he placed his glasses back on. Once he looked like Harry Potter again he returned to the foyer and Apparated just outside the wards surrounding the Shell Cottage property.

He walked up to the cottage and knocked on the door. He waited only moments before the door opened to reveal the lady of the house.

"Harry." Fleur said in surprise. "Please come in." She added, the emotion still tinging her voice.

"Thanks." Harry said as he stepped inside. "Is Bill home?" He asked.

"Oui." She answered. "Do you need him?" She asked.

"I wanted to talk to you both." He said as he looked to her, and she nodded.

"I'll go get him. Make yourself comfortable." Fleur said, and he nodded.

Harry looked around and decided the kitchen table was good enough, so he pulled out one of the chairs and sat down as he thought about what he still needed to do.

Have to start packing. He thought immediately even though he already knew he didn't intend to take a lot. He would buy whatever else he needed over in Japan.

And I'll need to find a place to stay for when I get over there. Something more private than a hotel room considering I'll be using magic. He thought, knowing he would have to go to the public library and use their computers and see what he could find.

"Hey Harry." A masculine voice suddenly said, and he turned to see Bill walking into the kitchen with Fleur right behind him.

"Hi Bill." Harry greeted him. "I hope you don't mind me just showing up like this."

"Not at all." Bill replied as he took a seat at the table.

"You know you are always welcome here." Fleur added as she too sat at the table.

"So what brings you by?" Bill asked curiously.

"Remember when I said I was going to be traveling in the near future?" Harry asked, and watched them nod. "Well, that future is now." He said.

"Right now?!" Bill said in surprise.

"After my passport arrives." He said with a shrug. "I just put in for it earlier today."

"Have you told anyone else?" Bill asked.

"I told Kingsley earlier, which is how I knew that I even needed a passport." Harry answered. "I think I'll let Neville know since he's been an especially good friend since the war ended, but I don't plan on telling anyone else until right before I'm about to leave. So your parents and brothers, and Hermione."

"That way they can't try to talk you out of going." Bill said as he nodded.

"At least in the case of your mom and especially Hermione." Harry said. "She's been back at Hogwarts for almost two months now, and she's still trying to get me to go back." He said as he rolled his eyes.

"She doesn't know you've already taken your N.E.W.T.s." Bill said knowingly.

"Nope." Harry said as he shook his head. "That wasn't her business to know. Not to mention I've been trying to put up boundaries between the two of us. She seems to think because we're friends she has free and ready access to me and my house whenever she wants."

"What?" Fleur asked with a surprised frown.

"A few months ago she asked me where I was living since she couldn't get into Grimmauld Place. She had apparently tried Apparating, Flooing, and unlocking the door, and when she wasn't successful in any of those she assumed I wasn't living in the house anymore." Harry explained.

"As opposed to just making sure no one could invade your privacy whenever they wanted." Bill said incredulously.

"Exactly." Harry agreed. "And when I pointed that out she said I never had a problem with it when she would walk into my dorm room at the castle, and in my bedroom when we were all living at Grimmauld Place together."

"How did you react to that?" Fleur asked curiously.

"Well, I told her that we were adults now and that I required privacy and notice when she wanted to visit, and that she would never dream of doing that to anyone else. She said it was different with me, because we were friends." He said.

"I told her clearly that that wasn't true, and that none of my other friends thought they could do that. That I didn't know why she thought she was special and could get away with it." He continued.

"She just tried to placate me, and I could tell that she didn't think I was right." Harry said with an aggravated huff. "We have distance between us, I have boundaries in place, and hopefully she'll make some new friends without me and Ron there with her."

Bill and Fleur nodded, knowing from experience that Hermione tended to think she was always right, and that some rules and common courtesies didn't apply to her.

"So where do you plan on going?" Fleur asked softly.

"I don't know." Harry answered even though he did know. "I don't even know if I'll just go to one place or rather one city, make my way around one country, or travel the world."

"I just know that I need to get away, and I wanted you two to know ahead of everyone else." He continued with a shrug. "You two are the older brother and sister I wish I had."

"You were Ginny's favorite brother. She trusted you over everyone in the family, even more than your parents, and I understand why, so I trust you as well." He said to Bill before he looked to Fleur.

"We bonded because of the tournament and since then you've always treated me like an equal instead of a little boy that needed to be told what to do." He said to her, and then his expression darkened a little. "Or a weapon to be kept safe until it was pointed in the right direction."

"Even though you both have been grieving you've been here for me and haven't judged me. You've kept me company when I needed to be around people, and gave me my space when I needed to be alone. You haven't told me I don't care about certain deaths, or that I'm not being emotional enough, or that I don't talk about those who have died enough." He continued as he looked at them.

"You don't tell me how and when I need to grieve. You haven't accused me of having changed since the war, and even if you actually think that you've still accepted me as I am." He said.

"Because of all that, because you treated me similar to how Ginny did, I'm trusting you. Trusting you with the early knowledge that I'm going to travel, because I'm making the effort to keep it as quiet as possible so the Daily Prophet doesn't get ahold of the information before I leave." He told them.

Bill and Fleur exchanged a look. This was unusual for Harry, to open up the way he was or even to express himself at all, but then again he had given them the answer. He trusted them. He didn't open up to anyone even a little if he didn't trust them.

"Thank you for trusting us." Bill said as he looked back to Harry.

"Oui. We know what a gift that truly is." Fleur added.

"We definitely understand why you want to keep the fact that you want to travel quiet. I can just imagine the headlines wondering why you were leaving, where you were going, and when you would be back." Bill said.

"And that does not include what questions may be asked of anyone who knows you once they realize you are gone." Fleur said.

"True." Harry agreed. "I'm sorry in advance for any trouble they cause you."

"Don't worry about it." Bill said. "We can always avoid them."

"Oui. We will be fine. Worry about yourself Harry." Fleur told him. "Have you packed yet?" She asked a little excitedly.

Harry smiled and said he hadn't, and didn't plan to until he had his passport.

~HPxXxMC~

Harry and Cedric stabilized their balance after their Portkey trip as they looked around. Neither of them had known the cup had been made into a Portkey, and it was obvious the trip hadn't taken them back to the beginning of the maze in front of the cheering crowd.

In fact, the longer they looked the more they began to see as their eyes adjusted to the dark around them. They looked at each other as they realized they were in a cemetery.

"Kill the spare!" A voice said suddenly, the tone sounding like a hiss.

"Avada Kedavra!" A second normal sounding masculine voice said.

Harry turned his head toward the voice, and green light filled his vision as it lit up the area and shot pass him. He followed it and stared in shock as the light hit Cedric in the chest.

The older boy instantly collapsed and landed on his back; his eyes wide open and staring up at the sky blankly.

Run! His mind told him as he turned his head back forward, but before he could the voice came again.

"Stupefy!" It said, and there was a red streak of light coming at him.

His eyes widened as the light sped toward him. His body was just now tensing to start running, and didn't have the time to switch to trying to dodge before the light reached him and his world went dark.

~xXx~

Harry didn't know how much time had passed since everything went dark, but as soon as he regained awareness he knew he was in trouble. He could feel that he was seated on the ground leaning against something hard that he was tied to. He was tied very tightly as well around his chest and upper arms.

He blinked his eyes open and saw that it was rope keeping him secured. He lifted his head and blinked as he saw a massive black cauldron a few feet ahead of him sitting on a bright fire, which also served to light up the graveyard and the tombstones around him.

In front of the cauldron was a short round person dropping something long into the cauldron, and his heart sped up as they turned and began to approach him. They pulled out a dagger from their robes, and his heart seemed to double its pace.

The person knelt down and grabbed one of his arms, and Harry narrowed his eyes as he recognized Peter  Pettigrew . Before he could say anything the dagger sliced through his arm and he hissed at the sharp pain as he watched his blood be collected in a goblet.

The man who had betrayed his parents took the goblet with his blood in it to the cauldron and poured it in. Harry then gasped in shock as the man chopped off his own hand, and let it fall into the cauldron.

He listened to  Pettigrew 's cries and whimpers of pain as he watched the cauldron. Light flashed from it and smoke came pouring out of it, and he could only feel dread as his mind recalled the hissing voice.

A few long moments later a tall thin figure rose up and out of the cauldron. Pale skin, that was as white as bone, almost shone in the dark, helped along by the light of the fire, the head was bald, the face was almost lacking a nose it was so flat with slits for nostrils, and had wide red eyes.

The male gazed at him with his red eyes, and Harry stared right back.

Shock filled his mind as he stared into the face of the man that had murdered his parents and influenced his life so much. He had tried to come back using the Philosopher's Stone, and the diary through Ginny trying to use her soul, and now he had finally managed it through some kind of ritual that involved his blood.

"Robe me Wormtail." Voldemort hissed, his eyes never leaving Harry's.

Harry kept his own eyes on the red orbs in front of him, so he would be aware of what was coming at him; not to mention he had no wish to see what the dark wizard's new body looked like; naked as he was and with his face looking as it did.

"Finally we meet again Harry." Voldemort said once he was wearing a black robe and stood on the grass in front of the large cauldron.

"Come Wormtail." He commanded and finally looked away from Harry as  Pettigrew  scurried to his side. He grabbed the ratty man's arm and pressed his finger to his skin.

Pettigrew  screeched in agony.

Harry watched the man wreath in his pain. He didn't like the sight of anyone in pain, but he didn't feel sorry for the man. He was a large part of the reason his parents were dead, and this was the result of choosing the side he did.

"Now they will come." Voldemort said as he released Wormtail, and turned his attention back to his young nemesis. "My followers will come crawling back to join me, and then..then they will see how powerless you truly are."

"They will watch and enjoy as you pay the price for daring to defy me, for daring to think you could possibly beat me, and then they themselves will pay for their crimes against me." He continued, his voice hissing as Wormtail whimpered at his feet.

A few long moments of tense silence passed for Harry before the sound of multiple pops echoed around the graveyard. He could hear calls of 'master' coming from different directions, but he kept his eyes on the snake-like man in front of him; unwilling to be surprised because his attention drifted.

Voldemort began to speak to his followers about his journey back to obtaining a body, and Harry subtly tried to free himself but found the ropes were just as tight as they had been before he regained consciousness.

"Now Harry, it is time you understand just how insignificant you truly are." Voldemort said as he turned back to him.

He calmly stepped toward him, and Harry's heart began to race again; having calmed down during the long speech. He watched the dark wizard raise his wand toward him, fear filling him as he wondered what exactly was going to happen.

" Crucio !" Voldemort hissed, and Harry screamed as sharp pain assaulted every nerve ending his body had.

All Harry felt was pain. He couldn't hear the Death Eaters laughing and cheering, he couldn't see for some reason, and he couldn't think. All he knew was pain, agonizing, unrelenting pain.

Then it suddenly stopped, but his body twitched and shivered from the aftermath as he panted in his slumped position.

He blinked his eyes open slowly just as he realized his eyes being closed was why he couldn't see. He hadn't even realized he had closed them.

" Crucio !" Voldemort hissed again.

The scream that ripped through Harry's throat was painful in itself, and just added to the rest of the agony sizzling through his body. His body jerked and struggled against the rope holding him uncontrollably as his screams continued.

He didn't feel the bruises forming where the rope held him, and he didn't feel when his head repeatedly hit the tombstone he was tied to. All he felt and all he knew was unceasing agonizing pain.

The pain stopped suddenly, and he groaned as he sat slumped against the rope restraining him. Every tiny inch of him hurt, even his hair hurt, but he was still aware enough to wonder why the nerve ending pain had stopped. Not to mention why he couldn't see.

Harry didn't know how long he sat slumped before it finally occurred to him that he couldn't see because his eyes were closed. He blinked them open, and then blinked again in surprise at the sight in front of him.

The graveyard was gone, and in fact, the tombstone he was tied to was gone and the rope as well since he couldn't feel them anymore.

The ground beneath him was large smooth silver-white tiles of shiny marble, and misty fog surrounded his seated figure. He looked up and saw nothing but white above him, but he sensed that he was still outside.

He climbed to his feet, idly noticing that the pain he had been in was completely gone, and saw that the misty fog reached his knees and was almost thick enough to obscure the marble he was standing on.

Harry looked around and saw nothing but the misty fog and silver-white marble ground, but he instinctively knew he was supposed to be here. Following his instincts he began to walk, and as he walked he began to see tall elegant silver-white marble pillars on both sides of him.

They were spaced out evenly by a couple of feet, and he realized they were lining the pathway he was apparently walking on. He glanced back up to the sky and this time he caught a glimpse of black before the white covered it again. It was as if that had happen just to show him what was really there or rather what was supposed to be there.

He continued to walk and eventually he came upon a white wall that stretched up and blended into the white of the sky. He looked back down and saw that the path veered off to the left along the wall, so he followed it.

Eventually he spotted a large elegant white balcony. The long railing was thick rounded and rectangular, and was held up by numerous evenly spaced rounded decorative short pillars.

Harry stopped beneath the balcony and looked up expectantly; instinctively knowing he was there to see someone.

Footsteps sounded as soon as the balcony had his complete focus, and suddenly a figure appeared and moved toward the railing before leaning slightly over it.

The figure, more like a  silhouette , was obscured, but he could tell it was a female. From the little he could see she was wearing a dress, that he sensed was beautiful, and had long hair. Both were white with a silver-tint like moonlight.

When he squinted he thought he could see the tips of her fingers peeking over the edge of the railing, and that she had bangs covering her forehead.

"Please, you must find the silver crystal." Her voice came to him soft  and melodious , sounding so soothing despite her pleading.

"Who are you?" Harry asked, confused and yet somehow not.

"Find the silver crystal, and you will know." She replied.

"Why me?" He asked.

"When you find the silver crystal you will know." She answered. "It is the only way."

With her last words fading in the air the misty fog began to thicken and converge from all directions completely hiding her silhouette from his sight.

Harry's eyes blinked open, his mind and heart calm despite the mental torture he had just dreamed. It wasn't surprising. Dreams of the mystery woman always had that effect on him.

Before he could continue that line of thought he heard a tapping at his window. He looked over and saw a dark owl flapping its wings.

He sat up as he pushed his covers back and got out of bed, the navy blue pants legs of his pajamas sliding down his legs. He walked over to the window and opened it, the cool morning air bathing his bare chest, and allowed the owl to rest on the windowsill as he retrieved his mail.

The envelope was small but thick and had the seal of Gringotts on it, and he knew exactly what it was.

"Thank you." Harry quietly told the owl, who hooted softly at him before flying away.

He closed the window and returned to his bed. As he sat down he opened the envelope and pulled out a little black booklet with gold lettering. It had the word Passport at the bottom, and the words Magical Community of Great Britain & Ireland at the top. In the center of those two was the Ministry coat of arms.

He opened it and saw that it had a few pages inside with his essential information: his picture, name, nationality, birth place, and date the passport was made. Some of the pages were empty and he wondered what that was about, but shrugged his shoulders and closed the little booklet.

It had taken three days for his magical passport to arrive and during those three days he had been busy with his travel preparations. He had gotten himself a wand holster so he didn't risk losing his wand by keeping it in a pocket, and so there was less chance of it being seen by muggles.

Instead of buying one he had decided to return to his family vault and see if there was one there. Thankfully there had been a few and they had surprisingly been labeled. He had chosen one that was a deep blue, and had the ability to become invisible once it was on so it couldn't be seen by anyone; and better yet his wand couldn't be seen either.

Harry had also started looking for a place he could stay at for when he arrived in Tokyo. He had been spending a lot of hours at the public library on the computer looking at different hotels, and eventually decided against a hotel since he would be using magic and wanted more privacy than a hotel could provide.

Instead, he started looking for something more homey, and had found rental properties. So far he had not found one he liked, so he was still in the process of looking.

He had also gone to the airport and looked and wandered around, so he would know where he was going when he went back for his flight. The last thing he wanted was to get lost and miss his flight.

Harry sighed as he pulled his Mokeskin pouch off over his head and enlarged it before placing his passport inside. He closed it and placed it back around his neck and watched it shrink back down to the size of a necklace.

He knew he needed to go back to the airport and buy his plane ticket, but he wanted to wait until he had his muggle passport. He actually needed to since he obviously couldn't pick a date to fly if he didn't have his passport, so he could leave the airport in Tokyo when he arrived.

I suppose I can still check the flights and times online to see what's available. That way I'll know what I want, and won't need to hesitate while I'm thinking. He thought as he pulled his wand from his holster, and vanished the envelope his passport came in.

Until then I can start packing and then get back to searching for the right rental property. He told himself as he got up from his bed.

Harry placed his wand back in his holster, and stepped toward his old school trunk. He opened it and began to take everything out, so he could see exactly what he had in it and what he wanted to leave behind and take with him.

Once everything was laid out on the floor around him he began to put in the things he wanted but didn't want to put in his pouch; essentially his keepsakes. His photo album, the Marauders Map, a set of his Hogwarts robes, his Weasley sweaters, his Quidditch uniform, etc.

When he was satisfied with what he had packed he closed the trunk and shrunk it down to the size of a jewelry box before he put it inside his Mokeskin pouch. He would be adding some books to it later, but he didn't want to put them in now in case he needed them before it was time for him to leave.

He then stored everything else, which was a bunch of nick knacks, in a box inside his closet before he went and got ready for the day.

Harry took a quick shower and dressed, and then headed out to the library to continue his search for a place to stay in Tokyo.

It didn't take him long to get there at all, and soon he was seated in front of one of the computers and scrolling through rental properties.

Almost an hour later he found one that looked pretty good to him. It was a fully furnished spacious apartment in a seven floor building, and was located on the fifth floor. It had one bedroom with a full sized bed, a full bathroom, and a living room with a combined kitchen and dining room. There were light wooden floors, white walls, and nice sized windows.

It has a TV too. He noted. It's been years since I've actually sat and watched TV. He thought as he continued to look at the available pictures.

Harry nodded to himself and read the rest of the information. It required a minimum of two weeks stay in order to rent it, and was of course located in Tokyo. It was also expensive but wasn't nearly as expensive as he had been imagining.

Since he liked what he read and saw he wrote down the site and all the important information on the apartment, so he would be able to find it again when it was actually time to rent it, which was after he got his muggle passport.

~HPxXxMC~

Harry sat in the dining room of his family manor eating lunch as he read a letter from Hermione. It was a long letter about her classes, how she was doing in them, and how she thought she could be better if she studied just a bit harder. Along with that was a subtle admonishment that he needed to finish his education, so he could get a good job.

He sighed. He had already gotten four similar letters since she had been back at Hogwarts. Despite his vague hope none of them mentioned how she was doing outside of her classes and studying. He considered that proof enough that she hadn't made any new friends.

I wonder if Ron gets similar letters. He thought dully, but not really caring.

The distance had already grown a great deal between him and Ron and Hermione. For all her smarts he didn't know if Hermione realized what was happening, and he didn't think Ron cared enough anymore to notice with him still so much in his feelings.

Neither of them will likely realize until after I'm gone, and they barely hear from me if at all. He thought before he suddenly heard a tapping against the window.

Harry looked over and saw an owl waiting for him. He put the letter down and got up and opened the window. The owl flew in with a rather large envelope that was the size of letter paper, dropped it on the table, and flew back out the window before he could even move to try and offer it a treat.

He closed the window and went and sat back at the table and picked up the envelope. A smile instantly stretched his face as he saw the name that was on it: Mamoru Chiba. That told him exactly what was in the envelope; his muggle passport.

Opening the envelope he pulled out a small stack of papers and a little booklet. The stack of papers turned out to be the copies of the documents that had been requested, and the little booklet was of course the passport.

It was blue with white lettering that said United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland at the top, British Passport at the bottom, and in the center of the cover was the national coat of arms.

He opened the booklet and found the same thing he had inside his magical passport. The essential information of his birth name, nationality, birth place, the date the passport was made, and his picture. Behind that were empty pages, and he still wondered what they were for, but he figured he would find out when he actually used the little booklet.

Harry sighed as he closed the blue booklet. It had taken two and half weeks to come, but it was here and he could now finish his preparations so he could begin his trip back to his birth country.

He put the passport down and went about finishing his lunch. Once he did he put the document copies back in their envelope, and quickly refolded Hermione's letter to him before he pulled his Mokeskin pouch off over his head. Opening it as it enlarged he placed the envelope inside and then pulled out his debit card for his Mizuho Bank account and the notes he made the last time he was at the library.

Placing the card and slip of paper inside his passport he closed his pouch and put it back on around his neck. He pulled his wand out and took the time to send his dishes to the kitchen sink before he grabbed his passport and his letter from Hermione and left the dining room.

A quick trip to the study had him placing the letter in one of the desk drawers where it would stay with the others since he didn't feel the need to keep them in his pouch like they were important or vital.

Harry carefully placed his passport in his pocket and straightened his clothes before he walked to the foyer and Apparated as close to the public library as possible. He went into the building and headed straight for an available computer, and used his written notes to see if the short term rental apartment he wanted was still available.

Thankfully his chosen apartment was available, so he went about securing it. He pulled out his debit card and went about filling out the required information to rent it.

He was a bit perturbed that he needed to create an email account, but he went ahead and did it; making sure to write it and his password down. When he finished he clicked the button to finish, and the next page that appeared said he had succeeded in what he was trying to do. Everything would be sent to his email.

With that he quickly checked his new email, and saw that he had a confirmation notice. He would have to bring the confirmation email and check in at the front desk at which point he would get his keys to the apartment.

He printed the email and went and grabbed it from the printer that was nearby before returning to his seat. He logged out of his email and closed the page before he folded the paper and placed it in his pocket with his passport and headed for the exit.

Once outside he headed for an out of the way spot and Apparated as close to the Heathrow Airport as he could get without being seen. He walked inside and made his way to where he needed to go, thankful he had explored before so he knew how to get to where he needed to go.

He checked the available dates and options for a flight from London to Tokyo, and decided he was willing to pay for a nonstop flight, so he didn't have to deal with the flight stopping in another country on the journey, which would make the flight longer.

He walked up to one of the ticket agents and went about getting a ticket for the first available flight that met his choices.

A few minutes later he had his ticket and was thanking the teller. From there he made his way through the airport and toward the section where his flight would be boarding, so he knew where it was and wouldn't have to search for it when the time came.

Thankfully it didn't take long, and he nodded as he looked around. He made sure to commit everything to memory before he turned and left.

Once out of the airport and away from cameras and witnesses Harry Apparated back to his family manor and headed up to his bedroom. He placed his passport with his plane ticket inside on his nightstand, and removed the paper with the notes for finding his rental apartment on it.

He didn't need that anymore, but it had his email address and the password on it so he placed it inside his Mokeskin pouch for safekeeping.

Harry sighed and went to his closet and grabbed the blue and black traveling bag he had bought a week ago from a store in Japantown, having taken the opportunity to use his Japanese language skills in the process. It was large but small enough that he would be able to carry it onto the plane without a problem.

He also didn't want to deal with the hassle of checking in a bag and having to wait for it to get off the plane and find it among the other passengers luggage. He had watched it during one of his visits to the airport, and decided that he wasn't going to be a part of that.

It was unnecessary anyway since he didn't plan on bringing a lot of clothes and other things. He was only bringing enough to get him through a few days, which was more than enough time for him to shop for clothes over there.

Harry placed his bag on his bed and opened it before he returned to his closet and began to take out some clothes. He brought them back to his bed and began to fold them. He had learned a spell to do this during his N.E.W.T. studies, but he still preferred to do it the muggle way.

Suddenly a tapping sounded at his window and he looked over to see an owl trying to get his attention. He put down the shirt he was folding and went to the window and opened it. The owl sat on the windowsill and he took the folded paper and opened it as the owl remained; letting him know a reply was expected.

It turned out to be from Bill, and was an invitation for him to come over for dinner. The whole family was being invited.

Perfect timing. He thought as he read what time dinner was going to be. He could announce he was leaving to everyone at once; most everyone anyway since Hermione was at the castle and the Weasley's thought of her as family just as they thought of him as family.

"I'll be right back." He quietly told the owl who hooted softly back at him.

Harry walked away and quickly made his way to the library since that was closer than the study and wrote a reply to the invitation; namely that he would be there and to keep an eye out for him.

He dried and folded the note before he returned to his room, and handed it to the owl with his thanks. The owl flew away, and he closed the window before he got back to his folding and packing.

~xXx~

Harry sat at the table in the kitchen in Shell Cottage in the evening slowly making his way through his desert.

After he had finished with his packing he had put his glamours and glasses back on since he hadn't been walking around looking like Harry Potter since he hadn't been going to places where he needed to use his Potter name.

When he arrived at Bill and Fleur's home Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were already there, and George showed up not long after reporting that Ron was eating out with some friends he had made while working on Diagon Alley so he wasn't coming.

Those two would have been the only other two to show up. Charlie was of course in Romania, Percy was working at the Ministry, and Hermione was at Hogwarts.

I'll send her a brief curtesy letter letting her know I'm traveling out of the country. He thought as he gazed around from his place at the table.

He didn't care if Ron found out, but he was sure someone here would inform him at some point after he was gone. Just like with his birthday celebration Percy wasn't close enough for him to care if he found out or not, and Charlie was one he wasn't close to either because he worked and lived in Romania.

Harry sighed. Being around most of the Weasley's made the absence of Ginny so much more pronounced. It had been the same at his birthday celebration, and it was just as hard now as it had been then. If she was here she would be smiling and talking, and thoroughly enjoying this time with her family.

Then again maybe she would be at Hogwarts attending her last year, and enduring Hermione's presence. He thought, and then sighed again. Even with that imagined scenario I miss the letters she likely would have written me.

"What's with the sighing?" He heard Bill ask from directly to his right.

"Yeah. You okay?" He heard George ask from directly to his left.

"Yeah. I'm just missing Ginny." Harry said quietly with a shrug as he idly stirred what was left of his desert.

Both men nodded understandingly and went quiet, thinking about their missing family members; particularly the ones who were forever gone.

"What's going on? What's wrong?" Molly called, and the three young men looked over to see her concerned face as well as Arthur and Fleur looking at them.

"Nothing's wrong, but since everyone's paying attention I have something I wanted to tell you all." Harry said.

"Well, let's hear it then." George said curiously.

"I'm leaving to go travel." Harry announced bluntly.

There was surprised silence from three of the group, and curious silence from the other two members.

"Well." Arthur said as he blinked in his surprise. "Well, this is unexpected." He said.

"This is so sudden." Molly said agitatedly. "Why, why are you going?"

"I need a change of scenery. I just need to get away." Harry said with a heavy sigh. "I have to find myself and my purpose, and not just..exist."

"When are you leaving?" Bill asked after a few long moments of silence.

"Tomorrow." Harry answered.

"Woah." George said quietly.

"Why so soon?" Molly asked with a frown, completely dismayed.

"Because my passport arrived today, and that was all I was waiting for." Harry said honestly.

"Well, why not wait? Why not go after the holidays?" Molly asked. "After all, Christmas is only next month. Just a few weeks away."

"I don't want to wait. I've been thinking about this for a while, and I'm just ready to go out into the world and see what I can find." He said.

"That is understandable. You are ready to get started." Fleur said with a smile, and he smiled slightly in return.

Harry looked around the table. Bill and Fleur both looked accepting and understanding, George looked a little lost and thoughtful, Mr. Weasley looked thoughtful, and Mrs. Weasley looked sad.

He was sorry she felt that way, knew that she likely wanted everyone together during the holidays considering the loss of two of her children, but he wasn't going to let her emotions sway him. He needed to go. He needed to get away from the memories seemingly everywhere he looked.

He wished he could run away from his thoughts, the memories in his head, sometimes, and he was seriously hoping that being in a different country, surrounded by a different culture, would help ease the memories and especially his nightmares.

"Where are you going to go?" George asked with curious thoughtfulness.

"I don't know." Harry lied easily.

He idly wondered if people realized that muggleborns and muggle raised people became good liars after they started at Hogwarts. It was to help keep their magical identity a secret and maintain the Statute of Secrecy, but they still had to do a lot of lying.

He had other things to keep secret, but he was becoming rather good at lying, and he didn't know how to feel about that.

"I'm just going to go, and see where my feet take me." He added.

"How long will you be gone?" Arthur asked.

"I have no idea." Harry answered honestly.

"Will you at least be able to make it back for Christmas?" Molly asked a little tearfully.

"I don't know. I'll have to see how I feel." Harry said, even though he had no intention of coming back so soon. "If I don't make it back I'll be sure to send gifts."

Of course that was a given anyway. It would just be a matter of picking what to get everyone, and if some people would even get anything at all.

"We certainly hope you have a good time Harry." Fleur said, and Bill nodded in agreement.

"Thank you." Harry said with a smile.

"Yeah me too Harry." George said with a light smile. "I hope you find yourself." He added with a grin.

"Me too." Harry said with a light laugh, seeing the small joke. "And thanks."

"I don't want you to go, but I also hope you enjoy yourself." Molly said tearfully.

"I hope you have a good time, and find what you're looking for." Arthur said as he put a comforting hand on his wife's arm.

"Thanks. Hopefully I will enjoy myself." Harry said since he honestly wasn't sure if he would or not.

~HPxXxMC~

Harry woke up the morning after having dinner at Shell Cottage, and eagerly got himself ready for the day.

Finally the day had arrived. He was leaving for his birth country, leaving to get away from The Boy Who Lived mania, leaving to escape the reminders of war, and leaving to learn more about his roots.

He showered, dressed, double checked his travel bag to make sure he had everything he needed, double checked his Mokeskin pouch to make sure everything that wasn't in his travel bag that he wanted and needed was in there, and walked around the manor to make sure everything was in its place, neat, and clean.

Once that was done he took a quick trip to Diagon Alley and turned down Carkitt Market before he made his way to The Owl Post Office. He hired an owl and sent it off with the short letter he had written to Hermione, and estimated based on the speed of that particular owl that she would get it during his flight.

That was good enough for him. He would be well out of reach, more so than he already was with her being at Hogwarts, and all she would be able to do is send him a reply letter.

And if she's foolish enough to send me a Howler than I'm done with her. He thought as he left the post office.

He'd only had his nightmares and emotions to deal with, that was bad enough, but he had also caught himself a few times reacting to sudden loud noises, a scent, and strangely enough sometimes a particular shade of a color; mostly green.

When that had first started to happen he had been slightly glad that his eyes were no longer green. The last thing he wanted was to look into a mirror or his reflection in a window, see vibrant green eyes, and have a breakdown.

Or worse; a waking flashback of Voldemort sending a Killing Curse streaking his way.

Shaking away that disturbing imagery; the point was a Howler was loud, and he didn't do well with loud noises anymore.

Harry made his way back home using his permanent Portkey, and when one o'clock came around he grabbed his travel bag and Apparated to Heathrow Airport. He wanted to make sure nothing delayed him from getting on the plane.

Thirty minutes later he was on the plane and putting his bag in the overhead compartment in front of his seat. When that was done he scooted into the row and sat in his seat right next to the window.

He sighed as he idly looked out the window, seeing his reflection a little because of the angle, and smiled briefly at his blue eyes and nearly neat hair. He had removed his glasses and glamours as soon as he got home and he didn't anticipate having to use them again for quite some time.

Although, I wish there was one thing I could conceal. He thought as he glanced down to his hand.

The words 'I must not tell lies' was easily readable, and even though he knew it might give him away should the wrong person see it he didn't cover up the scar. It was for the same reason he didn't cover up the lightning bolt scar on his forehead. This was his true appearance and he didn't want to conceal his physical features now that he was going to be away from people who instantly recognized The Boy Who Lived.

Harry closed his eyes and breathed slowly to relax. This was his first time on a plane and he wanted to try and enjoy the experience or at least take it all in and see if he would enjoy it.

I have eleven hours and forty minutes to find out if I want to stay away from muggle airplanes. He told himself, but didn't let himself forget why he was taking the flight in the first place; so he couldn't be tracked magically.

The last thing he wanted was for anyone from the Daily Prophet to find him and know where he was going.

~Meanwhile~

Hermione Granger sat in the Gryffindor Common Room at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry working on her Potions homework.

She was so happy to be back at the castle, but at the same time she wished things were different. She wished that Ron and Harry were here with her, so it could be like the last six years she had been at the castle.

She sighed even as she stared at the book in front of her. She had tried so hard to get them to come back with her, but they had both refused for their own reasons. Harry because he supposedly couldn't live in the castle with his memories, and Ron actually refused or rather wouldn't give a reason.

She had hoped to spend a lot of time with Ron at the castle furthering their relationship and making memories. She had a lot of memories of them together as friends, but she had none of them at the castle while in a relationship. She wouldn't get to experience hiding away in a broom closet or an unused classroom kissing the minutes away.

Although, I have a hard time believing I could pull myself away from my studies to do that, but that's what Ron was supposed to do. She thought as she shook her head lightly.

And with Harry she had wanted him at the castle so the three of them could make those last memories here, but also to keep an eye on him since she really had no idea how he was really doing after the war ended. He had been keeping so much to himself and not talking that she was worried about him.

Then there was that incident with him and Cho at that new pub. I'm still not sure if he was really flirting with her or not. She thought with a frown. It could have been his way of dealing with the aftermath of the war and all the deaths, which makes me worried about what he's been doing all these months.

He denied that was what he was doing with Cho, but who knows what he was really doing. She thought with a frown. I suppose I should be glad he's not turning to alcohol. Although, I can't be sure he isn't despite not seeing him drink anything besides Butterbeer at the pub.

Hermione suddenly looked up as she heard a tapping at the window among the talking going on around her, and watched as one of the third years sitting nearby opened the window. The owl that had been out there flew inside and surprisingly directly toward her.

She took the folded parchment and thanked the owl before it flew away. She didn't recognize it, but she recognized the handwriting her name was written in.

Harry. She thought as she turned it over and open it. She hadn't expected a reply so soon considering he hadn't sent one before at least a week with all the other letters she had sent him since being back at the castle.

That's still faster than with Ron. She thought with a slight frown. But not as fast as with my parents. She told herself, but quickly pushed that away since things were still tense with them.

As Hermione read she nodded at the predictable replies he had toward her progress with her studies in her classes and how she felt about them. He always told her that she needed to not stress about it since she knew she would do better than anyone else anyway.

Of course he ignored her words about him needing to finish his education, and there was still nothing about him getting a job. She shook her head but stopped as she reached the end of his short letter, and gasped in shock.

He left! I can't believe he left! She thought with a shocked frown. And he didn't even tell me in person! She thought angrily.

Hermione couldn't believe it. What in the world was Harry thinking going traveling?! As far as she was concerned he should be focused on finishing his education and figuring out what he wanted to do with his life.

Instead he feels the need to go touring around the world or wherever he plans to travel to. She thought incredulously. He didn't even have the decency to say where he was going! Or even when he would be back!

Would he be back in time for the Christmas holidays or at least New Years? Or would he stay gone even longer than that?!

This is outrageous! He shouldn't have left, and to travel around of all things! I'm definitely going to let him know how I feel about this, and that he needs to get his behind back here and focus on what he should be focused on! She thought as she grabbed a blank piece of parchment.

~xXx~

Harry finished packing his bag with a sigh and looked around before he decided to go visit his Potter parents and say goodbye before he started his travels.

He made his way down to the foyer as usual and Apparated to an out of the way location at Godric's Hollow and began to walk. He walked pass the life size statue of his parents holding him as a baby, pass the house where they had lived before Voldemort ruined everything, and made his way toward the cemetery.

The sky was bright if a bit overcast and the air was cool, but it was nothing that bothered him.

Just as he was reaching the open gated entrance he stopped in shock to see his parents looking alive and well and walking toward him from inside the cemetery.

"Harry James Potter!" Lily Potter said angrily as they reached him. "What in the world are you thinking?!"

"You should not be leaving." James Potter said just as angrily. "There's nothing for you in Japan. No family, and no friends."

"You should stay here where you belong!" His mom said, her voice shifting from anger to persuasion. "In fact, you should join us, so we can finally be together again."

Harry blinked in confusion, but before he could even think of anything to say to any of their words they were moving closer to him. They each grabbed an arm and began to lead him into the cemetery, and when they reached the two Potter graves he saw a third one right next to theirs; with a headstone with his name and birth and death dates on it.

"Wait! No!" He said as he stopped and began to struggle against their suddenly tight grip on him. "I don't want this! I don't want to join you. I chose to come back and live." He said as he struggled.

"You chose to come back when you thought your Ginny would be here waiting for you." His dad said as they continued forward.

"She's with us now, and she's still waiting for you dear." His mom said softly. "Don't you want to be with her? Don't you want to see her, talk to her, touch her?"

Harry hesitated in his struggles. He was able to see and talk to her with the Resurrection Stone, but he wasn't able to touch her. The last time he had had been in his dreams.

He missed touching her, and feeling her touch him. She had been the only one he allowed to touch him so freely. His own reserve and his childhood with the Dursley's having made him wary of people touching him.

His hesitation was brief but it was enough for them to suddenly hurl him into the grave. He sucked in a sharp breath and closed his eyes as he fell, and when he thought he was about to hit the bottom he unconsciously blinked his eyes open as if he wanted to see it happen.

However, instead of hitting the bottom Harry jerked, startled, and blinked his eyes again as he found himself sitting in the back seat of a car. In the front in the passenger seat was his birth mother, and in the driver's seat was his birth father.

They were driving along a winding road and it was dark out, the only light coming from the headlights against the road. It was a very disconcerting change going from falling into a dark grave in the day to sitting in a car driving at night.

"You're traveling to Japan." Akina Chiba said as she turned in her seat to look back at him. "Why? Why are you doing that? Why would you do it? You've been perfectly happy to spend most of your life in England." She asked in angry disappointment.

"Yes."  Daichi Chiba  agreed. "Why now?" He asked, and then turned his head and looked back to him. "What do you hope to gain by going? Do you think you're worthy of going back there?" He asked, his voice growing angry.

"You are not! You do not have the right!" His father exclaimed angrily.

"There is nothing for you there. You can be a little wizard in the country you love so much." His mother added.

Harry stared at them in stunned shock. He could barely believe what he was hearing; barely believe the words they flung at him.

Before he could react beyond that, almost as the moment his mother finished speaking, the car veered off to the side, and he gasped sharply and lifted his arms and hands in front of him as they went over a cliff as if that would help him.

Harry blinked his eyes open sharply, startled out of his sleep, and looked around to see that he was still on the plane. He looked out the window and saw nothing but sky and clouds.

He sighed and closed his eyes briefly before he gazed out the window. He was very thankful he hadn't screamed or yelled in his sleep. With all his years of living with the Dursley's trying to keep quiet, dealing with Voldemort induced nightmares, and visions through his eyes because of the horcrux in him he had plenty of experience staying quiet when he was waking to keep his privacy.

He took a deep breath and let it out slowly as he closed his eyes against the sight beyond the window. The dream, nightmare, was disturbing, but he reminded himself that it was just that; a nightmare.

He had spoken to both sets of his parents, and they had given their blessings for him to do what he wanted. To live his life as he wished and go wherever he wanted. To reconnect with his roots and see how he liked it.

Although, the part about Ginny waiting for him was hard to hear. He didn't know if she was really waiting; he hadn't asked. She had just said she would be watching with his parents.

Another thing that bothered him was how his birth father had turned to look at him while he was driving, taking his eyes off the road. Had that actually happened? Was that how the accident that killed his parents actually happened?

He hadn't bothered to ask those details when he spoke to them with the stone, not deeming it important since they were already gone and not coming back, but he worried about it now. Had his baby self done something, made some noise, to cause his father to shift his attention from the road? Was it his fault his parents had died?

Harry opened his eyes and tried to shake away that thought. It didn't really work, but it was good enough for the moment. He checked the time and saw that it was only a few minutes before ten o'clock in the morning. The plane was due to arrive in Haneda Airport at 10:25am, so it wouldn't be long before he was in Tokyo.

He closed his eyes and took a slow deep breath, and let it out just as slowly as he turned his attention inward and to his Occlumency shield. He moved beyond the invisible dome and walked through the deceptive field of red roses toward the white unassuming gazebo.

He stepped through the strong golden transparent energy stretched between two pillars and into the library that housed his memories. He confidently moved forward and calmly began to organize his memories of the time since he woke up on the day of his flight to the present in the proper books; including the memory of the nightmare he had just woke up from.

With that done he turned and left the concealed library and walked through the rose field before he exited his mind.

Harry sighed as he opened his eyes feeling better. With the memory of the nightmare stored away properly the emotions it had created were dulled and easier to handle. Now with that out of the way he could focus on something more important: the end of his flight.

In a few more minutes they would be touching down, and he would start living life in his birth country; in the city he was born in. He would be speaking only Japanese from the moment he got off the plane, and identifying only as Mamoru Chiba.

The minutes passed quickly and soon the plane was landing and coming to a stop. Everyone grabbed their bags from the overhead compartment and began to exit the plane.

As he walked through the hallway that led from the plane into the airport building he pulled out his passport, which had his ticket in it, from his travel bag. He exited the hallway along with his fellow passengers and headed for a man behind a desk who was apparently a Customs and Border Protection officer.

He showed his passport and found out what the blank pages were for as he watched the first blank page be stamped.

"Welcome to Tokyo Mr. Chiba." The man said in Japanese, assuming from his name that he knew the language, as he handed him back his passport.

"Thank you." Harry replied in the same language as he took his passport.

This is it. Mamoru Chiba from here on out. He told himself as he placed his passport back in his bag as he walked further into the airport.

As he walked he looked around curiously even as he followed the signs toward the exit, and found it just like the airport he left from back in London. Everything was mostly Japanese and labeled in Japanese, but beyond that there was seating, shops, and restaurants.

Then he slowed as he saw something off to his left that was clearly magical. There was nothing fancy about it, just an area that looked like they had pushed up the gate to open up their shop. There was a long desk and a small simple open yet well-lit area behind it with some file cabinets.

It didn't look magical at all except for the sign, which read Magical Information Desk. As he stared at it the sign kept switching back and forth between English and Japanese, and he realized the sign would change language for the individual person reading it, which was very convenient in his mind.

Mamoru walked over to it and was greeted by the woman sitting there. He returned the greeting and explained that this was his first time in the country, and she said that was no problem at all before she began to gather things to give to him.

A number of pamphlets were slid in front of him on the Ministry, the hospital, and the bank which told the basics about them and where they were located. He was also given a pamphlet on the Japanese Wizard's Code, which was apparently a social code of ethics that all Japanese witches and wizards went by.

In addition to that he was very helpfully informed that since fireplaces weren't prevalent in Japan only the major locations had fireplaces to move to and from. The Ministry, the hospitals, and the bank. Their main mode of transportation was Apparition, and Portkey for long distances; otherwise non-magical transportation was used.

From her description he understood right away that they used the word 'non-magical' rather than 'muggle', so he made a mental note to adjust his terminology.

Mamoru thanked the woman and asked if there was anything he should know before he left the airport, and was informed that there were signs that would direct him to the Apparition point.

He thanked her again and she said he was welcome before welcoming him to Japan and hoping he enjoyed himself. With that he walked away with his pamphlets in hand.

That was very convenient and considerate, and a plus in my eyes in regards to my birth country. He thought as he glanced back to the information desk.

He knew for a fact that Heathrow Airport had no such magical information area, and it wasn't a leap in logic to think the other airports in England had no such area either.

He continued walking and began to look for the Apparition point. Although, he was unsure how he was going to go about using it. He didn't know the area around the building where his rental apartment was located in order to not appear in front of any non-magical's.

Not to mention I only have the address and the pictures of the outside of the building I saw online to go off of. He considered with a light sigh.

He finally spotted a sign directing him where he needed to go to Apparate without any non-magical's seeing, and followed it easily to the next as he tried to figure out what he could do about his dilemma.

Maybe I can use a Disillusionment Charm or my invisibility cloak while I Apparate. He considered thoughtfully.

As Mamoru followed the signs he nearly decided against the Disillusionment Charm, because he didn't think it would be able to adapt to him changing location so instantaneously. However, with a bit more thought he believed it would likely work the way he wanted if he used the Elder Wand since the results would be stronger.

Finally, minutes later, he reached the last sign which pointed him through a door. He opened it and found a simple yet spacious white room with a row of seats off against one wall. There was a large sign that read Apparition Point and on one side of the room was a sign that read Inbound and on the other side Outbound.

He looked at his position and quickly moved to the side that was for those going outbound. He didn't want to be in the way of someone arriving. He then moved toward the seating and sat down slipping his pamphlets into a side pocket of his bag, and then pulled his Mokeskin pouch from beneath his shirt and over his head.

It enlarged as he opened it and he reached in and searched for what he wanted. Within moments he pulled his hand back out with the Elder Wand in his grip. He closed the bag and watched as it shrunk before he returned it to its place around his neck and safely hidden beneath his shirt.

He stood up and silently disillusioned himself and his bag, and then hummed thoughtfully as he saw that the wand was also invisible.

Interesting. He thought before he concentrated on the address and the image of the front of the building where his rental apartment was.

When it was firmly in mind he willed himself there and silently disappeared and reappeared on the sidewalk in front of a building. He looked around and smiled, despite the cool dry air, as he found himself exactly where he wanted and needed to be.

Mamoru nodded as he adjusted his jacket against the cold and then began to walk to find a suitable location for him to cancel his charms without being seen. He found an alley across the street and quickly went there and, seeing that no one was looking out of their windows, canceled his charms.

He opened his travel bag and placed the Elder Wand inside for the time being, and pulled out his confirmation email about the apartment. After a momentary pause he took out his passport as well since they were likely to want identification that he was the Mamoru in the email.

He closed his bag and looked both ways as he left the alley before he walked across the street. He pulled open the glass door to the building and walked through the bright and clean lobby toward the front desk where a woman stood.

She greeted him which he returned before he explained that he had just arrived in the city and had rented an apartment there in advance. She asked for his confirmation email and to see a picture ID proving that he was right to take out his passport.

After checking out everything he was given his keys and welcomed to the building before being directed to the elevators.

Mamoru thanked her and walked over to the elevators and pressed the up button. The elevator opened right away and he pressed the button for the fifth floor after consulting his confirmation email.

The ride was short and when the doors opened he walked through the quiet carpeted hallway and stopped at the door to the apartment he had rented. He unlocked the door and stepped inside and instantly saw that it was exactly as the pictures showed. The light wooden floors, white walls, and nice sized windows were all there.

He closed the door and began to walk around to make sure the rest was as described. The TV was there, chairs, tables, and couch as well. The kitchen was indeed combined with the dining room. The single bedroom was there with the full sized made up bed, and a full bathroom with soap and towels.

He went and looked out the living room window and sighed even as he smiled. This was it. He had made it. He was in Japan, in Tokyo, on his own in his own temporary space.

No angry or nosy so called friends, no reporters, no one staring and pointing at The Boy Who Lived, and no reminders of the war and my losses. I'm Mamoru Chiba here, and can walk around freely without any problems. He told himself happily before he turned and sat on the couch.

Mamoru removed the strap of his travel bag from over his head and placed it on the couch before he first put the Elder Wand back in his Mokeskin pouch and then pulled out the pamphlets he had been given.

He chose to look through the one on the Ministry of Magic first and learned that it was here in Tokyo. It was located inside a tall office building in the business district. The ground floor had a security guard who was actually a wizard; he weighed wands and made sure non-magical's didn't get inside.

I imagine if they did he just escorted them right back out. He thought as he continued to read.

They had an Apparition point inside the building and one outside the building for new comers and those who preferred to arrive outside. The coordinates were clearly labeled for both.

He recalled reading about coordinate Apparating when he was learning to Apparate. They had never practiced it or required it to get the license, which he thought was foolish since he was now being confronted with doing it, but he wasn't worried. He was sure he could do it anyway.

Continuing on he learned that they also had a Statute of Secrecy, just like all magical societies apparently, but they had allowances in certain circumstances. Such as if a person were to marry a non-magical person they could inform them of their magical status and show them as proof.

Or even if they were dating someone and the person was trustworthy they could reveal the knowledge and show them. As long as the public at large didn't find out.

From his understanding that could be done back in England, but you weren't really supposed to do it. You were supposed to wait until you married the person and then spring it on them.

Unless you planned to live without magic once marrying then there was no reason to tell them. He thought as his eyes moved down the pamphlet. Until you found yourself with children and they started doing accidental magic.

He had never really thought about those particular issues when it came to dating or getting married. He'd had his brief crush on Cho and the one date, and then he had been with Ginny and had fully intended to continue to date her and then marry her. Both had been witches, so it had never been an issue.

And I doubt I'll have any issues now since I'm not interested in dating. He thought with a sigh as he pictured his Ginny's smiling face.

Mamoru then reached for the pamphlet on the Japanese Wizard's Code, and began to read just in case there was anything in it that could help keep him from embarrassing himself in his birth country.

It basically said no practicing the Dark Arts or braking the Statute of Secrecy. If a person did then not only was it a terrible disgrace but they could face a legal trial at the Ministry. None of which he had to worry about at all, so he was sure he wouldn't disgrace himself or his birth country.

He put all but the pamphlet on the Ministry away in his bag and then shrunk the bag and placed it in his pocket along with the key to the apartment. He looked at the coordinates to the Apparition point outside the Ministry and easily memorized them as he put his wand back in his holster.

He got up and left the apartment, making sure the door was firmly locked, and headed down and out of the building. He walked away from the building and found a different suitable area to Apparate from and, focusing on the coordinates he memorized, silently disappeared.

He reappeared strangely enough in an alley, and was greeted by a sign on the wall that said that the Ministry of Magic was directly to the left once leaving the alley. Walking out he saw that the sign was correct. The office building he had just read about was there.

Mamoru walked up to the glass door and pulled it open and saw that it was just like he imagined a non-magical office building would look; except he could feel the magic practically radiating around him. Shaking his head he moved further in and walked up to the man in uniform behind the desk.

"Wand please." The man said as he stood up.

Mamoru pulled his wand from his holster and reluctantly handed it over. He didn't think he would ever be comfortable handing his wand to a stranger.

He couldn't see what the man did with his wand, but he brought it back into view a few moments later with no problems.

"All is in order." The security wizard said as he handed the wand back. "Welcome to the Ministry of Magic. The elevators are over there." He said as he gestured to his left further down the lobby.

"Thank you." Mamoru said before slipped his wand back in his holster and headed for the elevators.

As he reached the area he saw a sign that listed the departments and what floor each was on. He hadn't memorized the different departments of the Ministry back in England, but imagined these were the same just with slightly different names and maybe more or less departments.

Seeing which department he needed he went and pressed the up button and waited. It took a few long moments to come and when it did a few people stepped off. He waited for them to step away from the doors before he stepped inside. He pressed the button for the floor he needed and watched the doors close.

A few people got on and off on different floors and when his floor came the doors opened to a large bold sign that read Department of Immigration and Citizenship. He stepped off and turned to walk toward where he saw a front desk.

"Welcome to the Department of Immigration and Citizenship. How can I help you?" The woman sitting there asked.

"I need to register for citizenship, and I was wondering how to go about that." Mamoru said.

"Of course." She said before she pointed down a hallway. "Down that way the first door on your right is where you need to go."

"Thank you." He said.

"You're welcome." She replied before he walked in the direction she had pointed him toward.

When he reached the door he saw that it was a spacious office and a woman sat behind the desk reading something. He knocked and she looked up and smiled.

"Come on in, and please close the door." She said as she set aside what she was reading. "Please have a seat." She said after he had closed the door, and he sat in one of the chairs in front of the desk that left his back angled toward the wall rather than the door.

"I'm Hakura Keiko. I'm guessing you want to register as a magical citizen." She said.

"Yes, and I'm wondering if the process might be a bit different because of my situation." Mamoru said.

"Tell me about it, and we'll find out." Ms. Hakura said.

"Well, I was originally born here in Tokyo and from what I've learned fairly recently my parents took me with them on vacation. They died during that vacation and I was adopted, but my adopted parents made sure I was able to use both my birth and adopted names legally." Mamoru explained before he went about pulling out his passports from their locations on him.

"Hmm…that's interesting." She said thoughtfully. "So you're already a citizen of Japan, and you just need to resister as a magical citizen. Does that mean your birth parents weren't magical? Because if they were you would already be registered."

"No they weren't magical." He replied as he slid his passports over. "This might help explain my situation."

Keiko raised an eyebrow and saw that one passport was non-magical and from England, which explained where he had been adopted, and the magical passport just said the Ministry of Magic. However, she recognized the coat of arms, which indicated that it was the British Ministry of Magic further proving that he had been living in England.

She opened the non-magical passport and saw his picture looked like him and said his name was Chiba Mamoru. Then she opened the magical passport, and her eyes widened as she saw that the picture was the same and yet some features were different and there was a different name.

An easily recognizable name that was known worldwide. Potter Harry.

Keiko looked back and forth between the pictures seeing a set of blue eyes and a set of green eyes, slightly messy yet relaxed black hair and wild black hair, glasses in one and no glasses in the other, but the same slight lightning bolt scar.

"This does explain it, and it also explains why you didn't put your adopted name on your non-magical passport. You deliberately wanted them separate." She said as she looked back to him; slightly in disbelief that Potter Harry was sitting in front of her.

"Yes." Mamoru said as he nodded. "The Wizarding World at large doesn't know, especially not in England, and I intend to keep it that way for the foreseeable future. Aside from that the only ones who would know right now are those who handle legal papers, and they would have to be deliberately looking for those particular documents."

"Understandable." Keiko said as she nodded before she closed and slid the passports back to him. "Well, this should be easy enough. Here in Japan we take privacy very seriously, so no one will be looking through your records without a serious reason."

"That's good to know." He said with a sigh as he took the passports and put them away.

"Now then." She said before she moved her chair and opened a drawer and pulled out a document. "All you have to do is fill this out. Much simpler than it is with the non-magical government with the piles of documents you need to fill out and then the years to wait."

"Wow. It's either easier when being adopted as a baby or my parents used magic to help the process along since I can't imagine it's all that different in England." Mamoru said as he took the offered pen and began to fill in the blank spaces.

"I think it might have been a bit of both actually." Keiko said thoughtfully.

He nodded as he continued to write, thankful that so far they used pens and not ink and quills. A few moments later he finished and slid it across the desk as he put the pen down.

"Alright. You're all set." Keiko said before she pulled out her wand and made two duplicates of the document. "One for me, one for the Records Department, and one for you." She explained as she slid him one of the duplicate copies.

"Thank you." Mamoru said as he took the copy.

"You'll receive an official document of citizenship in the mail in a couple of days." She informed him, and he nodded and assumed it would be coming by owl since he didn't have an official address here.

"You should get a magical passport as well while you're here." She suggested.

"Where would I go to do that?" He asked.

"In the Department of Transportation. They have a passport office there." She informed him.

"Do you know how much it costs?" He asked as he stood up.

"Five sapphire Hōseki." Keiko said easily, which completely threw him, but he didn't let it show.

"Alright. Thanks for telling me." Mamoru said despite his confusion.

"You're welcome. You have a good day." She said.

"Thanks; you too." He said before he turned and opened the door and headed out.

Mamoru sighed. He was glad that that was done and out of the way, but clearly he had things to learn. He assumed from his question sapphire Hōseki was some form of currency here, but that was all he could infer. He needed to know more.

But where can I learn? He wondered as he passed the front desk, waving to the lady there.

He needed to learn not only about the money, but also what the magical society was like here. Plus, he could see that things were more modern here than they were back in England, and he wanted his magical skill to be on par with his birth country.

As he reached the elevators he saw a sign with the list of departments on it like there was on the ground floor. He hadn't noticed before because he had turned in the opposite direction. Reading through it now he saw that there was a department for where he should go. He just hoped they had a service for what he needed.

He pressed the down button and wait only moments this time before the elevator arrived and the doors opened. He stepped inside and pressed the button for the floor he wanted, and waited as the doors closed and the elevator began to smoothly move downward.

When the doors opened again it was on the floor he wanted and the large bold sign read Department of Education.

He stepped out and turned as he did on the previous floor and walked to the front desk. This time a man sat there.

"Good morning. Welcome to the Department of Education. How can I help you?" He asked.

"Good morning. I'm new to the country and I just finished registering as a citizen, and I was wondering if you had any tutoring programs?" Mamoru asked. "I'm hoping for some help in learning about the magical society here and increasing my magical education."

"Indeed, we do have tutoring programs. Let me check the list and see if anyone is currently available." He said. "Do you want them now or does any time work for you?"

"Any time is good to me. I literally just arrived in the country a little over half an hour ago. I have nothing to do except find some food." Mamoru said, and that was the truth. He needed to stock his refrigerator, and he was a bit hungry. After all, the last time he ate was dinner at Bill and Fleur's house the night before his flight.

"Alright. We have a tutor that is listed as available right now. If you'll have a seat I'll call him in right now." The man said as he gestured to a row of seats off to his left.

"Sure." Mamoru said as he looked over.

He walked over and sat down and looked over at the man and watched as he held a phone to his ear. He was surprised at that. The Ministry back in England ran on nothing but magic; no electricity at all.

That's interesting. Does that mean they know how to make electricity work around magic? He wondered curiously as he pulled his travel bag out.

He pulled his wand and reversed the shrinking charm and place his copy of his citizenship questionnaire inside before he re-shrunk it and slipped it back inside his pocket.

I really do need to find a grocery store. He thought as he put his wand back inside his holster. I might have to find some fast food place if I can't find one around the apartment. He considered as he waited.

"They're on their way." The man called lightly.

"Alright. Thank you." Mamoru said.

Later today I'll write letters to everyone letting them know I arrived safely. I'll figure out some way of getting them to them. Maybe the tutor will be able to tell me if there's a magical post office here. He thought as he waited.

He spent the next few minutes lost in thought, idly aware they were starting to center around food, when he suddenly heard talking. He looked over toward the front desk and saw a tall guy standing there with a medium skin tone, and short blond hair with bangs that curled in the front wearing a black long sleeve shirt and blue jeans.

He looked over toward him and walked over to him, and he stood up assuming this guy was the tutor.

"Hey. I'm Furuhata Motoki." He said as he reached him, green eyes calm and welcoming.

"I'm Chiba Mamoru." He replied, understanding that the last name was spoken first in an introduction after hearing him and the woman down in the Department of Immigration and Citizenship do so.

"So, what kind of tutoring do you need?" Motoki asked.

"I literally just arrived in the country nearly an hour ago, and I'm hoping to level up my magical education and learn my way around the society here." Mamoru explained.

"Ah. I can do that. I graduated almost a year ago, but I learned well." Motoki assured him. "And I can definitely show you all around magical Tokyo. You'll definitely need to know where the shopping alley is at the very least today."

"Thank you." Mamoru said with a slight smile. "I would ask how much this is going to cost, but that's something else I need to learn about. Either way however much it costs I'm willing to pay it; this is that important to me."

"Alright. Come on. I'm going to take you to the magical shopping center first. You're going to need to know where it is, and you need supplies so we can start your tutoring if you don't already have them." Motoki said as he gestured behind him.

"So I do private tutoring four days a week; twice on weekdays and during the weekend. The other days I work part time at an arcade called Game Center Crown." He explained as they reached the elevators.

"I've never been to an arcade before. You'll have to show me where it is so I can try it out." Mamoru said as he pressed the down button.

"No problem." Motoki said even though he was curious about why someone his age had never been to one before.

"And that schedule is fine with me. My education and learning my way around the city is all I'm going to be focusing on." Mamoru said as they stepped inside the elevator. "Where is it going to be at?"

"I usually do it at the person's home. Are you okay with that?" Motoki asked.

"Yes. I'm currently in a short term rental apartment. I'll take you there after you show me all around the magical alley." Mamoru said as the elevator moved down the building.

"So why did you decide to come here if I can ask?" Motoki asked curiously.

"I needed a change of scenery and decided Japan would be my first stop." Mamoru answered, and then shrugged. "I have no idea how long I'm going to stay, but I have no time limit so no worries."

"Well I hope you like it here." Motoki said.

"Well I already like what I've seen so far. I'm sure it can only get better from here." Mamoru said, and he meant that.

"So why do you do tutoring? Do you like teaching?" He asked him as they got off the elevator on the ground floor.

"I do like teaching, but I actually do it because I need the income. I'm going to a non-magical university and I need to be able to pay my tuition for the next school term." Motoki said.

"I've never thought about going to a non-magical university before." Mamoru said, but of course he hadn't had any non-magical education since his Hogwarts letter arrived. It was something to think about.

"I haven't even thought about what I want to do since I finished my schooling." He added. The last time he had thought about it was his fifth year when he had wanted to be an Auror, and he had of course decided he wasn't interested in that path since the war ended.

"Maybe you'll figure it out while you're here." Motoki said as they reached the Apparition point in the lobby. "You good to side-along Apparate?" He asked.

"Yeah." Mamoru said as he nodded and grabbed his arm.

"Hang on." Motoki said before he paused and they disappeared from the Ministry lobby.

~xXx~

The two young men appeared with a pop in a little side alley that had doorways to bathrooms, a water fountain, and at the end against the wall was a beautiful dark jade green statue.

"Where are we exactly?" Mamoru asked as he released his tutor's arm and looked toward the opening of the alley where people were walking by in both directions with shopping bags.

"We're in an outside shopping center, and that statue is the entrance to the alley." Motoki answered. "To non-magical's the statue is overlooked." He said as they walked toward it.

It was a dragon. A Japanese Winder; named for its slender body and that it looked like it was winding and dancing as it flew through the air. Mamoru recognized it from his studies for his Care of Magical Creatures N.E.W.T.

"Pay attention. This is how you get in." Motoki said as they reached the statue.

He pulled out his wand and taped the end against the dragon's snout. The jade dragon bowed and moved aside revealing the entrance to the magical alley and all the activity going on within.

"Welcome to Kototama Market Place." Motoki said as they stepped inside.

Mamoru looked around wide eyed. It was like Diagon Alley and the side allies, but more bright and modern. It seemed this took after the non-magical outside shopping center. There was even a second level of shops like in a non-magical mall.

"Do they have anything like this where you're from?" Motoki asked as he looked at his companion's awed face.

"Yeah. I've been living in England and they have a shopping alley in London that's kind of like this, but the society is stuck a few centuries back so everything is kind of dark." Mamoru said.

"I mean it's colorful and really populated and all, but the two sides are so close," He explained as he gestured with his arms and hands using the row of shops on either side of them. "and everything is crowded and lit with magic and candles and torches. Everybody uses parchment, quills, and ink to write with."

"Wow." Motoki said in surprise. "They seriously need to modernize."

"Yeah. I highly doubt they will anytime soon, but seeing this just gives me another reason to like it here." Mamoru said with a light smile. "Alright. Show me what I need to know and I'll explore another time for the rest. And you should probably start by explaining the money."

"Okay. First stop is Kuramas Wizarding Bank." Motoki said as he began to lead the way forward. "Here in Japan we use Hōseki Yen, which are three coins made of gemstones. Emeralds, Sapphires, and Rubies. Emeralds are our most valued coin here."

"We use gold, silver, and bronze coins back in England. I made a non-magical bank account to use when I came here, so how…" Mamoru began, but his companion anticipated him.

"Don't worry. They'll be able to help you." Motoki assured him as they walked. "Do you have your bank card with you?" He asked.

"Yeah." Mamoru answered.

"Good. Then let's go inside and get that taken care of." Motoki said as they rounded a corner into the next walkway.

Mamoru blinked and instantly knew which building was the bank. It looked like pictures he had seen in Japantown of shrines and temples. It was two levels with white walls and gold lining the border of the windows. There were six tall golden pillars holding up the second level and golden tiles made up the slightly flowing gabled style roofs making it look elegant.

The short white stone stairs led up to a veranda like aisle, which the pillars stood on the edge of, before the large white double doors with gold decorations came into view.

The closer they got the better he could see the large sign above the door that said Kuramas Bank in vibrant green letters.

As they walked they could see people up ahead of them who were also clearly headed for the bank, and watched as the doors were opened for them.

"Isn't it cool how the doors open on their own? It does it every time someone approaches to go inside." Motoki said.

Mamoru blinked as he glanced to Motoki and just hummed in response, because he could see what was actually opening the doors. Black foxes were sitting on either side of the doors and using their tails to open them. He didn't understand why he could see them and Motoki couldn't.

Maybe they're like Thestrals or it has something to do with having The Deathly Hallows. He wondered as he eyed the foxes.

They looked just like regular non-magical foxes. Their fur looked just as silky and soft, their tails just as fluffy, their ears just as perky. The only things that were different was that they had white eyes and, as they reached the stone stairs, he could see that they were rather large. Half the size of the large doors in fact, and as tall as him while seated as they were.

They opened the doors and Motoki walked through as they approached the doorway, but he paused as he looked at both foxes. They both turned their heads and looked to him in a way that somehow looked knowing and yet curious.

"Thank you." He said simply, and watched as they bowed their heads.

Mamoru nodded his head in return and walked through the doorway, and gasped at what he saw. The lobby that he had stepped into looked nothing like he had expected. The walls were white and decorated with gold fox decals in various poses and stances that shined against the wall, and the floor was brown marble but it looked like an actual forest floor.

On top of that there were tall trees growing out of the floor as if the bank had been built around them, and as his eyes followed them up he gasped again as they landed on the ceiling. Or what should have been the ceiling. Instead it was open and showing the true sky outside.

Wow. He thought as he was reminded of the ceiling in the Great Hall at Hogwarts; only this was real instead of just perfectly mimicking the outside.

He allowed his eyes to drift back down as he slowly stepped forward, and that's when he noticed the decorative statues standing along the sides of various types of foxes. Aside from that along one wall were a few large fireplaces with golden flames; obviously for Floo traveling.

"Come on Mamoru." Motoki called, and he moved forward as his eyes continued to look around.

"The bank is run by kitsunes, but they also have witches and wizards employed." Motoki informed him as he caught up to him. "I usually can't tell who is kitsune and who isn't since they can transform themselves to look human."

"Really?" Mamoru said as he looked toward the tellers.

Now that he was focused on them he could see that most of them had almond shaped eyes, and pointed ears like the elves he had read about back before he found out he was a wizard. Some had brown hair, red hair, blonde hair, white hair, and black hair with eyes ranging from those colors and more, and they were beautiful and handsome.

When they got close to a teller that was free he could see that the male had fangs in his mouth and claws instead of fingernails.

"How can I help you today gentlemen?" The male asked pleasantly.

"My friend here is new to Japan and needs to learn about our currency and set up an account." Motoki explained.

"Certainly." The male kitsune said before he reached into a place beneath the counter and placed three coins on the counter top.

He explained that Japan's magical community used those three round coins, which were a vibrant red, green, and blue with the image of a dragon within a beaded circle on one side and a fox within a beaded circle on the other with the coins value number on it. They called them Hōseki Yen, and they were actually shaped gemstones of Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald.

"Most carry around the Emeralds, but there are some that like or prefer to use the exact amount and carry around the Sapphires and Rubies as well." He continued, before he explained the value of each coin.

He moved on from there and Mamoru listened as it was explained that for large purchases they used a debit-like card like the non-magical's used. That way a person didn't need to carry around large amounts of money, and it would not stand out should someone non-magical happen to see it.

"Oh, that is so much better than back in England." Mamoru said, very impressed.

"The Goblins run the bank there do they not? What do they do for large purchases? I've always wanted to know." The teller asked.

"They use a small key that's about that size." Mamoru said as he gestured to the coins. "In the stores when it was time to pay you press them to this paper, and it somehow links up to your vault and takes the money directly from there."

"Ah yes." The teller said as he nodded in understanding. "I have heard of the vaults as well. Here we use safety deposit boxes that range from small boxes to large rooms, and that is really only for safe keeping valuables of all sizes."

Mamoru nodded, and was further impressed. It was clear to him that they seem to run much like a non-magical bank. They had debit cards, they didn't travel down to vaults underground with dragons standing guard, and they weren't intimidating on sight.

From what he had learned back in England Gringotts was supposed to be the only wizarding bank in the world.

Apparently that knowledge is very outdated since Japan clearly has a wizarding bank; that or the Japanese keep it secret somehow. He considered thoughtfully.

"Alright. So you need to open an account. Do you have a non-magical account and a debit or credit card to go with it?" The teller asked.

"Yes. I have a debit card." Mamoru answered.

"Excellent. Let's see it, and we can easily get you set up." The male said.

Mamoru nodded and pulled out his travel bag from his pocket before he pulled his wand from his holster and resized it. He pulled out his debit card and placed it in front of the teller before he shrunk his travel bag back down and put it back in his pocket.

As he was storing his wand away he watched as the teller swiped his card much like a non-magical bank would or a store before handing it back to him.

"Okay. How much would you like to use to start your account?" The teller asked.

"How about half of what's there." Mamoru said, knowing that would give him a couple of hundred thousand Emeralds to use, and still leave him with a similar amount in his non-magical account.

He resisted shaking his head as he pocketed his card. His trust vault had had more than enough to pay for seven years of tuition, and get him through school even if he had constantly splurged on necessary or unnecessary random purchases.

The male teller nodded and began to go about complying with his request. He pulled out a blank white card the size of his non-magical debit card and waved his hand over it. He then swiped it and stared at what was probably a screen or something similar.

"Would you like to take out any Hōseki now?" The male asked.

"Yes." Mamoru answered before he looked to Motoki. "How much do you suggest since you know what supplies I'll need?" He asked.

"Give him twenty-five Emeralds, twenty Sapphires, and fifteen Rubies." Motoki said, and Mamoru nodded when the teller looked to him for confirmation.

The teller nodded and went back to what he was doing. A couple of minutes later he placed the card on the counter and slid it to Mamoru. He picked it up and looked it over as the male began to take out Hōseki yen for him.

It was a white card with a gold fox posed in mid leap in the middle of the card and had gold lettering. At the top in a corner was the banks name, at the bottom on the left was his name, and to the right was the current month and year.

"Okay. You have your debit card there." The teller said. "It is of course linked to your account, and on the back you need to add a small drop of blood that will act as your signature as well as security to make it so no one else can use it."

Mamoru turned the card over and quickly did just that, so he wouldn't have to worry about it later, and watched as his birth name appeared in his hand writing. What surprised him was that he could see his adopted name appear in the background before fading away.

Does that mean I could use it while using my adopted name as well? He wondered before he looked back to the teller.

"And here are your Hōseki yen. Twenty-five Emeralds, twenty Sapphires, and fifteen Rubies as requested." The male said as he pushed the coins toward him.

"Thank you." Mamoru said as he placed his new debit card in the opposite pocket from his non-magical one. He then grabbed the coins and placed them in the same pocket.

"Thank you so much for all of your help." He said.

"You're very welcome. Have a good day gentlemen." The teller said.

Mamoru and Motoki nodded before they turned and began to make their way out of the bank and out into the cool air. As they walked back the way they came through the market place Motoki pointed out the major shops, stores, and service providers.

However, just like Mamoru had asked they didn't stop in any of them. He would explore on his own another day. Today was just to get his study essentials.

They first stopped in a store that sold luggage and bags and Mamoru purchased a messenger style bag that had a feather light charm on it and an expansion charm on the inside. That way he would have a place to put his study materials since he didn't want to fill his pockets with them and risk losing anything.

After that they made their way to a bookstore and at Mamoru's insistence Motoki began to guide him in getting all the books he would have gotten had he started his magical education in Japan.

This turned out to be one book a year for each subject, including a couple of subjects he hadn't taken back at Hogwarts, sometimes multiple books a year for certain subjects. He spent a good chunk of Emeralds on the books and took his time placing them inside his messenger bag.

Once all his books were stored they left the store and Motoki took him to a stationery store so he could get the writing materials. He was surprised to see non-magical pens of various varieties and colors alongside inks, quills and brushes, and various types of paper.

This included the familiar parchment, Washi, non-magical lined paper, and a type of paper that seemed to be a mixture of parchment and non-magical lined paper. It had the same shape, size, and color of paper non-magical's used but had the thickness of parchment.

He picked up a couple of packages of that paper, a package of blank letter sized paper and envelopes since he needed to send letters back to England. He then grabbed a couple of pens, grateful he didn't have to go back to ink and quill; although he thought he might come back and get some just in case he needed them for any reason.

Mamoru purchased the items, stored them in his bag, and he and Motoki left the store and made their way to the Apparition point. He had Motoki grab hold of his arm and he focused on the alley across the street from his rental apartment before he willed him and his passenger there.

"I'm in there." He told Motoki after they appeared in the empty alley. "Come on." He said as he walked out of the alley and began to cross the quiet street.

Motoki followed silently and they entered the building and headed for the elevators. One arrived as soon the button was pressed and they stepped inside and Mamoru pressed the button for the fifth floor.

The ride was short and they got off onto a quiet carpeted hallway and walked along until they stopped in front of a door labeled 5C. Motoki made sure to memorize it as Mamoru pulled out a key and unlocked the door.

"Nice place." Motoki said as they stepped inside.

"Thanks. I was glad it looked exactly as it did online when I rented the place." Mamoru said as he pocketed his key and dropped his messenger bag on the couch.

"Is this good for my tutoring?" He asked as he looked to Motoki. "There's plenty of light, and I suppose we can use the dining table. At least for the theory; practical stuff that involves something other than a wand can wait for the time being."

"Yeah. The dining table is definitely big enough for your books and to write on, and we can figure out something later for the hands on stuff." Motoki agreed as he nodded.

"I'll come back the day after tomorrow, and we can really get started. Until then I want you to start reading the first chapter of the books for each subject and we'll go from there." He said.

"Alright. I'll make sure to be ready." Mamoru said positively. After all, he only had food to find and letters to write.

"Okay then. I'll go and let you finish getting settled in." Motoki said as he began to move back toward the door. "I'll see you the day after tomorrow; let's say..noon?" He said as he opened the door.

"That's fine." Mamoru agreed as he joined him at the door. "Thanks for everything."

"No problem. I'll be seeing you." Motoki said.

"Alright. Bye." Mamoru said.

"Bye." Motoki said before he began to walk down the hallway and toward the elevator.

Mamoru closed the door and sighed and went and grabbed his new bag. He didn't know what time the Avian Postal Services closed, so he wanted to get his letters written quickly. He didn't plan on writing anything long; just letting everyone know he had arrived at his location.

My first location as far as they know. He thought as he pulled out his new letter paper, envelopes, and pen. Okay. One for Bill and Fleur, one for Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, one for Neville, one for George, one for Kingsley, and one for Hermione. He listed off as he sat at the dining table.

They can let everyone else know if they want to, and if people care to ask. He thought as he began to write the first letter.

*Oui: yes

Chapter Text

A couple of weeks had passed since Mamoru's arrival in Tokyo and it was now December and growing colder than when he had first arrived in the city.

The day after he had gotten his account at Kuramas Wizarding Bank he had returned to the Ministry and gone to the Department of Transportation and filled out the paperwork, taken the picture, and paid the fee for his passport. It had only taken a few days to arrive, and had looked just like his other passports with obvious differences.

It was green with gold lettering that said Magical Community of Japan at the top and Passport at the bottom with the Ministry coat of arms in the center of the two.

Beyond that he had gotten some grocery shopping done, and had even gotten himself some clothes at one of the clothing stores in Kototama Market Place.

One thing of note that he was still displeased about was that Hermione had written to him. He'd received her reply two days after he had arrived and a day after he sent off his letters letting everyone, including her, know that he had arrived at his destination safely.

~xXx~

Mamoru was relaxing in his rental apartment eating a snack, and watching TV while he waited for Motoki to arrive for his tutoring session. Suddenly he heard a sharp tap at the window and looked over to see an owl holding a red envelop. His eyes widened and he muted the TV before he put his snack down and went to open the window.

"Thank you." He told the owl as he took the envelop after it landed on the windowsill. "I want to offer you something to drink, but I don't think you want to hang around and listen to this letter."

The owl sort of nodded with a light hoot before leaping out the window and flying off.

He closed the window and drew his wand from his holster before he silenced the entire room, remembering from his time at Hogwarts how loud a Howler could be, and braced himself for the noise as he opened the envelope that had slowly begun to smoke.

"HARRY JAMES POTTER!" Came the unmistakable shriek of Hermione Granger's voice as the letter began to float in the air. "HOW COULD YOU LEAVE THE COUNTRY? AND WITHOUT EVEN TELLING ME?! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS? WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!"

"WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS? WHY WOULD YOU LEAVE US ALL? WHY WOULD YOU LEAVE THE  WEASLEY'S  LIKE THIS?! AFTER EVERYTHING THEY'VE DONE FOR YOU?! AFTER THE LOSSES THEY'VE SUFFERED?! WHY ARE YOU BEING SO SELFISH?!" He narrowed his eyes as he listened.

"AND WHAT ABOUT ME AND RON?! HOW COULD YOU LEAVE US LIKE THIS? AFTER WHAT WE'VE BEEN THROUGH? ME AND RON ARE YOUR CLOSEST FRIENDS, HAVE BEEN BY YOUR SIDE DURING EVERY DIFFICULT EVENT YOU'VE EVER BEEN THROUGH; WE'VE BEEN WITH YOU DURING THE DIFFICULT AND DANGEROUS HUNT FOR THE HORCRUXES FOR GOODNESS SAKE!"

"WE DESERVE BETTER THAN TO BE LEFT LIKE THIS! WHAT YOU NEED TO DO IS PUT YOUR PRIORITIES IN ORDER AND GET BACK HERE AND FOCUS ON FINISHING YOUR EDUCATION, TAKING YOUR N.E.W.T.S, SO YOU CAN MAKE SOMETHING OF YOUR LIFE INSTEAD OF TRAVELING AROUND TRYING TO BE SOME KIND OF JET-SETTER!" Her voice finished shrieking and the letter burst into flames and left a small pile of ashes on the floor where they fell.

~xXx~

Mamoru had never been sent a Howler before.

I wonder where she learned to make one. He thought idly, but he didn't particularly care.

What he cared about was that Hermione apparently cared more about expressing her misplaced anger at him, and what he should be doing with his time and life according to her, than being considerate of him and his feelings.

She obviously didn't care where he would be when her Howler arrived or who would be around. He was living in a non-magical building, surrounded by non-magical people as far as he knew, and beyond that Motoki had just missed hearing it; only arriving a few minutes after it finished speaking for his tutoring session.

And her words had him narrowing his eyes just as he had when he was listening to her shouting voice. He appreciated that she and Ron had been by his side through many things, but they hadn't been with him through everything. He could think of numerous instances where he had had to face extreme danger alone.

Hermione acted like just because they were his friends he needed to tether his life to them and be with them all the time, do what they wanted him to do, and judging by a few instances before he left and before Hermione had gone back to Hogwarts they thought he should act like they wanted him to act or at least expected him to as well.

He hadn't spoken much to Ron over the passing months back in England, but Hermione at least seem to think their lives wouldn't change after the war.

Had Ginny lived he highly likely would still be back in England enjoying his relationship with her, and being unaware that he had been adopted. After all, he would have had no reason to go to his family vault for money since his trust vault did very well for that; at least when he eventually found out about it.

He wasn't sure what he would have been doing besides that, because he wasn't sure if he would have gone ahead with being an Auror or not. He definitely wouldn't have gone back to Hogwarts, but he didn't know if he would have taken his N.E.W.T.s either.

It was also possible that he still would have left to travel, but he would have taken Ginny with him once she was of age. They likely would have gone to France or somewhere in Europe, and he wouldn't have even thought to learn Japanese let alone learn a language at all.

Of course things would have likely been different than that as well depending on what Ginny wanted to do since he very well remembered she had wanted to be a professional Quidditch player.

Mamoru shook his head and decided he wasn't writing Hermione anymore. Maybe his complete silence would give her his response loud and clear. The distance between them would definitely continue beyond the physical distance his travel had placed between them.

That's for sure. He thought as he recalled thinking he would be done with her if she sent him a Howler.

Since Motoki had featured in his thoughts his mind turned to him. Motoki was proving to be a good tutor and his studies were going well so far.

Beyond tutoring him with his magical education he had also begun to teach him the cultural mannerisms he would have learned while growing up had he lived in Japan. Aside from that he had also become his tour guide around the city.

He had been shown the arcade that Motoki worked at, a couple of hospitals, government buildings so he knew where to find them should he need to, and how to navigate on public transportation.

It was something he very much appreciated, and as far as he could tell from his past experiences Motoki was well on his way to becoming a good friend.

Another thing of note to happen over the past weeks was that Mamoru had decided to look for a permanent place while he was getting his tutoring. He had found that he liked the city enough to have a permanent residence if only to visit when he wanted to come back to the country.

With that in mind once his two week lease had ended he had extended his lease another two weeks to give him time to look for a place. During his search he had narrowed his choices down to apartments to live in since it would be impractical to get a house without having a family in the country.

Finally in the middle of December, just a few days before he would have to renew his lease yet again, he found a place as he was looking through one of those glossy real estate magazines. It only had the picture of the building displayed, but he wasted no time contacting the agent and after making arrangements he headed out into the cold to go see it.

The building was a high rise building and the apartment was on one of the highest floors. The hallway outside the apartment was quiet and carpeted, which was nice, and he was advised that there were only three other apartments on that floor; only one of which was occupied.

Once inside he walked around and saw that it had two bedrooms, 1 bathroom, and a hall closet. A spacious living room, a small kitchen but it had a lot of storage and counter space, and two large balconies; one off the living room and one off one of the bedrooms.

The balconies had glass panels with silver metal railings over and around them, windows that went from the floor up nearly to the ceiling, light wood cabinets, light wood floors and matching doors and door jambs, black round doorknobs, white walls, and white counter tops.

It's not furnished, but it looks great as far as I'm concerned. I can definitely work with this. He thought as he looked out the living room balcony window. Yes. This is the one.

Mamoru turned to the real estate agent and firmly told them that he would take it. From there they left the apartment and went down to the first floor of apartments where there was one that was set up as a real estate office for the building. The transaction was made there, taking a good chunk of the yen from his non-magical bank account, but he didn't mind; it was worth it to have his own personal private space.

While there he made arrangements to have the utilities transferred into his name, once again pleased that this country was more advanced, enough so that he could use as much magic as he wanted and it wouldn't affect the electricity and power. He also knew that he would need to set up a phone line.

After I actually get a phone. He told himself as he left the real estate agent and headed back to his rental apartment.

It would be a few days before everything went through with the transaction and the utilities, but that would give his lease time to run out, give him the time to get all of his things together, and give him an opportunity to tell Motoki the news.

~xXx~

Mamoru was back at his apartment four days later once his rental lease expired with his things. He had absolutely no problem moving in without there being any furniture. He knew he could always conjure himself a bed and a desk until he could buy his furniture.

Not that that will be necessary. I'll be back out tomorrow to start buying everything. He thought as he pulled off his Mokeskin pouch, and pulled the Elder Wand from it.

He had thought long and hard over the pass few days and knew exactly what he wanted to do. He intended to thoroughly make the place his own as well as as protected as possible.

The war was long over and done with, but he was forever changed by the experience.

First he walked around and carefully enchanted the entire apartment, including his balconies, to be Unplottable, so he could use as much magic as he wanted without anyone knowing; especially the Ministry. He was of age and could use as much magic as he wanted, but he didn't want them becoming curious if he began to use an excessive amount; especially if he was the only wizard in the building.

He then put up a permanent silencing charm so no one could hear what was going on inside his apartment whether it was some form of magic he was trying or his nightmares.

He then used a new spell he found on the windows to the balconies to make sure no one could see into his apartment even if they had binoculars to insure his privacy when he had the curtains open.

Finally he put Anti-Apparition wards up; only leaving one area in front of the door to his apartment as an Apparition point for himself and those he allowed.

With that done Mamoru walked down the hallway that lead to the two bedrooms, the bathroom, and the hall closet. He paused and looked at the arrangement of doors, and decided he would head to his room first.

He walked to what he considered the master bedroom, which was the one with the balcony, and looked around. The only door aside from the one leading into the room was the door to the walk-in closet, which sat to the right of the door and on the wall directly across from the balcony window.

He could already imagine where his bed would be, so he stepped further inside and moved to the empty stretch of wall next to where his closet was. Taking a calming breath he began the complicated process of creating a space, so he could make a room that would ultimately become his en-suite bathroom.

Mamoru had come across the mention of it while studying for his N.E.W.T.s and had researched the process since it had sounded interesting. He found out that it actually was interesting and very hard, but he had had nothing else pressing to do with his time. Now it was turning out to be to his benefit.

He was also hoping that using the Elder Wand would make the process easier, and go more smoothly aside from making sure the magic used was as powerful as he could make it.

Hopefully the wand will help me too. He thought as he carefully worked. He had found that sometimes when he used the wand with something particularly complicated it sometimes corrected his wand movements or gave him a better way to do what he was trying to do.

Is that a benefit of being the true master of the wand or being the Master of Death? He wondered. He supposed he would either never know or time would tell.

It took an hour for Mamoru to create the right sized space and turn it into a bathroom that was to his liking and matched the rest of the apartment.

It had a sink with a spacious white countertop and a light wood cabinet beneath, a square mirror on the wall above it, a bathtub, a separate glass encased shower, a white toilet, and a vent fan mounted high on the wall. The walls were white, the floor was covered in medium sized white tiles, and the door was light wood with a black rounded doorknob.

All in all it looked like a larger better version of the bathroom that came with the apartment.

He tested the light switch, made sure the water in the taps ran properly, and made sure the toilet flushed as it was supposed to, and was thankful and pleased when they all worked as they should.

With that done he left the bathroom and his bedroom and looked at the walls in the hallway. To his right was the bathroom and closet, and to his left was the door to his bedroom and what he considered the guest bedroom.

First my study. He thought as he moved to the blank stretch of wall between the two bedrooms.

Mamoru lifted the Elder Wand and once again began the process of creating a space for the room he envisioned.

Another hour went by before he had created the right sized space and turned it into a large room that was to his liking and also matched the rest of the apartment. It was empty aside from the white walls, the light wood floor that carried through from the hallway, a door to match all the others, and an artificial window like he recalled seeing in the Ministry back in England.

It had taken a few tries but he eventually got it to show the true view outside in the direction the window faced, which gave the room plenty of natural light. He tried the light switch and was pleased when it came on further brightening the room.

He turned the light off with a sigh and stepped out into the hallway as he looked at the stretch of wall between the bathroom and the closet, and decided to take a break and eat before he continued his work.

Mamoru walked to the kitchen and began to empty his pockets of the food he had brought and preserved from his rental apartment. He placed all the items on the counter and returned them to their original size before he placed the perishables in the refrigerator.

He then made himself a quick snack and ate it while he put the rest of the food away in the cabinets he decided were for food. When he finished he picked up his snack and walked into the living room toward the balcony as he looked around at his pristine apartment.

He was so pleased with it; pleased that he had his own space. Sure he had inherited Grimmauld Place and had the Potter Family Manor, plus the cottage where he had lived with his adopted parents before Voldemort ruined everything, but this was a place he had bought on his own and would be able to decorate and furnish himself.

There would be no Hermione who would try to dictate what he should do with it, and no Ron who would try to decorate it according to his own tastes, and no Mrs. Weasley who would try to do all of the above if given the chance.

None of them were there to question his decision to enchant it the way he had or try to tell him he couldn't magically add additional rooms to the apartment. It was just beyond refreshing!

Mamoru finished his snack and headed back to the hallway, and stopped in front of the stretch of blank wall on the right side of the bathroom closest to his bedroom. With the Elder Wand in hand he once again began the complicated process of creating a space so he could form the room that would be for him to practice spells.

It took an hour for him to create the right sized space as it had with the other rooms and turn it into a larger room than the rest, and a further half an hour to properly ward the room so he could safely cast spells and not blast through the walls.

When he was done the room looked like the room he created for his study but without the artificial window and electrical lighting. Instead he designed it to have magical lighting so he didn't have to worry about blowing out a light bulb with a stray spell.

He left the room and walked the few steps down to the blank stretch of wall between the bathroom and the closet, which was almost across the hall from the guest bedroom, and began to create the space for his last additional room.

Mamoru carefully weaved his magic using the powerful Elder Wand as he imagined the size of the space he wanted and what he wanted all aspects of the room to look like. The minutes passed slowly as he worked, the space and room gradually coming together before his eyes, until nearly an hour and a half had passed.

He lowered the wand with a weary sigh and looked around the room he had created. It was covered from top to bottom in light gray stone in the shape of tiles with a large artificial window that showed the real view outside the building in the direction it faced just as the room to his study did.

Magical lights were spaced out evenly along the ceiling, along with carefully placed vents connected to the existing ones in the apartment, and the door was heavy and thick. On the inside of the room it was covered in light gray stone to match the rest of the room, and on the outside it was light wood to match all the other doors in the apartment.

Perfect as far as I can tell. He thought as he looked around his new potions lab. He didn't know how often he would be brewing potions, but he wanted it there when he needed it.

Mamoru nodded before he took a deep breath and let it out slowly as he prepared himself for his next task. He lifted the Elder Wand yet again and began to carefully place an Anti-Apparition ward around the room as well as a permanent silencing charm.

When he was satisfied that both enchantments were weaved around the room and not interfering with each other he left, and began to go around charming the rest of his new rooms. Anti-Apparition wards and permanent silencing charms went up before he began to cast the Fidelius Charm on each room.

The secret to each room settled into his mind, which let him know that he had cast the spell correctly, so the doors would only be visible to him and no one else. To anyone else there would be nothing but blank wall where a door was.

The precaution may be extreme but he wanted to make sure he was fully protected since he had no idea if he would have any non-magical people over at some point in the future.

And even if I don't, and I only have magical people over, I'm not sure I want them knowing about the rooms either; even Motoki at this point. He thought as he leaned against the wall in the hallway next to his kitchen.

Maybe at some point in the future he would trust Motoki enough to tell him the secret, but that was then and in the here and now it was just one more secret for him to keep.

Mamoru shook his head and made his way into the living room and sat on the floor in front of the balcony. He opened the sliding glass door and breathed in the fresh air as he pulled his Mokeskin pouch off over his head.

It enlarged as he opened it and he carefully placed the Elder Wand safely back inside before he closed it. As always it shrunk back down to the size of a necklace as he placed it safely back around his neck.

He closed his eyes against the view outside and focused inward as he entered his mind and moved beyond his Occlumency shield. He made his way through the field of vibrant red roses and into the gazebo library, and began to organize his memories of the day.

Everything went into a new book dedicated to his new apartment, and he paid special attention to make sure he stored the secret of his new rooms correctly and safely. He closed the book and placed it on the correct shelf in the correct bookcase before he exited the gazebo and his mind altogether.

He sighed as he opened his eyes and looked out at the view he had as he rested. It was a nice view. He could see a lot of the city including Tokyo Tower, which looked great against the darkening sky.

After resting a few minutes Mamoru climbed to his feet and closed the balcony door before he headed to his bedroom. As he walked along the hallway, looking at the closed doors to his new rooms, he was idly glad the building had its own laundry room. That way he didn't have to worry about adding that room to the apartment or finding a laundry mat near the building.

As he entered the room he flicked on the light that sat in the ceiling in the middle of the room, and walked toward the space where he imagined his bed would be. He pulled his wand from its holster and silently conjured a fluffy sleeping bag and pillow before he knelt down and softened the floor beneath them with multiple cushioning charms.

With that taken care of he pulled out his shrunken traveling bag and resized it before he pulled out a few needed items and headed to his new bathroom. He placed the items on the counter before he left out and headed to the kitchen for a quick dinner.

When Mamoru finished eating he cleaned up and turned off the lights and made his way back to his bedroom. He brushed his teeth and showered using some of the soap and shampoo he had bought over the past few weeks, pleased that the shower worked perfectly, and dried off with conjured towels before he changed into his pajamas.

He vanished the towels and turned off all the lights before he knelt down on the floor, and slipped into his sleeping bag and sighed as his head settled into his pillow.

He closed his eyes and began to think of all the things he needed to get the next day for the apartment until he unknowingly drifted off into sleep.

Mamoru lay in his sleeping bag on his side facing the balcony, gazing out at the view as he waited for sleep to claim him. He was glad the balcony had glass panels or he wouldn't be able to see from his position on the floor.

His mind was currently empty of thoughts in the quiet of his new apartment when he blinked as he thought he saw a flash of something out of the corner of his eye.

He turned slightly and gasped, his eyes widening, as he saw the unmistakable figure of his Ginny slowly walking into his bedroom. The only light was coming in through the balcony glass doors and it barely allowed him to see, but it was somehow enough for him to see everything about her clearly.

She was wearing the dress he had picked for her and she was pale and dirty, with dirt raining off her and mud smeared on her, as if she had dug her way out of her grave just to come to him.

"You left me." She said, and he shifted until he was leaning on his forearms to look at her. "You left me to sleep in the ground alone!" She yelled angrily.

"You left me alone to live in a school run by and attended by Death Eaters while you went off to supposedly handle a task left to you by Dumbledore!" She said as she stopped and stood at the end of his sleeping bag.

"Your two friends didn't leave you alone, didn't let you go off alone, but you were perfectly happy to leave me alone!" She said angrily as she glared down at him. "And I died because of it, and you didn't even have the decency to stay with me! No, you left for another country! And now you have the nerve to get a permanent place here!"

"You're going to stay and be happy with your new apartment and your new name while I rot alone in my grave!" She screamed.

Mamoru stared wide eyed up at his Ginny, horrified at the words she was battering him with, but before he could even think of something to say she smiled and her pale face softened from the angry glare she had been giving him.

"But that's not true right? You'll come with me won't you?" She said as she knelt down on the floor. "You'll come sleep with me, so I won't be alone won't you?" She asked as she crawled up his sleeping bag.

She straddled his hips and gently grasped his face with her dirty hands, and he shivered at how cold they were but he didn't even think of moving.

"Won't you Harry?" She repeated so softly before her grip on his face tightened painfully. "WON'T YOU?!" She suddenly screamed.

Mamoru's eyes snapped open abruptly and he found himself sitting up before he even knew what he was doing; his heart pounding in his throat and a cold sweat gracing his body.

His eyes flickered around wildly, half hopeful and half afraid, as he looked for Ginny, but he dropped back down as he realized she was not there; she was just a dream.

He grimaced as he panted for breath; his dream, nightmare, flashing through his mind. He had left Ginny alone. He had broken up with her and left her alone, but he had not been happy about it.

There really had been no other way. She had not been able to go with them because of the trace still being on her wand. The first time she did any magic Death Eaters would have come after them. He had had to leave her behind. It was why he had broken up with her, so she would be safer in the environment she would be in.

He hadn't been happy about it at all. He had been upset about it. Had been so even after they shared that blissful kiss the day after his birthday on Bill and Fleur's wedding day, and knew that they would pick up where they left off when the war was over and they could be together with no worries. He had been upset about it that whole year.

Mamoru had been lonely despite his company, because they hadn't been her; they hadn't been able to quell that steadily growing emptiness inside him.

He had done his best to fight it off by reminding himself that he would be with her when he finished his task and the prophecy no longer hung over his head; had died and come back to make sure he could.

Only for her to be killed before he could actually be with her.

All his hopes and dreams dying with her. She was supposed to be his family! They were supposed to marry, and make a family together!

Tears streamed from his eyes even as his breathing steadily calmed. She was going to be his family, she was supposed to help him come to terms with his childhood, with his losses, with his near death experiences, with all the trauma he had gone through.

It wasn't fair!

Mamoru moaned unhappily as he remembered her words about him staying in Japan and being happy with his apartment and name.

He was happy about his new apartment, that he had it and had bought it himself at that, that he had contributed to his family in that way; regardless of which family name he went by. And he was happy with his birth name. It wasn't new; it was given to him at birth, he had always had it he just didn't know it.

I spoke to Ginny. She told me I could do whatever I wanted. He reminded himself as he wiped his tears away. It was just a dream. She is not alone. Her physical body may be there, but she isn't there. She's with Fred and my parents.

He sighed and closed his eyes. The nightmare was just his mind putting his guilt into visual form, because he was happy about something while his Ginny was dead and gone.

Even if it's something as small as having my own place. He thought wearily before he squeezed his eyes closed tighter and curled up on his side. She told me I could go where I wanted, live where I wanted, and not to cater to other people's feelings and desires for me. She said I could be me, be free, and do what I want to do. She told me!

Mamoru sighed heavily before he opened his eyes and sat up. His eyes automatically flickered toward the door, and he felt a wave of sadness and anger that Ginny would never get to experience his new apartment with him.

He shook his head and got up before he walked toward his balcony door and looked out at the slowly brightening sky. It was too early to go shopping yet, but he could get dressed and have breakfast to pass some time.

And that was exactly what he did. He dressed in a pair of jeans and a warm sweater to help combat the outside air that he knew would be cold and grabbed a coat before he put his travel bag on the top shelf inside his walk in closet.

He then made his way to the kitchen and put together a sandwich since that didn't involve cooking anything or mixing up anything since he didn't have anything to do any of that with yet.

After he finished off a second sandwich he went and got his messenger style bag so he could use it to carry everything. He emptied it of all of his study materials to make sure he had enough room for everything he was going to be buying, even with the expansion charm on the inside, and placed them in his new study room.

He took the bag and placed it with his coat on the floor by the front door, and went back to the kitchen to clean up his breakfast debris. When he finished he saw that it was now bright outside, and when he checked the time he decided that stores would now be open.

Mamoru went and put on his coat and slipped the strap of his messenger bag over his head and across his chest before he made sure he had both his magical and non-magical debit cards. When he was sure he focused his mind and silently Apparated to Kototama Market Place just inside the entrance and off to the side before he began to walk, and headed to the first store he needed which was a furniture shop.

He opened the door and stepped inside the quiet shop to see that they sold nothing but wood products. Products with original finish and lacquered finish, and in various shades and colors.

Walking around he hummed thoughtfully and decided right away that he would be getting dark brown and black furniture. The colors would look good against the light wood and white walls of his apartment.

The place had everything he needed and once he had walked the whole store and picked out which ones he wanted he went and got the shop keeper. He informed the older man that he had just got an apartment and needed to furnish the whole thing so he would be buying a lot and all of it would of course need to be shrunken down.

The man had no problem with that, so Mamoru went around selecting bed frames, matching nightstands, and matching dressers, a desk, bookcases, a couch, tables, chairs, and stools.

All were paid for with his Kuramas debit card and shrunken down to easily fit inside his messenger bag before he left to continue the rest of his shopping.

As he walked he once again found that he really liked the market place. They had stores and services that Diagon Alley didn't have. Stores such as the furniture shop, a kitchenware/dinnerware store, restaurants, and hotels.

He went to the kitchenware/dinnerware store and saw that they had dozens and dozens of designs. Even designs from different countries that included house colors and mascots from different magical schools around the world.

He took his time choosing which ones he wanted; especially after he realized one set wasn't enough. And ultimately got two sets of each design, which included a Gryffindor house design. He didn't know why he was getting so much since it was just going to be him and maybe occasionally Motoki eating at his place, but he felt the need so he would follow the subtle instinct.

He then went around and picked out two more sets of a completely different design that he believed Mrs. Weasley would like. He figured that would be a nice Christmas gift for her.

After that he grabbed a tea set since he saw them and realized he hadn't had tea in months, picked out two sets of a nice silverware design, and two sets of a design of pots and pans.

When all of his purchases were stored away in his bag he left and headed to a bedding and linen store. Another one that Diagon Alley didn't have.

Where do they get those essential things if they don't like going into a non-magical store? He wondered as he entered the cozy looking store.

Mamoru walked around looking at and slightly examining the designs, and ended up getting dark blue curtains, dark blue and gray bedding, and white sheets for his bedroom. For what he considered the guest bedroom he got white sheets and cream and dark teal bedding, and for the living room he got dark tan colored curtains to match the wood floor.

After that was paid for and stored away in his messenger bag he began to walk around and look for the other essential things he needed. He bought towels, soaps, toilet paper, shampoo and conditioner, toothpaste, clothing hangers, clocks, cauldrons and accessories, and potions ingredients.

He found he actually had a good time picking out things, and even managed to get some Christmas shopping done as well. Aside from Mrs. Weasley's gift he got Bill a book called 'Ancient Japanese Curses and How to Break Them'. It was in Japanese but he knew Bill knew a spell to change the language.

For Fleur he had ventured into a fashionable clothing store for witches and explained to the sales lady that he was looking for a gift for a young woman that was part Veela. He described Fleur's appearance and explained that she was French but had recently moved to England.

The sales lady brought him to a section of kimonos and said she thought those would look good on her. He looked through them but wasn't satisfied with any of them until he reached an area that had a traditional looking silk kimono that was all white.

It looked plain but he could almost feel the magic in the fabric.

He had called the sales lady over and she explained that the silk had magic weaved into it so when the person put it on it would design itself based on that person's magic.

Mamoru thought it was perfect for Fleur. He didn't know where she would ever wear it, but it was unique and would enhance the beauty she already had.

After getting Fleur's gift he left the market place and walked around the non-magical shopping center outside. There he found the rest of what he wanted, which was a TV, a telephone, and lamps.

He took those purchases out of the store and headed for the little side alley housing the jade dragon statue that was the entrance to Kototama Market Place. He shrunk the items down and placed them inside his messenger bag and Apparated back to his apartment.

From there he spent the rest of the day arranging all the furniture to his liking, putting away everything that went into his kitchen, setting up his potions lab, and putting all his towels, bedding, linen, and other necessities in their proper places.

Magic was a wonderful thing and made his work easy. After placing all his purchases in the proper rooms he had carefully resized them and used the Levitation charm and a couple of household charms. It was easy but still time consuming, and night had fallen by the time he was finished.

Mamoru walked around looking at the work he had done while drinking a bottle of Kyohowine, which he considered to be the Japanese equivalent of Butterbeer. It was a deep purple in a clear bottle and had a light grape taste with the bubble and fizz of champagne.

He was very pleased with how everything looked and with everything he had chosen. Although, the more he stared the more he began to realize his walls were very bare.

Maybe I should get some artwork at some point. He considered, not particularly in a hurry. Perhaps when he was feeling truly happy, if he could ever feel that way again, he could go find something to decorate the walls with.

~xXx~

A few days had passed since Mamoru had completely set up his apartment, and he decided to venture back out into the cold to finish his Christmas shopping. He still needed gifts for George, Neville, and Mr. Weasley.

He decided fairly quickly against getting anything for Ron and Hermione. He wasn't even writing to Hermione so why send her a gift? Especially since he was nearly done with her after she had sent him a Howler. In the case of Ron he didn't feel the need to send a gift to someone who had spent months angry and belligerent with him.

I doubt they'll send me anything anyway. He thought as he walked through Kototama Market Place.

He paused in his steps suddenly as his gaze landed on a shop called Minato's Familiars Galore. He didn't know if he was ready for another familiar, but he thought he could at least look and see if there was an owl in there that would accept him so he could at least send letters back to England without having to constantly pay.

Mamoru sighed and stepped toward the shop and inside. He walked around and soon understood that the shop was three levels with different types of familiars separated on each floor. The ground floor was the reptiles and amphibians, the second floor was felines, and the top floor was the avians.

He slowly headed up to the third floor. He was not at all happy about replacing Hedwig, but he had put it off as long as he could.

When he arrived he began to look around and saw other birds besides owls, and was reminded that he had seen the same thing in the post office.

So maybe I can get something other than an owl, and it won't hurt as much to not see Hedwig. He considered as he walked around and looked at the birds.

He looked at large swifts, mountain hawk-eagles, eastern imperial eagles, and reluctantly owls of various sizes. Some were asleep and some watched him as he walked by, but none of them caught his attention or interest.

Mamoru sighed heavily as he reached the back of the floor. He glanced up toward the ceiling as he began to turn around, but paused as he spotted a pair of golden eyes. They sat almost hovering in a dark corner, but they drew him in so he stepped toward them.

He stared into those eyes and they stared right back into his without blinking.

"Hello." He said quietly after long silent moments. "I'm Mamoru."

Those golden eyes continued to stare at him, but he didn't move or look away. He didn't know what the owl looked like, somehow knew that it was in fact an owl, but he knew it was definitely the one. There was something that drew him instinctively, and he had the feeling that there was more to the owl then met the eye; just like with him.

Eventually the eyes blinked and moved forward, and his eyes widened as he saw what it looked like. Golden eyes were joined by gold feathers, a black beak, and gold talons. To his eyes the owl looked regal and majestic.

"Excuse me!" Mamoru called out without looking away from the majestic owl that had revealed itself to him. He heard rapid footsteps, and only glanced to the shop keeper when he was close.

"How can help you sir?" The old man asked.

"I want this one." Mamoru said, his eyes already back on the golden owl.

"Are you sure?" The man asked as he too looked at the owl. "I honestly cannot remember much about it aside from the fact that it is a male. I had nearly forgotten that it was here it has been so long since I have actually seen it. I cannot even remember where I got it from."

"I'm absolutely sure." Mamoru said firmly as he lifted his arm toward the handsome owl. The golden owl hopped onto his arm before moving up and onto his shoulder.

"Well, feel free to look at our cages and stands. When you find everything you are looking for please come to the counter on the ground floor." The shop keeper said.

"I will; thank you." Mamoru said before he began to walk toward the area where he had seen the cages and stands.

He ignored the cages and looked at the stands available, but it didn't take him long to realize none of them were to his liking. None of them fit the majestic male sitting calmly on his shoulder. Instead he grabbed some owl treats and headed down to the first floor.

"You do not want to get a cage?" The shop keeper asked as he rang up the owl treats and the owl.

"No." Mamoru said as he looked at the golden male that looked right back at him. "He belongs free; never caged and restricted."

"That is your choice sir." The man said before he gave him the price.

Mamoru handed over his debit card and once the card was charged he took it back and put it away along with the owl treats. He thanked the man and left the shop feeling a little lighter than he had before he entered.

"I still have some shopping to do here." He told his new familiar after he had given him his address. "You can go stretch your wings and hunt and then meet me at the apartment if you want. There are balconies you can rest on if I'm not there when you get there."

His golden familiar hooted softly before it leapt from his shoulder and began to fly away.

Mamoru couldn't help smiling as he started to walk. This was completely unexpected. He had not expected to find a new familiar, and definitely not a mysterious one. He also hadn't expected to not feel sad at having a new owl.

He had replaced Hedwig, but it didn't feel like he had. Looking at him didn't make him feel sad. He was a different breed of owl, he was a he, he was a different color, and he had a different personality.

He still missed Hedwig, he didn't think that would ever change, but his new owl drew him. He had to have him, and now he did. He didn't know when he was going to find out why the golden male was mysterious, already wasn't in any hurry, but it was something that could hopefully distract his mind aside from his studies.

Now I just have to come up with a name for him. He thought as he looked around at the store and shop fronts hoping for inspiration for a name and for the gifts he still needed to get.

He spotted the store where he had found the Kyohowine, and went in to see if anything caught his eye. He liked that Kototama Market Place had a beverage store where you could buy all the drinks magical Japan offered. Whereas back in England you had to go to pubs to buy them; whether it was a single drink or a large quantity.

Here you could still go to bars and get a drink, but it was his understanding that they didn't sell beverages to go. All purchases in bars were for to enjoy at those establishments.

Mamoru decided to grab a crate of Kyohowine for George, and three bottles of Kasumi Mikan Sake, which he mentally translated as Mystical Orange Sake. From the description that was printed near it it was a clear alcoholic liquid that gave off an orange misty smoke when poured, and tasted slightly sweet and acidic yet light and smooth.

He got one for Bill to go with his gift, one for Mr. Weasley to go with whatever else he found for him, and one for himself even though he didn't know if or when he would ever try it.

He paid for his purchases and put them in his messenger bag before he left the store to continue his gift search. He wandered along looking at the storefronts and their names, but disregarded them as not having what he wanted for the people he was shopping for.

Eventually he found himself turning down a section of the market he hadn't explored yet, and to his surprise he found a store he believed might have something for Neville.

The sign at the top of the building in dark blue flowing letters read Ezume's Hoikuen to Akusesarī, and the building itself was a light brown. In the windows were flower pots of various sizes, colors, and designs and a couple of flowers.

Let's see if Ezume's Nursery and Accessories has something Neville will like. He thought as he stepped toward the store and opened the door.

Inside Mamoru found more pots for flowers and plants, different types of soil, and further in were various types of magical plants and flowers.

He took his time looking around with the few other people inside the large plant nursery, and carefully read whatever descriptions that happened to be available. Eventually he came upon a small plant, that was at most a foot tall, in a small white pot.

The plant itself was white and vine-like with small red leaves and instead of having some kind of flower blossom there were little white round cups with red interiors that were emitting white smoke.

He read the description next to it and saw that it said it was called Dorīmumisuto, Dream Mist, and apparently allowed a person to view a small clip of a dream they had, remembered or not, if they stared into the smoke long enough.

Mamoru got the attention of one of the employees and explained his interest in the plant and why he wanted it, and was told it would be best to get the seed and have it grown instead of getting the actual plant to send overseas since there was no telling how the delicate plant would react to that.

So with that advice he got the seed, which was surprisingly large, the size of an almond, and recalling a pot he had seen earlier he went and got that as well. It was a deep blue pot that had legs that could grow a couple of feet and move on its own to help grow a single seed to full maturation in twenty-four hours, and keep it healthy until it could be transferred to another pot or garden.

He paid for the seed and pot and left the store and headed for the bookstore to get a book that would hopefully describe and explain how to care for the Dorīmumisuto plant.

Once he got that taken care of he left the market place altogether and began to wander around the non-magical shopping center outside. He knew whatever he got George and Mr. Weasley would be there since he had found nothing in the magical market for them.

He eventually found a store that sold prank items and got some for George figuring he could get some laughs and maybe some inspiration for new material out of them.

I'll have to write him and let him know the magical market place doesn't have a prank or joke shop. He thought as he stuffed his new purchases inside his messenger bag.

Mamoru continued on his way stopping at different stores and wandering around to see if they each had something he could get for Mr. Weasley. Some things were interesting but not the right fit for Mr. Weasley, some were inappropriate for a married man, and the rest were things he would get for a woman.

He continued on drifting from store to store until he found himself looking into the window of a shop that sold what looked like martial arts weapons. He stepped back and looked at the sign that read: Masato's Dentō-tekina buki.

Masato's Traditional Weapons. He translated before he looked back to the shop window.

He shrugged and opened the door figuring it wouldn't hurt to see if there was anything there he could get for Mr. Weasley. He stepped inside and immediately saw swords of various lengths and even wooden ones, fans, sickles, and so much more.

He walked around and looked at everything and considered that he could get Mr. Weasley one of these weapons since it was non-magical and something he could look at and admire the workmanship and skill.

Mamoru eventually found himself drifting over to the swords. He ignored the wooden ones and focused on the steel blades. There were so many and in so many colors that he wasn't sure where to start in choosing one.

Thankfully the shopkeeper came over and when he explained that he wanted to get one of the swords as a gift the man began to explain everything to him. From the fact that the swords were replicas, to the various types, to the various designs.

With the help of the shopkeeper he ultimately decided on a katana samurai sword that he thought Mr. Weasley would enjoy. He also got a display stand and a protective case for it. It was a bit expensive but he knew if the sword wasn't a replica it would be way more expensive.

He thanked the shopkeeper and took the bag full of his purchases and left the shop. He walked back through the shopping center until he reached the little side alley that lead to the entrance to Kototama Market Place and focused briefly before he Apparated away.

Mamoru appeared silently inside his apartment in front of the apartment door, and immediately walked out of the tiny hallway and across the living room toward the balcony. He didn't see his new familiar, but he slid the glass door open anyway for when he arrived.

He walked to his kitchen and placed the bag with Mr. Weasley's gift on the table before he stepped toward the counter, and then pulled the beverages he bought out of his messenger bag and placed them on the counter before he carefully enlarged the create of Kyohowine.

He then turned around and began to pull his other purchases from his bag and placed them on the kitchen table. As he did that an idea came to him. He hadn't liked any of the stands at the store, but that didn't mean he couldn't make his own for his new familiar.

We're going to need one for the living room and one for my bedroom. He thought as he began to walk back to his bedroom. They also need to fit in with the apartment, and suit him and his regal majestic look. He considered as he stepped into his room.

He took off his messenger bag and coat and placed them inside his closet before he began to make his way back to the living room. Once there he paused and looked at the space behind his three seater couch.

Next to the balcony door he had a side table along the wall that was big enough to be a small desk, which was why he had a chair pushed up to it, but there was still a fairly large space between the table desk and the balcony door.

Perfect spot. He thought with a nod as he drew his wand.

Mamoru mixed some conjuration and transfiguration along with his imagination, and he watched as a small tree grew up out of the floor to the height of his chest. It matched the color of the floor considering how it was made, and had a few small leafless branches that were the right thickness and length to be perched on.

He smiled slightly at the unique owl stand before him, and turned and headed back to his bedroom. He chose the spot between his nightstand and the balcony door, and began to repeat the process he had used back in the living room.

The result was a similar looking stand to the one in the living room. It was a small tree the same color as the floor with a few small leafless branches that were the right size to be perched on.

Now all I need is a name for my new familiar. He thought as he slipped his wand back inside its holster.

He then left his bedroom and made his way down the hallway and to the kitchen and began to deal with the gifts he had placed there. He put the create of Kyohowine and all but one of the black bottles of the Kasumi Mikan Sake in an empty cabinet, and put the bottle he left out in the refrigerator. He had been told it could be drunk as it was or cold, so he decided to have it cold for whenever he got around to it.

He then grabbed the remaining gifts he got for Neville, George, and Mr. Weasley and went and stored them in his hall closet for the time being since it was still fairly empty in there.

Mamoru turned and headed for the living room, reminding himself that he needed to get gift wrapping paper since he'd forgotten all about it, and paused as he glanced over to see his new owl perched on the new stand.

"Welcome..home I guess." He said, realizing it was the first time he had referred to his apartment as home, as he changed direction and stepped toward the balcony instead of the couch.

"Do you like the stand?" He asked as he slid the balcony door closed. Just the amount of time he had left it open had allowed it to get cold in the living room since it had become windy out. "I made one for my bedroom too." He informed the golden male.

The golden owl hooted quietly as he gazed at him, and he got the sense that the male did like it.

Mamoru nodded before he turned and went and sat on his couch before he flicked on the TV. As he flicked through the channels he heard a familiar fluttering sound, and moments later he watched as his new familiar landed on his leg. His golden gaze landed on him for a moment before he turned his head toward the TV.

He stared at him for a few long moments before he slowly began to stroke his feathers. They were warm and soft and as he gazed at his golden coloring he remembered something he had read during one of his sleepless nights after a nightmare back in England.

It was a book on Ancient Greek mythology, and he recalled a god that was the personification of the sun. He remembered at the time wondering what such a god would look like, and he thought this guy fit what he imagined; at least in animal form.

"How do you like the name Helios?" He asked and watched the golden male look at him. "After the Greek god of the sun."

The golden male tilted his head as he looked at him before he hooted quietly and leaned into his stroking fingers before turning his attention back to the TV.

Helios it is then. Mamoru thought as he too looked back to the TV.

~HPxXxMC~

Meanwhile back in England the weather was cold, but that was the usual for that time of year. Everyone was excited for the holidays; the Wizarding World especially. It was the first Christmas since the war ended, and most witches and wizards were determined to celebrate the holiday and the relative peace they had.

Two such people were Arthur and Molly Weasley. The couple sat in their decorated sitting room, warm and cozy, listening to quiet music on the Wizarding Wireless Network. It was the evening before Christmas Eve, and they were enjoying the peace and quiet yet also helplessly reflecting on the differences between this Christmas and the last one.

Last Christmas had been fraught with danger, there was absolutely no doubt about that, but at least the family had all been alive if not completely together.

Now their family was incomplete. Two were forever gone, one couldn't get away from his dragons, and the last didn't appear to be coming home for the holidays. Of the ones that were still in the country only Ron appeared to be spiraling downward.

They were all still grieving, it had only been nearly eight months since the war ended, but they were living again and getting back into their normal routines. Even George, who had lost his other half, was managing a sense of normal, but Ron didn't seem to be able to.

He was going through the motions from what they could tell, but he was getting worse and didn't seem to want to try and change that. He was in turns more quiet than usual and steadily growing more and more angry. On top of that they suspected he might be drinking.

With Hermione at school these pass few months and Harry off traveling out of the country Ron was at loose ends. The two people he was closest to, his best friend and his girlfriend, weren't around to pull him out of the dark tunnel he seemed to be willingly walking down.

They had some hope that with Hermione home for the holidays she might be able to help him, but they were also aware that she needed to spend time with her parents. Still, they hoped that the couple was spending time together when she wasn't with her parents. That alone might help him.

They wished Harry was here to help Ron, but he was away traveling for a reason. He was trying to help himself, and they really couldn't expect him to help Ron in any case. He was his best friend, but he would likely only be another target for Ron's anger.

"Do you think there is anything we can do for Ron?" Molly asked with a concerned frown.

"All we can do is be here for him." Arthur replied as he looked to his wife. "Maybe something we say will eventually get through to him, but being here and talking is all we can do unless we want to take a more tough approach. I don't believe he has reached that level yet, and I'm very much hoping he doesn't."

Molly nodded and sighed.

"I hope it doesn't come to that either. I don't think I could do it." She said with a worried frown.

Arthur smiled lightly at his wife. She was the one primarily in charge of disciplining the kids, mostly since she was with them more than him, and usually had no problem with it. She could ground them, assign chores, loudly make her displeasure known, and forbid them from doing things they liked.

This situation was different. All of their kids were of age, even Ginny would have been of age by now, so the only thing she could have done was make her displeasure known. Being adults now they had to take a different approach to the kids, which was what Ron might need and his Molly wouldn't be able to follow through with what needed to be done.

He on the other hand would have no problem. It would be hard and he wouldn't want to, but he would do it in order to help his child. He thought that with him doing the discipline it might even have more of an affect since his disappointment was so rare.

A sudden tapping at the window interrupted his thoughts, and both of them looked over to see an owl carrying a package.

Molly got up and opened the window and freed the owl of its burden, but before she could say anything the owl flew away. She closed the window with a slight shrug and returned to her seat.

"Well, who is it from?" Arthur asked as he looked at the small package.

"I don't know." Molly said as she began to untie the string that the owl had been holding. She then opened the box to see a letter and what looked like two shrunken gifts.

"Oh! It's from Harry!" She said as she opened the letter and saw his name at the bottom.

"What does he say? What's in the box?" He asked, and grabbed the box as she handed it to him. Inside he saw the two shrunken gifts, and lifted them out.

"He says he's doing well, and that he's still in Japan. It's cold there but it hasn't started snowing yet, which he fully expects will happen at some point." Molly related before she continued to read.

"He says he won't make it back for the holidays, but hopes everyone is well and enjoying the Christmas holiday. He sent gifts that he hopes we'll like, and says to feel free to open them whenever we wanted." She said before she sighed and looked to her husband.

"We knew he likely wasn't going to make it back in time for the holidays." Arthur said quietly before he looked at the gifts. "It's tiny but this one has your name on it." He said as he handed her one of the gift boxes.

Molly placed it on her lap as she placed the letter on the side table next to her. She pulled out her wand and taped the box, and gasped as it grew large enough to fill her lap.

She placed her wand down and began to tear off the wrapping paper. She carefully placed the box on the floor before she moved the remaining wrapping paper. She picked up her wand and vanished the paper and then opened the box.

She pulled and pushed the cardboard flaps open and looked inside only to gasp as her eyes widened. She put her wand down and reached inside and picked up a tea cup that was on top.

It was white with a design of a brown stem with vibrant pink and red flower blossoms on the outside.

"A tea cup." Arthur said as he looked at it from his seat.

"No dear." She said before she looked down into the box. "It looks like a whole set, maybe two, of dinnerware. Oh wait! There's a note inside." She said as she picked it up.

"It's from Harry. He says that there are two sets, and the design is cherry blossom from a popular tree in Japan." She related. "Oh what a sweet dear." She exclaimed as she put the note down and carefully picked up a mug out of the box.

It was white on the inside with a white handle and dark red on the outside with two stems of the cherry blossom design. One stem was brown and the other was white, and the blossoms were pink, white, and red.

"They are beautiful." She sighed in pleasure before she put the mug down and reached for a plate. "What did he get you dear?" She asked.

"Let's find out." Arthur said as he grabbed his wand and enlarged the box. He set it on the floor since it was large and began to rip off the wrapping paper. He opened it and looked inside in confusion at the first thing he saw.

He pulled it out and saw that it was some kind of black rack thing. He placed it on the side table next to him before he reached back into the box and pulled out a long black wooden case.

"I wonder what this is." He said in curiosity as he lay it on his lap. He undid the latch and gasped as he opened it.

The inside was covered in black cloth and on top of that lay what looked like a sword. He grasped the scabbard and lifted it before he closed the case. It was shiny blue with a matching handle that had a black diamond patterned grip and a round gold hand guard.

Arthur grasped the handle and pulled, and gasped as a long shiny silver blade was revealed.

"Wow." He breathed wide eyed.

"A sword." Molly said in surprise. "Did he leave you a note as well?" She asked.

"Let me look." He said before he sheathed the sword and placed it across his lap with the case and looked back inside the box.

"Oh! There's something else inside, and yes I think there's a note as well." Arthur said as he grabbed both.

He pulled out the note in one hand and a black bottle of some kind of drink in his other hand. He looked at the label to see what it was, and grimaced at the foreign words.

"Ah, I can't read it." He said almost with a pout before he put the bottle on the side table and unfolded the note. "He says the sword is a replica samurai sword, a katana, and this black thing is a display stand. I can put the sword on it to display it or I can keep it in its protective case. And he warns that the sword, the katana, is real despite being a replica and can be used as a defensive weapon."

"The bottle is a beverage called Mystical Orange Sake. He says it's a clear alcoholic liquid that gives off an orange misty smoke when poured, and tastes slightly sweet and acidic yet light and smooth. It can be drank as it is or cold." He related as he read.

"Want to try it Molly dear?" Arthur said with a grin as he wiggled his eyebrows.

Molly laughed. "Alright." She agreed. "I need to put these in the kitchen anyway." She said as she looked at the box of new dinnerware. "We need to send Harry a thank you letter." She added as she placed the tea cup, mug, and plate back inside the box and picked it up.

"We will." Arthur assured her. "After we try this." He said as he held up the black bottle of sake.

~xXx~

George Weasley finished counting up the days earnings from the till at his shop. He had only closed a few minutes ago, and this was something Verity was supposed to be doing but she had left with Ron not long ago.

He was thinking about firing her and replacing her since she was doing that more and more lately. She was supposed to count the money, give it and the amount to him so he could count it and confirm before putting it away in the safe, and help clean up the shop.

Instead she was leaving as soon as the shop closed for the day to go drinking and partying. He could probably excuse such a thing if she had been part of the war since it would highly likely be a result of what she experienced, but she hadn't been part of the war in any way. She was just still happy to be celebrating the end of it.

Ron on the other hand had been part of the war, and he had been excusing his behavior for some months now. He was at the shop to help, but he was glad to see him leave at the end of the day.

Even though it meant more work for him he honestly didn't want Ron helping to clean up. Much of it had to be done by hand since there was a chance magic could affect the products and set them off, which might very well cause a chain reaction of mayhem in the shop.

Ron was almost two years into being of age and he still seemed happy to be able to do magic without worrying about getting into trouble, and he was fine with that, could even understand it, but on top of it being bad using magic in certain instances in the shop it was worse if it was done while angry. And Ron had been angry since the war had ended.

That on top of his drinking, which he knew for a fact was what he was going to do when he left early, had him worried about his brother.

George had experienced the same losses that Ron had, but Ron was getting worse as the months passed not better. They had gone out drinking a few times, wanting to numb the pain at least in his mind, but watching Ron become drunk had put him off heavy drinking.

And recently drinking altogether. He thought as he put the day's earnings in the safe in his office and headed back to the front of the shop.

He grabbed a broom on his way and used his wand to double check that the shop doors were locked before he started to sweep.

Another reason George didn't mind Ron leaving early was because cleaning and straightening up after the shop closed had become a way for him to unwind and think uninterrupted.

That time had allowed him to come to terms with the loss of his brother. He had lost his only sister as well, but Fred had been his twin, his other half, and it was a blow he was still trying to get over. He thought he would be trying for the rest of his life.

He shook his head before he could fall into melancholy, and turned his mind back to his younger brother. Ron seemed to be gradually falling apart to his eyes, which he thought was strange. He thought he would be the one out of all his siblings to fall apart.

Ron was going out drinking and partying and flirting with every girl he thought he could flirt with, which was surprising since he thought he and Hermione had finally gotten together.

I was out of it, but I remember seeing them together a lot before she left for the castle. He thought after a few moments. I guess he's taking advantage of her being away. I doubt he would be doing the flirting at least if she was around.

George shook his head and wondered if things with his brother would be different if Harry was around. He and Ron were best friends and with Hermione they had been an almost inseparable little group. With his best friend and girlfriend both away Ron seemed to just be doing whatever he felt like.

No. Things with them had already been different before Harry left, even before Hermione left for school, so I'm not sure Harry's presence would change anything with Ron now. He thought as he continued to sweep.

He wondered if he should try and talk to Ron to get him to calm down, and maybe get Bill involved since Ron might listen to him more.

Maybe Charlie since he and Ron's personalities are similar. He considered before he heard a tapping at the door.

George looked up and saw an owl so he put the broom down and hurried to the door and unlocked it before he opened it. He took the package it carried and watched it fly away. That alone told him it was a working owl since someone's familiar would have at least waited to see if he would offer it some water and a treat.

He closed the door and locked it before he placed the package on the counter by the cash register and continued to sweep. He would see who it was from after he finished since there was no name on it.

He finished sweeping and vanished the small pile of dirt before he began to move around the shop straightening the items on the shelves. When he finished he went about restocking the shelves, so he wouldn't have to get up early to do it in the morning.

This took him the better part of an hour, which made him think of many things. He wished he had some help, then he was glad for the quiet so he could think and unwind in peace, and finally that he missed Fred.

George sighed heavily as his melancholy rose and he grabbed his package and flicked his wand to turn off the lights in the shop as he made his way back toward his office. He walked pass it and to another door, which lead to a stairway that led up to his apartment.

He closed the door behind him and walked up the stairs, and unlocked and opened the door. He flicked his wand and turned on the lights before he closed and locked the door behind him.

He stepped toward the living room and sat on the couch before he placed the package on the coffee table. He went to open it with his hands but paused and decided to check it for anything prankish or unsavory. When he found nothing he went ahead and opened the package.

Inside were two shrunken gifts and a letter, so he picked up the gifts and placed them on the table before he grabbed the letter and vanished the box. He put the letter down next to him on the couch cushion and enlarged the gifts before he began to unwrap one of them.

He found a crate of some kind of drink that had a label with foreign words he didn't understand. The only person he knew that was away in a foreign country was Harry, so he thought it was safe to assume the gifts were from him.

Well there's also Charlie in Romania, but he doesn't send anything with labels on it when he sends gifts. He amended.

George opened the second gift and found a few interesting looking things in boxes and plastic with labels that he didn't understand. He sighed and reached over and grabbed the letter and opened it.

He was right that it was from Harry, and he related that he was still in Japan and wouldn't be back for the holidays. The drinks in the crate were called Kyohowine, which Harry considered the Japanese equivalent of Butterbeer. It apparently had a light grape taste with the bubble and fizz of champagne.

The other things were non-magical prank items. Harry had figured they would make him laugh and hopefully give him inspiration for some new material. He was kind enough to translate what each one was and what it did, so he didn't have to do it himself.

Then George gasped and his eyes widened as Harry related that the magical market place over there didn't have a prank or joke shop. That was surprising to him. He thought every magical shopping place should have one.

He hummed as he grabbed one of the bottles and opened it. He took a cautious sip and hummed again, this time in pleasure, at the taste. It was just as Harry described, and he was glade that he had a crate full.

I'll have to write Harry and thank him, and let him know this Kyohowine is great. He thought as his eyes strayed to the closed door of his lost twin's bedroom. I wonder what Fred would think of Japan not having a joke shop. Maybe he would want to do something about that.

George hummed thoughtfully as he took another sip of the grape drink, and idly considered the thought of possibly expanding Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.

~xXx~

Neville Longbottom sat at his desk in the Auror Headquarters in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement at the Ministry working on some paperwork of a recent case he had been involved in.

It was only his second case since officially becoming an Auror after spending the months since taking his N.E.W.T.s as an Auror trainee. So far he could say he was liking the investigating and enforcing the law. It was definitely refreshing after the years at Hogwarts watching those who deserved punishment getting none and being helpless to change it.

What he didn't like was the report writing. It was too much like essay writing for his liking, and he was quite sick of that after seven years of doing that for multiple classes every other day.

Of course he wasn't the only one. Many people from the D.A. had become Auror trainees and had now transitioned into official Aurors. Seamus, Dean, Susan, and Terry's desks were close by, but they were gone from the office currently out on their own cases despite it being close to Christmas.

He wasn't exactly sure how he felt about the holidays. He'd never felt an overwhelming need to celebrate considering who he would be celebrating with, and what he was likely to hear during that time.

His grandmother and great-uncle Algie, both obviously much older than him, were the only living and sane relatives he had, but one seemed to only care about how he performed in his life to compare it to his parents, his father in particular, and the other only seemed to care about his magic and the strength of it.

Now that he was of age he didn't particularly want to subject himself to any of that. He loved his parents for being his parents, wished he knew them the way people who did described them, but he wasn't his parents. He did not want to forever be compared to them.

He knew his grandmother was especially pleased that he had followed their career path and become an Auror. He hadn't become an Auror because they had; he had become one because of his experiences at school and with the war.

He also had no wish to always be judged based on his magic, which is what his great-uncle Algie always did. And he was always around for the holidays so it happened every time he saw him.

Maybe it's time I look into getting my own place. He considered as he wrote. It won't help with the situation during holidays, but it would get me away from the nearly daily comparison to my parents by my grandmother.

Suddenly Neville's thoughts were interrupted as he heard a hoot and looked up to see an unfamiliar gray owl winging its way toward him. He sat up in his seat and put his quill down and caught the package as the owl dropped it and watched as it flew away.

He placed the package on his desk and used his wand to check it for any unsavory curses, hexes, or jinxes, and when he found none he opened the box only to find a shrunken gift wrapped box inside.

He pulled that one out and moved the empty box to the floor before he checked the gift and found it clear of curses, hexes, or jinxes. Satisfied with that he resized the gift and tore the paper off it before opening it. Inside he found a deep blue plant pot, a book, an envelope, and a letter.

He picked up the letter and quickly looked to the bottom and smiled to find Harry's name. It was short wishing him a Happy Christmas from Japan, and explaining what he had gotten him.

The book was on plants native to Japan and how to care for them, and Harry warned that it was in Japanese but that there was a spell to translate it to English.

In the envelope was a seed to a plant called Dorīmumisuto, and apparently that meant Dream Mist. He was intrigued to learn that it allowed a person to view a small clip of a dream they had, remembered or not, if they stared into the smoke long enough.

Aside from that was the plant pot. According to Harry it had legs that could grow a couple of feet and move on its own to be in the best position to help grow a single seed to full maturation in twenty-four hours, and keep it healthy until it could be transferred to another pot or garden.

Leave it to Harry not to forget my strong interest in Herbology. He thought as he pulled out the envelope from the box and opened it. Wow. Look at the size. He thought as he took in the almond sized seed.

Neville put the envelope down and picked up the pot as he pulled it out of the box. It was as heavy as any pot its size but he liked the look of it and couldn't wait to see it work.

He put the pot down and grabbed the book out of the box and raised an eyebrow at the foreign words that made up the title. He opened the book and flipped through it, seeing the words that were obviously Japanese, and wondered if Harry could actually read it without a translation spell.

Guess I need to write a thank you letter. He thought as he put everything back inside the box. That'll at least give me a break from this report. He thought as he glanced down at the parchment he had been writing on.

~xXx~

Evening had long since fallen and the sky was just beginning to grow dark when Bill and Fleur Weasley arrived home from work at Gringotts. They settled in the sitting room to rest and relax before getting started on making their dinner.

Bill was trying to empty his mind of all thoughts of money, accounts, and arrogant witches and wizards; many of whom were purebloods. One would think many of the arrogant purebloods had died off with You Know Who, Voldemort, but working in his position at Gringotts had clearly informed him otherwise.

It was after days like this that he missed his days in Egypt dealing with cursed tombs and treasures and even longed for a vacation, but he knew he couldn't take one regardless of how much he wanted one.

He needed to continue working as much as possible to save. He didn't know when he and Fleur would start their family, but he wanted to be fully prepared and that meant saving as much money as possible. He knew from living as one of seven children, the oldest, that a family was expensive.

His wife was working full time and saving as well, but that didn't mean they could slack off on a vacation.

"What are you thinking mon amour?" Fleur asked as she leaned against him, her accent flowing with her soft words.

"How much I want a vacation, but know we can't take one." Bill answered as he closed his eyes.

"Not yet amour, but sometime in the near future." She said thoughtfully. "I think Harry had the right idea. It would be nice to get away for a while, and truly relax and unwind from everything; from work and the residual effects of the war."

"Mmm..that sounds nice." He said quietly. "Maybe we can go visit your family." He suggested, knowing she hadn't seen her family since their wedding.

"Oui." Fleur said softly, but before she could add more there was a tapping at the window across the room.

They both looked over to see an owl flapping its wings to stay in the air. Bill got up and went and opened the window, and watched the owl swoop in and gently set its burden on the coffee table before perching on it itself. He closed the window since the owl wasn't leaving, and quickly rejoined his wife on the couch.

"Mon Dieu, you are beautiful!" Fleur exclaimed as she gazed at the majestic looking golden owl.

"This is Harry's handwriting." Bill said as he looked at the envelope attached to the package. He used his wand to free it then opened it and pulled out what was clearly a letter and began to read.

"He wishes us a Happy Christmas and says that he won't make it back for the holidays, but he sent gifts for us that he hopes we'll like. He's still in Japan so the gifts are from there, and we can open them whenever we want to." He related.

"Oh. He says this guy here is his new familiar, and his name is Helios; named after the Greek god of the sun. He would appreciate it greatly if we looked after him, and make sure he is well rested since he had a long journey to us and will need to make the same journey back." Bill said.

"Of course we will. It is only right." Fleur said as soon as he finished reading. "I will be right back." She added before she got up and disappeared into the kitchen.

She returned a few short minutes later and placed a small bowl of water and a small tray of owl treats on the table in front of Helios.

"When you are finished feel free to rest anywhere you like." She told the owl as she sat down, and listened to him hoot softly as he looked at her before he began to partake of her offerings.

"Do you want to open our gifts?" Bill asked curiously.

"Sure." Fleur agreed as she nodded, and watched him open the package with his wand.

Inside were two shrunken gifts, and he took them out and enlarged them. Both were clearly labeled and he handed Fleur her gift before he began to open his.

Once the wrapping paper was torn off he opened the box and found a book, a bottle, and a note inside. He grabbed the book and instantly found he couldn't understand the title, so he grabbed his wand and used a translation spell.

Ancient Japanese Curses and How to Break Them. He read with wide eyes. He couldn't believe what Harry had gotten him, but he was excited. He may be at a desk job right now, but that didn't change the fact that he was a Curse-Breaker.

He wondered when he would be able to get back to that. He hoped it was before he and Fleur started their family; otherwise it would be years before he could.

Bill put the book down and reached in for the bottle, and saw that it was black and the label was also unreadable to him being in Japanese. He picked up his wand and did the translation spell on the bottle, and saw that it now said 'Mystical Orange Sake'.

He hummed and put it down before he reached into the box and pulled out the note. Harry informed him that the sake was a clear alcoholic liquid that gave off an orange misty smoke when poured, and tasted slightly sweet and acidic yet light and smooth. Then added that it could be drank cold or as it was.

Fleur, meanwhile, had opened her gift, which was a different shape than her husbands, and found a white garment and a scroll. She picked up the scroll and unrolled it, and found that it was an explanation of what her gift was and instructions on how to wear it properly.

Oh wow. She thought as she touched the fabric and found it to be cool silk.

"What did he get you?" Bill asked and she looked over to see him looking curiously.

"A three layered silk kimono." She answered. "It's a traditional Japanese dress. From what the scroll said my magic will activate the magic in the fabric and become a color and design suited specifically to me." She explained in awe, knowing that such a thing guaranteed her beauty would be accentuated.

"What did he get you?" Fleur asked.

"A Japanese curse breaking book, and a bottle of Kasumi Mikan Sake." He said, and she raised a confused eyebrow. "Mystical Orange Sake. My guess is that it might be the Japanese version of Fire Whiskey or just one of their alcoholic drinks." He said before he looked at the black bottle.

"Want to try it?" He asked with a grin. "Harry said we can drink it either at room temperature or cold."

"Sure." She agreed and got up to get them glasses.

She was back moments later, and Bill opened the bottle and carefully poured the sake into the small glasses. They watched curiously as orange misty smoke came out with the clear liquid and stayed on top of the liquid and drifted over the edge of the glasses but didn't disappear.

Bill closed the bottle and put it down before he and Fleur picked up their glasses and looked at each other. They both stared to see which one would go first, and laughed before they both took a cautious sip.

"Mmm..I like the sweetness." Fleur said as she looked at orange mist in the glass.

"I like the light acidic taste." Bill said as he looked at the glass. "It's like sucking on a piece of orange soaked in this sake alcohol."

"I can see you actually doing such a thing." She said in amusement and took another sip as he grinned.

"I hope Harry didn't send Ron a bottle of this." He said with a sigh. "He doesn't need any more alcohol then he's already getting for himself." He added with a frown.

He had only seen Ron a few times over the passing months. Half the time when the family got together for dinner or lunch, and the other half when he happened to see him in Diagon Alley. Every time he saw him in the Alley he was either in the Leaky Cauldron or one of the other pubs drinking.

Bill wasn't sure but he suspected that his youngest brother was drinking a lot more than he was seeing. He had never seen him drunk, but that didn't mean he hadn't been; especially with the way he had been acting since the end of the war.

Everyone was dealing with what they had seen or done, and grieving the loss of friends and loved ones. He knew Ron was doing the same, just like the rest of the family was, but he didn't seem to be getting better. In fact, he was getting worse from his understanding.

The times he had seen him when he wasn't drinking, which was at the Burrow, he looked like he was simmering in anger. He didn't understand why Ron was so angry. Was it because he was separated from his best friend and girlfriend?

No. I think he was showing this anger before Harry left and maybe even before Hermione returned to school, but not as frequently as he is now. He thought as he took another sip of the sake.

"I don't think Harry sent him anything." Fleur said after a few quiet moments.

"You think so?" Bill asked as he looked to his wife.

"Yes. I don't think Hermione was the only one he was keeping at a distance." She replied. "You remember what he said about Hermione right?" She asked.

"Yes." He said thoughtfully as he recalled Harry mentioning her not understanding boundaries and privacy when it came to him.

"Well, he didn't say anything about Ron, but I do believe he was also distancing himself from him as well. Maybe it was in preparation for when he was going to travel. Maybe he wanted to prepare himself to be alone, so he could be used to being just him and not the three of them." She said.

"Do you think Ron might have been taking out his anger on Harry?" He asked. "That could have been a reason for him to put distance between them."

"It's possible. You have said he has been angry." Fleur answered. "You know him better than I. Would he do that? Direct his anger at Harry?" She asked him in return.

"I can see it happening. Knowing Ron it's possible he would focus his emotions on his best friend. I know he's been jealous of Harry in the past. It wouldn't be much of a leap for him to direct his anger at him; maybe even somehow think he's the cause for whatever reason." Bill said.

"Perhaps he will calm down after spending some time with Hermione this holiday." She suggested. "Either way I am glad Harry is not here to have Ron's anger directed at him. He is doing what he needs to do; focusing on himself and not everyone else."

"Yes." Bill agreed. "He has done enough focusing on others rather than himself. Hopefully his time in Japan is helping him."

~HPxXxMC~

The holidays were over and done with and January had arrived. Mamoru had gotten a gift from everyone he had sent a gift to. He had also been right to believe that Ron and Hermione wouldn't send him anything, and had been thankful he hadn't wasted any money buying them anything.

The first month of the new year was turning out to be very cold yet sunny, but Mamoru had yet to see any snow; something Motoki had warned him would happen at some point.

Still, it wasn't so bad considering he had experienced extreme cold and snow at Hogwarts. It was nothing he couldn't handle; especially if he stayed inside his warm apartment.

As he was doing now as he took a break from his tutoring session. He grabbed himself and Motoki bottles of Kyohowine from his refrigerator, and settled back at the kitchen table which they were using for the session.

He still had yet to reveal the secret of his hidden rooms. The friendship was growing stronger, but he wasn't quite sure the trust was there yet.

Likely because I have a hard time opening up enough to develop that trust. He thought as he took a sip of his drink. He knew himself well enough to know that trust came with time and proximity to him. He didn't know if nearly a month and a half was enough time for trust to develop.

"So how're you liking Tokyo so far since it's been a little over a month now?" Motoki asked. "You must like it if you went to the trouble of getting a permanent place, which I still can't believe you did."

"I really like it, which is why I got a permanent apartment. I like that it's calm and I have privacy." Mamoru answered. "If things had been different I would've grown up here."

"What do you mean?" Motoki asked with a curious frown.

Mamoru sighed as he realized he let that slip. He just really liked that he wasn't hounded everywhere he went. His adoption wasn't a secret, at least not here in Japan, he just wanted to make sure it didn't get found out by someone who would alert reporters.

The reporters back in England anyway. He knew they would pay someone a lot for pictures of him, and would plaster the papers with pictures of him and what he was and wasn't doing in Tokyo.

He looked to Motoki, into his eyes, to try and see if he wanted to tell him. He had become a good friend since they had met, and he honestly couldn't believe how refreshing and smooth it had been.

There had been no drama, no jealousy, no nagging. He had just been a new friend. Hung out with him, talked to him, didn't pry into his private business. Even now as he waited for him to say something he was calm and patient.

He didn't think knowing his adopted name would change that. If anything his trust might make their friendship stronger, and help build his trust further.

Motoki waited patiently as Mamoru stared at him. He thought the question was simple, but the fact that he didn't answer right away made him curious. It also brought to mind the questions he had been having about Mamoru. He had kept them to himself, not wanting to pry or appear nosy, but he was very curious.

He could also admit that the current look in Mamoru's eyes was slightly intimidating. He looked like he was trying to see into his soul, judging him in some way, and as he watched his friend nod he released the breath he hadn't realized he had been holding. For some reason he was thankful to have been found worthy by his friend.

"I was actually born here in Tokyo." Mamoru said. "My parents took me on vacation with them when I was only a few months old, likely as soon as it was safe for me to travel overseas."

"They went to England and from what I've been told there was an accident, a bad car accident, that killed my parents, but I somehow survived without a scratch." He revealed and Motoki gasped.

"A young couple had found the accident scene and saved me and notified the authorities, and when it was found that I didn't have any living relatives they adopted me. So I've lived in England ever since." He explained.

"Just as I told you before I had really needed a change in scenery, but when I found out I was adopted and where I was born I decided I would come to Japan to start my travels." Mamoru said.

"How long have you known you were adopted, because you make it sound like it hasn't been very long?" Motoki asked curiously.

"I found out last May." Mamoru answered, and Motoki's eyes widened in surprise. "It's a bit complicated."

"My adopted parents died only a few months after adopting me, and to my knowledge only two other people had actually known about my adoption. Everyone else likely hadn't had enough contact with my parents to know or realize that they hadn't actually been pregnant with me." He explained, and watched his friend's eyes widen again.

"How is that possible? How could people not know?" Motoki asked in surprised confusion.

"It was a difficult time in the country." Mamoru said with a shrug, and Motoki frowned in confusion. "Maybe it would help to know my adopted name." He suggested, and Motoki nodded.

"My adopted name is Potter Harry." He revealed, and his friend's eyes widened.

Motoki was shocked. Shocked because even in Japan they knew all about him or at least what everyone in general knew. He was saying he was Potter Harry, The Boy Who Lived, the baby who stopped a dark lord in his tracks, the only person to ever survive the Killing Curse.

But he looks different. He thought as he tilted his head curiously.

"But I've seen pictures of Potter Harry, of you. You had green eyes, messier hair, and wore glasses." Motoki said with a frown. His eyes flickered up to his forehead and he could just barely see the lightning bolt scar that helped make Potter Harry so recognizable.

"Yeah." Mamoru agreed since that description was how everyone still believed he, as Harry Potter, looked. "When I found out I was adopted I also found out I had glamour charms put on me to make me look more like my adopted parents."

"What?!" Motoki said in surprise. "Who would do something like that, and why?" He asked with a frown.

"One of those two people who knew about my adoption did it." Mamoru answered. "It was likely done to keep the fact that I was adopted a secret from everyone, including myself, for reasons that no longer matter."

There was no reason to explain about Dumbledore, and how the bastard had been running his life, keeping important information from him, and what his plans for him had been. Just as there had been no reason for him to use the Resurrection Stone to contact him. There would have only been angry yelling on his part, and placating words and excuses on Dumbledore's part.

"The other one of the two people told you about being adopted?" Motoki half said half questioned.

"No." Mamoru said as he shook his head. "They were both dead; one killed when I was fifteen and the other when I was sixteen. I found out from a letter my mother left me in the family vault."

"A vault I didn't find out about until last May, which is why I didn't find out I was adopted until then. Since I reentered the Wizarding World at eleven I've been using my trust vault, but at the time I hadn't known that was what it was. I thought it was the vault my parents had used." He explained, and his friend nodded.

"You said you reentered the Wizarding World. Does that mean you grew up in the non-magical world?" Motoki asked.

"Yes." Mamoru said as he nodded. "I was left with my mother's non-magical sister and her family after my parents died. I didn't even know I was a wizard until my school letter came."

Motoki nodded his understanding as he was learning more about his friend and the life he had lived back in England aside from why he was famous.

He couldn't imagine what life had been like for him. He'd lost his parents when he was barely a toddler, then placed with a relative and grown up not knowing he was a wizard. His mother's sister had to have known her sister was a witch, being that close of a relation, which meant she had to know he was a wizard.

And even if that hadn't been the case Mamoru had to have done accidental magic growing up. For her not to tell him meant that his living situation likely hadn't been even close to pleasant.

That also meant Mamoru had highly likely found out he was famous when he learned he was a wizard, and who knows what his school years were like because of that, and then the war over there started.

It hadn't even come close to reaching Japan, but they had studied current world events at school and their teacher had somehow gotten copies of the magical newspapers from England, so they had been able to keep informed from that.

From reading translations of those it was clear that things had gotten dangerous for Mamoru during the last year until the war ended. Who knew how many people he had lost that were close to him.

Then after that he learns he's adopted; that he had lost not one but two sets of parents, and couldn't possibly remember either set given how young he was when they died.

It was no wonder he needed a change of scenery.

"I don't know what to say." Motoki finally said. "From what you said and the bits and pieces of news that have reached us from England it sounds like you've had an interesting life since reentering the Wizarding World."

"True; there's no denying that." Mamoru said with a slight nod. It had been interesting, exciting, fun, horrifying, traumatizing, painful.

"Hey, maybe if you had grown up here we would have gone to school together." Motoki said optimistically, but his friend was already shaking his head.

"No. My birth parents were non-magical; I was non-magical. My adopted parents performed a blood adoption, and that's how I got my magical core." Mamoru explained, and his friend sighed.

"You're going to a non-magical university right? So maybe we would have met there." He added with his own optimism. He liked Motoki after all; he was easy to be friends with.

"Yeah maybe." Motoki said with a light smile.

~xXx~

A couple of days later Motoki appeared in the hallway next to the front door of Mamoru's apartment having Apparated directly inside at the usual time they had agreed on for his tutoring sessions. He blinked and looked around, but didn't see anyone in the living room or the balcony.

"Mamoru?" He called out as he took a step.

"Here." He heard his friend's voice, and he took a few more steps until he passed the small hallway and could see the kitchen. His friend was sitting at the table reading a book and drinking tea.

"Hey." Motoki said in greeting as he stepped into the kitchen, and watched his friend look up from what he was reading.

Mamoru blinked as he saw his friend wearing something he hadn't seen him wear before; something that didn't look like casual clothes.

He had on a top that was three different colors or three different layers, he couldn't tell which, with black pants, and a midnight blue robe with what looked like gold designs on it with a gold patch over his right breast; a gold circle with what looked like a gold bird with its wings spread inside it.

"That's different." He said as he tilted his head slightly. "I've never seen you wear that before."

"That's because I haven't worn it since I graduated." Motoki said, and watched his friend lean forward.

"That's your school uniform?" Mamoru asked a little excitedly as he took a closer look. "Looks more interesting than mine." He added.

"What did yours look like?" Motoki asked curiously.

"Mostly black. White long sleeve shirt, black pants and shoes, a tie, an optional long sleeve sweater and sweater vest, and a long black hooded robe. My house color here and there." He described. "I'll show you some time."

"You brought it with you?" Motoki asked in surprise.

"Yeah. Don't ask me why. I have no idea." Mamoru said with a shrug. "Maybe sentimentality."

"Hm..anyway. I had an idea yesterday." Motoki said as he pulled out a chair and sat at the table. "I was thinking of taking you to the school, and seeing if we could move your tutoring sessions there. That way we could have access to the library and a potions lab."

"Do you think they'll allow that?" Mamoru asked as he frowned thoughtfully. "Have you seen anything like that before?"

"I've seen former students come back for further studies, masteries and the like, or to just use the library, so I know it's possible." Motoki said. "What I don't know is if they'll allow someone who didn't go to school there to do that."

"I guess it's worth a try to find out." Mamoru said with a shrug. "And that's the reason you're wearing your uniform?" He asked.

"Yeah." Motoki said as he nodded. "Everyone has to wear their uniform when they're there; even if they've graduated."

Mamoru nodded in understanding; actually thinking that was a good idea. It was probably a good way to identify former students and even people who hadn't gone to school there. He knew he was likely to stick out as someone who hadn't gone there since he wouldn't be in uniform.

"So how are we getting there?" He asked curiously.

"Portkey." Motoki answered. "I got a temporary one put on my robe. It'll take us to the school and back here since this is our departure point."

"Alright." Mamoru said as he nodded. "Let me just put my cup in the sink and we can go."

"Yeah; no problem." Motoki said.

Mamoru got up and picked up his tea cup. He quickly finished off what remained since it was barely warm and put his cup in the sink. He went back and pushed his chair in as Motoki got up and did the same.

"So what do we do?" He asked as he stepped around the table.

"Just touch this." Motoki said, pulling his wand as he gestured toward the emblem on his chest.

Mamoru looked to the gold bird on his chest and put his finger to it and prepared himself for the ride. Motoki touched his wand to the bird, and instantly he felt the familiar hook pulling inside him and they were being whisked away.

Within moments their feet seemed to slam into a solid surface and Mamoru stumbled as his hand dropped away from Motoki. He figured that was better than falling on his ass, but he still didn't like it. He also realized in those moments that he had been spoiled by the Portkey he used to get to his family manor house; that ride was smooth and instant.

He sighed as he regained his balance and looked at what was in front of him and blinked. There was nothing but ocean as far as the eye could see making it clear they were on an island. He could hear the sound of the waves crashing below, and found it to be incredibly relaxing.

"Welcome to Mahoutokoro School of Magic." Motoki announced.

Mamoru turned around, and gasped as his eyes widened. There was a large gray stone courtyard before them with vibrant green grass surrounding it and in the center directly in front of them was a water fountain. It was three levels and looked like it was rising up out of the ground; the water in it a crystal looking blue.

Drawing his eyes away and behind it was a massive grand building that looked like some buildings he had seen around Japantown back in England and even some he had seen since arriving in Japan.

It was a luminous white from top to bottom, made even more so by the sun despite the thick clouds almost surrounding them, and the roofs sloped down and curved outward. There were five floors that he could see, but he wouldn't be surprised if there were more with it being a magical school and all.

Mamoru took in every detail he could see and could only describe what he was seeing as ornate and exquisite. It was just as awe inspiring as seeing Hogwarts for the first time only in a different way. Both were castles, but both were also clearly inspired by their culture.

"Wow." He breathed.

"Come on. Let's head inside." Motoki said as he began to walk forward.

"So where are we exactly?" Mamoru asked as he followed, finally noticing the scattering of people who were obviously students. They were wearing the same uniform as Motoki only he saw some wearing robes that were gray, green, and lavender as well, and the girls wore knee length skirts.

"We're in the tropical zone of the Philippine Sea on the topmost point of a mountainous island known as Minami Iwo Jima." Motoki answered. "Non-magical's believe that both the island and the castle are uninhabited."

Mamoru nodded as they moved around the fountain, and noticed as they moved closer to the castle that the walls were made of stone.

They walked up the stairs to the large doors and they opened on their own as they reached them, revealing the interior. As they moved inside Mamoru could see that it was just as large as he was use to at Hogwarts. The only difference was the design.

The floor was a dark marble down the middle of the entry way with shiny dark wood bordering it and trailing under large dark wooden doors, and the walls were a creamy white.

As they passed by or weaved around students Mamoru took it all in, savoring the view and idly wondering if this was how people who hadn't gone to Hogwarts felt back in England when being allowed inside the castle.

Motoki lead him around a corner and down a hallway off the main hall they were on, the dark shiny wood extending down the hallway. Halfway down the hall they stopped in front of a wooden door that matched the floor, and Motoki knocked sharply.

"Enter." Came a calm masculine voice after a few moments.

"Hello Okazaki-sensei." Motoki said as he opened the door.

"Mr. Furuhata." The man said pleasantly as he saw who was entering his office. "I am surprised. I did not expect to see you back here so soon." He added with a light smile before he glanced curiously at the young man that joined him inside before the door closed.

"I know. I didn't either, but I had an idea that I'm hoping you can help me with Sensei." Motoki said.

"I can make no promises without first hearing your idea." The man said before he gestured to the chairs in front of his desk. "Please be seated, both of you, and tell me of your idea Mr. Furuhata." He added, and watched the two take their seats.

"Well, since graduating I've taken up tutoring as one of my jobs so I can save up to pay for the next school term at the non-magical university I'm going to, and this is my current student Chiba Mamoru." Motoki said before he looked to his friend.

"Mamoru, this is Okazaki Kaito-sensei; overseer of recruitment, admission, and attendance at Mahoutokoro." He informed his friend.

"It's nice to meet you Mr. Okazaki." Mamoru said politely.

"And you as well Mr. Chiba." Kaito replied politely.

"I've been tutoring him for over a month now, and we've been using his home, but I was wondering if it would be possible to have his tutoring sessions at the castle." Motoki said. "He has all the textbooks he needs, but I was hoping if we could have his tutoring sessions here we could access the library and potions labs."

"Ah, I am sorry. You cannot have the sessions here without Mr. Chiba being a current student or having been a student here." Kaito sad apologetically, wishing that wasn't the case so their desire to teach and learn could be aided.

"Why are you getting tutoring in the first place?" Kaito asked as he looked to Mr. Chiba. "You certainly look old enough to have had your magical education already."

Motoki looked to Mamoru to see how he would explain it; to see if it would be different now that he knew his friend's back history.

"I have had my magical education, but I recently learned that I was adopted and was originally born in Japan." Mamoru said. "I traveled to this country to learn and experience my birth country, and felt that I should honor that part of my heritage by learning the magic of Japan and expanding my knowledge. That's why I sought out a tutor when I first arrived."

"You are traveling? You will not stay in Japan?" Kaito asked with a slight frown.

"I am traveling, but I'm at my leisure." Mamoru answered. "I have no time limit for how long I stay, and I've already decided I like Tokyo enough that I've gotten a permanent home there."

"That is a noble and respectable endeavor you have and are undertaking." Kaito said.

"Thank you." Mamoru said.

Kaito hummed thoughtfully as he studied the humble young man before him.

"I can grant you admission and make you a student, but you will have to actually be a student. You will need to take at least one class." He said. "We offer classes for adults for all subjects, so you would not be in class with the younger students." He explained.

"I am willing, and I have the time." Mamoru said firmly, serious about his education. "Motoki is tutoring me in subjects I didn't learn in school, so it's probably a good idea that I take those classes at the very least."

Kaito nodded in approval. "Then it is settled. Let us get you enrolled in our school." He said.

Mamoru nodded with a smile, happy he would be able to attend this magical school, but it faded as a thought occurred to him and he shifted uncomfortably.

"Will you need my adopted name as well to complete the enrollment process?" He asked with a frown.

"Chiba Mamoru is not your adopted name?" Kaito asked as he looked up sharply from the papers he was getting out of his desk drawer.

"No." Mamoru said as he shook his head. "I decided to use my birth name when I traveled to Japan; not only because I thought it right since I would be living in my birth country, but to hide me from the madness that came with my adopted name."

"What is your adopted name?" Kaito asked seriously. "We need your proper name for your academic record and to send you information."

"I have the legal use of both my birth and adopted name in both the Wizarding and non-magical world." Mamoru said.

"Still, it needs to be known so there is no confusion." Kaito insisted, and watched the young man nod in what looked like slight resignation.

"My adopted name is Potter Harry." Mamoru informed him.

Kaito's eyes widened in surprise, and he immediately looked to his forehead. He didn't have all the features of the famous young man, but the lightning bolt scar was indeed there; only not as vibrant.

"When I found out I was adopted I also found out there were glamour charms on me making me look like my adopted parents. That magic linked into my own since after my adopted parents died." Mamoru explained, answering the unasked question.

Kaito nodded his understanding, although curious as to why someone would change his appearance, and then his eyes widened again.

"Actually I believe we sent you an invitation to attend Mahoutokoro." He said. "In fact, I know we did since I was in my current position then, and it was my duty to send out the invitation when your seventh birthday arrived."

Mamoru's eyes widened in surprise at that revelation; surprised at the invitation he could have gotten, and surprised that their school apparently started at age seven instead of eleven like Hogwarts.

"I'm sorry. I never received it." He said with a slight frown. Not that I would have actually been allowed to go if I had. He thought, remembering how it had taken Hagrid to personally hunt him down and give him his letter and the news that he was a wizard.

"I learned after the war that a lot had been hidden from me in order to control me after my parent's death." He explained. "My adopted parents." He clarified quickly, not wanting the man to think his Potter parents had anything to do with it.

"I actually didn't know I was a wizard until I received my letter to attend Hogwarts, and it wasn't until I was fourteen when the school hosted the Triwizard Tournament that I learned that there were even other magical schools. That's how isolated I was." He explained further.

"Oh my! I am sorry to hear that." Kaito said with a frown. He couldn't believe someone would do such a thing to the young man or the boy he had been at the time.

"Thank you." Mamoru said with a light smile. "I am free now, so it no longer matters." He added. He hoped that if he kept saying it then it would be true.

"Well, back to getting you enrolled then." Kaito said, hoping to move on before the young man descended into bad memories.

Mamoru began to fill out one of the papers with the needed information for his enrollment as he listened to both Motoki and Mr. Okazaki inform him about the subject courses available.

He was surprised that alongside the magical courses they also offered non-magical subjects such as science, math, literature, history, foreign language, current events, etc. He was pleased about that since he hadn't taken any of those subjects since before he got his Hogwarts letter.

He had never said anything but it had always bothered him that going to Hogwarts meant your non-magical education stopped. The only way to possibly keep it going was to go to summer school or get a tutor for the summer, but both cases involved explanations that couldn't be given, and even then there was no way you could keep up with those who would actually be going to non-magical classes.

That block on a non-magical education essentially made it impossible to get a good job away from the Wizarding World. Since it was only witches and wizards raised in the non-magical world that were affected it made it difficult for them to get good jobs anywhere.

It was a dismaying fact that most unhappily learned in their later Hogwarts years, or afterward when it was time to get a job, that blood status and who you knew meant more than academics despite the talk about how important taking the N.E.W.T.s were.

By then it was too late to do something about your non-magical education since it would be hard to explain to any school why your academic record stopped when you were eleven.

Beyond that it also stopped progression and innovation, which was probably why the British Wizarding World was so stuck back in time in terms of ideals and the way things were done.

Mamoru for his part was going to embrace this opportunity. With his wealth he never had to work if he didn't want to, but he wanted to do something with himself. He didn't know what that was, but continuing his non-magical education was sure to help him. Just as studying for his N.E.W.T.s and continuing afterward was to help him.

"Alright. You will be classified as a 'day student', which means instead of living in the castle you will travel here to attend classes and back home after your last class as one would a non-magical school." Kaito explained once the paperwork was finished.

Mamoru nodded his understanding. While he wouldn't mind living in the castle just as he did at Hogwarts he was glad that he didn't have to. He had grown attached to his apartment and liked having his own space.

"Mr. Furuhata please take Mr. Chiba to get his uniform then come back to the castle and take him to Namikaze-sensei to get him sorted. After that give him a tour of the school so he can learn his way around." Kaito instructed Motoki.

"Yes Okazaki-sensei." Motoki said.

"Do you know what classes you would like to take?" Kaito asked Mamoru. "If you do then I can get that taken care of while you are getting your uniform. Also, when we know what classes you are able to attend then we can deal with setting up your tuition based on those classes."

"Yes. I'd like to take all the non-magical classes, Ancient Runes, Arithmancy, Ancient Studies, and Alchemy." Mamoru said seriously. It was a lot of classes but he had the time, and they were all subjects he needed and wanted to take.

"And what foreign language did you want to study?" Kaito asked as he finished writing down the list of classes.

Mamoru blinked as he thought quickly. He hadn't thought about what language he wanted to study just that he wanted to learn another one. He already knew English so that was out. Fleur's face flashed through his mind, and he smiled slightly.

"French." He answered. He would learn it to honor the woman he saw as an older sister, and he figured he could write to her, which was sure to surprise her and help him learn better.

"Very well. You two go on, and I will handle this." Kaito said as he stood.

Motoki and Mamoru stood as well and thanked the older man before they left the office.

"How does the hierarchy here work?" Mamoru asked as they made their way back toward the main entrance. "At Hogwarts we had a headmaster and a deputy headmistress."

"Well, instead of a single headmaster overseeing the entire school we have several overseers responsible for different areas working together. Okazaki-sensei and Namikaze-sensei are just two of them." Motoki explained, and Mamoru nodded.

"That's probably better than what I'm used to." He said as they walked. "I'm sure everything is run efficiently and the students get the attention they need instead of being overlooked, ignored, or dismissed."

Mamoru couldn't help thinking back to his time at Hogwarts. He was sure Dumbledore had loved to teach since he had been Transfiguration professor before McGonagall, but being headmaster didn't leave time for teaching and neither did the other positions he'd had.

With him being so busy he hadn't really tried looking for really good teachers, which explained a ghost teaching History of Magic. That would have been extremely cool, actually had been at first, until you realized he was stuck teaching one topic in history.

It also explained Trelawney becoming a professor. She may have made a few real prophecies, but she was an inept professor and had no business teaching. He also thought the subject of Divination could have been scrapped as well. It was a useless subject to have on the curriculum, even as an elective, and had only become interesting and worthwhile when Firenze had begun to teach it.

Defense Against the Dark Arts was his favorite subject, but that didn't mean he wasn't aware of its shortcomings. Too many professors; one for each year since he had started school, and only in his third year did he learn the most. Remus had been the best of the lot. It was just too bad that they hadn't let him stay because he was a werewolf.

Potions was another problem subject. Snape had known his potions and how to make them, he would give him that, but he was a horrific professor. That subject had, surprisingly, been the one he had been anticipating when he first learned he was a wizard.

Then with his first class Snape had ruined it. The man had no business teaching. Aside from his unfair hate toward him he didn't know how to teach his subject, and he had definitely had the wrong attitude for the occupation. It was sad how many people had been turned off the subject because of him.

Hogwarts castle was massive but with there being only one professor per subject all the students were lumped together as much as possible making class sizes large. That also meant the professors couldn't focus more on the individual student, which would have allowed them to catch strengths and weaknesses that could have been worked on or encouraged as the case may be.

Then there was the lack of guidance for picking elective classes. They were told about them and then left to research the subjects on their own. Being older now he thought that was outrageous. What did twelve and thirteen year olds know about picking out classes that would be needed for a possible career after Hogwarts?!

And of course the students didn't really realize what that really meant until the O.W.L.s came around and the professors started having career advice sessions, and of course by then it was too late to change your electives. In fact, as far as he knew it was too late to change them as soon as you picked the classes.

Beyond those educational shortcomings everything else had to do with safety. It seemed as soon as he arrived at Hogwarts it was no longer the safest place to be as it had been repeatedly purported.

Magical objects being kept in the castle that dark wizards wanted, possessed professors teaching, Basilisks in the walls, Dementors roaming the grounds, Death Eaters in disguise teaching, torturous blood quills being used on students, Death Eaters sneaking into the castle to cause chaos and kill.

And with all that the majority of people still thought it was the safest place for their children or for anyone. That didn't change until Death Eater's took control of the castle and only purebloods were safe going there, and even then only those sympathetic to Voldemort's cause were truly safe from harm.

Mamoru was pulled out of his wandering thoughts as he and Motoki exited the castle and walked toward the water fountain. They paused on the path and Motoki gestured for him to touch the gold bird emblem on his robe, and they were instantly Portkeyed back to Mamoru's apartment.

They stayed long enough for Mamoru to grab his Kuramas bank card before they Apparated directly to Kototama Market Place.

They went inside and walked through the market place until they reached one of the clothing stores Mamoru had only looked at from the outside. After arriving in Japan he had gotten all of his current clothes from a store that had been in the area around his rented apartment simply because it was closer.

They walked into the store, Lady Kimiko's Wardrobe, and Motoki immediately walked toward the checkout counter where an older woman was seated as Mamoru followed, his eyes flickering to the clothes. Most of which was casual, but he also saw various types of kimono, hakama, haori, and robes.

"My friend here needs the Mahoutokoro uniform." He said as he gestured toward Mamoru.

"Ah, one moment please." The woman said before she disappeared through the open doorway behind her. When she returned there was another woman with her, this one younger.

"This is my assistant Sara. She will help you." She said as she gestured to the young woman at her side.

"Thank you." Mamoru and Motoki said at the same time.

"This way please." Sara said as she began to lead the guys toward the back of the store.

They went into a back room that was actually a large fitting room with four robes prominently displayed on the walls in a slate gray, midnight blue, sea green, and dusty lavender.

Sara gave Mamoru a long look over before she moved to a section of one wall that had open drawers, and pulled out something that was black, the pants he guessed, and a white cloth that he guessed was the white top that Motoki had on beneath the other two layers of his top.

"Put these on please, and we'll go from there." She said, coming back and handing him the clothes.

Mamoru took the clothes and looked at Motoki's top before looking up to his face.

"Don't worry." Motoki said with a slight smile. "The kimono ties easily."

Mamoru nodded and walked over to one of the open doorways that was obviously a dressing room, thankful that it was there since he didn't particularly want his scars on display.

He closed the door, realizing it was a sliding shoji screen which was cool, and quickly undressed and pulled on the pants and kimono top. He hummed quietly at the feel of the clothes as they settled against his skin. They felt like a cross between cotton and silk; they had the weight of cotton but the slick coolness of silk.

Motoki was right. The ties on the kimono are easy to tie. He thought as he finished tying the kimono and straightened it over his chest and shoulders as he made sure his Mokeskin pouch was hidden from view.

Mamoru slid the screen open and walked out in his socks not bothering to put his shoes back on yet. The girl directed him to stand on a slight stand in the middle of the room facing some mirrors, and he did just that before turning to face the mirrors.

However, he quickly found himself backpedaling off the stand as the assistant drew her wand and aimed it at him as she walked forward. Before he could reach for his own wand Motoki was at his side.

"Mamoru?" He said in concern.

Mamoru didn't react. Instead, he took advantage of his friend's presence and latched his hand onto his forearm to keep himself from drawing his wand and doing something potentially deadly.

It was a few moments before he realized he was panting, and he closed his eyes and tried to slow his breathing. This was completely unexpected, but he was glad it happened here, in private, instead of back in England and in public or it would have been all over the front page of the Daily Prophet.

"Sorry." He managed to push the word out of his throat even as he continued to try and slow his breathing.

"It's okay." Motoki reassured him. "Sorry, could you give us a moment please?" He said, and Mamoru assumed he was talking to the girl, Sara.

"What's going on Mamoru?" He asked quietly, his confusion evident.

"I..I just..I.." Mamoru stuttered, his mind flashing back to him standing in the Forbidden Forest with Voldemort aiming his wand at him surrounded by his Death Eaters. He blinked his eyes hard and took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"The last time someone, anyone, pointed a wand at me it was Voldemort." He revealed as he opened his eyes, but kept them trained on the floor.

"Ah." Motoki breathed out understandingly even as he grimaced.

Clearly that dark wizard's intention was to kill him, and during the last part of the war, at least, Mamoru had highly likely only had a wand pointed at him with the intent to maim and kill. It was no wonder he reacted the way he did.

"Are you going to be okay?" He asked quietly, and watched as his friend stared down at the floor before shrugging.

"Could you just…stay close to stop me from reaching for my wand?" Mamoru asked hesitantly.

He didn't like having to ask, didn't like the weakness, but he would rather sacrifice a bit of his pride than pull his wand and hex that woman within an inch of her life because she suddenly morphed into Voldemort before his eyes.

"Yeah, no problem." Motoki agreed readily. "Where's your wand?" He asked.

"Always close." Mamoru said as he lifted his left arm.

They then walked back toward the stand, Mamoru hardly realizing he still had a strong grip on his friend until he was stepping onto the stand. He gave him an apologetic look as he released his arm before he looked to the woman.

"I'm sorry about that." He said as the woman came closer. "I'm not good with people pointing wands at me. Could you just explain what you're doing as you're doing it please? I would feel more at ease."

Of course that wouldn't at all help him, but it would help keep her safe so he didn't mistake a wand movement for something it wasn't.

"Sure." Sara said before she lifted her wand and did just that.

She explained that she was going to make adjustments to his clothes so they would fit him perfectly according to his size and comfort. She then explained that she was going to take his measurements for his robe before she moved her wand to do just that.

Once she finished she went back to the open drawers and pulled out two more cloths, one gray and the other brown, before she brought them back. She handed him the gray one and he unfolded it and swung it on to find that it was a sleeveless kimono that had gold embroidery on the lapels.

Mamoru closed it across his chest and tied the ties before he straightened it, and then accepted the last one which was a brown kimono with dark brown lapels and sleeves. He straightened the sleeves as she walked back to the drawers, and was closing it so the outside lapel lay to his right when she came back with a thin cloth that he recognized as the sash Motoki was wearing around his waist.

He wrapped the short brown sash around his waist and tied it with Motoki's help so he would know how to do it then he looked in the mirror across from him.

"What do you think?" Motoki asked since he was wearing everything but the shoes and robe.

"I like it. I definitely like it." Mamoru said as he nodded, still looking at himself.

The three layer kimono top and black slacks were comfortable. The white under kimono and brown kimono top fit like long sleeve shirts with their snug sleeves, but even though there were two layers it was a very comfortable fit; even making it able for him to easily reach his wand in its holster.

Sara came back and handed him a black robe and he swung it over his shoulders and slipped his arms into the sleeves and straightened it as he looked back into the mirror.

It stretched down to the middle of his lower legs and the sleeves stopped in the middle of his forearms. There was a single slit at the bottom on each side near the front, and it was decorated in shimmering gold embroidered designs just as Motoki's was. The only thing missing was a house color and the emblem on the chest.

Even with the added robe it didn't detract from the comfortable feeling of the uniform.

"I'm assuming it will change color when I'm sorted." Mamoru said to Motoki as he smoothed his hands over the robe that felt just like the rest of the uniform silky and cool with the weight of cotton.

"Yes." Motoki replied as he nodded. "Maybe we'll be in the same house." He added.

"I saw the colors at the castle, and obviously here on the walls." Mamoru said thoughtfully. "What are the houses?" He asked.

"As you've seen there are four houses. House Yosamu, House Seiran, House Toppuu, and House Shunrai. Mine is House Yosamu." Motoki explained as he pointed to each robe.

Mamoru noted the colors for each house in the order they were given; midnight blue, slate gray, sea green, and dusty lavender. Very different from Hogwarts, and that didn't include the house mascots, which he suspected was the animal on the emblems.

Mamoru thanked Sara for all her help before asking if he could have two more sets of the uniform. She said of course and went to gather the clothing. As she did that he went and put his shoes on and switched his bank card to his uniform pants pocket before he folded the clothes he had been wearing and returned to the fitting room.

Sara handed him the clothes and he thanked her before following her out into the main store and to the checkout counter. He paid for the three uniforms and shrunk the two uniforms and his clothes down and placed them in his pants pocket before they left the store.

The friends made a brief stop at a shoe store to get the apparently standard dark brown shoes to go with the uniform. Mamoru paid for them and changed into them before he shrunk the shoes he had been wearing and added them to his pants pocket.

"Do all students Portkey to the castle?" Mamoru asked curiously as they walked to the Apparition point of the market.

"No only the older students." Motoki answered. "They have a semi-permanent Portkey placed on the house emblem on their robes to take them directly from home to the castle and back. The younger students fly to the castle on the backs of giant storm petrels." He explained.

"Wow. That sounds fun." Mamoru said as he tried to imagine flying on the back of a giant bird to go to school.

"It definitely was." Motoki said with a grin. "I was sad when I got too old for it, but was also glad when I was deemed responsible enough to use the Portkey."

Mamoru thought that method was interesting and convenient. He doubted such a thing would have ever worked at Hogwarts. The Portkeys would have been abused outrageously.

It's likely a culture factor and discipline at an early age that makes the school allow such a thing. He considered, and after a few moments he thought that applied to the storm petrels as well since that was likely a dangerous ride regardless of what protective measures were likely in place and how cool it sounded.

When they arrived at the Apparition point they Apparated back to Mamoru's apartment before using the Portkey on Motoki's robe to get back to Mahoutokoro castle.

They walked through the courtyard, skirting around the water fountain, and entered the school before making their way down the same hallway as before. They passed Okazaki Kaito's office and stopped at another door three doors down.

Motoki knocked and a soft feminine voice bid them to enter. He opened the door and they walked in to be greeted by a woman that looked older than them but not as old as Okazaki Kaito.

"Hello Namikaze-sensei." Motoki said as Mamoru closed the door.

"Ah Mr. Furuhata, and you must be Mr. Chiba. I have been expecting you." The woman said.

"Okazaki-sensei got to you." Motoki said, and she nodded with a soft smile. "Mamoru this is Namikaze Aquatica-sensei; overseer of Mahoutokoro houses."

"Hello Ms. Namikaze." Mamoru said quietly.

Although, he figured soon he would be addressing her as Namikaze-sensei like Motoki. Technically he could address her that way now since he was technically a student after their meeting with Mr. Okazaki. He just would feel like an actual student there once he was sorted into a house.

"Well, let us get started." Aquatica said as she grabbed a few pamphlets and stood from her desk. "The sorting process is a simple and somewhat private affair. New students are allowed to read up on the information about the houses before they are sorted." She explained as she moved around her desk and handed Mamoru the pamphlets.

"Usually the sorting takes place in the Main Hall. We'll roll out a long papyrus scroll and students can approach throughout the first day and be sorted." She informed him as she moved toward a long desk on the other side of the room.

"In your case you are going to read about the houses from those pamphlets and when you are ready place your hand in the circle and let the scroll and your magic do the rest." Aquatica explained as she gestured to the scroll.

Mamoru, who had followed her, nodded his understanding as he looked at the scroll. The scroll was a creamy white and the circle was a black ring. He imagined there were more circles since the scroll wasn't unrolled to its entire length.

"Okay." Mamoru said with a light sigh.

"Take your time." Aquatica said before she walked away.

Mamoru stepped over and sat in a chair off to the side of the table and opened the first pamphlet and began to read. As he read through the information on each house he began to realize that there were aspects of each house that he could see in himself.

That was nice, something he hadn't seen back at Hogwarts, but that left him unable to tell what house he might be sorted into. They all sounded nice though. He couldn't see any of the disparagement of certain houses or house rivalries in the language he was reading either. That was beyond refreshing after experiencing both of those things back in England.

I suppose I'll have to listen to the students and teachers to know for sure that it's truly as different as it sounds. He thought before he stood up.

Mamoru placed the pamphlets on the chair and then stepped toward the scroll on the table. He stopped in front of the part with the circle and stared down at it. He wondered how it was supposed to work, but decided it didn't really matter and couldn't be as dramatic as a talking hat.

He placed his right hand flat inside the circle and waited as he watched to see what would happen. Now long familiar kanji appeared on the scroll like the words that had always appeared on the Marauder's Map.

Above the circle his name was spelled out letter by letter, Chiba Mamoru, and below the circle his other name also appeared as if being printed before his eyes, Potter Harry. To the left of the circle letters spelled out 'House' and to the right of the circle letters spelled out 'Seiran'.

He lifted an eyebrow and smiled a little as he finally knew what house he was sorted into: House Seiran. He remembered back to what he had read about the house.

House Seiran is characterized by the inner strength and keen intuition of its members. Those of House Seiran follow through their quests to the end, often surprising others with their creative approaches to otherwise traditional fixes. They are tight-knit and fiercely protective of those they care for most.

And the words that best describe house members are Bold, Imaginative, Prudent, and Intuitive. He thought as he watched the inside of the circle turn a slate gray.

That sounded like him. The him that he was now. He seriously doubted he could have been described as any of those things when he was sorted into Gryffindor.

As Mamoru was looking at the now gray circle his eyes naturally drifted down to his robe, and his eyes widened slightly as he watched it..ripple was the only way he could describe it.

The silky cotton robe shifted from black to slate gray in a pattern like the gray was being blown on it by a strong breeze. The shaded color allowed the gold of the embroidery to stand out nicely, and also had the benefit of matching the second layer of his kimono top perfectly.

He hummed quietly before his eyes shifted up to his chest, and his hum took on a hint of quiet pleasure at seeing his new house emblem in the form of a deer within a circle.

Sika deer. He thought, remembering the information from the pamphlet as he straightened and lifted his hand from the scroll. And judging by the rack of antlers it's a stag. Just like my Patronus; just like my dad's Animagus form.

"Congratulations. House Seiran it is." Motoki said as Mamoru turned around and grabbed the pamphlets off the chair before he began to walk toward him and Namikaze-sensei. "It definitely suits you." He added.

"Thanks. From what I read the house definitely suits me." Mamoru said as he reached them.

"Congratulations on your placement. House Seiran, like the other houses, is a good house, and I am pleased that you already feel it suits you." Aquatica said as she watched him place the pamphlets on her desk.

"Thank you." Mamoru said as he smooth his now gray robe over his chest.

"Now I have been told to instruct you to see Okazaki-sensei before you begin your tour of the castle." She said.

They nodded and gave their goodbyes before leaving her office and making their way to Okazaki Kaito's office. They knocked and were called in swiftly.

"Congratulations on your placement Mr. Chiba." Kaito said as the young men walked into his office.

"Thank you Okazaki-sensei." Mamoru said as they moved toward the desk.

"Now, here is your class schedule." Kaito said as he handed Mamoru the sheet of paper. "I spoke to all of the sensei's of your chosen classes, and they were happy to accept you."

"Thank you for arranging this for me sensei." Mamoru said as he looked up from the schedule.

"It was my pleasure. I am happy to help anyone who wants to further their education." Kaito said before he drew his wand. "All that is left to do is place your Portkey so you can get to and from the castle."

"Should I take my robe off?" Mamoru asked as he took a step back from the wand beginning to aim at him.

"That is not necessary. It will only take a few moments." Kaito said as he began to move around the desk.

Mamoru took another step back and found Motoki at his side just like at the clothing store. He shot him a grateful look before training his eyes back on Okazaki-sensei and his wand.

"I would rather take it off for your safety." Mamoru insisted before he did just that.

Motoki helpfully took his robe and gave it to Okazaki-sensei so Mamoru wouldn't have to go near him.

Kaito took it in confusion as he looked back and forth between the young men.

"I can't seem to tolerate having a wand pointed at me. The last time someone did it was Voldemort trying to kill me." Mamoru explained quietly.

"Ah. Perfectly understandable." Kaito said sympathetically. "You should not have to worry about that with the magical classes you are taking. Wands do not need to be pointed at students for those subjects."

"Thank you for letting me know. That's a relief." Mamoru said, and definitely something he was glad he didn't have to worry about.

Kaito nodded and went about charming the deer emblem with the Portkey that would remain in place until the young man was no longer a student at Mahoutokoro. When he finished he put his wand away and handed the robe back.

"When you use the Portkey for the first time to come to the castle the location you leave from is what the Portkey will register as the location to return you to from now on. I would advise you not to use it until you are coming for your classes." He explained seriously.

"I understand." Mamoru said as he straightened his robe after putting it back on.

"I'll take him back home. No worries." Motoki said.

"Very well." Kaito said. "Off with you both. You have a tour to start."

The two young men said their goodbyes and left the office, and Motoki began by pointing out the doors to each of the overseer's offices and what their names were.

After that they began to move through the castle Motoki explaining that the castle had eight floors and partially descended into the mountain. In addition to the five that were visible from the front of the castle there was one additional floor that could only be seen from the back, and two more floors were concealed within the mountain itself.

Mamoru listened closely and paid firm attention to the paths they were taking, so that he would be able to rely on his Occulmency to better remember and not get lost when he came back to the castle by himself. The last thing he wanted was to get lost and be late for his first class on his first day as he had in his first year at Hogwarts.

Then again at Hogwarts he and the other first years, at least in Gryffindor as far as he knew, didn't get tours of the castle. They were just shown a random path that the prefect preferred to take from the Great Hall to the common room their first night in the castle, and the rest was left up to them to figure out.

Motoki pointed out classrooms for different subjects, and Mamoru noted how large, airy, and bright they were. Some even had what he knew was an older style of room decorating with tatami mats on the floor with low floor desks and pillows to sit on. It reminded him of how he had partially decorated his study.

In between pointing out classes Motoki, to his surprise, showed him the common rooms for each house. The common rooms were simply designed to cater to the comfort needs of the students of that particular house. Beyond that the location apparently wasn't a secret like at Hogwarts. They weren't password set, and students from all houses were allowed in.

He wondered how the dorms worked, but didn't really need to know since he wouldn't be using them.

Beyond the surprise of the common rooms Motoki pointed out clearly labeled rooms scattered around the castle that were like the Room of Requirement at Hogwarts. One of the features was time compression, which allowed students more time while inside the room and would be less time on the outside in normal time.

It was a feature that everyone used during their time at Mahoutokoro to study more and learn more. Motoki suggested he might want to do the same; especially when it came to his non-magical subjects.

Mamoru fully agreed.

When the tour was finished and Motoki was sure he had pointed out every location Mamoru needed to know, including the Main Hall where meals were served, the library, and the Potions labs, they left the castle and Portkeyed back to Mamoru's apartment.

From there the two friends Apparated to Kototama Market Place and headed to the bookstore so Mamoru could get the rest of the textbooks he would need.

As they searched for the right books they discussed how Mamoru's tutoring would go from then on since he would be attending classes. They ultimately decided to have his tutoring be just on the weekends, so during the week he could focus on his classes. They would still be able to take advantage of the resources at the castle during the weekends to help him learn better.

~HPxXxMC~

"Up! UP! Get up freak!" The booming voice echoed along with the pounding on the door to his room.

Seven year old Harry opened his eyes and held in a groan as he heard the lock slide, and knew that his uncle had unlocked the door to his cupboard. He sat up and opened the door and quickly crawled out knowing his uncle would be angry if he was slow about it.

He hurried into the kitchen, trying to shake off his sleepiness, and began to cook breakfast. He had been doing it long enough for his aunt to not have to supervise him, but he knew she would be there soon to make sure he didn't eat what he was making.

He was surprised his uncle wasn't already there watching him.

When he was finished cooking nearly an hour later he ate the small apple and thin sandwich he was allowed before he thankfully fled the hostile glares he was receiving to get the mail. He would be yelled at to get it anyway, so he might as well do it now before that happened.

He walked to the front door and adjusted his glasses before he knelt down and began to pick up the pieces of mail on the floor below the mail slot.

Surprisingly Harry found a white envelope that had his name on it. The letters were black and it had an image in black of a mountain with either clouds or waves at the bottom and either a crescent moon or an eclipse above it.

He hummed thoughtfully and went and placed the pile of mail on a side table in the hallway before he opened the envelope that was clearly for him. There was only one sheet inside, so he unfolded it and read it.

He understood the words, but not all the meanings. He understood some of the meanings though, and knew that the paper in his hand represented escape. A chance to get away from the hateful people that didn't want him living in their house.

Some school far away wanted him to go there and learn. That sounded so much better than living in a cupboard, cooking and not being allowed to eat, and being called a freak all the time.

Harry didn't know where Japan was, had never even heard of it in his young life, but he knew it wasn't 4 Privet Drive and that was good enough for him.

A smile was just appearing on his face when the letter was snatched out of his hand. He spun around with a gasp only to find his uncle standing behind him reading the letter.

His uncle growled and ripped the letter apart with his large beefy hands, his face reddening as he glared down at him angrily.

"You aren't going to this school! You aren't going anywhere!" Vernon yelled at him as he threw the pieces of the letter in his face. "A freak like you doesn't deserve it. I won't allow you to learn more freakishness than you already know!"

Harry stepped back as his uncles face seemed to grow purple with his anger, but his uncle reached out and grabbed him by his arm and dragged him toward the cupboard. He opened it and practically threw him inside not caring at all if he was hurt in the process.

"Never! NEVER in my house! Never will you learn more freakishness! Freaks like you deserve nothing! You'll never amount to anything! You'll always be a freak just like your freak parents, and you'll die just like them too!" Vernon screamed before he slammed the cupboard door shut.

Mamoru's eyes snapped open and he gasped as he abruptly woke up. He sat up his eyes flickering around before his mind caught up with him, and he remembered that he was in his apartment in Tokyo in Japan and well away from the people he had been forced to live with in his childhood.

He was surprised at having a nightmare featuring the Dursley's, but he also understood it for what it was. He was feeling guilty and part of him didn't think he deserved what he was gradually building for himself.

He had a really nice apartment to call home, he had made a good friend, and now he was going to be attending a nice magical school that would also allow him to learn non-magical subjects along with the magical ones.

All this while the woman he loved was dead and gone. She wouldn't get to move on with her life, she wouldn't get the opportunity he had gotten, she would not get to experience and live her dream.

So many things were taken away from her. They were taken away from him as well as far as he was concerned.

Without Ginny he couldn't see himself building his own family, couldn't even see himself loving again even though she said there was another love for him. He still couldn't see how he could be open enough with a girl to build trust, to even build a relationship, let alone fall in love.

He had no dream to experience and live through. Being with Ginny and building a family with her had been his dream. Now he was just drifting, once again living in the present as he had for most of his Hogwarts years, his only goal to improve his education and hopefully figure out what to do with himself along the way.

A fluttering interrupted his dismal thoughts, and he blinked as Helios appeared in his line of vision and landed on his leg right in front of him, and hooted quietly at him.

"It was just a nightmare." Mamoru said as he gently stroked soft golden feathers. "Nothing I'm not used to." He added with a sad sigh.

Helios hooted again and leaned into his strokes, and Mamoru smiled softly as he recognized the move from when Hedwig used to do it. He was trying to comfort him.

"Thank you." He whispered as his eyes teared up, thankful for the comfort and a little sad at the reminder of Hedwig.

He didn't need to but he looked to his balcony and saw that it was still dark out, and turning his head to look at the time he decided he wasn't going back to sleep.

"I might as well get up and make myself something to eat." Mamoru told Helios as he gave his feathers a last fond stroke.

His golden owl hooted quietly before he flew back to his perch, and Mamoru climbed out of his bed and headed to the kitchen. He wasn't really all that hungry but figured he should eat something before he got dressed to start his first day of classes at Mahoutokoro.

~HPxXxMC~

Harry squinted his eyes as he flew through the rain searching for the Snitch so the game against Hufflepuff could end already; forget trying to drive the score up.

The weather was beyond miserable. Heavy rain that made it hard to see a few feet in front of him let alone at a distance, thunder, lightning, and ferocious wind. Wind so powerful he and everyone else in the air were blown sideways unable to fly straight.

The thunder was so loud it drowned out the crowd's shouts, and the lightning was almost blinding with the sky being so overcast and gloomy.

Harry took a chance to wipe his glasses to try and see better, and swerved suddenly as he barely dodged a speeding Bludger headed straight for his head. He panted slightly and started going a bit faster as his eyes flickered here and there for the little golden ball with wings.

He glanced over and saw the Hufflepuff Seeker and then looked back in front of him and miraculously spotted the Snitch. He took off for it but saw out of the corner of his eye that the other Seeker had seen it as well and was fast approaching.

They flew higher and higher, leaving the stadium as they raced seemingly into the clouds after the Snitch.

Harry flinched as a tiny piece of ice hit his face. It was practically freezing but he hadn't realized it was cold enough to actually freeze the rain. Then acute frustration flooded him as something black flew rapidly pass his face blocking his view enough that he lost the snitch.

He looked around as he huffed his frustration only to realize he could see his breath when he hadn't been able to before despite the cold, and then he realized ice was gradually starting to spread over the lenses of his glasses.

He wiped it away and looked around again only for his eyes to widen as he saw Dementors, at least one hundred, in the air practically circling him. He immediately tried to fly away, vividly remembering the affect they had on him. He sped through the air, heading down back toward the stadium, swerving and ducking away and under the creatures.

It was all for nothing though. A Dementor suddenly appeared in front of him, practically in his face, and instantly he began to hear a woman screaming his name. His eyelids lowered even as he tried to desperately keep flying, but he lost strength and felt himself falling away from his broom and through the cold air.

The screaming echoing in his mind as his eyes slid closed.

~xXx~

Harry's eyes snapped open as he jerked to consciousness. He looked around, his breathing coming quick, and realized he was in the Forbidden Forest. He glanced down and saw that he was hovering over Sirius' prone unconscious figure.

Coldness suddenly seeped into his being and he looked up, his eyes widening as he saw Dementors hovering above them; so many that they blocked out the night sky above them.

He lifted his wand, the magical conductor already in his hand, and looked around rapidly as he tried to ignore the cold piercing his body.

" Expecto Patronum !" Harry shouted, only thinking of saving himself and Sirius, and watched as a pale blue mist came streaming out.

The Dementors moved up higher, but soon the mist faded. Obviously his feelings of wanting to save them weren't enough, but as he tried to come up with a happy memory strong enough to power the charm he came up blank.

He stared in muted horror as the Dementors descended on them, the screaming instantly filled his head and the cold began to create frost on his clothes.

The only thing he could think about was the woman screaming his name, and he knew it was the last thing he would ever think as the first Dementor reached him.

Mamoru's eyes snapped open as his alarm echoed throughout the room. He turned it off quickly and relaxed back against his pillow with a weary sigh.

Another nightmare. He was so tired of having nightmares. And Dementors! He thought he had seen the last of those creatures long before the war was over. It figures his mind would bring them up.

My mind couldn't have come up with a better Quidditch game for me to dream about? He wondered as he closed his eyes as he recalled flying through the heavy rain.

He hadn't flown on his broom or any broom since his sixth year at Hogwarts. He just hadn't felt like it after the war; having died and chosen to come back only to lose Ginny.

Flying had been the last thing on his mind, and even if it wasn't he didn't know where he could fly aside from Hogwarts and the Burrow. Even now flying was far from his mind. He had been attending Mahoutokoro now for two weeks and he had yet to learn anything about the house Quidditch teams or where they even flew at.

Mamoru sighed as his mind shifted back to the Dementors and the fact that he had had another nightmare. The nightmares were starting to get out of hand, probably had been for longer than he was prepared to admit, and he was seriously starting to consider Motoki's idea.

His friend had noticed that he had started to become tired all the time, and wondered if it was a side-effect of getting used to attending school. When he told him that it was because he had been having nightmares, bad ones at that, Motoki suggested he see a mind healer.

He thought considering the fact that he had been in a war and now with his nightmares it would be a good thing for him.

Mamoru had said he would think about it, but he really hadn't since then. Now he was thinking about it.

He recalled thinking about it when he first found out he had been adopted, knowing it would be good for him considering all he had been through, but also knowing that there had been no such thing as far as he knew.

Now he knew here in Japan they had something like psychologists unlike in England where you had to deal on your own or talk to trusted friends and family.

With the chance now to get professional help did he want to do it? Did he feel comfortable talking to a stranger about his experiences? What if it involved more than just talking? Could he trust them enough to actually open up and receive the help?

Mamoru sighed heavily.

He didn't know if he could trust them enough to do it. He had zero interest in being betrayed, and he was paranoid when it came to his privacy. He wanted no one to know anything he didn't tell them personally about his life. That included where he lived, who he knew, what he knew, what he did in his free time, who he did it with, and what was happening in his romantic life.

He had no romantic life without Ginny, but if he did have one he definitely wouldn't want the world at large knowing what was happening in it.

I don't know. I'll just think about it and see. He told himself before he finally got up to start getting ready for school.

~HPxXxMC~

Harry walked silently through the dark Forbidden Forest skirting trees and moving over tangled roots as he kept pace with the surprisingly quiet group.

He had just taken the Killing Curse to destroy the horcrux that had been living inside him for sixteen years, and now they were moving toward the castle. Hagrid was carrying his body, and he was walking alongside his large form looking at him,  Voldemort , and the Death Eaters with him.

Somehow he was still alive, he knew this, but for some reason he was outside his body and no one else was seeing him.

Long minutes passed as they walked and eventually the trees started to thin and they began to see the castle.

"Harry Potter is dead!" Voldemort announced grandly, his voice echoing loudly.

Harry watched as people came pouring out of the castle and saw his body lying in Hagrid's arms. He spotted Ginny as she moved to the front and could see her horror and disbelief as she stared at his body.

"Your great hero, your chosen one, is no more!" The dark wizard added gleefully.

"Harry." Harry heard Ginny whisper even with the distance between them as she started to shake her head.

"Harry. Harry. Harry! Harry! HARRY! HARRY!" She continued to say his name, getting louder and louder until she was screaming, the pain clear in her voice.

Harry grimaced in pain and then grimaced again, this time in disgust, at the sound of Voldemort's cold laughter. He glared at the bastard glad he was now mortal so he could be out of their lives for good.

Ginny started to run forward, shaking off the people that tried to hold her back, and headed for Hagrid. The half giant dropped to his knees and laid Harry's body in the grass and she dropped to her knees at his side.

"HARRY!" She screamed again as she practically flung herself down onto his body.

Harry stared, his heart hurting for the pain he was causing her, but he didn't understand. Surely she knew he was still alive, surely she could feel his heart beating and his breath entering and leaving his body, or was she too distraught to feel the signs?

Suddenly Voldemort shot a soundless curse down at his body and Ginny, a purple black light hitting them, causing deep cuts and gashes and sending blood spraying everywhere including all over Hagrid.

His gasp was drowned out by Hagrid's as he stared in shock as they both bled out right there in the grass in front of everyone.

"No! Ginny!" Harry said in horror at what was happening. They were dying, and rapidly at that. This wasn't supposed to happen. He'd never even guessed something like this could happen.

He blinked and then stared in surprise as Ginny appeared, perfectly fine, a couple of feet behind their bodies. He looked from her down to her body and back to her as he realized she had become just like him.

"Ginny!"

"Harry!"

They called each other's name as they rushed toward the other. They collided and wrapped their arms tightly around each other afraid to let go. They were both solid and warm to the other, which was strange given they seemed to be spirits but neither worried about it.

"It wasn't supposed to be like this." Harry said into her hair. "I was still alive, and now we're both dead. It isn't fair! We were supposed to be together after the war, and be happy!"

"It isn't fair," Ginny agreed. "but at least we're together now."

"Yes." He agreed as he pulled back to look at her face. "You're right. We're together, and that's all that matters."

"Let's go. We should leave this place." She said with a light smile.

"Right. Voldemort is mortal now, so someone, anyone, else can deal with him." He said as they released each other.

They clasped their hands together and began walking away from the scene of their deaths. After a while Harry began to notice that Ginny was starting to glow with a soft white light. He looked at himself but he wasn't glowing, not even where their hands were connected.

"You're glowing." He said quietly.

Ginny looked down as they stopped walking and blinked in surprise then looked at him and saw that he wasn't glowing.

"You're not." She pointed out with a slight frown, and he shook his head.

"I don't know why I'm not." Harry said, and then bit his lip as he gazed at her. "Do you think this means you're starting to move on?" He asked, and watched her frown uncertainly.

"I don't…" Ginny began to say, but suddenly the glow around her began to get brighter. Suddenly her hand was ripped from his, and before they could reach for each other again she was gone.

Harry stared in shock and blinked at the empty space in front of him.

"Ginny?" He called out as he spun around looking for her, completely ignoring his surroundings of the grass, castle and people fighting behind him.

"Ginny!" He called again.

Harry didn't understand. Had he been right, and she had moved on? If that was the case what did that mean for him? Did that mean he wasn't moving on? Did he have unfinished business? Was he not allowed?

What was going to happen to him? Was he going to be stuck here, stuck at the castle? Was he going to be haunting the grounds, becoming just another ghost attached to Hogwarts?

"No!" He cried out at his own thoughts.

It wasn't fair! He didn't have unfinished business! He did his part! Voldemort was mortal so someone else could easily deal with him now, and with Ginny now dead he had nothing keeping him here. He should be able to be with her and his parents!

Harry started to run away, refusing to look back at the fighting he could hear or see his and Ginny' s bodies .

"Please!" He called out to whoever or whatever might be listening as he ran. "Let me go! Take me to Ginny. I want to be with her! Please!" He begged.

"Ginny!" He called to her, hoping she would hear. "Ginny, don't leave me alone!"

It was the middle of January. The weekend had arrived and the sun was shining brightly though the air was still cold. Mamoru was currently on the train on his way to a place he had never been before.

It had only been days since he had decided to think about seeing a mind healer, and after waking up from yet another nightmare, and after he had managed to push his grief back down, he had decided that he had to take a chance. He couldn't deal with the constant barrage of nightmares.

Beyond that he didn't want to hurt someone because they happened to point a wand in his direction, he still reacted negatively to sudden loud noises, certain scents, and the color green, and was afraid of having a waking flashback.

Thankfully such a thing hadn't happened yet, but he feared it was only a matter of time.

So here he was on a train, since he knew he needed to get used to using it since he couldn't Apparate everywhere, on his way to find the place Motoki had suggested.

As he gazed out the window he was sitting next to he watched the scenery pass as they traveled quickly along the track above the city streets. After a few moments the train slowed to a stop. He couldn't tell why since they didn't look like they were anywhere near the next stop but he didn't worry.

Looking down at the stationary view he suddenly saw people running along the street and sidewalks in the direction of the train he was sitting on. He couldn't see their faces since he was too far up, so he couldn't tell if they were scared or anything.

Behind them came a person that looked green, which he thought was strange. He couldn't see their face either, but he watched as they seemed to throw green ropes at the running people.

Mamoru stared at the strange scene and blinked as the train started to move again. He watched, twisting slighting, until the scene was out of his vision range.

He didn't know what that was about and thought it might have been a movie scene. However, that didn't seem right to his mind, but then what did he know about movie filming.

In fact, he hadn't even seen a movie since he had caught a glimpse of a TV movie back when he was living with the Dursley's before he had even started at Hogwarts.

Mamoru pushed away the strange sight, and focused on where he was going and what would happen. He was worried about it on two fronts. The first was that he didn't know what would happen or how it would happen, and the second was the process. He was still unsure and not at all thrilled about talking to a stranger about his life.

He didn't even open up to his friends like that. Not even with Ron and Hermione, who he had considered his best friends until recently, knew everything about him. He was sure they thought they did, but they didn't. Part of that was him not being open enough, and part of it was them not being observant enough.

They didn't know about his childhood, what it had really been like living with the Dursley's. They didn't know all of his personality. After all, he had nearly been sorted into Slytherin for a reason, and it hadn't been because he had a piece of Voldemort inside him.

They didn't know he was smarter than he seemed, that he was uncomfortable with people touching him without his permission. He had especially been uncomfortable with Mrs. Weasley's hugs, didn't like how suddenly she would be in his personal space and putting pressure on his body.

They didn't know how close his bond with Hedwig had been; that she wasn't just a pet or a familiar, she was his friend, his true best friend. She had been with him through all of his emotional hardships.

There was just so much they didn't know, and that didn't even include the recent events of learning he was adopted, taking his N.E.W.T.s, and learning Japanese.

Mamoru just knew this coming encounter was going to be tough for him; this encounter and however many after it would take to get the help he needed.

Enough of this. He thought with a sigh, and decided to move his thoughts elsewhere.

Instead of continuing on in that vein about his discomfort of talking about his personal life he wondered about what the place he was going would look like. He imagined it would probably look like a regular building on the outside but it was the inside that he couldn't picture.

Would it look like a hospital or an office building? Or maybe a clinic?

He didn't know. He didn't know what to expect. He was just walking into the unknown and hoping for the best.

Mamoru pushed those thoughts aside since even wondering how the place would look was starting to make him anxious.

Nearly half an hour more on the train passed before his stop came and he walked off with a few other people that were in the car with him. He left the station and began to follow the directions Motoki had given him.

He walked down sidewalk after sidewalk turning a corner here and there until he found himself in front of what looked like a large traditional two level Japanese house with a lot of open space surrounding it that was shaped into a large peaceful looking garden.

He could sense the magic around it and knew that it was highly likely a ward that repelled non-magical people. That was not surprising with it being a magical building, the first he had been to besides the Ministry of Magic, that wasn't within the confines of Kototama Market Place.

Yokohama Garden Institute of Mind Healing. He read the sign that was perched in the grass in elegant yet soft lettering.

Mamoru sighed and walked up to the house and up the few stairs before he pulled open the door. Once inside he could see that the place had a mixture of traditional and modern designs while looking like a clinic reception area.

To his left was an open doorway where shoji screens were just visible with a seating area beyond, in front of him was a wall with Yokohama Garden Institute of Mind Healing spelled out, and to his right was a reception desk with a shoji screen off to the side of it.

"Welcome to Yokohama Garden Institute of Mind Healing. I'm Teizo Mariko; how can we help you?" The receptionist at the desk asked.

"Um..a friend recommended this place to me, so I decided to come and..see if I can get some help." Mamoru said a little hesitantly.

"That's perfectly fine." Ms. Teizo reassured him softly, knowing from his answer that he didn't have an appointment. "Would you prefer to speak to a man or a woman?" She asked.

"I don't care which." He answered. He didn't want to talk to anyone, so it didn't make a difference to him. He was still going to be highly uncomfortable.

"Alright. Please follow me." She said before she stood from her seat and stepped toward the shoji screen off to the side of her desk.

She slid open the screen and he walked in behind her and waited as she slid it closed then followed her down the hallway, passing open and closed doors and closed shoji screens, until they reached a set of stairs.

They walked up the stairs to the second floor and moved along a hallway, once again passing open and closed doors and shoji screens, before they stopped at an open door on the left side of the house.

They stepped just inside the room that was fairly large. It was bright with a large window on the wall across from the door, a couch with a coffee table in front of it and two chairs on the other side of the table to the left of the room. To the right of the room was a desk with two chairs in front of it and a chair behind it where a woman sat.

"Healer?" Ms. Teizo said before she gestured to him. "This young man is here to speak to you."

"Thank you." The Healer said in a soft calm tone, and watched the receptionist bow before she left and closed the door. "Please sit where ever you want." She said as she gestured around the room.

Mamoru looked around again before deciding to sit in one of the chairs at the desk since that was where she was.

"I am Yuuhi Hope. You can call me Healer Yuuhi." She said as she looked at the young man before her.

"I'm Chiba Mamoru." He introduced himself quietly.

"How can I help you Mr. Chiba?" Healer Yuuhi asked in her soft calm tone of voice, and listened to him sigh.

"A friend suggested I see a mind healer. Although, I've known for a while that I needed to." Mamoru said, and then shook his head slightly. "I need help. I've been having regular nightmares, problems with certain scents, some loud noises, and…and a lot more."

"Do you know why you are having problems with certain scents and loud noises?" Healer Yuuhi asked.

"Yes." Mamoru answered simply.

"Will you tell me?" She asked, and watched him open his mouth before he closed it. He looked down before he suddenly got to his feet and began to pace in front of her desk.

Mamoru didn't know what to do. He needed to speak, needed her help, but if any of what he revealed got out it would be disastrous for him. Things seemed to be different in Japan than they were in England. Privacy seemed to be respected, but it wouldn't surprise him if some people disregarded that for the right price.

"May I ask why this is so difficult for you?" Healer Yuuhi asked as she watched him.

"It's complicated." Mamoru said after a few silent moments. "I have a lot of secrets, and I don't like my privacy being invaded. As far as I'm concerned that's exactly what this is going to be; spilling my secrets and disregarding my privacy." He explained as he paced.

"I need…I need to make sure everything I say here remains absolutely confidential otherwise I cannot speak." He said as he stopped and looked at the Healer.

"Of course. We have patient-healer confidentiality agreements here at Yokohama Garden's." Healer Yuuhi said reassuringly, but the young man shook his head.

"I need something that is likely more intense then what you usually give." Mamoru said firmly.

"I don't want you to be able to speak about what I say outside my presence, don't want the information to be taken directly from your mind, don't want you to be able to write about it in any form or fashion, and don't want it to be recorded in any way." He explained seriously.

"If that cannot be agreed upon then being here is pointless since I won't feel comfortable speaking. I wouldn't be able to reveal everything and therefore actually get the help I need." He added before he looked around.

"I'm even worried about someone hearing from outside the door!" Mamoru said as he looked back to the Healer.

"You are very concerned about your privacy." Healer Yuuhi said with a slight frown.

"I'm more than concerned about it. I'm paranoid about keeping it." He said seriously. "You will understand why fairly quickly if we are able to come to this agreement."

"Very well. Let us get started on this agreement." Healer Yuuhi said as she pulled out some paper and a pen.

She wanted to help this young man who was very serious about needing help. She could already tell he was intelligent and likely knew exactly what was wrong with him, but knew he needed professional help to handle it.

She began to write down everything he had listed he would need in the agreement, and they began to discuss it in further detail. Healer Yuuhi assured him that she had strong Occulmency shields as it was a requirement for all Healers so the information would not be leaving her mind by any outside means, and Mamoru relented on the requirement of not being able to write anything since she would need to take notes to keep everything straight and help him.

However, Healer Yuuhi was able to assure him that she would specifically add protections to everything she wrote about him to satisfy his requirement of privacy, and to make absolute sure no one could get the information. She also informed him that all the rooms at Yokohama Garden's had silencing charms that engaged as soon as the doors were closed to ensure the clients privacy.

Beyond that they discussed how much she charged an hour and how many sessions he would have with her a week, but also left room for a change in the number depending on what she learned in order to help him better.

When the confidentiality agreement was all settled they both sealed it with their magic, and she gave him a copy and they both stored it away.

"Now Mr. Chiba, let us get started." Healer Yuuhi said as she picked up her pen and straightened her blank papers in front of her in preparation to take notes.

"I'm not exactly sure where to start. I've experienced a lot of traumatic events over the years, and there are likely things that have nothing to do with those events that are also affecting me." Mamoru said with a wary sigh.

He wondered if his time with the Dursley's could be termed a traumatic event. Maybe it was emotional abuse or emotional trauma. Was there such a thing? He briefly recalled his young years; of living in a cupboard under the stairs, being called a freak on the regular, of being forced to do all the cooking and cleaning, of being nearly starved on the regular.

Yeah. I think emotional trauma is a good way to put it. He thought darkly before he pushed those memories away.

"How about we start with identifying the major events and go from there." Healer Yuuhi suggested.

"Alright." Mamoru said as he nodded, and then sighed heavily. "My birth parents were killed in a car accident when I was a baby, my adopted parents were murdered a few months later, then I was sent to live with my adopted mother's sister and her family."

"They were non-magical and hated magic and everything to do with it. I lived with them being treated like a slave and not knowing I was a wizard until I was eleven when I got my invitation to attend school." He continued as he gazed at the surface of the desk in front of him.

"Let's remain in your younger years for now." Healer Yuuhi said as she finished writing. "You said you were adopted."

"Yes. I found out that bit of information last year." Mamoru said.

"Your aunt didn't tell you?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No. She didn't know." He replied. "And even if she did this was the same woman who treated me like a slave since I was old enough to be of use, lied about how my parents died, and didn't inform me that I was a wizard."

"How then did you find out?" She asked.

"I gained access to my family's bank vault and found a letter from my mom informing me that I was adopted. She and my dad had left all the legal paperwork together with the letter. I learned my birth parents names, where I was born, when I was born, and what my birth name was." Mamoru explained, remembering that shocking revelation.

"And what is your birth name?" Healer Yuuhi asked as she wrote.

"Chiba Mamoru." He replied, and watched her pause in her writing and look at him in slight surprise.

"Then what is your adopted name?" She asked.

"Potter Harry." Mamoru answered calmly.

Healer Yuuhi Hope stared in wide eyed surprise at the young man who had introduced himself as Chiba Mamoru. This young man had apparently been adopted into the British Potter family, was Potter Harry, and suddenly everything that she had been hearing since he entered the room began to click into place.

She liked to keep up with world news and most recently the most interesting of news had been coming out of the United Kingdom. This young man had been made famous while a toddler and had been in the newspaper a lot, which explained his insistence on maintaining his privacy and the detailed confidentiality agreement.

He had recently been in a war, had been the cause of the end of the Dark Lord that had called himself Voldemort, had likely killed some of his supporters, had highly likely seen a great deal of death, had likely lost people close to him.

Suffering from the effects of the war and grieving, and that on top of an abusive childhood and likely things in between the events of that childhood and the war. She thought quietly as she stared at him.

"You were right. I do understand." She said as she nodded slowly. "Okay, as I said before we will remain in your younger years, from age eleven and below, and work through everything before moving on."

"Alright." Mamoru said as he nodded as well.

"Tell me of growing up with your aunt and her family. What are their names? What was your daily life like?" Healer Yuuhi asked.

Mamoru took a slow deep breath and released it before he related the names of the members of the Dursley family, and began to describe what living with them had been like growing up.

*Kasumi Mikan Sake: Mystical Orange Sake
*Ezume's Hoikuen to Akusesarī: Ezume's Nursery and Accessories
*Dorīmumisuto: Dream Mist
*Masato's Dentō-tekina buki: Masato's Traditional Weapons
*mon amour: my love
*amour: love
*oui: yes
*mon dieu: my god
*Information on Mahoutokoro school: https/ mahotokoro. /wiki / Mahoutokoro _(school)

Chapter Text

January faded into February and Mamoru had settled into a steady routine. He went to classes at Mahoutokoro from Monday through Friday, had tutoring sessions with Motoki during the weekend mostly at Mahoutokoro but sometimes at his apartment, and he saw Healer Yuuhi twice a week after school.

Those sessions were going well as far as he could tell. They had finished going through his childhood and growing up with the Dursley's, and were finally moving into his Hogwarts years.

He didn't particularly like speaking about his thoughts and emotions and how things made him feel, but he could already see a difference in himself, so he pushed aside his dislike and continued to force himself to speak to his healer.

Aside from that he had decided, after two full months of living in Tokyo, that he liked the city enough to stay and live here permanently.

He felt comfortable here, he had privacy: no one was trying to come into his home uninvited, and no reporters knew he was there, the magical community was more advanced than in England, and he was able to get the mental help he needed to deal with everything that had happened in his life.

Another benefit seeing his healer had was that he had been able to open up to his familiar. He had told Helios of his decision to live permanently in Japan, and apologized for not telling him much about himself.

He had revealed that he was slow to trust, but that he appreciated his company and his efforts to be close to him and comfort him. Then over the course of days he had told his golden familiar his entire life story, so Helios could better understand him.

Mamoru was pleased that Helios was now becoming as close to him as Hedwig had been.

~HPxXxMC~

Mamoru looked around as he stood in a familiar place. White was above him acting as the sky as far as he could tell, thick misty fog drifted from his knees down, but not thick enough to obscure the large smooth silver-white shiny marble  tiles .

He looked down at the marble path he stood on and began to follow it as he looked back up, instinct and curiosity driving him forward, gazing around at the white landscape and the fog. Tall elegant silver-white marble pillars drew his attention, but they only urged him along the path since they were lining it.

Step by step he moved seeing nothing beyond the white sky, the elegant pillars, the misty fog, and the marble tiles. Eventually he came upon a wall as the path turned left. He followed it without pause and continued on, his eyes still gazing around to try and see anything that might be new.

He had no idea how long his walk lasted, minutes maybe hours, but eventually he was able to see a large elegant white balcony. His steps quickened and only slowed to a stop when he found himself standing nearly underneath it.

Mamoru looked up, his eyes flickering along the length of the balcony as he waited, and soon the sound of footsteps echoed down to him. A figure appeared and moved toward the railing and leaned over it slightly as if trying to get the best view of him.

Unfortunately, he was not given the best view of them in return. The figure was a familiar silhouette of a woman in a beautiful white silver-tinted dress from what he could see, and long moonlight colored hair that matched the dress.

He blinked and squinted his eyes as he moved his head left and right and was just able to see the tips of her fingers and that her long hair might actually be long to the point of reaching the floor. However, he was unable to even get a hint of what her face looked like.

"Please, you must find the silver crystal." Her soft melodious voice pleaded.

"What is this silver crystal?" Mamoru asked with a frown.

"An object of immense power." She answered. "Please, you must find it."

"Why? And why me?" He asked, confused.

"Find the silver crystal, and you will know." She replied. "Please! Find it. It is the only way. Please!" She begged.

The female's pleading voice echoed down into his ears as the misty fog began to thicken and spread, obscuring her silhouetted figure and the balcony altogether.

Mamoru's eyes popped open at the sound of his alarm going off, and he turned it off with a sigh before he stretched and climbed out of his bed.

He showered, dressed in his uniform, and ate a quick but filling breakfast all with the remnants of the dream he had had drifting through his mind. Once he finished he cleaned up, grabbed his messenger style bag, bid Helios goodbye, and Portkeyed to Mahoutokoro castle using the deer emblem on his robe.

A couple of months had passed since he had decided to live in Tokyo permanently, and it was now slowly approaching the middle of April. Spring had arrived, the cherry blossom trees were flowering in the city, and the weather fluctuated between the high forties and sixty degrees.

As he walked through the courtyard toward the castle enjoying the fresh air Mamoru focused his mind on his upcoming classes. School had been going great as far as he was concerned. With his classes, tutoring from Motoki, and his own studying he felt his knowledge growing by leaps and bounds and was feeling more confident in himself.

He had even taken advantage of the presence of the Room of Requirement-like rooms not just to study, but to secretly begin to learn wandless magic. He was even toying with the idea of learning how to be an Animagus.

However, he wasn't sure what the point would be in his life now, which is why he was only toying with the idea and not already working on it.

There was one thing, however, that he hadn't been toying with, and that was his decision to study healing. After seeing a mind healer for over two months the idea of helping people had come to him. After long hours and days of consideration he thought, beyond simply helping people in general, being a Healer could be a counter to all the death he had seen in his life.

He hadn't told Motoki, any of his sensei's, or anyone back in England about his career decision. He was just going to continue to study and work toward finishing his education before he moved on to getting training to be a Healer.

And that involves going to my classes, paying attention, and studying hard. He told himself as he entered the castle and moved toward his first class.

~xXx~

Mamoru appeared in his apartment in the late afternoon after his day of classes. He was pleased with them and especially with his progress so far, but he wouldn't deny he had been distracted during his classes.

Now that he had seen a therapist and was working through his issues and experiences he was having less nightmares, but that resulted in him having more and more dreams of the mystery woman.

He had progressed to only having one therapy session every week with Healer Yuuhi. During one of those sessions they had made the decision to occasionally use a pensive for Healer Yuuhi to view a specific memory to better understand what he was relating to her.

They would watch the memory together and she would ask him how he had been feeling at that particular time, and then she would ask how he was feeling in the current time watching it.

He didn't like the process, of seeing the memory or explaining his feelings, but he would admit that it was working. He was feeling better and having an easier time voicing his feelings.

However, now that he was having an easier time voicing his feelings and dealing with them internally, which he believed resulted in fewer nightmares, that left him with the dreams of the mystery woman to deal with.

Mamoru had been having those reoccurring dreams of the mystery woman for years. They had slowed, and were almost nonexistent during the Horcrux hunt as if they had somehow known he didn't need the distraction, but they had still been there.

They were dreams he had never revealed to anyone. He hadn't revealed them to Healer Yuuhi since he started seeing her, he hadn't told Ron or Hermione during their years of friendship, and he hadn't told Ginny during their time together.

He had even made sure Snape never found them during those so called Occlumency lessons he had been forced to deal with back during his fifth year.

And now they had picked up in frequency; happening even more so than they had in years past. So much so that he had eventually been able to somehow sense that the mystery woman was actually a princess.

For so long the princess had been begging him to find something called the silver crystal, and he wondered now that he was free and could make his own decisions if he actually could find it. He didn't have much of any information to go off of after all. All he knew was that it was an object of immense power as the princess had said.

Well, I'm thinking it's an actual crystal, so I can at least try finding it by looking through jewelry stores just to feel like I'm trying if nothing else. He considered as he dropped his bag off in his study. It was an obvious place, and he doubted he would find it that way, but it was a start.

Mamoru moved down the hallway and into his bedroom, and changed out of his school uniform and into something casual. He chose black jeans, a gray long sleeve shirt, and a black pea coat.

He made sure he had his keys and left his apartment through the door; deciding to take a break from his studies for a few hours and get started on his search.

A fairly quick bus ride later had him in the shopping district, and he began to walk down the sidewalk with his eyes peeled for jewelry stores.

Almost twenty minutes later he shifted his eyes back forward, having looked across the street at the storefronts there, and saw a girl standing in the middle of the sidewalk ahead of him.

She wore a white long sleeve top with a blue sailor collar with white stripes on it and matching wrist cuffs, a blue pleated skirt with a matching blue ribbon bow on the back, white ankle socks, and black cross-strap shoes. An outfit that was a school uniform he recognized from his tours around the city with Motoki.

The girl had incredibly long golden hair up in an unusual style that intrigued him, and as he reached her he could easily see that she was shorter than him.

Suddenly the girl threw a balled up paper over her shoulder, but with his Seeker reflexes he caught it before it could hit him in the face.

"I believe this belongs to you." He said, and watched her spin around revealing the red ribbon bow over her chest that was part of her uniform.

Mamoru caught his breath as he took in her blue eyes. They were like a clear blue sky and so intense, but he could also see that she was young. A couple of years younger than him.

"Thanks." She said softly, clearly embarrassed, as she grasped the paper as he held it out to her. "I'm sorry for throwing it in the first place. I was just frustrated."

"That's okay. I've reacted in frustration more times than I can count, and in worse ways than throwing a piece of paper." He replied.

He idly remembered nearly blowing up Dumbledore's office, with that old man in it, but of course that was more than frustration; it was acute frustration mixed with grief and rage.

"Thanks for understanding." She said with a smile. "I imagine if you were a different person you might have reacted…um…" She trailed off trying to think of the right word.

"Like an ass." He finished her sentence, and they both laughed.

"Exactly." She said in amusement as she nodded.

Mamoru looked down and took a slow deep breath and let it out just as slowly. She had a nice smile and a soft voice that sounded more than a bit soothing to his ears. He looked back to her. She was the first female to catch his attention in any way since he lost Ginny, but once again he noted how young she looked.

Maybe if nothing else I can be her friend. He thought as his eyes flickered over her face.

"I'm Chiba Mamoru." He said, introducing himself to this girl he didn't know.

"I'm Tsukino Usagi." She replied with a smile.

"It's nice to meet you." Mamoru said as he did a quick mental translation. Usagi means rabbit. How interesting considering her hair style. He thought.

"Same here." Usagi replied cheerfully.

"So what school do you go to?" He asked as he looked at her uniform again.

"I go to Azabu Jūban Junior High School." She answered. "Do you go to school or are you out of school already?" She asked in return.

"I'm currently studying and getting tutoring at Moto-Azabu Academy to help bring up my level of education from what it was because of where I lived before." Mamoru answered, using the name he had been told to use if he needed to name the school he went to.

"You didn't live in Japan?" Usagi asked in surprise since she knew that schools were pretty much the same throughout the country.

"No." He replied with a chuckle.

"I couldn't tell. Your accent is perfect." She said.

"Thank you. That means all my hard work at learning the language has paid off." Mamoru said.

"Can I ask where you lived before?" Usagi asked curiously.

"I lived in England for the majority of my life, and only recently moved back here." He said.

"How recent?" She asked, still curious.

"Only a few months ago." He said.

"Wow." Usagi said, wide eyed, and then paused in realization. "Does that mean you have an accent when you speak English?" She asked.

"Yes I do." Mamoru confirmed.

Usagi sighed fondly as her eyes softened, and then made a slightly whining sound as she closed her eyes briefly.

"I'm so curious and want to talk more, but I have to get home since my mom is expecting me." She said reluctantly.

"That's okay." He said understandingly. "Do you know the Game Center Crown arcade? My friend works there so I spend some time there sometimes."

"I do know it." Usagi said as she nodded. "Is your friend Motoki?" She wondered, since he was the only guy that worked there that looked to be around the same age.

"Yes that's him; what a coincidence." Mamoru said with slight smile.

"I know right." She replied with a smile of her own.

"We can meet there tomorrow after you get out of school, and talk more if you want." He suggested.

"Yeah I want!" Usagi said instantly. "I already can't wait." She added, and he smiled.

"I'm actually looking forward to it as well." He said, and then sighed. "You should go on ahead. I don't want to be the cause of you getting into trouble."

"Yeah." She said as she nodded. "The last thing I want is to be grounded when I'm looking forward to an interesting conversation tomorrow."

"I'll see you tomorrow then. I'll keep an eye out for you." He said.

"Alright." Usagi said as she began to step back. "Until tomorrow." She added as she waved.

Mamoru waved in return and watched her turn and walk away. His eyes following the twin streams of hair swaying with her every step. Her long hair was fascinating. He had liked Ginny's long hair too, but Usagi's was much much longer.

He sighed and turned and looked at the store they had been standing in front of. It was surprisingly a jewelry store, and he decided to go in and check to see if the silver crystal was in there.

He searched through the entire store, examining every diamond and clear gem, determining 'silver' to mean those colors, but found nothing that felt like it could be the silver crystal.

~HPxXxMC~

Usagi walked down the sidewalk to her house not at all looking forward to arriving, but knowing she needed to get there and face the music. She was trying not to think of him just now, wanting to save thoughts of the encounter she had with her new acquaintance for after she dealt with her mother, but he was there in her mind either way.

His blue eyes, so deep and intense, his quiet yet calm voice, and his height. The guy was taller than any boy she knew, and she found that she liked that.

She still couldn't believe she threw her paper at him. She wondered if it actually hit or if he had caught it beforehand. It didn't matter. She was just glad he hadn't been upset or, as he said, an ass about it.

Usagi giggled and then sighed as she reached her house. She walked up to the front door and tried the handle and found it unlocked, so she opened the door as quietly as possible and eased inside and closed the door.

It clicked quietly, but when she turned around her mother was standing right there waiting.

She must have seen me coming through the window. She told herself as she held in a sigh.

"Let's see it then." Her mother said as she held out her hand expectantly.

Usagi sighed lightly and dug her test out from her school bag and handed it over without a word. She watched her mother scan the wrinkled paper and saw the moment her face darkened.

"Usagi!" Her mother yelled. "What is this?!" She said as she waved the failed test paper. "It doesn't matter! Get out! Get out, and don't come back until you've studied long and hard!" She ordered.

Before Usagi could say anything she found herself being backed up and then pushed outside of the suddenly open door. The door slammed shut as she finished regaining her balance and she sighed heavily before she turned away.

She wasn't even going to bother trying to get back in, knowing the door would be locked. She doubted her keys would work since the inside bolt would likely be locked as well to prevent her from getting back in.

Instead, Usagi just started walking and began to make her way to the nearest library. It was just outside the neighborhood, which wasn't a long walk to her since she was used to walking everywhere. She only took the bus or train when she needed to go longer distances since her father couldn't drive her around everywhere.

Nearly twenty minutes later she walked into the library and found herself a small table near a window, and sat down and started doing what homework she could without her textbooks.

Usagi managed to work for half an hour straight before she got distracted by her thoughts of her meeting with Mamoru.

She couldn't deny that she thought he was good looking, in that tall dark and handsome kind of way, and she found it interesting that he had lived somewhere else before moving to Japan.

She had no problem admitting that she was curious about his accent when he spoke English. She wanted to hear it; badly. Even if she didn't understand what he said.

I can't wait. She thought with a sigh as she rested her chin on her hand as she gazed out the window. I wonder how old he is. He's definitely older than me, but not too much older. Maybe he's in high school. She wondered since she couldn't even tell by the school he went to, because she had never heard of it before.

Usagi sighed again and forced herself to focus back on her homework. When she finished it had been almost an hour and the sky was starting to darken.

Hopefully mom will be satisfied that I've nearly finished my homework. She thought as she packed up her things.

She left the library and headed home, something that didn't take long, and used her keys to get inside. Unfortunately her mother was on her before she could reach the stairs.

"Well? Did you study hard?" Her mother asked as she impatiently tapped her foot on the floor.

"Yes. My homework is almost finished. I couldn't do any more of it without my textbooks." Usagi said, hoping that would satisfy her mom.

"Alright." Her mother said as she eyed her with slightly narrowed eyes before sighed. "Go on then." She said as she waved her up the stairs.

Usagi wasted no time hurrying up the stairs and into her bedroom where she closed the door and leaned back against it with a weary sigh. She looked to her floor desk and then her bed and decided she would take a bit of a nap before she got back to her homework.

She walked across her room and placed her school bag on the desk, and then went and lay down on her bed with a sigh. She closed her eyes and shifted until she was comfortable and tried to keep her mind blank.

A quiet sound almost rang through the room and her eyes snapped open sharply. She blinked rapidly as she realized she must have dozed off without knowing, and she looked around but saw nothing to explain the noise.

Must have been dreaming. She thought as she ran her fingers through her bangs.

In the next moment a dark blur seemed to move through the air in front of her balcony doors from the corner of her eyes, and she blinked and looked over only to see a cat sitting on her bed with her.

It was a normal looking adult sized black cat with red eyes, but it had a golden crescent moon on its forehead.

I…I saw that cat this morning. That's the cat I saved from those kids! She thought as she sat up quickly and moved over to the side away from the feline.

How did it know where I was? How did it get in here? Why is it here?! She thought a little frantically as she stared at the cat.

"Hello Usagi. My name is Luna, and I have been searching for you." The black cat said in a feminine tone, and she stood up from the bed and stared wide eyed at the cat.

"You can talk! How can you talk?!" Usagi asked in shock.

"I am special." Luna said calmly. "You, Usagi, are one of the chosen ones. You have been chosen to be a guardian, a sailor senshi."

"A sailor senshi? Like Sailor V?!" Usagi asked wide eyed in surprise. "Wow! I could be a senshi like Sailor V. I could fight crime and protect people and be popular!" She continued, almost squealing, but then paused.

"What exactly is a sailor senshi?" She asked as she looked back to the cat, feeling now that her excitement had been expressed she needed to learn more.

"A sailor senshi is a female warrior charged with the duty to protect and support the Moon Princess." Luna answered.

"And you really think I'm one of these chosen female warriors?" Usagi asked skeptically. It sounded exciting, but she honestly didn't see herself as a fighter.

"You are." Luna said firmly. "You are Sailor Moon."

"How…how do you know this? How do you know I'm a senshi? I haven't done anything special." Usagi asked with a frown.

"I can sense the power within you." Luna answered. "After you helped me this morning, what with taking the Band-Aid off, I was able to get a good sense of the type of power within you."

"And this is how you've determined I'm this Sailor Moon?" Usagi asked.

"Yes." Luna confirmed with a firm nod.

"Can you prove this?" Usagi asked, wondering if the feline was just relying on words to sway her. She liked the idea of being like Sailor V, but she wasn't naive enough to believe Luna's words without proof.

"Absolutely." Luna said before she suddenly jumped up into the air and did a backflip, causing a slight flash of light, before she landed back on the bed with an item.

"This is your transformation brooch. It will allow you to become Sailor Moon." She said as she pushed the brooch toward her.

Usagi slowly picked it up and saw that it was round and golden with a light gold crescent moon along the bottom as a decoration that stretched from one side to the other. There was a golden five point star within a circle sitting in the crescent with three circles on each side. Beyond that were four small circles decorating the edge of the brooch on the top, bottom, left, and right in red, blue, green, and orange.

"All you have to do is say 'moon prism power, make up', and you will become the senshi of the Moon." Luna said.

Usagi looked to Luna and back down to the brooch in her hand. It was very pretty, and very unassuming. It looked like a regular piece of jewelry, and she wondered if it would even work as Luna said.

But she did somehow produce it out of seemingly thin air, so I guess I can try it and see if it works. That would give me the answer I need, and if it does work then I can ask more questions. Like who and what is the Moon Princess? She thought as she took a breath.

"Moon Prism Power, Make Up!" She said, and gasped in surprise as the brooch began to sparkle and glow.

Next thing she knew she was lifting off the floor surrounded in pink light being transformed. When it finished she opened her eyes, having closed them in the brightness of her transformation, and blinked in shock to see herself no longer in her school uniform.

Instead, she was dressed very similar to what she had seen Sailor V dressed like. She moved over to her vanity table and looked into the mirror, and saw that the brooch she had used to transform was now on the center of the red bow on her chest.

There was also a replica pendant of it on the red choker around her neck, gold dangling earrings of a star and a crescent moon beneath it, white feather barrettes in her hair behind her bangs and white-bordered red circular hairpieces sat on the buns in her hair.

Okay, so this is real. She thought as she looked at the sailor outfit, feeling slightly uncomfortable about the short length of the skirt, but still thinking it looked good on her.

"Okay, I'm really Sailor Moon." She said as she took in her knee high red boots and the long white gloves that stretched up her forearms. "Obviously I believe it. Now, who…"

Usagi paused before she could even get beyond the beginning of her question when she suddenly heard the sound of a familiar voice speaking in her room.

"Help! Help! Someone please help me!"

"Wait! That's Naru's voice!" She thought as she looked up, as if she could see where her voice was coming from since it was close.

She glanced back into her mirror and saw the hairpieces on her buns glowing slightly, and she guessed her best friend's voice was somehow coming from them.

"It is time for you to act Sailor Moon." Luna said seriously. "This is your first brush with what you must deal with in your role as a guardian sailor senshi."

Usagi sighed nervously but nodded and quickly headed around her bed to her balcony doors, knowing she couldn't leave out through the front door and risk being seen.

"We'll talk more after Naru is safe. I still have questions." She said as she opened one of the doors and stepped out.

Usagi hesitated briefly but put her hands on the railing and jumped over it, hoping for the best since she was now this warrior. She thankfully landed lightly on the ground, and then took off running; sprinting toward the last place she had seen her friend.

~xXx~

Mamoru searched through two more jewelry stores after the first one, but found nothing much to his disappointment so he began to head home since the jewelry stores were closing. He knew it was unlikely he would find the silver crystal in one of those stores; especially since he had just begun his search, but he had still hoped he would.

He pushed aside his slight disappointment and turned his mind to his studies. He had homework to do and beyond that he wanted to get in a bit of practice with his wandless magic before he went to bed.

As he walked he glanced up at the sky and saw that it was getting dark, and decided to cut through a small walking park to find a suitable place he could Apparate. He spotted a cluster of thick trees and decided that was a good spot, but before he could reach it he was suddenly blinded by a massive headache.

Unnoticed by him, or anyone else since he was alone in the park, he began to glow with a white light that grew brighter and brighter as he held his pained head and squeezed his eyes shut.

When the light cleared he stood in a full black tuxedo with a white dress shirt, vest, and bow tie, a black and red cape, black dress shoes, white gloves, a white mask framing his eyes, and a black top hat.

He blinked and immediately took off running, following the internal pull of where he was being led all the while feeling determined and yet confused.

Why am I determined and confused? He thought blankly as he ran at top speed. Who am I? Where am I going? Why am I going where ever it is?

As he questioned himself he began to feel a growing sense of anger on top of the determination and confusion he was already feeling. To him the sensation of the internal pull felt almost like the Imperius Curse, what is that?, but there had been no words in his mind.

There had been nothing signaling the enactment of the curse, and for some reason he could barely remember himself. All he knew for certain was that he was obviously a male and magical.

"Don't let anyone dictate how you live your life ever again." The familiar feminine voice floated through his mind.

Ginny. He thought softly, and suddenly the determination he had been feeling to get to wherever he was being pulled to morphed into the familiar determination not to let anyone or anything control him after his experiences with Dumbledore.

Remembering his Ginny's words and her voice, even if only a little, his anger, and his determination helped him push through whatever was trying to control him, and he slowed finding himself on top of a roof as he recalled who he was.

He was Harry Potter and Chiba Mamoru. He had been adopted and had decided to live in his birth country, and nothing and no one would control him. Never again!

Mamoru slowed further until he stopped, and took a deep breath to calm himself so he could think straight and without anger.

The strange internal pull had been like an Imperius Curse but different. He had almost completely forgotten who he was! If his mind had not been strong he would have been a blank slate of a person dressed in a tuxedo!

That was another thing. Whatever power had come over him had dressed him up in a very formal way where he wouldn't be recognized. He looked like he was going to some kind of costume party or a masquerade ball.

What should I do? He thought with a heavy sigh as he looked around from the rooftop he currently stood on. Should I ignore what just happened and go home or follow this pull I can still sense and find out what's going on?

City sounds filled the silence around him as he considered what to do, and examined the pulling sensation he was feeling. If he wasn't mistaken it also had an urgent feel to it; as if telling him to hurry up and get there before something happened.

I'll go. He decided. He would follow it and find out what was happening, and why it was happening to him. He had already lived years with important information being hidden from him. He would not deal with that again. He needed to know.

Mamoru began to run again and leapt from rooftop to rooftop following the new set of instincts he now suddenly had toward wherever he was being pulled to. He tried not to think about the fact that he was on top of multiple story buildings, running faster than he ever had before, and jumping higher than he ever had.

A few minutes passed as he ran, continuing to not allow himself to think about the action of running along rooftops and leaping from building to building like it was an everyday occurrence, until he landed on the roof of yet another building.

He paused and then stopped completely as he realized he had arrived where he was apparently supposed to be. His senses were telling him that the pull that had guided him was directly below his feet.

Looking around carefully he made his way toward a large window that was actually a skylight. He looked around the edges and found the latch before he undid it and swung the window open inward.

He leapt onto a wide ledge inside the dark building and looked down into what was clearly some sort of shop. He saw what he thought was a woman in black floating above the floor, people unconscious on the floor, and a young woman that was dressed similar to how he remembered that young woman, Sailor V, dressing in posters.

Mamoru narrowed his eyes as he focused on this female warrior. His first reaction to seeing her was an instant attraction. She looked like how he might have imagined a fantasy female supernatural warrior in this country would look.

She had on a short skimpy blue skirt, tall red boots, and a white skin tight bodysuit, but surprisingly she still looked strong and capable of being intimidating; capable because he himself wasn't intimidated, but he imagined others who saw her would be.

He looked closer at her, taking in her long golden hair and her unique hair style, and held in a gasp of surprise.

Usagi! He suddenly recognized her through the sailor disguise she was wearing. He was shocked at this turn of events. This was where he had been pulled; to her.

He definitely hadn't expected this. Common sense told him that she couldn't have been this warrior before today or even just a little while ago, because he had just met her earlier in the day and had felt nothing of the sort, no Imperius-like sensation or pulling sensation, while he stood right in front of her.

Mamoru took a breath and focused internally even as he watched what he understood was a fight taking place below him. He couldn't sense the pull he had felt anymore, but he now felt the strong urge to remain and help Usagi until she was safe and no longer needed the aid.

Aside from that he noted that she was not the best fighter. In fact, she looked scared, and like she had no idea what to do. He himself felt the same way, but the more he watched the more he felt like he knew how to fight that thing that clearly wasn't a woman.

I told myself after the final battle was over that I would always follow my instincts. He thought with a sigh. And even with this situation, these new instincts, I intend to do just that.

In any case, it was likely the only way he would get answers to his questions. Questions like why was Usagi dressed like that and down there fighting? Why was he affected by that strange power and lured here to her? Why did he have the strong urge to help her, protect her? What was that thing she was fighting?

Mamoru began to consider how to help Usagi, and he suddenly found himself gesturing slightly with his hand, and watched as a perfect red rose appeared in his fingers.

That was interesting. He thought as he briefly examined the sharp point on the stem. But I can do better than this.

He looked back down to the creature woman and considered the distance thoughtfully. He had never been afraid of heights, not when he first got on a broom and flew without knowing how and definitely not now. He had some concern about possible painful landings, but even that wasn't going to stop him in this case.

The creature's arm began to stretch unnaturally toward Usagi and he shifted on his feet before he leapt off the ledge and down toward the creature woman. As he fell through the air the creature's hand wrapped around Usagi's neck, and he could tell by the look on her face that the grip was tight.

He landed on its back and took it down in an instant, its face hitting the tile floor hard and its stretched arm fell to the floor, its hand releasing Usagi's neck in the process, as he crouched on top of it.

He stood up and stepped off it before he turned and backed up toward Usagi, not wanting his back to that thing even if he had hurt it severely with his landing.

As he reached Usagi he took in the golden tiara with a red gem on her forehead, the decorations in her hair, her gold dangling earrings, and the red choker with a crescent moon and a pendant that matched the brooch on the bow on her chest.

She looks even more attractive up close. He thought as he looked away from her and back to the creature.

"That…was unexpected." She said as she blinked at him, her hand gently rubbing her neck.

"I thought it would be." He said as he looked at the rose still in his hand. As far as I'm concerned it cut down on the fighting that likely would have happened if I had just thrown the flower.

"Do you know how to get rid of that thing?" He asked as he glanced back to her.

"No." She said simply as she shook her head, and then she saw Luna running over toward them.

"Throw your tiara, and shout 'moon tiara action' to kill the youma!" She called out.

Usagi and Mamoru looked at each other after her words and shrugged, neither knowing if such a thing would work, and then both smiled in amusement before she grasped her tiara between her thumb and forefinger and pulled her tiara off.

It began to glow as it turned into a white disk that hovered above her fingers, and she threw the tiara down at the recovering creature.

"Moon Tiara Action!" She said as seriously as she could given what she was doing.

The glowing disk slammed into the creature, and it screamed before it began to turn gray and crumble to dust.

Usagi caught her tiara as it returned to her, surprised that her throw had actually hit the creature and further surprised that she had managed to catch the weapon/jewelry when it returned, and put it back on her forehead as it returned to normal.

Before Mamoru and Usagi could say anything more to each other they saw the unconscious people starting to regain consciousness. They quickly headed outside the shop, both instinctively knowing they shouldn't be there when those people became fully aware, and paused once they were out of sight of the windows.

"Thanks for the help in there." She said as she gestured back toward the shop.

"No problem." Mamoru said calmly as he took in her outfit further now that there was no danger.

"I'm Sailor Moon." She introduced herself.

"I'm Tuxedo Kamen." He found himself saying instinctively. Where did that come from?

"I should go. Until next time Sailor Moon." He said before he turned and ran off down the sidewalk away from her and the shop.

What Mamoru really wanted was to talk to Usagi and ask her what the hell was going on, but his common sense prevailed over his need for answers. He had recognized her through her…Sailor Moon persona, although he didn't think he was supposed to, but that didn't mean she had or would recognize him as the same guy she had met earlier in the day beneath the tuxedo and mask he wore.

I'll be speaking to her tomorrow anyway, so I'll see her then and see if there are any hints that she recognized me from tonight. He told himself as he ran.

In the meantime he was going to go home, and relax and adjust to what had happened to him and what he had just experienced. Then get started on his homework.

He slowed and turned into an alley before he focused and Apparated. He disappeared silently from the alley and appeared just as silently in the small hallway in front of the door inside his dark apartment.

Flipping on the light switch he looked around and saw Helios on his perch looking at him quizzically.

"You won't believe what just happened to me Helios." Mamoru said as he stepped further into his apartment and headed to the couch.

He sat down, deciding to worry about how to get out of the outfit later, and smiled as Helios joined him and landed on his leg.

"It started with a girl I met this afternoon." He said as he gently stroked warm golden feathers, and began to explain from there.

~xXx~

Usagi watched the mystery guy that had introduced himself as Tuxedo Kamen until he disappeared from her sight.

"Come on Sailor Moon! We need to leave!" Luna said, and she looked down at her and nodded.

"Alright." Usagi said before she turned, and ran in the opposite direction from Tuxedo Kamen.

Now that she was running she particularly wanted to hurry up and get back home. It really hadn't been long since she had become Sailor Moon and run off to save Naru. Not even being a half an hour as far as she could tell, but she still wanted to get back before her mom decided to check on her.

It was one thing to not be home at this time of the evening, and another to have gone home and disappeared without a word; especially as it would look like she had snuck out her balcony. Hopefully she would make it back before anyone thought to come see what she was doing.

To distract herself she turned her mind back to the fight she had just been part of. She was glad she had been able to save Naru, but she was still worried about her being injured. She worried about what may have happened to her mom since that creature, youma as Luna called it, had been pretending to be her.

All those other people she thought were likely fine now that the youma was dead. They had only been controlled and not hurt; aside from possibly having their energy taken. She didn't know.

The whole thing had been a bit surreal. Was this the type of thing Sailor V actually did? Usagi wasn't sure she was any good at it. She'd had no idea what to do when faced with that creature, and those people that were being controlled.

I'm supposed to be a protective guardian to a princess. That's what Luna said, so shouldn't I have some kind of fighting instincts to help me out? She wondered as she ran.

Maybe it'll all come later. Like the more I fight the more capable I'll be. She thought optimistically.

A few more minutes passed before they reached Usagi's neighborhood and only a couple more before they reached her house. She slowed as she reached the house and slowly stepped into her small front yard, making sure to stay out of view of the living room window, and crouched down below her balcony.

"How do I get back up there?" She asked Luna quietly as she looked up at her balcony. As far as she could see nothing looked different from how she had left it.

"You jumped down, try jumping back up there." Luna suggested before she jumped onto the trunk of the tree and climbed up until she reached a branch and looked back down at her.

Usagi sighed heavily, completely unsure but willing, and stepped back a few steps. She ran those few steps and then pushed off the grass as she jumped. Much to her surprise she sailed up high and managed to make it over the railing and landed lightly on her balcony.

She paused and took a steadying breath before she slowly stepped into her bedroom. It was dark and the door was still closed, so she stepped further in with confidence and closed the door after Luna stepped inside.

She looked around and wondered how to change back into her school uniform, knowing that she needed to if she planned on being seen by people she knew at any point from now on, when she suddenly began to glow with a pink light.

Once it cleared she found herself back in her school uniform with her transformation brooch secured to the bow on her chest.

Usagi sighed in relief and turned on the light, instantly brightening the room, and sat down at her floor desk. She pulled out her homework and opened one of the piled up textbooks she needed to finish her homework.

Suddenly there was a knock on her door and her heart began to race.

"Yeah?" She called.

"Dinner's ready." Came the sound of her mother's voice.

"I'll be right down." Usagi called before she stood up and looked to Luna. "We'll talk more after I eat alright." She said as she moved toward her door.

"Okay." Luna said as she nodded.

Usagi left her room and went downstairs and into the dining room. Thankfully, her parents, since her father was now home, didn't seem to realize she had been gone until a couple of minutes ago. She kept her silence on the matter and just enjoyed the meal her mother cooked as she spoke with her family.

When she finished eating she returned to her room and closed the door and sat back down at her floor desk. Once she looked over what she needed to do she flipped to the right page in her textbook so she was at the right spot and then turned and looked for Luna.

She watched as she leapt up onto her bed and stepped closer toward her.

"Is it okay to talk now?" Luna asked.

"Yeah. I shouldn't be bothered for the rest of the night." Usagi said reassuringly, and watched her feline companion nod.

"Alright. I'm worried about who that masked man is." Luna said in concern as she sat on the bed. "Why did he show up? Why did he want to help you?"

"Well, he said his name was Tuxedo Kamen. Do you remember anyone with that name that looked like him in the past?" Usagi asked curiously as she recalled the mystery man in his tuxedo, cape, mask, and top hat.

"No. No one comes to mind." Luna said thoughtfully.

"Is it possible you just can't remember yet?" Usagi asked. "I would think it would be a bit early for…whoever sent out that creature to try and make a move toward getting close to me."

"Maybe after tonight I could see it happening, but I think it's too soon for that guy to be some kind of attempt at that." She said.

"You do have a point there." Luna agreed. "However, he could be someone after the princess instead of being someone that's part of the group after human energy."

"Wouldn't that still be too soon?" Usagi questioned. "How would he have known that I would be at that fight or that any senshi would be at that fight? If he was after the princess wouldn't he have already had to know that protecting her was my job? Wouldn't that also mean that he had to have some kind of memory of the princess and senshi for that to happen?"

Luna nodded as she considered Usagi's words and had to admit that she had very valid points. It also made her proud that the first senshi she had found had a good head on her shoulders.

"You're right." She said with another nod. "I'm still concerned, and would prefer for you to be careful around him if he shows up again, but we can wait and see what happens before labeling him definitively as another enemy."

Usagi nodded in agreement. She liked that course of action better than naming the guy an enemy just because he showed up and helped in a fight. That didn't make sense to her when he didn't do anything to earn the title.

"Okay I have questions!" She said as she perked up from where she sat on the floor. "First, why exactly am I a senshi? What is the point? Is it just to protect and support the Moon Princess?"

"There are creatures, youma, like the one you just faced, attacking in the city stealing energy from people, and you and the other senshi have to stop it." Luna explained.

"That is one aspect of being a senshi, but more importantly is the need to find and protect the Moon Princess. She's in danger because of who she is and what she guards, and is in even more danger because she is out there without protection." She continued.

"Who is this Moon Princess? I've never heard of such a royal before." Usagi asked.

"The Moon Princess was the heir to the throne of the Moon Kingdom back in the Silver Millennium, and next in line to wield and guard the imperial silver crystal; a very powerful object that could only be used correctly by the royal moon line." Luna answered.

"Because of this she was given five guardian senshi to protect her during her life; Sailor Moon, Sailor Mars, Sailor Venus, Sailor Jupiter, and Sailor Mercury." She added.

"That's what you meant earlier by the Moon Princess being in danger because of what she guarded, the silver crystal?" Usagi asked.

"Yes." Luna said with a nod.

"You listed those other senshi. Does that mean I'm not going to be alone as a guardian?" Usagi asked.

"Yes." Luna answered. "Beyond you, as I said, there is Sailor's Venus, Mercury, Jupiter, and Mars. You will have to find them along with the princess."

Usagi sighed. That sounds like a lot of work. She thought.

"Do you know what the princess looks like or how old she might be?" She asked.

"Unfortunately I don't. I have my instincts and some of my past memories, but not all of them yet." Luna explained.

"Past memories." Usagi repeated thoughtfully. "Does that mean me and the other senshi will remember the past too?"

"Hopefully yes. It would certainly make it easier to find the princess if you remembered more about her." Luna said. "Although, I don't know how well that will work toward appearances since I don't know if the princess or you and the other senshi look as you all did in the past."

Usagi hummed thoughtfully.

"How am I supposed to find the other senshi and the princess when I have the whole planet to search?" She asked.

"I think since I'm here in Tokyo and you're here as well then you'll hopefully find everyone in the city. It would make sense for you all to be gathered in one central area." Luna said.

Usagi was skeptical of that, but didn't say anything about it.

"How am I supposed to find the other senshi? I mean how do I know when I've found one?" She asked instead.

"Each senshi will be identified by their planetary symbol. I'll be able to see it, but I don't know if you'll be able to." Luna answered.

Usagi nodded in understanding. She wanted to assume that Luna had seen some type of moon symbol on her, but Luna had already said she had identified her by the power she sensed in her. She didn't know if Luna had realized or considered that difference or what it might mean, and she didn't particularly want to open up that can of worms and see where it led.

"Will the silver crystal be with the princess or will it have to be found as well?" She asked.

"I'm unsure about that." Luna said uncertainly. "It would definitely help if it is with the princess already since it's only safe in her hands. Although, it would also be more dangerous for her, but you should be prepared if that isn't the case."

Usagi nodded, wondering how the crystal would be found if it wasn't with the princess.

"What's your role in this? Is it just to awaken the Senshi?" She asked.

"I am to be an advisor and guide to the Senshi, and when the princess is found I will be her guardian and advisor." Luna explained.

"Wow, you're going to be busy once everyone is found." Usagi noted.

"Maybe." Luna allowed. "As you and the other senshi grow in your roles you will need less guidance from me, so I shouldn't be too busy."

Usagi nodded and thought that made sense. Although, she wondered if that also applied to the princess; or if Luna would just continue to be her advisor regardless of how much she matured or grew out of the need. She supposed it would be like a president or prime minister's advisor. They were always there to advise them on serious situations.

"Hmm…I can't think of any more questions right now." She said before she glanced back to her desk. "I need to get back to my homework anyway."

"Okay." Luna said as she nodded.

Usagi turned around and picked up her pen, and started reading the open page of her textbook.

Long minutes passed until almost an hour had passed before she finally put her pen down and closed her textbook. With her homework finished she quickly put her books away and her homework inside her school bag, and double checked to make sure all of her homework was there.

She placed her bag on her desk and got up and stretched before she went and grabbed her pajamas. She left her room and went and changed in the bathroom, not comfortable changing in her room while Luna was there.

She returned to her room and hung up her uniform and hung it on her closet door then sat at her vanity table and took one of her buns down and brushed her hair out before she pulled it into a ponytail. She did the same with her other bun, and then stood and left her room to say goodnight to her parents.

She returned to her room afterward and closed the door as she turned off the light, and then stepped toward her bed and climbed under her covers.

"Goodnight Luna." Usagi said as she closed her eyes and relaxed into her mattress.

"Goodnight Usagi." Luna said quietly.

~HPxXxMC~

Usagi stood next to a window in her class with her best friend Naru listening to her relate what had happened to her last evening and learning that she was okay after her ordeal.

When Usagi woke up that morning she had briefly thought she had dreamed up the whole thing, becoming a senshi like Sailor V, fighting a strange creature woman, meeting a mysterious masked man, but then she saw Luna laying at the end of her bed and the pretty brooch attached to her uniform top and knew it was no dream.

"I'm so glad you're okay." She told her friend.

"Me too." Naru said before she glanced around the room. "It was an exciting time." She added as she looked back to her friend.

"Well, I didn't do anything so exciting, but after I left you to head home I met this guy." Usagi said. Of course considering what had happened to her there was yet another guy that she had met, but she couldn't tell Naru that right now.

I'll admit that he was handsome as well as mysterious, but I can't tell her that. She thought.

"Really?!" Naru asked as her eyes widened.

"Yeah. Right outside your mom's store." Usagi said as she nodded. "Apparently he's new to the city, the country actually, and lived in England before he moved here."

"Is he cute?" Naru asked immediately.

"Oh he definitely is." Usagi said as she nodded rapidly. "He has short black hair and deep blue eyes and he's tall."

"Wow." Naru said, and Usagi nodded.

"We agreed to meet after school today at the Crown arcade, so hopefully I'll learn more about him." She said.

"You have to tell me all about it!" Naru said excitedly. "Do you think he's boyfriend material?"

"I…I don't know. I just met him yesterday. I don't even know how old he is." Usagi said, her face heating up at the subject.

"So what!? He can't be too much older if he's willing to meet up with you." Naru said as she watched her friend blush.

Thankfully their teacher came into the room saving Usagi the need to reply. They moved away from the windows, Naru looking at her knowingly, and took their seats.

The school day went as usual from there; everyone turning in their homework, listening to the lectures, and taking notes.

After school Usagi parted ways from Naru and began to make her way to the Crown arcade. She paused at a red light and looked around at the passing cars before she idly looked down. She did a small double take as she spotted Luna sitting almost next to her feet.

She looked back up and stepped into the crosswalk when the light changed as she wondered what that was all about. She didn't know why Luna was following her, and didn't know why she had practically met her after she got out of school. She wasn't about to ask since she didn't want to be seen talking to a cat.

Whatever her reason I'm not going to let her get in the way of me getting to know Mamoru. She told herself firmly.

Luna for her part carefully followed Usagi as she walked down sidewalk after sidewalk. From what she had seen yesterday this wasn't the route she took to get home, and she wanted to know where she was going.

A little over twenty minutes later Usagi arrived at the arcade and stopped in front of the sliding glass doors. They slid open and she stepped in and immediately saw Mamoru sitting on a stool at the front counter.

She smiled at the sight of him before walking over to him.

~xXx~

Mamoru woke to the sound of his alarm and he reached over and turned it off, and climbed out of his bed before he could lay back down. Instantly his mind recalled everything that had happened yesterday.

Meeting Usagi, searching for the silver crystal, becoming Tuxedo Kamen, and seeing Sailor Moon and realizing she was actually Usagi.

He still could hardly believe what had happened. Usagi had somehow become this Sailor Moon warrior, and for some reason he had become this Tuxedo Kamen character that felt the need to go to her aid.

And that doesn't include that I somehow can see beyond her sailor disguise and tell that she's Usagi. He thought as he began to dress in his uniform.

The action reminded him of how he had figured out how to get out of the tuxedo he had been wearing last night. He had simply wanted to be back in his regular clothes and willed it away. He'd glowed, with a red gold-tinted light this time, before he had been back in the casual clothes he had been wearing. It had been that simple.

I'll see Usagi later. He reminded himself as he secured his sash around his waist over his brown kimono top. Hopefully I'll get some type of answer then. Even if it's only that she doesn't recognize me as the masked man that helped her last night.

For now he pushed aside thoughts of sailor and tuxedo disguises, and focused on the fact that he would be meeting Usagi later today. He hadn't forgotten his thought on possibly being her friend, and to do that he would have to get to know her.

He knew it was going to be different from how he had become friends with Hermione or even Ginny. He was attracted to Usagi; his reaction to meeting her and then later when he saw her as Sailor Moon made that clear.

He had never been attracted to Hermione, had never even thought to look at her in that way, and with Ginny he hadn't started becoming attracted to her until his sixth year. By then he had already been friends with her.

Can I do it? Can I become her friend and ignore my attraction to her? He wondered as he headed to the kitchen to make himself some breakfast. It shouldn't be too hard. I love Ginny and I'm not interested in being with anyone else, and I doubt Usagi is attracted to me anyway.

Mamoru shrugged to himself. He had never really seen himself as attractive, being skinny, shorter than most, having wild hair and taped glasses didn't exactly inspire confidence. He was sure no one would have bothered with him if he hadn't been The Boy Who Lived. He had never even understood Ginny's attraction to him.

Ginny. He thought with a sigh, feeling his heart ache at the loss of her.

He missed her. He missed her so much. Her attractiveness had never been in doubt, not to him, but he knew she had had some insecurities. That was what happened when you were the only girl with six older male siblings.

He shook his head and focused on the matter at hand. He was drawn to Usagi, and would try to be her friend since he had no desire for more.

Focus on the present; on the here and now. He told himself. He still needed to go to school, and he needed his mind completely focused on that.

With that in mind he sat at his kitchen table and began to eat while he slipped behind his Occlumency shield and worked on organizing his thoughts and emotions.

When he finished Mamoru felt more clearheaded and quickly finished his breakfast before he gathered his messenger style bag and Portkeyed to school.

Thankfully he was able to focus and pay attention through all of his classes, and after school he returned home and wasted no time changing out of his uniform and into something casual. He made sure he had his keys and his wallet, something he had finally invested in weeks ago, and left his apartment.

He went to the elevator and rode it down and left the building altogether to catch the bus to the area where the Crown arcade was. He knew he had enough time to make it there before Usagi since he knew most schools were only just now letting out at this time of the afternoon.

A somewhat short bus ride later had Mamoru walking down a sidewalk before he paused outside the arcade and stepped inside when the doors opened. He waved to Motoki who was behind the counter and sat on one of the stools.

"Hey you. What are you doing here?" Motoki asked as he leaned against the counter.

"I'm here to meet a girl I met yesterday." Mamoru answered, and watched his friend raise a knowing eyebrow.

"It's not like that." He said immediately. "We just talked briefly and got on the subject of languages. She's curious about what my English accent sounds like."

"Her curiosity might expand after you spend some time with her." Motoki said.

"I don't know about that." Mamoru said with a shrug. "If it does I won't mind being her friend."

Motoki nodded but decided not to say anything more about it.

"So, do you want anything?" He asked instead.

"No. I'd rather wait until she gets here since I don't know how long I'll be here." Mamoru said.

"Alright." Motoki said, and then he noticed a costumer looking like they needed assistance. "I have to go. Good luck with your meeting." He said.

"Thanks." Mamoru said before he watched his friend walk away.

He looked over to his right at the sound of the glass doors opening and saw Usagi walking in with a black cat following her. He ignored the cat, having seen stranger things, even though he was curious and returned his eyes to Usagi and smiled.

I hope it isn't an Animagus. He thought as he spotted the same brooch she had been wearing on the red bow on her chest as Sailor Moon. He wondered what part it played with her new identity.

"I'm glad you made it." Mamoru said as she reached him.

"Thanks." Usagi said with a smile.

"How was school?" He asked solicitously.

"It was the usual. Sitting in class taking notes and learning; nothing exciting." She said with a slight shrug, and he nodded.

"Have you been to the cafe upstairs yet?" Usagi asked.

"No I haven't." He answered as he shook his head.

"Come on then. We can talk up there. It'll be more quiet and less people since more students will be flooding this place soon." She said.

"Alright." Mamoru agreed, silently appreciating the move as he stood up. He had never been a fan of crowds and had become even less so after the war.

They made their way out of the arcade and up the stairs attached to the building. As he opened the door for Usagi he idly noticed the cat was still following, and wondered if it was Usagi's pet.

They stepped inside and made their way to a booth seat next to a window overlooking the street and sat facing each other across the table.

"So how old are you Mamoru?" Usagi asked, ignoring the fact that Luna was sitting underneath the table and listening to everything.

"I'm eighteen." Mamoru answered. "And you?" He asked curiously.

"I'm fourteen." She replied, and then quickly spoke wanting to move away from thoughts of their age. "What did you do today if you don't mind me asking?"

"I went to school." He said readily, deciding to think about her age another time.

"Moto-Azabu Academy right?" Usagi said, and he nodded. "How exactly does that work since you said you're studying and getting tutoring?" She asked.

"The school offers adult classes separate from the younger student body, which are students seventeen and under, so I'm taking some of those classes and getting tutoring on the weekends in the classes I don't need to take but just want to improve on and expand what I already know." Mamoru explained.

"What's your favorite of the classes you're taking?" She asked curiously.

"Language." He said since he couldn't mention one of his magical classes. "I'm learning French."

"Wow. So you learned Japanese and now you're learning French, but English is your main language since that's the one you grew up knowing." Usagi summarized.

"Yes." He said as he nodded.

"Can you say something in English, so I can hear your accent?" She asked eagerly.

"You have very beautiful and fascinating hair." Mamoru said softly in English.

Usagi shivered, the tremble traveling from her head to her toes, and blushed brightly; surprised by her reaction and hoping he didn't notice anything.

Mamoru did notice, and recognized it for what it was. He had seen Ginny react that way to certain things he did, but only a few times to his voice; and usually after they had been kissing for a long time and his voice was husky with his desire for her.

And here Usagi was reacting almost the same way to his voice, to his accent. He wasn't sure what to think about it, but he wouldn't say anything and risk embarrassing her.

"Well, would you mind helping me with my English?" Usagi asked, looking for an excuse to spend more time with him, and actually needing the help.

"I will; if you show me the places you think are vital for someone new to the city to know." Mamoru replied.

"No problem. It'll be fun." She agreed. "I already have some places in mind."

"So how long have you known Motoki?" She asked in the next moment, not having forgotten he said the guy was his friend.

"I met him the day I arrived in the city, so since late November." He answered. "How long have you known him?"

"Oh, since I started coming to the arcade, so about a year now." Usagi said casually. "Do you keep in touch with people back in England? Or…do you have anyone back there to keep in touch with?" She asked delicately since it was entirely possible he didn't, and that was why he had moved here in the first place.

"I do have some people, a couple of friends and those I see as family." Mamoru answered. "I write letters to them. It takes some time for them to get my letters and for me to get their replies, but it's what we're used to since we did the same thing while I was still living there."

"Wow. I can't remember the last time I wrote a letter." She said, and then blinked at him as something occurred to her. "Wait, so that means you're here in the country by yourself?"

"Yes." He confirmed as he nodded.

"I'm impressed. I don't think I would be able to travel so far by myself if I was your age." She said.

"I didn't see myself doing it either before I made the decision to come here." Mamoru said. "Believe it or not coming here was the first time I've traveled anywhere."

"Wow." Usagi said as she gazed at him a little wide eyed, and watched him shrug.

"Have you traveled anywhere?" He asked her.

"No I haven't, but I've always wanted to. I don't know where though since my imaginings weren't specific. I was more interested in the experience rather than the location." She explained with a shrug.

"Did you ever want to travel before you made the decision to come here?" She asked.

"Yes." He answered. "I've always wanted to travel. I just never expected to travel alone." He added, and held in a sigh as his mind drifted to Ginny. I would have traveled with her.

"When I thought of traveling I thought I would go to France or Germany or Italy." He said.

"You know when I thought about traveling the one thing that concerned me was the different languages in different countries." Usagi said thoughtfully. "I know people do it all the time, but that always worried me."

"What if you get lost? Does that mean you would have to find someone who knew your language in order to get directions? Or if you were injured or in need of some kind of help. How would you communicate? I wouldn't know what to do!" She continued.

"I can understand that." Mamoru said as he nodded. Although, he knew that as a wizard he could do a temporary translation spell. "I would think that would definitely be a concern, which is why I did my best to learn Japanese before I came here. To avoid those issues."

Usagi nodded. "It was a good idea on your part." She said, and then hummed lightly. "Now I'm interested in where you lived. Is it very different over in England?" She asked.

"It is. I've found that it very much is." He admitted. "The way people dress is similar but different, the way people talk, the way people behave in general, and the food is different. There's so much more that's different that I've seen, and likely more that I don't know yet."

"Ah, I want to go there someday, but I'm hoping my English is better whenever that is." She said.

"Well, we already have plans to work on that, so I'm sure you'll have it down by then." He said.

"Thanks." She said with a smile.

"Speaking of that; how about we come back here and do your tutoring?" Mamoru suggested. "I can bring my homework and work on that while you're working on your English. It would be better than going to the library in any case. Here we'll be able to talk and eat, something that can't be done at the library."

"Sounds good to me." Usagi easily agreed as she nodded. She might even be able to do her homework as well. It would definitely allow her to spend more time with him; and she did want to. He fascinated her so far, and she wanted to learn more about him.

"Okay, then it's settled." He said.

"Yes." She said firmly in agreement.

Mamoru looked out the window, checking the sky and the pedestrian traffic, before he looked back to Usagi.

"I should go. I still have homework to do." He said before he paused thoughtfully. "Unless you have any of your English notes or homework with you right now. We can get started if you do."

"I do." Usagi said as she grabbed her school bag from next to her. "Did you come here straight after school?" She asked as she began to search through her papers.

"Yes. I stopped at home long enough to change out of my uniform then came straight here. I had only been waiting for you a couple of minutes." He said.

Usagi wondered what his school uniform looked like since it might give her more information about the school he went to. She might have seen other people wearing it, but she didn't want to ask since it seemed a little rude to her somehow.

Hmm…he can just tell me to mind my own business if he doesn't want to say. She thought as she pulled out her notes and another printed paper.

"What does your uniform look like?" She asked as she placed the papers on the table.

"A bit of an elaborate top, pants, and shoes. Black and brown with gray and some gold mixed in." He described vaguely. "The school is very particular. You have to wear the uniform whenever you're on campus. When you have classes, if you're there just to use the library, if you've graduated and come back for a visit or for whatever reason."

"All are required to wear the uniform when they're on campus. When I first went to enroll it was easy to tell that I wasn't a student and had never been one since I was the only one out of uniform." He explained.

"Wow. That seems pretty strict to me." Usagi said with raised eyebrows.

"I think they do it so they know when someone on the campus isn't a student or former student. Like if they cause trouble or are even there for something benign or just for a brief visit." He explained.

"I suppose that makes sense." She said as she nodded slightly. "Here are my notes from today and the worksheet I have for homework." She said as she slid them over to him.

Mamoru picked up the papers and put the worksheet down before he focused on reading Usagi's notes. They were in Japanese and English, and he could tell what was her own notes and what was copied down from what the teacher wrote. It was how his French notes currently looked.

After understanding what she was currently working on he put down the notes and picked up the worksheet. Looking it over he saw that she would have to fill in the blank spaces and circle the correct word to go with the sentence.

Usagi watched Mamoru silently as he looked at her notes, and hoped mightily that he didn't think her writing was hard to read or her note taking was crap. She also wondered how this tutoring would go. She had never been tutored before.

Will it be like class except just me and the teacher instead of the whole class? She wondered.

"Okay." He said as he put the worksheet down. "I've never tutored anyone before, definitely not in a foreign language, but I'll do my best."

"But you learned Japanese and are learning French." Usagi said encouragingly.

"True." He admitted.

Of course he had advantages there. With Japanese he had used a potion to help that along, and with French the class was using a combination of a textbook that implanted the vocabulary and grammar as one studied, helped along by constantly hearing the language spoken by the sensei, and occasionally using the time compression element of the Room of Requirement-like rooms to get in more in person study time.

"Alright, was there anything specific in your notes for today that you didn't understand or were confused by?" He asked, deciding to begin there as he moved her notes back toward her.

Usagi looked at her notes and began to point out certain notes that she hadn't understood, things she had been confused by, and words she had trouble pronouncing. Mamoru explained as best he could from his lifelong knowledge of the language and using some of the methods his sensei had used.

Usagi quickly pulled out her pencil and began to take notes on a separate piece of paper as she listened to Mamoru explain what her teacher had but in much more detail and with verbal demonstrations.

It had only been a few minutes and she was already understanding the language better. She was learning and was enjoying listening to his accent when he spoke in English. In fact, she was paying closer attention because she was listening so intently to his accent.

They stayed that way for an hour with Usagi taking notes and starting, and eventually finishing, the English worksheet she had for homework.

Usagi thanked him and Mamoru said it was no problem as they stood up. He found himself distracted, however, as he couldn't help noting how short Usagi was; she barely reached his shoulders. They had slid out of the booth together and were closer than they had ever been, including when they first came up to the cafe.

When did I get so tall or is she just that short? He wondered as he shifted his eyes away so he didn't get caught staring.

They left the cafe, both consciously ignoring the black cat following them, and began to walk down the sidewalk talking about nothing really important, but little things that helped them get to know each other.

A couple of blocks passed before they reached a point where they needed to split up and head in different directions to go home. They waved and promised to see each other the next day before they walked off away from each other; the cat following after Usagi with only a curious glance back at the tall dark haired young man.

~HPxXxMC~

A young man with short pale blond hair knelt on one knee on a gray stone floor in a cavernous room with his head bowed. He wore a dark gray long sleeve uniform with red accents and a black belt with a pair of knee-high black boots.

A few feet in front of him, at a respectable distance, was a set of steep stairs. On either side of the stairs were tall torch stands with green fire flickering and crackling giving the immediate area light.

At the top of the stairs was a throne and just visible in the green fire light was the silhouette of a seated woman; the only thing visible in the limited light was the vibrancy of her red hair.

"You failed." Came the cold voice from the woman on the throne.

The young man didn't react; knowing it would do him no good, and beyond that he knew that she was right. Instead, he waited.

"I do not care why you failed; only that you did." She continued.

His eyes stayed trained on the floor but he could see out of the corner of his eyes minions and soldiers standing silently off to the sides of the room beyond the floor to ceiling stone pillars that were evenly spaced out. They shifted uneasily, but none dared to even whisper.

"You know we need energy. You know why. Do not fail again. Do you understand me Jadeite?" She said firmly.

"Yes my Queen." The young man, Jadeite, replied as he finally lifted his head; his gray eyes reflecting the firelight.

Chapter Text

It had been a few days since Usagi met Mamoru and they had come to their little agreement.

They met up after school outside the arcade, and moved up the stairs to the cafe where Mamoru would help her with her English for a while then they would leave, and she would take him to a place he had never been before.

The first day was an ice cream parlor that served the best ice cream she had ever tasted, and she was proud that he agreed with her after getting a taste.

The next day was the same, going to the cafe and working on her English then leaving. That day she took him to a bookstore that sold nothing but manga and comic books from around the world. She had introduced him to manga and some of her particular favorites.

Today they had skipped meeting outside the arcade and just met up inside the cafe before greeting each other and getting to work on her English. After an hour of working on it and their own homework they decided to call it quits.

Much to Usagi's relief. Oh she found herself enjoying doing her homework for the first time, but that was because of the time she got to spend with Mamoru. She didn't want her time with him to end, but she did want to show him the next place she was going to introduce him to and she wanted them to have the time to enjoy it properly.

"Eager aren't we?" Mamoru asked as they started packing up, seeing her hurrying.

"Yeah!" Usagi said as she glanced to him but continued to pack up her things. "There's a place I want to take you and I want you to have time to enjoy it. At least I'm hoping you'll enjoy it." She explained.

"I guess we'll see." He said as he finished placing his books and papers into his bag.

Mamoru could admit that he was curious to see where she would take him this time. After all, he had enjoyed the ice cream parlor, and planned to revisit the bookstore at some point soon.

They finished packing up and she grabbed her school bag in her hand and he slung his messenger style bag over his head so it hung across his chest before they left the cafe.

The pair walked along the sidewalks until they reached the bus stop for the bus they needed and waited. Mamoru tried to ask her where they were going as he leaned against a pole, but Usagi just shook her head with a grin as she rocked back and forth on her feet and refused to tell.

The bus came a few minutes later and they got on and paid their fare before they found a place to sit. There were two empty single seats and Mamoru sat in one, facing sideways, and Usagi sat in the one right behind it facing him.

As the bus began to drive they began to talk about random things. They spoke in more detail about their school day, Usagi talked about her friends, one of which was her best friend Naru, and Mamoru talked about how he didn't have friends at school, but that it was because he hadn't tried since he was so focused on his studies.

Usagi rang the bell when she noticed their stop approaching, and Mamoru started looking out the windows intently trying to guess at where she was taking him.

"You won't be able to tell yet." Usagi said with a light giggle.

"Hey it was worth a try." Mamoru said with a shrug.

"True." She agreed. "You can get back to it after we start walking." She said as she stood up from her seat.

Mamoru joined her and they walked toward the back door of the bus and stepped off when the bus stopped and the doors opened.

Just as Usagi said Mamoru started pointing out different places on both sides of the street they walked on, and she shook her head and said no and even laughed at some of the ridiculous suggestions such as a furniture store.

They turned a corner and walked down a block, and that's when Usagi pointed out their destination.

Mamoru blinked his eyes slightly wide as he took in the large building. It was white with green accents and a large white round sign over the door that read Juban Rōrākingudamu in green lettering.

Juban Roller Kingdom. He silently translated for himself as he looked at the area around the building.

There was a small parking lot and lots of trees, bushes, and flower lots decorating the parking lot and front of the building. As they drew closer he could see walking paths leading off along the sides of the rectangle building, benches dotted the front here and there along the walls to the sides of the entrance.

Sukētorinku. He read as they got closer to the entrance and he could read the lettering beneath the main sign.

Mamoru silently let out a breath as he pulled open the glass door for them to go inside. They walked in and walked down a short hallway, following the signs and decorations, and eventually stepped into the large area that housed the main area.

He could immediately see an area where the skates could be rented, and he could see both kinds of skates available: regular and in-line. Aside from that were little lockers that he guessed were to leave your shoes and personal belongings, and an area where people could sit and eat while still wearing their skates.

Beyond all that was the skating rink itself. A large long shiny wooden floor with a low wall on the side facing them, and on the other side was floor to ceiling glass windows that curved around the rink to the left and right. Beyond the glass was a large garden where people could clearly walk and sit.

"So what do you think?" Usagi asked nervously, hoping and wondering if he would actually like the place since it was an activity place and not like the ice cream parlor and bookstore.

Mamoru glanced to Usagi before looking back toward the rink. The place was clearly popular since there were a good number of people of all ages skating and sitting around with music playing.

He was unsure about going ahead and trying this. He had never been skating before, but this is what he had asked for. He had wanted to see new places in the city. He would do it. It looked like fun, and he knew the only reason he wanted to hesitate was because he didn't want to look foolish if he fell.

"I'm unsure, but I want to try this." He said as he looked back to Usagi, and watched her face brighten.

"Alright! Let's do this!" Usagi exclaimed with a grin, and began to lead the way over to the rental counter where the skates were.

They requested skates in their size, both of them getting in-lines without even thinking about it, as well as one large locker that they could share to put their things.

"No no. I'll pay." Mamoru said as he saw Usagi digging through her school bag.

"No. I can do it." Usagi said as she looked to him, and watched him shake his head.

"I insist. Let me do this. You save your money for something else." He said as he pulled out his wallet.

"Alright." She said as she watched him take out some money and hand it over.

They grabbed their skates and the key to the locker they had been assigned and sat on a bench near that locker. Mamoru opened the locker and they put their bags inside as well as their shoes, and he closed the door and pocketed the key.

Then they both pulled on their skates and tied the laces tight so they were secure and wouldn't be loose on their feet.

"Are you ready?" Usagi said as she popped up excitedly and moved to stand in front of him.

"You'll help me right?" Mamoru asked as he looked up to her, and watched her face soften.

"Of course." Usagi said before she held out her hands to him. It had gone over her head earlier when he said he had been willing to try, but now she realized he had never been skating before.

Mamoru grabbed Usagi's hands and he stood up slowly as she pulled on his arms and skated back. Once he was standing they slowly made their way toward the entrance to the rink with Mamoru so far maintaining his balance.

"Ready?" Usagi asked as they reached the entrance, and watched him take a deep breath and let it out.

"Yes." Mamoru said with a firm nod.

Usagi nodded and stepped onto the rink first and turned to face him, still holding one of his hands, and held out her free hand encouragingly.

Mamoru grabbed it and pulled on his Gryffindor courage, and stepped onto the shiny wood one skate at a time. Once there he wobbled slightly as one skate rolled forward slightly while the other drifted back.

"Don't worry I've got you." Usagi said as she tightened her grip on his hands. "And if you go down we both go down."

Mamoru looked at her determined expression as she watched his feet, and couldn't help smiling.

"All the more reason to stay upright. Wouldn't want to drag you down with me." He said as he focused and moved his skate covered feet back together.

"Okay. If you angle your skates away from each other slightly to the sides it should stop you from rolling all over the place and stay in one place. At least that's what works for me." Usagi suggested, and watched him do just that while holding his hands.

His hands were large, slightly calloused, very warm, and did she say large? They were distracting, but she forced herself to concentrate on helping him.

I can think about his large warm hands when I get home. She thought as she watched his feet.

"This is better." Mamoru said as his skates stopped rolling back and forth. "Much more stable." He added. He liked stability; stability in its many different forms.

That was something else he'd found in Japan. Stability in his apartment, in his friendship with Motoki, in his education and all his sensei's, in his therapist, and lastly the stable goal of being a Healer to work toward in his life.

"Now to get moving all you have to do is angle one skate forward and push off with the other skate and then with the other and onward from there." Usagi explained before she let his hands go. "Watch. Like this."

Mamoru released her hands and watched as she moved to his side and then watched closely as she demonstrated her words. She moved forward smoothly and without hesitation for a few feet before she turned and sailed back toward him and stopped at his side.

"Okay." He said as he nodded, and then looked down at his feet as he angled his left skate forward. He looked back up to make sure his path was clear, and then pushed off with his right skate.

Instantly he moved forward and, remembering her instructions, moved his right skate in front and pushed off with his left as he had seen her do and continued on repeating the action. He almost lost his balance once but instinctively righted himself and kept going.

"You're doing good." He heard Usagi say and looked to his left to see her roll to his side.

"Thanks." He said with a light grin before he looked back forward and then down at his feet.

"So, I'm curious." Usagi said, wanting to take his mind off what his feet were doing. "Do you have any plans for after you finish with your classes and tutoring?" She asked.

"I plan on going into the medical field. To be a type of a doctor." Mamoru said as truthfully as he could.

"Wow. How long have you been working toward that?" Usagi asked, impressed by his ambition.

"It's a recent career choice." He answered. "Before that I had been considering doing something in law enforcement, but I decided I wanted to help people in a different way."

Mamoru glanced over at Usagi as they skated, rolling by the floor to ceiling windows, and found himself wanting to give her a nickname even if only in his own mind. Maybe something to do with her hair or how helpful she had been in teaching him to skate, but in the next moment he decided against it.

He didn't particularly like the things he had been called outside his name, and he didn't want to put her through the same things he had felt if he slipped and said it out loud. Plus, he liked her name.

Usagi. Rabbit. He thought with a light smile.

"That's nice." Usagi said as they skated. "I have no idea what I want to do. I've barely even thought about it."

"That's okay. You have time." Mamoru said reassuringly. "I had considered going into law enforcement when I was fifteen, but decided against it when I was seventeen and only a couple of months ago decided on the medical field."

"I guess I can start thinking about it now. Although, I have no idea what I would do." She said.

"Just think about the things you're good at, and the things you like." He said. "You seem to really like manga. Maybe you can become an artist and create your own manga someday."

"Hmm…that's a good idea." She said thoughtfully. "I've never tried drawing before, but I can see if I have any natural skill and if not I can try learning and see how I like it as time passes."

"I'll definitely try that, and see what else catches my interest from now on." She added as she looked his way.

"Good." He said with an approving nod. He liked that she would start to consider what she would do with her life in the future.

He'd wished he had a friend, an older friend, that would've given him guidance and advice when he was trying to pick his electives in his third year since they had been so important toward careers.

In fact, he wished he had someone who could have given him career advice before the session with Professor McGonagall in his fifth year. She was the one who put being an Auror in his mind based on his Defense Against the Dark Arts grades. He hadn't even questioned it because he hadn't known what questions to ask, because he hadn't known about any other careers.

He remembered they had pamphlets in the common room, but skimming through them was not the same as getting advice and guidance from an actual person.

What they should have done, in addition to having the pamphlets, was have people from those careers come in and speak about them. He thought. Then again they likely would have had to go through the Ministry for that, and considering what was happening at the time it's doubtful it would have happened.

Still, with Usagi he was glad he could give her what little advice he could. He didn't know if they would be friends or still know each other when it was time for her to go to a University or get a job, but hopefully his words would help and follow her down the years to that point in time.

"You're still doing good." Usagi said as they began to circle the rink again.

"Thanks. It's easier the longer I skate." Mamoru said as he continued to move his feet. "Is ice skating like this?" He asked curiously.

"Yes." She answered, realizing with his question that he had never been ice skating before. "Only it's more slippery because of the ice."

"I learned roller skating first and when I tried ice skating I only had to make slight adjustments to my technique to avoid falling." She added.

"So making adjustments and practicing is the key." He said, and she nodded. "Then I'll remember that for whenever I get the chance to try ice skating."

Usagi smiled and decided then and there that she would take him ice skating.

The new friends continued to skate and talk while casually circling the rink. Usagi did most of the talking and Mamoru listened and occasionally commented or asked a question as she talked about her family and her likes and dislikes.

He wasn't ready to open up to her in terms of talking about family since that would mean speaking about the Weasley's which would lead to, at the very least, thoughts of Ginny, and then there was his Potter and Chiba parents.

I'll wait and see if this budding friendship progresses and lasts before I even consider opening up to her. He thought as he glanced her way.

And it would just be him considering it because he hadn't even told Motoki about any of his family yet.

~xXx~

Usagi walked down the sidewalk after parting ways from Mamoru on her way home with a smile on her face. She had had a good time at the skating rink with him.

It had been a while since she had done anything like that. The only one of her friends that would join her was Naru, and she usually didn't have the time for it since she helped her mom at her jewelry store. It took less time to go window shopping than doing something as time consuming as roller skating.

Still, she was curious about why he had never been roller skating before or ice skating for that matter. Maybe he had never had the opportunity or couldn't get anyone to go with him and didn't want to go by himself. She didn't know, but she wanted to.

What she did know was that she had had fun and Mamoru had looked like he had fun too. She also liked that he had trusted her to help him learn. She wondered where else she could take him that might be a first time experience or at least a place to have fun.

Whatever place I take him to will hopefully give us the chance to talk and continue to get to know each other. She thought quietly.

Beyond learning that he had never been roller skating or ice skating, she learned that he planned to become a doctor and had at one time considered law enforcement as a career.

She thought both options were good choices, but what she really liked was that he had given her an idea of what she could be when she was older.

It would be pretty cool to make manga. She thought as she imagined herself drawing the images that would make up a story that she had thought up.

"Usagi!" A feminine voice broke through her thoughts. "I've been looking all over for you!" She heard the voice add, and paused and looked behind her to see Luna running toward her.

"What's going on?" Usagi asked quietly as she looked around and knelt down.

"I believe I've found a youma!" Luna said as she stopped in front of her young charge. "I saw some of your classmates acting strangely, mischievous and beyond disrespectful, and followed them to a new fortune telling shop."

"There were a lot of other people there, people from all walks of life, lined up waiting to see the fortune teller, and when they came back out they began to act as I saw your classmates act." She explained.

"I'm surprised you didn't notice their behavior. You need to pay better attention to such things, and then figure out the cause." Luna said seriously.

Usagi frowned. She hadn't noticed because she wasn't paying attention to them. She didn't make it her business to be in other people's business. She knew her friends hadn't acted strangely, so she hadn't noticed a thing wrong.

Besides her mind had been on her meeting with Mamoru. She had been looking forward to it just like she had all their other meetings since they met, but she had been particularly excited about today with her plan to take him roller skating.

Now Luna was telling her that she needed to notice unusual behavior in the people around her, and investigate why they were behaving as they were. She hadn't known that was part of being a senshi.

And I'm not particularly sure I like that. I've never tried to see strange or unusual behavior in people. I'm not even sure I would recognize it. She thought as she held in a sigh.

"I need to find a place to transform so you can show me where this youma is." Usagi said quietly.

"Follow me. I know just the place." Luna said before she turned around and began to run back the way she came.

Usagi stood up and ran after her, following her as she turned a corner and ran down an entire block and across a street before they entered a windowless alleyway. Clearly Luna had come across it in her search for her.

"This is a good place." Luna said as she turned to Usagi.

"Alright." Usagi said as she reached up and grasped her brooch. "Moon Prism Power, Make Up!" She said, wondering if it would work like before.

Instantly it started to sparkle and glow. She blinked and then closed her eyes as pink light began to surround her, and she felt herself being transformed just like last time. When it finished she opened her eyes, and saw that she was once again in the sailor outfit that strongly reminded her of Sailor V.

She blinked as she realized her school bag was gone. She hummed quietly and didn't say anything, but she made a mental note to ask Luna where it went when she transformed since she knew she hadn't dropped it and it clearly wasn't on the ground.

"Come on!" Luna said urgently before she began to run out of the alleyway.

Usagi followed, her red boots clicking as her feet pounded along the sidewalk, and wondered what people thought of a person who looked similar to Sailor V running after a black cat.

She pushed the idle thought aside and continued to run feeling like she wanted to run faster, to pass up Luna and hurry ahead, since she knew she could run faster. She knew this not just from experience, racing to school when she was late did that, but from something inside her.

She didn't know what it was but she was sure of it. She was also sure that she couldn't run ahead since she didn't know where the possible youma was.

Usagi sighed and shook her head and focused on trying to sure up her courage in order to be ready to face a youma in her second fight ever.

More like building my courage. She thought with a worried frown.

How was she going to fight? It was clear after confronting that woman creature that she had no idea how to fight let alone how to fight youma. Apparently her tiara was a weapon but what if her aim was off when she threw it? What if the youma knocked it aside?

I'll have nothing to use to fight or protect myself. She thought unhappily.

Almost ten minutes later Luna slowed to a stop and she stopped as well as she looked at the building Luna was looking at. It was gray and when the light hit it just right it had a lavender tint. There was a gold pillar on each side of the glass entrance with carved designs up and down the length of it, and above the entrance was a large red sign.

House of Fortune. She read quietly.

"It's in here right?" Usagi asked as she looked at the doorway.

"Yes." Luna confirmed as she looked up at her charge.

"Alright. Here I go." Usagi said before she stepped forward, watching the glass door open on its own, and took a deep breath and slowly let it out as she walked inside the building.

Luna watched her, hesitating since she wasn't sure if she should go in with her or wait out here. She had already told her how to use her weapon, so there was nothing else she could tell her.

And I need to allow her to deal with these beings alone since I will not always be there to offer any help or advice. She thought as she moved off to the side and sat down, her eyes watching her charge disappear around a corner.

Meanwhile, Usagi walked slowly, her eyes flickering all over the place, as she took in the lavender walls and white tile floors. At first she walked normally even if she was going slowly, but as she turned corner after corner and came across no one she began to step cautiously.

She peeked into open doorways and released a relieved breath when she found empty rooms.

She was glad not to suddenly find herself face to face with the youma, but she didn't like the silence or the fact that she had seen not one person since she entered the building.

I also don't like that this building seems to be bigger than it looks from the outside. She thought as she came upon a set of stairs leading up. Could that be because of the youma's power? She wondered as she began to head up the stairs.

Usagi hurried up them since she didn't want to be caught by the youma while she was on the stairs. There was nowhere she would be able to dodge regardless of which direction it came from.

Once she reached the top she found an empty hallway, and after looking left and right she turned toward the right and headed cautiously down the hallway.

Eventually she heard voices coming from an open doorway up ahead of her and she paused to listen. They sounded masculine as far as she could tell but she wasn't completely sure.

She continued forward and slowly peeked through the doorway, and saw a woman standing with a group of school boys around her age standing in front of her. The woman had long black hair, dark narrow eyes with red lining the corners, red lips, and wore a billowy lavender dress.

She looks like I imagine a fortune teller to look. At least one using this building. Usagi thought as she watched the group.

Still, she didn't know if the woman was a youma since Luna didn't actually see the woman or a youma. All she had seen was unusual behavior in some people.

How am I going to figure out if she's a youma or not? She wondered as she bit her bottom lip. Maybe that group of boys surrounding her is enough to prove that she's the youma. She considered.

Oh! If she's not the youma then where in here is it? She suddenly wondered as her eyes widened.

She didn't know, but what she did know was that there definitely was a youma in the building judging by her quiet and deserted walk through the hallways.

"It seems we have a guest boys." The woman suddenly said clearly as she looked her way. "How about we greet her." She added as she gestured with a hand toward her.

Usagi's eyes widened as she saw the group of boys turn toward her. She gasped quietly and forced herself not to step back as she saw their eyes glowing yellow.

Her heart began to race as they began to step toward her. She knew she couldn't leave. It was clear from what she was seeing that the woman was actually the youma Luna believed was there.

But how do I fight these boys? She thought as she stepped into the groom, putting on a brave face even though she felt nothing of the sort. This is like with the last youma when I had to fight the costumers at the jewelry shop.

That fact worried her as she continued to step further inside the large room. She hadn't known how to fight them then and she still didn't. Luna was no help, and she wasn't going to be any help this time since it hadn't escaped her that the feline hadn't joined her inside the building.

The boys continued to step toward her their hands and arms raised threateningly, and she stared in horror as their skin turned green between one step and the next. Her eyes flickered to each of their faces, and she blinked in surprise as she realized one of them was her classmate and friend Umino.

What do I do? What do I do? She wondered as she backed up, trying to keep some distance between her and the group of boys.

I can't use my tiara. I don't know if it would seriously hurt anyone who isn't a youma, and I can't use it well enough or fast enough to get them all anyway. She thought worriedly as she watched them moving closer and closer.

Usagi glanced beyond them and looked to the woman only to see her smirking at her, still standing in the same position as before. She returned her eyes to the boys, her mind racing for a solution, but was surprised to feel her back hitting a wall.

Oh no! She thought as she glanced to the wall and back to the boys.

Before she could even move to her left or right the boys moved to block her path. Their mouths were open in mockeries of smiles and their hands were stretching out toward her, and she couldn't help being scared at what would happen when they reached her.

"No! Stay away!" She said as she put her hands up to try and block them.

~xXx~

Mamoru appeared in front of the door inside his apartment after having parted ways from Usagi.

"Hey Helios." He greeted his golden familiar, who was sitting on his perch, with a wave before he began to walk toward his hallway.

He paused at his study and dropped off his messenger style bag before he went to his bedroom to hang up his jacket. He returned to his study and sat at his regular sized desk with a sigh, and watched with a smile as Helios flew through the doorway and over to his perch.

He grabbed his bag with a sigh and began to take out his papers and books to continue his homework and studies, and as he did this he thought about his time with Usagi.

Mamoru was still surprised she had taken him to a roller skating rink, but he had had fun and gotten to know her better in the process. He liked that she had been sensitive to the fact that he had never been skating and determined to help him; even willing to fall down with him if he did.

Beyond the determination she showed he saw shades of loyalty in her personality. The same loyalty he saw in himself, Neville, and his Ginny; the unconditional kind that grew stronger and solid the longer you knew someone.

He'd seen some of that type of loyalty in Ron and Hermione, but not the way it should have been as far as he was concerned. Ron's jealousy and insecurities had always gotten in the way, and Hermione seemed to equate trying to always have the right answer and knowing all your business as being loyal.

He had also seen that Usagi liked to talk, but she didn't seem to have a problem with him not talking as much as she did. She also didn't mind taking advice since she seemed to take his words about how to figure out what she wanted to do once she was finished with school to heart.

That was nice. Not just that she had accepted his words, but that she had been willing to listen to them in the first place. He had gotten so used to Ron ignoring his words and Hermione dismissing them that when it wasn't something serious he had stopped trying to voice his thoughts and opinions.

Only with Ginny had he started again, and after she died he only did it a little with Bill and Fleur. He had voiced his thoughts with Motoki, but hadn't gotten the chance to speak his opinion about anything really important.

Maybe I'll be able to do it more with Usagi now that I know she'll really take in my words. He considered thoughtfully as he flipped through one of his textbooks. At least he thought he could if their budding friendship lasted.

If she keeps taking me to fun places it's bound to last. He thought as he turned his mind back to their time at the skating rink.

He'd had fun skating and wondered if he could do it outside of a rink. Maybe he could suggest it after a week or two if she didn't before him. Of course that meant he would have to go out and buy some skates, but he didn't mind since he thought he might like skating enough to try doing it regularly.

Suddenly a piercing ache echoed through his head and he squinted his eyes as he brought his hands up to the sides of his head. As he pressed his fingers through his hair and tried to massage the pain away a single thought flashed through the pain.

Get to Usagi!

Mamoru blinked at the thought and suddenly he understood why he was in pain. This was just like last time except the pain wasn't as severe and he wasn't suddenly losing his identity and wearing a tuxedo and mask.

This means Usagi must currently be Sailor Moon, which means she'll likely be fighting one of those creatures soon if she's not already. He thought as he stood up and moved around his desk.

Now how do I get myself into that tuxedo and mask? He wondered as he forced himself to think around the pain and the urge to get to Usagi as quickly as he could.

Obviously he wasn't about to go racing to her location dressed as he was. He didn't want to be recognized by anyone or have his appearance noticed to the point where he could be described so he could be recognized.

No. He didn't want to be recognized by random people, by the creature, by those who might be responsible for the creature, or by that strange talking black cat that hung around Usagi.

The only one I want to recognize me is Usagi, so I can talk to her about this strange business. He told himself, but reminded himself that she couldn't see beyond his masked persona for some reason.

But back to the matter at hand. Getting into that tuxedo since it's what I wore last time. He told himself as he continued to rub his head, trying to soothe the ache and ignore the urgent pull to get going that he was sensing.

He had simply willed it away in order to get out of it and back into his regular clothes, so maybe doing the same, willing himself into the tuxedo, would work.

Mamoru looked over as he heard Helios hoot at him quietly, and saw him looking at him with a strangely curious yet worried look.

"I'm okay, but this is what I told you about before. Usagi becoming that Sailor Moon warrior and me having the strong urge to get to her." He told his familiar.

With that small explanation out of the way he closed his eyes and focused his mind on what he wanted.

I want, need, to become the masked man from before, Tuxedo Kamen, so that I can go to Usagi and help her without being recognized by anyone. He thought as he visualized the masquerade looking outfit he had worn before.

Almost immediately he felt warmth surrounding him, and when he opened his eyes he found himself surrounded in the same red gold-tinted light that enveloped him when he managed to get himself out of the tuxedo.

He squinted his eyes and when the light cleared he looked down at himself to see the same full black tuxedo he had worn before. The white dress shirt, vest, and bow tie were there, the black and red cape hung from his shoulders, black dress shoes covered his feet, white gloves snugly covered his hands, the white mask framed his eyes, and he could feel the same black top hat on his head.

"I can't believe I'm doing this." Mamoru said as he shook his head slightly.

Still, despite his disbelief he was going to go, because he was listening to his instincts. He said he would always listen to his instincts after the war ended, and he meant to do just that. Beyond that he wasn't going to leave Usagi to face one of those creatures without any help, and he still wanted answers to his questions.

"I'll let you know what happens Helios." He said before he quickly walked out of his study and down the hallway.

He paused next to his dining table and looked at his front door. He couldn't go that way for the same reason he was dressed as he was. He didn't want to be recognized. Just as he didn't want anyone recognizing him as Mamoru, he also didn't want anyone to see his masked person coming out of his apartment and put two and two together.

Although, it's a bit early in this situation for that. He admitted, but he didn't know how long he was going to have his masked persona or if it would become recognizable in time.

Mamoru narrowed his eyes. He could Apparate but he didn't know where Usagi was. He supposed he could try using just her image to Apparate to, but even if he could, and he wasn't sure that was possible, he didn't want to appear in front of her or next to her.

So out the balcony then. He thought with a wary sigh. He knew he was going to have to rely on the new instincts this masked persona had given him in order to do it, and he could admit he was scared at the thought considering how high his up apartment was.

However, he knew he had to do it, his senses were urging him to get moving, so he summoned up his Gryffindor courage and hurried toward his balcony. He opened the sliding door and stepped out before he closed it, and narrowed his eyes as he focused on his senses.

They were pulling him to his left so he looked left and quickly spotted a smaller building. He narrowed his eyes further as he concentrated, and within a moment he disappeared only to reappear on the roof of that smaller building.

His focused on his senses again and took off running forward in the direction he was being pulled.

For long minutes Mamoru ran jumping and leaping from rooftop to rooftop as he moved closer and closer to wherever Usagi was. Occasionally, without really thinking about it, he skipped along the top of telephone and light poles to help propel himself forward.

Eventually he slowed on the top of a building and walked forward only to stop at the edge as he looked at the view in front of him. The building right across the street from him was his destination. His senses were telling him Usagi was in there.

House of Fortune. He read the sign as his eyes shifted downward, and then paused as he spotted a black cat. Further proof that she's in there. He thought as he looked down to the sidewalk below him.

It was clear so he listened to his instincts and leapt off the rooftop. Part of him was scared and yet the other part was confident as he fell three stories through the air. Quickly he landed, on his feet and lighter than he thought, and glanced left and right before he ran across the street.

Mamoru ignored the feline and watched as the glass doors opened at his proximity and continued running without pause. As he ran the pulling sensation was coming from above him, so he knew Usagi was somewhere above him so he searched for some stairs.

Thankfully he found them rather quickly and raced up them to the second floor. He followed the pulling sensation down a hallway and slowed to a stop in front of an open doorway.

His eyes shifted around as he watched, taking the chance to observe the situation while he could since experience had taught him that running into a situation blindly was dangerous.

There was a woman in a lavender dress standing calmly near the far end of the room with a smirk on her face, and directly across from him was Usagi back almost against the wall to his left with a group of green skinned boys crowded threateningly around her.

As he had the first time he found himself gesturing with his hand and glanced down to see a perfect red rose appear.

This is not going to work. There's more than one of them, and piercing them will only distract them, and she needs a more lasting remedy than that. He thought as he continued to watch and try to come up with something else.

What would I do if this was a magical fight or at least a fight with witches and wizards? He asked himself. I'd use a stunner. He told himself a second later.

However, he couldn't very well pull out his wand and launch a Stunning Spell, and he wasn't willing to do it wandlessly either, but maybe he could still use his rose. He could attach or infuse the spell with the flower.

It should be possible. Portkeys are done like that. The Portkey on my uniform robe is like that. The magic is imbedded in the object and takes the user to the predetermined destination. He thought before he looked down to the rose in his hand, and focused on his magic and gathered the right amount for a Stunning Spell.

Stupefy. He thought as he silently willed the magic into the rose. The flower glowed red and he quickly threw it at one of the boys. It hit him in the back and the boy instantly dropped to the ground.

Sailor Moon blinked as some of the boys began to collapse, and then looked on in surprise as the rest of the boys surrounding her collapsed moments later. She looked down at them and saw glowing roses sticking in their backs and chests before the glow faded.

She looked around, still seeing the youma standing there only this time she was frowning, and saw Tuxedo Kamen stepping through the doorway toward her. She carefully stepped over the downed boys and moved toward the masked man.

"Are you alright?" Tuxedo Kamen asked her quietly.

"Yes." Sailor Moon answered as she flashed him a smile. "Thanks for the help. Are they going to be okay?" She asked as she glanced to the boys.

"Yes. They're just unconscious." He said, inferring from her concern that they must not truly be with the woman that was likely some kind of creature like the last one.

He glanced to the boys, unconcerned about their unconsciousness even though he knew he wouldn't be around to revive them from the spell. He knew it would wear off in a couple of hours.

"Is that woman like the last one?" He asked as he returned his eyes to the woman in lavender.

"Yes. Although, I doubt that's its true appearance." Sailor Moon said as she looked at the woman as well.

"Yeah." He agreed as he recalled how the last creature woman looked.

"Another guest. And you hurt my boys." The dark haired woman said as she looked at the masked man. "I suppose I will have to greet you myself. As is only proper." She added as her eyes began to glow yellow.

Tuxedo Kamen narrowed his eyes as his instincts flared sharply for him to protect Sailor Moon; protect Usagi.

"Run! To your left!" He told her urgently, instinct and experience telling him an attack was coming, and watched her do so before he dashed off to his right.

They were both just in time as a group of tarot sized cards flew in the direction they had been standing. They passed through the air and imbedded into the wall as if they were throwing knives.

Luna stood in the doorway watching the scene in front of her. She had followed Tuxedo Kamen when she saw him arrive and head into the building. It was one thing to leave her charge to deal with the youma inside by herself, but she wasn't about to leave her alone with that unknown man.

She watched, catching her breath after her mad dash, as he threw glowing roses that somehow rendered the teenage boys unconscious before he moved toward her charge. Her heart picked up speed as Sailor Moon moved toward him, and she hoped that he didn't do anything to her.

Despite her fear all the masked man did was exchange a few words with her, and Luna wished she could hear what they were saying. Then she gasped as they suddenly ran away from each other, and before she could think the worse she saw a bunch of cards go flying through the air.

They slammed into the wall and she gasped again as she saw them sink into the surface and stick there as if they weren't made of paper plastic-like material.

Tuxedo Kamen narrowed his eyes as he realized that the cards were somehow sharp, and his instincts had been right. Sailor Moon, for her part, gasped at the sight of the cards sticking out of the wall when she chanced looking.

That could have been us! We could have been cut at the least, or had something cut off at the most! She thought with frightened wide eyes.

Sailor Moon looked back to the woman and cried out in fear before she ran at the sight of more cards flying in her direction. She ran at an angle since she had started like that with her initial run from the first cards, and slammed into the side wall with her hands to stop herself.

Before she could breathe a sigh of relief at avoiding them she saw more coming and took off running back behind her. As she ran she managed to see that Tuxedo Kamen was also being attacked with the cards, but there was nothing she could do to help him. She couldn't even do anything to help herself!

The only thing I can do is stay away from him so he doesn't have unexpected cards coming his way. She thought as she turned to run to her left.

However, she gasped sharply and allowed herself to fall back as she saw a different group of cards nearly on her. She watched wide eyed as they passed over where her head had been and slam into the wall.

Tuxedo Kamen dodged the cards and ran toward the wall at his side as more headed his way. As he reached the wall he ducked down, hearing the last cards slice into the wall as he looked toward Usagi's disguised figure.

She was clearly scared, running to avoid the cards, and he decided he wasn't going to sit back and do nothing. He needed to get to her and help her; not only because she clearly needed it, but because his senses were nearly screaming at him to protect her.

He dashed forward only to leap back quickly as a group of cards quickly headed his way. He narrowed his eyes at the woman and once again dodged a group of fast sharp cards.

She's trying to keep me away from Usagi; keep us separated. He realized almost instantly. I have to stop this. I have to stop her from attacking Usagi. He told himself, and tried to think of a solution as he continued to dodge and kept an eye on how Usagi was doing.

I found a way to use my magic and my roses on those boys. Maybe I can do that again, but what spell can I use? He considered, and then it came to him.

Tuxedo Kamen gestured with his hand and a single rose appeared between his fingers. He focused on gathering the right amount of magic for the spell he wanted and tightened his grip on the flower.

Confringo. He thought as he willed the magic of a Blasting Curse into the flower. It glowed a fiery orange, and he ducked down into a crouch beneath a group of cards before he threw the rose sharply at the woman's chest.

He gestured for another rose and quickly repeated the process before he threw another fiery orange rose at the woman. He then twisted as he gestured with both hands and quickly threw two handfuls of roses at the cards flying toward Usagi.

The woman threw a card at the flower, and cried out in surprise as it exploded when her card made contact. Then cried out in pain as she was suddenly blasted back as a flower she didn't see hit her.

She fell hard onto her back, her head hitting the floor, and slid across the tile before she came to a stop. She sat up and scowled in pain as she brought her hand up to her chest, her eyes glowing a brighter yellow as her face began to shift and change color.

Sailor Moon looked away from the cards that missed her and back to the woman only to see more cards headed for her downed figure. She quickly skittered back before she twisted onto her stomach and practically crawled out of the way until she reached the wall.

She climbed to her feet only for her eyes to widen as even more cards came her way. She quickly tried to run back the way she came only to trip on her own feet in her haste and fall to the floor.

She turned her eyes back to the cards, either they had changed direction toward her or they were a new batch, but she could do nothing other than cross her arms in front of her face and brace for the pain she knew was coming.

She heard the sound of a blast and then another as well as a scream, and when she didn't feel any pain she lowered her arms cautiously and looked up. The cards were littering the floor, pierced with roses, the woman was sitting up with a black mark on her chest, and Tuxedo Kamen was rushing toward her.

"Are you alright?" He asked as she watched him kneel next to her.

"Yes. Thanks for the help." Sailor Moon said gratefully.

"No problem. Come on." Tuxedo Kamen said as he grasped her hand and began to help her up. "I saw you dodging. You were doing good."

"Yeah; until I tripped over my feet." She said, disgruntled as she looked down at her boots.

"It happens to the best of us." He said as they stood up.

"It didn't happen to you." She countered.

"Not this time, but it has before." He replied as he looked to the woman. "And I was dodging something just as dangerous as these cards, so don't let this get you down. Look at it as experience for the next time."

"You're right. I'll try to see it that way from now on." Sailor Moon said as she too looked at the woman.

The woman no longer looked like one the longer they stared at her. As she stood up her hair started to flow around her as if it was alive, her skin turned as green as the boys' skin was, her ears became pointed, her teeth became fangs, and her fingers became clawed.

"I want to take my tiara off, but at the same time I don't considering what just happened to me moments ago." Sailor Moon said quietly, her eyes on the youma. The last thing she wanted was to hurt herself.

"Take it off and have it prepared." Tuxedo Kamen said seriously. "There's no guarantee that you'll trip and fall again, but there is a guarantee that you will be using your tiara against that..creature."

"Youma." She corrected idly as she reached up and pulled her tiara off.

"Is that what that woman creature is?" He asked.

"Yes." She confirmed as her tiara began to glow before it turned into a white disk hovering above her fingertips.

"Then that's what I'll call it, them, from now on." He replied. "Just remember to breath, and try not to panic. It will help you think of what to do next when you're under attack."

"Okay." Sailor Moon said nervously.

They watched as the youma glared at them and cards appeared in the air in front of her. Suddenly they came speeding toward them and a moment later she began to run toward them, but only a few seconds into her movements her feet left the floor and she was flying toward them.

Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen once again dashed away, moving away from each other, to avoid the cards and the youma. They avoided the cards but while the youma headed for Tuxedo Kamen more cards came streaking toward Sailor Moon.

Sailor Moon's heart nearly skipped a beat at the sight of cards headed in her direction before speeding up against her rib cage. She ran faster and began to panic as she realized the cards were moving faster than before, and she worried she would not be able to dodge them.

Breathe. She told herself as she repeated her masked companion's advice, and tried to think.

She couldn't slow and stop, she was going too fast, and she was already running as fast as she could. She didn't want to try some kind of acrobatic move she had seen on TV, like trying to run up the wall and jump over them, because that might backfire. The last thing she wanted was to get sliced up.

There's one thing I can try. She thought, trying not to panic as she spotted the cards closing in on her.

She allowed herself to fall back and ended up sliding forward in her momentum, but thankfully the cards sailed over her and missed her completely. She skidded to a stop and quickly got to her feet, thankful her tiara was still with her and charged up, and looked toward the youma.

Tuxedo Kamen watched the youma rapidly approaching him as he ran. It was extremely disconcerting but it wasn't scary. The creature woman was nothing to fighting off Death Eaters intent on torturing, maiming, and killing him, and she was definitely nothing to facing down Voldemort. Period.

Still, he clearly needed to do something about the youma, and preferably before she reached him. His first instinct was to start launching curses, jinxes, and hexes, but he couldn't very well start letting spells fly.

He didn't want magic associated with this identity, so if he was going to use it he would have to conceal it like he did before with his roses. If everyone thought his roses had those powers then so be it.

Now, what to do? He asked himself, his mind working rapidly as the youma grew closer. I can do the same thing as before, but I need to slow her down a bit first. He thought before he quickly gestured with his hand and a handful of roses appeared.

Impedimenta. Tuxedo Kamen thought as he willed the magic for the jinx into one of the flowers.

The rose glowed a vibrant turquoise and he quickly threw it at the youma before he focused on the next rose. The blue green glowing rose slammed into the youma before she could try to counter or avoid it, and she slowed dramatically; her glaring face shifting into confusion.

Confringo. He thought as he willed the magic of the curse into the flower. It glowed a fiery orange, and he threw it at the youma before he quickly repeated the action with the rest of the roses in his hand.

The roses flew rapidly through the air toward the youma and she managed to use her hair to block one, but all that did was cause the flower to explode which left her open to the remaining flowers. They connected and she went flying back with a cry of pain before she landed on her back.

Tuxedo Kamen took advantage of the youma's distraction and quickly moved away and toward the middle of the room. He looked to find Usagi moving in his direction as well but her eyes were on the youma.

Sailor Moon watched the youma and Tuxedo Kamen anxiously trying to see a way to attack the youma without risking hitting her masked companion. She watched in fear as the youma got closer to him, and then blinked in surprise when the youma slowed down so much that it looked deliberate.

She wondered if it happened because of the blue green glowing rose Tuxedo Kamen threw. She watched as he followed that up with roses that glowed a reddish orange like he had earlier and blew the youma back.

Now! She told herself as she threw her tiara at the youma as soon as she hit the floor. She hoped she didn't notice until it was too late to react. She didn't want this fight to go on longer, because she feared they would get hurt or it would get away or both.

The youma opened her eyes with a groan, but then screamed as she caught a glimpse of a glowing white disk streaking toward her. It hit her in the side and she screamed louder in pain, and moved her hands and hair to try to stop the disk.

Tuxedo Kamen and Sailor Moon listened to the youma scream, and watched her struggle before she stopped moving and screaming. Her body and even the lavender dress she was wearing began to break down and crumble until there was nothing but a pile of gray dust.

"Are you okay?" Tuxedo Kamen asked as he hurried over to Usagi, watching her catch her returning tiara.

"Yes. Are you?" Sailor Moon asked as she put her tiara back on.

"Yes." He answered. "Good job with your tiara at the end."

"Thanks." She said with a light blush. "I wanted to do something before, but I didn't want to risk hitting you."

"Thanks for that," He said, having been nearly hit by friendly fire in the past. Only his dodging skills saved him. "and it was good that you waited until you had a clear shot. That way there was no risk of missing, and ending up weaponless if the youma decided to come at you."

"That makes sense." She said thoughtfully as she nodded. "I'll make sure to remember that."

"Sailor Moon!" Came a female voice and they looked toward the sound, and saw a black cat running over.

"I guess I should take that as my cue to go." Tuxedo Kamen said as he looked back to Usagi. "Until next time Sailor Moon."

"Bye." Sailor Moon said, and watched as the masked man began to jog toward the door.

"Are you alright?" Luna asked as she stopped next to her.

"Yeah." She answered. "Let's get out of here. I still have to finish my homework."

Without waiting for a reply she ran for the doorway, glancing at the boys, and hurried out of the room with Luna following closely.

~HPxXxMC~

Harry groaned quietly into Ginny's mouth as she pressed her warm soft body against his. He enjoyed the feel of her arms around his neck and her hands in his hair as he allowed his to drift along the skin of her back beneath her shirt.

It had been the last day of classes before the weekend started, and they had been waiting all day to get each other alone. They had already eaten dinner, and had left the Great Hall while Ron and Hermione were still eating to avoid them trying to leave with them and tag along.

Now they were in a broom closet, having locked themselves in to avoid being disturbed and caught, and thoroughly kissing each other and touching as much skin as they could get to.

Harry broke the kiss as he slowly guided her backward, and moved his lips along her cheek until he found the length of her neck. When her back touched the wall he pressed his body against hers, making sure she could feel what she was doing to him, and latched his lips onto her neck.

He suckled the skin, flicking his tongue like a serpent to taste her, before he slowly pressed open mouthed kisses up and down her neck.

Ginny moaned and he shivered at the sound before he rolled his hips slightly against her, his hardness pressing against her belly, and felt her slid a leg up the outside of his in response.

He instantly wrapped his fingers around the back of her knee and pulled it up. The move didn't help him since he was taller than her, but he could and did imagine the feel of the heat between her thighs and what it would feel like against him as he rolled his hips once again.

His hand slid up along the length of her thigh, slipping beneath the skirt of her uniform, until his hand cupped her bottom. He brought his lips back to hers in an open mouthed kiss, slipping his tongue into her moist heated mouth, as he squeezed the soft yet firm flesh in his hand.

A moan traveled from her chest up her throat and into his mouth just as her hips jerked against him. He swallowed the sound and again squeezed the flesh of her bottom as he rolled his hips, pressing his hardness against her stomach.

"Let's go somewhere more comfortable Harry." Ginny breathed out as she pulled her lips from his.

"The Room of Requirement?" He suggested as he kissed her cheek and rocked hips against her.

"Yes. That would be perfect. We would be more comfortable, and still be left undisturbed." She replied softly.

"Then let's go." He said as he reluctantly released her and pulled away.

Harry opened his eyes to the darkness of the broom closet and pulled his wand. He lit it so the tip cast a light and pulled out the Marauders Map. He activated it and checked to make sure they were clear, and that they would also have a clear path to the seventh floor.

"We're clear. If we hurry we won't risk running into anyone the entire way." He said as he cleared the map and put it away.

"Then let's hurry." Ginny said before she pulled out her own wand and unlocked the door.

She eased the door open and peeked out, looking both ways, before she grinned at him and grabbed his free hand.

Harry quickly stepped out with her and closed the door before they hurried down the corridors and up stairways, practically running in their rush to get to the seventh floor without being seen.

Thankfully they came across no one and once they reached the familiar stretch of stone wall Ginny paced back and forth in order to call up the room. The door appeared after her third pass, and she opened it to reveal a bedroom that looked like it belonged in the castle with a fireplace, a crackling fire already in it.

They stepped inside and closed the door, and Harry silently asked the room to make it so they couldn't be found and watched the door disappear.

They moved further into the room and pulled off their robes and dropped them and their wands to the floor before they made themselves comfortable on the bed. Instantly their lips found each other again and their hands roamed beneath each other's shirt as they lay on their sides facing each other.

Minutes passed as they kissed and gradually helped each other out of their clothes until Harry lay in nothing but his boxers and Ginny in her bra and knickers. Then they rolled until she was straddling him with her hands on his chest as she rocked against him.

Harry groaned as he closed his eyes, feeling himself grow harder as the heat between her thighs seeped through her knickers and his boxers and mixed with the pressure she was putting on him.

He gripped her hips and thrust his hips up into her rocking motion, and they both moaned in pleasure. Again and again he thrust up, repeating the motion as she continued to rock against him, before he sat up and pressed his lips to hers in an intense passionate kiss.

Their arms wrapped around each other as she continued to rock her hips, and he moved his hands and undid her bra and slipped it off her before tossing it to join the rest of their clothes on the floor.

Ginny moaned as she pressed her bare chest to his, and Harry returned the sound absolutely loving the feel. He rolled them until he lay between her legs covering her, and ground his hips against hers.

She moaned into his mouth and he groaned into hers as their tongues slid and swirled around each other, his hips never stopping their grinding and rocking, thoroughly enjoying the escalating pleasure and mimicking what he dearly wanted to do without their underwear in the way.

Harry broke their kiss and kissed his way down her chest, and lavished attention on the soft orbs like he'd wanted to do for weeks.

"Please Harry." Ginny eventually began to beg some time later. "I want to feel you inside me."

Harry silently agreed by moving back up and pressing his lips to hers in a hot and heavy kiss. He then pulled back and pulled her knickers down and off her legs before he pulled off his boxers and returned to her.

He didn't bother thinking about protection, it was the furthest thing from his mind with the girl he loved naked beneath him.

Instead of worrying about such things he focused on kissing his girl, and savoring the feel of her soft naked body and the intense heat bathing his hardness as he rocked against her.

After listening to his girl's escalating whimpers he shifted his hips, took himself in hand, and entered her body. Instantly they both gasped and moaned in pleasure, surprised at how much better it felt than the rocking and grinding they had been doing.

Together they moved, slowly at first, and gradually picked up speed as he rocked into her and she rocked against him. They ground against each other as they shared kiss after kiss and stroked their hands along skin.

Harry moaned in pleasure loving that he was experiencing more pleasure than he ever had before. He loved even more that he was getting to experience this with the woman he loved.

His Ginny broke their kiss and he moved his lips to kiss along her cheek and down to her neck while he moved his hand to caress her soft breast.

"Mamoru." She sighed softly, and he pulled his face from her neck to look at her without stopping the rocking motion of his hips.

He found that instead of his red haired brown eyed witch lying beneath him it was the golden haired blue eyed sailor warrior he was attracted to.

Harry smiled, not minding the strange unexpected switch, and leaned back in and kissed her with a passion as if she was the witch he loved, and continued to move his hips thrusting his hardness back and forth within her.

He thoroughly enjoyed the feel of her arms wrapped around him and one of her legs sliding against his as her fingers plowed through his hair.

Their passion built higher and higher with his every thrust, their lips parted and he moved his face to press into the side of her neck as she wrapped her legs around him.

Moans, sighs, groans, whimpers, and grunts were the only sounds to be heard beyond the crackling fire as they moved more frantically against each other desperate for the explosion of pleasure they could sense just out of reach.

Mamoru's eyes snapped open and he gasped as his body shuddered from the remembered pleasure. He bit his lip and held in a groan, not wanting Helios to think something was wrong with him, as he could tell he was hard beneath his covers.

He hadn't woken up in such a way since the Horcrux hunt when he dreamed about being with Ginny when the war was over.

Beyond that acknowledgment he was shocked at what he had just dreamed. It was a nice dream of Ginny, certainly better than the nightmares he used to have so frequently, but halfway through that brilliant encounter she had somehow morphed into Usagi!

And he hadn't seemed to care one bit!

This girl he had known for only almost two weeks, and his mind was putting her in his dreams. And in such a dream! An intimate dream!

He closed his eyes and couldn't help remembering the feel of warm skin and a soft delicate body beneath him, cushioning him as he moved within her. He ignored the fact that he wasn't considering which 'her' he was recalling.

Mamoru held in another groan as his wayward anatomy pulsed in demand. He wasn't sure what to do. The last time he had touched himself in such a way, or even felt the need to, was back in his sixth year before he started dating Ginny.

He'd willingly fantasized in bed and in the shower about her and what he would do to her if she was his girl, but once they got together he hadn't needed to do such a thing.

That isn't to say he hadn't fantasize about her after they got together, he did, but after he did he could just go kiss her whenever he wanted, and having her in his arms, her body pressed against his, helped ease his arousal as well as gave him pleasure.

Since the war ended and with Ginny's death he had definitely not felt such a need, hadn't felt any arousal of any kind, so he hadn't had to worry about it. Now not even the thought of her death was making this issue go away.

Mamoru gritted his teeth and pushed his covers away before he rolled out of bed and headed to his bathroom.

Maybe a cold shower will do the trick. He thought as he flicked on the light and closed the door.

He was of course the only one there, but habits were habits. It felt weird to be in the bathroom with the door open when he intended to be naked in there.

He turned on the cold water and stripped down, taking off his wand holster and his Mokeskin pouch as well, and stepped under the freezing water droplets. He shivered violently at the temperature change, but forced himself to stay in the spray and allow it to cover the front of his body to help get himself in check.

Thankfully it worked and he finally allowed himself to turn on the hot water so he could shower in a more comfortable temperature.

As he went about cleaning himself he thought about what he was going to do for the day. It was Saturday so he had tutoring with Motoki in a few hours. Thankfully he wouldn't be seeing Usagi with it being the weekend. He didn't think he would have been able to look her in the eyes after the dream he had.

He didn't know what he would do after his tutoring session finished. He would have to think about it. Maybe he would just study some more or head out and try looking for the silver crystal the mystery princess from his dreams was begging him to find.

Mystery princess. He thought as he shook his head lightly. I finally get all the answers to the questions I had surrounding my life back in England, even discovering that I was adopted, and finish with all the mystery only to come over here and have it start all over again.

I find peace, get mental help, and even find a purpose for my life, but now I'm suddenly mixed up in another mystery. I meet a girl and the same day, I somehow become this masked man, find out that said girl is a sailor warrior and that I have a connection to her somehow.

Then there's the mystery princess to factor in. He considered. I suppose she could be considered a continuing mystery from my life back in England since I've been dreaming of her for years. Still, my instincts give me the feeling that she's connected to the current mysteries surrounding me.

Mamoru sighed and finished his shower before he turned off the water, dried off, and put his wand holster and Mokeskin pouch back on before he left the bathroom to get dressed.

He was going to figure out something to eat and then slip beyond his Occlumency shield and organize his memories and the thoughts he'd had since waking up, including the unexpected intimate dream, so they weren't a distraction throughout the day.

~xXx~

Mamoru sat at his low floor desk in his study a half hour after Motoki had left after his tutoring session had finished.

He had changed the floor to the room somewhat after he had created it and furnished it, so it still had the light wooden floor that matched the rest of the apartment but he now had a large square of similar colored tatami mats to the left of the door to the room with the wood continuing around it.

The floor desk was a dark brown that matched the normal sized desk that sat to the right of the room right across from the door, and he had two black round floor pillows arranged on two sides of the desk.

Currently he was sitting on the pillow facing the door to the room with his back to a bookcase, and next to his regular desk near the window on his stand was Helios keeping him company.

He had added the stand when he realized Helios liked to be with him in whatever room he happened to be spending time in if it was going to be lengthy. It looked just like the one in his bedroom and in the living room; a small light wood leafless tree as if it had grown up out of the floor just for the golden owl to perch on.

At the moment Mamoru was reading intently from a book he had brought with him from England. It had been a week since the last creature he had helped Usagi fight, the second since he had become Tuxedo Kamen, and he had gotten the idea while studying earlier that having a Portkey would be a good thing.

He thought it would be useful to have a quick means of escape considering he was dealing with a dangerous enemy for the second time in his life.

It worked for the Death Eaters, so why not? He thought as he studied the book in front of him.

As he read he understood that making a Portkey was similar to Apparating. You needed to know where you wanted the destination to be, and you needed to know what the destination looked like. It involved intense concentration and the ability to picture the destination clearly.

Not to mention the power to actually move a person or people long distances. He thought idly.

He read how Portkeys could be time delayed so they activated at a specific time and took all who were touching it to a destination, touch activated so as soon as it was touched it took the one touching it to a destination, and permanent ones where the one using it needed to be keyed into it and intending to use it in order for it to activate.

Continuing to read he understood how touch activated Portkeys could be touched again to bring the user back to their original location, and enchanted so it could return to the original location to be re-activated and used again by others going to the same destination.

The information said nothing about how long or short a distance a Portkey could travel, which he interpreted as meaning it could travel as short as a few inches away from the original location or as far as a different country. It seemed to him it was a matter of being strong enough to power it to travel long distances.

I wonder if the power level of the one making the Portkey determines how smooth or rough the journey and landing will be. He thought as he recalled the different times he had used a Portkey.

The only time it had been pleasant was when he used the permanent Portkey to his family manor. However, he wondered if constant usage or becoming familiar with the hooking sensation made it so a person could control their landing since he recalled Mr. Weasley being able to land perfectly fine when he used a Portkey.

I guess I'll find out. He thought as he memorized the incantation for the spell.

Mamoru pulled his Holly wand from his holster as he finished reading the Portkey section of the book. He closed the book when he finished and pushed it aside as he wondered what to make to use as his test Portkeys.

The book didn't say conjured items couldn't be used. Maybe it was because most couldn't do permanent or at least long lasting conjurations. He didn't know. What he did know was that he could make permanent items, and so that was what he would do.

And since I'm going to make permanent items they need to be something nice since I'm going to keep them. He told himself as he looked around his study hoping for inspiration.

His eyes landed on Helios and he paused in his search and hummed quietly. After a few moments he decided on figurines, small crystal figurines that could fit in his hand.

I'm going to use both wands and try it wandless to cast the charm, so three figurines in total. He thought as he took in the details of Helios' figure. One of Helios, one of Hedwig, and a stag.

Mamoru nodded and looked away from his familiar as he raised his wand slightly. He focused on the image of Helios in his mind; from the look in his eyes, his face, the shape of his feathers, down to his talons.

As he conjured the first figurine he began to think about why he was even doing this. He was doing it because he found himself fighting a new enemy.

He still couldn't believe that he was the masked man Tuxedo Kamen. This person that went around in a full black tuxedo, gloves, mask, top hat, and a cape. He still had no answers as to why he now had this identity or why it had happened now.

Well, he knew that he had become the masked man when Usagi had become Sailor Moon, and since he had the strong instinct to help her and keep her safe during the fights it wasn't a stretch to say that was why.

However, those were small things. He still didn't know why it had happened when it did or why it had really happened at all. It couldn't just be because Usagi needed help. There had to be more to it.

Especially since I had only met her hours before. You would think someone she knew would make a better option for this masked persona than me. He thought as he started on his next figurine. That's why there has to be more to me being this helper/rescuer that I've become.

Like why Usagi became Sailor Moon in the first place; especially when she isn't a good fighter. He thought.

He didn't know if she was forced into the position or if she had accepted it willingly and just wasn't a good fighter. He had wanted to asked many times, but he knew he couldn't.

It had been clear after that first fight, and even more clear since then, that she didn't know he was the masked man helping her. She couldn't see beyond the mask he wore for some reason.

Mamoru wished she was able to see and tell that it was him. He had so many questions he wanted to ask her.

Questions like why she had become Sailor Moon, why he seemed to be connected to her in some magical way, why were the creatures, youma, attacking people, where did they come from, and what was up with the talking cat that was hanging around her?

He didn't know if Usagi had the answers, but it would still be nice to be able to ask them of the one person he knew was involved in the situation he found himself in.

At least I know that that cat that follows her around isn't an Animagus. He thought as he began to conjure his third figurine.

It couldn't be. After thinking about it he recalled the cat had talked to her during that first fight and the last one. Animagi couldn't talk. People could transfigure themselves into an animal, but once they actually were in animal form they couldn't speak.

On that note, however, he wanted to know what part that talking feline played in this whole situation. Maybe it had something to do with Usagi becoming Sailor Moon since it had told her how to use her tiara.

Maybe it's a strange type of familiar. He considered as he finished the figurine.

He lined them up and looked them over carefully. At the moment the crystal figurines of Helios, Hedwig, and a stag were clear. Still, they looked just as he wanted them to; he just needed to add color now to personalize them.

He lightly tapped the figurine of Helios and it turned golden, he tapped the figurine of Hedwig and it turned white, and then he tapped the stag figurine and it turned a sky blue color that made it look like his patronus.

Mamoru nodded at the way the figurines looked and carefully picked up the blue stag figurine. It was light and yet had some weight to it, so he knew he would have to be careful and not drop it during his landing so it wouldn't shatter.

In fact, I'll just add an unbreakable charm to it. To all of them. He thought as he sat the figurine back down. He focused on what he wanted and tapped each figurine lightly, and watched them glow a soft white letting him know it worked.

He moved his wand back to the stag and decided he would start off first with making a touch activated Portkey, and then a time delayed activated Portkey after he tested the touch activated one. He also decided to start small with locations within his apartment.

In the next moment he realized he could only do that because he didn't have anti-Portkey wards up, but considering what he was doing he wondered if he should put some up after he was done.

He didn't want anyone else Portkeying into his home, but he also needed to be able to Portkey in if it was necessary.

Portus. He thought as he touched the figurine with the tip of his wand, focusing on the space on the other side of his regular desk away from Helios.

The stag glowed a bright blue, letting him know that the incantation worked, and after a few seconds the glow faded.

Mamoru nodded and stood up before he grabbed the figurine. Immediately he felt a hook and a pulling sensation in his stomach behind his navel and the room blurred around him.

In the next moment his feet slammed into the floor and he stumbled before he fell to his knees. The stag figurine clattered on the wooden floor but thankfully the unbreakable charm kept it whole and intact.

He looked over as he heard Helios hoot at him, the sound somehow sounding concerned.

"I'm okay." He assured him before he grabbed the stag and got to his feet. "I'm just practicing making Portkeys. I'm hoping the more I practice the easier this will get."

He placed the stag on his desk and looked to his other hand, thankful that he had kept a grip on his wand. He focused again on where he wanted to go and touched the tip of his wand to the figurine, and watched it glow a bright blue before it faded.

Here goes. He thought before he once again grabbed the stag.

Again he felt a hook and a pulling sensation in his stomach behind his navel and the room blurred around him. A moment later his feet slammed into the floor next to Helios and his stand, and he stumbled but this time he managed to say on his feet.

"Well, that went a bit better." He told Helios who looked at him with a tilted head.

Mamoru placed the stag figurine back on his regular sized desk and focused on the next destination before he touched the tip of his wand to the figure and cast the charm. The stag glowed a bright blue before it cleared and he grabbed the figurine.

The hook and pulling sensation greeted him and the room blurred around him. A few moments later his feet slammed onto the floor but again he managed to stay upright. He looked around and nodded to see that he was standing next to his balcony in his bedroom.

From there he cast the charm again and again on the stag each time with a different location in his apartment, and thankfully each time the hooking and pulling sensation became less and less and his landing became easier.

Over and over again he did it until the ride and landing was nearly as smooth and instant as the Portkey to his family manor. After he was satisfied with his progress he began to cast the charm so the Portkey would be time delayed.

Twenty seconds after he cast the charm it activated and thankfully the ride was nearly as instantaneous and smooth as it had been becoming as it took him from his bedroom to just in front of his apartment door in his designated Apparition point.

Again and again he cast the charm so the Portkey would be time delayed and he appeared all over his apartment; in his bedroom, in his study, in his potions lab, in his kitchen, in both his bathrooms, and in his spell practice room.

Thankfully each activation made the ride and landing smoother and easier to the point that the hooking sensation was gone and the pulling could barely be felt.

He then cast the charm to make the figurine a time delayed Portkey that would take him to the Apparition point in Kototama Market Place. Looking around the market from his position he nodded before he made the figurine a touch activated Portkey to take him back home.

As soon as Mamoru appeared back in his study he placed his stag figurine on his regular sized desk and put his Holly wand back in his holster. He then pulled his Mokeskin pouch over his head and opened it, enlarging it at the same time, before he reached in and searched briefly.

After a few moments his fingers wrapped around a slender item, and he pulled his hand out and looked at the Elder Wand. He closed the Mokeskin pouch and replaced it around his neck before he went and stood next his floor desk.

He focused on where he wanted to appear and what type of Portkey he wanted before he touched the tip of the wand to the golden crystal figurine of Helios.

Portus. He thought, and watched the figurine glow a bright blue. A few seconds later it cleared to leave the gold color of the crystal visible, and he nodded before he reached down and grabbed it.

A moment later he appeared in his bedroom next to his balcony and he blinked as he looked around. He wanted to be surprised since the ride had been as smooth and instant as the permanent Portkey to his family manor, but he wasn't because he had expected it since he was using the Elder Wand.

Since he was using the powerful wand he decided he only needed to do one more test. He touched the tip of the wand to the figurine and cast the charm as he focused on making it a time delayed Portkey to take him to the Apparition point in Kototama Market Place.

Twenty seconds after the golden figurine stopped glowing he disappeared from his bedroom and reappeared outside in the market place.

Mamoru nodded and touched the tip of the Elder Wand to the figurine of Helios again and turned it into a touch activated Portkey to take him to his study. He disappeared and reappeared in his study, and he placed the figurine on his regular sized desk next to the stag.

He went about putting the Elder Wand away back in his Mokeskin pouch as he wondered when he would start thinking of it as his wand. After all, he was its master, he had decided to keep it, and he was using it. Not as frequently as his Holly wand, but he was still using it.

It will probably happen one day when I'm not even thinking about it. He thought as he put his Mokeskin pouch back around his neck and concealed it under his shirt.

He then went and sat back down at his floor desk, and pulled the white crystal figurine of Hedwig closer and took a deep breath, and focused his mind on what he wanted before he attempted to try making a Portkey wandlessly.

Portus. He thought as he slowly waved his hand directly over the figurine.

Unfortunately, nothing happened. There was no bright blue glow around the figurine, which wasn't really a surprise since he was still working his way through the spells that were intermediate in level and was only just reaching the advanced stuff in his practicing.

And the Portkey charm is advanced. He thought with a slight shrug before he turned his mind to what he wanted to do with the figurines.

Of course he was going to keep them since he had made them detailed permanent conjurations, but he needed to decide on where exactly he was going to put them.

But maybe I need to add one more first. He considered as he gazed at the three figurines. He had one to represent each of his familiars, Helios and Hedwig, and one to represent his patronus and his connection to his dad.

Mamoru pulled out his Holly wand and decided to make a ruby red crystal lion to represent that he was a Gryffindor since the stag could also represent that he was from house Seiran.

He remembered how the Gryffindor lion looked and went about conjuring the crystal figurine in its image. A couple of minutes later the sitting figurine of a clear lion sat on his desk next to the figurine of Hedwig, and he tapped it once and watched it turn ruby red.

Now where to put you. He thought as he gazed at the new figurine.

The red lion represented his time at Hogwarts and the blue stag represented the same as well as his current time at Mahoutokoro, so he thought he could leave those two here in his study. The two white and gold owls respectively represented his familiars, so he could place them in his bedroom.

But then they wouldn't be on display for anyone else to see. He thought with a light sigh.

The stag and lion also wouldn't be on display unless he allowed someone to know about his study, but he thought it was coming. He was coming to trust Motoki more and more, so time would tell how soon it would be before he knew.

If he placed the owl figurines in his bedroom he was the only one that would see them since he didn't have any plans to have anyone in his bedroom. However, if he put them in his living room then Motoki would see them, and in the off chance he had someone else come over then they could admire them.

So, the stag and lion in here, and the owls in the living room. He decided before he picked up the lion and stood up.

As he walked around placing his now decorative crystal figurines he turned his mind to the reason he had been practicing making Portkeys in the first place. He wanted to make an escape Portkey for when he was in his masked persona and needed to get away quick to save his life.

Yeah. No more being stuck in a situation surrounded by enemies, dangerous enemies, and unable to leave. He thought as he arranged the figurines near the far corners on his regular sized desk, so they would be visible when he sat down to study.

However, the issue was he didn't know what he could make to act as his permanent Portkey. He didn't want it to stand out, so it would have to look like it belonged with the tuxedo outfit.

Mamoru pictured his masked persona, and tried to imagine what could go with it and not look out of place. Something that could be in the open and not hidden in a pocket since that would take precious time to get to when he needed to be quick in getting away.

As he was arranging his owl figurines in the living room his eyes widened as an idea came to him. He pulled out his Holly wand and sat down on the couch as he began to conjure up what he had in mind.

He made sure it was the right size, color, and that it had all the details on it before he moved on to turning it into a Portkey. He paused and focused his mind on exactly what he wanted: a permanent Portkey to his home, right here in the living room, where his magical signature was keyed into it, and where it would only activate if he intended to use it specifically.

Portus. He thought as he tapped his wand to the new object in his hand.

~xXx~

Meanwhile, Usagi walked through a park sipping on a drink after having had enough of window shopping.

It was a somewhat nice day so she was dressed in a pair of overall pink denim shorts, a white quarter sleeve shirt, and white tennis shoes. Luna was with her having insisted on keeping her company even though she wasn't doing anything but walking around and looking at things she wanted or thought looked nice.

Normally she would have just bought what she wanted, spending all of her allowance and what little she may have left over from her last allowance, but she was holding back.

She was saving whatever money she got because she wanted to use it when she took Mamoru to different places to try out.

Like the skating rink. She thought as she lifted her drink and sipped from the straw. They had gone to other places since then like the movies, the mall, and to a different arcade than the Crown, but nothing like the skating rink.

She still had ideas on other places to take him, and she needed all of her money in order to be able to afford to go, which meant no spending her money on frivolous things that she really didn't need.

He said to save it for something else, and that's what I'm going to do. She told herself as her mind drifted to the guy she had been spending time with on a daily basis since she met him.

Of course, that also brought to mind what else happened on the day she had met Mamoru. She had strangely become Sailor Moon and met Tuxedo Kamen.

Usagi still could hardly believe that she was a senshi like Sailor V. She had been in two fights since she had agreed to take on that role, and she was still in disbelief over it.

She wasn't sure what to think of it. So far it was turning out to be as exciting as she thought it must be for Sailor V, but she was also seeing that it was more dangerous and frightening than she thought it would be.

On top of that she was fast discovering that she wasn't a fighter, and that only having her tiara to throw around as a type of weapon wasn't helping her that much. It was scary not knowing what to do when she was faced with those creatures.

Obviously she was supposed to fight it, but she didn't know how. After all, what was she supposed to do when the creature, youma, avoided her tiara?

Usually run away as fast as I can. And if I can't then scream for all I'm worth, which also usually means Tuxedo Kamen appears and helps me. She thought as she took another sip of her drink as she walked.

This turned her thoughts to Tuxedo Kamen. He was a cutie. Tall, dark, handsome, and full of mystery with his tuxedo and mask. He had a nice voice too.

Usagi almost couldn't believe that she had somehow found herself drawn to both Tuxedo Kamen and Mamoru, but after facing the last two youma with the masked man she decided to focus her attention on Mamoru. She had met him first, and actually knew who he was unlike with Tuxedo Kamen.

Mamoru too was a cutie. He was very good looking with his short black slightly messy hair and his deep blue eyes. Plus, he was tall, and had a nice voice. She couldn't help being attracted to him. It definitely trumped the old crush she had had on Motoki.

She liked him; really liked him.

She liked that he was confident and independent. He was living alone in a foreign country, clearly taking care of himself, and even bettering his education while he was at it. He was bettering himself, and appeared to be thriving. For some reason those traits really appealed to her.

"Do you think he's boyfriend material?" She recalled Naru's excited words.

He is. Usagi thought with a light blush. She hadn't known then when her best friend first asked, but after almost two weeks of getting to know him some she thought he definitely was. At least to her anyway.

Will he go for it with the difference in our ages? She wondered curiously as she paused and sat down on a bench in the shade of a tall tree.

Mamoru is eighteen but I'll be fifteen soon, and that's better than fourteen. She considered. She didn't mind the age gap, but she acknowledged that it could be an issue if he did. Not to mention her parents, but she would worry about them when there was something to worry about.

Beyond that she needed to find out if he even liked her in that way, and if he didn't then if she could do anything to turn his mind in that direction.

He seemed to like the time we spend together; even the studying part. She thought as she nibbled on her bottom lip. I like that time too, so maybe that's a sign that he might like me too. She considered optimistically.

I liked that time at the skating rink, and the other things we've done, and I like talking to him. He's so quiet, even when he talks, but he has interesting things to say. And he's so nice! She thought with a smile.

He agreed to essentially tutor a stranger, not even someone he knew from school, and he's good at it. Even my teacher noticed that my understanding of the English language has improved. She thought.

He's…he's good for me when it comes to my education. Doing my homework in his presence when he's finished tutoring me has even helped me, and I like that. She thought surprisingly.

She even liked that he had given her advice toward what she would do when she was older.

This is more than a crush, definitely more, and I need to try and find out if he likes me or can like me. I also need to start showing that I like him. She thought determinedly.

Usagi nodded to herself, ignoring Luna's curious look, and took a sip of her drink. She would use any excuse to spend more time with him, and start to sit, stand, and walk closer to him.

And hope her still fairly new role as Sailor Moon didn't get in the way.

~HPxXxMC~

A week had passed since Mamoru had first begun to practice making Portkeys, and had woken up from his intimate dream where Usagi had made an appearance.

It had been extremely difficult for him to look her in the eye when he was with her, and only after nearly a week had his embarrassment faded enough for him to be comfortable looking into her eyes without a blush threatening to appear.

That was a good thing as far as he was concerned since he liked her eyes, and thankfully she had never noticed his struggle. Or if she had she had never said anything.

However, even though she hadn't said anything, and despite his own embarrassment, he had still noticed a subtle change in her behavior. She had begun to stand a bit closer to him whenever they walked somewhere or stopped to look at something. She had also started to sit closer to him occasionally.

He wouldn't have thought anything of her changed behavior, subtle as it was, but for the fact that it was different, and noticing such things in the past had saved his life or put him on the right path to where he needed to go or to something he needed to find.

Mamoru wasn't sure what that was all about, but it didn't make him uncomfortable so he chose not say anything and continue to observe for further differences.

It was the end of the week, Friday, and he had just gotten home after parting ways from Usagi. Just like during the rest of the week she had stood close to him and walked at his side close enough to almost touch him. He wasn't entirely sure but he also thought she was smiling at him a bit more.

He had a suspicion of what she was about, but he didn't want to think about it today. Despite her changed behavior he had still had a good time with her. School had also gone well, and he intended to fully enjoy the evening to come.

Motoki had invited him to a professional Quidditch game so he could experience how the Japanese played, and he was thoroughly looking forward to it.

By now he had found out about the house Quidditch teams at Mahoutokoro and where the school Quidditch pitch was. He hadn't seen the house teams yet or watched any of their games, but he had learned that they played against each other like they did at Hogwarts. The only difference was that there was no bitter rivalry that made the game more dangerous than it already was.

Now he only had to wait for the time when Motoki would come and pick him up which wasn't for another hour. Until then he would just try to relax and occupy his time.

Mamoru walked into his kitchen and grabbed a bottle of Kyohowine from the refrigerator and opened it on his way to the living room. He grabbed the remote and sat down on the couch, glancing at the empty perch near the balcony, and turned on the TV.

I guess Helios is out hunting or stretching his wings. He thought as he took a sip of the cold drink, and began to flip through the channels.

Nothing was interesting enough to catch his eye as he did, and his mind began to wander and drift to his friends and surrogate family back in England. He wondered how they were doing since it had been a while since he had heard from them.

Had Neville become a full Auror since he didn't know how long that would take once the training started? How was George adjusting to the loss of his other half, and how was the shop doing? How were Bill and Fleur doing with their jobs? How were Molly and Arthur doing without any kids in the house; assuming Ron wasn't living there anymore?

I think it's time for me to write some letters, and get some of my questions answered. He thought as he took a sip of his drink. I wonder if Ron's still angry. He thought curiously.

Mamoru knew it had been his way of expressing his grief, but it had been directed at him instead of just being generally expressed. He was still upset about that. Ron hadn't been snapping at Hermione and accusing her unreasonably, but then again he was dating her and likely had at least some sense not to drive her away.

Of course even if Ron wasn't angry and feeling the need to direct it at him it wouldn't change anything. He was still going to keep distance between them. He was still going to be living in Tokyo.

The only thing that might change is me sending him letters like I do everyone else I've been writing to. He told himself, and he knew what kind of correspondent Ron was, so it would hardly be different than it was now.

With his thoughts on Ron they naturally drifted to Hermione as well considering the three of them had been close friends for so many years.

Regardless of if things were to change with Ron and his anger he was still going to keep distance between himself and Hermione. He had in no way forgotten that she seemed to like to treat him like a child; trampling all over his right to privacy, trying to tell him what he should do with his life, and how he should act.

And all according to her beliefs and ideals. He thought unhappily. It reminded him uncomfortably of the way Dumbledore had treated him.

She had always had a dependable and yet strict and bossy attitude and personality. And he wouldn't deny that some of those aspects helped for the most part with doing school work and when trying to solve mysteries; even if it was annoying and grated on his nerves.

However, he had never fooled himself into forgetting that she was a know-it-all. Had been since before they even became friends; since day one of their first year at Hogwarts. Spouting facts and trying to correct everybody like she had grown up in the Wizarding World instead of having taken advantage of the wealth of books Flourish and Blotts offered.

That part of her had never gone away or eased up. She had simply focused it on him and Ron because they were her friends, and now she seemed to be focusing all of her personality traits on him. Or at least she had been before he left England.

Maybe her behavior is her way of dealing with her grief and feelings from everything that happened during the war. He considered thoughtfully.

That could very well be the case since he knew he had been feeling all kinds of things. But he had chosen to focus on short term goals, dealing with his responsibilities, and being around the people that didn't judge or nag him.

And I definitely kept my feelings and the majority of my thoughts to myself instead of flinging them like weapons at those closest to me. He thought as he took a sip of his Kyohowine.

The familiar popping noise of Apparition sounded, interrupting his thoughts, and he turned his head to look over to his right and saw Motoki standing in front of his apartment door. He was wearing black jeans and a black pullover sweater with a green dragon on the chest.

"Hey Mamoru. You ready?" Motoki asked as he lifted his eyebrows.

"Yeah." Mamoru said as he clicked the TV off with the remote control. He hadn't realized how much time had passed while he was lost in his thoughts. "So how are we getting to wherever the game is?" He asked as he stood and walked toward the kitchen.

"We're taking a Portkey." Motoki answered as he held up the tickets. "They'll drop us off in the main area of the location, and then we'll have to walk the rest of the way. You'll understand when we get there."

"The tickets are the Portkeys? Or is it just one ticket that works?" Mamoru asked as he put the remains of his drink in the refrigerator.

"Both tickets are Portkeys." Motoki answered. "I bought them together, so they'll both go to the exact same location."

Mamoru nodded as he lightly patted his pockets, making sure he had his wallet and keys, his wand and Mokeskin pouch were already in place as they always were, and walked toward Motoki.

"Here you go." Motoki said, handing his friend a ticket as he reached him.

"Thanks." Mamoru said as he held the ticket and looked it over, seeing that the match was between the Okinawa Tanukis and the Tokyo Winders.

"They'll activate when we touch our wands to them." Motoki explained as he pulled out his wand.

Mamoru nodded and reached slightly beneath his sleeve and pulled out his Holly wand. Together they pressed the tip of their wands to the tickets, and felt the familiar hook pulling sensation inside and they were being whisked away through space.

A few long moments later they landed on their feet and Mamoru looked around wide eyed at the beautiful peaceful view around them. Beyond the view was nothing but blue sky and blue water in every direction, so he knew they must be on a rather large island.

There was lush green grass, vibrant green bushes, bright colorful flowers, and tall trees arranged beautifully. Beyond that was a white path leading up to a massive white building with five floors with a further three on top of the fifth floor on the center of the building that he could see from their distance and numerous windows stretched along the building.

"Welcome to Hachijō-jima Island." Motoki said with a smile at Mamoru before he gestured toward the building. "And that is Hachijo Royal Hotel." He added.

"This place looks amazing." Mamoru said as they began to walk along the path with other people who were appearing and heading toward the hotel.

"This place is magical right? How do they keep it secret from the non-magical's?" He asked curiously as he looked around.

"You're right. It is magical." Motoki confirmed. "We're currently south of Tokyo and when non-magical's see the island they think it's abandoned. They see overgrown grass, plants, and trees growing wildly, and a completely dilapidated building."

"I see." Mamoru said as he nodded. "So what is this beyond the hotel, and I'm assuming the Quidditch stadium?"

"This is a resort island." Motoki reveal as they walked. "The hotel staff live as well as work in the hotel, and Quidditch teams stay there as well as fans coming from far away to watch the games. And of course witches and wizards on vacation stay there."

"Over there is a large swimming pool." He continued as he gestured off to their left. "As well as a large stage for different types of concerts. The Quidditch stadium is of course professional league, and it's a distance behind the hotel."

"Beyond those things there's a large spa on the island as well as a more recreational Quidditch pitch for nonprofessional visitors to use, a theater for movies and plays, restaurants, and a nightclub." He listed the available entertainments and establishments.

"Wow. I've never been to a resort before." Mamoru said. "It's nice to know all that's available in case I feel the need for a vacation."

"I've only come here for the Quidditch games, but I think vacationing here would be nice too." Motoki commented as they walked.

Mamoru nodded as they continued to move up the path and eventually made it to the large hotel. Apparently they needed to go through to get to the other side instead of walking all the way around the massive building.

He followed Motoki inside and looked around at the large lobby seeing the bright and yet soothing colors, and the decorations that littered the space. There were even a few fireplaces but he could tell they were too small for floo travel.

I'm sure they still have at least one floo sized one somewhere in here for emergencies at the least. He thought as they reached the doors leading to the back of the hotel.

As they stepped outside Mamoru's eyes widened to see green and black, and turquoise blue and gray everywhere. There were stands selling merchandise of the team's memorabilia all along the wide path ahead of them, and pass them looming large was a massive stadium that immediately reminded him of the one he had seen at the Quidditch World Cup.

"Wow." Mamoru breathed as he looked at it, impressed with the size just as he had been at the World Cup.

"I felt the same way the first time I saw the stadium." Motoki said with a grin as they walked.

The friends moved along the path and Mamoru gazed around at the various things available. There were shirts, different types of sweaters, hats, scarfs, pants, and gloves. There were throw blankets, pillows, pin buttons, different sized flags, and so much more.

He wanted to get something, but he didn't know if he should get something for one team or both. He guessed he would have to wait until after the game. Maybe by then he would have made a decision or become a fan of one of the teams.

As they grew closer to the stadium he spotted a stand selling Omnioculars, and saw that they didn't look any different from the one he had gotten at the World Cup. The magical binoculars would let him record the coming game, but he didn't particularly want to buy another pair.

Maybe I'll pick them up the next time I go back to England to visit. He considered since besides recording Quidditch games he could see other uses for it.

The stadium was white and marble-looking, almost giving a feel that it could have been a sibling to the Roman colosseum, and had flags the color of the teams up on the turret-looking posts.

Mamoru followed Motoki inside after they had presented their tickets, and through large hallways and up stairways until they reached the section indicated on their tickets. Then they moved through the rows until they found their seats, which Mamoru was pleased to find were in the first row right up against the railing.

"Good seats, and good view." He told his friend as he looked around as they sat down, seeing the three goal posts at each end of the stadium. They were sitting almost in the middle of the stadium.

"I'm glad you think so." Motoki said as he nodded in agreement.

Mamoru noted the stadium looked to be as large as the one at the World Cup and he knew that one was capable of holding one hundred thousand people. In addition to the number of seats there was a giant blackboard that he knew would show the score, advertisements, and live footage of the game for close ups and replays.

Gradually as the minutes passed the seats around them and around the stadium began to fill up, and in no time lights started flashing and people started cheering.

"Welcome witches, wizards, sorcerers, and sorceresses to Hachijo Royal Stadium, and another match of high speed action packed Quidditch!" The announcer's voice sounded loudly throughout the stadium causing the fans to cheer just as loudly.

"This a division match between the Okinawa Tanukis," The announcer stated and the crowd cheered as the seven man team dressed in turquoise, blue, and gray sped through the air and circle the stadium in unison, passing close to the audience as they went by.

"And the Tokyo Winders!" The announcer continued and the crowd went wild again as the team came speeding out, their jade green and black uniforms creating an interesting blur of colors as they took their turn circling the stadium in formation over the crowd of cheering fans.

"I guess this is the team I should be cheering for, living in Tokyo as I am." Mamoru said as he leaned his head toward his friend so he could be heard.

"Probably, but I'm biased as you can see." Motoki replied as he laughed, gesturing to his black sweater with a green dragon on the chest.

Mamoru laughed as well, already excited, being affected by the cheering crowd and seeing the teams flying through the air. He looked down to the grassy ground and saw the mascots of the teams, a jade green Japanese Winder dragon and a gray Japanese raccoon dog, flying and running respectively around looking like large dense versions of Patronuses.

I wonder what brooms they're using. He thought as he looked back up to the players. He was reminded in that moment that he needed a new broom since his had been destroyed when he was leaving the Dursley's house for the last time.

But as exciting as this is I'm not in any hurry to replace it. He thought as he watched the two teams shift into formation in the middle of the field in the air.

Mamoru looked down to the field and watched the referee let the Bludgers and the Snitch loose, all three flying up and whizzing around, the Snitch quickly disappearing, as the announcer narrated the actions.

"The Winders are in possession of the Quaffle!" The announcer's voice rang out loudly after the referee tossed the Quaffle up high. "The game begins!"

The stadium practically boomed with the sounds of cheers and cries of joy and excitement from the fans as they supported their favorite team. Names of the most popular players were chanted in mass when they were in possession of the Quaffle or smashed a Bludger toward the other team.

Chasers sped through the air, their robes waving crazily behind them, expertly weaving around the other Chasers and dodging Bludgers as they passed the Quaffle back and forth with precision.

Keepers blocked the Quaffle with their hands, their feet, and sometimes with the brooms; expertly using the space where the wood and bristles meet so the bristles wouldn't be damaged.

Meanwhile, the Seekers circled high above the game like hungry sharks just waiting for a glimpse of gold to appear. No doubt also keeping their ears open for the score and the sound of approaching Bludgers.

The Chasers swerved around the other teams Chasers tossing the Quaffle while shifting into strategic formations, all the while expertly dodging and sometimes unluckily not dodging Bludgers, and scoring against the other teams Keeper.

Nearly three hours had passed and the score was now two hundred and forty for the Okinawa Tanukis and three hundred for the Tokyo Winders.

The score being what it was, and with how much time had passed, Mamoru was keeping his eye on the Seekers and looking for the Snitch himself. Suddenly he spotted the Snitch and judging by the suddenly roaring cheers coming from the fans in green and black the Winders Seeker had spotted it as well.

And is likely closer to it. He thought, which was confirmed moments later when said Seeker entered his line of sight speeding like a bullet.

The Tanukis Seeker was quickly catching up as the Winders Seeker dropped into a dive before suddenly turning right and rolling before he began to speed back the way he came. The Tanukis Seeker unfortunately couldn't make the adjustment quick enough and by the time he did the Winders Seeker's fingers were wrapping around the flapping Snitch.

"The Winders Seeker has caught the Snitch for an additional one and fifty points!" The announcer's loud voice boomed throughout the stadium. "The Tokyo Winders win! The Tokyo Winders win! Four hundred and fifty to two hundred and forty!"

Motoki instantly rose to his feet and Mamoru was a second behind him both of them cheering excitedly and loudly at the win.

Minutes passed as the fans of the winning team cheered, and during that time the dragon mascot made an appearance and flew over the field and around the stadium; its pattern random and excited.

Gradually things quieted down, though people were still excited, and the hundreds and hundreds of fans began to leave the stadium.

"I've decided that I'm a Winders fan now, so I'm going to buy a few things." Mamoru said as they finally made it outside, and he saw that the stands were still set up and full of merchandise.

"Alright!" Motoki cheered slightly. "Another one for the Winders!"

Mamoru laughed as he moved toward the stands that had jade green and black items. It only took him a few moments to decide he wanted practical things so he grabbed a t-shirt, a pullover hooded sweater, a scarf, and a hat.

He paid for them and moved over so he wasn't in the way and began to look at the scarf he had chosen. It was black with the words Tokyo Winders in jade green and further along the length was the dragon mascot also in jade green.

"Nice choices." Motoki commented as he watched his friend wrap the scarf loosely around his neck.

"Thanks." Mamoru said as he shrunk the rest of his items and placed them in his pocket then returned his wand to its holster. "So how do we leave the island?" He asked as they began to walk in the direction of the hotel.

"The same way we came." Motoki answered. "There are a couple of areas we can leave from, the area just outside the hotel is the closest to us. We just have to touch our wands to the tickets and they'll take us back to your place."

"That sounds easy enough." Mamoru said as he nodded.

They continued to walk, swerving around people who were walking and also buy items from the stands, both of them thinking back to the exciting game. After a few minutes they reached the hotel, and Motoki gestured to the area off to the side of the entrance.

"This is the spot." He said as he pulled out his wand and ticket.

Mamoru nodded and did the same, and they both touched the tip of their wand to the ticket in their hand. Instantly they felt the familiar hook pulling sensation and were being whisked away through space until they felt their feet touch the floor and were inside his dark apartment.

"Thanks for the invite to the game." Mamoru said as he waved his wand, the lights turning on. "It was great. I hadn't seen any Quidditch in two years, so this was a treat."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it, and became a fellow fan." Motoki said with a grin as he gestured to the scarf, and sighed. "I better go so I can prepare to deal with my family."

"Alright. I hope everything goes okay with them." Mamoru replied.

"Me too. I'll be seeing you." Motoki said with a wave.

"Bye." Mamoru said, and watched his friend disappear with a pop.

He turned and not seeing Helios he headed down the hallway and into his bedroom. He flicked on the light and saw his golden familiar there perched on his stand looking at him.

"Hello Helios." He said as he walked around the bed and over to him. Helios hooted quietly at him and closed his eyes as he stroked his warm feathers.

"I went to a professional Quidditch game with Motoki, and it was great." He said before he grabbed his scarf and displayed it so Helios could see it clearly.

"I've become a Tokyo Winders fan." He announced with a smile. "I even got a few other things." He said before he reached into his pocket and pulled out the shrunken items.

Mamoru enlarged them and showed Helios the shirt, sweater, and hat, and listened as he hooted and looked at each item in interest. He then went and put the items away; the shirt he folded and place in his dresser, the sweater he hung up in his closet and wrapped the scarf around the rack, and placed the hat on a shelf.

"I'm going to make myself something to eat." He told Helios as he came out of the closet, and watched him leap off his perch and fly toward him only to settle on his shoulder.

He walked out of the room and down the hallway until he reached the kitchen, and watched briefly as Helios launched off his shoulder and landed on the back of one of the chairs at the table.

"So the game was great." He said as he began to look through the refrigerator to see what he could find. "Well, maybe I should start sooner than that. The Quidditch stadium was on a large resort island, and it was huge; like the one I saw during the Quidditch World Cup back in England a few years ago."

Mamoru began to detail to Helios what the outside and inside of the stadium looked like, how big it was, how many people it looked like were there, and what it was like when the teams first made an appearance.

As he began to make himself some pancakes, since he was in a pancakes mood, he described the team colors, the mascots, and the brooms. Then he began to describe the game with its high speed, action, maneuvers, tactics, and the sheer skill involved.

"The Winders were in the lead when their Seeker caught the Snitch, and they won the game with four hundred and fifty points to the Tanukis two hundred and forty points." Mamoru said as he sat at the table with his plate of hot pancakes.

"You know watching that game reminded me of how much a like Quidditch, and made me realize how much I miss flying." He added as he poured syrup over his small stack of pancakes.

"Speeding around on a broom was so freeing." He said with a longing sigh, remembering his days flying at Hogwarts, before he took a bite of his pancakes.

"It would be nice if we could go flying together some day." He added after he swallowed his food. That was something he had never gotten the chance to do with Hedwig.

Helios hooted quietly at him, and he recognized the agreement in the sound.

I forgot my drink. Mamoru thought suddenly as he was lifting his fork full of pancake to his mouth, but paused and flinched, one of his eyes squinting as a piercing ache pulsed through his head.

Usagi. The name instantly came to mind. Get to Usagi!

Mamoru blinked and put his fork down on his plate, immediately understanding what was happening. He focused through the pain and waved his hand over his plate putting a preservation charm on it so his food would still be hot when he returned or at least be warm.

"I have to go." He told Helios as he quickly stood up. "Usagi needs me." He added before he began to focus around the pain.

I need to become the masked man Tuxedo Kamen, so I can get to Usagi and help her like I did before. He thought, visualizing the black tuxedo and white mask of the masquerade-like outfit he had worn before.

And just like last time he felt warmth and saw red gold-tinted light surrounding him. He squinted his eyes in the bright light, and when it cleared he saw that he was dressed like he needed to be.

The full black tuxedo and matching dress shoes, white dress shirt, vest, bow tie, and gloves covered him along with the black and red cape hanging from his shoulders, the white mask framing his eyes, and the black top hat sitting on his head.

"I'll see you when I get back, and let you know what happened." Mamoru told Helios as he moved away from the table and toward the area in front of his apartment door.

He wasn't at all concerned about the references to Usagi, and him seeing him become Tuxedo Kamen. He had revealed everything about himself to his familiar, and beyond that he had told him about his new identity and Usagi the day it had happened.

It was good that he had Helios to talk to about it even if his familiar couldn't talk back. He had been able to talk about everything with his mind healer, but he knew his identity as Tuxedo Kamen was not a subject he would be able to reveal even with the confidentiality contract they had drawn up to allow him to speak about his life as Harry Potter.

It was for the same reason that he had never revealed the dreams he had had for years of the mystery princess, because they had definitely gotten to that point and beyond during their sessions of going through his life almost year by year.

Mamoru paused his thoughts and focused on his senses; senses that were urging him to get to Usagi now and head to his left.

He wanted to Apparate to her as he had considered before, since that would be the fastest way to get to her, but he knew that would be dangerous if he could even manage it. She could be in the middle of running; could be in the middle of jumping over an open space high between buildings, and he could appear and fall to the ground.

Instead he focused on the roof of a building to his left that he recalled seeing the last time he had to run to Usagi's aid, and willed himself there; disappearing from his apartment only to appear on the target rooftop in the cool night air.

Immediately he took off running in the direction he was being pulled in, following his senses even as he allowed his thoughts to drift back to his golden familiar.

Helios was the only one in his life at the moment that he could be completely honest with. He had told him about his adoption, his life as Harry Potter, his life as Chiba Mamoru since coming to Japan, his nightmares, his dreams of the mysterious princess, meeting Usagi, and his new identity as Tuxedo Kamen.

Of course telling him everything brought them closer together and ensured they had a strong bond, but he hadn't forgotten there was something mysterious about his golden familiar.

He was so different from Hedwig and even other owls he had dealt with. He could easily put that down to being a male owl and having a different personality, but he felt there was more to it.

He and Hedwig had been very close, but she hadn't seemed to feel the need to be in his presence so much. Helios seemed to always want to be with him when they were both home together.

If he was in the living room watching TV then Helios was either on his perch or sitting on his leg allowing him to stoke his warm feathers. If he was in his study doing homework or just studying then Helios was on his perch keeping him company. If he was in his bedroom sleeping then Helios was there watching over him and making sure he was there if he had a nightmare.

None of which he had a problem with. It was just different.

Beyond that Helios was unique. He had never seen or heard of an owl that was gold, and Helios was all golden. Gold feathers, gold eyes, gold talons. The only thing that wasn't gold was his beak.

And it couldn't have been a coincidence that Helios had been in the very back of the shop hidden from everyone. It didn't take anything to know that Helios had allowed him to see him when they first met, and he also doubted it was a coincidence that the shop keeper didn't know where Helios came from and couldn't really remember him.

Mamoru shook himself internally and pushed aside thoughts of his familiar. Just like he had revealed knowledge about himself when he was ready, he knew that Helios would reveal the mystery of himself when he was ready.

Right now he needed to focus on getting to Usagi, and helping her with whatever youma she was facing. And hopefully getting some answers to this particular mystery in his life, because he still very much wanted and needed to know why they were connected as they were and why he had been given this masked persona.

And there she is. He thought as he spotted Usagi in her Sailor Moon persona running along a rooftop ahead of him.

He picked up his speed to catch up to her since it was clear she had yet to reach whatever youma was causing trouble, and he wanted them to be able to arrive together.

"Hey." He said as he pulled up at her side and matched his speed to hers.

Sailor Moon jumped slightly at the sound of Tuxedo Kamen's voice, and stumbled in her run before she righted herself.

"You scared me!" She said as she looked over at him. "I didn't hear you coming at all."

"I'm sorry." Tuxedo Kamen said apologetically. "I didn't mean to scare you. I just didn't want to call out and interrupt your running."

"That's okay." She said with a light smile as they ran.

"So where are you headed?" He asked, trying to get information into what he was running into before they arrived.

"I got a tip that there was possibly a youma at the nearby radio station, so I'm headed there to see if it's true, and if it is to try and deal with it." Sailor Moon answered.

"Ah. Well, it looks like I arrived just in time to help." Tuxedo Kamen said as he glanced to her while carefully following her as they ran.

"There it is." She said after a while as she pointed to a building across the street as they slowed to a stop.

The building looked like any other it just wasn't as tall and it had multiple antennas on it and the number of the studio.

"Do you know which floor the youma might be on?" He asked as he gazed at the building.

"Unfortunately no." Sailor Moon answered. "Although, I guess it might be on the floor the program would be airing from; the particular radio station I mean."

She knew the show was called 'Midnight Zero', but despite its name it didn't actually air at midnight. It had actually come on right before she left home, and with any luck it would still be airing when they got inside.

She wanted to get rid of this youma tonight. Those flowers they were sending out were dangerous, and from what she had heard from the show last night they only gave them to people who sent in a love letter that was read during the show.

I may be distracted with getting to know Mamoru and getting closer to him, but not so much that I didn't hear Naru talking about writing a letter to get one of those flowers. She thought. She didn't want her best friend affected by a youma a second time.

"Do you think there's a security guard?" She asked thoughtfully. "If not we would have an easy time getting in, but if there is one do you think they might…I don't know…associate us with Sailor V and let us through?"

"It does look like the type of place that might have a security guard." Tuxedo Kamen replied realistically as he looked toward the entrance. "And Sailor V is popular right, so it's possible if they know what Sailor V does then they'll be smart enough not to get in our way on the chance that we're there for a serious reason."

"But in either situation we risk alerting the youma to our presence if we go through the front entrance." He added, knowing from experience that it would be better to avoid the main entrance.

"Even with going in a different way it won't do us much good if we don't know where the youma is." Sailor Moon said. "I can go in and figure out what floor we need."

"But won't you still have the problem of the security guard?" He asked as he looked to her, and watched her shake her head.

"No. I can disguise myself to look completely different from how I look now." She replied. "Or at least I'm supposed to."

"Oh?" He said, curious and concerned. If she couldn't disguise herself or if her method of disguise could fail once she was inside he would rather they just search the building floor by floor.

Sailor Moon gestured with her hand and a bright pink pen appeared out of thin air.

Tuxedo Kamen held in a grimace at the color of the item, but was still able to note that it had a gold ring around its middle and at the top of the pen was a gold piece that looked like a crown with a large red gem seated in it.

"This is supposed to change me so I appear to look like I belong in the place I'm going." Sailor Moon said.

"Okay." Tuxedo Kamen said as he nodded, wondering if the black cat that had told her about the weapon that her tiara was had given it to her. "So what are you going to become? Or rather who will you become?"

"A news reporter." She answered. "I think that would be a good choice since I can say I'm getting a look at the directory, so I know where to go when I come back for an interview."

"Smart idea." He replied as he nodded. "Are you going to change right here?"

"Mm…I think I should do it on the ground since I don't know if I'll be able to get down from here, if the change will be more than just appearance." She said.

Tuxedo Kamen raised an eyebrow even as he nodded. It would definitely be a good idea to wait until they reached the ground if there was a chance she wouldn't be able to use the abilities she had as Sailor Moon.

They left the rooftop they had been standing on and carefully made their way down to the ground and stopped in the narrow space between buildings that was at an angle from the radio station across the street.

"Moon Power, turn me into a news reporter!" Sailor Moon said as she held the pen up at face level.

Tuxedo Kamen kept watch at the opening they were in as he heard Usagi's words, and blinked as he saw bright pinkish white light flare behind him. The light lasted for a few long moments before it disappeared and he heard the sound of heels clicking along the ground.

He looked to his left and saw Usagi completely changed. She wore a dark pink long sleeve button up fitted blouse, a short dark red skirt, white shoes, and a necklace. Her bangs and buns were gone and her hair was now chin length, and she looked older and more mature.

"Wow. You look totally different." He said, slightly impressed.

"That's good right?" Sailor Moon said as she nervously smoothed her hands over her skirt.

"Definitely." He answered. "That's the whole purpose of the disguise pen right?"

"Right." She replied with a firm nod. "Alright. Here I go." She added.

"While you're doing that I'm going to circle the building to see if there's a back entrance." He said.

"Okay. Good luck." She said.

"You too." He replied.

With that the two slipped out of the narrow space and separated as they went in two different directions.

As Tuxedo Kamen walked he glanced back to Usagi and saw that she was headed for the crosswalk, and he looked around before he waved his hand over his ridiculous top hat and disillusioned himself. Instantly the sensation of liquid spreading from the top of his head and down his body was felt, and he knew the charm had taken hold to camouflage him.

He dashed across the street, sticking to the shadows to better help his disillusionment, and began to move along the side of the building and around to the back.

His eyes flickered along the building and found a door almost instantly. He moved closer and saw that it was mostly glass and, after a little more inspection, there was a camera directly above it.

And that is why I disillusioned myself. He thought as he stared at the camera.

He was in disguise and had likely been seen while running across the city toward Usagi whenever she transformed, but deliberately putting himself in sight of a camera rubbed him the wrong way entirely. Likely because he was used to living a life of secrecy for the most part. Or at least having a lot of secrets and lying.

Tuxedo Kamen shook his head lightly and moved forward to get a better look through the door inside the building, and saw the lobby and Usagi inside. With that he moved away and continued around to the other side of the building and out front before he dashed back across the street and to the narrow ally-like space they had started at.

He released the charm around himself, becoming visible, and watched the entrance to the building as he waited for Usagi to come out.

He watched the entrance like a very intent hawk to make sure she was safe coming out. He had only had a glimpse of her inside, but she had looked fine and not in any distress. He wanted it to remain that way. He wanted her to not get hurt and be at her best before they faced the youma.

It's always harder to fight your enemy when you're hurt. He thought quietly as he stared at the front entrance to the building.

Finally she came out and calmly walked across the street through the crosswalk and down the sidewalk before she joined him.

"So the floor we want is the second one from the top." Sailor Moon said, and he nodded as he looked up at the building.

"Well, there is a back entrance, but it leads into the lobby." Tuxedo Kamen said as he looked back to her.

"And there's a security guard there, so I guess we'll be going in through the roof." She said with a light sigh.

"Yes." He agreed.

Sailor Moon nodded and released her disguise, so she was once again dressed in her sailor uniform and boots.

The two shared a nod before they carefully made their way up to the roof to the building next to the radio station before they jumped up to the roof of their target building. They moved around large vents until they spotted a door, and Tuxedo Kamen went over to it and tried it.

Of course it was locked.

Not for long. He thought. Alohomora. He said in his mind as he subtly waved his free hand over the doorknob.

He turned the knob again and pulled the door open, and held it open for Usagi and watched her walk through before he joined her and silently closed the door behind them.

They walked down the flights of stairs to the floor they needed and Sailor Moon tried the door and found it unlocked. She slowly pulled the door open and peeked inside. No one was in sight, so she pulled the door open wider and walked into the hallway with Tuxedo Kamen right behind her.

They walked down the hallway in silence coming across not a single person, but when they reached the end and turned a corner Sailor Moon gasped to see people lying on the floor.

Tuxedo Kamen frowned at the sight. He thought this was proof that a youma was there, which also meant that these people were likely only unconscious. Still, he wanted to check for himself.

He had watched Madam Pomfrey use the diagnostic charm on him enough times to know how to use it, but of course he couldn't use it in front of Usagi. But he did know how to check manually.

He stepped forward and knelt down next to the closest person and felt at their neck. The man was still warm and breathing, so he moved on to the next and next until he had checked them all.

"They're all just unconscious." He informed Usagi, who had silently kept pace with him.

"At least they're not dead." Sailor Moon replied with a sigh. "They've just had their energy stolen."

"Is that what these creatures are about? Stealing people's energy?" Tuxedo Kamen asked as he stood up and moved away from the women he had been kneeling by.

"Yeah." She answered quietly. "They take the energy and leave them unconscious, and I guess it lets them control the people if they have that ability."

Well, that's one more answer to understanding this mystery. He told himself. These creature are called youma, and they're stealing the life energy from people. Now if I can just figure out why, and more importantly why Usagi became Sailor Moon, and why it caused me to become Tuxedo Kamen.

"Alright. Let's keep going." He said, and she nodded.

The companions continued on walking forward, and found more and more people, clearly employees, unconscious on the floor or in seats at desks throughout the floor. Finally they came across a sectioned off area with glass walls where it was clear programs streamed over the air. They could see switchboards, headphones, and microphones but no people.

Suddenly they saw a woman walking by behind one of the glass walls across from them.

She had on a short black skirt, a light blue blouse with a large decorative bow, and a green blazer. Her short hair was red, she had on pink lipstick, and wore round light blue earrings.

"Someone's conscious!" Sailor Moon gasped, and went to move forward but a strong hand grabbed her forearm firmly.

"She's not normal!" Tuxedo Kamen cautioned in a low tone. "She seems to be the only one conscious on the floor." He added as he released Usagi's arm, not liking the look of the woman. Something about her face was off putting, and he wouldn't be surprised if she turned out to be the youma.

Sailor Moon looked back to the woman and stepped back to stand next to Tuxedo Kamen. Now that she was really looking at her she could see that even though she looked like a normal professionally dressed woman she had a sinister look to her face.

"I'm so glad you're here!" She told her companion in a hushed tone. "Who knows what would've happened if I had gone running toward her."

Before Tuxedo Kamen could reply the woman paused and looked their way before she took them by surprise and ran toward the glass. She jumped toward it and burst through the glass to get to them.

They covered their faces and moved off to the sides to avoid the shattered glass spraying at them, but quickly recovered and turned and looked at the woman.

Tuxedo Kamen didn't chance looking at Usagi and taking his eyes off the youma. He knew he was going to have to be the one to attack first, because Usagi taking off her tiara and charging it was too slow and obvious with how close they were to the youma.

However, he also knew that he was going to need more than just his plain roses. He needed to do something to keep the youma away from them and distracted so it couldn't attack.

I'll just do what I did before, and add some magic to it. He thought firmly as he subtly gestured with his hand.

A single red rose appeared between his fingers, and he focused on gathering the right amount of magic for the spell he wanted and tightened his grip on the flower.

Confringo. He thought as he willed the magic of a Blasting Curse into the flower. The rose glowed a fiery orange, and he threw it sharply at the youma's chest.

Thankfully he was quick enough that the rose hit the youma in the chest, and exploded forcefully sending the female flying back with a cry through the hole she had created when she burst through the glass.

Before Tuxedo Kamen and Sailor Moon could do more than look at each other the youma stood up with an enraged yell as her eyes flickered and turned red and started to glow. Within moments she herself started to glow with a purple light that brightened until she was blocked from their view.

When it cleared the woman was gone but in her place was a female with pale purple skin, red eyes, fangs, and pointed ears. She wore a long turquoise toga, black wristbands and had unruly brown hair, bare feet, blue lipstick, and a black star on her forehead.

The youma opened its mouth unnaturally wide, and a beam of misty pink energy came shooting first at Sailor Moon and then at Tuxedo Kamen.

Sailor Moon cried out and dove to the side and almost belly flopped onto the floor. She quickly turned onto her back and saw Tuxedo Kamen do the same. Well, he actually dove and rolled into a crouch and somehow already had a rose in his hand.

As he threw it she reached up for her tiara and pulled it off as she tried to shift into a kneeling position. Her boots tangled as she tried to move as fast as she could, and she almost dropped her tiara before it finished becoming a weapon.

Breathe. She told herself as she remembered Tuxedo Kamen's advice from a previous fight.

She shifted into a kneeling position as the white disk that was her tiara hovered above her fingertips. She watched the youma shoot another beam of misty dark energy at Tuxedo Kamen, and she steadied herself before she threw her tiara as hard as she could at the youma.

Tuxedo Kamen dodged the beam coming at him before he pulled out another rose and willed the magic of the Blasting Curse into it before he threw it at the youma. As he stood up he saw that his fiery orange rose and Usagi's white tiara were both quickly headed for the youma, but unfortunately it managed to dodge both.

Her tiara hit the wall, causing a dent, and bounced off and shot in a different direction while his rose hit a window and exploded; sending glass flying everywhere.

He grimaced as he ducked and Sailor Moon winced as she stepped around the side of a wall. Neither one of them had meant to cause any damage, but as they heard the youma scream they thought the shattered glass was worth it if it had caused that creature damage.

Tuxedo Kamen pulled out a rose as he stood straight, and threw it at the youma that was distracted by its pain. Then he quickly pulled out another one and focused on his magic.

Confringo. He thought as he willed the magic of the Blasting Curse into a flower yet again. The rose glowed a fiery orange, and he waited for the right moment to launch it.

Sailor Moon cautiously moved back into view of the youma as well as Tuxedo Kamen, and was thankful the youma was distracted and that her tiara was returning to her. She caught it and immediately threw it at the youma as she cried out from the impact of Tuxedo's rose hitting it.

She huffed in frustration as she watched the youma notice her tiara at the last second and dodge out of the way. Then she ducked as the youma sent a blast of misty pink energy her way.

Tuxedo Kamen dodged to the side as the youma sent a beam of misty energy his way as it jumped through the open window space it had blasted through earlier. He quickly recovered and threw his fiery orange red rose at her back as she went running down the hallway they had originally come from.

The curse-containing flower hit the youma in the back and sent her flying forward with a loud cry as it exploded.

"Sailor Moon!" He called out as he looked in her direction to see her looking at her returning tiara.

"I'm coming!" Sailor Moon replied as she grabbed her tiara and dashed toward him, grateful that he hadn't left without her.

They took off running after the youma since it had managed to get back to its feet and run off.

They raced down the hallways, cautiously yet quickly turning corners, until they saw the youma blast the door to the stairwell off the hinges with its energy beam. They picked up speed not wanting the youma to get out of their sight and away.

Tuxedo Kamen pulled out a single red rose and focused on the spell he wanted to use.

Impedimenta. He thought as he willed the magic for the jinx into the flower.

The rose glowed a vibrant turquoise and he quickly threw it at the youma's back. The blue green glowing rose slammed into the youma, and she instantly slowed as she rushed up the stairs.

As Sailor Moon ran she saw what Tuxedo Kamen did, and wondered again about his color changing roses; glowing roses actually since the flowers themselves didn't change color. She thought they were cool, and much better than her tiara.

Focus Usagi! She told herself as she raced up the stairs with Tuxedo Kamen.

They reached the top of the stairs, the door to the roof having been blasted off its hinges as well, Tuxedo Kamen ahead of her. He stopped abruptly in the doorway before he suddenly spun around and practically tackled her into the wall away from the door.

Her back hit the wall and she grimaced as the hand rail dug into her lower back, but before she could ask what was wrong she saw a thick beam of misty pink energy shoot through the doorway.

That could have been me! She thought, her face paling as she stared at the dark energy.

If Tuxedo Kamen hadn't thought to get her out of the way as he dodged she would have been a goner or at least severely injured. Not just from being hit, but from falling down the stairs!

"Are you okay?" Tuxedo Kamen asked, his heart racing at how close that attack had been.

"Yeah. Thanks for the save." Sailor Moon said in a shaky voice.

"No problem." He said as he moved away from her, and then carefully looked out of the doorway.

Sailor Moon made her sure her tiara was still at hand, seeing the white disk in her hand, and looked to see Tuxedo Kamen make a red rose appear in his hand before it began to glow a fiery orange.

He crouched down and moved further out of the doorway as he lifted the glowing rose. She wanted to take a look herself to see where the youma was, but she didn't want to ruin whatever he was trying to do.

Suddenly he threw the rose to his right and dashed out onto the roof. She hurried after him, immediately looking to where he threw his rose, and saw it hit the youma blasting it back into a vent.

She took the chance to throw her tiara at it, hoping to hit it and destroy it while it was distracted, but it shifted and her tiara ended up slice through its arm. She gasped and winced as the youma screamed as its arm fell to the floor.

I didn't know it could do that. She thought in surprise as she looked to her returning tiara.

The youma continued to scream and sent a streaming beam of its misty pink energy blasting at the two fighters facing her, hoping to buy herself some time.

Tuxedo Kamen ducked under the attack and gestured with his hand causing a red rose to appear. As he watched Usagi dodge the attack he willed the magic for the Blasting Curse into the flower.

Once the rose was glowing a fiery orange he threw it at the youma, and then immediately pulled out another rose.

Incarcerous. He thought as he carefully contained the magic within the rose before he threw it at the youma; hoping it worked the way he wanted it to.

The youma managed to dodge the first rose, but was thankfully distracted enough by the explosion that it didn't see the second rose. Thick ropes immediately wrapped around it as soon as the rose hit, trapping its remaining arm to its side and making it so it couldn't run.

"Now Sailor Moon!" He called to Usagi. He would just finish it himself, knew the perfect way, but he also knew he couldn't do it in front of Usagi.

Maybe I should practice to see if my roses can contain that particular curse. He considered, because if it could that would give him something else to work with without risking revealing his magic use.

Sailor Moon blinked out of her surprise at seeing one of Tuxedo Kamen's non-glowing roses suddenly produce ropes around the youma, and quickly threw her tiara at the female before it managed to free itself.

The white disk sailed through the air and slammed into the youma's stomach. The female screamed, louder and louder, as the glowing disk completely sliced through it. The screams trailed off as the two half's of the youma fell to the floor, and began to crumble until there was nothing but two small piles of gray dust.

"Are you okay?" Tuxedo Kamen asked Usagi as he walked toward her, knowing it couldn't have been easy to watch her weapon take the creature's arm off.

"Yeah." Sailor Moon said as she reached up and grabbed her returning weapon. "I was pretty fine until my tiara cut off the youma's arm. I didn't know it could do that."

"I'm sure you found that pretty shocking." He said sympathetically, remembering when he'd nearly killed Draco Malfoy with an untested curse. He'd wanted to hurt him, but he hadn't expected it to nearly kill him.

"Try to push aside the fact that it was your weapon, and you throwing it that produced that result. Instead, focus on the fact that you discovered another way to use your weapon against these youma." He advised, something he himself had done against the Death Eaters.

"You'll be that much safer." He added.

Sailor Moon nodded, knowing he was right. She now knew that she could use her tiara to do more than just finish off the youmas. That meant she could do more in a fight than just stand back or off to the side while Tuxedo Kamen caused all the damage.

"Thanks. I'll try to focus on that." She said as she placed her tiara back on her forehead.

"Good." Tuxedo Kamen said with a nod. "Let's get out of here."

Sailor Moon nodded and they left the roof the same way they had originally arrived, and got some distance away before they parted ways and returned to their homes.

~HPxXxMC~

Early Saturday afternoon found Usagi sitting on a train next to Mamoru as they headed to a destination only known to her. They had met up outside the Crown arcade and headed to the train station from there.

She held in a sigh and glanced to Mamoru as she idly smoothed her hands over her skirt. She was wearing a strap powder purple sundress that stopped just above her knees, a white cardigan sweater over it, white ankle socks, and black shoes.

Looking over to her friend she once again noted that he was wearing cream colored pants, black shoes, and a navy blue hooded pullover sweater.

He looks nice. She thought, holding in a sigh as she idly stroked her fingers along her black purse. I hope he likes what I have planned for us. I wonder if he's ever been to one considering he's never roller skated or ice skated before.

What if he doesn't like it? I'm sure there are people who don't like places like where we're going. I haven't met one yet, but that doesn't mean there aren't any or that Mamoru won't be one. She thought worriedly.

Usagi stopped herself from shaking her head, not wanting to look strange to Mamoru, and forced her thoughts away from her worry and to something else.

She was glad that she was able to get away from the house without Luna trying to follow her. She'd just told her that she was going to hang out with a friend, and that she couldn't come since she wouldn't be able to explain her presence.

She had noticed that Luna seemed to like following her around or at least trying to follow her around. She hadn't asked why yet, but she knew that she didn't particularly like it; especially when she was trying to spend time with Mamoru.

It was hard trying to get to know a guy she liked while having to worry about Luna overhearing and mentioning something later.

Luckily so far Luna was only able to follow her and be there when she was with Mamoru when they were at the cafe and he was tutoring her in English and helping her with her homework. So far that was all Luna thought he was; a tutor to help her with her school work.

And that's all she'll know until I'm ready for her to know more. She thought as she gazed out the window.

Luna was not her mother or guardian. She was just a talking feline that made her a senshi, and had no authority over her whatsoever. However, that didn't mean she wanted to have to listen to her trying to act like she had any kind of authority.

Mamoru sat looking out the window as the train sped along on the tracks, and wondered what Usagi was taking them to do this time. She hadn't said yet, and surprisingly he hadn't asked yet.

That didn't mean he didn't want to know. He did, and he would ask soon, but he was content to take in the scenery; confident after the weeks of getting to know her that Usagi wasn't taking him anywhere dangerous.

Besides, this, regardless of what it turns out to be, is better than what I could have been doing. He thought quietly.

With it being the first day of the weekend he would usually be studying and learning from Motoki, but his friend had sent him an owl the day before while he was at school letting him know that he had to cancel since he had a family thing he had to handle.

They had already had plans to go to the Quidditch game so Motoki could have let him know then, but he was glad Motoki had informed him earlier since that left him able to accept Usagi's suggestion that they do something fun Saturday.

Mamoru glanced to Usagi, seeing her toying with her purse, before he looked back out the window. He hadn't been willing to think more on it yesterday but today was a new day and her behavior since they had met up left little doubt in his mind.

She likes me. He told himself. There was no other explanation for her subtle changed behavior. The smiles and the standing and walking close to him were all signs.

Not to mention the sitting close. He thought as he once again glanced to her. She's also been blushing sometimes when I catch her eyes or when she doesn't think I'm paying attention when she's looking at me.

I don't know what to do about this. He thought as he held in a sigh. I like being her friend, and I don't want to hurt her feelings by telling her I'm not interested. Plus, that would be a lie anyway. I am interested, but I don't want to be. She's not Ginny.

She's not Ginny, but she has her own unique appeal. He thought considerately. She's so brave as Sailor Moon even though she has a hard time fighting. She's clearly scared during the fights, but she never gives up. If she had been born a witch back in England she would have been a Gryffindor.

Mamoru blinked as he imagined that. The black pleated skirt, the white button up shirt, the Gryffindor tie, the knee high socks, and the black and red robe. All that in combination with her long hair, her personality, and a wand.

Wow. He thought on a whisper at the image in his mind, surprised at how much he liked it. I wish I could see that for real. He thought before he mentally shook himself and refocused his thoughts.

Usagi may like him but she was focused on the fight when they were faced with a youma instead of trying to be close to him, and he liked that about her. She took the situation seriously instead of using it as an opportunity to try to gain his affections or draw attention to herself.

He'd experienced both sides of that Galleon with Ginny and Cho. The distracting attention seeking with Cho, and the serious focus with his Ginny.

Of course Usagi didn't know he was Tuxedo Kamen, so he wasn't entirely sure if she would or not once she did know. He was betting that she wouldn't since she was focused when they were studying and doing their homework together.

Usagi was similar to Ginny. When it came down to it, when faced with danger, both girls were focused, serious, and brave. Ginny had also been powerful. He didn't know if Usagi was powerful since he was still trying to figure out this Tuxedo Kamen/Sailor Moon/youma business, but he wouldn't be surprised if she was.

Once Usagi gains some experience and becomes confident in her ability to fight she'll become even more appealing to me than she already is. He realized, which brought him back to the fact that he didn't know what to do about her feelings for him or his attraction to her.

It had been many long months since he lost Ginny, but that didn't mean he was no longer in love with her or over the fact that she was beyond his reach. He could see her and speak to her through the aid of the Resurrection Stone, but he could not touch her or have her back in his life.

There's nothing I can do about it now, and I don't want this worry to ruin this outing. I just need to stop thinking about it, and focus on the here and now. He told himself before he looked to Usagi.

"So do you plan on telling me where we're going?" Mamoru asked curiously.

"Nope!" Usagi said instantly, popping the 'p' as she looked to him. "I want you to spot the place for yourself."

"Ah, you're going to be mysterious about it then." He said with a slight smile, clearly seeing that she wanted to start the fun before they arrived.

"Yeah." She replied with a mysterious smile. "Although, really it shouldn't be too hard to spot."

"I guess I'll just have to wait and see for myself." He said as he glanced out the window, trying to see if they might be close enough to wherever they were going for him to see anything.

"Anything out there inspiring any guesses so far?" Usagi asked as she leaned against him slightly, trying mightily to suppress a blush as her chest brushed his arm, as if she wanted to get a better look out the window beyond him.

"Not yet." Mamoru said after a few moments, having had to blink his mind away from the feel of Usagi pressed against him; even if it was just a light touch.

I wonder how long it will be before she's confident enough to put more pressure into that move. He thought as he raised a mental eyebrow, silently acknowledging that it was the boldest she had been since they had met.

He focused his gaze outside to keep from looking at Usagi with how close she was, and looked at the view beyond the window. So far all he was seeing was office buildings and businesses that couldn't possibly have anything to do with where she was taking him.

Not to mention we're passing them by. He thought as his eyes flickered at the passing scenery.

"I think I won't be able to make any good guesses until we actually get off the train." Mamoru commented thoughtfully.

"Yeah. I guess you're right." Usagi said as she glanced to him, her eyes roving over the side of his face and taking in his dark hair.

She sighed and sat back. She wanted to let him know she liked him by being close, but she didn't want to make him uncomfortable. She honestly didn't know if being that close made him uncomfortable, but she didn't want to take any chances.

They quietly rode the rest of the way, nearly half an hour more passing, until Usagi suddenly stood up and squinted out the window.

"This is our stop." She said with a nod as she looked to Mamoru, who nodded and stood up and joined her as they stepped toward the closest door.

They held on to the hand poles as the train came to a stop and walked off onto the station platform. The pair walked off the platform with a few other people, and were soon on their way down a sidewalk.

Mamoru kept his eyes peeled for a location that looked like it would be fun and interesting enough for Usagi to take him to. A place that she would want to spend her Saturday at.

They walked on with Usagi looking at him every few seconds, a little smile on her face, looking like she would start bouncing at his side in excitement at any moment. In fact, he fully expected her to actually start bouncing soon.

Still, he did his best to focus on looking around, but so far all he was seeing was tall office type buildings. Eventually they turned a corner and the buildings got shorter, and more of the sky could be seen; and more of the view beyond.

"An amusement park." Mamoru said with a quiet gasp as he looked at the attractions that clearly stood out against the view in the slight distance.

"Yup!" Usagi said, pleased with the clear surprise in his voice. "And it's my treat." She insisted.

"Are you sure?" He asked as he looked to her with a slight crease in his brow.

"Yes." She said as she nodded firmly. "I've been saving up for this, so you just go ahead and have a good time."

"Okay." He said with acceptance as he looked back to the park. He could see the tracks of a couple of rides and a giant Ferris wheel, but it was also clear that it was a small amusement park.

"Thank you for this. This is a first for me. I've never been to an amusement park before." He said as he looked back to her.

"I'm glad I can help you experience something new." Usagi said happily.

They reached the park and walked under the large red and blue sign that read: Yokohama Cosmo World, and Usagi explained that it was free and that it was the individual rides and games that you had to pay for.

Usagi and Mamoru walked further into the waterside amusement park and began to look around, Usagi pointing out different rides and games since she had been there before. They immediately decided on starting with the rides, so they headed for the closest one and quickly moved into the short line.

They went from ride to ride with Usagi screaming on the fast ones, and Mamoru laughing at her and the rushing speed. Finally they walked out the building of one of the last ones, a virtual reality one, excited and laughing at the unique experience since that was a new one from the last time Usagi had been at the park.

"Can we do the Ferris wheel next?" Usagi asked when they calmed down as she glanced from the giant wheel she had begun to eye to Mamoru and back again.

"Sure." Mamoru said with a smile, and laughed as she hurried him along toward the ride.

When they arrived there was only a short line with three small groups and pairs of people waiting to get on. Thankfully it only took a few minutes to get the group and them onto separate cars.

"Do they have Ferris wheels in England?" Usagi asked as she looked away from the view to Mamoru as they gradually moved higher in their yellow car.

"I know of only one, but I've never ridden it." Mamoru answered. "It's supposed to be really popular and very big; maybe even bigger than this one. If I had had the chance to ride it I'm not sure I would have since I wouldn't have wanted to ride it by myself."

"Well, if I ever have the chance to be in England at the same time as you I'll ride it with you." Usagi promised.

"Thanks." He replied. He doubted they would ever be in that situation considering her age, but he wouldn't say it could never happen.

Mamoru looked back out the window and gazed out at the view. Being the flyer that he was he wasn't at all afraid of heights, and his experiences as Tuxedo Kamen only emphasized that so he had no problem with what he was seeing.

He was enjoying this, and trying hard not to let his thoughts drift. Not to drift to his Ginny, and how this could have been a fun romantic date if she were with him.

If she wasn't dead. He thought sadly, and then quickly pushed the thought aside. He was here with Usagi. This wasn't a date and there was no romance of any kind, but he was enjoying himself and he wanted Usagi to continue to enjoy herself. He would not ruin her day with his grief.

Usagi hummed quietly as she gazed out the window from her seat across from Mamoru. She would have just sat next to him, to be closer to him, but she wanted to see the same view as him and be right up against the glass.

It was a really nice view and she looked over to Mamoru to see if he thought the same only to catch sadness flash across his face before it disappeared. She looked back out the window as she wondered about that.

Maybe he had a sad thought. She considered, and wondered naturally what it could be about. Maybe he's remembering the people he left behind back in England, and missing them.

She decided against saying anything and to leave him to his thoughts, and just enjoy the silence and quiet time with him.

But I will try to distract him when we get off this wheel. She thought before she began to think of what they could do next.

But then her thoughts were distracted by the silence around her before she could get too far. Usually she wanted to talk and liked to hear people talk, she liked things happening around her, but she had noticed that since meeting Mamoru she didn't mind the quiet.

It gave her the chance to calm down and think; usually about her feelings for him and the effect he was having on her. Motoki didn't have that effect on her, but then again that might be because she didn't spend time with him.

He was more of a cute guy she saw on the regular but didn't know much about, a crush, but she knew Mamoru was more than a crush. She was putting a lot of thought into him and how she felt about him and the time she spent with him.

Yeah, I think if this had been a crush I would have tried to distract him from whatever was making him sad instead of giving him his space and quiet to think. She thought as she looked over to him.

Nearly thirty minutes passed before their ride came to an end. Mamoru had managed to push his rising grief aside and began to question Usagi on what she wanted them to do once they got off the giant wheel.

They had decided on a general plan, but left room for spontaneity, and as they stepped out of the car they headed for one of the slower kiddie rides. They were determined to experience the entire park.

The first ride was more fun than they thought it would be, mostly because they made it fun with their amusement at how slow it was in comparison to the faster rides. Then they went and grabbed some cotton candy and made their way to the Merry-Go-Round.

It was two levels but they stuck to the bottom level, and climbed onto horses that were side by side and ate their cotton candy. By the time the ride ended their sugary snack was gone and they had their next destination decided.

They continued to ride the slow kiddie rides, paused to play at the game stands and eat snacks, and even walked through a funhouse. They had fun with the wavy mirrors and the maze that were inside, and then the last fast rides were ridden and the last game stands were played before they began to walk around.

"I think we've seen and done everything they have to offer here." Usagi said as she looked around as if trying to spot anything they may have missed.

"In that case, are you hungry?" Mamoru asked. They had snacked on some things, but he was becoming hungry for some real food.

"Yeah." She said as she nodded and looked back to him. Maybe he wants to go find a restaurant to eat at. She thought idly.

"Well, since you treated me to a fun day how about I treat you in return." Mamoru suggested, and continued before he could second guess himself. "I'll cook you a meal at my place."

"You can cook?!" Usagi said as her eyes widened in surprise.

"Yes." He answered in amusement. "I imagine if I didn't I would've had to learn since I know I would get tired of eating out all the time."

"Wow." She said in awe at learning another skill he had. "I'd love to try whatever you want to make." She said with a smile.

"Okay. Then let's get out of here." Mamoru said.

Usagi stuck close to Mamoru's side as they moved through the crowds of people and left the amusement park to head back to the train station. She wanted to grab his arm or hold his hand, which would be even better, but she didn't have the courage to do that yet; especially since she still didn't know if he liked her as more than a friend or not.

So far he hadn't reacted negatively or really at all to her sitting, standing, and walking close to him. Nor had he really reacted to her embarrassed blush when she knew he had seen it.

It would have been enough to make her sad or even to lose her encouragement to continue had he been another guy, but with it being him she wasn't willing to give up so quickly. He was mature, serious, responsible, and focused, so she thought he might not show his emotions so freely.

Beyond that was the fact that even though he hadn't reacted he also hadn't stopped spending time with her.

Someone might say he felt obligated because he was tutoring her, but after those sessions were over he didn't have to keep going to different places with her and talking to her.

Hey, if anything his willingness to cook for me might mean that he likes me. Heck, even the fact that he's willing to take me to where he lives in the first place could be a sign. She told herself optimistically.

Mamoru kept glancing to Usagi as they walked to make sure she was still with him. The park had grown more and more crowded as the day progress, and the last thing he wanted was to lose her among so many people.

Within minutes they had managed to exit the park and were skirting around people as they made their way along the sidewalks to the train station. When they arrived at the platform they were lucky to find the train they needed just arriving.

"Come on!" He said as he glanced to Usagi before he hurried onto one of the middle cars.

Glancing around for a few moments he made his way to a spot with side by side seats and sat in the one next to the window. Then he watched as Usagi sat in the open seat right next to him just as the car doors were sliding closed.

"So..did you have fun?" He heard Usagi ask, and he looked to her and saw that she was watching him with hesitant expectancy.

"I did." Mamoru said with a light smile, and watched her face brighten and her eyes practically shine with happiness.

This further proved that she had feelings for him or it was just that she liked that he had fun. Maybe it was both. He had noticed that she seemed to have a better time if he was visibly having a good time.

Ginny was like that too. He thought quietly.

She had thought that couples should do things they both enjoyed instead of just what one of them liked, so the other had to just endure or tolerate it. He had thoroughly agreed with that, and had been all the more happy that they had many things in common.

With Usagi the situation was different. She was taking him to places he had never been and doing things he had never experienced before, so it was trial and error because she had no way of knowing what he would like.

"Did you enjoy yourself?" Mamoru asked, moving away from his current thoughts before he slipped into thoughts he didn't want to fall into.

"Oh yeah. Definitely." Usagi said with a smile, happy that he had enjoyed himself and wanted to make sure she did as well.

"And I definitely like this little guy." She added as she looked down to the stuffed white and lavender rabbit in her arms. Mamoru had won him for her and picked that particular rabbit to match her outfit.

"I'm glad. That means he'll have a good home." Mamoru said in amusement. "I liked the roller coasters, and that ride that went back and forth and spun around. The Disk-O." He said as he gestured the motions with his hand.

"Oh I liked that one too." Usagi agreed. "I was really dizzy at first but after a while I guess I started to get use to it, and the dizziness went away completely; despite all the spinning."

"Yeah that happened for me too." He said with a slightly confused shrug. He didn't know why it had happened, especially now that he knew it happened for her as well, but if he had to guess he would say it was because of their roles as Tuxedo Kamen and Sailor Moon.

If he could run faster than he ever had in his life, jump over large spaces and heights, than being able to handle rapid spinning wasn't much of a surprise.

"Oh! I liked the Super Planet ride too." Usagi said as she remembered the ride. It had allowed them to sit in the same car, but strapped into different seats; one sitting in front of the other.

That would have been so much better if we had been able to sit together. She thought with a sigh as she imagined Mamoru's arms around her, holding her to his chest, as the momentum from the ride spinning pressed her back against him.

"Me too. I just like fast rides all around." Mamoru said with a shrug. They reminded him of the thrill of speeding through the air on his broom.

"I haven't been on too many roller coasters before, but I think I like the fast ones too." Usagi agreed. "Despite all the screaming I did." She added, and listened as he chuckled.

"Sometimes you can enjoy something even when you're scared." Mamoru said, recalling all the harrowing experiences he had been in over the years.

He hadn't enjoyed the danger of them, but more the thrill he felt while running around and using his magic. It was nearly the same thrill he felt when he was flying during a Quidditch match.

That applies to more than just dangerous situations. He told himself as he thought of his Ginny. Dating her and falling in love was just as thrilling and scary but in a different way.

After long weeks of longing for her he had finally got her, allowing himself to drop his guard enough to forget himself and kiss her in front of the entire Gryffindor house, and then started to date her. That time was blissful, but scary since he had to take a risk, to open himself up, and show her a side of him he hadn't shown anyone else.

She made it easy though. He thought sadly.

"Thanks. I'll remember that." Usagi said. "You know we should go to a bigger amusement park." She said thoughtfully as she idly played with her stuffed rabbit's ear.

"You think so?" Mamoru said as he blinked at her.

"Yeah!" She said, her eyes bright. "It would be a new equal experience since neither of us has been to one before. We can go to like…Tokyo Disneyland. That's the biggest one I can think of."

"If we do that we couldn't do it on a weekday. There wouldn't be enough time. It would have to be when we had a break from school; unless the weekend would be enough time." He replied thoughtfully.

"I think we could manage it on like a Saturday or Sunday. We would just have to get an earlier start then we did today." She said as she considered it.

"I guess." Mamoru said as he nodded. "We would also have to factor in travel time, and if the park is as big as I'm imagining we would have to decide before we go if we were going try to visit every attraction or only some of them."

"I guess this is why people usually take a few days to visit the park, so they have enough time to see and do everything." Usagi said with a sigh. "I doubt my parents would let me stay overnight without them or some adult they trust."

That was not how she wanted to see Tokyo Disneyland. She wanted it to be just her and Mamoru enjoying the park. Not to mention she very much doubted he would be comfortable staying with or going around with people he didn't know personally.

And even if he did know them personally there's no guarantee that he would want to spend time with them; especially if he has ideas about how he wants to spend his time. She thought with another sigh.

"Hey it's okay." He said reassuringly. "We don't have to go right away. We can take our time picking out the right day or days to go."

Usagi nodded and tried to be optimistic about it.

Maybe a solution will come, and these concerns will be pointless. She considered. She couldn't see how that would happen, but it was still possible.

The pair continued to talk throughout the train ride, much more than they had on the way to the amusement park, and eventually their stop came. They got up and walked off the train with some other passengers, and Mamoru guided them out and away from the station to the bus stop that had the bus-line they needed.

The wait for the bus was less than ten minutes and they were soon on the large vehicle and seated together watching the scenery pass by.

Usagi looked out the window curiously as she hugged her stuffed rabbit to her chest. She was anxious to see and note everything, not to mention to remember the exact directions so she would know how to get to where Mamoru lived in the future.

Does he live in an apartment or a house? She wondered. She couldn't honestly see him living in a house since he had moved to this country by himself.

She pictured her family's house and tried to imagine living there by herself. It was hard since she hadn't even had the chance to stay at home alone for any reason, but she thought she would be lonely and uncomfortable with all those empty rooms.

But I'm still getting to know him, so maybe he does live in a house. Maybe he wouldn't be uncomfortable. She considered thoughtfully.

Almost half an hour passed before Mamoru rang the bell to signal the driver that someone wanted to get off at the next stop. As the bus slowed to a stop he and Usagi stood up and walked off the bus, and began to head down the sidewalk as the bus pulled off.

I wonder what she'll think of my place. He wondered as he watched the bus turn the corner and disappear. I like the way I've decorated. Although, recently I've been considering putting up some artwork. I'm not ready for pictures yet. Plus, all the photos I have move.

Mamoru wondered if he should do non-magical artwork or magical artwork. He supposed it would depend on where he wanted to put the artwork.

Hmm..maybe I can do both. Non-magical artwork in the living room and hallway, and magical in my study, bedroom, and maybe the potions room. He considered. I'll have to go to Kototama Market Place, and see if they have an art store since I don't really remember if they do or not.

A few minutes passed as they walked along a few sidewalks and crossed a couple of streets before Mamoru slowed as they reached his apartment building.

Usagi's eyes widened as she took in the high rise building. It looked like it was at least twenty stories tall.

She followed Mamoru inside and gazed around at the large spacious bright lobby. They walked toward the end before turning a corner where there was an elevator and two clear glass doors. She curiously peeked into them, and saw that one was a laundry room and the other was a room with mailboxes.

She walked back to Mamoru and saw that he had already pressed the up button to call the elevator. A few moments later the elevator dinged quietly and the door slid open. They stepped inside and she watched him press the button for the nineteenth floor. The building was actually twenty floors, including the lobby, and he was just one floor below the top floor.

The ride didn't take long and the door was soon sliding open to reveal a quiet carpeted hallway.

Usagi stepped out and followed Mamoru down the hallway to one of the four doors that she could see. He pulled out some keys and quickly had the door open and was gesturing her inside.

She stepped inside and took a few more steps before she paused and looked back to Mamoru.

"Well, this is it. This is home." Mamoru said after he closed the door. "Feel free to look around. I'm going to wash my hands and get started on cooking."

"Okay." Usagi said as she nodded and began to step forward.

Her eyes were immediately drawn to the large tall windows with dark tan curtains, and the glass paneled balcony beyond. The white walls and light wood floors were next, and then the furniture. The couch, side tables, coffee table, and arm chairs were all dark brown and black.

She couldn't help feeling that the combination of colors gave off a warm cozy feeling.

As she was turning around her eyes took in the TV before they landed on two crystal figurines. She moved closer and saw that they were two different owls, one white and the other gold.

Beautiful. She whispered as she took in the detail of each figurine.

Usagi turned and looked around taking it all in again until her eyes landed on a strange stick or what looked like a leafless tree branch sticking out of the floor next to the balcony.

She walked over to it and gazed at it curiously wondering what exactly it was. After a few long moments of staring she realized it was a perch of some kind for a bird.

Does he have a pet bird? She wondered curiously before she glanced back to the crystal figurines. Maybe he likes birds like some people like cats and dogs. If nothing else the fact that he might have a pet is another thing I've learned about him.

Usagi turned and walked toward the kitchen seeing Mamoru in the kitchen pulling things out of the light wood cabinets. She took in the white counter tops and the fact that the wood floor continued into the kitchen before she looked down the hallway.

She bit her lip in indecision squeezing the stuffed rabbit she was still holding. Mamoru had said to feel free to look around, but she didn't want to overstep. That would put her back in whatever progress she had made toward him having feelings for her.

But I'm curious. She thought with a barely there sigh.

"Good ahead." Mamoru said as he opened the refrigerator.

He had seen her taking in the view out the window, looking around his living room, noticing the crystal figurines of Helios and Hedwig, and looking curiously at Helios' perch.

His golden familiar was either in his bedroom or he was out hunting and stretching his wings. He didn't know what he would have done or said if Helios had been sitting on his perch when they had arrived. He was sure the golden owl would have been the first thing Usagi saw.

Now she was eyeing the hallway that lead to the bedrooms, bathroom, and the closet; as well as his other hidden rooms. He didn't mind her looking; especially since his most curious rooms were hidden. Although, Helios might be in his bedroom, and then he would have to worry.

"I said to feel free to look around, and I meant it." Mamoru said with a small reassuring smile.

Usagi nodded and slowly stepped down the hallway. She took in the light wood doors that matched the floors, the black doorknobs, and the blank white walls. She peeked through the first door that was open and found the bathroom, and then walked down to the end of the hallway and peek into that open door and found a bedroom.

It had dark blue curtains hanging in front of the windows, which she noticed also had a balcony, dark blue and gray bedding, and white sheets on the large bed. She was only able to see that because the bed wasn't made, which made her blush as she realized this was Mamoru's bedroom.

This looks warm and cozy too. She admitted despite her slight embarrassment as she turned her attention to the perch that looked almost identical to the one in the living room.

That confirmed that he must have a pet bird, but now she was wondering where it was. Or maybe it was as simple as he didn't have it yet, and was only prepared for it.

Usagi shrugged and walked back down the hallway and paused to crack open the door to one of the closed doors. She found another bedroom with a slightly smaller bed than in Mamoru's room with cream and dark teal bedding and matching curtains hanging over the small window.

Guest bedroom. She thought as she closed the door and continued to walk down the hallway before she paused and opened the last closed door.

She hummed lightly at the closet she found before she closed the door and walked out of the hallway. She paused and looked around before she sat at the kitchen table to watch Mamoru.

She was still surprised he knew how to cook, but she thought she shouldn't be since he needed to eat. He had been right earlier that eating out would get old fast; not to mention expensive.

Mamoru glanced over to Usagi as she sat at the table before he focused back on what he was doing. He had very much enjoyed his time with her, as he had every time he was with her, but he had also realized that his attraction to her was growing; growing with the more time he spent with her and the more he learned about her.

Adding in their 'working relationship' while she was Sailor Moon and he was Tuxedo Kamen only enhanced that attraction.

Beyond that he was feeling drawn to her, and he didn't know how to feel about that. It was like he was being steadily pulled toward her, connecting more with her, and he didn't know why. Usagi wasn't responsible, that much he knew, and that only made him more wary of what was happening.

He didn't want to be attracted to her, didn't want to be drawn to her, and didn't want to notice that she might be, highly likely was, feeling the same.

He still loved Ginny, more importantly he was still in love with her, and he didn't think that would ever change. He didn't want it to change. He didn't want to get over her.

And he was still grieving over her. He was trying not to think about it but he knew it was coming up on one year since he lost her. He hated it, hated that time was passing, moving on, and she was not in his life. Not even out in the world living her own life. She was gone, and he hated it!

Mamoru held in a sad frustrated sigh, and knew he needed to let Usagi know something of what he was thinking, because even though he hadn't really acknowledged it he had seen the signs of her attraction to him.

He didn't know what to do about this or what would become of it, but he knew that she needed to know about his Ginny if she was going to continue letting him know without words that she liked him.

"So, since we're holding off on going to Tokyo Disneyland is there any other place you want to go to?" Usagi asked as she stood up, deciding to move a little closer to him. "I think I've taken you to all the places I think are vital for you to know about, but I have some other ideas of places we could go to."

One of them is a place I've definitely never been before, courtesy of my age, and I'm not even sure I would actually like it. She thought as she leaned against the counter, idly imagining a nightclub scene.

Mamoru closed his eyes briefly as he listened to Usagi. This was it! He had to say something. He could not in good conscious keep spending time with her without letting her know about Ginny. Especially when he knew that the more time she spent with him the more her feelings grew.

"Usagi?" He said quietly as he looked to her.

"Yes Mamoru?" Usagi answered as she looked at him curiously, expecting him to tell her whatever idea he might have about another place they could go to and have fun.

"I need to tell you something before we talk about going to any more places." He said seriously as he looked back to what he was doing.

"Okay." She said quietly as she watched him.

"I lost my last girlfriend." Mamoru stated bluntly, not wanting to drag it out with hesitation. "She was murdered." He said as he looked to her.

Yes she was murdered. He thought as held back a grimace. It had happened during the war, at the final battle, but that ultimately was what had happened to her.

And it was the truth, and as much of the truth as he could tell her without lying. After all they may have this supernatural connection as Tuxedo Kamen and Sailor Moon, but Usagi wasn't a witch and the Statute of Secrecy couldn't be broken at this point.

Usagi gasped, her stuffed rabbit slipping from her hold, completely shocked by this piece of news Mamoru had sprung on her.

Murdered?! She thought in shocked horror as she stared at him. He lost his girlfriend in such a way?! How horrible! She thought, sad for him, but not quite sure how else to react.

To have lost his girlfriend in such a way must have been horrible, and she was incredibly sorry he had to experience such a tragic and painful event.

Then Usagi blushed deeply in embarrassment as she looked away from him. As horrible as this fact was it didn't change the way she felt about him, but even she could see that he was still grieving. At least now that he had said it she could see the signs or at least understand what she had been seeing.

This explained so much that she had noticed but had never mentioned. How careful he was around her. He was polite and the perfect gentleman, but even though he spent time with her he seemed to keep a bit of distance between them and only touched her when the situation called for it.

This even explains the brief flash of sadness I saw earlier back at the amusement park. He obviously still cares about his lost girlfriend, and is hurting over her death. She thought in sad understanding.

Oh no. Mamoru thought in dismay as he saw Usagi blush and quickly look away. He walked to her and leaned down and picked up the rabbit off the floor.

"It's okay." He quickly assured her as he handed the rabbit back to her. He almost reached out to touch her arm, but quickly aborted the move.

"I'm still dealing with her loss, but it's getting better every day. I just…I don't know, but don't let what I'm going through change the way you are around me." He said quickly, not really thinking about what he was saying; just saying what felt right.

"I didn't tell you to make you feel bad or warn you off. I just thought you should know." He added with a helpless shrug as she finally looked at him.

"I understand." Usagi said with a soft smile after a few long moments as she once again held the stuffed rabbit he had won for her.

And she truly did; maybe more than he realized. He wanted her to know what happened to his last girlfriend, that he was still grieving for her, but didn't want to stop seeing her and spending time with her.

Which means he's interested in me too. She thought quietly as she squeezed her rabbit.

Usagi's eyes softened as she looked at him. This had to be hard for him; to still care for his lost girlfriend and dealing with the tragic loss of her, but finding himself interested in another girl at the same time. His emotions were probably tugging him all over the place.

If Usagi's friends knew what was going on they would be shocked at her insight, and wonder who she was and what she had done with herself. But she was grateful for her insight as it was being a big help now. She would go slow and keep doing what she had been doing. Spending time with him and letting him know in little ways that she liked him.

Beyond sitting, standing, and walking close to him she would start touching his arms, holding his hands, hugging him, and give him soft and happy smiles and soft meaningful looks.

"Can I ask about her?" She asked hesitantly as she placed a hand on his arm, and listened as his breath caught but watched him nod positively.

Mamoru looked away and then stepped back and tried to get back to cooking, and saw Usagi out of the corner of his eye moving to sit back at the table.

He was in disbelief that she wanted to know about Ginny. He hadn't really thought about it but if he had he wouldn't have thought she would want to know about her; especially with her developing feelings for him.

"What was her name?" She asked quietly. "When did you meet her, when did you two start dating, and how if that isn't too intrusive?"

"You really want to know about her?" Mamoru half asked half stated in wonder as he looked to her.

"Yes." Usagi said sincerely. "The fact that you even told me about her tells me that she must have had a big impact on your life. She must have been really great if you wanted her as your girlfriend."

"Yes to both." He said as he nodded with a sad smile and turned his attention back to cooking.

"Her name was Weasley Ginevra, but she hated her name and went by Ginny instead." He said. "We met when I was eleven. We went to the same boarding school but she was a year behind me, so we actually met at the transportation place that would take me to start my first year there." He explained.

"She'd had a crush on me for years, but we didn't start dating until I was sixteen. It wasn't until then that I started to notice her in that way." He added.

"I've never heard of boarding schools." Usagi said thoughtfully.

"Imagine it like universities with dorm rooms. College students live on campus. Boarding schools are similar to that." Mamoru explained.

"At the school I went to we lived there for the entire school term and only went back home for the summer." He continued. "We had the option of going home for holidays, and there was a village near the school that we had been able to visit on certain weekends to shop and get away from the school for a few hours without having to go all the way home."

"Personally I thoroughly enjoyed being away from the house I lived in, and had wished I could live at the school year round." He revealed as he remembered his time at Hogwarts.

"The only adult supervision were the teachers, but of course they couldn't be everywhere, and there were prefects, older students who were picked to help supervise the rest of the student body, but of course they were students too and there were ways around them anyway." He explained.

"Did the girls and boys live together?" Usagi asked curiously, and watched him nod.

"The student body was split into four fraternity/sorority-like houses, and in each house the girls and boys had their own dorms, but the house had a common area to mingle in." Mamoru explained.

"We didn't get our own rooms though. We shared a single large room with those in our year." He continued. "The school was seven years long so we lived with the same group of people, boys for the boys and girls for the girls, for all seven years."

"Were you and Ginny in the same house at that school?" Usagi asked.

"Yeah." He answered. "Her whole family was in that house."

"Family?" She said questioningly.

"Ginny had a large family." Mamoru said as he began to plate their food. "Her mother and father and six older brothers."

Usagi's eyes popped open wide at the number.

"Yeah. I was surprised at first too." He said as he nodded in response. "I was best friends with her youngest older brother all throughout school."

"Was?" She said hesitantly.

"We grew distant before I traveled here." Mamoru said as he brought their plates to the table. "I actually put that distance in place because he was taking his grief out on me whenever I was around. To be fair he wasn't just grieving for his sister but also for a brother who was murdered at the same time." He explained as he sat down across from her.

Usagi gasped in shock and surprise, dismayed that the large family had lost two people at the same time.

"Were you close to that brother?" She asked gently.

"We were friends." He answered. "I had managed to land myself on the house sports team in my first year, and he had already been on the team so he looked out for me."

"I'm close to the oldest brother of the family and his wife. They're like the older brother and sister I never had; and he was Ginny's favorite brother." He added before he shook his head.

"Anyway, as for how Ginny and I started dating..well, I said we started dating when I was sixteen, which would have been my sixth year at the boarding school and her fifth year, but I had started to realize I had feelings for her during the summer before the school year started. My feelings gradually grew, but she had been dating one of my roommates so I kept my feelings to myself." Mamoru explained.

"I should also mention that Ginny had been on our house sports team that year; she had been on the team the year before but she had earned her position back." He said, and Usagi nodded.

"The day it happened our house had a game against another house, the final game to see who would win the house cup, and I'd gotten myself in trouble and had to serve detention, so I couldn't play in the game, which sucked especially with me being the team captain." He explained, and she gasped in surprise.

"Yeah." He said as he nodded. "So she was playing my position instead of her usual one since she was the only one who could do it right. My position was important because if I did my job right then it meant we were guaranteed to win, so it was a big deal that she was playing my position and had a lot of pressure on her."

Usagi nodded in understanding.

"So when I made it back to the common room, before I even entered, I could hear people cheering and laughing so I knew they must have won." Mamoru said.

"When I entered everyone started cheering louder, and I automatically started looking for Ginny. When I spotted her she was headed my way smiling and looking so happy and pleased with herself." He continued.

"She spotted me and started to rush toward me, and next thing I knew she had jumped into my arms and wrapped her arms and legs around me, and I kissed her." He revealed as he remembered that glorious moment.

Usagi gasped. "Just like that?" She asked in surprise.

"Yeah." He answered as he shrugged. "There she was in my arms, she had obviously been instrumental in winning the game and was pleased that she had succeeded at my usual position on the team, and there was the girl I had spent nearly half the school year crushing on."

"It just happened. It wasn't something I thought about. Her face was right there and she looked so beautiful and pleased with herself, and I just reacted to my feelings." He explained.

"How did she react to you kissing her like that?" Usagi asked curiously.

"She was obviously surprised. She had tensed up for a few seconds but then she kissed me back." Mamoru answered. "Mind you, we were surrounded by our entire house, which included her youngest older brother and my friend, and her very recent ex-boyfriend."

"Wow." Usagi breathed in awe. So romantic! She thought. It sounded like one of those moments she had seen in movies where the music was playing in the background to emphasize the moment.

"What was she like?" She asked curiously, and watched him close his eyes.

"She was a beautiful tomboy." He said quietly. "She was courageous, passionate, independent, energetic, and lively. She was athletic, tough, and strong. She was quick-witted, funny, and could make people laugh. And she didn't get intimidated or frightened easily."

As Usagi listened to Mamoru she took a bite of the food he had made, and closed her eye briefly at how delicious it was. She had never met a guy who could cook, but then again the only guy she knew aside from Mamoru who was old enough to do their own cooking was Motoki.

As she chewed she took in his description of his lost girlfriend and couldn't help comparing herself to the girl. She wasn't a tomboy, or athletic, she didn't see herself as strong or tough in any way, and she knew she wasn't really independent.

She didn't know if she was passionate or funny, but she was energetic and lively and liked to laugh. She was also a girly girl. She liked to wear skirts and dresses, use a bit of makeup, wear jewelry, and go shopping.

Would Mamoru like those things about me? She wondered. She knew that he did like her, at least some, but she didn't think he was aware of how girly she was.

Did he only like the tomboy type of girl or was he willing to like another type of girl?

Of course she was sure that there was more of Ginny's personality that he didn't say, which was probably good since she didn't need more to compare herself to. She knew she shouldn't be comparing herself to her at all, but she couldn't help it with how much he clearly cared about the deceased girl.

Maybe it's just for the moment and once time passes I won't do it anymore. She thought.

After all, he hadn't mentioned Ginny before, and he was only doing it now because he wanted her to know and because she had asked for details after the fact.

"What did she look like?" Usagi asked and bit her lip as she prepared to have a mental image of the girl he was mourning.

"She had long fiery red hair, brown eyes, freckles, and was small." Mamoru said as he opened his eyes. "Shorter than me with a petite figure." He elaborated slightly.

"She sounds pretty." She said quietly as the image of Ginny that she was picturing formed in her mind.

"She was beautiful." He replied with a sigh as he looked down.

Mamoru's eyes landed on his food but as his eyes flickered over the table he realized he had forgotten to get them something to drink in his distraction with talking about Ginny.

He got up silently and moved to the refrigerator and opened it. After a quick look he grabbed two bottles of water since aside from that all he had was magical beverages.

Got to go pick up some non-magical drinks if Usagi is going to be coming over. He thought as he moved back to the table.

"You asked earlier if there was anywhere I wanted to go to since we're holding off on Tokyo Disneyland." He said as he sat back at the table and placed the cold bottles of water in front of each of them.

"Yeah." Usagi said as she nodded.

"I actually don't have any ideas in mind." Mamoru admitted. "I like all the places you've taken me and I've had fun, so I'll leave it in your hands until something does come to me."

"Okay." She said before she took a bite of her meal. "This is really good."

"Thanks." He replied before he took a bite himself.

From there they began to discuss Usagi's curiosity about his cooking skills, and he told her that he had learned at a young age and had been cooking ever since. How he hadn't exactly liked when he learned and how much he had to cook, but once he was living on his own he was glad he at least knew how.

~HPxXxMC~

Usagi yawned as she walked up the stairs of the main building toward her classroom with a few of her fellow students.

She was pleased to be arriving to school on time; something she had been doing more and more since meeting Mamoru. She couldn't imagine him being late for anything let alone school; especially since he was working toward being a doctor.

She didn't want him to think she was lazy or careless, so she was doing her best to make sure she got up when her alarm went off. She didn't care how long it had taken her to get to sleep or what time she had fallen asleep; she was making sure she got to school on time!

She wanted to be able to tell him if it ever came up that she was on time to school, and she definitely didn't want to get detention because she arrived late. That would mean cutting into her time with Mamoru, and worse is that she wouldn't be able to let him know what was happening.

It's not like they would let me leave school before serving my detention. She thought as she swerved around a girl wearing the same uniform. She was walking slowly in the same direction she was going while talking to her friend; also in the same uniform.

Usagi reached her open classroom door and stepped inside, and made her way toward her desk as she looked around. She spotted her best friend and saw a couple of clusters of her classmates standing around desks.

"Good morning." She said as her best friend walked toward her as she reached her desk.

"Good morning." Naru said as she leaned against the desk next to Usagi's.

"How was your weekend?" Usagi asked as she put her school bag down.

"The same as usual." Naru said with a shrug. "I did my homework and helped my mom at the store. How was yours?"

"It was revealing." Usagi said. "I spent Saturday with Mamoru."

"The whole day?" Naru asked wide eyed. "What happened? How was it revealing?"

"I'll tell you later; at lunch." Usagi said as she looked around, uninterested in being overheard. "What's with them?" She asked, changing the subject, as she gestured with her head toward the groups around the desks.

One of the girls in the group closest to them shifted to the side and Usagi got a look at what they seemed to be so focused on. It looked like a fluffy hairy cross between a guinea pig and a rabbit, and to make it even stranger it was yellow.

"Apparently a new pet shop opened, and they're selling those things." Naru said as she looked over herself. "They call them Chanela's. They smell like perfume, and as you can see they come in different bright colors. Apparently they had to bring them to school, because they couldn't bring themselves to leave them at home."

"It's somewhat cute, but I don't see why they felt the need to bring their pet with them." Usagi said as she glanced to her friend and back to the groups. "Can you imagine everyone bringing their pets to school?"

"Yeah. It would be a complete zoo!" Naru said.

"Yeah." Usagi agreed as she gazed at them holding back a frown. This was beyond strange. This was suspicious. Who brings their pet to school with them? Why would they feel the need? And did they think their teacher would let them keep them in the classroom?!

Especially if they're a distraction like they are now? She thought. Could this have something to do with the youma attacks? Maybe they're being influenced like with the flowers. Could they be feeling compelled to bring their little pets with them wherever they go?

Usagi didn't know, but she would keep her eyes open. She had been learning to be more observant of what was going on around her; especially if she saw something that didn't look right.

Naru and Usagi continued to talk about their classmate's behavior until their teacher, Ms. Haruna, came through the door into the classroom. They all moved to their seats and began to pull out their homework as she took attendance.

Usagi noted that her classmates that had brought their pets had put them away, but given their earlier behavior she wondered how long that would last.

Everyone passed up their homework and after it was all collected Ms. Haruna began to lecture. After half an hour she suddenly stopped what she was doing and began to walk down one of the rows and stopped at one particular desk.

Usagi looked back and blinked in slight surprise to see that her classmates had brought their pets out and were staring at them as if they were in a trance.

This has to have something to do with a youma. She thought as she watched her teacher confront one of them.

The girl refused to put the animal away and when Ms. Haruna tried to take it she got pushed, which caused her to fall hard and take a couple of desks and chairs down with her.

Usagi gasped in shock and stood up, and watched as the girl picked up her pet and turned and headed for the door. Then a few others, the ones that had the pets, also picked up their pet and headed for the door.

I'm going to have to figure out where that pet shop is. She thought as she watched the girls; their shocking behavior completely unnatural from their usual behavior.

Usagi shared a concerned look with Naru before they went to help pick up the desks and chairs and straighten them while others helped their teacher.

~xXx~

When lunch time arrived Usagi and Naru headed up to the roof of the main building, so they could eat and talk where it was quiet.

"So tell me about spending the whole day with Mamoru." Naru said as they settled in their spot in a corner of the roof on a bench beneath the fence lining the roof.

"Well, on Friday while we were hanging out I asked him if he wanted to hang out on Saturday since we had never spent any time together on the weekends." Usagi said.

"Makes sense since you guys hang out after tutoring and homework." Naru said since she knew all about her friend getting tutoring in English from the cute guy she had met weeks ago.

"Thankfully he agreed and I took him to an amusement park." Usagi said. "We had so much fun and he won me a stuffed rabbit to match my outfit. Then afterward he said since I treated him to the park he would cook for me, so he took me back to his place."

"Really?" Naru said wide eyed. "He took you to where he lived? And he can cook?!"

"Yes to both." Usagi said as she nodded.

"What's his place like?" Naru asked curiously before she took a bite of her lunch.

"He lives in a high rise apartment building, on one of the top floors, so his view is amazing." Usagi said. "His place is warm with white, black, and shades of brown, and glass. There's a large balcony off the living room and his bedroom. Hard wood floors and large windows."

"Wow." Naru said, and then grinned slyly. "How do you know his bedroom has a balcony?" She asked and watched her friend blush.

"Not the way you're thinking!" Usagi said quickly. "He said I could look around the whole apartment, so I did. He had it decorated in dark blue and gray with dark furniture."

"That's nice." Naru said as she nodded. "So things are moving along, I mean you're making progress if he was cool with letting you know where he lives and actually bringing you inside."

"Yeah. That's exactly what I thought, and I cannot tell you how happy I am about that." Usagi said happily, and then sighed heavily. "But that's not what was revealing."

"Is it something bad?" Naru asked hesitantly.

"Not like what you're probably thinking." Usagi answered. "So right when he was almost done cooking I asked if there was any other place he wanted to go since I had taken him to all the places I thought he should know about, and he said that he needed to tell me something before we talked about going to any more places."

"That sounds more than a bit serious." Naru said with a frown.

"Yeah, and he sounded serious too." Usagi said as she shook her head. "He told me that his last girlfriend was murdered." She revealed.

"What?!" Naru gasped in shock. "Are you serious?"

"Yes." Usagi said as she nodded sadly. "He didn't say how long ago it happened, but it must not have been too long ago if he felt the need to tell me about her. Beyond that I can tell he's still grieving."

"Oh my gosh. That's so sad!" Naru said sadly.

"Yeah." Usagi agreed. "He told me a little about her and she sounds like she was a really nice girl. I wonder if he was in love with her from the way he described her." She said thoughtfully before she took a bite of her lunch.

"Did he say how long they had been together?" Naru asked.

"No." Usagi said as she shook her head. "I didn't ask. And now that the question is in my mind it wouldn't be right to ask, because that would cause him to think about her death."

"Yeah. You wouldn't want to bring up a pain like that." Naru said sadly. "Did he say how old she was?" She asked a little curiously.

"No, but he did say she was a year younger than him." Usagi said, and reminded herself in that moment not to go into detail. She wanted to keep her best friend informed about her progress with her friendship with Mamoru, but she also wanted to respect his privacy.

"As shocking and sad as his revelation was it did let me know that he has feelings for me." She said, moving the conversation away from the deceased girl.

"Really? How?" Naru asked.

"He said he didn't want the knowledge to change the way I am around him, and that he didn't tell me to warm me away from him." She explained. "He just wanted me to know."

"Ah, and he wanted you to know before you went anywhere else with him, which means he probably knows that you like him." Naru said perceptively.

"I think so too." Usagi agreed. "Can you imagine it? He's grieving his lost girlfriend, still clearly cares for her, but is also feeling something for me. It must be so hard for him."

"I can only imagine." Naru said. "So where does that leave you? What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to continue doing what I have been." Usagi said right away. "I'm going to continue to be his friend while letting him know how I feel, and wait for him. I don't know how long that's going to be, but I really like him so I'm going to wait."

"Even if it takes months?" Naru asked.

"Yes." Usagi confirmed firmly. Even if it takes years. She thought quietly, knowing her feelings were growing that strong, and knowing from what she knew of him so far that he was worth it.

~xXx~

Usagi walked through the front door of her house in the early evening after hanging out with Mamoru. After her tutoring and doing their homework in the cafe they had actually spent the past two hours playing in the Crown arcade below.

It had been a lot of fun, especially since playing arcade games was something else Mamoru had never done back in England. It made her wonder what his life had been like over there that he had never done so much.

He had said he went to a boarding school, but he wasn't there during the summers so what did he do during those months? She wanted to ask, but she also didn't want to pry.

It would be just my luck to ask and it have something to do with his lost girlfriend. She thought with a sigh.

That was definitely not something she wanted to do. He didn't seem to mind talking about the girl, but it clearly caused him pain and she didn't want him hurting more than he already was.

Usagi waved at her dad where he was in the living room before she headed up the stairs to her bedroom. As she walked down the hallway she passed her little brother's open door and paused.

Was that…? She asked herself as she took a step back and looked into the room.

Shingo was sitting at his desk with his back to the door with his head resting on his arms on the desk. On the desk in front of him was one of those Chanela's from the new pet shop.

Oh no! She thought as she stared at her little brother staring at the white Chanela. She knew her brother was scared of Luna, something that had been discovered shortly after she had gotten permission to keep her as a pet, but she hadn't thought he would go out and get a pet of his own so quickly.

And definitely not one of those things. She thought, wondering why no one was questioning the fact that those things were not just from a new shop but a new species of animal.

"Shingo?" Usagi called, but her little brother completely ignored her or didn't even hear her with his focus on that animal.

She sighed and left the room and went to her own to find Luna sitting on her bed.

"Hi Luna." She said as she closed the door and flipped on the light. "Did you see Shingo's new pet?" She asked.

"Yes." Luna answered. "He came home from school with it."

"Yes well some of my classmates came to school with them, and one of them assault my teacher when she tried to take it away." Usagi said as she sat on her bed.

"Are you serious?" Luna asked wide eyed.

"Yes." Usagi said as she nodded seriously. "After that the girl left the classroom, and the others that had one of those animals left as well. It was really shocking and very unusual behavior for them."

"And now Shingo is in his room staring at that animal like it's the only thing important to him." She added.

"That sounds like those animals are connected to a youma." Luna said seriously.

"That's exactly what I was thinking at school, and Shingo's behavior is only cementing it." Usagi said with a sigh.

"Good job on being observant and making that connection." Luna said.

"Thanks." Usagi said with a light smile. "I'll go see what I can find out about the youma involved after dinner." She added.

Luna nodded and Usagi got up and placed her school bag on her desk and went to pullout a pair of pajamas. Her parents would expect her to not be going anywhere now that she was home, and it would likely be after they went to bed that she would be going back out anyway so she would need them to see her in pajamas.

She changed swiftly and hung up her uniform, with her brooch attached, before she went and grabbed her English textbook and settled on her bed.

She was sure her parents would be surprised to find her studying, but she was determined to learn the language as quickly and as thoroughly as she could. She wanted to be able to speak to Mamoru in English and completely understand everything he was saying.

"You've been studying English a great deal." Luna commented as she recognized the textbook. She hadn't seen her studying anything else for a while now, and when she asked about her homework Usagi always said she had already did it.

"Yeah. It's hard and I want to learn it, so I have to study extra." Usagi said as she reviewed the sections they had already gone over in class; reading the English words only to test if she remembered their meanings.

"Is that why you're getting tutoring from that boy?" Luna asked. Young man really. She corrected herself since she remembered him telling Usagi that he was eighteen.

"Yup." Usagi said simply as she slowly began to read a short sample paragraph in English. There was no reason for Luna to know she had feelings for Mamoru, and was studying so hard so she could speak to him in English.

I hope I can impress him. She thought as she began to whisper the words; knowing from her studying with Mamoru that hearing herself saying the words helped cement them into her mind, so she wouldn't forget them.

~xXx~

Almost an hour later there was a knock on her door, interrupting her studying, and before Usagi could speak or get up the door opened to reveal her mother.

"Usagi? Have you seen your brother?" She asked.

"No." Usagi said as she shook her head. "The last time I saw him was right after I got home. I saw him sitting at his desk when I passed his room."

"Well, he's not there." Her mother said with a worried frown. "I went to get him for dinner, and his room is empty."

"Is his new pet gone as well?" Usagi asked with a frown, instantly suspicious.

"I didn't see it anywhere." Her mother said.

"Hmm…maybe he went out for a walk with it." Usagi suggested as she stood up and headed for her closet. "I'll go look for him, and bring him home." She added as she grabbed a coat, and began to pull it on.

"Alright. Come back quickly if you think it's taking too long, so we can…go from there." Her mother said worriedly.

"Okay." Usagi said as she went to put on her shoes.

"Should I come with you?" Luna said as she watched her after her mother left.

"No." Usagi said as she tied her shoe laces. "Shingo is scared of you, and besides that I'm likely going to be fighting a youma. I'll let you know what happened when I get back." She said before she grabbed her brooch and left her room.

She hurried down the stairs, stuffing her brooch in her coat pocket so her parents wouldn't see it, and headed for the door.

"I'm leaving!" She called before she opened the door and hurried outside before closing it behind her.

Usagi ran down the sidewalk heading away from her house. She wanted to put a little distance between her and her parents in case they decided to go out looking for Shingo as well. She didn't need them seeing her transform.

She honestly didn't know if she wanted them to know her secret, especially since Luna made it seem like absolutely no one could know aside from her fellow senshi when she found them, but she was realistic enough to know that it could become an issue at some point.

I might need to tell them then. She thought as she ran.

Of course that brought up thoughts of Mamoru. Considering how much she liked him she might need to tell him as well. The last thing she wanted was to finally manage to get him only to lose him because she was constantly lying to him.

But that's much further down the line. Think about that when he's actually more than a friend and someone I really really like. She told herself as she ducked into an alley and pulled out her brooch.

"Moon Prism Power, Make Up!" Usagi called out, and watched as her brooch began to sparkle and glow before pink light began to spill out. She was instantly surrounded and blocked from view as she lifted off the ground.

The light cleared away after a few long moments and she stood as Sailor Moon.

She took a deep breath and let it out before she took off running again. She was grateful she had already learned where the new pet shop was since she was sure it and the pet Shingo bought had something to do with his disappearance from the house.

She sprinted along sidewalks and across streets before she made her way up a fire escape and to the roof of a building. From there she raced across rooftops, leaping and jumping when necessary, until she found herself on the roof of a building directly across the street from the pet shop in question.

It was night time, dark out, and the building appeared to be closed for the day. Lights were out in the windows and all was quiet; aside from the steady stream of children carrying one of those Chanela's filing through the front door.

Shingo. She thought as she spotted her brother in the line, looking dazed with the furry animal in his arms; its eyes glowing.

"Sailor Moon." She heard a deep masculine voice call quietly, and she looked over to see Tuxedo Kamen jogging toward her along the roof.

"Hey." She said as he reached her side and looked back down to the parading children.

"What's going on?" Tuxedo Kamen asked as he gazed down at the strange sight.

"A new pet shop with a new animal that's able to alter their owner's personality." Sailor Moon explained in a quiet voice.

"Seen it for yourself?" He asked since that sounded too precise for something she just overheard or learned about.

"Yes unfortunately." She said as she thought about her little brother and her classmates.

"I suppose a youma is behind this. Do you think it will use the children against us?" Tuxedo Kamen asked.

"Probably considering what past youma have done." Sailor Moon answered unhappily, not at all pleased at the thought of fighting children.

"That's what I thought." He said with a sigh, not at all interested in fighting children in any way whatsoever. He also assumed there were other animals in there that he didn't want to hurt either.

"We are going to have to lure the youma outside the building." He said seriously.

"Why?" She asked as she looked at him.

"So we don't risk the children any more than we have to, and so we don't injure the animals." He answered.

"Ah. Okay." She said as she nodded in understanding.

"Are you ready?" He asked as he watched the last child enter the building.

"Yes." She said firmly, knowing this was more important than ever since her little brother was in danger.

Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen carefully made their way down to the ground before they dashed across the street to the shop. Sailor Moon tried the door handle, and finding it unlocked they quickly and quietly slipped inside.

The pet shop was dark and appeared completely empty aside from the animals in their cages.

"Is this the animal?" Tuxedo Kamen asked quietly as he looked into the closest cage, which held a furry little animal that reminded him of a rabbit.

"Yeah." Sailor Moon said as she came and looked at the animal as well.

The pale blue animal's eyes began to glow as they stared at it, and Tuxedo Kamen immediately felt the beginnings of something trying to manipulate his mind. He narrowed his eyes, so very tired of any sensation that could even be remotely similar to the Imperious Curse, and blinked as he abruptly looked away from the animal.

He looked to Usagi and saw that she was still gazing at the creature and starting to look enthralled with it. He quickly slipped his gloved hand over her eyes and began to pull her back and away from the cage.

"Come on Sailor Moon. We don't need you falling under that animal's influence." He said quietly.

Sailor Moon blinked rapidly in the dark shop as Tuxedo Kamen's gloved hand moved from her eyes. She was surprised that had almost happened, and at how quickly it nearly happened.

"I..I guess that's how they're affecting people." She said as she remembered her brother and classmates staring at the animals.

"Yeah." He agreed. "We should stay away from those animals while we're moving through this shop." He suggested, and watched her nod.

"Definitely." She agreed, glad that he was there or she might have found herself under the mystery youma's influence like her little brother.

The two fighters continued on their way through the shop, cautiously moving down the dark aisles. They turned at the end of the aisle they were currently walking on, reaching the middle of the shop, and stopped abruptly as they came face to face with the children they had seen walking into the pet shop.

"Intruders. Thieves perhaps?" Came a feminine voice from behind the children, and they shifted their gaze to see a woman walk out of an aisle. She had short wavy red hair, pale skin, and wore a light blue long sleeve dress down to her knees and blue high heel shoes.

"No matter. They are uninvited and should not be here. Take care of them!" She ordered the children.

The children, almost two dozen, stepped forward their eyes beginning to glow white before they turned lime green and narrowed. Between one step and the next their skin shifted until it was blue and scaly, their teeth grew pointed and jagged, and their fingernails grew into claws.

Animalistic growls sounded from their throats as they continued to step forward.

Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen shared a brief bewildered look. They had reluctantly expected the children to be controlled and used against them, but they had not expected them to morph into humanoid creatures themselves.

"I don't know what to do." Sailor Moon admitted quietly. "They're still children. We can't fight them."

"True." Tuxedo Kamen agreed as he tried to quickly think of a solution while keeping his eyes on the woman that he strongly suspected was the youma.

"Maybe..can you use those glowing roses you used on the boys at the fortune house?" Sailor Moon asked quietly as she watched the children steadily getting closer, her brother included.

Tuxedo Kamen blinked. She's right. I'll stun them. He thought as he gestured with his hand and watched a red rose appear.

He looked back to the group of children and the woman, and knew this wouldn't be as easy as the other times he used his magic in his roses. None of them were distracted, and even if they were he was still going to have to be quick.

"Can you distract the woman?" He asked Usagi quietly.

"Yeah." Sailor Moon said as she pulled her eyes away from her little brother and looked at the smirking woman.

"Be careful since she's likely the youma." He added as he gestured with his hand for another rose.

"I will." She said as she looked around quickly to see how she could get to the woman while avoiding the children, but also keep the children from going after her.

Sailor Moon looked up at the space above her and back toward the woman and the long aisle they all were standing in before an idea came to her. She began to back up, knowing she was going to need running room, and reached up for her tiara.

You can do this. She told herself.

Tuxedo Kamen, meanwhile, forced himself not to look back at Usagi as he willed the magic of a Stunning Spell into the roses he had gathered in his hand. He needed to be quick and he would do it quick, because he needed to be free to help Usagi and make sure she didn't get hurt.

He threw all the roses at the group of children before he pulled out more, and watched five of the kids collapse as soon as the red glowing flowers hit them.

Stupefy. He thought as he silently willed the magic into the roses. The flowers glowed red and he quickly threw them before pulling out more roses to repeat the process as fast as he could.

His eyes flickered to the woman and watched her eyes widen. In the next moment he heard rapidly footsteps and looked up as he sensed movement above him. To his surprise he watched Usagi sailing through the air over him, the children, and the youma disguised as a woman.

She landed gracefully before she spun around, her long streams of hair swirling around her, and revealed the glowing disk that was her tiara in her hand. She threw it hard, sending it sailing through the air toward the woman.

Tuxedo Kamen blinked away and focused back on subduing the children, and trusted Usagi to keep the youma distracted if not outright destroy her.

Sailor Moon watched her tiara fly toward the woman, but she managed to jump out of the way and right on top of a shelf, knocking over empty cages, and proving that she was not a normal human woman.

She caught her tiara as it returned to her and yet continued to keep her eyes on the woman. She had thankfully jumped away from Tuxedo Kamen and the children, and now she watched as her appearance began to change.

Her eyes narrowed and her face stretched and scrunched as her mouth shifted into a grimacing snarl. Her pale skin and short wavy hair shifted to a blue skin tone and wild long red hair. The blue dress and shoes she wore seemed to melt into her skin and become part of the scales along her body.

It all shifted and melded until a tall blue lizard-like scaly humanoid female with a long tail, long wavy red hair, and narrow lime green eyes stood on the shelf.

The youma growled down at her and Sailor Moon took a steadying breath and threw her tiara at the female. Unfortunately, but not unexpectedly, the youma leapt back and away out of reach of her tiara.

Sailor Moon turned to keep the female in her line of sight where she stood on yet another shelf, and again grabbed her tiara as it returned to her. She took a few steps forward and threw her tiara at the youma again to keep it away from Tuxedo Kamen and distracted from what was happening with the children.

The youma jumped away to the floor back in the aisle where Sailor Moon was. Unfortunately for her the youma landed close to her and twisted sharply and swung its tail at her. The thick appendage struck her in the stomach and she cried out as she was sent flying up and backward.

Tuxedo Kamen finished with the last child. Irritated with how long it had taken. Some had moved closer to him, forcing him back, and others had tried to go for Usagi which he had to take care of before the ones closest to him.

Now he looked up at the sound of her pained cry, and his eyes widened to see her flying through the air in his direction. Furthermore he could also see the, now very obvious, youma blasting through the wall with its tail at the back of the shop.

Usagi first. He told himself as his eyes flickered back to her falling figure.

She was coming at him so fast that he couldn't think of a magical way quick enough, which would have been ideal since she wasn't looking and wouldn't see him use any magic.

So he did the only thing he could do and held out his arms. She fell into his arms, against him, and he held her without a problem.

Tuxedo Kamen was thoroughly surprised. He didn't think he was capable of that; didn't think he had the arm and upper body strength to catch a person falling out of the air like they weighed nothing.

I'll just add it to being able to run fast, jump high, jump from heights, produce roses, and any other new abilities this persona gives me. He thought as he gazed at Usagi, trying not to think about the feel of having her in his arms.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"Yeah." Sailor Moon said, a blush heating her face at her unexpected position. "Thanks for saving me." She said as he put her on her feet.

"No problem." Tuxedo Kamen said as he moved his arms away from her. "Let's get that youma."

"Right!" Sailor Moon said before she reached up and grabbed her tiara.

The pair carefully moved over and around the unconscious children before running through the shop and out the hole at the back wall. They stopped abruptly as they saw the youma standing in what looked like a large back alley seemingly waiting for them.

They stared at the youma taking in the female's blue scaly appearance, and looking to see if they could tell what dangerous ability she might have. Aside from the tail that was swaying behind her.

The scaly youma growled at them before she shifted her body and swung her tail through the air at them.

Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen dashed away, separating as they ran in opposite directions to avoid the tail and keep the youma's attention divided between them.

Sailor Moon threw her tiara at the youma's chest, but the female ducked out of the way and flicked her tail at her. She quickly jumped over it, having no time to do anything else, and moved out of range as she looked toward her returning tiara.

Tuxedo Kamen gestured with his hand causing a red rose to appear as he watched Usagi's actions against the youma. He looked to his rose and gathered his magic to use the Blasting Curse.

That is becoming my go to curse with these youma. He thought as he shook his head slightly. Confringo. He thought as he willed the magic of the curse into the flower.

The rose glowed a fiery orange, and he threw it at the youma as she was busy looking at Usagi. It hit and blasted the youma back into the wooden fence that lined a portion of the alley.

He pulled out another rose and willed the magic for the Blasting Curse into the flower as he watched the youma pushing aside broken wood planks. The rose glowed a fiery orange and he looked to Usagi to see her getting ready to launch her tiara.

He nodded to himself in approval and watched as she threw her glowing tiara at the youma as the female gained her feet. Unfortunately, and surprisingly, it bounced off her chest, and only caused the female to growl.

Tuxedo Kamen quickly threw his glowing rose at the youma, and blasted it back through the hole it had pulled itself from to turn her attention away from Usagi.

The youma recovered quicker this time as she quickly got to her feet and swung her tail at him, but he jumped over it and then leapt away and toward Usagi.

"Are you okay?" Sailor Moon asked as he reached her side.

"Yeah. You?" Tuxedo Kamen asked as he glanced to her before returning his eyes to the youma.

"Yeah. I'm just surprised my tiara didn't work." She said as she looked down worriedly to the glowing tiara in her hand. It was the only weapon she had.

"Don't worry. It will." He reassured her. "This youma likely has tougher skin considering she's some type of lizard. We just have to find a weak spot."

"Like..the eyes?" She guessed hesitantly as she looked at the youma.

"Yes. Good thinking." He said encouragingly. "The eyes, the neck, maybe somewhere on the tail; like the base of the tail."

"I saw a spot on the base of the tail that's glowing." She said as she remembered the spot she had seen while the youma's attention was on Tuxedo Kamen.

"Then that's the part you focus on. I'll make sure it can't attack you." He said seriously.

"Right." She replied and watched as he made a perfect red rose appear out of thin air.

Lumos Duo. Tuxedo Kamen thought as he willed the magic of a Wand Lighting Charm into the rose, focusing on his intent so it would do what he wanted when he wanted.

The flower glowed white and he pulled out two more roses and threw them at the youma as he dashed away to draw the female's attention from Usagi. It dodged them and while the youma was dodging he threw the glowing rose at her head and quickly pulled out another.

Incarcerous. He thought as he carefully contained the magic within the rose.

He watched as the glowing rose suddenly grew brighter before a beam of white light shot into the youma's face. She cried out in surprise before her clawed hands came up to her face, and he took that chance and threw the rose at the youma's legs.

Sailor Moon watched in surprise as the rose glowing white suddenly created a beam of white light that clearly surprised and blinded the youma. Then she watched as Tuxedo Kamen threw another rose, and the seemingly plain red rose produced thick ropes that wrapped around the youma's legs as soon as it hit.

This is it! She thought as she realized he'd made it so the youma couldn't see or dodge.

"Moon Tiara Action!" She called out firmly as she threw her tiara at the youma, aiming for the base of her tail where it was glowing.

The glowing white disk hit the exact spot she aimed for and the youma screamed in obvious pain as she began to fall from trying to move her feet despite being tied tightly.

Rapidly her body began to turn a gray white, and when the color reached her head the screaming stopped. Within moments her body hit the ground and it almost shattered sending small pieces scattering across the ground before they turned to dust.

Sailor Moon caught her tiara, and she and Tuxedo Kamen walked toward each other.

"Those roses of yours are really handy." She said as she placed her tiara back on her forehead.

"I completely agree." He said as he looked to the hole in the building the youma had created. "We should check on the children." He said as he looked back to her.

"Yes." She agreed, thinking of her little brother.

They walked over to the building and stepped through the hole, and immediately saw that the children were gone. They quickly walked through the shop toward the front, seeing that the Chanela's that had occupied the cages were gone and all that remained were tiny piles of gray dust, and found the door wide open.

"They must have run when they regained consciousness." Tuxedo Kamen said, knowing that he hadn't intended for them to be out for long considering they were children.

"I suppose that's a good thing. They'll have headed home." Sailor Moon said, hoping that her little brother really was headed home.

"I guess we should do the same before anyone decides to get curious about the noise we made during the fight." He said as they walked through the doorway.

"Yeah." She agreed as they stood on the sidewalk. "I'll see you next time."

"Count on it." He replied seriously.

Sailor Moon nodded, and the two of them took off running in opposite directions as they began to make their way home.

*Juban Rōrākingudamu: Juban Roller Kingdom
*Sukētorinku: Skating Rink

Chapter Text

In a dark cavernous room soldiers, followers, and minions stood at the sides and along the back of the room shifting uneasily and trying to remain in the shadows and unnoticed for the most part. Some stood just in front of the shadows, next to the evenly spaced floor to ceiling pillars, uneasy yet wanting to see all that was about to take place.

In the center of the room knelt a young man with short pale blond hair on one knee with his head bowed. His dark gray uniform and black boots were pristine and gave him confidence, but his current situation still had him nervous. He glanced up, only moving his eyes, until he saw the first few steps leading up to his Queen.

Said steps continued up along a steep set of stairs with a tall torch stand placed on each side with green fire flickering and crackling in them to provide light to the area. At the head of the stairs sat a throne housing the silhouette of a woman with only her vibrant red hair visible.

"You failed again." Came the cold voice of the Queen.

Jadeite closed his gray eyes, but didn't react beyond that. She was right after all. He had failed again; much to his shame. He knew they needed energy, and he had been unable to retain and return with any.

"You failed!" Her cold voice snapped angrily. "You have sent out four minions now, and have nothing to show for it. Dead minions, and no energy. Why?!" She demanded to know.

"There is a female and a male that keep thwarting my efforts right when my minion has collected a large amount of energy." Jadeite explained without lifting his eyes. "I don't know if it is a coincidence or deliberate that it keeps happening right after the energy is collected."

"Who is this male and female you speak of?" She demanded to know, incensed that anyone was interfering with her plans.

"The female calls herself Sailor Moon, and the male calls himself Tuxedo Kamen." He answered promptly. "She has very long hair, and wears a sailor outfit with tall boots. He wears a tuxedo, cape, and mask."

The Queen narrowed her eyes. A sailor senshi. She remembered those girls. Guardians to that dangerous Moon Princess. If one of those Senshi were active now then more would likely follow, and eventually that princess would be found. She could not let that happen. That little Moon girl had ruined everything.

As for the masked man, Tuxedo Kamen, he was not one she remembered. Perhaps he was a former Earth soldier who didn't remember the past, and had now been lied to in order to gain that little Moon girl another protector.

She did not know, which was something she hated.

Either way, such could not happen. Everything needed to be done before that princess was found. That included getting all the energy needed to awaken Metalia, and finding the Earth Prince. The Earth's protection counted on it.

And so do my plans. She thought quietly as she stared down at Jadeite.

"Sailor Moon is one of the guardians to the princess of the Moon." She finally replied. "You do recall being told how dangerous that girl was in the past?" She questioned, and yet made it sound like a statement.

"Yes my Queen." Jadeite said.

"Since she has appeared that means more are to come, and after them, possibly sooner, the princess will appear. We need energy for our plans to protect the planet. We cannot let them stop us!" She stated firmly.

"Do you hear me Jadeite?! Get me energy, and get rid of Sailor Moon!" She demanded.

"Yes my Queen." Jadeite said submissively.

"In addition to that I want you and your fellow generals to find out all you can about the masked man." She commanded. "I want to know who he is, and what his role is with the Guardians of the princess; or if he has some role with the princess himself."

"Yes my Queen." Jadeite responded. "I will inform my fellow generals of your will. Your command will be done."

"Good. Do not fail me again!" The Queen said coldly.

~HPxXxMC~

Meanwhile in England, Arthur Weasley sat in his favorite chair in his sitting room after arriving home from his job at the Ministry. He simply wanted to relax as he waited for his dear Molly to let him know dinner was ready, so he picked up today's edition of the Daily Prophet and unfolded it before he looked at the front page.

The headline was in capital letters that screamed: WHERE IS THE BOY WHO LIVED? Below that was a large picture of Harry Potter; his hair wild, his round glasses in place, and his lightning bolt scar on display.

Huffing slightly he opened the paper and began to read the corresponding article.

WHERE IS THE BOY WHO LIVED?
By: Mary Arendell

It is coming up on the one year anniversary of the Battle at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and the end of the war against HE WHO MUST NOT BE NAMED. With such a significant date approaching everyone is wondering where Harry Potter is, and if he will be at the memorial ceremony scheduled for that day.

It has been months since the Savior of the Wizarding World was last seen, and questioning of those close to him has only revealed that Mr. Potter is traveling. No one knew or would say if he is traveling around the country, around another country, or around the world in general.

This  journalist doubt s he is currently in the country since he has not been seen in months. However, it is possible he is traveling in disguise around the country, so as to not be recognized given the publicity he received after his defeat of YOU KNOW WHO. From my understanding it is not entirely out of the realm of possibilities given his personality.

Of course, all of this speculation begs the question of why Mr. Potter chose to travel to begin with. Why did he leave the country, if indeed he actually has left the country, and when will he be back?

As previously mentioned, the one year anniversary of the Battle at Hogwarts is approaching, and given the remembrance ceremony taking place one wonders if Mr. Potter will even be there.

This journalist will be attending, and will be keeping watch.

Arthur sighed as he finished reading the article. The journalist made it sound like Harry had disappeared or abandoned the Wizarding World. The young man was just out living his life, which he more than deserved.

He had done a lot of thinking about it after Harry left, about why he had decided to travel, and he thought he understood more than he had when Harry first announced his intention.

The young man had reentered the Wizarding World and had immediately been thrown into fame and being judged for everything, not the least of which was to be like his parents as well as live up to the reputation of defeating the most powerful Dark Lord in a century.

Beyond that it seemed that every major and dangerous event that happened at Hogwarts since he started his first year was something he was directly involved in. Whether that was by choice or outside influence he was still involved.

Then You Know Who returns and he's expected to be the one to defeat him again; as if the majority of the magical population thought he could reproduce what he did as a toddler. At least they expected it after they had decided he had in fact been telling the truth about the Dark Lord's return and wasn't an 'attention seeking liar'.

Not long after that he goes on the run and works on a secret effort to help defeat You Know Who, temporarily dies as part of said effort, and ultimately defeats the dark wizard for good.

Even after that Harry had helped out at the Ministry to make sure all those responsible got the punishment they deserved, and he had taken the time to help out at Hogwarts with the repairs. Arthur had known right away that Harry had only done it because it was expected, and he didn't want to deal with the backlash if he didn't.

Throughout all of these events the adults around Harry had been so busy trying to protect him that none of them had been concerned about his state of mind, and after the concern about his safety had passed everyone had just left him to his own devices.

Arthur was sure Harry appreciated being left alone, and not constantly watched and told what he could and couldn't do or forced to live with people he didn't like and who didn't like him and didn't attempt to hide that fact.

However, a troubled state of mind was something that concerned him after watching his youngest son these last few months.

Ron was not doing well, and he wondered how Harry was doing. He had seemed to be handling himself well before he left, but since he had known the young man he had always been contained with his emotions unless he was driven beyond anger.

He appeared to be doing fine from the letters they had gotten from him. They were descriptive about where he was and what he was doing, but that didn't mean he wasn't leaving things out to spare them or just because he liked to keep his issues to himself.

Harry is a very private person after all. He thought quietly. And that could be why he left.

He thought Harry needed to be on his own and away from all signs of the war, and away from people who recognized him on sight.

Arthur hoped being away was helping Harry work through everything that had happened to him. He worried about the boy. He had seen him as another one of his sons for years now. Although, he could admit to himself that he had not acted the father figure very well to him.

Much to my shame. He thought as he gazed blindly at the paper.

In his defense, he had no legal right to interfere as a parental figure at the time, and he had also believed that Harry was being kept safe with the things that were being done.

He still believed some of those measures had been needed, but looking back he could see that others had not been. He also thought keeping so much information from him had not helped. It was one thing to keep things from children to protect them, and another to keep information from a child you believe would play a pivotal role in defeating a Dark Lord.

Of course, we did not know he had such a pivotal role until he, Ron, and Hermione disappeared. He thought with a slight frown. Before that he had always thought they were protecting him from You Know Who coming after him to finish the job he had started.

"Dinner will be ready soon." He heard a soft voice say, and looked up and watched his wife join him in the sitting room. "What are they saying now?" She asked as she eyed the paper as she sat in the chair across from him.

"Wondering where Harry is, and if he'll be back for the remembrance ceremony." Arthur said as he folded the paper and rested it on his lap.

"I wonder if he'll be back too." Molly said with a sigh. "I hope he will. It would be so nice to see him after all these months."

"I agree. The letters have been nice, but I would like to see him with my own eyes and make sure he's okay." He replied.

"Yes. My thoughts exactly." She said before a tap tap was heard at the window.

They looked toward the sound and found an owl perched on the sill with a letter in its beak.

Arthur got up and opened the window and retrieved the letter, and watched the owl take off before he closed the window and returned to his seat.

"It's for the both of us." He announced before he opened it and looked toward the bottom. "It's from Harry."

"Oh! What does he say?" Molly asked as she settled back to hear news of their son in all but blood.

"He writes that he is still in Japan." Arthur began, but was interrupted a moment later.

"Still?! When is he planning on moving on to another country? Or better yet coming back home?" She asked with a frown.

"I have no idea dear. Maybe he finds the city he is in exciting." He said before he looked back to the letter. "He says he's learning more magic by the day, and is doing well in learning the muggle subjects."

"Why is he learning muggle subjects again?" She asked with a confused frown.

"Because he wanted to finish the education he had been learning before he got his Hogwarts letter dear." Arthur reminded his wife, having learned the fact from a previous letter of Harry's.

"I suppose if it makes him happy." Molly said, not really understanding why the young man felt it necessary.

"Ah, he mentions attending a professional Quidditch game. He says it was as large and exciting as the Quidditch World Cup, and it reminded him that he hadn't been flying since his sixth year at Hogwarts and he misses it." He said.

"I wonder if they had a professional pitch set up already or if they had to create one like we did for the World Cup." She wondered curiously.

"He doesn't say, but we can ask in our reply letter." Arthur said before he looked back to the letter. "He describes going to an amusement park for the first time. He says it wasn't one that was large and popular, but it had still been fun and exciting."

"What is an amusement park?" She asked with a slight frown as she tried to imagine it.

"He says it's a place with games and different rides. The majority are like sitting in seats like in cars that are in rows but open to the air, and they travel on a track where the rows of seats are sometimes connected at the bottom and sometimes at the top so your feet are dangling. He says they go fast like a broom at top speed." He explained.

"Oh! That sounds frightening!" Molly said as she imagined seats like the car her husband had but without the shell around them and racing around like a broom at professional speeds.

"It sounds fun." Arthur countered in amusement as he looked from her horrified face back to the letter.

"You would think that." She said as she shook her head, and watched him smile before looking back to the letter.

"He just mentions some other places he's been that are places people spend time at for fun, but he says nothing about coming back for the remembrance ceremony. Either he doesn't know about it or he's going to show up without notice." He said before he handed his wife the letter.

Molly read through the letter, and frowned at the lack of mention if he was returning for the ceremony.

"If he doesn't show up I'm going to write him, and let him know it's time he come home. It's been nearly half a year since we've seen him." She said.

~xXx~

Neville knelt on the ground in one of the family greenhouses, his hands covered with dragon-hide gloves as he used a spade to shovel some dirt into a pot so he could move a plant into it.

He had decided to spend his day off at home at his family manor relaxing, and for him relaxing meant spending time in the greenhouses.

He put his spade down and carefully lifted the plant from the small pot it was in and transferred it to the larger pot in front of him. He held it straight and picked up the spade and began to scoop up more dirt and let it fall into the pot and around the plant's thin roots.

As he was trickling dirt around the plant he heard a flutter of wings and looked over his shoulder toward the open door and saw an owl gliding toward him. He sat back on heels and pulled off his gloves as the owl landed, and gently untied the letter from its leg with a quiet thanks. The owl hooted softly at him before flying away and out the door.

Neville looked at his name on the paper and recognized Harry's handwriting, so he opened it and began to read it in the light shining through the glass around him.

Dear Neville,

How 's it going? How is your family? How are your friends? How are things at the Ministry, and especially the Auror department? Have you been involved in any interesting cases? Have you learned any new magic? Are you making sure to keep up to date with the latest in Herbology?

Me, I 'm still in Japan since I haven't felt the need or urge to move on yet. I've become very familiar with the magical market place over here, but I haven't been inside every establishment. The non-magical market stores are interesting; mostly because I'm still trying to get used to using the non-magical money. Actually, I'm still getting used to using the magical money as well.

Anyway, beyond that I 'm still studying magic, practicing with it to keep my magical muscle stretched you could say, and I'm learning things that non-magical students have usually learned by my age.

But it 's not all studying and learning. I'm having fun as well. Not too long ago I went to a Quidditch game and it was absolutely brilliant! The pitch was so massive it was like being at the Quidditch World Cup back before fourth year. It was exciting, loud, and they sold as much memorabilia from the teams as you could expect.

Aside from all the excitement it made me miss flying. I don 't even know where you could fly at over here, but I'm at least sure that you can. Of course, even if I did know the location I don't have a broom to fly with. I'll have to change that soon, but I'm not in a hurry yet.

I 've also been to an amusement park, which turned out to be very fun. I'm not sure you know what an amusement park even is, so I'll tell you. It's a park with different rides and games, and other entertainments. They sell different foods so you don't have to leave the park just to go eat, and sell various items, souvenirs, so you remember your time at the park and have something to give to friends and family if you want.

The park I went to was smaller than the really large and popular ones where you have to travel to it and stay days to make it worth the trip. Still, it was really fun and exciting for a first time experience.

Well, that 's all for now. I'll write again when I have something interesting to say. Can't wait to hear from you.

Harry

Neville hummed thoughtfully as he folded the letter and placed it in his pocket. Harry was right. He hadn't known what an amusement park was, but it sounded interesting even if he couldn't quite picture what such a place looked like.

And it's just like Harry to find himself at a Quidditch game. I wonder how different they play over there; if there is a difference. He thought as he turned his attention back to the plant he was repotting and pulled on his gloves. Either way it sounds like he had fun. He probably would have added details if he thought I would care.

He was glad Harry hadn't. He liked the game, but not so much that he wanted to know what tactical maneuvers were used and who scored and how many points each player scored.

Aside from the game he hadn't known Harry hadn't flown in so long. He assumed it was since he had left the country. That was a surprise for someone he knew loved to fly, and he wondered what happened to his broom. Something must have for him to phrase his words the way he did otherwise he would just come back to England and get his.

Neville was not at all surprised that Harry was still studying and practicing with his magic. He knew his friend always dove headfirst into what he was interested in. Back in Hogwarts it had been Defense Against the Dark Arts, and after the war it had been studying for his N.E.W.T.s.

What did surprise him was that Harry was learning muggle school subjects. At least that was the way it sounded.

Why? Why is he learning things that muggles learn? And why doesn't he already know those things since he lived in the muggle world while we were in school? He wondered thoughtfully, but in the next moment he answered himself.

Harry hadn't been going to a muggle school while also going to Hogwarts; especially not with everything that had been going on with Voldemort. He wouldn't have had the time.

So he missed out on learning those things; things that are likely necessary to get by in the muggle world. He thought in understanding.

I wonder if other muggle raised and muggleborns have the same issue. He thought as he continued to put dirt into the pot and carefully around the plant.

He didn't think Hermione had the same issue with how intense she was with studying. He didn't think that stopped just because school was out for the summer. He could see her finishing her homework the professors gave them, and then working on learning what muggle students learned.

But I still have a hard time picturing how she would do it. How would she know what exactly to study? Are muggle textbooks easy to get ahold of? Would she have been able to just walk into a muggle bookstore and buy them? He asked himself.

Neville didn't know, but he was tempted to ask her just to find out. He would probably ask Harry as well to see if that was what he had done.

He considered what else Harry had written, and found himself wondering if he had made any new friends since he seemed to be sticking to Tokyo still.

I'll add that to my reply letter if I don't forget. He told himself as he used his free hand to spread the dirt evenly around the plant.

~xXx~

George sighed lightly as he manually moved a box away from the wall of the room he was in to the center of the space, not wanting to set anything off by using a Levitation Charm.

He knew it was going to be a long day, with lots of work, especially since he was doing it by himself, but he was glad to be where he was. It was an impressive feat, and he knew that his family would be proud. He knew that Fred would be proud.

Of course before coming here he had opened WWW that morning and made sure everything was running smoothly before he left. He trusted his employees to run things while he was away, but he intended on returning to the shop to close up.

He moved the last box before he began to adjust the placement of shelves set into the wall and change the color of said shelves and the walls on that side of the room.

Maybe I should ask Lee to be the manager and run the shop for me. He considered since his friend was looking for something to do, and needed to make money until he could figure out how to get into being an announcer without going through the Ministry. Since like many of their generation he didn't want to work for the Ministry if he didn't have to.

He figured it would work out because he trusted him. Just like he trusted Katie who he had already asked to be manager at the Diagon Alley location. She didn't like her current job at the Ministry, was uncomfortable there and wasn't making much money, so he figured he would give her another option.

George began to step toward another set of shelves, intending to change their color to something bright, when he heard tapping at the front of the store. He looked over and saw a brown owl perched on the windowsill.

He walked over and opened the front door and took the letter from it before it flew away. He opened the letter as he closed the door, and scanned down to the end to see that it was from Harry.

Dear George,

How are you? How 's life treating you? Is the shop doing well? Have you come up with any new products? Is the family well?

I 'm still in Japan. I'm learning new magic, and things I would have learned had I gone to a non-magical school instead of Hogwarts. At least non-magical from a Japanese point of view. I'll still have to learn things from the English point of view, but it's still helping me become more well-rounded; at least in my mind.

Anyway, those things are keeping me busy, but learning and studying are not all I 've been doing. I am proud to say that I have been having fun as well. A couple of friends I've made have taken it upon themselves to introduce me to new places and invite me to different events.

One of them took me to a Quidditch game, the  Okinawa Tanukis vs. the Tokyo Winders. The mascots are the Japanese Winder dragon and the  Japanese raccoon dog  in case you were curious. Anyway, the game was so exciting, and the stadium! It was like being at the Quidditch World Cup all over again, and you know that was my first professional Quidditch game, so you know just how impressed I was with this second professional game. It was so large and exciting.

As for the game itself it was great! The speeds they were hitting on their brooms were amazing, and the strategies and tactics they used were great to see. The whole experience was great, but it reminded me that I haven 't flown since my sixth year. I miss it.

Aside from that a different friend took me to an amusement park. That was a brand new experience for me, and a place you would definitely love. I should explain what it is so you know why you would love it.

It's a park with different rides and games, and other entertainments. They sell different foods so you don't have to leave the park just to go eat, and sell various items so you remember your time at the park.

The one I went to wasn 't really one of the large and popular ones, but it was still fun and exciting. When I'm back in England I want to try one of the ones there. We can go together with whoever has the time and is interested.

Beyond those two major places I 've been to a few other places, but one I think you would really like is the arcade. It's a shop full of nothing but games that take coins to use. Some of those were really fun.

I 'm sure they have them in England, London even, but I have no idea where. If you get curious before I get back you can always ask one of your non-magical raised friends if they know where they're located.

I can 't think of anything else to write at the moment; at least nothing that you would care to hear. I'll write again when I have something interesting to say. Until then I can't wait to hear from you.

Harry

George hummed thoughtfully as he reread the letter. He instantly wondered about the amusement park and arcade Harry had mentioned. It sounded interesting and his imagination only helped in that regard.

And if Harry thought it was fun then it really must be fun since he wouldn't have bothered mentioning it. He thought as he put the letter in his pocket.

The Quidditch game sounded interesting as well, and he wondered which team had won and what the final score had been.

He then considered Harry's question about the shop as he looked at the space around him.

I'll show him this place if he comes back for the remembrance ceremony. And if he doesn't come then I'll write him about it. He thought with a firm nod; it was only fair. Harry tried to forget about it, and didn't particularly want it, but he was still a silent partner in the business.

Maybe I should also mention my thoughts on expanding outside of Britain. George considered as he went back to changing the color of a set of shelves. It should be possible since Harry's currently over in Japan, and Fleur has family over in France.

He would think about it some more and make a decision when he decided to write Harry back.

~xXx~

Fleur hummed lightly as she stood in her kitchen making dinner. She and William had only been home from work a half an hour. They had relaxed and decided what they wanted to eat, and now he was upstairs taking a shower.

As she chopped carrots her mind wandered to her family back in France. She wondered how her dear mother, father, and little sister were doing since she had not seen them since her wedding.

She had of course let them know that she had survived the war, but had only written to them a handful of times since then with how busy she had been.

Is Gabrielle doing well in school? She is sure to have grown much by now. She thought as she moved her knife along the length of a carrot. Does she still have a crush on Harry?

Fleur smiled at the thought as she remembered their first meeting during the Triwizard Tournament when he had saved her life. Many had said Gabrielle was in no true danger, but Fleur still believed differently.

She herself had been attacked by Grindylows when she shouldn't have been in the first place. Harry had been entered into the tournament against his will, and then been forced to compete regardless; something she hadn't really considered until after the tournament had ended and she had learned that his involvement had all been to bring Voldemort back to power.

Beyond that she had learned about all the dangerous things that had happened at the school in recent years, and it all made her more firmly believe that her sister had been in real danger even though she had not been the one to willingly enter the tournament.

I am so glad Beauxbatons is not Hogwarts. She thought emphatically. We had safe normal school years. Although, from my understanding Hogwarts was as safe and normal as a magical school can be, not including the obvious house rivalries, before Harry arrived to start his schooling.

Fleur sighed and moved her thoughts back to her family. She needed to write them. She missed them and wanted to see them so very much, which reminded her that she and William needed a vacation.

That could be a way to see them. We could go to them as our vacation, and finally wind down from what happened with the war and the grief. She thought as she pushed the carrots into a pile to prevent them from rolling off the counter.

She then looked over before she stepped over to the large pot with seasoned water that had just begun to boil, and began to carefully added the freshly chopped celery and carrots to it. Then she moved back over to her former place at the counter and picked up a fresh corncob.

Before she could begin removing the kernels she heard a tapping behind her. She looked over her shoulder and saw a beautiful golden owl.

"Helios!" Fleur said happily.

"I'll let him in." She heard the deep voice of her husband, and she twisted the other way and saw him dressed comfortably with his hair loose and a towel draped around his neck.

Bill walked over and opened the window, and watched as Harry's familiar flew in and landed lightly on the table.

"Are you staying?" He asked as he went over and retrieved the letter from him, and watched as Helios nodded. "Alright." He said before he went and retrieved some water and treats for him.

He placed them on the table in front of the owl before he went and closed the window and returned to the table. He sat in the closest chair and picked up the letter.

"Let's see what Harry has to say." Bill said as he began to break the seal.

"Yes." Fleur agreed as she turned back to the corn.

"He asks how we're doing, how the family is doing, how work is going, and if the goblins are treating us right." He said, and then laughed.

"What?" She asked as she turned around, temporarily abandoning the corn, and leaned back against the counter after glancing over at the boiling pot.

"He says if they aren't he'll come back and show them a side of him they've never seen before." He said in amusement, and watched his wife smile thoughtfully.

"What are you thinking love?" He asked.

"It is only that Harry is so honorable and always trying to do the right thing. As far as I know he has been protective before because of a danger or problem that affects everyone in general, and it has been left up to him to handle." She said thoughtfully. "I wonder how he would react to any danger only affecting one person that he personally cares about."

"That would be interesting to see. Although the goblins are a different kind of danger altogether." Bill said, and then added: "Then again he did break in and out of their bank seemingly without a second thought. I think the only reason he went to make things right with them was so he could access his account."

"I agree." Fleur said as she nodded. "What else does he say?" She asked as she nodded toward the letter.

"He says he's still in Tokyo and keeping up with his magical and muggle studies, but he is also taking time to have fun." He said as he read through the letter.

"He's made two friends. Although, he doesn't say if that's a recent development or something he managed when he first arrived; one friend is helping him learn new magic, and the other is introducing him to fun new places."

"He says he's been to many different places, but the ones that stood out for him were an amusement park and a Quidditch game he attended." He continued.

"It was a professional game. The stadium and event itself was as large and as exciting as the Quidditch World Cup since that was the only other professional game he's been to." Bill related as he glanced over to his wife.

"He said it reminded him that he hasn't been flying since his sixth year at Hogwarts and he misses it." He said.

"Maybe he will find a place over there where he can fly; if he has not already." Fleur commented.

"I wonder if he brought his broom with him or if he will buy one." He said thoughtfully before he turned his attention back to the rest of the letter.

"As for the amusement park, he describes it as a park with different games and rides, some of which move as fast or nearly as fast as a broom at top speed, and other entertainments for people of all ages." Bill informed his wife.

"In addition to that, they sell different foods so people don't have to leave the park just to go eat, and they also sell various souvenir items so you could remember your time at the park or want to bring back gifts for friends and family." He continued.

"Such a place sounds interesting." Fleur said thoughtfully as she tried to imagine it.

"Definitely." Bill agreed. "He says it was his first time at an amusement park, and that the one he went to wasn't very large or really popular, but there were still a lot of people and he still had fun. He says he wants to go to one of the popular ones since they'll have faster and larger rides."

"I am glad he is managing to have fun." She said. "I just remember the way he was before he left; so quiet, down, and depressed; lost."

"Yeah." He agreed as he looked over to her. "I don't know if he's still feeling any of those things, but he sounds better in his letters." He said as he scanned the rest of the letter. "Do you think he'll come back for the ceremony? He doesn't mention anything here."

"I do not know. I do not know if he even knows about it." Fleur said with a slight frown. "We did not write to him about it. Would anyone else have?"

"I don't know." Bill said. "Mom and dad would have mentioned it if they had, and it's always possible George did. Then again we don't know who else he writes to. I don't think he's writing Ron since Ron's never mentioned it; not to mention he still seems angry whenever Harry is mentioned. It's always possible Hermione told him."

"I think she definitely would have told him given her personality. Unless he is not writing to her either." She said as she moved over to the stove and stirred the contents of the pot before she finally went back to the corn.

"Yeah. Neither of us have been around her enough to know if he is or isn't. Although, I think mom has seen her enough that she would have told us by now one way or the other." Bill said thoughtfully as he watched his wife work on the corn.

"Unless Hermione's decided to keep the knowledge that he isn't writing to herself." He added with a frown. "I think she would have told Ron in either case, and we still wouldn't know with the way he is these days."

"True." Fleur agreed as she added the kernels of corn to the pot. "How about we simply wait and see if he shows up for the ceremony. If he does then we can satisfy ourselves with seeing how he is doing, and if he does not show up we can write to him." She suggested.

"Okay." Bill agreed, idly watching Helios as he nibbled on an owl treat. "Although, I think if he doesn't know about the ceremony he would definitely come back to the country simply because it's the anniversary of Ginny and Fred's death."

"Maybe." She allowed as she continued cooking. She wasn't entirely sure Harry would return for that. He might not want to deal with the grief and sadness as a family group.

~xXx~

Kingsley sat in his office at the Ministry of Magic looking at the front page of the Daily Prophet. It's headline of questioning where Harry Potter was, and the picture of said young man was not surprising.

There had been questions of where he was and when he would be back throughout the entire month, and this issue of the paper was the latest and most blatant to put it out there.

He put the paper down with a sigh. He had not seen or heard from Harry since he sent him a short letter informing him of his safe arrival at his location. As far as he knew the young man had not been back in the country, and if he had then no one had seen him; not even the Weasley's since he had taken to occasionally asking if they had had a visit from him.

Apparently all that had been heard from him was Christmas gifts sent back in December and the occasional letter since then.

He would have thought the young man would be finished traveling and be back by now, but apparently that was not the case. However, now he had a reason to come back, which is why people were questioning where he was, but he wasn't sure if Harry knew about any of it.

Kingsley grabbed a sheet of parchment and picked up his quill before he dipped it into the dark ink. It was time to inform Harry of what was happening, and that he was expected back by the population at large.

~xXx~

Meanwhile, in London, a blonde young woman sat on her bed watching a Japanese news channel on her TV with a white cat lounging across her lap.

Her blue eyes were focused as she listened to the reporter report about strange incidents and the two mysterious fighters that had appeared since the first of the incidents were noticed.

This was not the first she had heard of either the incidents or the fighters, having been paying attention to the news coming out of Japan since the report of the first incident.

There had been no footage of the incidents yet, just short clips and photos of the scenes, but eye witnesses had described the fighters, having seen them running from the scenes of the strange incidents and throughout the city.

They were a young woman and a masked man. The young woman wore a white, blue, and red sailor outfit, tall red boots, long white gloves, and wore a gold tiara on her forehead. Her hair was said to be in a unique style and extremely long, trailing behind her like two streams when she ran.

The masked man wore a black tuxedo with a black and red cape, white gloves and a matching mask framed his eyes, and a black top hat sat on his head covering his short hair.

She had recognized the description of the young woman as being a senshi like her, but she knew said young woman was so much more. She knew this with a certainty because she finally understood the reason her guardian and advisor had said she had been chosen as a fighter, and because she had remembered the truth of her past.

~xXx~

"Ace?! You're in danger!" She shouted after the guy she had fallen for as the set they were on began to crumble around them.

"Ace?!" She cried out before she was hit in the head by falling debris, knocking her almost senseless as well as down to the floor.

"Ace!?" She called out again as she tried to shake off the pain.

"Artemis!" She called as she remembered that he was also there and in danger.

While I lie here, helpless, the people I love are getting caught in this inferno. She thought as she opened her eyes to see fire accompanying the falling debris.

No! How can I be so useless…I can't let it happen again! She told herself as the image of a beautiful young woman with sky blue eyes, a golden crescent moon on her forehead, dressed in a white silver-tinted dress with her moonlight colored hair up in a unique bun style with the rest trailing behind her in twin streams appeared in her mind.

The young woman was calling out to her, reaching a hand out to her in desperation, while an impressive white palace sat in the background behind her.

I can't! She cried out in her mind as she forced herself up to her knees.

Suddenly something inside her shifted, in her mind and in her soul, and images, names, places, sounds, and more began to make themselves known rapidly.

Memories… She breathed as she watched them, and absorbed them and their rightness.

She saw the beautiful young woman, and knew she was an extremely important princess. She saw herself, still transformed although in a different sailor outfit, and three other young women dress just like her but with different dominating colors. There was also a black feline with a golden crescent moon on their forehead.

She knew them all, knew them all quite well, and she now knew exactly who she was and why she had become the fighter she had.

She was Sailor Venus, princess of Venus, leader of the Guardian Sailor Senshi to the Moon Princess.

~xXx~

She blinked hard, pushing the rest of the memory away, and focused back on her thoughts.

She knew who the young woman was, or at least who she had been. However, she didn't at all recognize the masked man. She didn't recall any men who dressed like that in the past, but then again she knew the young woman who was currently fighting in Japan hadn't dressed like that back then.

He could have been in the past, but in a different role. She told herself. I would need more than a vague description to be able to tell.

Before her thoughts could continue the reporter on the screen paused, as if listening to something, before looking surprised.

"This just into the news room. We have at this moment received actual footage of the two mystery fighters so far only seen by a handful of eyewitnesses." The reporter said excitedly.

"It is security footage from a radio station, and as far as we know it is indeed one of the locations where a strange unexplained incident had happened. Let's take a look." They said.

The blonde young woman and white feline sat up and stared at the screen as the new footage began to play. The view was from the corner of a ceiling at the end of a hallway facing a door.

The door opened slowly a few inches before pausing for a few seconds and then swinging completely open. A young woman with long golden hair done up in two buns with the rest streaming down past her knees stepped into the hallway and began to walk.

She wore a white skin tight bodysuit, a blue sailor collar with white stripes, a short blue skirt, long white gloves with red borders near her elbows, and tall red boots. On her forehead was a gold tiara with a red gem, and around her neck was a red choker with a pendant that matched the brooch on the red bow on her chest hanging from it.

The footage paused and zoomed in on her showing her figure clearly, and they could see the gold crescent moon on the choker just above the pendant, and the matching crescent moons on the white triangular borders on her boots. They could even see her gold earrings and the red and white accessories in her hair.

The footage resumed and they watched a masked man step into the hallway behind her as the door swung shut behind him. He had short black hair beneath the black top hat he wore, and a white mask framed his eyes.

In addition to that he wore black slacks, a matching tuxedo jacket with gold buttons, a white dress shirt, vest, and a bow tie, and a long black cape with red interior lining.

Again the footage paused and zoomed in on his figure, and they could see the gold buttons securing his cape to the shoulders of his jacket along with a gold pendant medal hanging from a red ribbon beneath his bow tie, and the fact that he was wearing white gloves and black shoes.

The footage resumed and they continued walking calmly down the hallway before disappearing from the camera's view. The footage began to fast forward, and they could tell minutes were passing before it began to play normally.

The hallway was empty for a few long moments before a female with pale purple skin, unruly brown hair, and pointed ears ran into the hallway. She wore a long turquoise toga, black wristbands, and had bare feet.

The senshi and masked man raced into the hallway after the female, and the blonde young woman and the feline watched as she blasted the door off its hinges to briefly reveal a stairwell.

They watched the masked man throw what looked like a glowing flower at the female, but as she was already beyond the doorway they couldn't see what it did. All they could see was that the masked man and the senshi ran through the doorway and out of sight.

"That was our first view of the two mysterious fighters, and apparently the one possibly responsible for the strange occurrence that happened at the radio station." The reporter said as they reappeared on the screen.

"We still do not know who these fighters are, what they call themselves, or what their motives are." The reporter continued. "However, the woman brings to mind the popular fighter Sailor V with how she is dressed. Perhaps they are comrades, and have the same purpose, which appears to be to fight strange enemies and protect people."

"We will keep on the lookout for any more strange occurrences and sightings of the two mysterious fighters, and keep everyone well informed."

"I believe it is time we go to Japan." The feline said when the report ended, its masculine tone serious.

"We can either join her when we get there or wait to join her until more senshi have been awakened." The blonde young woman suggested. "Until then we can be there, closer to what's happening, and know when to act."

"Yes. I like that idea. We should go and be there, but I believe you should wait until there are more senshi awakened, maybe all three of them, before you reveal yourself." He suggested seriously.

"Okay." She said as she nodded seriously. "That's what we'll do then. That will give me time to prepare myself for that eventual meeting." She added, and he nodded.

"Did you recognize the masked man?" He asked curiously.

"I'm not entirely positive, but I do believe I know who he is." She answered. "The only question I have now is, with them seemingly working together, if either of them remembers the past yet."

"If they do then that is one less thing to worry about. However, if they do not then there could be trouble coming depending on what the remaining senshi think of him once they are awakened." He said.

"True." She agreed. "Hopefully it won't be anything too serious, and easily taken care of if it comes to that."

The feline nodded in agreement before he moved off the young woman as she said she was going to go start on getting her parents wanting to move to Japan.

~HPxXxMC~

Back in Japan, Mamoru was with Usagi in the late afternoon as he was most days, and this time she had decided to bring him to a place he would have never guessed. They were currently standing in front of a tall gray rock-like wall that was angled forward and backward with multiple multicolored hand holds spread all over the wall.

They were already wearing the required climbing harness, provided by the indoor wall climbing gym, and he looked over to Usagi as she stood at his side. It was obvious that she had planned this because she had changed out of her school uniform and into a t-shirt and a pair of spandex shorts that stopped just above her knees.

He looked down to himself in his jeans and shirt with his sleeves pushed up to his elbows. All he had done was take off his coat since that was all he could do to give himself more maneuverability.

The instructors/supervisors had already demonstrated how to put the harnesses on and take them off as well as thoroughly informed them about the basics of climbing. Now the instructors were moving around and hooking up everyone to the ropes that were already attached to anchors, so if they lost their grip they would automatically be caught before they could fall.

Once that was taken care of they were given the all clear, and they stepped up to the wall and grabbed onto the handholds. Side by side they began to climb with only a couple of feet between them to give them room to maneuver without getting in each other's way.

They climbed in silence, concentrating on placing their hands and feet without slipping, until they were almost five feet from the ground and then they began to talk.

"Are you liking this so far?" Usagi asked, making sure she matched her pace to his.

"Yes. I like that I need to focus, and I like the exercise of it." Mamoru said as he reached for a green handhold. "What about you? Do you like it so far?" He asked since she had already mentioned this was a new experience for her as well.

"Yeah. I wasn't sure I would, but I wanted to try. Now I'm glad that I did because this is turning out to be fun." She said as she glanced over to him. "And you're right about the exercise. I like that it doesn't feel like a workout." She added.

"Me too; especially since I know it can be hard to stick to a workout. This would be something you would want to do regularly." He said, and she nodded.

"I'm curious; I've wanted to ask you this for a while now." Usagi said a few moments later, and watched him nod encouragingly. "I was wondering about how you went about coming here, to Japan. I mean how did you decide to come here of all places, was it hard to get everything in place, did you decide on where to live before you came?"

Mamoru hummed lightly as he climbed wondering if he should tell her the truth. His adoption wasn't a secret after all. She didn't know about the magical aspect of his life to connect it to that, and she had no reason to think he ever had a different name than the one she knew him by.

"I decided to come here when I learned I was adopted and my birth parents were Japanese." He said, and heard her gasp lightly. "That was also when I decided to learn the language. I wanted to be able to learn about my newly discovered culture, and to understand what I was reading and hearing when I got here."

"Wow." Usagi said, her eyes wide.

She was surprised to learn her friend and crush was adopted. She had thought he just learned the language so he wouldn't have trouble understanding people when he traveled to the country. It had never crossed her mind that he could have a deeper reason.

I wonder what happened to his birth parents, and his adopted parents for that matter. She thought since she remembered him saying he kept in touch with those he saw as family, which she thought meant they weren't actual family members of his.

Maybe his adopted parents were older and have passed on or maybe now that he knows he was adopted he doesn't consider them family. She considered.

"As for getting everything in place I really only needed to get a bank account so I would have access to my funds, and get my passport so I could travel here and pay for things." Mamoru continued as he reached for another handhold.

"Getting the bank account took only a few minutes not counting the travel time, and filling out the application for the passport took a bit more time with how careful it needed to be filled out. What took the most time was waiting for the passport to come in the mail." He said as he carefully placed his foot on one of the holds.

"Originally I had only intended to just visit here for a time and then continue traveling, so before I came here I secured myself a rental apartment." He said.

"Then after a few weeks I decided I liked Tokyo enough to get a permanent residence thinking I could use it like a vacation spot for when I decided to visit again. It was a couple of months after I first arrived in the city that I decided to stay permanently and make the apartment I'm living in now my home." He explained.

Usagi was surprised all over again. He made traveling to another country sound so easy, and she was especially surprised that he had decided to live here permanently after he had been here some weeks. She had assumed he made that decision before leaving England.

Do his friends and the people he sees as family know he's living here now and not just on an extended visit before traveling somewhere else or heading back home? She wondered as she reached for another handhold.

Maybe it sounds so easy because I had been imaging that he had picked up and moved here with everything he owned. Obviously that's not the case. She thought.

"So when you came here you didn't bring much did you?" She asked.

"Nope. I brought a travel bag with a few changes of clothes, some sentimental items, and a few things that I didn't want to leave behind." Mamoru said. More like couldn't and wouldn't leave behind. He silently added, thinking of the Deathly Hallows.

"I figured I would just buy what I needed after I got here instead of trying to remember all I needed, and when I got my apartment it was completely empty aside from the kitchen appliances so everything I have there is brand new." He explained.

"What was that like? Decorating like that?" She asked.

"It was interesting and refreshing." He said honestly. "The only time I've lived on my own was the few months before I traveled here, and the houses I stayed in were already furnished and decorated. This was the first time I could get what I wanted. You know, choose the colors and designs I wanted for everything."

"Before with something as simple as clothing someone else would pick out everything. They had one of those personalities where they think they're helping you, but they're really just getting what they think is best for you and there's no changing their mind." He explained.

"Ah, and they refuse to take in your tastes and likes or dislikes. They just take over and do your shopping for you." She said.

"Exactly!" He agreed as he shot her a grateful look that she understood. "You know they mean well, but it just irritates and makes you think 'well what was the point of me being here' you know."

"And when I did manage to pick something out they saw and were like 'why are you getting that, you shouldn't get that, you should get this instead, in fact let's get this'. It just made me not want to do any shopping at all. Really, I didn't if I could at all help it until I was living on my own and didn't have to worry about anyone inserting their wants and opinions on me." He explained.

"Yeah I understand. I'm sorry you had to deal with that." Usagi said as they continued to climb. She hadn't had to deal with that in some years; since her mother stopping picking out her clothes for her.

"So you learned only recently that you were adopted?" She asked a few moments later since she got that impression from some things he had said now and before.

"Yes. Nearly a year ago." Mamoru answered, and paused as he reached for another handhold and gave himself some moments to be sure he wanted to say what he was about to say.

"My parents took me with them on a vacation to England just after I was born, and apparently there was a car accident a short time later that killed them and left me completely untouched." He said.

What?! Usagi thought in shocked surprise as she paused mid-reach for a handhold.

"My adopted parents are the ones that found the scene and me, and after going through all the proper channels to see if they could find any living family for me, and not succeeding, they decided to adopt me themselves." He explained.

"Unfortunately, they were murdered months later, and I was put with my adopted mother's sister and her family." He added, and listened as his companion gasped.

Oh no! Usagi thought, horrified that her friend and crush had not only lost his birth parents in a terrible accident, that he was also involved in, but had lost his adopted parents to murder.

That's..what..three, four people now that have been murdered in his life. What a horrible coincidence. She thought. I hope he wasn't there when his adopted parents were murdered.

"I'm so sorry you had to experience that." She said compassionately. "Did the police catch whoever did it?" She asked gently.

"The man, if you can call him that, has been punished. It took years, but he's no longer a danger to anyone." Mamoru said without revealing the full truth.

"I'm glad to hear that." Usagi said softly, and she truly was glad that the one responsible for taking his adopted parents wasn't a danger to him anymore.

I wonder if the one responsible for killing his girlfriend was caught. She thought, wishing she had thought to ask when she first learned, but at the same time thinking it hadn't really been appropriate to ask.

"Do you remember your adopted parents?" She asked curiously.

"I don't remember my time with my mom and dad, but I have pictures of them and have heard stories about them so much that I kind of feel like I do." He answered.

"I'm glad you had people who were able to tell you about them." She said with a light smile. She didn't think he had the same for his birth parents. Does he even know what they looked like?

"Can I ask what it was like to live with your aunt? Do you call her your aunt?" Usagi asked curiously.

"It was terrible. They hated me, never wanted me, and made sure I always knew it." Mamoru said honestly as he place his foot on a handhold and pushed against it as he reached for another handhold. "So as you can imagine I don't refer to her as my aunt, and learning that she isn't my blood made it even easier. The last time I called her 'aunt' was the last time I lived in her house, which was also the last time I saw her."

Of course technically she was his blood since his parents had done a blood adoption, but it made him feel better to think that she wasn't.

"Living, growing up, in that type of environment is why I haven't been to the places or done the things you've been taking me to do. I wasn't allowed to do them, and was barely allowed to learn about them." He admitted.

Usagi looked over at him in sad disbelief. She couldn't believe he had lived such a life that he hadn't been allowed to do the things she thought everyone in their age range was able to do, but it did finally explain why he hadn't already experienced the things she had been taking him to do.

"I'm so sorry you had to go through that." She said as she thought over his words again. It also explained why he had people he saw as family since the ones who were supposed to be his family didn't want him.

"So how's your family been doing?" Mamoru asked, wanting to move away from any more talk about his family. He just wasn't ready to go into details, and start giving names and descriptions.

"They're all doing well." She answered. "My mom is likely at home doing some chore or another or getting started on dinner. My dad is likely still at work. Both of them have been happy about my grades going up, so thank you for that."

"You're welcome." He said kindly as they approached the top of the wall.

"My little brother might be at home by now or still at a friend's house." She added. She was still glad that he was doing well after his unknowing encounter with a youma.

"That's good to hear." He said.

Usagi nodded and tried to think of what else they could talk about. She didn't want to ask him about different places or activities that he hadn't been to or experienced since she now knew it was likely that he hadn't done any of those things.

"So what do you do when we part ways after our time together and you head home?" Mamoru asked, unknowingly saving her from trying to think of something to talk about.

"I do whatever homework I have left, change into something comfortable, usually my pajamas, and sometimes I listen to music while I read a manga." She answered. "What about you?"

"I do whatever homework I have, or I study, and I watch TV while I make myself dinner." He answered as truthfully as he could. "Sometimes I'll hang out with Motoki too."

He could not tell her about spending time with Helios, or practicing his spell repertoire, practicing with new spells, working on his wandless magic, and working on his potions skills.

"Sounds like we do pretty much the same thing." Usagi commented. "Do you watch anything in particular or just whatever happens to be on?"

"Just whatever happens to be on that catches my attention." He said. "Usually it's just acting as background noise to whatever I'm doing."

"What about music? I use that as background noise. What kind do you like?" She asked curiously.

"I don't know." Mamoru answered honestly. "The boarding school I went to was a no electronics zone, and in the summer I was occupied by other things, courtesy of the hateful people I lived with, so I don't really know what type of music I would even like."

Of course that also included magical music as well. The only magical music he had heard was during the Yule Ball and whatever was playing over the Wizarding Wireless Network at the Weasley's house, and he wasn't a particular fan of any of it, and he couldn't tell her any of that anyway.

Usagi was surprised, but she was learning that Mamoru was different than any boy she knew. She filed that away as another fact learned about the guy she liked even as she determined to take him to a music store so he could see what his ears liked.

"We'll have to fix that soon." She said simply, wondering if tomorrow would be too soon to take him.

"What about you? What kind of music do you like?" He asked.

"I usually like happy upbeat songs, and occasionally slow romantic songs." She answered as they reached the top of the wall. "But beyond that it really depends on what a song sounds like and if I happen to like it."

Mamoru nodded at that, and knew it made sense. That was the reason he didn't particularly like any of the magical music he had heard; it hadn't appealed to his ears. He also supposed that if he had heard any non-magical music in passing then it hadn't been pleasing enough to his ears to make him stop and listen or remember it for that matter.

"I was wondering if you could tell me more about going to a boarding school." Usagi asked as they began to make their way back down the wall. "I'm interested in how your school worked; what it was like living there and going to school there."

"Sure; no problem." He said before he began to tell her about life at Hogwarts.

He explained how the dorm rooms he had told her about before had their own bathroom with enough shower stalls, toilets, sinks and mirrors for all the roommates. He wasn't exactly sure of the size of the beds but he thought they were between a twin and a full-size, and they were four-post beds with curtains.

"Where do you keep your clothes and school supplies?" She asked curiously as she paused and looked over to him.

"We each had a trunk that we used to bring our things to the school, and the school provided each of us with a nice sized wardrobe to store whatever clothes we didn't want to keep folded in our trunks." Mamoru answered.

"Ah." She said in understanding.

He went on to explain that they could stay up at night as long as they wanted. Although, depending on the day of the week they were shooed out of the common room and up to their dorm rooms, and of course you could stay up or not go to sleep but you had to keep in mind that you had to be in class the next morning unless it was the weekend.

Sleeping in during the weekday was something done to your own detriment, unless you were sick, because there was the possibility of missing breakfast. You would have to make a mad dash through the school, which was very large and could be a long route depending on where you lived in the building.

By the time you got to the hall where the food was you might not have enough time to eat before you needed to rush back out in order to make it to your first class on time, and even then there was no guarantee that there would be much left once you got there.

Lunch time, Mamoru explained, was the next chance to eat, and you were definitely hungry by that time from working so hard in class and walking all over the building to get to your different classes while carrying a backpack full of heavy books and materials.

"Depending on the person sometimes they did their homework that was due for their remaining classes that day, or finished a homework assignment, while eating or instead of eating." He said as they gradually made their way down the wall.

He went on to explain that dinner was hours later, but between the last class and dinner you could work on homework or hang out with friends, snack, try to nap or whatever you felt like.

Detentions usually took place after dinner and was with the teacher that assigned it; unless it was during the weekend. Then it would usually happen any time from the afternoon onward.

Usagi listened carefully as he told her how the school had a curfew where they were supposed to be inside their house, she supposed he meant those sorority/fraternity-like houses he had mentioned before, two hours after dinner, and if they were caught out after that you got detention.

He told her how sports games took place during the weekend so they wouldn't interfere with class schedules, but training for the teams happened during the week. And sometimes during the weekend when there wasn't a game scheduled.

How the field where they played was tended by the grounds keeper who was a giant of a man but was very nice, and who tended all the grounds around the school with his faithful dog sometimes following him.

She was especially surprised when Mamoru mentioned that they could bring their pets to stay at the school with them. It brought to mind what she had thought when her classmates had brought those animals that a youma had created. She couldn't help wondering how they managed that, and how much trouble it was if everyone's pets didn't get along.

Mamoru continued on to tell how the school, like most schools, had its own library so students had access to more material for essays and research projects beyond their textbooks. Not to mention to learn more about the subjects they were learning.

"And in case you're curious the teachers have offices attached to their assigned classroom, and they each have separate living quarters away from where the students live in the school. Although, still close enough to the students that they could handle any serious problems that came up." He said.

"The headmaster has an office and it has an attached living quarters, and it's well away from where the students and the teachers sleep. In fact, people only go to that part of the school when they need to meet with him specifically." He said, and wondered what else he could tell her about Hogwarts.

Mamoru wanted to tell her about going to the kitchen to get snacks, but that would lead to questions he couldn't answer. Like why the kitchen wasn't connected to the hall where they ate, and if that meant the ones who cooked brought the food through the hallways to the hall.

He also couldn't mention the Room of Requirement since he couldn't tell her about it being able to become whatever room you needed.

He could tell her about the Black Lake, but he couldn't mention the Giant Squid or the colony of Merpeople or the Grindylows as well as anything else that lived within its depths.

He could also mention the Forbidden Forest, but he couldn't tell her about the Centaurs or the Unicorns as well as the Acromantulas or anything else that lived in its wilderness.

Yeah, I definitely can't tell her any of those things. Maybe if I ever get to the point of trusting her enough to tell her about magic I can tell her about those things. He thought as they reached the bottom of the wall.

The friendly yet quietly attracted pair went up and down the wall four more times, talking of many subjects as they continued to learn more about the other, before they had had enough and decided to leave.

They removed the harnesses around them before they gathered up their belongings and left to head home. They then caught the bus they both needed to get back to the area of the city where they could separate and make their way toward their own home.

During the ride they talked about their climbing experience, detailing how invigorating it was but that they could already feel the ache in their arms and legs and weren't looking forward to how they would feel in the morning.

Despite the ache and the thought of the looming pain to come they confirmed that they definitely wanted to do it again, and decided to go back in a week.

Aside from that they discussed what they would do tomorrow after their study session and Usagi's tutoring session. There was no doubt that they would spend the time together. It was not only becoming a habit, but something they both silently desired.

Usagi wondered if they would feel well enough to do anything really interesting, and Mamoru suggested they could revisit the ice cream shop or the bookstore or hangout at a park.

Ultimately they decided they would take it easy and hangout at the cafe, and if or when they got tired of that they could go down to the arcade and play since most of the games could be played while seated.

The bus ride ended when their stop arrived since they had gone as far as they could and needed to head in different directions to head home. They got off the bus and moved out of the way of others getting off before Usagi placed her hand on Mamoru's arm and let it slid down until her hand slipped lightly into his.

"I had fun today, and I'm sure tomorrow will be the same." She said as she gently squeezed his hand.

"Yeah, same here." He replied as he squeezed her hand in return before letting go. "I'll see you tomorrow. Stay safe."

"I will." She assured him. "You stay safe too. Bye." She said as she waved at him.

"Bye." He said as he waved, and watched as she turned and walked the few steps before she turned at the corner and disappeared around the side of the building.

Mamoru sighed lightly and turned around and began to walk in the direction the bus had just come from. The bus stop for the bus he needed to get himself to his neighborhood was in that direction, but he intended to Apparate home and just needed to find a subtle location for that.

It took a few minutes but he found a spot and willed himself back home, disappearing silently and appearing in front of the door just inside his quiet apartment.

"Hello Helios." He greeted his familiar, who was sitting perched on his stand, as he took a few steps forward. "I'll be right back." He added as he veered toward the hallway.

He stopped briefly at his study and left his bag next to his floor desk before he headed to his bedroom and pulled off his jacket. He hung it up in his closet and left his keys and wallet on his nightstand before he made his way to the kitchen.

Once there he put water on to boil and gathered up what he needed to make himself a hot cup of tea. It had been ages since he had any, and he had a blend from a shop in Kototama Market Place that he still needed to try.

While he was waiting for the water to boil he went over to Helios and began to tell him about his day as he gently stroked his feathers. He told him about how his classes had gone, and all about his time with Usagi.

When he finished he made his way back to the kitchen to find his water boiling and began to fix his cup of tea. As he poured the water he watched it turn a faint blue, and once he stirred it it turned a vibrant royal blue.

Mamoru held his cup carefully and went and sat on the couch. He turned on the TV and took a slow sip of the tea, and hummed in thoughtful pleasure at the taste. It tasted like fresh fruit mixed with the feeling of something warm and fuzzy; if warm and fuzzy had a taste.

As he took another sip he heard a tapping and looked over to his balcony to see an owl standing there. He swallowed the heated liquid as he put his cup down on the coffee table and went and slid the door open.

He took the square parchment from its beak and before he could ask if it wanted some water it flew away. He watched it for a few moments before he closed the glass door and looked at the parchment as he walked back to the couch.

It was an almost snow white colored parchment that looked very fine and expensive, and had the seal of the English Ministry of Magic stamped into the wax keeping it closed. More importantly it had his adopted name on it in neat lettering.

Mamoru broke the seal and unfolded the parchment and quickly looked to the bottom of what was obviously a letter.

Kingsley. He thought with a light sigh, not entirely surprised to be hearing from him considering it was coming up on the one year anniversary of the Battle at Hogwarts and the end of the war.

Harry,

It has been a long time since I have heard from you, and nearly as long since I have seen you. How are you? How have your travels been? I hope you have seen some good sights, and met some interesting people.

I am contacting you now because I believed it would be good to make you aware of an event that is happening here that I am sure you have no idea about unless someone has written to you or you are keeping up to date on the news here.

It was decided some months ago that a remembrance ceremony would be held at Hogwarts on the anniversary of the end of the war, which is of course May 2nd. It will honor all those whose lives were lost to Voldemort and his Death Eaters during the first and second wars.

I don 't think I need to tell you, however I will, people expect you back in England and to be at the ceremony. I admit I expect to see you there as well. It would be nice to see you after so long.

Word of warning; people are asking questions and wondering where you are. Even the  Daily Prophet has been running issues of the paper asking questions.

Looking forward to seeing you soon,
Kingsley Shacklebolt

Mamoru sighed heavily as he finished reading the letter. His first thought was that he didn't particularly want to go and have those memories of the war flooding back into his mind. He was doing so much better since he started seeing a mind healer. It had been weeks since he had had any nightmares at all let alone ones about the war.

However, he was well aware that the end of the war was an important event to celebrate and he had been a large part of it. He should go if only for that reason. Plus, he would be able to visit a few people while he was there. Let them know, see for themselves, that he was fine instead of relying on letters.

Not to mention I'll be able to visit Ginny since it will also be the anniversary of her death, and I can visit my parents as well. He considered as he looked blankly at the TV.

But what about Usagi? He wondered with a frown. Will she be okay fighting on her own? Would I be able to sense her need for me all the way in England? If I can should I go through the trouble of trying to get back to help her? Would I be able to ignore her need?

Mamoru wasn't sure if he would be able to sense her need of him while out of the country, but he knew right away that he wouldn't be able to ignore her need. In fact, he seriously doubted he could ignore her need whether he wanted to or not. His conscience would not let him.

I'll go. I'll spend three days there. That should be good enough to see everyone. He decided, and then considered the date and realized he would only have a couple of days to prepare to leave.

"Helios?" He said as he shifted sideways and looked toward his familiar over the back of the couch. "Do you want to come with me to England, and see what life was like for me the last few years?" He asked.

Helios tilted his head slightly as he looked over at him before he fluttered his wings and hooted. He sensed the positive answer in that sound, and nodded with a light smile.

"Then to England we go. I'll just have to get everything settled so we can go." Mamoru said before he began to consider exactly what he had to do.

He needed to make arrangements at school to be absent or at least he thought he might have to. He didn't know if he could just be gone for a few days without a word or if he had to let each of his sensei's know or if he maybe had to go to Okazaki-sensei since he dealt with attendance for the school in general.

I can deal with that tomorrow at school. He thought before he moved his train of thought forward.

He had to go down to the Ministry and see about getting an international Portkey since he didn't want to take an airplane; especially since he was bringing Helios with him. He could make it himself, but he didn't know if they had some way to know when a Portkey was being used between countries.

I also need to cancel or move my appointment with my healer for this week. He thought before he checked the time.

It was still early enough that his mind healer would still be in the office, and this was something he could take care of right now.

Mamoru took a sip of his tea before he got up and walked over to his phone. He dialed the number that he had made sure to memorize not long after he learned it, and waited for an answer.

"Hello, Yuuhi Hope speaking." Came the calm feminine voice of his mind healer.

"Hello Healer Yuuhi. It's Chiba Mamoru." He said.

"Ah. Mr. Chiba; what can I do for you?" Healer Yuuhi asked.

"I'm not going to be able to make my appointment this week." He said.

"May I ask why or is it a personal reason?" She asked.

"I just found out that there's going to be a remembrance ceremony back in England for the end of the war, and I'm expected to be there." Mamoru explained.

"I understand. And how do you feel about that?" She asked.

"A little irritated." He answered honestly. "I don't particularly want to go and deal with that, but I know being there is the right thing to do."

"I believe we should speak on this at your next session." She said seriously.

"Yes. I'm sure I'll need to." He agreed. "Should I move my appointment to another day or just wait until my usual day next week?"

"When do you leave?" Healer Yuuhi asked.

"In a couple of days, and then I'll be gone for three days." He answered.

"In that case we should simply wait until your usual day next week." She advised.

"Alright." Mamoru said as he nodded. "Thank you for speaking to me."

"I'm glad I could help." She said kindly. "I hope you can enjoy your time in England."

"Thanks. I'll see you next week." He said.

"Until then. Goodbye Mr. Chiba." She said.

"Goodbye." He said, and hung up the phone.

Mamoru moved his hand away and stared at the phone, and hummed thoughtfully as an idea came to him. He would be telling Motoki and Usagi about him leaving, but he didn't want to just leave without them being able to reach him.

Motoki could send him an owl, but that would take time. All Usagi could do was send him a letter, and he'd be back in Tokyo before it could reach him in England. Both of them had access to phones however, and that was a quick and direct way to reach him.

Obviously I have no access to a phone in any of my houses there, so I'm going to have to get a cellphone. He thought as he went back to the couch.

He picked up Kingsley's letter from where he had left it on the couch and folded it. He placed it on the coffee table and began to finish off his cooling tea as he thought of what he was going to do once he finished.

Once he finished his tea he grabbed his letter and brought his tea cup to the kitchen and left it in the sink before he walked back to his bedroom. He left the letter on his nightstand and gathered up his wallet and keys, and pulled on his jacket as he left the room.

"I'll be back later Helios." He told his familiar as he reached the living room. "I'm going to go make arrangements for our travels." He added as he stepped over to the door to his apartment.

Mamoru focused briefly and willed himself to his destination, and disappeared silently before he appeared in the bright spacious lobby of a building. He walked up to the desk and waited behind a woman for a few minutes. When she walked off he stepped up for his turn with the security wizard behind the desk.

"Wand please." The man said.

Mamoru pulled his wand from his holster and reluctantly handed it over. He was never going to be comfortable handing his wand to a stranger, but he was glad he also had the Elder Wand and his growing wandless ability as backup options.

Just like the last time he visited the Ministry the man took his wand out of view behind the desk for a few moments before he brought it back up with no problems.

"All is in order." The security wizard said as he handed the wand back. "Welcome back to the Ministry of Magic."

"Thank you." He said before he re-holstered his wand and began to walk toward the elevators seeing that the woman was gone.

Mamoru pressed the up button and waited. He hoped it wasn't too late in the evening for people to be gone from the offices, but then again he was basing that off what he had seen back in England.

Things are done differently here. He reminded himself as the doors to one elevator slid open. He stepped inside and pressed the button for the floor he needed and waited as the doors closed.

The elevator ride was smooth and fairly quick before his floor arrived and the doors slid open. Immediately he saw a large bold sign that read Department of Transportation. He stepped out of the elevator and turned to walk toward where he saw a front desk.

"Welcome to the Department of Transportation. How can I help you?" The man sitting there asked.

"I need to travel overseas and I don't want to fly, and I was wondering how to go about getting an international Portkey." Mamoru said.

"Of course." The man said before he pointed to his left. "You want to head down this hallway, and it'll be the third door on your left."

"Thank you." Mamoru said before he began to head down the hallway.

He reached the third door and found it open. Inside was a large office with four areas split up slightly with an occupied desk at three of them. A person at the closest desk was already helping someone, so he quietly moved toward the next one.

"Hello. Please have a seat." The man sitting at the desk said. "I'm Yoshi Tomaru. How can I help you this evening?"

"I need to travel overseas soon and I wanted to travel by Portkey instead of flying." Mamoru said.

"Then you are in the exact right place." Mr. Yoshi said. "We can make Portkeys that will take you to a specific landing place within your desired country. However, you can also choose a different location if that one does not suit your needs."

"Another option is that instead of us making the device and implanting the location we can still make it but you can implant your desired landing location so you can have privacy." He explained.

"Okay. Well, I'm going to be traveling to England, so can you tell me where the specific landing place is there?" Mamoru asked.

"A room inside the Ministry of Magic." Mr. Yoshi answered easily. "That way people wouldn't have to travel in order to get their passport checked."

Mamoru nodded in understanding, and idly wondered where exactly in the Ministry that room was located. This guy didn't mention anything about him being able to make the device himself instead of a ministry employee, and he didn't say anything because he didn't want this guy to know he knew how to make them.

Aside from that there was no forthcoming information on if the Ministry could tell when an international Portkey was used between countries, so he knew he would have to find out that information himself first hand when he returned. Because he definitely wasn't going to get a return Portkey from the English Ministry.

I wonder if this guy has the strength to power the Portkey to get me to England. He wondered before he pushed the thought aside.

"Alright. I would like to implant the landing location myself." Mamoru said.

"Okay, and will this be a one way or two way Portkey?" Mr. Yoshi asked as he opened a drawer attached to his desk. He pulled out a paper and placed it on his desk and grabbed a pen.

"One way." He answered.

"And when do you wish to travel?" Mr. Yoshi asked as he wrote down the answer.

"In three days." Mamoru answered.

"Alright. This is going to cost five emerald Hōseki." Mr. Yoshi said, and Mamoru nodded. "One moment please." He said before he opened the drawer to a small cabinet off to the side next to him.

He grabbed something and closed the drawer before he called over one of his colleagues that was free. Another guy came walking over from his own desk area looking curious.

"He's going to help me power the Portkey." Mr. Yoshi said, answering a previous thought Mamoru had had. Clearly he didn't have the strength to make the device on his own.

"We're going to do this together. What I need you to do is concentrate and focus on your desired destination. Picture every detail you can from where exactly it is located to what exactly it looks like. Once you have it firmly in your mind you're going to touch your wand to the device and will it into the device." He explained.

"I understand." Mamoru said as he began to consider where exactly he wanted the Portkey to take him.

He first thought of Grimmauld Place, but he didn't want to arrive in that dark dingy environment; especially after being away for so long. So he quickly settled on Potter Manor. It was light and open and, more importantly, it was home back in England.

And no one will see me arrive, and definitely not know where I'm staying. He thought as he pictured the foyer in Potter Manor.

"I'm ready." He said once he had the foyer of his English home firmly in the front of his mind.

Mr. Yoshi nodded and all of them brought out their wands. He and his colleague touched the item, which was a round button badge with the Ministry emblem on it, with the tips of their wands and it glowed a bright blue.

Mr. Yoshi nodded at him firmly and Mamoru touched the tip of his wand to the button and willed the location he had in mind into the item. The light flashed slightly around the button before it faded away.

The two men nodded and Mamoru just stopped himself from nodding in satisfaction that the Portkey had been created. What he would like to do now is test it but he knew he couldn't. He just had to hope it worked, and hope it wasn't a rough ride if it did.

"Here you are." Mr. Yoshi said as he placed the Portkey on the desk in front of him. "It is touch activated, so as soon as you touch it, at any time, on the third day from now it will activate."

"Alright." Mamoru said as he put his wand back in his holster, and pulled out and handed over five emerald Hōseki.

"Thank you for this." He said as he picked up the Portkey and put it in the pocket with his keys.

"You're very welcome. Have a good time on your trip." Mr. Yoshi said.

"Thanks." Mamoru said before he turned and left the office.

He made his way back down through the building and to the lobby where he Apparated to the entrance to Kototama Market Place on the non-magical side. He then proceeded to walk through the non-magical market place looking for a store where he could get a cellphone.

It took him fifteen minutes to find the store and there were a couple people inside aside from the employees. As far as he was concerned that was a good thing, because that meant they wouldn't all focus on him.

He went inside and went up to the first employee that looked his way, and explained that he wanted to get a phone and that it would be his first. It didn't need to be anything complicated and he planned to use it mostly for when he traveled overseas.

The woman understood perfectly and began to show him different phones. Long minutes passed as he examined the phones visually and listened to the brief explanations about each before he decided on one that had a nice shiny deep blue coat.

The woman then helped him pick out a phone plan that was right for him, and get everything to do with the phone set up and paid for, and then kindly helped him navigate how to use the phone.

After all was said and done he walked out of the store with his new phone and the box it came in inside a small bag. He was pleased Motoki and Usagi would now be able to contact him when he went to England.

He didn't think they would since he couldn't imagine a reason for that, but he was pleased all the same for having made it possible. Plus, there was always the chance that he would actually need to contact them instead.

Mamoru made his way back to the little side alley where the entrance to Kototama Market Place was, and Apparated back home where he greeted Helios before he made his way back to his bedroom.

He emptied his pockets, being careful to place his Portkey off to the side on his nightstand so it didn't get misplaced, and pulled off his jacket before he made his way to the living room with his new phone.

He sat on the couch and pulled out the phone from the bag and its box, and pulled off his Mokeskin pouch and resized it before he reached in and pulled out the Elder Wand.

He had learned at school what enchantment was used to make electronics work around magic. It was apparently a charm cast over the entire country ages ago by a number of powerful witches and wizards.

Mamoru had made sure to study and memorize the charm, and now he used that knowledge, his magic, and the power of one of the Deathly Hallows to cast the charm over the phone. After all, he would be taking it back to England where he knew electronics didn't work around magic. He needed the cellphone to work otherwise it was a pointless purchase.

The small phone glowed a bright vibrant purple before it faded away. That light meant that it had worked but he would have to check it once he was in England and away from the enchantment that covered Japan.

He put the powerful wand back in his pouch and shrunk it down before he put it back around his neck. With that done he turned in his seat and warned Helios that they would be traveling by Portkey in three days and then began to tell him about his new cellphone.

~HPxXxMC~

Over the next two days Mamoru finished up his preparations for his trip back to England. He packed his blue and black traveling bag with a few changes of clothes, and made sure his new phone was in the bag. Then he left it on the floor in his closet to add anything else before he left.

Then the first day after he got Kingsley's letter after his school day ended he went and spoke to Okazaki-sensei about needing to take a few days off from school to travel back to England for the remembrance ceremony that was planned.

He was informed that his missing his classes would be fine, but that he should speak to each of his sensei's to find out what he would be missing and if he could do any studying to not fall behind on his progress.

Mamoru understood that and decided to speak to them just before he traveled; the day he actually planned to travel since he would be leaving late enough that he could still go to all of his classes.

After he left school that day he went about his usual routine of heading home, changing out of his uniform and into casual clothes, and with his school bag slung over his shoulder headed out to the Crown arcade. When he arrived he found Motoki standing behind the counter reading a book.

"Hey." Mamoru said as he sat on one of the stools in front of him.

"Hi." Motoki said as he looked up from his book. "What's up? You usually go straight up to the cafe to wait for Usagi."

"Yeah, but I wanted to talk to you first." He said before he sighed. "I just found out yesterday that they're going to be holding a remembrance ceremony back in England for the first anniversary for the end of the war and all those who died in it." He said in a low tone.

"I've decided that I need to make an appearance, so I'm going to go in a few days." He informed him.

"Will you be flying or taking a Portkey?" Motoki asked curiously.

"Portkey. I already have it. It's touch activated for any time on the day I plan to leave. I plan to be over there for three days." Mamoru said.

"Ah okay." Motoki said as he nodded.

"I also came to give you the number for my new cellphone." Mamoru added as he pulled out a pen and a piece of paper from his bag.

"It's so you can contact me if you need to while I'm over there." He added as he tore off a piece of the paper and scribbled down the number, reminded as he did that his friend already had his home number even if he hadn't used it yet.

"Are you going to be okay over there?" Motoki asked as he took the paper and slipped it into his pocket so he didn't lose it.

"I don't know." Mamoru said with a sigh as he put the pen and paper away. "I'm anticipating bad memories from the war, and…and dealing with a surge of grief from losing my girlfriend."

"Your girlfriend?" Motoki questioned quietly with a raised eyebrow; this was news to him.

"My girlfriend died in the final battle; killed by Voldemort's most frantic follower." Mamoru answered sadly.

"Ah. I'm so sorry." Motoki said with a grimace, adding that terrible fact to everything he had learned so far about his friend's life before he came to Japan.

"Thanks." He said with a small smile before he sighed heavily.

"You miss her don't you?" Motoki asked.

"Of course. She was great. I loved her." Mamoru answered instantly. "I was in love with her; still am. I'm sure we would have moved in together at some point, probably after she finished her schooling. You know she wanted to play Quidditch professionally."

"Really? Did she have a team in mind or did it not matter?" Motoki asked curiously.

"She wanted to play for the Holyhead Harpies." He answered wistfully.

"That all women's team?" Motoki said as he recalled their mascot and colors.

"Yup." Mamoru confirmed. "She was a great flyer, and would have tried out as a Chaser. She was also a good backup Seeker. The only one with enough skill to take up my position the few times I couldn't play."

"I wonder what it was like seeing you two play together." Motoki said wonderingly, recalling Mamoru saying he had played Seeker on his house team in school, and from what he was hearing his girlfriend had played on the team as well.

"I don't know what it was like to an outside observer, but it felt great when we were up in the air." Mamoru said with a smile as he remembered his time on the Gryffindor team after Ginny joined.

"So, want me to bring you back anything?" He asked as he looked to his friend, trying to push back the sadness rising up from thoughts of Ginny.

"I don't know. Surprise me." Motoki said with a grin.

"Will do." Mamoru said in amusement, his mind already wondering what he could bring his friend. Hmm..I should bring Usagi something as well. He thought.

"Alright. I'm going to go head up to the cafe now." He said as he stood up from the stool.

"Okay. Thanks for letting me know about your upcoming trip." Motoki said before he glanced around to make sure no one needed him yet. "If for some reason I don't see you before you take your Portkey I want you to take care of yourself, and try to enjoy seeing the people you left back there."

"I'll try." He said. "Bye."

"Bye." Motoki said.

Mamoru turned and headed out of the arcade and made his way up the stairs off to the side and into the cafe. Looking around briefly he saw that it was fairly empty as it usually was at this time of day.

He walked down an isle and settled at the usual booth seat next to the windows, and took the time to scribble his cellphone number and home phone number on the ripped paper before ripping off that piece to give to Usagi once she arrived.

He then slipped the rest back into his bag and pulled out one of his non-magical textbooks and began to do one of his homework assignments while he waited.

A half an hour passed before he heard Usagi's voice, and he looked up to see her walking toward him and the table and booth he sat at.

"Hi Usagi." Mamoru said with a smile as she reached him.

"Hi." Usagi said with a bright smile as she slid into the seat across from him.

"This is for you." He said as he slid the paper with his phone numbers on it toward her.

"What's this?" She asked as she pulled the piece of paper toward her as she put her bag down.

"I got a cellphone yesterday and wanted you to have the number, and figured you should have my home number as well." He said.

"Oh thank you." She said with another bright smile. "I should give you mine too." She said as she began to search for a spare piece of paper and pen.

"So why did you get a cellphone?" Usagi asked as she began to write down her home phone number.

"I'm going to be traveling back to England in a few days. It's the one year anniversary of my girlfriend and her brother's death." Mamoru said, telling her the only true thing he could. "They're going to have a type of memorial service."

"I decided to get a cellphone so you and Motoki could contact me if you need to tell me something or just want to talk." He explained.

"Oh!" She exclaimed in surprise as she looked up from her writing. "How..um how are you feeling about that?" She asked with a light frown.

"Anxious." He answered quietly. "I just found out about it yesterday, and I'm not particularly looking forward to it. Seeing everyone for the first time since I left England and the situation being what it will be I'm sure it's going to be fraught with emotion and…"

"And you're not particularly looking forward to it." Usagi repeated, and watched him nod slowly.

"Yeah, but I know I need to be there." Mamoru said with a sigh.

Usagi nodded before she finished writing. She ripped off the part with her writing and slid the paper across to him.

"Thanks." He said simply before he pocketed the slip of paper. "So how are you feeling today?"

"Not in as much pain as I thought I'd be surprisingly." She answered. "And you?"

"The same, and so far I've actually been able to ignore it with preparing for my trip." Mamoru said, and she nodded.

"You said you were leaving in a few days. Do you have everything ready for when you leave?" She asked.

"Yeah. For the most part." He answered. "I'm not taking many clothes, and I might take a few textbooks depending on what my teachers tell me when I get around to telling them that I'll be missing a few days of classes."

"How long will you be gone?" Usagi asked quietly with a light frown, the realization that he was leaving the country starting to sink in.

"I plan to stay over there for three days. The day before the service, the day of the service, and the day afterward." He informed her.

"Ah, that way you take time to visit with your friends over there and the people you see as family." She reasoned as she toyed with her pen.

"That was my thinking." He agreed.

"I'm going to miss you." She said a little sadly. She was honest enough with herself to know that she didn't want him to go.

"Well we still have today and tomorrow to spend time together as usual. I plan on leaving after our time together tomorrow." He said. "But don't forget you can call me."

"Yeah!" Usagi agreed, perking up as she was reminded of that fact. But I'll have to be careful how much I call. I don't want to interrupt the memorial service or his time with the people he hasn't seen since he moved here. She thought.

"Alright. Let's get started on your English before we move on to homework and then to relaxing and having fun." Mamoru said.

"Yes." She said cheerfully.

With that she pulled out her materials and they got started. He helped her with her worksheet when she got stuck, and spoke a lot of English throughout and explained when she didn't understand a word or a phrase. And he also praised her when she understood most of what he said, and again when she managed to answer or reply in English.

After that they moved on with the rest of their homework, and ordered food and drinks so they could snack and take their time as well as take breaks when they felt like it. Once they finished they went ahead and continued what they had planned to do, which was to head down to the arcade and play some of the games until they decided to head home.

~xXx~

The next day, May first, arrived and Mamoru started his day and went about it as he always did. He dressed in his uniform, ate breakfast, and headed to school.

He spoke to each of his sensei's about missing the next few days of class and if he would be missing anything important and what he could or should do in the intervening time. He was given some assignments that could be handed in when he returned for some of his non-magical classes, and told that he should read the next few chapters for all of his classes.

With that knowledge in mind he decided to just bring his whole school bag with him, and as soon as he got home he brought out his travel bag and set it on his bed. He wanted to attach his Portkey to it, but knew since this was travel day it would activate as soon as he touched it, so he refrained.

Instead he left his school bag next to his travel bag and changed out of his uniform and into something casual. He made sure he had his wallet and keys and pulled on his jacket before he grabbed his school bag and left to head to the cafe and wait for Usagi.

She arrived almost twenty minutes earlier than she usually did and was out of breath. He held in a smile as he realized she must have rushed to meet him because this was the day he was leaving.

Mamoru greeted her with a wide smile, silently acknowledging the feelings that made her rush to him as she clearly had, and talked about how their day had been so far as they began to pull out the materials they would need.

The tutoring session went as usual and then the homework afterward did as well. When they finished as much as they wanted to that day they packed up and left the cafe.

As they walked Usagi asked if he had everything ready for when he left, and Mamoru said he did. He had his bag packed with some clothes, his cellphone, and his passport. He actually had all of his passports, but she didn't need to know that.

"That's good." Usagi said. She didn't want him to forget anything. "I wanted to take you to a music store, but I decided to hold off on that until you returned. That way hopefully you'll be in a better mood for it."

"I understand. That was a good idea." Mamoru said as he nodded.

"Instead I decided to go to the places you enjoyed before. The ice cream parlor and the bookstore with all the manga and comics." She said. "I figured it was something that was easy going and would hopefully put you in a good mood for your travel."

"Thanks for that." He said with a smile. "Maybe we should hit a regular bookstore as well. We might find something good."

"Okay. I'm sure we'll have time to go to all those places." She replied as she soaked in his presence, knowing that she would be without him for a few days.

Although, I can't wait to hear what he sounds like on the phone. She thought as she peeked over at him as they walked.

The friendly pair stopped at the ice cream parlor first and got small cups of their preferred flavor of ice cream with tiny plastic spoons instead of a cone to avoid a dripping mess, and finished just minutes before they reached the manga/comic bookstore.

Once inside they began to browse the different types of books available, showing each other ones they found amusing or outrageous, and in the process learning about each other's taste in manga.

When they eventually left the store Mamoru had a bag with five volumes of two different action/adventure manga having read the first volume and half of the second before deciding to start collecting both series.

One was about ninjas that used blades and pointy weapons along with powers that reminded him of magic, and the other was about a seriously skilled red eyed samurai that seemed to be in the body of another guy.

Usagi meanwhile had decided on getting the first four volumes of a cute vampire romance manga.

The vampire girl was different than other vampires. Instead of drinking blood she produced blood and had to bite others to expel it. She also lived an ordinary teenage girl life; going outside during the day, sleeping like a normal human, and even attending high school.

As they made their way to a regular bookstore they talked about other things they could do when he returned from his trip abroad. One of the things Usagi brought up that caught Mamoru's attention was going to the movies.

They spoke of what type of movies they liked or thought they would like in Mamoru's case. Usagi was all for romance, maybe action, and possibly some sci-fi. Mamoru thought he would try any kind except war movies or movies with any kind of group battle. That was just too close to what he had experienced for him to watch it for entertainment any time in the near future.

This talk led into TV movies, which in turn led to talk of TV shows. Mamoru admitted that while he watched TV he didn't have any regular shows he followed for new episodes every week.

Once they reached the bookstore they paused only steps inside, unsure where to go since neither of them had been to a regular, and in Mamoru's case non-magical, bookstore before.

They started walking, looking at the signs for each section between aisles, and stopped when they reached the young adult section.

Mamoru still considered himself a young adult at eighteen, even though he had been through numerous dangerous situations and matured faster than a non-magical male by way of having to be responsible with learning to use magic, but decided if the summaries to any of the books didn't sound interesting or were too immature for him he would move on to other sections in the store.

Some of the books sounded interesting, but when he scanned through the first chapter he found the language and flow of the writing too immature for him.

He also put back any book that had a summary that included the main character and plot taking place at a boarding school. He had enjoyed Hogwarts for the most part, had even thought of it as home, but he was uninterested in being reminded of his own time at a boarding school at this particular time.

He came across a few books that were about vampires, mostly vampire/human romance but the way they described the vampires was nothing like the real thing, and the last thing he wanted was to read about romance, so he left those on the shelf.

After a while they began to show each other the books they had been looking at, and Mamoru was amused to see Usagi take an interest in one of the vampire/human romance books he had vetoed for himself, but then again he found himself interested in a book that had humans that could shape-shift into dragons. Either that or they were dragons that could shift into humans to blend into society.

He highly doubted the description of their appearance would match reality, but he was curious enough to see how the story would go. Even with the chance of running into some romance.

After exploring the young adult section as much as they wanted they moved on to the other sections in the store. Usagi headed for the romance section while Mamoru decided to pass over the horror section, stay away entirely from the history section that dealt with war, and browse through the science fiction section.

He decided fairly quickly that sci-fi wasn't to his taste and moved on to the mystery section. Browsing there he found another book that looked interesting after reading the summary and two chapters.

After looking through the section thoughtfully an idea came to Mamoru and he backtracked to the history section and looked at the books, doing his best to avoid the ones that were specifically about wars, to see if there was any that could add to what he was learning from his textbook on non-magical Japanese history.

Usagi eventually moved on from the romance section and wandered through the mythology section. She wondered and vaguely hoped there might be something there that could help her in her role as a senshi.

Maybe I can look at pictures of different creatures and then maybe I won't be so scared of the youma I have to face. She thought as she tilted her head to better read the titles on the spines of the books.

A while later Mamoru found Usagi and they showed each other the books they had found while they were parted, and continued to look through the mythology section before drifting around to other sections of the store.

After over an hour Usagi and Mamoru left the store with the bags of books talking about the ones they had chosen. Usagi had even chosen one book that was in English in the hopes that soon she would know enough to be able to read it properly and practice reading more of the language.

As they walked she was doing her best to keep their conversation going because she knew once they parted she wouldn't see him for a few days. She didn't like that at all, having seen him every day except for some weekends and the occasional day where he couldn't make it to the tutoring session, and it was made worse to know that he would be out of the country.

He would be so far away and she knew he would be sad with the event he was there for. Maybe even angry, and there was nothing she would be able to do since she wouldn't be there. All she could do was hope that his friends over there would help him, and try to lift his spirits as best they could.

After almost half an hour of walking, not that they had really noticed, they eventually reached one of the areas they came to when it was time for them to part ways for their homes.

"This is it." Mamoru said, and listened to Usagi sigh.

"Yeah." Usagi said as she looked around. "I'll miss you." She said quietly as she looked back to him.

"I'll miss you too." He replied as he returned her gaze.

He readily admitted it. He was also honest enough with himself in this moment to know that she was truly the reason he got his cellphone. Just so she could call him and talk to him since he was used to speaking to her practically every day.

"Don't forget you have my number, so you can call me anytime." He reminded her.

"I won't forget." She assured him as she nodded. "Make sure you double check to make sure you have everything. I don't want you to arrive in England only to realize you forgot something."

"I'll be sure to double check." Mamoru assured her with a light smile at her caring words.

Usagi nodded and hesitated briefly before she quickly stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him in a hug. She had never hugged him before, not wanting to make him uncomfortable, but she risked it now since she wouldn't be seeing him for a while.

She sighed quietly and enjoyed the feeling when he hugged her back.

I hope he doesn't forget me while he's over there. She thought quietly, knowing it was a little selfish.

Mamoru for his part took this time to take note of how he was feeling, something Healer Yuuhi had taught him; to consider his emotions and feelings instead of just feeling them in the moment and waiting to do anything about them until they became too great to be ignored and came out in a rush or explosion.

He was enjoying the feeling of having Usagi close and in his arms. Looking down at the top of her head he was reminded of how short she was compared to him. He liked that, her shortness in comparison to him, and he liked the way she fit against him.

I also like the feel of her hair or at least I think so. He thought, having felt one of the golden streams slide against the back of his hand as he wrapped his arms around her.

He held in a contented sigh, not wanting to encourage any hopes at this time, before he squeezed her and then loosened his arms. She obviously got the hint because she tightened her arms before she loosened her own arms. They released each other and she took a few steps back and looked at him as if she was trying to memorize his face.

"I'll be back Usagi." Mamoru reassured her softly, and watched her blush and look away.

"Then make sure you have a safe trip." Usagi said as she gathered her courage and looked back to her friend/crush.

"I will." He said. Assuming the Ministry Portkey works the way it's supposed to. He thought slightly wary, remembering that two people had to power it.

"You be safe getting home okay." He added. That reminded him that he was still worried about what would happen if she had to fight a youma while he was gone. Would he sense her need? Would he be able to come back if he did?

"I will." Usagi said as she nodded, not wanting him to worry.

"Alright. Then I'll see you when I get back." Mamoru said as he took a step back, preparing himself to walk away.

"I'll be waiting." She said softly yet daringly as she took a step back as well.

"Then I won't keep you waiting." He replied before he had even thought about his reply, and instantly had to fight back a blush.

Why did I say that?! He asked himself as he watched her blush and smile widely. The last thing he wanted was to raise her hopes in him wanting a relationship right now; especially since he was about to head back to England where he was positive the majority of his thoughts would be about Ginny.

"Bye!" Usagi said cheerfully before she turned and nearly skipped away, happy at the sign of his affection even if it was just words.

Words that said he would see me as soon as he could once he returned. She thought happily. Although, it will likely be when I get out of school, which means I need to go to the cafe even when he's not here so I don't miss him when he does return.

Usagi nodded to herself, decision made, and continued on her way home.

Mamoru sighed and turned around himself after a few long moments of watching her and began to walk away. He shook his head and pushed thoughts of Usagi from his mind for the moment and focused on finding an area where he could Apparate.

Once he did he willed himself home and disappeared from the spot he stood in and appeared next to the door inside his apartment. He instantly spotted Helios on his stand next to the balcony.

"Hey Helios." He greeted as he walked over to his golden familiar and stroked his warm feathers. "Almost time for us to leave." He said giving a few more strokes before he headed to his room to double check his bag and finish packing.

He placed his shopping bags on his bed and put his school bag on it as well before turning his attention to his travel bag. He saw that his clothes and cellphone were inside, and he pulled out the phone and took the time to put in Usagi's number before he put it back.

He took his school bag and shrunk it down before he added it to his travel bag and closed it. His passports were inside the pouch around his neck where they were safe and yet always with him. He didn't think he would actually need them, but he would have them in case he did.

Mamoru then took the time to take his newly purchased books and place them in the bookcase in his study. He didn't plan on taking any of them with him since his textbooks would keep him busy when he wasn't busy doing something else. Beyond that the library in Potter Manor would provide for him if he wanted something else to read.

After that he looked around, seeing the time, and saw that he still had a couple of hours to go before he needed to leave to arrive when he wanted to. So he decided to take a short nap so he would be refreshed when he arrived in England.

He walked back into his bedroom and placed his travel bag on the floor next to his nightstand and placed his keys and wallet on his nightstand away from his Ministry Portkey. He then took off his shoes, set his alarm, and made himself comfortable as he stretched out on his bed and closed his eyes.

A while later Mamoru's eyes snapped open to the sound of his alarm going off and he groaned before he turned it off and flopped back on his bed. He rubbed his eyes and stretched before he sat up and sighed as he flicked on the light with a wandless gesture.

"Hey." He said quietly as he spotted Helios on his stand, obviously having come in while he was asleep. "I just need to put my shoes on and get everything together and we can leave."

Helios hooted softly in reply and he sat on the side of his bed and put his shoes on. He grabbed his wallet and put it in his pocket as he made his way into the bathroom attached to his room.

He took care of business, brushed his teeth, and made sure he looked presentable before he flicked off the light and grabbed his travel bag. He lifted the long strap over his head and slung the blue and black bag across his body. He already had his jacket on, having slept in it, so now he only needed Helios and the Portkey.

"I'm going to hold you okay." Mamoru said as he walked around the bed and toward his familiar. "I didn't make this Portkey so I expect a rough landing; like when I was practicing making Portkeys."

Helios hooted quietly and he got the sense his familiar remembered his many rough landings; his multiple stumbles and falls. With that he gently wrapped his arms around him and gestured with his hand, the light going out without a sound, as he walked around his bed toward his nightstand.

"Brace yourself Helios." He said, truly worried since he didn't want his familiar hurt, and grabbed the round button badge.

Instantly he felt a hook and a pulling sensation in his stomach behind his navel and the room blurred around him.

~xXx~

A few long moments passed where he, and Helios in his arm, seemed to sway from side to side almost as if he was weaving around people or obstacles before his feet slammed into the floor.

Mamoru stumbled severely and dropped the Portkey but managed to hold tight to Helios and keep his feet under him as he blinked in the brightness around him.

"Welcome to Potter Manor." He said to Helios as he looked around the foyer and helped his familiar relocate to his shoulder. "This is home here in England."

He took a deep breath and let it out slowly before he waved his hand at the now useless button badge and vanished it then walked out of the foyer, and began to make his way through the house and to the master bedroom.

"This is my bedroom." He said as they reached the large room.

He pulled his wand from his holster and checked the time and found it was only a few minutes after twelve in the afternoon. That was exactly when he wanted to arrive, so by his own schedule he was on time.

He moved across the room until he was in the space that sat between the large window and the large four poster canopy bed and studied the area. The floor was light brown wood, which was very similar to the floors in his apartment back in Tokyo, so he decided on making the same kind of stand for Helios.

Just as before Mamoru mixed some transfiguration and conjuration along with his imagination, and watched as a small tree grew up out of the floor to the height of his chest. As expected the color matched the wood floor, and it had a few small leafless branches that were the right thickness and length to be perched on.

Helios immediately leapt off his shoulder and landed on the new stand and made himself comfortable.

Mamoru nodded and turned and walked over to the window, and opened it so his familiar could come and go as he pleased. Then moved over to his bed and took off his travel bag, dropped it on his bed, and opened it.

He pulled out his phone first and went into the settings like he had been shown and changed them so it showed the date and time of the country he was in. With that done he put it in his pants pocket and pulled out his school bag next.

He resized it and placed it on his bed then started taking out what clothes he brought, and hung them up in his closet with the clothes he hadn't seen in months.

Once he finished he placed his travel bag on the floor in the closet and then walked into the bathroom. He pulled off his Mokeskin pouch and resized it before he opened it, and reached in and pulled out the glasses he hadn't touched since he left the country.

He quickly went about shrinking the pouch back down and slipped it safely back over his head and hid it beneath his shirt. Then with a sigh he waved his hand over his eyes as he looked in the mirror, and watched them become the vibrant green of his adopted mom.

Slipping the glasses on his face he waved his hand over his head and watched his hair become the wildness of his adopted dad.

And now the Harry Potter everyone thinks they know is visually present. He thought as he gazed at the old yet familiar appearance. Remember that you are Harry Potter here, and need to refer to yourself as that. He told himself. But don't forget the rest of who you are.

With that reminder ringing through his mind he left the bathroom, grabbed his school bag, and told Helios he would be back later before he left his bedroom. He made his way down through the house, stopping at the library to leave his school bag, and once he was in the foyer he paused and decided the first thing he needed to do was see Kingsley to get it out of the way.

He closed his eyes and breathed deeply and let it out slowly as he prepared for what was to come. He didn't expect to be rushed by people who recognized him, but he was aware that his arrival would be noted and word would spread.

Harry opened his eyes and focused on the Apparition point inside the Ministry of Magic and willed himself there. He disappeared soundlessly from the bright foyer and appeared just as silently inside a building with bright artificial magical lights.

He blinked and wasted no time moving to the side and heading down a familiar hallway. He kept his eyes straight and made no eye contact with anyone, ignoring and yet noting the gasps and whispers as he passed by.

Within a few short minutes he reached the front office of the Minister for Magic and approached the secretary's desk. It was the same man that had been there the last time he had come to see the Minister, which was unfortunate but he pushed the feeling aside as useless.

"Does the Minister have any free time today?" Harry asked quietly, hoping he was free right then since he didn't want to have to come back later.

He also didn't want to deal with having to make an appointment since he knew it would take longer than he would be in the country.

"No; you'll have to make an appointment." The man said without looking up from the papers he appeared to be reading.

"How about I leave my name and the Minister can get back to me when he has some time." Harry suggested calmly.

The secretary sighed heavily and looked up, his expression annoyed, but gasped as his eyes widened at seeing the famous young man before him.

"Oh! Please, one moment please!" The man said as he scrambled out of his seat and stepped toward the elaborate door off to the side of his desk. He knocked sharply and opened the door a few moments later before he spoke quietly to the occupant inside.

"The Minister will see you now." He said as he waved him forward.

"Thank you." Harry said as he stepped forward and through the doorway into the office.

"Harry! You made it." Kingsley Shacklebolt said with a smile as he stood up from his seat behind his desk as the door closed. "It's good to see you." He added as he shook the young man's hand.

To Kingsley's eyes Harry looked much better than he did the last time he had seen him. He looked well fed, taller, and didn't have a dark cloud around him.

"It's good to see you too." Harry said with a small smile as he released the man's hand and sat in one of the chairs in front of the desk.

"Did you get my letter?" Kingsley asked as he resumed his seat.

"I did." Harry confirmed. "Thanks for letting me know about the ceremony. I had no idea about it." He added.

"No problem." Kingsley said. "It was months in the planning. I would have informed you sooner, but I thought you would be back before now."

"I'm sure others thought I would be as well." Harry replied, figuring that was why he hadn't heard about it from Neville or any of the Weasley's he kept in contact with.

"Well I'm glad you made it in time." The older man said. "Now, please tell me you'll be speaking at the ceremony?"

"No." Harry said immediately, he sure as hell hadn't come back to be making any grand speeches.

"Oh come now Harry. People expect it, and they'll appreciate it." Kingsley said, a note of pleading in his tone.

Harry didn't like the thought of that at all, because he didn't believe it one bit. It had been long months since he'd had anything to do with England and the reporters here, but he had in no way forgotten what they were like and what the majority of the people who read their work were like.

They were fickle; that's what they were.

He recalled vividly being looked at in awe and celebrated as The Boy Who Lived when he reentered the magical world, then being thought of and hated as the Heir of Slytherin, and then being hated and yet adored for supposedly putting his name in the Goblet of Fire.

Beyond that he had been thought of as an attention seeking nutter for claiming that Voldemort was back, and then he was the Chosen One once it was proven that he was telling the truth and that Voldemort had really been back.

Then there was the aftermath of the war. Harry had done his level best to avoid them and thinking about them, to the point that he had somehow been able to push them to the periphery of his vision and his mind, especially with everything else he had going on, but that didn't mean he hadn't been very aware of the reporters.

Every time he had entered Diagon Alley they seemed to be waiting for him; like they had been tipped off that he was coming. They had even found out he had been living at Grimmauld Place, which was yet another reason why he had put up those protections and then later been happy about moving into his family manor.

He'd never been so thankful to know how to Apparate instead of having to walk out the front door. He had even been paranoid about using the Floo since he knew the Ministry logged every use of every registered fireplace, which meant someone at the Ministry could tip off the reporters about where he was going and be there as soon as he tumbled out of the fireplace.

"No." Harry told the Minister bluntly, coming out of his thoughts. "I don't believe they'll appreciate it, and I don't really care if they do. Not to mention I'd have no idea what to say."

"You can speak from your heart." Kingsley replied, apparently ignoring the rest of what he had said or choosing not to comment on it.

"There is nothing in my heart people want to hear." Harry said calmly, holding back his irritation. "Thinking about the ceremony and the reason behind it doesn't inspire anything positive in me."

"Beyond that I'm finally starting to feel better and move pass the events I experienced during the war, and speaking would only bring that negativity back to the surface. Even being at the ceremony is likely to do that." He continued.

"I am not going to speak." Harry said firmly. "As far as I am concerned people should be happy with my presence alone; that I am there at all."

"I did my duty and got rid of Voldemort. I am done. I don't owe anyone anything. I am not the public's celebrity. They named me The Boy Who Lived for some unfathomable reason, since it was likely something my parents did to ensure I survived, but that doesn't mean I have to cater to their whims and wants." He explained seriously.

"I am here to observe the remembrance, because it's the right and respectable thing to do. I participated in the war, knew others who did so, and lost a lot of people during it and that deserves to be acknowledged." He finished just as seriously.

Kingsley sighed heavily, finally realizing that he was not going to be able to change the young man's mind.

"I suppose there is absolutely nothing I can do to change your mind?" He said as he looked to the young man.

"Nothing." Harry said firmly.

"Well I tried." Kingsley said, and watched the young man nod in acknowledgment.

"Well since that's settled I'm going to head out." Harry said as he began to stand. "I still have others to visit, and let know I'm back."

"I understand. Thanks for coming and letting me know you were back." Kingsley said.

"No problem. I'll see you at the ceremony." Harry said before he shook the man's hand.

"Until then." Kingsley said.

Harry nodded and turned and left the office and moved through the front office of the Minister of Magic, and was instantly angry to see not only people that looked like they worked in the building but reporters from the Daily Prophet there immediately calling out his name, asking questions, and following him as he walked.

He definitely hadn't missed that and wished he could Apparate from right there instead of having to go to the Apparition point. Since wishing never did anything he instead ignored them and continued on his way until he reached the Apparition point and willed himself home.

He arrived in the foyer in an instant and paused to think about what he wanted to do next now that all the commotion that had been around him was no longer an issue.

I'll go see George since Bill and Fleur shouldn't be home from work yet, and since Mr. Weasley shouldn't be home yet either I'll wait to head to the Burrow since I don't particularly want to see Mrs. Weasley while she's alone. He thought as he ran a hand through his hair.

In that moment Harry was glad he wouldn't have to worry about running into Hermione since school was still going. He'd likely see her at the remembrance ceremony, but doubted she would be stupid enough to make a scene either before or after it.

And while I'm at Diagon Alley I'll stop at Gringotts and convert some more of my gold to non-magical money, and get a cashier's check like I did last time, and deposit it into my non-magical bank account. He thought with a nod.

That way he would have some more money since he had used a lot of it getting his apartment and other things, and he could transfer half of it into his Kurama's bank account once he was back in Japan.

Harry took a breath and let it out slowly as he focused his mind before he Apparated to the Apparition point in Diagon Alley. He walked down the Alley and straight to Gringotts. Once through the door he paused and looked around before he walked up to an empty bared window where a goblin sat.

"I would like to see Sharprod if he is available, and if he is not I would like to make an appointment." He said politely.

"Nam…" The goblin began as he looked up but paused abruptly, his eyes widening as his eyes landed on Harry.

The goblin stared at him for a few long moments before he spoke to another goblin that was just walking by in Gobbledegook.

"You will be shown to Sharprod's office if you will please wait a few moments Sir." The golden said as he looked back to him.

"Thank you." Harry said with an unconscious nod before he turned to the goblin that was hurrying toward him.

"My name is Rockjaw. If you will please follow me Sir." The newly arrived goblin said.

As Harry followed Rockjaw he wasn't sure what had just happened. It was strange the way the goblins were both so polite, but he assumed it was more of the whole Boy Who Lived hype, and that it was just a result of having not been seen in months.

It didn't register in his mind in that moment in time that the Goblins didn't care about the fame wizards had given him, and that their tone of voice was almost deferential.

Once seated in his account manager's office he explained what he wanted, and soon a large amount of galleons was taken from the Black family vault. It was converted into non-magical money and he was issued a cashier's check that was signed by Sharprod to give it authorization.

He also got a few galleons to use while he was in the country before he thanked Sharprod for his assistance. His account manager was, like the two goblins he had spoken to before him, polite in his assurances that he was glad to help.

Still assigning the odd behavior to his Boy Who Lived fame he put it out of his mind as he left the bank. The cashier's check was safe in his wallet where it would be safe until he could take it to Mizuho Bank and deposit it into his account.

Something I'll do before the banks close today. He thought as he walked down the Alley.

Harry briefly hesitated as Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes came into his sight. He wanted to see George, but he had just remembered that Ron worked there as well. He didn't know if that was still the case, so he decided to go anyway and just deal if his former best mate was there.

He continued walking and when he reached the front of the store he pulled open the door and stepped inside. It was just as bright, noisy, and chaotic as he remembered. He stepped in further and began to walk around, idly browsing the available products, and was happy that Ron appeared to be absent. The last thing he wanted was for this visit to start off bad with some kind of confrontation with him.

As he paused here and there he saw a few interesting items and made a mental note to return before he left the country and pick up some things for Motoki. He felt his friend would enjoy whatever he picked out.

After a few long minutes of looking around he made his way to the front counter, and saw a young woman there that he didn't recognize. Every time he had been in the store Verity had been standing there, and he wondered if she had the day off.

"Hello. Is Mr. Weasley available?" Harry asked as he reached the counter, and watched the woman look up and gasp.

"I..um..let me check. One moment please?" The woman stuttered as she stared at him.

"Of course." He replied kindly, and watched her scramble over to the hallway he knew led to George's office and the stairs to the upstairs apartment.

He turned around and drifted over to a shelf and gazed at the products, some of which were making sounds, while ignoring the people who recognized him. They glanced surreptitiously, some whispered, some stared, and some pointed. It was irritating, but he acknowledged that there was nothing he could do about it so it was best to ignore it rather than let it get to him.

"Harry!" He heard a familiar masculine voice call, and he turned around to see George walking out from the hallway smiling.

"George!" Harry called back as he walked toward him. He couldn't help grinning. The tall red head looked happy and healthy, and he was glad to see him so after what he had lost in the war.

The two young men threw their arms around each other and hugged tightly. It was the first true hug they had ever shared, the others being halfhearted hugs or friendly slightly uncomfortable side hugs, and neither one of them was ashamed with the action.

"Look at you!" George said as they stepped back from each other. "You've grown taller." He said as he looked him over.

He also realized the young man before him looked healthy and content. His eyes were bright, his face a bit fuller, he was standing tall and confident, and he was even smiling.

"Really?!" Harry said as he looked down at himself as if he could see his own height.

"Yes really! Couldn't you tell when we hugged? You nearly reach my height when before you barely came to my shoulder." George exclaimed with a laugh.

"Well, now that you mention it I can see it." Harry said as he rolled his eyes. "It's just a shock. I'm used to being short and skinny." He added, and was reminded of his height compared to Usagi.

"Well you're not short anymore, but you're still a bit skinny. Then again so am I." George said humorously. "Come on. Let's go in the back and talk." He added.

Harry nodded and followed George to and through the hallway the red head had come from.

"Is Verity off today?" He asked curiously as he glanced back the way they came even though he couldn't see the woman that was in her place from there.

"No. I fired her, because she was leaving work early to go drinking and partying. Happened after the new year." George said as they reached his office.

"Oh! Well that was unexpected." Harry said in surprise.

"I wondered if you would make it back soon." George said as they made themselves comfortable inside the office once the door was closed.

"Yeah. I got a letter from Kingsley a few days ago letting me know about the ceremony, and I managed to get a Portkey back today." Harry said.

"So how are you?" George asked. "Letters are all well and good, but actually seeing and speaking to you is so much better."

"I'm fine just like I've said in my letters." Harry answered. "I'm sleeping when I should, I'm awake when I should be, I'm eating well, and I'm still experiencing new things."

"And you're still in Japan or have you moved on?" The read head asked.

"Still in Japan; Tokyo to be exact." Harry said. "I've been enjoying the quiet of not being recognized whenever I go to the magical market over there. Or if I am then no one reacts to my presence."

"I was reminded of the difference today. I went to see Kingsley to let him know I got his letter and was back, and when I left his office there was a swarm of people waiting in the hallway pointing at me, calling out, and asking questions. They followed me all the way to the Apparation point." He explained with a sigh.

"Ah they were excited to have who they see as their celebrity back in sight." George said as he shook his head.

"They need to get a new celebrity to try and stalk; one who is a true celebrity." Harry said as he rolled his eyes. "So anyway, is there anything new going on around here?" He asked.

"Um..yeah you just missed Katie. She went on her lunch break a little while before you arrived." George said.

"Katie works here now?" Harry said in surprise.

"Yeah. I asked her to be the manager of this location since she wasn't happy about the job she had been in." George answered.

"This location?" Harry repeated with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah." George said, and then grinned. "I'm expanding Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes with a location in Hogsmead. I already have the location secure and set up. Right now I'm just working on stocking up on enough supplies and products to stock the shelves and restock when necessary."

"That's an excellent idea." Harry said as he imagined there being a Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes in the wizarding village.

"Do you want to see it?" George said excitedly.

"Yeah." Harry replied as he nodded.

From there the two left the office and the store altogether and Apparated to Hogsmead village. They walked down the main road and stopped at a building with white frosted windows and no sign.

"The villagers have seen me and can probably guess what I'm doing, but I don't want to put up the sign until I'm ready to open." George explained as he unlocked and opened the door.

"That makes sense." Harry said as they stepped inside.

As he closed the door behind him he looked around the shop curiously. The walls were bright with color and the numerous shelves as well. The store as a whole wasn't as large as the Diagon Alley location, but it was still a nice size and would hold a lot of products without being cluttered.

"It looks good. I'm sure it will do well." Harry said as he walked around. "In fact, I think it will be really good to have more than one location. If one store doesn't have what a person is looking for than the other might or if a person doesn't want to deal with the back to school or holiday crowd they can come to the Hogsmead location."

"I'm glad you approve partner." George said with a grin, not letting him forget he was a silent partner in the business. "And you do make a good point about the benefits of two locations. That was part of my thinking as well."

"I've been considering expanding the business outside of Britain. I had the idea around Christmas, but I haven't decided yet." He added.

"I can't wait to find out when you do decide." Harry said, wondering when and how he would go about it.

"Right now I'm focusing on getting this location up and running." George said. "I'll get back to thinking about it after that, and let you know my thoughts."

"I look forward to it." Harry said as he nodded.

From there the two talked about various different products, what was new since he had last been the country, and how the business was doing and how the Hogsmead location was likely to do.

When they exhausted that topic they moved on to who Harry was going to see next. He planned to see Bill and Fleur next and after them Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Everyone else he'd likely see at the ceremony and they could be surprised and could catch up with him afterward.

After a little while more of chatting Harry and George parted so George could get back to work and Harry could settle in and take care of a few things that needed to be done.

Harry Apparated back home to Potter Manor and went to check his dress robes, the same robes he wore to Ginny and Fred's funeral, to see if they would still fit him. They were still brand new as far as he was concerned, but he had clearly grown in his time abroad.

He stripped off his clothes and slipped into the dark robes, and instantly saw that they needed some alterations. They fit around his shoulders and chest since they had previously been loose enough to allow for his shoulders to broaden, but he could clearly see his wrists and ankles.

He shook his head as he pulled off the robes and began to redress in his casual clothes. He still found it hard to believe that he had grown taller. He had always been short and had gotten used to the fact that that wouldn't change since he had remained shorter than every guy he knew.

Once he finished dressing he quickly made himself look like Mamoru. He put his glasses away, concealed what remained of the scar on his forehead, and magically altered the color of his clothes for good measure.

After all, he had walked around enough that people had recognized him, and he wouldn't be surprised if reporters were hanging around the Alley.

Harry once again made his way to the foyer and Apparated to Diagon Alley with his black dress robes, and made his way to Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions.

As he walked into the shop he was glad that he didn't look like the Harry Potter everyone recognized since there were quite a lot of people there. Pushing that thought aside he walked up to the front counter and explained what he needed.

He was directed to a back room where he changed into the dress robes in a little curtained room, and then came out and stood in front of a mirror while a seamstress went about adjusting and altering the clothing.

Once she finished and the robes looked presentable on him he changed back into his clothes and went and paid for the work at the front counter. He then shrunk the robes down and left the shop and made his way to Flourish and Blotts.

He wanted to see if they had a more recent book on the magical history of Great Britain; knowing he didn't learn much at Hogwarts with Binns as a teacher, and didn't take the N.E.W.T. for it.

He probably had some of the books at the manor, but even if he did it didn't matter because he intended to bring the books he bought back with him to Tokyo so the ones in the manor would remain safe.

After browsing through the history section he got a couple of books and bought them before leaving to make his way to a non-magical bookstore.

On his way he stopped quickly at his non-magical bank to deposit his check, and then continued on to a non-magical bookstore to look for books on history since he was aware he hardly knew anything about the history of the country he grew up in. Beyond that he didn't want to wait until after the ceremony, so he didn't forget about it.

He found a couple history books that looked informative and yet interesting enough to hold his attention, and then he browsed the rest of the store to see if he could find anything casual to read. It wasn't too long before he found himself getting the complete collection of Jane Austen books and the complete set of Shakespeare's works. Couldn't go wrong with the classics.

The books altogether were heavy and he was very glad he could shrink them down and simply put them into his pocket.

After making his purchase he left the store and found a subtle place to Apparate, and willed himself back to the foyer of the manor. He stayed only long enough to return his appearance to the Harry Potter everyone expected to see, and Apparated to an out of the way spot in Godric's Hollow and made his way toward the graveyard.

Harry glanced at the cottage where his Potter life had started as he walked by it, and reminded himself that he would eventually have to do something about it. It was essentially his childhood home, the house on Privet Drive was just an unfortunate place he had been forced to live, and he figured the place deserved respect and care.

But not today, and likely not during this visit to the country. He decided as he approached the open gate that led into the graveyard.

He moved quietly and respectfully through the graves until he stood in front of the two that marked his adopted parents.

"Hi mom, dad." Harry said quietly as he knelt down, reading their grave markers. "I know you know exactly how I've been doing since we last talked, but I still wanted to come here to visit you."

He knew that he could easily talk to them as he had before with the Resurrection Stone, but he didn't want to abuse the ability. It wasn't right to use it, to interrupt their peace, just to have a casual conversation. He only intended to use the Stone when he absolutely needed to have an important talk with a deceased individual.

"I've enjoyed learning about Japan, and I'm definitely happy about the way I'm treated there, which is just like anybody else. Although I imagine I would be happy with any place that didn't treat me like the majority of people treat me here." He said with a huff.

People here treated him like a celebrity. One that had no choice in becoming one, hadn't even done anything to earn the status. Unless they wanted to count defeating Voldemort, but he didn't do that alone and really, what choice did he have but to fight when the maniac wouldn't leave him alone?

"I've been happy in my new apartment; happy and safe. Do you guys like it, and what I've done with it? I hope so. It was obviously my first time having my own place and decorating it. I know I should probably do something with the walls, add some artwork and pictures, but I'm working up to that." He explained with a shrug.

"My education is going well, and I'm really enjoying my time at Mahoutokoro. It's definitely a different experience than my time at Hogwarts," He said as he shook his head lightly. "but I'm learning a lot of things."

"Going to school and getting the tutoring I'm getting is ensuring that I learn the things I should have learned at Hogwarts, and in a non-magical school; plus what I would have learned had I grown up and went to school in Japan." He added.

"As you know I've made a couple of friends. Motoki has been great; both as a tutor and a friend. Now that I'm thinking about it he reminds me of Neville. Willing to help a friend in need, fine with hanging out in a simple less exciting manner, but very able to go on with his life without wanting or needing to know what I'm doing and not doing." He explained.

"I wonder how he would do in a fight." He said thoughtfully, and realized in that moment that it had never occurred to him to wonder about it or try to find out.

I suppose it's because I was trying to move away from fighting and duels and have some peace. Of course that didn't stop me from keeping up my own skills. He thought as he pictured his spell practice room. Maybe I'll duel him some day. It could be a fun thing we do some day when we're hanging out.

"Then there's Usagi." He said in a whisper; the last thing he wanted was for someone to overhear him saying her name, and somehow it ending up in the Daily Prophet in a made up story.

"She's been a good friend. I've experienced so many things I likely already would have if the Dursley's had been normal accepting people. I'm sure like me you know she has feelings for me, but she's not pushing them on me and is continuing to just be my friend even knowing I can't return her feelings right now." He explained, and then pushed thoughts of her aside.

"As you know I'm back because there's going to be a ceremony to remember the war ending and the last battle at Hogwarts." He said. "Kingsley wanted me to speak, but I made it clear I was uninterested. I'm here because I thought it was right to make an appearance considering the part I played, and to remember what happened and everyone I lost."

The names of everyone he lost flashed through his mind, but his thoughts lingered on Ginny. He still felt like he wouldn't have come back if he knew she would die. He knew she said she was glad he had come back and that he was needed, but he still wasn't seeing why he was needed.

As soon as that thought crossed his mind he immediately thought of his role as Tuxedo Kamen and helping Usagi in her role as Sailor Moon.

Could that be it? Could that be why I'm needed? He wondered. And there's also the dreams about the mysterious princess. She apparently needs me.

"I also came back to visit with everyone so they could see that I'm doing fine; not having seen me in months." He continued, and sighed heavily. "I'm not looking forward to seeing Ron and Hermione. Last time I saw Ron he was still focusing his anger at me, and accusing me of being emotionless and not caring about Ginny."

"The last time I heard from Hermione was that Howler she sent me with her accusations and assumptions. I'm still unhappy about that. I definitely didn't deserve that, and I definitely don't deserve Ron's anger." He said.

"I don't plan on seeing either of them until the ceremony, so I guess I'll see how they react to me after that and go from there." He said. "Hopefully it goes well and we can get back to being friendly. It would be nice to be comfortable writing them, and maybe have them come to visit me."

Although, Harry honestly couldn't see Ron leaving the country just to come see him. Then again he had gone with Hermione to go get her parents from Australia, so who knows how he would react. Then again it would still be a different experience, because unlike Australia they didn't speak English in Japan. At least not as a country wide language.

"Well, that's all for now. I'm sure you'll be watching to see what happens next, but I still might come see you before I leave to give you a summary anyway." Harry said as he stood up.

"You two take care, and say hi to Ginny for me; even though I'm sure she's watching too. Bye." He said before he turned and began to walk away.

Hmm…I need to figure out what happened to my birth parents so I can visit them as well. He reminded himself as he walked.

Harry made his way back to the area where he had arrived and Apparated back home, and once he arrived in the foyer he began to make his way to the library; deciding to get started on the homework he brought with him to pass the time until he could visit with Bill and Fleur.

~xXx~

Harry checked the time after he finished his homework for each subject, and a couple of hours had passed so he figured Bill and Fleur should be home from work. He decided if they weren't he would just go to the Burrow and visit with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and visit with Ginny while he was there.

He left the library, leaving his books and papers where they were, and made his way down to the foyer before he focused and willed himself to his destination.

Harry appeared silently outside Shell Cottage and paused as he looked around. The wards were the same as they had been the last time he was there, nothing had been added or removed, which he thought was a good thing.

There were a few decorations that had been added near the door, but beyond that nothing looked different. Just nice open spacious grass around the cottage. Peaceful.

As he walked toward the door he wondered if he should take the time to add a boundary fence around his home and property while he was in the country since he still needed to do so.

Because it is my home here in England. He thought idly as he glanced at the smoke coming out of the chimney.

Potter Manor was a place he had lived in and called home, even thought of as home, before he had left the country, but he hadn't actually felt like it was his home. And that was likely because to him it was a new place to live after having lived at Privet Drive, Hogwarts, the Burrow, and Grimmauld Place.

However, now it felt like home to him even though he hadn't lived there since he traveled to Japan, and that was because he felt different. He was getting better at accepting himself and acknowledging who he was.

As much as he didn't particularly like the fact, he was Harry Potter, and that included all that came with it. The unreasonable fame, the expectations, and the excessive attention. He was learning to think only of the good that came with his name; his parents, his magic, and his wealth.

Accepting those facts made him feel like he was welcome in the manor, and that he had the right to be there; a right to keep it secure and protected.

By the time Harry had reached the door he had decided against the brief idea since it would likely take more time than he would be in the country.

And that would be something I would want to take my time doing, so it can be done right. He thought as he knocked on the door.

A few long moments passed before he heard the knob turn, and watched the door open to reveal Fleur's surprised face.

"Harry!" Her accent coming out thicker with her surprise.

"Fleur!" Harry said with a happy smile at seeing the French Weasley. She looked exactly the same way she did the last time he saw her.

"Ah! Come in, come in." She said as she waved him in.

He stepped in and moved further in when he saw Bill walk through the doorway across the room and stop in surprise.

"Harry!" Bill said in surprise. "I thought I heard your name, but I didn't realize you were here."

"Hey Bill." Harry said as he grinned lightly at him.

"Look at you!" The tall red head said as he walked up to him and placed his hands on his shoulders. "Look how tall you've gotten. You're nearly as tall as me!"

"Yes, and you look so much better than the last time we saw you." Fleur said as she approached them. "Healthier and happier."

The trio moved into the living room area and sat down, Harry in a comfortable side chair and the couple on the couch.

"When did you get here?" Bill said. "We didn't know if you would be coming or not."

"Yeah I didn't know to come until I got a letter from Kingsley about the ceremony a few days ago." Harry said. "I got everything settled so I could be away without problems and then took a Portkey here. I arrived a few hours ago. I've only seen Kingsley and George."

"I can't see George hanging around the Ministry." Bill said with a raised eyebrow.

"He wasn't. After I left the Ministry I made a stop at Gringotts, and since I was in the Alley I decided to see if George was at the shop." Harry said. "He was, so I got to catch up with him and look around to see what was new and what was the same."

"And you went to see Kingsley to let him know you got his letter." Fleur surmised.

"Yeah, which was a good thing since he, and apparently the majority of the magical community, expected me to give a speech at the ceremony." Harry said as he shook his head.

"I quickly disabused him of that, and let him know in not so many words that I wasn't attending the ceremony to perform for the masses. I have nothing to say that anyone wants to hear. I'm just going to be there, and remember those we lost." He said with a sigh, and watched the couple nod.

"I'm not surprised about what Kingsley said. There have been questions in the newspaper for weeks now. Questions about where you were, when you would be back, and what you would do." Bill said.

"And reporters asking us and anyone who they think knows you personally those same questions." Fleur added, and watched him grimace.

"I hate that they did that. That type of behavior is wrong for a serious newspaper." Harry said as he shook his head. "Anyway, I still have to see Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, and hopefully pay a visit to Ginny while I'm over there." He said, and then frowned.

"Is Ron still living at the Burrow?" He asked.

"Yes he was still living there the last time I was there about two weeks ago." Bill said, and shook his head as he thought of his little brother.

Ron was simply not doing well. He didn't think someone who didn't know him would be able to tell, but by now everyone who knew him and had seen him recently knew he wasn't doing well. He was drinking way more than he should, he still became angry whenever Harry's name was mentioned, and he was suspicious that his anger was now spreading to others.

Harry watched Bill shake his head. He was clearly thinking of something to do with Ron, but he was not about to ask. He didn't want to know.

"I want to visit with them, but I don't plan on seeing Ron until the ceremony. The last thing I want is to be interrupted when I'm visiting with Ginny." He said with a sigh.

Before anything else could be said a ringing tone began to sound and echo throughout the room. Harry blinked in surprise before he shifted and reached into his pants pocket and pulled out his cellphone.

"Do you guys mind if I take this?" He asked as he stood up.

Bill and Fleur nodded even though they were confused about what that blue thing was.

"Moshi moshi." He said after he pressed the screen to answer and brought it up to his ear as he stepped toward the kitchen.

"Moshi moshi, Usagidesu." He heard the soft quiet voice of his friend.

"Nē, anata." Harry said as he pulled out a chair and sat at the table.

He was surprised at how soon Usagi had called him. He hadn't even been sure she actually would, but then he reminded himself that for her it had been some hours since she had assumed he left.

He was also grateful that the exact time difference didn't seem to have occurred to her, because then she would have known that if he was flying he wouldn't have arrived yet.

~xXx~

Usagi sat curled up at the end of the couch in her living room wearing a warm pink two piece button up pajama set that had red accent lining. It was dark since she hadn't bothered to turn on any lights, not wanting to alert anyone since it was the middle of the night, but she didn't mind that.

The phone was pressed to her ear and she closed her eyes at the sound of Mamoru's voice. She hadn't realized how good he would sound on the phone. His voice was deep and warm; soothing and somehow reassuring.

"Hey yourself." She said as she opened her eyes and glanced toward the window.

"What's up?" Mamoru said.

"I just wanted to see if you were alright, and to make sure you're holding up okay." Usagi explained.

"Ah, I'm okay so far. The ceremony isn't until tomorrow for me." He said. "I'll have my phone off during the whole ceremony, so if you aren't sure when to call if you happen to call during the ceremony you won't interrupt, and that will be the way for you to know that it's happening."

"Then I'll definitely call again to check on you." She said with a smile, happy that he would be willing to speak to her when he would likely not be feeling very good.

This is going well so far. She thought.

At first Usagi had been hesitant to call. First she had been unsure about the time difference, not wanting to call in the middle of the night while he was sleeping, and then because she didn't want to disturb him while he was likely mourning his girlfriend with her family.

But despite her hesitation she had still been worried about him, and wanted, needed, to make sure he was doing well.

She had been growing closer to him, and learning more about him. Mamoru wasn't one to talk about himself much, and when he did he didn't go into great detail, so she had found other ways to learn about him until he felt comfortable enough with her to do so.

She became more observant with him. She watched his facial expressions, his body language, and listened closely to what he said. She was also beginning to listen to what he didn't say as well.

She had learned that Mamoru had so much depth to him, and that was without her knowing everything about him. She couldn't imagine how she would think and feel when she knew more of him.

Usagi was once again reminded of how much better she was for knowing him. She was becoming more observant in general, she was learning more in terms of her education, and she was learning more in terms of the world outside her little bubble since she had learned about his travel to Japan and what it had taken to get here.

She was also maturing. She knew she was. She couldn't feel it, but sometimes she could see it in the faces of people she talked to, her parents, her brother, her best friend, and even Luna, and sometimes she realized it when she was thinking or talking about something.

And it was all thanks to knowing Mamoru.

She liked it, liked who she was becoming, and looked forward to seeing how she turned out.

"So what have you done so far since you've been back?" Usagi asked curiously.

She listened as he talked about settling into the house he had lived in before coming to Japan, and making sure the formal clothes he would wear to the ceremony fit; which turned out to be a good thing since they hadn't fit. He had apparently grown taller and broader in the shoulders and chest since he had last worn them.

After that he had visited with one of Ginny's brothers while he was at work. He owned the store so they had just gone and talked in his office to catch up.

From there he had got started on the homework he had brought with him to help pass the time while he waited for another of Ginny's brothers and his wife to get home from work, and now he was at their house catching up with them.

~xXx~

"Ō! Anata wa ima karera no ie ni imasu? Dōshite son'nani hayaku iwanakatta no?!" Usagi said.

"Anata ni oitsuku koto o ki ni shinakattakaradesu." Harry replied.

"Anata wa totemo yasashīdesu. Arigatōgozaimasu." She said, and he looked down at the table, a little embarrassed. "Soredemo, watashi wa anata ni karera no tokoro ni modora seru tsumoridesu, soshite watashi wa tonikaku nemuru hitsuyō ga arimasu."

"Un, asa okiru no ni kurō shite hoshikunai." He said.

"Watashi no mezamashi ga umaku ikudeshou." She said.

"Wakatta, jā. Atode hanashimashou. Oyasuminasai." He said.

"Arigatō. Baibai." Usagi said.

"Baibai." He said before he pulled the phone away and pressed the screen to end the call.

Harry got up and replaced the chair at the table, and walked back into the living room toward the side chair he had been sitting in.

"Sorry about that." He said as he slipped his phone back in his pocket and sat down. "That was my friend checking to see how I was doing. They're non-magical so I told them it was the one year anniversary of my girlfriend and her brother's death, and that there would be a memorial service."

Bill and Fleur exchanged a look and shrugged.

"Well, that's true enough for a muggle." Bill said.

"What was that you were using?" Fleur asked curiously.

"Is it one of those portable telephones?" Bill asked.

"Yup." Harry said as he pulled it back out to show them the phone. "It's just like a telephone that would be inside a non-magical household, but with the ability to be able to use it while away from home."

"How is it working here?" Bill asked as he held the small telephone. "I thought electronics couldn't work around magic."

"Ah well, over in Japan electronics work around magic, because a group of witches and wizards had cast a charm over the country ages ago. I had the same charm cast on my phone before I left the country, so it would work while I was here." Harry explained.

"Dad would love that." Bill said as he passed the phone to his wife.

"I like the color." Fleur said as she looked at the shiny deep blue of it. "Did they have other colors?"

"Yes. All kinds of colors." He answered. "I almost got a green one instead."

Of course he had decided against it, because while he was doing better, much better, he feared a relapse. The last thing he wanted was to look at the green of his phone, and have a flashback of Voldemort trying to kill him.

"You know I can check and see if mom and dad are alone at the Burrow." Bill said as he watched his wife hand the phone back to Harry. "If they are we can go over, and if Ron's there then they can come over here or if they expect him back soon."

"Sure. That sounds good to me." Harry said, nodding as he stuffed his phone back in his pocket.

Bill got up and made his way to the fireplace, and Harry idly followed his progress with his eyes, hoping that he came back with good news.

"Alors, comment va votre français?" Fleur asked into the silence.

"Vous me le dites." Harry replied with a grin as he looked her way.

He had been writing her occasionally in French to help him practice writing the language and to help gauge his progress with someone that wasn't his sensei. According to Fleur he had been doing well, but this would be the first time he spoke the language to someone other than his sensei, his fellow students, and Helios.

"Ça sonne bien jusqu'à présent, votre accent aussi." She replied.

"Merci. C'est agréable de savoir que toutes mes études et ma pratique portent leurs fruits." He said.

"Était-ce le japonais que vous parliez plus tôt?" She asked as she gestured toward the kitchen.

"Oui. Cela a certainement été utile depuis que je suis au Japon." He answered, and before he had to decide to tell when exactly he had learned the language Bill came back.

"Mom and dad are home, and they don't expect Ron home anytime soon." Bill said as he returned to the living room.

What he didn't say was that his parents were becoming use to Ron arriving back at all hours of the night and early morning.

"I didn't tell them that you were here; just that we would come over in a few minutes." He added.

"Then let's go surprise them." Harry said as he stood up.

The three of them walked out of the room and over to the fireplace. They each grabbed a pinch of floo powder and took turns tossing it in and stepping into the fireplace.

Bill went first, then Fleur, and Harry went last; waiting a few moments after she left to make it seem like they were alone in their travel.

"The Burrow." He said and squinted his eyes as the green fire flashed, and fireplaces began to speed pass his vision.

Within moments he arrived at the Burrow and quickly stepped out, and was pleased when he didn't fall or stumble.

"Harry!" He heard the familiar voice of the Weasley matriarch, and he blinked and smiled before stepping toward the shocked older woman.

"Hi." Harry said with an easy smile, and laughed when she gave an excited little girl squeal and rushed toward him.

The next thing he knew he was enveloped in a snug Weasley hug, which he had no problem returning.

"Welcome back Harry." He heard as he was finally released and looked over to see Mr. Weasley waiting his turn.

"Thanks." Harry said as he hugged the Weasley patriarch.

"This is certainly a surprise." Arthur said as he released his surrogate son. "How long have you been back?" He asked they all moved to sit at the dining table.

"Just a few hours." Harry said. "I saw Kingsley just a few minutes after I arrived to let him know I was back, and after that I visited George since I made a stop in Diagon Alley."

"What did you need to see the Minister for?" Molly asked.

"He had written me to tell me about the ceremony, so I figured I would see him to let him know I got his letter." He explained. "Of course that turned out to be a good thing since I learned he had expected me to make a speech at the ceremony."

"Judging by your words I take it you won't be making that speech." Arthur said.

"Absolutely not." He answered instantly. "I told him right away that I was uninterested, I had nothing to say, and I wasn't going to force myself to perform for the masses."

"Oh my." Molly said as she covered her mouth with a hand.

"That's how I feel. Remembering what happened is going to be hard enough, and I don't have the will or the patience to play celebrity for people who only see me as The Boy Who Lived instead of the individual I am." Harry said firmly.

"Anyway, after I saw George I finished settling in and kept myself busy until I was sure Bill and Fleur had gotten home from work." He said as he looked at the older couple. "I surprised them with my visit, and now here I am surprising you."

"Well, we're happy you finally came back." Molly said. "We were beginning to wonder when we would see you again. It's good to see you with my own eyes."

"Yes. We're glad to see that you are looking so well." Arthur added.

"Thanks." Harry said with a small smile. "Everyone has said I'm looking well and healthy, and apparently tall. I didn't really notice it myself until I came back and began hearing it."

There was no need to tell how he had discovered it for himself when his dress robes didn't fit. He also suspected that the clothes he had in his closet didn't fit either, so it was good he had a brought a few changes with him.

"Will you be staying for dinner? All of you?" Molly asked.

Harry didn't mind staying; especially since he had been assured that Ron was not likely to show up until he was long gone and hopefully asleep in his bed.

"Yeah. I have nothing planned, and I've missed your cooking Mrs. Weasley." He said, and watched her blush.

"Oh Harry, when are you going to start calling me Molly?" She asked.

"You might as well start calling me Arthur. It's been long overdue after all." Arthur said.

"Alright, but it's going to take some getting used to." Harry said before he stood up. "I'm going to go visit Ginny. When I come back I'll tell you about my new phone and how it can work around magic Arthur."

"Phone? Like the telephones muggles use?" Arthur said in excited surprise.

"Yup. Bill and Fleur can tell you some while you wait." He said before he made his way to the door.

He had no idea how he would react, and was glad he wouldn't be witnessed. Hopefully it would be just as easy as it had been to visit his parents. Although, considering he hadn't experienced their deaths he doubted his hope would be granted.

~HPxXxMC~

Meanwhile, back in Japan, Usagi's alarm went off, sounding throughout her bedroom. She groaned and cracked her eyes open and turned it off before she flopped back down and closed her eyes.

She had managed to get a few hours of sleep after she got off the phone with Mamoru, and she actually believed she had managed to sleep better after speaking to him.

As far as she was concerned that was a good thing because she had no intention of being late for school just because he was out of the country.

So I should get up and make good on that resolution. She told herself as she opened her eyes and sat up.

"Good morning Luna." She said softly as she looked at the black feline sitting up at the end of her bed.

"Good morning." Luna replied before she stretched.

Usagi pushed her covers away with a sigh and got up. She grabbed her uniform and some clean underwear and made her way out of her room and to the bathroom for a shower.

She took a quick shower, making sure not to get her hair wet, and dressed before going back to her room to put her pajamas away. She pulled on a pair of socks and sat at her vanity table, and began to brush her hair and put it up in the familiar bun style.

She took a few extra moments to brush out her streams of hair before she left her room and headed downstairs and to the kitchen.

"Good morning mom, dad." She said as she saw her parents at the table.

"Good morning Usagi." Her mother replied with a warm smile.

"Good morning. Did you sleep well?" Her father asked.

"I did." Usagi said as she went to get some of the breakfast her mother had made.

She thought about going back up to her room after she got off the phone with Mamoru, and carefully settling in her bed since Luna had been asleep at the end. She had made sure the feline was asleep before she left since she likely would have followed her and been right there on the couch listening to everything.

She sighed lightly as she was reminded that she needed to call him again, but she didn't know when she should call. He had said that his phone would be off during the service, but she also didn't want to chance calling him while he was asleep. Would his phone be off then too or would she wake him up?

I wish I had asked him about that. She thought as she poured herself a cup of orange juice. Maybe I can call him a bit earlier than I did last night. Like maybe after I eat dinner or a little bit before that. I kind of wish I knew the exact time difference I'm dealing with; I just know there is one.

"Has Shingo made an appearance yet?" Usagi asked as she sat at the table.

"No, but I expect him any minute." Her mother said.

Usagi nodded and focused on eating her breakfast so she could leave on time like she planned. As she ate she considered the route she would take to school, and wondered if she could catch the bus. If she made it to the stop on time she could take it and get to school even quicker.

A few minutes later her little brother came into the room fully dressed and clearly ready to eat. He greeted everyone and was soon eating with the rest of them.

A short time after that Usagi finished eating and headed back up to her bedroom. She put on her shoes, made sure she had her brooch on her uniform top, and grabbed her school bag. She had made sure it was prepared and ready last night after she finished the last of her homework.

"Bye Luna. I'll see you later." She said as she stepped toward the door.

"Goodbye." Luna called.

Usagi skipped down the stairs and made her way into the kitchen where she grabbed the lunch her mother had made her at some point that morning and bid everyone a goodbye.

She left the house, not bothering with a sweater or jacket, and began to head toward her school. Thankfully she had arrived at the bus stop in time to catch the bus she needed and made it to school quicker than she thought she would.

As the hours passed Usagi struggled to pay attention in class since her mind kept drifting to Mamoru and what he could be doing at that very moment. She knew that if he was here then like her he would be in school, but over in England she had no idea.

I don't even know what time it is over there. She thought with a light sigh. Maybe he's visiting with his friends or maybe he's asleep or maybe at this moment he's at the service and thinking of his lost girlfriend.

Well, if he is then that's only right. It's why he went over there after all. She told herself. I just need to focus and pay attention to what's in front of me. She told herself sternly.

Unfortunately she wasn't completely successful since Naru noticed her melancholy and asked about it. She fully admitted that she missed Mamoru, and when her friend said wouldn't she see him after school she told her about him having gone back to England for a memorial service for his lost girlfriend.

Her friend was surprised and asked when he left, and she explained that he had left the day before and would be gone for three days.

Once school ended Usagi left with Naru but they parted ways once they reached the area where the arcade and cafe were. Naru went in the direction of her mother's jewelry shop and Usagi continued on to the cafe.

Mamoru obviously wouldn't be there, but she wanted to keep with her routine. She would work on her English homework and study a bit more before moving on to the set of her homework.

When she arrived at the cafe Usagi ordered a drink and some fries and once she had them she made her way back to the booth she sat in when she was here with Mamoru. She settled in and took a sip of her drink before she got started on her English homework.

Time passed slowly as she worked her way through each subject she had homework for, more slowly than when she was with Mamoru and wanted to take him to some new place he hadn't been to, but she was able to concentrate for the most part and got nearly all of her homework done.

After almost two hours it started to get too loud for her to concentrate anymore, so she packed up her things and left the cafe to head home.

I know I said I wasn't going to call Mamoru until after I eat, but I wonder if when I get home would be too soon. Usagi wondered as she walked. Then again if I'm not careful where I make that call I could have to deal with some questions from my parents.

She supposed she wouldn't know if she would be comfortable answering until she heard the question. Still, she hoped to avoid that situation. She didn't want to have to deal with any questions when it came to Mamoru until there was something worth questioning.

I hope there will be something soon, but I don't expect it considering what he's doing right now. She thought. I'll just continue to be patient and be his friend and show him how I feel with my actions. She thought with a nod.

Usagi remembered doing just that when she hugged him. Feeling him hug her back was very nice, which showed he didn't mind her actions. Then there was what she said, and his reply that let her know he still felt something for her more than friendship.

"I'll be waiting."…."Then I won't keep you waiting."

I just can't wait for him to get back. She thought with a sigh as she turned a corner.

"Usagi! Usagi!" An urgent feminine voice called her name, and she looked around until she saw Luna peeking out from a side alleyway up ahead of her.

Usagi hurried toward her and slipped into the alley only to discover it was narrow and stretched to the other side of the block she had just walked along.

"What's going on?" She asked quietly as she squatted down, making sure her knees were together and she balanced on the toes of her feet.

"I think I've found youma activity." Luna said seriously.

"Really? Where?" Usagi asked, already hoping that if she had to fight it wouldn't be too hard. "Wait! Should I transform now or wait to see the situation?" She asked.

"Transforming now would allow you to travel unhindered, and be prepared to act as soon as you see the situation." Luna advised.

"Alright." Usagi said as she nodded, and then she stood up and grasped her brooch. "Moon Prism Power, Make Up!"

Instantly the golden brooch began to sparkle and glow, and she closed her eyes as pink light began to spread and surround her. She felt herself lift off the ground and begin to transform body part by body part.

When it finished she opened her eyes and saw that she was in the familiar bodysuit, long gloves, tall boots, and accessories that made up her sailor outfit.

With her school bag safe in what Luna had called her 'subspace pocket' she looked to the black feline for what to do next.

"Follow me!" Luna said before she turned and began to run down the alleyway.

Usagi followed, dashing after her, and when they came out onto the sidewalk they swerved around and dodged people as they ran along the sidewalk. Then dashed across the street and continued on.

Sidewalk after sidewalk, corner after corner, they ran until Usagi wondered how in the world Luna had found the place to even know there might be something wrong going on there.

After nearly ten straight minutes of fast running Luna slowed to a stop in front of a large building. Usagi looked up and read the name, Shan Shan Plaza Auditorium, before she pulled open one of the doors.

They stepped inside and found the area empty. There were no costumers, employees, or a security guard. She found that telling since every location that had a youma attack so far was empty of people walking around and going about their business. Likely because the youma had already stolen their energy.

They walked further in and moved toward a hallway and followed it until they came across another hallway that ran horizontally, and had two double door entrances toward the far left and right.

Usagi was immediately reminded of a movie theater where the larger rooms with the bigger screens had two paths leading inside to accommodate more people entering and exiting.

Together Usagi and Luna walked toward the entrance to the right and found the doors wide open. They cautiously stepped inside and stopped after a few steps to see a theater with rows and rows of seats, stairways leading up to more seating next to where they had stopped, and strangely a disco ball hanging from the ceiling over the seating.

A large stage was at the front of the rows of seats in front of them, and while the seats were empty aside from one the stage was full of people. They were all in pairs and some were moving around doing strange performances, and others were collapsed on the floor and some on top of each other.

Usagi stared at the strange scene of people performing for an audience of one; seemingly uncaring or unaware of the people collapsed around them. As one performing pair collapsed she frowned as it just showed more proof of youma activity.

So where is the youma? She wondered even as her eyes drifted to the single person sitting in one of the front center rows. But how can I know for sure? I can't just attack without warning when I don't know if that person is actually a youma, and I can't just walk down there and announce myself. Even I know that would be foolish.

"Any ideas on how to figure out if the person in the seats down there is the youma Luna?" She asked quietly, and listened to her hum thoughtfully.

"Perhaps you can sneak off to the far side to get a look at their face, and see if there's anything obviously different or strange." Luna suggested just as quietly.

Usagi considered Luna's suggestion as she looked around, and already didn't think it would work. She could see herself sneaking easily enough, until she got to the point where she could see the persons face. At the point they would also be able to see her, and be able to attack her if they turned out to be a youma. She would likely be easy to hit with only the sides of a few folded up seats to hide behind.

And what if they aren't the youma, but their surprise at seeing me alerts the youma, and I'm attacked from another location entirely? She thought with a worried frown.

"I..don't think that would go very well." She said quietly yet hesitantly.

Before either of them could say anything more they heard a deep masculine voice sound from behind them.

~xXx~

Harry sat in his study finishing up a letter he was writing to Neville about a particular herb that was used in a potion that was gaining notice among the Healer profession. He signed his name at the bottom and sat back with a sigh as he put his quill down and idly gazed around the room.

He took in the bookcases lined with books, the fireplace with a fire crackling merrily, artwork decorating the walls, and of course his desk. Decorating the top of his desk were pictures.

One of him with the Weasley family, a recent one of him with Ron and Hermione, another with him and Neville with birthday cakes in front of them, and another of him with Ginny.

That one was his favorite because it was of the two of them on their wedding day.

We were so happy that day. Still are. He thought as he touched the wedding ring she had picked out for him.

They had been married and living at Potter Manor for a year now, and were now about to start their family. He couldn't have been more happy.

Harry smiled and decided to go find his wife and see what she was up to.

He folded and sealed his letter and addressed the outside to Neville before he took it and left the room. He found Helios and sent him off with the letter before he went in search of his wife.

A few minutes passed before he found her in a sitting room on the first floor lying on a couch next to the fireplace. She looked so comfortable and, as his eyes drifted along her form stopping at her stomach at the visible evidence of their growing baby, so very beautiful.

He stepped further into the room with a smile, and watched her look toward him with a smile. They were both happy, and as far as he was concerned all was well in his world.

As he stepped toward her, intending to join her on the couch, her expression suddenly flickered. It strangely looked like it was shifting shape, even her eye color flickered between brown and blue, and between emotions like a set of cards before it settled on sadness.

He paused in his steps, not understanding the change, but before he could ask she spoke.

"It's not real Harry." Ginny said as sadly as she looked. "This is not real. None of it is."

"I don't understand." He said with a frown.

"This isn't real." She repeated sadly yet insistently.

Before Harry could say anything else she suddenly disappeared. Immediately he began to panic as his eyes flickered all over the room as if she might have simply Apparated to a different spot.

"Ginny?" He called, but before he could do anything else everything around him began  to dissolve .

"What the hell?!" He cried out as he blinked.

Suddenly he was gasping and sitting up as if startled. He blinked rapidly as he looked around  find ing himself in an empty white room that couldn't have been more different than the cozy sitting room he had just been in.

He stood up from the simple bed he had been lying in and stepped toward a wall. The walls looked normal but as he rested a hand on the one in front of him it felt soft. The same was true of the floor as well since he was barefoot, and as he looked down he noticed that he was dressed in all white.

"Ginny?" Harry called even though it was clear she wasn't in the room with him.

"Ginny where are you?" He asked as if she could hear him wherever she was.

"Where am I?" He asked as he looked up at the white ceiling.

He moved over to the door, or at least what he assumed was a door since there was no handle but it had the rectangular outline, and began to bang on it. Unfortunately it was just as soft as the walls and floor, so he didn't think anyone would hear him.

"Why am I here?" He yelled in frustration. "Where am I?!" He continued as he pounded on the soft door.

"Ginny? Please! Where are you?" He called anxiously as his fists beat at the door, but then stopped as he heard voices on the other side.

How he was hearing them through the soft padding he seemed to be surrounded by he didn't know, but they seemed to be talking about him so he quieted so he could understand what they were saying.

"It's a shame what happened to him." A male voice said.

"Who?" Another male voice asked.

"Harry Potter." The first voice said.

"Ah yeah." The second voice agreed. "No one would have suspected that could happen to The Boy Who Lived let alone a war hero."

"It just goes to show what can happen when you can't handle losing the one you love." The first voice replied.

As soon as their words registered in Harry's mind it was like a fog was lifted from his mind. He understood the horrific reality he was now living in. His Ginny had not survived the war. She had died and her loss must have made him snap. He snapped, and they locked him away.

"No." He whispered in horror.

"No!" He cried out as he dropped to his knees and closed his eyes.

"No, no, no! I don't want to be here!" He said as he punched the soft door.

"No!" He yelled as he began to descend into panicked anguish.

Harry raised his fist, ready to pound on the door again, when a peaceful calm washed away the panicked anguish.

He opened his eyes and found the white room was gone, and in its place was familiar smooth silver-white shiny marble tiles that made up the ground, misty fog surrounded his kneeling figure, and white was above him in place of a sky.

He blinked as he realized he had been dreaming, and what he had seen and experienced before hadn't been real.

Harry climbed to his feet and instinctively began to follow the marble path as he had done every time he found himself in this setting. Soon tall elegant silver-white marble pillars became visible as they lined the path on both sides of him.

The path stretched out before him but that didn't stop him from continuing onward. On and on he walked, step after step after step, for minutes maybe hours before he eventually came upon a wall as the path turned left.

He followed it without pausing and continued on, his eyes not straying from the path as they had the last time he had been here. Soon he spotted a large elegant white balcony, and his steps quickened along the path until he slowed to a stop when he was nearly standing underneath it.

Harry looked up as he waited, his eyes flickering along the length of the balcony, and within moments heard the sound of footsteps echoing down to his ears. A familiar figure soon appeared and walked until they reached the railing and leaned over slightly to look down at him.

The figure was a woman in silhouette, as she had appeared every time he had seen her, wearing a beautiful white silver-tinted dress with long moonlight colored hair that matched her dress.

Squinting his eyes he could see the tips of her fingers peeking over the edge of the railing, and the bangs of her moonlight colored hair covering her forehead.

Unfortunately just like the previous times he had seen her he was unable to see her face. Not her eyes, her nose, her mouth, or even her eyebrows. It was frustrating, but that didn't stop him from waiting to hear her voice.

"Please, you must find the silver crystal." Her soothing melodious voice pleaded.

"Why? Why me?" He asked with a confused frown yet feeling like he should already know the answer. "And who are you?"

"You will know when you find the silver crystal." She replied. "It is the answer to everything. Please, you must find it."

"How do I find it? How will I know when I have found it?" Harry asked.

"You will know it when you see it." She said confidently.

"But how do I find it?" He asked again. "Do I have to search the entire planet?"

He watched intently as she leaned further over the railing as if she wanted to emphasize her next words by her body language alone.

Harry's eyes snapped open, a piercing ache rippling through his head, and his heart racing. He hissed and squinted at the pain and the bright light just starting to bathe his bedroom.

Usagi! Have to get to her. He thought as he quickly pushed his covers away and began to climb out of his bed; pushing aside for the moment the fact that he didn't get to get an answer to his question from the mystery princess.

This answered the questions he had before he had come back to England. He could still sense Usagi's need for him despite being in a different country and, considering his current actions, he was still going to try and get to her. He could not leave her to fight alone; especially since he had been there for her every time she had faced a youma.

As he stood he didn't bother trying to get dressed. Instead he focused his mind around the pain and concentrated on what he wanted.

I need to become the masked man Tuxedo Kamen, so I can try to get to Usagi and help her. He thought as he visualized the black tuxedo and white mask of the masquerade-like outfit he had worn every time he went to Usagi's aid.

Instantly warm red gold-tinted light surrounded and enveloped him, and when it cleared he looked down to see that he was dressed in the black tuxedo, white gloves, black and red cape, and felt the black top hat on his head.

Harry nodded to himself. Being transformed already had the benefit of not having to worry about witnesses seeing how he arrived and wondering how he did it. They would just think it was part of his abilities.

Now how to get there. He thought, and dropped his eyes to the emergency Portkey he had made. No. That's for emergencies. I can just make one right now to bring me there, and use the Elder Wand to make sure it has the needed power to make the trip. He decided as he raised his hand to begin the wandless action.

He was about to conjure a rose to turn it into the Portkey, it being an easy and quick object, when he realized he couldn't get to the Elder Wand while transformed as he was.

"Shit!" He cursed before he willed the tuxedo away as quickly as he could.

Again red gold-tinted light enveloped him and when it cleared he was barefoot and back in his sleeping clothes. He quickly pulled off his Mokeskin pouch and enlarged it before he dug into it and pulled out the powerful wand.

He used the wand to conjure a red rose, placed it on his bed, and then took a few precious moments to focus on his destination before he touched the tip of the wand to the flower.

"Portus." He said quietly, focusing on the destination he had in mind while making it touch activated, and watched the flower glow a bright blue before fading after a few seconds.

With that done he put the wand away and secured his pouch back around his neck before he once again willed himself into his masked persona. For a third time in as many minutes red gold-tinted light surrounded him, and when it cleared he stood as Tuxedo Kamen.

Harry was about to grab the rose when he heard a hoot from behind him, and he turned to see Helios looking at him curiously.

"Usagi needs me Helios." He said instantly. "We'll see if I can make it to her since you know I've never made a Portkey that would travel so far. Hopefully using the Elder Wand to create it will guarantee it will work."

Helios hooted again and he had the sense that his familiar understood, so he turned back to the flower and grabbed it.

From one moment to the next he found himself standing on the roof a building not far from his apartment in Tokyo in the fading light of the day. Just like during his practice making Portkeys with the Elder Wand the ride was smooth and instant.

Shaking his head he vanished the rose and took off running in the direction he sensed Usagi in; idly realizing that even back in England he had been able to tell which direction she was in regardless of the distance.

He raced over rooftops, leapt and jumped from one rooftop to the next, and eventually made his way to the ground when he noticed some buildings were getting too high to jump to and the rest around them were a similar height.

Sprinting along sidewalks as he was he had no trouble swerving around and dodging people while ignoring the surprised and shocked gasps at seeing him. He also heard curious exclamations, but he ignored those as well. No one recognized him dressed as he was, so he didn't need to worry about the attention he was drawing with his movements.

Eventually he reached a building and, ignoring the name of it, opened the door; sensing that Usagi was there. He hurried inside and immediately noted that there was no one about, which was more proof aside from Usagi's presence that there was a youma present.

He reached a hallway and walked quickly yet silently, the move unconscious in the quiet stillness surrounding him, as he followed the internal pull toward Usagi. He reached a juncture and didn't hesitate to turn to his right.

Within moments he heard Usagi's voice and that of the strange cat that he had seen with her. They were speaking softly, but he had good hearing; something that had likely been honed by his then manufactured bad eye sight, listening for hissing voices through stone walls, and the sound of Apparation when your life depended on not being caught off guard.

He slowed as he reached an open doorway and peeked through it as he paused in his steps. He spotted Usagi, transformed into Sailor Moon standing calmly, and the black cat near her feet while they both looked forward at something he couldn't see.

At least the fighting hasn't started yet. He thought as he continued forward, happy he had been able to reach her soon enough despite having been asleep and traveling from another country.

"Sailor Moon." He said quietly when he was close enough for her to hear him without him having to speak louder.

Sailor Moon jumped in surprise but managed to stay silent besides a startled gasp, and twisted to see Tuxedo Kamen standing nearly right behind her.

"You scared me!" She breathed out in a whisper as she put a hand on her chest.

"I'm sorry." Tuxedo Kamen said quietly. "I thought it would attract attention to say anything while further away."

"True." She said, and then shrugged, getting over it.

"So, what's going on here?" He asked, ignoring the strange cat that he was still glad wasn't an Animagus.

"That person sitting down there may be a youma." Sailor Moon said as she pointed toward the seating near the stage. "It really likely is, but I didn't want to try attacking without being sure."

"Ah, I see the problem." He said quietly.

And he truly did. He wouldn't want to attack without knowing if that was a regular person or one of those creatures. If it was a regular person that wouldn't be a good look for either of them; especially if it somehow got out into the news stream that they were attacking regular people.

We wouldn't even be able to make it look like they were under the control of a youma since we would be attacking this person while they were just sitting there minding their own business. He thought with a slight frown.

We have to find a way to figure out for sure if that person is the youma, and without being vulnerable to attack, but how? Maybe there's a magical way. If only I could think of it. He thought as he stared at the seated person, and then an idea came to him.

"I'll be right back. I'm going to go check." He said as he idly stepped around the cat that was still there. "Stay out of sight, and keep aware of your surroundings." He added before he began to walk to his left.

Immediately to the side of where they were standing there was a stairway leading up to the upper seating in the theater, but he ignored it and continued forward as he gestured with his hand. Instantly a red rose appeared.

He didn't need it for what he was about to do, but he had no doubt that both Usagi and that cat were watching so he couldn't let them see him using magic. He could also do it wandlessly without the rose, but he didn't want to deal with the possibility of a question from Usagi on how he did it.

Cave inimicum. He thought as he waved the flower uselessly around his head to cover his use of wandless magic. This way both Usagi and that cat would think the rose was the cause.

He was going to use the Disillusionment Charm, but he decided instead to use the Protective Charm since it would give him full invisibility instead of just making him blend into his surroundings. This way he didn't have to worry about shifting the wrong way and being spotted.

Tuxedo Kamen knew it worked because he could see the very faint blue outline of a dome around him. Thankfully for anyone looking his way they would see absolutely nothing; not the dome, and not him. They wouldn't even be able to hear him.

He walked confidently along the aisles until he was standing in front of the row the person was sitting in and at an angle that gave him a clear view of their face.

It was a young woman and she was leaning with her chin on her hand with her elbow on the arm rest, and her other hand was touching what looked like a tiny black microphone attached to her dress.

She had long brown her and long straight bangs that covered her forehead and wide dark green eyes. She wore a red bow around her hair that sat on top of her head, a matching red choker around her neck, and was wearing a short orange dress with a green sash around her waist.

To his eyes she looked like a regular young woman who might have been bored judging by her posture, except for the dark smirk covering her face. He recognized the expression from the faces of unmasked death eaters who thought they were going to kill him.

Yeah, she's a youma. He thought before he began to backtrack the way he came. He cancelled the charm as he reached the end of the aisle, and turned into the aisle that led back to where he had left Usagi.

Sailor Moon watched Tuxedo Kamen walk away and held back a gasp as he twirled a rose over his head and disappeared before her eyes. Her eyes widened and she glanced around but she couldn't see him.

"Where did he go?" Luna asked quietly.

Sailor Moon glanced down at her but didn't say anything as she looked back to the empty space where Tuxedo Kamen had been and then looked to the person she suspected to be a youma.

Obviously she didn't know where he had gone. Although, she could guess that he was going to check to see if the person was a youma or not. He had just somehow made himself invisible to do it.

Another benefit to his roses or at least another ability. She thought as she looked around to make sure no one new had appeared. Definitely better than my tiara. She thought as she looked back to the person sitting in front of the stage.

A few long moments passed before she saw Tuxedo Kamen appear at the end of the aisle from her. He looked over to the seated person before he walked quickly back toward where she stood.

"It's a youma disguised as a young woman." Tuxedo Kamen said as he reached Usagi. "She still looks completely normal, human, but the expression on her face says it all."

"What was the expression?" Sailor Moon asked quietly as she looked toward the seated young woman.

"A dark smirk that bordered on evil." He answered as he looked to the disguised youma.

"So, now what do we do?" She asked, having no reason to distrust his words, and uncertain how to go from there. Usually the youmas attacked them first not the other way around.

The last conscious pair on the stage collapsed, and the seated young woman stood up and began to laugh. It echoed throughout the mostly empty theater, becoming louder, and further proved herself to be a youma in disguise.

"We get rid of it before it can do anything else." He answered firmly, not taking his eyes off the disguised youma. "Prepare yourself Sailor Moon. Keep your eyes on the youma and your surroundings, and remember to breathe." He added as he looked to her.

Sailor Moon nodded quickly. She remembered him saying that before in order for her to calm herself and be able to think.

"I'll go this way." She said as she gestured to her left, knowing they would have better luck with the youma if they could split its attention.

"Be careful." Tuxedo Kamen said as he nodded before he moved off to his right, and down an aisle as he gestured with his hand for a rose.

The rose appeared between his fingers as he eyed the disguised youma, and he decided to use the same spell that was easily becoming his go to attack for these creatures.

He focused on gathering the right amount of magic for the spell he wanted and tightened his grip on the flower stem.

Confringo. He thought as he willed the magic of a Blasting Curse into the flower. The rose glowed a fiery orange, and he glanced to Usagi.

She was starting to make her way down the aisle opposite his and keeping low, likely in the hopes that she wouldn't be spotted right away if the disguised youma looked in that direction.

With that in mind he waited until he was closer to the youma before he threw it sharply toward its back. It struck and exploded forcefully sending the female flying forward toward the stage and slightly to the side with a surprised pained cry.

Sailor Moon watched the disguised youma fly through the air and slam into the side of the stage floor before falling to the ground. She reached up and pulled off her tiara, deciding to do it while she had the chance, and watched it begin to glow as it turned into a white disk that hovered above her fingers.

She slowed to a stop and slowly knelt down next to a row of seats at the middle of the section, and watched the youma get to her feet and spin around with a growl.

She didn't know what the female looked like before, but now her face was a greenish blue that reminded her of some glass bottles she had seen before; her skin was even shiny as if it actually was glass.

Her eyes were solid red and narrow, her ears were large and pointed, and she had fangs in her mouth. And all while still having the hair and clothes of a human woman. It was a disturbing look, but she tried not to react. Instead she breathed and focused on waiting for the right moment to attack.

She watched as Tuxedo Kamen threw another glowing rose at the youma, but the youma dodged and the rose exploded against the stage. She grimaced and caught sight of Tuxedo Kamen's grimace as well, and she knew they were both hoping damage wasn't left behind.

He threw another rose, glowing the same reddish orange as the previous two, and she took the chance to stand and throw her tiara at the youma.

The youma dodged the rose and in doing so avoided getting hit in the side and instead was sliced in the arm.

~X~

Luna watched from where she sat on the stairs to the upper level of seating in the theater as the youma cried out in pain and turned and looked toward Sailor Moon.

She hadn't seen Sailor Moon fight since the youma from the fortune telling house, and she hadn't seen Tuxedo Kamen since then either. She couldn't help worrying with those two factors. She was worried about her charge getting hurt, and she was still suspicious and wary of the masked man.

He appeared to be helping every time she had seen him, but she didn't know who he was or what he wanted. How did he know there was a youma there or that a fight would be happening? Was he a danger to Sailor Moon or the Moon Princess? She didn't know, and she didn't like that.

She nearly held her breath as the youma looked like it was about to attack her, but she watched as Tuxedo Kamen took advantage of the distraction and threw another glowing rose at it. The rose hit and blasted the youma back until it slammed into the side of the stage.

~X~

Sailor Moon reached up and grabbed her tiara as it reached her and wasted no time throwing it back at the youma hoping to end this fight before it could really get going. Unfortunately the youma saw it coming and dodged out of the way as it got to its feet.

The disguised youma stood up and glared at the both of them and screamed which seemed to trigger its transformation into its true form. The clothing it was wearing seemed to shred and burst from it, even the hair on its head disappeared, and revealed it to have only a yellow ponytail of hair protruding from the back of its head while wearing a purple strapless sleeveless dress with a high slit on the left side.

In the next moment it opened its mouth, and bluish green web-like material came streaming out first at Sailor Moon and then toward Tuxedo Kamen without any concern for the distance between it and them.

Sailor Moon's eyes widened and she hurried off to her side, which put her side stepping into a row of seats and glad that the seats folded up or escape would have been hindered and painful.

She reached up for her returning tiara, taking her eyes off the youma, and grabbed it. However, as she looked back to the youma and prepared to throw it again she found the strange bluish green web-like material streaming right for her.

Her eyes widened as she gasped in surprise, and she scrambled to move away, but it managed to catch her forearm. She gasped again as she watched the material spread along her arm, encasing her hand including her tiara, and up her arm like some kind of jelly-like liquid.

"Ah! I can't move my arm! Not even my hand!" She cried out as she stepped sideways to try and get away from the youma's attack so it couldn't spread more.

Tuxedo Kamen looked over to Usagi after he finished dodging, and gasped as he realized the youma had aimed an attack at her again while he was avoiding the attack that had been coming for him.

No. He thought in a building panic as he quickly pulled out another rose. Just as quickly he willed the magic of the Blasting Curse into it before he threw it at the youma.

Unfortunately the youma seemed to see it coming and dodged, jumping forward closer to Usagi without stopping its attack on her, causing it to explode against the wall.

As he pulled out another rose he frowned to see the web-like material had already covered her entire torso, other arm, and was beginning to move down her legs.

Again he willed the magic for the Blasting Curse into the rose, idly seeing it glow a fiery orange, and shifted his position so he wouldn't chance hitting Usagi if he missed then threw it sharply at the youma. Thankfully it hit the female in the side and blasted it sideways and away from Usagi.

He quickly sprinted toward Usagi, going down the row directly in front of her, and gestured with his hand for another rose. As soon as it appeared between his fingers he infused it with the magic of the Blasting Curse and threw it at the youma to distract it.

"Are you in any pain?" He asked her as soon as he reached her, that being the first concern in his mind since he didn't know what the attack did beyond freezing her or paralyzing her somewhat.

"I'm not. I just can't move. I can…" Sailor Moon said, but trailed off as she watched him pull a red rose out of thin air.

"Keep talking." Tuxedo Kamen said he looked at the struggling youma, and decided how exactly to use his rose.

"I can still feel my body. I can obviously move my neck and head and my feet, but I can't move my arms or my legs." She finished.

Tuxedo Kamen looked away from the youma and cautiously touched the material wrapped around Usagi. He found it hard and when he flicked it, it made a pinging sound.

"It's like glass." He said quietly before he glanced back to the youma.

He quickly pulled out one of his roses and filled it with the magic necessary for a jinx he hadn't had to use before; the Ebublio Jinx. The flower glowed blue, and he threw it hard at the youma.

As soon as it hit the magic wrapped around the youma and trapped it inside a large bubble. The female creature opened its mouth and blew out the web-like material, but was clearly surprised when it rebounded and hit it in the face.

Once he was sure the youma wasn't going anywhere he turned his attention back to Usagi. He touched the hard substance around her in various places just to be sure it was hard all over, and once he was sure he sighed and straightened.

"Don't worry. I'm going to free you." Tuxedo Kamen reassured her before he glanced behind him. "I want you to close your eyes, because if this works the way I think it will I don't want it to get into your eyes." He told her as he looked into her eyes.

"Okay." Sailor Moon said as she nodded, and then closed her eyes. She didn't hesitate at all. She trusted him.

Tuxedo Kamen nodded to see her eyes closed and pulled out a plain rose, or rather a piercing rose, intending to use it for its original purpose. He knew it would work since he would have been relying on it had he not been a wizard.

He paused suddenly and frowned as he realized in that moment, somehow, that he would have still become this masked persona even if he hadn't been a wizard. Although, he was glad that he was a wizard since being able to add magic to the roses made them more effective.

~X~

Luna, meanwhile, had stood up quickly with a panicked gasp as she saw the youma's attack hit Sailor Moon and begin to affect her. Then she was surprised and yet relieved when Tuxedo Kamen got the youma away from her and stopped the attack all at once.

Then she became worried when he began to get close to her, worried what he would do to her charge while she seemed to be trapped, but he seemed to only be trying to figure out what was around her.

In the next moment her eyes widened as she watched him seemingly easily trap the youma to the point where its own attack couldn't free it.

She figured it was probably temporary, or he couldn't attack through it, or he likely would have used it from the start. Then she wondered what he would do now that he didn't have to worry about being attacked.

As if in answer to her unasked question he produced a rose out of thin air, and her heart almost stopped since he was looking at Sailor Moon as he did it.

Luna wished she could hear what he was saying, but then watched as he leapt onto the back of the seat behind him before jumping high backward to stand in front of the stage.

Then her eyes widened as she watched him throw the rose directly at Sailor Moon. She gasped and was about to cry out, remembering the roses that blasted the youma back, but the rose didn't seem to do anything.

Moments after that realization she heard a cracking sound, and watched in surprise as the material holding Sailor Moon shattered; freeing her completely.

~X~

"Are you alright?" Tuxedo Mask called out.

"Yeah! Thanks!" Sailor Moon called back.

"No problem." He replied before he pulled out another rose. Incarcerous. He thought as he infused the magic of the spell into the flower.

He threw the rose at the youma, and pulled out another one as it flew through the air. It destroyed the bubble and immediately wrapped the youma in thick ropes trapping its arms against its body.

Incendio. He thought as he filled the flower with the fire charm causing it to glow an orange red color.

"Get ready!" Tuxedo Kamen told Usagi.

"Right!" Sailor Moon said before she recharged her tiara since it had lost it while it was frozen with her hand.

With that Tuxedo Kamen threw his rose hard yet with careful aim, and as soon as it hit one of the ropes fire spread along it and traveled to the others until the youma was trapped in flames.

"Now Sailor Moon!" He called urgently.

Sailor Moon threw her tiara at the youma, and it cut through the air before it hit the youma in the back as it struggled with fiery ropes around it.

The youma screamed and struggled to the last, but eventually all movement and sound stopped as it began to turn gray. The spinning white disk burst through its body, and crumbled into large pieces that broke down to dust as it rained down to the floor.

Tuxedo Kamen calmly yet quickly walked over to and up the aisle until he reached the area where the youma had been. A quick scan thankfully proved that the youma had truly been destroyed and he relaxed somewhat.

"It's gone?" Sailor Moon asked as she reached him, her tiara having already been put back on her forehead.

"Yes." He answered firmly, and listened to her relieved sigh.

Suddenly they heard groans and moans and they turned to see some of the people on the stage moving.

"We should get out of here before they gain enough awareness to realize we're here." Tuxedo Kamen suggested.

"Right." Sailor Moon agreed as she turned to head up the aisle.

The two fighters hurried up the aisle and were joined by the black cat as they exited the theater, and moved through the hallways and toward the entrance to the building.

"Thanks for the help back there." Sailor Moon said as they reached the area where the entrance doors were.

"You're welcome." Tuxedo Kamen replied as he looked to her. "I'll see you next time; be safe."

"I will." She replied as she nodded.

He nodded in return before he opened the door and took off to his right running down the sidewalk. He needed to hurry up and get back to England even though he didn't think much time had passed since he had been awakened from his sleep to now.

Still, the last thing he wanted was to not have enough time to get ready and get to the ceremony on time. He could just imagine everyone's reaction and what would be printed in the Daily Prophet before the day was over.

I definitely don't need that. He thought as he made his way up to the roof of a building.

He paused and looked around quickly just to make sure no one was within his line of sight before he Apparated to his apartment. Between a blink of his eyes he was gone from the rooftop and inside his nearly dark apartment next to the locked door.

He focused on wanting to release his transformation, and was almost immediately surrounded by warm red gold-tinted light. When it cleared he stood barefoot and wearing his sleeping clothes.

Lifting his wrist he looked at the black leather braided wristband bracelet with its gold capital letter 'P' dangling slightly from it before he focused on the letter shaped pendant.

I want to go home to Potter Manor. He thought, hoping very much the permanent Portkey worked while outside England.

From one moment to the next Harry found himself deposited inside his large foyer. The space bright, signaling the time of day, when compared to his dark apartment.

If nothing else this trip let him know that the permanent Portkey to his family manor would work from any location in the world to bring him back home. Not to mention regardless of the distance the ride would be smooth and instant.

Harry shook off the thought as he checked the time, and saw that he had been right earlier. Not even an hour had passed, which was a very good thing as far as he was concerned.

He was going to take the time he had between now and when he needed to leave to let Helios know he was back and what happened, organize his memories from the time he woke until now behind his Occlumency shield, make himself breakfast, and get dressed.

With that plan in mind he began to make his way up the stairs and through the manor toward his bedroom to speak to Helios.

~HPxXxMC~

The day of the Remembrance Ceremony dawned bright and sunny. Hogwarts castle looked great with the sun shining on it, showcasing its ancientness, the grass was vibrant in its green color and stood out all the more against the hundreds of white seats neatly lining the area in front of the Forbidden Forest near the lake.

Despite the many seats there was still plenty of empty space on the grass, which only emphasized how extensive the grounds were at the school.

In front of the neat rows of seats was a nice sized stage with a podium at the center with chairs lined up behind and to the sides of it.

Harry sat with the Weasley family in one of the front rows, between Fleur and George, and was glad he had been firm about not speaking since he suspected he would have been seated on the stage in front of everyone waiting for his turn to speak.

He didn't particularly enjoy being in the front row either, but he understand it was because he and the Weasley's had played a large part in the fighting. At least he didn't have to deal with anyone turning in their seats to look back at him.

As the sun grew high in the early afternoon the Minister stood at the podium speaking, his voice magically enhanced to carry to all present.

"Welcome fellow witches and wizards." Kingsley Shacklebolt began. "We are gathered here today to pay our respects and to, more importantly, remember the events of May 2nd one year ago. That day the dark wizard, Tom Marvolo Riddle, also known as Lord Voldemort, was defeated once and for all never to terrorize our magical community again."

"His dark followers, his Death Eaters, those who were foolishly willing to allow themselves to be branded, as the muggles brand their cattle to show ownership, were stopped in their sadistic tracks. Most were defeated along with their master, their owner, and the rest are thankfully still languishing in Azkaban for their terrible crimes." He continued.

"May 2nd also proved to be a day of great loss for many of us individually and as a community as a whole. We lost family, we lost friends, we lost lovers. We lost so many irreplaceable people. Talented people, intelligent people, loyal people, kind people, brave people, selfless people, and so much more." He said.

The gathering sat silently listening, some nodding along with the words spoken, some sadly, some in tears, some stoically, some angrily, some seriously, and some calmly.

Harry didn't particularly like the Minister's speech or the speeches following it. He felt there were many things left unsaid, but he would not have changed his stance on not speaking just to make sure those things were said. They needed to be said by those within the government to have any real significant meaning anyway.

As he listened to the speeches his eyes kept being drawn to the castle. It was as impressive as ever, but it felt like something in the castle was drawing him toward it or calling him, and he was curious about that since it hadn't happened before.

Not in the years while he was attending school, not while he was here during the final battle, and not while he was here helping with the clean up afterward.

As the speeches started to turn political and long winded his mind began to wander along with his eyes, and he decided the first chance he got he was going to go see what was calling him.

He didn't know if he wanted it to be something as surprising as finding out Usagi was Sailor Moon, and her he was being drawn to when he had become Tuxedo Kamen, or something much more mundane and simple.

When the last speech ended it signified the end of the ceremony, and everyone was finally free to stand and wander to speak to family, friends, and acquaintances.

For his part Harry took the time to greet friends and acquaintances with hugs, handshakes, and receiving kisses on the cheek. One after another they appeared or he approached them.

Neville, Angelina, Katie, Dean, Lee, Seamus, Hannah, Susan, Parvati, Hagrid, Alicia, Luna, and a few more. He even took the time to speak to Professors McGonagall and Flitwick.

He made sure to steer clear of Cho, Hermione, Ron, and those who clearly only wanted to speak to The Boy Who Lived, which included Professor Slughorn as far as he was concerned.

During all of this his eyes kept straying to the castle, and after he finished speaking to the last person he was talking to he decided now was the time to investigate.

He began to step toward the castle and casually cast a wandless subtle yet strong notice-me-not charm on himself. As he felt the magic wrap around him he continued to walk casually away, confident the charm would work the way he wanted it to.

The closer Harry got to the castle the more he felt the call, the more it felt like an urge, a need, to go inside.

He didn't look back as he approached the side entrance, and as soon as he stepped inside the quiet shaded stone hallway he immediately felt what could only be the castle's magic flow up his legs in a swift yet gentle rush and wrap around him.

Welcome back Master. The calm words sounded through his mind, leaving him wide eyed and greatly surprised.

What?! He thought in shock as he stood there, and felt the magic still wrapped around him squeeze as if to give him a reassuring hug.

Hogwarts, being highly magical and in tune with the land beneath it, knew who the young man really was even though he did not; had sensed his identity as soon as he arrived on the grounds.

The witches and wizards had given him many names. The Boy Who Lived, The Chosen One, Savior of the Wizarding World, and those were the nice ones. However, none of those suited him as well as the one he had yet to remember.

Are you staying with me? He asked as he finally began to walk again, idly removing the charm he had placed on himself, and felt the magic surrounding him not leaving.

Yes Master. Came the calm answer.

Not permanently right? Just while I'm in here? He asked, a little anxious.

Yes Master. The calm words assured him.

Harry sighed heavily as he walked and wondered why this had happened. Why was the castle calling him Master? Why hadn't it before? What did it know about him that he didn't in order for it to call him that? How long had the castle been sentient? Had it spoken to anyone else before?

So many questions and no answers were forthcoming. He decided there was nothing he could do about it at the moment, so he pushed it aside and began to examine his feelings at being back in the castle as he made his way through the familiar hallways and corridors.

He noted that the memories coming to him were still intense and war inspired, but the feelings they inspired weren't as sharp and all-consuming as he might have expected.

Good memories of his years in the castle were also coming, many of them featuring Ginny since that was when the majority of his happy memories were created, and while the pain of her loss was still there it didn't hurt as much as it had the last time he was here.

After a few more turns he ended up in a corridor on the fourth floor and saw the Fat Friar drifting his way from the other end. The ghost drifted to a stop in front of him, forcing him to pause, and bowed.

"Greetings Master." The Friar said respectfully.

"Uh..why are you calling me that?" Harry asked, really wanting to know since it was a ghost as well as the castle calling him that; a ghost he didn't think he had ever spoken to directly.

"Because you are the master of Hogwarts Master." The Friar answered.

"But how do you know? No one ever called me that before." Harry said seriously.

"That is an answer you must find on your own Master." The Friar said respectfully before he bowed and drifted away.

Harry sighed and continued walking. How in the world was he supposed to find out why Hogwarts and at least one ghost attached to the castle was calling him Master? He supposed it was likely to be as easy as it was to find the silver crystal, and considering he didn't know how to find that object that said a lot.

A few minutes later he turned down a corridor on the fifth floor and saw another ghost. This one was a girl, and looked like a student considering the uniform. She also looked familiar, but he couldn't tell why.

As he moved closer to her stationary form gazing out a window she turned her head toward him and looked surprised when she realized he was looking right at her.

"You can see me?" She asked.

"Of course." Harry answered as he stopped in front of her just before he reached the window, idly noting that she was wearing the blue of Ravenclaw on her uniform.

"Oh! Thank goodness!" She said in relief. "I haven't been able to talk to anyone other than ghosts since I've been here, and they haven't been as helpful as I thought they would be."

"They didn't want to help you?" He asked, finding that hard to believe.

"More like they didn't know how to help me." She said sadly. "But maybe you can." She added, looking hopeful.

"What do you need help with exactly?" Harry asked, wanting to know before he committed himself to anything.

"Leaving here." She said seriously. "I died in the final battle. I was hit with some spell, and the next thing I know I'm standing in a corridor having no idea how much time had passed."

"From listening to what was going on I understood that a few weeks had passed, and that I had obviously died." She said, and then huffed and crossed her arms.

"Do you know how disconcerting that was? To realize you had died, and missed your own funeral on top of that. Then to learn that no one, at least no one alive could see you, and that you were stuck here." She said with angry sadness.

"I haven't even been able to visit my family! Every time I get near a window or a doorway leading out I feel a force keeping me from moving forward. I'm scared to find out what would happen if I tried. What if I disappear? What if I get trapped somewhere else?" She said in fear.

"Can I ask what your name is? You look familiar, but I can't quite place how?" Harry said, having an idea of why she was stuck in the castle just from listening to her.

"Oh! I'm Amanda Snow. I was in the DA." She said shyly, remembering who she was talking to.

"Ah. That must be why you look familiar." He said with a gentle smile. "I'm sorry I don't remember you. I was more concerned with making sure everyone learned how to defend themselves than with remembering the names of new people I was meeting."

"That's okay. What I learned did help me during the battle. I was actually killed by a stray spell, and I'm not sure if it came from their side or ours." Amanda said.

"I'm not surprised with the chaos that was going on." Harry said as he shook his head before he sighed lightly. "Do you think your fear of what could happen if you leave the castle is keeping you here? That the force you feel is a manifestation of your own fear?" He asked gently.

"My fear?" She whispered, and he nodded slowly.

"Do you think it possible?" He asked softly. "I don't know how these circumstances work since I only had one experience with death. I…I had to let Voldemort kill me during the final battle in order for him to be able to die and not come back again."

"From what you said you died and then was just here like no time had passed even though time obviously had." He said, and she nodded wide eyed. "When I died I ended up in a place that was in between life and death. I had no idea I would be able to come back, but when I did only long moments had passed."

"Do you think everyone goes through experiences like ours when they die? Even muggles?" Amanda asked with a sigh.

"Maybe some do, maybe some don't." Harry said, his mind recalling how Ginny said she had died and been immediately greeted by Fred. She hadn't experienced any stops along the way so to speak.

"It is possible that it's my fear keeping me here." She admitted as she looked out the window thoughtfully.

"I don't know what can help you." He admitted. "Perhaps you simply need to be determined in what you want to do and where you want to go."

"Like Apparation." She said with a little smile as she looked at him.

"Yeah." He agreed with answering smile. "Maybe you just need to be determined and visualize what exactly you want. You said you wanted to see your family; maybe you can picture where you live and wanting to go home. Maybe after that, after seeing them, you'll feel better about…continuing on your journey."

Amanda hummed thoughtfully before she looked back to the window and raised her transparent hand. She hesitated before she frowned and pushed her hand forward toward the glass. Her hand went right through and she gasped in surprise before she smiled.

"It worked! It really worked!" She cried happily as she looked at him. "Thank you Harry." She said.

"I'm glad I was able to help you. Have a safe trip Amanda." Harry said kindly.

Amanda smiled before she stepped forward and drifted through the glass and the stone wall beneath it.

He moved forward and looked out the window, but saw nothing but the view beyond. He very much hoped she was able to go where she wanted and needed to go.

Harry shook his head and continued on his wandering walk through the castle. He was confused about what had just happened, and didn't understand why he and no one else had been able to see Amanda.

Maybe it's because of the castle's magic. He thought. Hogwarts? He asked as he tilted his head slightly to the side.

No. Came the calm answer ruling out that theory.

Maybe it's because we were in the DA together, but then wouldn't other DA members have been able to see her if that was the case? He considered. After all, there were some that had come back to the castle to finish their education.

As Harry moved through the castle to make his way back outside he was surprised to find the same situation happen twice more, and neither of the two new ghosts had been in the DA.

In both cases he had been told only he had been able to see them since they had been there. The only difference was that they each had been unable to leave the castle and move on for different reasons other than the fear that had held Amanda.

When he reached the ground floor and was heading for the same doorway he had used to get into the castle he saw Sir Nicholas and another ghost he didn't recognize drifting his way. Both stopped as they reached him and bowed.

"Greetings Master." Sir Nicholas said respectfully as he straightened.

"Hi Sir Nicholas." Harry greeted in return. "Why are you treating me this way? You never did before."

"Because you are the Master of Hogwarts." The Gryffindor ghost answered, and he felt the castles magic squeeze him. He got the sense it was trying to reassure him with another hug.

"But how is that possible? What does that even mean?" Harry asked with a confused frown.

"You must learn on your own if you are to believe and accept it Master." Sir Nicholas said before he and the other ghost bowed again, and drifted through the wall off to the side.

What does it mean to be your master Hogwarts? He asked the castle as he continued to walk. He didn't even bother asking why it was acknowledging him as its Master since he doubted he would get an answer.

You may go wherever you wish within my walls and grounds Master. No location is barred to you. Came the calm voice that he was realizing was neither feminine nor masculine. You control the protections and wards around my walls and grounds.

Wait! Shouldn't Professor McGonagall have that authority as Headmistress? Or does she now have access as well because she is Headmistress? He asked as he paused in his steps.

You share access, but you can revoke her access should it become necessary or you simply wish it. The calm voice answered.

Harry sighed heavily and continued walking. He couldn't imagine why he would ever need or want to do that or even to access the protections. But then on second thought he actually could imagine why as he remembered his time living in the castle.

As he looked at the stone walls and ceiling he wondered exactly how extensive those wards and other protections were or how extensive they could be.

There's more isn't there? He asked.

Yes Master. Came Hogwarts calm voice.

I guess I'll speak to you the next time I come here. Maybe by then I'll know why you refer to me as Master. He said as he approached the side doorway he had used to get into the castle.

Yes Master. Be safe Master. Hogwarts said.

You as well. He said, and then hesitated briefly. If you need me I'm sure you can somehow come up with a way to reach me.

Certainly Master. Hogwarts said with a reassuring squeeze of its magic.

Harry nodded and stepped out the doorway and onto the grounds. The castles magic was no longer wrapped around him, but if he focused he found that he could actually still feel it beneath his feet.

Strange. He thought, and realized a moment later that he had been feeling it since he arrived on the grounds for the ceremony but hadn't thought anything of it.

He walked away from the shade of the castle and into the sun and spotted Bill and Fleur not too far away so he headed in their direction.

"Where did you disappear to?" Fleur asked as he reached them.

"I went for a walk in the castle to see how I would do." Harry answered.

"And how did you do?" She asked gently as Bill looked on.

"Better than I expected." He said, leaving out the surprise of somehow becoming the Master of Hogwarts. "I had some bad memories, but they weren't so bad and the good were there to counter them."

"That's good to hear." Bill said. "It means you're healing."

"Yeah." Harry agreed. "That's one of the reasons I went in there. To judge my level of healing." He said, pleased to have another sign that his therapy was working.

"Do you want to come over for dinner?" Bill asked. "We've already invited George. You can come at any time."

"Sure." Harry accepted. "With an invitation like that I might just be waiting on your doorstep for you guys to get there."

"Feel free to." Fleur said sincerely. "I'm sure we can all pass the time while the food is cooking."

"Then as soon as I get changed I'll be there." He said as he nodded. "Until then I'm going to see if there's anyone else I should speak to before I leave."

"Okay; we'll see you later." Bill said.

Harry nodded and walked away, putting distance between him and the castle as he looked around. His eyes landed on Neville, but he decided not to approach him since Professor Slughorn was near him. He had already agreed to meet with him tomorrow, so it didn't particularly matter.

His eyes continued to scan, making sure not to make eye contact with anyone, as he walked along the grass.

"Harry!" He heard a familiar feminine tone coming from behind him as he looked for someone else he should talk to, if anyone.

He paused and turned around to see Hermione along with Ron walking toward him. Neither of them looked happy or even calm, which didn't bode well for their first meeting since a while before he left the country.

Considering it was Hermione that had called out to him he was surprised when it wasn't her who spoke next.

"I can't believe you didn't invite me to move in with you after you left the Burrow!" Ron said angrily.

What?! Harry thought as he blinked toward him. That didn't make any sense. He had been back to visit at the Burrow a few times after he moved, and before Ron started to direct his anger toward him, and he hadn't given any hint that he wanted to live with him or even move at all!

"And I can't believe that you left to go traveling without saying anything to me; that you left while the family was still grieving!" Ron continued angrily. "And you didn't take care of our reparations with the Goblins!"

"Yes. I found out about that during the Christmas holiday when I went to try and exchange my muggle money and they wouldn't let me. I told Ron after learning that he didn't know." Hermione said with a frown.

"That was irresponsible of you Harry. You should have taken care of that. It's the least you could've done for us after all we did for you." She said irritatedly.

"And where have you been?! Did you get my Howler? You never responded besides that short letter you sent, which I figured out you wrote before you would've gotten my Howler." She continued.

"I hope you're back here for good now. You should be here, should have been here, focusing on your education, and talking about everything that happened during the war and getting the help you highly likely need." She said rapidly.

"You've probably been drowning your sorrow in alcohol while traveling around, and I certainly wouldn't be surprised to learn you've been sleeping around to help yourself cope as well." Hermione said with an angry huff. "You need to stay here, settle down, and get your life together before it's too late Harry. You know I'm right."

Harry stood there staring at Hermione, shocked and angered by her accusations. Not only did she seem to believe she had a right to tell him what he should and shouldn't do, she also thought little of him if she thought he had become not only an alcoholic but a womanizer as well!

Before he could say anything his eyes flicked to Ron as he spoke.

"Yeah, Hermione's right! You never really cared about Ginny if you can go around sleeping with every woman that catches your eye!" The red head said angrily, latching onto Hermione's idea of Harry sleeping around and taking it as fact.

Harry was now angry and outraged, but he forced himself to breathe and calmed himself. He did not need or want the stress. Hearing the two of them made him realize just how at peace he had really been while in Japan free of their demands, accusations, and expectations.

At this point they were nothing but a closer, more personal, version of what the British magical community had been to him since his return when he was eleven, and more so after the final battle. A pressure-filled nuisance.

He was not about to refute their words, their accusations, or explain himself. He owed them no explanation and he was not about to waste his time on them when they likely wouldn't believe him anyway. They could believe what they wanted to believe about him. Their belief didn't make it true nor did it make him doubt himself in the least.

"If you both feel this way about me and have such problems with the way I conduct myself then you do not need to know me." Harry told them seriously.

"I was nearly done with you after you sent me a Howler, uncaring of where I would be and how it would affect me when it went off," He told Hermione seriously. "and I had held onto a small hope that you would treat me better and not direct all your anger at me once you got the majority of your grieving out of you, but clearly that isn't the case." He told Ron firmly.

"It seems to me that you either feel you have some sort of right to control me and dictate what I do and how I behave, not to mention treat me however you want, or you have yet to actually deal with your own issues and grief from the war." He said as he looked at both of them.

"I strongly advised you to do so." Harry said firmly. "I'll help in the only way I'm willing to at this point by officially cutting myself out of your lives and you out of my life."

"I wish you both well, and hope you have happy lives." He added, and turned around and walked away from them; leaving them standing there in shock.

Their paths would no longer cross. He might see Ron around his family when he visited, but he would not speak to him. And the only way he would see Hermione was in the same situation; at least if she and Ron remained together.

Harry decided he was done trying socialize. He was going to head home to change and make sure he was completely calm before heading over to Shell Cottage to wait for Fleur and Bill like he had joked earlier.

~xXx~

Hermione was stunned as she and Ron stood there in shock after Harry's cold calm words.

"What just happened?" She asked as she stared after him. "Did that really just happen?! Did Harry just end our friendship? And for what?! Because we were concerned about him, and wanted him to do better with his life than what he currently is?"

Ron blinked in shock as he stared after Harry, and then his expression darkened.

"This is just more proof that Harry's changed. This is a good thing! I don't want to know anyone that can lie, and use someone like Harry did my sister." He said furiously.

Hermione frowned. She didn't think Harry had used Ginny. They had dated and then he had ended it so she wouldn't be targeted while they were separated during the Horcrux hunt.

But I still think he's been drinking, and likely comforting himself with women. She thought, knowing Harry wasn't a big talker and was more action prone.

Being with women was certainly an action, and didn't require him to speak much depending on how he went about it.

Ron glared after Harry before he turned and began to walk in the opposite direction. He couldn't stand the sight of 'The Boy Who Lived' right now.

~X~

Bill and Fleur looked on from a distance wondering what had happened, but knew they would find out from Harry later.

Bill sighed heavily. "Should I go speak to them?" He wondered as he glanced to his wife.

"No. They need to calm down." Fleur replied. "Beyond that, whatever has happened isn't your problem to fix; it is between Harry, Ron, and Hermione. They are all adults now, and need to figure it out on their own."

"You're right." He said with a sigh before he took her hand in his. "We should leave."

"Yes." She agreed, and they headed toward his parents to let them know before finding George.

~X~

Neville, from his position, watched Harry briefly as he walked away from the entire gathering before he looked over to Ron and Hermione. He had seen them talking, but was too far away to hear anything. Still, he had seen enough to understand that the two were confronting Harry over something, and that he didn't at all like what was being said.

Now they looked shocked and surprised, and he wondered what Harry had told them.

I'll probably find out tomorrow when I speak to him. He thought as he watched Hermione and Ron start to look angry.

Neville shook his head before he looked away and went to see if there was anyone he missed talking to before he left to head home.

~xXx~

After Harry had changed into some casual clothes he turned his cellphone back on, pushed his feelings of anger and outrage behind his Occlumency shield, and Apparated to Shell Cottage.

Just as he thought would be the case he arrived before Bill, Fleur, and George, so he took the opportunity to go visit Dobby. He knelt down in front of the grave and looked at the headstone and read the words he had personally etched there: "HERE LIES DOBBY, A FREE ELF".

He took the time to remember his excitable, loyal, little friend, and all the things the elf had done, not just for him, but just to help when needed.

Another one taken from me by Bellatrix Lestrange. He thought with a sigh.

He quietly greeted his lost friend as if he was truly right in front of him, and began to tell him a little of what he had been doing since the fighting had been finished.

A few long minutes passed before he paused his speaking at the sound of Apparation. He turned and saw the three family members he had been waiting for, so he finished up with Dobby before he bid him a goodbye and then stood and joined the others.

They entered the cottage, the fire in the fireplace was stoked until it was high and crackling merrily, Bill and Fleur changed into comfortable clothes- George having done so sometime before they showed up, and they all settled in the kitchen and began to chat as dinner was prepared.

"So Harry, what do you plan to do now that the ceremony is over?" Fleur asked. "Are you back for good or are you going to continue traveling?"

Harry sighed heavily. Now that the question had been asked he felt they deserved to know the decision he had made months ago; especially since he would be leaving after tomorrow.

"Actually, I've decided to live permanently in Tokyo." He announced, and listened to them all gasp in surprise.

"Why?" Bill asked, speaking into the silence.

"Peace." Harry answered simply. "No one over there follows me around asking questions, and trying to take pictures. No one points or stares or whispers loudly in my direction. In fact, if anyone recognizes me they don't react at all."

Of course, he didn't look like the Harry Potter everyone knew from descriptions and pictures, but those that he had told only reacted initially and never again after those first few seconds or minutes.

"I don't have to worry about anyone making up stories to put in the newspaper because I refuse to give an interview or reporting on where I like to go and who I'm spending my time with; not to mention judging me and putting me on blast because I don't do what they think The Boy Who Lived should." He continued.

"I..I can understand that." George said slowly after a while as he nodded. "I remember back in school when all those articles were being printed. Just seeing your reactions was difficult; I can only imagine how you felt."

Fleur nodded her understanding as well.

"I remember how terrible they were about you after the tournament, and then by the summer of the next year they were painting you as a savior." She said thoughtfully.

"Yeah. The prophet was always going back and forth depending on popular opinion at the time. They still do." Bill said with a sigh. "Right now they still see you as the Savior of the Wizarding World, but who knows if that will suddenly change if they get tired of not hearing from you or about you."

"That's not surprising." Harry said with a sigh of his own.

"Don't worry Harry. We'll let you know if they start making up stuff about you." George said reassuringly.

"Thanks." Harry said appreciatively. He didn't know what he would do, but he still wanted to know if it happened. "Do you think I should tell Molly and Arthur?" He asked them.

"Yes." Bill and George said in unison.

"They would continue to wonder when you were coming back, and eventually mom would start to try to pressure you to come back and stop traveling." Bill continued while George nodded in agreement.

"Then I'll tell them." Harry said as he nodded. "I'm hoping to keep this news quiet; as in between the three of you and Molly and Arthur. I don't want people trying to search for me." He added.

"I can fire call them, and have them come over here." Bill suggested. "That way you can tell them without the possibility of Ron and Hermione finding out."

"Or Percy if he happens to be at the Burrow." George added.

"That's fine." Harry agreed. "But let's wait a little while so they have more time to get home and relax given what today is."

Bill nodded in agreement.

"Alright. What happen between you, Ron, and Hermione?" George asked curiously, changing the subject. "I didn't see, but these two did apparently." He added as he nodded to the couple.

"We saw from a distance, but it clearly looked like there was tension between you three." Fleur said.

"I ended my friendship with them." Harry said with slight shrug as he shook his head lightly.

Bill and Fleur nodded, not at all surprised, and George was only slightly surprised. All of them knew enough to realize this outcome had been more than a possibility. Even if it came from a rash decision by Ron.

"So what did they do or say to trigger this?" Bill asked.

"First, Ron was upset that I hadn't invited him to live with me when I moved out of the Burrow, and that I left to travel without telling him; and particularly while the family was still grieving." Harry said.

"Then Hermione berated me for not taking care of her and Ron's reparations with the Goblins." He continued. "Apparently it was irresponsible of me not to have, and it was the least I should have done after everything they had done for me."

"Then she wanted to know where I had been, and that I should be back for good now. That I needed to be focused on my education, and talking about everything that happened to me and getting the help I apparently need." He said as he shook his head.

"Did I ever tell you guys she sent me a Howler?" Harry asked, and they shook their heads. "It was just after I left to travel. It was lucky I had the sense to put up protections, so no one heard it since she apparently didn't care where I would be when it went off."

"Where were you when it arrived?" Fleur asked with a frown.

"I was staying in a non-magical building; a rental place that was mostly for travelers that wanted something more private than a hotel room." He explained.

"Why would she do that?" She asked, wanting to understand the younger girl.

"She was angry that I left." Harry said with a grimace as he remembered the shrieking letter. "Left without telling her in person, that I left her and Ron, that I left the family, and left after all everyone had suffered."

"Apparently I was selfish. She and Ron deserved better than to be left behind after being with me through 'every difficult event I had ever been through'." He added as he shook his head. "She had a few more things to say, but that mostly involved how I needed to finish my education so I could make something of my life instead of traveling around."

"She sent you a Howler just because you decided to travel, and didn't tell her to her face?!" George said with a frown, feeling like she should be lucky he had taken the time to notify her at all!

Merlin, that girl seriously annoyed him sometimes, which was why he didn't speak to her much. Of course, there was also the fact that she wasn't his friend, and he only continued to know her because she was Ron's girlfriend and Harry's friend.

Well, not his friend anymore, but still Ron's girlfriend; until he screws up. He thought as he shook his head.

"Essentially." Harry answered. "Anyway, after telling me I needed help she pretty much accused me of being an alcoholic and a womanizer as a way to deal with what I had experienced during the war. Ron seemed to take that as fact, and further as confirmation that I had never cared about Ginny."

"Womanizer?!" Fleur repeated in outrage.

"Alcoholic?!" Bill repeated in surprise.

George just looked on in disgust before he snorted.

"That's rich of her. I wonder if Hermione knows what her boyfriend has been getting up to while she's been away focused on her education." He said in an ironic tone.

"Yeah." Bill agreed as he nodded sadly.

Harry looked back and forth between the two brothers, and wondered what they meant. Despite what his former friends thought about him he couldn't picture Ron sleeping around with women, regardless if he wasn't with Hermione, but he was aware of him drinking too much a few times during the first couple of months after the final battle.

"Do I want to know?" He asked with a wary look.

"Ron's been doing a lot of drinking, and going out partying." George said with a heavy frown.

"Like Verity?" Harry said as he remembered what George had told him yesterday.

"Not just like her, but with her." George answered. "They would leave the shop early together, and since I fired her he's still been doing it. Beyond that I've come across him drinking at the Leaky Cauldron and the Sorcerer's Spot."

"I've seen him at both places as well, and I know he's come home late at night, or at least early in the morning, drunk." Bill added.

"And this has become a regular thing?" Harry asked with a frown.

"Yes." Bill said with a nod.

Harry shook his head. George was right. That was rich, at least when it came to Ron. It was rich how Ron could, without any evidence, believe him to be an alcoholic when he himself was drinking on the regular to the point of getting drunk.

As for Hermione, he doubted she knew what Ron was getting up to since she would have said something or at least let it slip in some way; be it a look or a comment in Ron's direction. Still…

"Does Hermione know?" He asked, wanting to be sure.

"I doubt it." Bill said as he shook his head. "She's been at school all this time, and what she has seen during holidays she probably thinks is just on that particular occasion and nothing more."

"You said he's been coming home late. He's still at the Burrow, so Molly and Arthur have to know about this right?" Harry said. "I can't imagine how they're handling this."

"I can't see how they can't know what he's been doing. I think at this point anyone who sees him frequently enough knows he's drinking too much." George said.

"I think they either don't know what to do yet or they're hoping he'll stop and turn himself around before he goes too far." Bill said with a heavy sigh.

All four of them were silent as they thought of Ron and his problem, and how his parents would handle it.

"Is it possible that Arthur and Molly are actually waiting for him to go too far?" Harry asked with a frown. "He's an adult now so if he gets into trouble there could be legal consequences. That happening might reinforce that he needs to stop what he's doing."

"I can't see mom allowing that to happen." George said with a frown.

"But dad might." Bill said thoughtfully.

"Tough love." Fleur said as she nodded. "Let him feel the consequences of his actions, and hope that shocks him out of his behavior. Or at least enough to get him to listen to someone tell him why he needs to stop."

"Yeah. If they go in that direction then it would definitely be dad that handles it." Bill said. "Mom, even though she handled discipline most of the time when we got into trouble, wouldn't be able to follow through."

"Dad on the other hand was the one to handle discipline when just yelling and assigning chores and taking away privileges wasn't enough. And it made you feel worse when he was the one handing out the punishment, because he so rarely did it and when he did you knew you had really screwed up." He explained.

"So because of that Ron would hopefully be more likely to listen to what he was saying and take it seriously." Fleur said in understanding.

"Yeah. He would know that he had seriously screwed up; especially if he did get into some kind of legal trouble and dad didn't bail him out." George said as he nodded.

"It's sad that it might come to that." Harry said as he shook his head slowly.

"If Ron got the help he needed and was back to the way he was before would you want to be his friend again?" George asked Harry curiously.

"Not really, but nothing is impossible." Harry said firmly, but with a slight shrug.

He could forgive, but he was done putting up with bullshit. He was done putting up with half-assed apologies or rather no apology and sheepish words that didn't acknowledge what he had done then turning around and doing it again at some later point. Ron was good at that; having done it more than once during their friendship.

He was sure that the more time that passed the less he would be willing to even forgive either Ron or Hermione. His healer was working with him on that, and he was gradually realizing that he didn't have to forgive just because someone said they were sorry. Words were no longer enough for him. He needed to see action, changed behavior.

With that subject out of the way they all got back to helping to prepare dinner since everything had paused at a point in their conversation. When they were finished and dinner was cooking Bill decided now was the time to fire call his parents and get them to come over.

~xXx~

Arthur and Molly stepped out of the fireplace a few minutes later and followed Bill into the living room area to find Fleur, George, and Harry sitting and waiting.

"Hello everyone." Arthur said. "Bill kindly invited us over for dinner, and said you all wanted to talk." He added as he and his wife sat on the couch with George.

"Actually I'm the one who wanted to talk." Harry said from his seat in a comfortable side chair.

"Alright dear. We're listening." Molly said as they gave him their full attention.

"So I want what I have to say to stay between the five of you." He said firmly. "Although, I'm thinking about telling Neville as well. In that case, it will stay between the six of you."

"We'll keep your secret." Arthur assured him.

"I wanted you to know that I've decided to live in Tokyo permanently." Harry said, and he listened as they both gasped and their eyes widened.

"W..why?" Molly asked in shock when she could finally get the word out.

Harry blinked slowly, and refrained from sighing. He couldn't very well tell the complete truth; not yet at least.

"Because I found my purpose; I'm not just existing anymore. I found peace." He said honestly. "That was especially clear after coming back here and speaking to Kingsley, attending the ceremony, and encountering a couple of my former friends."

"You remember what I told you about my talk with Kingsley. He wanted me to give a speech just because that's what people expected. This from a man who knew me from before he became the Minister, and knew I didn't like my fame." He continued.

"Of course I wasn't completely surprised by that since he said in his letter that people expected me to be back here and to be at the ceremony, and that he did as well. If he expected that than he could have just as easily expected me to give a speech." He said as he shook his head lightly.

"What I didn't tell you before is immediately after I left his office after that conversation I was practically swarmed by reporters and Ministry workers wanting to speak with and take pictures with The Boy Who Lived." Harry said with a light frown as he remembered that nasty surprise.

"The point is I don't have to deal with all of that in Japan. The magical community there give me my privacy. I'm just another citizen. I don't get pointed at while I'm at the magical market, no one tries to take pictures of me, and I don't have to worry about articles about me, truthful or not, ending up in the paper." He explained.

"Although, admittedly I haven't gotten a subscription to the paper yet. The point is I haven't heard or seen any sign of such a thing." He said.

Of course he wasn't walking around as the wild haired green eyed Harry Potter everyone recognized either, but he was still fairly certain that if he was he wouldn't be treated the way he was by the English magical community.

"I don't know if any of you noticed but I was very aware of the number of people who tried to catch my eye or approach me before and after the ceremony in order to speak to the Savior of the Wizarding World." Harry said in slight frustration.

"As for my former friends." He said, and then paused to consider his next words. "I can assure you that I don't have to put up with anyone that I've met in Japan trying to tell me what I can and can't do or should and shouldn't do."

"None of them try to act like they have the right to know my personal business, and thankfully they aren't making judgments and assumptions about me." He stated seriously as he thought of Motoki and Usagi.

Arthur and Molly shared a look as they took in Harry's words. It was obvious who he was talking about. Not to mention they had seen him talking heatedly with Ron and Hermione earlier after the ceremony. Clearly that conversation had resulted in him ending his friendship with them.

Beyond that they could understand his decision to live out of the country, but it was upsetting. They were used to seeing him around; since the summer before his second year. He was, or rather had been, their youngest son's best friend and their only daughter's boyfriend.

He was another son to them, and they didn't want him to leave. With him gone it would be like when Bill and Charlie moved away for work, and even when Percy moved out even though that one was an angry sad situation.

"We understand Harry." Arthur said sadly.

"Yes," Molly agreed as she nodded. "but are you sure? Do you have to live so far away?"

"I'm sure. I've been thinking about it for a while now." Harry said. They didn't need to know that his decision had been made 'for a while now'. "And I don't have to live so far away, but it just happens to be where I found my peace. Don't worry; I'll still come back to visit."

"Do you have a place to live over there? You've never said." Arthur asked a little worriedly.

If he was Ron he would be seriously concerned. That boy acted like he couldn't do anything serious. He had been very surprised when Ron had accompanied Hermione to Australia to retrieve her parents, but then again he knew he had only gone because he would be with her. He definitely wouldn't have gone on his own, and he obviously hadn't had to stay and live there.

However, he knew Harry was different. He had always been more mature, seeming to only lack practical and emotional experience, and the unfortunate way he grew up ensured that he would be fine living on his own.

We had already seen that before he left to travel, and he can obviously travel out of the country comfortably on his own. He thought reassuringly.

"I do." Harry answered. "I have an apartment I'm living in. It was originally just a place I bought because I liked the city enough to have a permanent place for when I came to visit, but it's now turned out to be the best place for me to live in."

"But what will you do? How will you live? What about your friends?" Molly asked agitatedly.

"My friends can come visit me or they can write me as they have been, and as I said before I'll come back to visit from time to time." He said. "I'll live the same way I'm living now, off the money my parents left me."

"Beyond that, well you all remember how I said I'm still studying magic and learning the subjects I would have learned had I gone to a non-magical school?" He asked, and watched them all nod.

"I'm doing that because I want to expand my education before I start working toward my career. I've decided I'm going to be a Healer, so as soon as I finish with my studies I'll enter the Healer training program over there." Harry explained.

Everyone blinked in surprise at his words. None of them had seen Harry going into healing with how good he was at Defense Against the Dark Arts and with his fighting experience. They thought for sure that he would eventually end up as an Auror.

"I would have thought you would be an Auror." Arthur said, still feeling surprised.

"Yeah. Professor McGonagall gave me the idea to be one back in my fifth year, and I was fine with pursuing that right up until the end of the war. After that I wasn't in the right frame of mind for it nor interested in it." Harry said.

"Once I actually started thinking about what I wanted to do with myself I hit on being a Healer. I don't want to fight anymore, but I still want to help people. Being a Healer can give me that option. I also thought it would be the perfect counter to all the death I've seen." He explained.

"I'm aware that I'll come across death in that field of work, but I'm very much hoping it won't be the murders and violent deaths I'm unfortunately used to seeing." He added.

"Do you know what type of Healer you want to be or what your specialty will be?" Fleur asked.

"I don't know. I haven't thought about it yet." Harry said.

"I think you would have made a great Auror, but I can see you as a Healer." George said. "I think you would make a good teacher too since you were so good with the DA."

"Thanks." Harry said, and shrugged. "I probably could be a teacher if I wanted to; although maybe not a full time one since I'm not sure I would have the patience for it."

After all, there would be no real-time threat and dependence on what I taught unless another Dark Lord popped up, and if another did then someone else was going to have to deal with them. He thought. One was more than enough for him.

"Well, I'm happy you're working toward a career you can enjoy, but I don't like that you'll be living so far away." Molly said a little anxiously. "How am I supposed to get used to this?"

"It's doable Molly." Arthur reassured his wife. "We're doing it with Charlie, and have done so with Bill for some time before he returned to live here." He added, and his wife nodded and sighed.

"Maybe you'll come back like Bill did." She said as she looked to Harry hopefully.

"Who knows?" Harry said as he shrugged lightly.

Privately he thought such a thing was unlikely, and wouldn't even be a consideration until his schooling and the mysteries in his life were solved.

Mysteries like why he was connected to Usagi enough to become a masked man when she became a fighter in a scout outfit, why she had become such a person in the first place, why he had to become such a person even with the connection, and who the mystery princess in his dreams was.

And the location of the silver crystal I suppose. He added thoughtfully.

Gradually, and thankfully for Harry, they moved away from the subject of him and his living situation, and talked about the ceremony a little and memories of Ginny and Fred while Fleur occasionally checked on the cooking food.

Speaking about the lost members of the family was painful, but not nearly as painful as Harry had thought it would be. It was muted and they were all thankfully able to speak of the happy times, the laughter, and the bravery of the brother and son and sister, daughter, and girlfriend.

He had even received a bit of a break when Usagi had called to check on him just as she said she would. He had assured her he was fine, and told her what he could about the ceremony, and how he was with those he considered family at the moment. They had only stayed on the phone for a few more minutes before they got off so he could get back to them and she could get to sleep.

As the evening wore on they shifted out of the living room area and into the kitchen to sit at the dining table where they continued to talk as they enjoyed a delicious dinner.

~HPxXxMC~

The next afternoon found Harry getting ready to leave to meet up with Neville. As he got dressed he couldn't help thinking about last night.

After returning home from Shell Cottage he had done some studying and his homework, and had started with his French. He had taken every opportunity to speak in French with Fleur and she had been happy to oblige and give him tips and help him with his accent so that's where he started.

After he finished with that subject he moved on to a couple of the others, and when he finished those he changed for bed, since it was nearly midnight, while talking to Helios about his time at Shell Cottage.

He had gotten into bed wondering what Helios had been doing while he was gone, and wishing his familiar could talk to him so he could hear what he thought about the house and being in England.

As he was relaxing so he could fall asleep he felt the familiar piercing ache pulse through his head getting rid of any relaxation he had gained.

Usagi had needed him for a second time that day, and he had been surprised by that, but then not so much after thinking about it. The time difference made it two separate days for her, but the same day for him.

As he had all the times before he had changed into his masked persona and created a Portkey that took him back to Tokyo where he followed his senses to Usagi. He found her at an amusement park inside one of the buildings that looked like a house with people collapsed and scattered on the floor.

Across the large room or foyer from her was a woman that looked like a mascot for the park from what he had seen during his mad dash. The woman had light pink thick curly hair with a golden crown, light blue eyes, wore a pink, blue, and white dress trimmed in gold, and was holding an apple.

Once he had ascertained from Usagi that the woman was the youma he wasted no time attacking with one of his magic filled roses. It wasn't long after that that the youma revealed its true form, which was a ball-jointed doll look. She had greenish-yellow skin, green eyes, and wore a black and red dress with a red claw-like crown on her light pink hair.

From there the fight was quick since the youma only had a red mist it could breathe out. Neither he nor Usagi knew what it did, but it didn't take a genius to know they shouldn't breathe it in.

The fight also ended up being rather easy because it only had the one ability; the easiest of the youma they had faced so far aside from the very first.

He had quickly pulled out one of his roses and filled it with the magic necessary for the Ebublio Jinx making it glow blue and then threw it hard at the youma. As soon as it hit the magic wrapped around the youma and trapped it inside a large bubble.

The youma breathed out its red mist, but all it did was fill up the bubble. It pushed at the bubble, but to little effect.

Its efforts and it ended when Usagi threw her tiara at it, after being assured that it would pass through the bubble. It destroyed the bubble and then sliced the youma in half at the waist, which caused it to crumble until there was nothing but two small piles of gray dust.

He then threw a rose with the magic of a Blasting Curse infused into it at the apple since that hadn't been affected by the youma's death, and watched the apple explode when it hit.

Both he and Usagi were okay, but he had made sure she wasn't harmed anyway. When he was assured they both left the area, and when they split up he Portkeyed back to England and to Potter Manor. He was back home, in his bed, and on his way to sleep before one in the morning.

Harry shook off his thoughts as he finished getting dressed. He made sure he had his wallet, wand, and double checked that his hair was messy and his eyes were green before he left.

They had agreed to meet at the Leaky Cauldron, and he had made sure to arrive a few minutes after their agreed time so he didn't have to sit in the magical pub and wait for his friend.

He Apparated into the alley in non-magical London closet to the Cauldron before he walked to the pub and went inside. Thankfully Neville was easy to find and they hurried out the door after greeting each other having already decided to go into the non-magical world to catch up.

Neville had no idea where to go, so Harry decided to take him to the place that helped him learn Japanese. He Apparated them to Japantown, as close to the shopping plaza as he could, before he led the way to the main entrance.

When they reached the entrance he pulled one of the doors open and they went through, and Harry began to lead Neville toward the seating area; not paying any attention to the few people that were walking in their direction on their way to the exit.

~xXx~

The secret senshi of Venus walked toward the main doors of the shopping plaza on her way out when she spotted two guys coming inside.

The first guy her eyes settled on had black hair and green eyes. She couldn't help thinking he looked familiar somehow. She had never seen a guy with hair that dark of black and such vibrant green eyes, she would definitely remember, so she thought it must have been his face that was familiar.

She looked over to the guy he was with, and her blue eyes widened slightly. She took in his short blond hair and hazel eyes and how tall he was.

So cute! She exclaimed silently. And I love how tall he is.

As they got closer to each other he happened to turn his head and they made eye contact. He smiled at her, and she didn't hesitate to smile in return as they walked pass each other.

She paused in the next moment and was about to turn around and go after him and talk to him, because she was bold like that, but she was going to be leaving soon. She wasn't going to be in the city, let alone the country, long enough to get to know him.

It's a shame, because he's so very cute and I seriously want to talk to him. She thought with a sigh as she glanced back at the guy. But no. I can't allow myself to be in a position where I could fall in love. My duty prevents that.

That was part of the lesson she had learned with loving Ace. To fall in love was to have divided loyalties. She could not be divided, could not hesitate, when it came to her duty to her princess.

~xXx~

Neville glanced back at the pretty blonde haired and blue eyed girl curiously as she walked toward the doors.

"What are you looking at?" Harry asked curiously.

"Nothing. Just a girl that looked really nice." Neville said as he looked back forward to where they were headed.

Harry looked back, but didn't see anyone.

"You don't want to go talk to her?" He asked as he looked to his friend.

"No, that's okay." Neville said as he shook his head. "She's likely a muggle, and I wouldn't know what to say to her. Plus, she looked younger than us."

Harry nodded understandingly, remembering he had felt the same way when he first saw Usagi, and now knew she was actually younger than him.

"I understand. Although, it's actually not really hard to talk to a girl that isn't a witch." He said as he guided them toward the bakery/pastry shop where he had spoken in Japanese to someone else for the first time.

"Obviously you must have spoken to many people over in Japan by now, but considering what we're talking about have you found yourself in this situation?" Neville asked as he followed his friend, idly hearing the unfamiliar language that seemed to be spoken by everyone they passed.

Harry sighed, but didn't say anything as they entered the shop. He got them each a slice of spongy cheesecake, Hanami dango, and some tea. They took their tea and snacks and sat at a table next to the window. He subtly and wandlessly put up the Muffliato Charm around them to keep their conversation private.

"I haven't told anyone about this," He began as he looked to his friend, and Neville understood instantly that he wanted it to remain between the two of them. "but I met a girl and I thought she was good looking as well and also younger than me."

"I talked to her and learned that she actually was younger than me, but now we're friends and I'm tutoring her in learning English." He explained before he took a bite of his cake.

"And that's all she is, a friend?" Neville asked before he tried a bite of the cake.

"That's all I'm allowing right now." Harry said. "I still miss Ginny; I'm still in love with her. I can't see myself being with one girl while still being in love with and missing another."

Neville hummed sympathetically as he took a sip of his tea.

"Does she think of you two as just friends?" He asked, and watched him shake his head.

"She does, but she also likes me." Harry answered. "I told her that I lost my last girlfriend, so she's aware that I'm mourning and unable to be in a relationship."

"So you don't know if her feelings will grow stronger or fade in time or if she intends to try to wait." Neville said.

"Yes." Harry said as he nodded. Silently, however, he knew that Usagi's feelings were actually not fading because she was still showing him signs of her affection. He didn't know if she intended on trying to wait, but it was looking more and more like she was.

Part of him thought she was wasting her time, and another part of him liked that she was willing to wait. It showed a type of loyalty and determination that strongly appealed to him.

"What will happen when you leave and come back here? Won't her feelings be hurt?" Neville asked.

"About that. This is something only Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Bill, George, and Fleur know, and I just told them yesterday." Harry said, and watched his friend nod. "I've decided to live in Japan."

Neville gasped in surprise. "Seriously?!" He said, and watched him nod firmly.

"I'm very serious." Harry said firmly.

"Why?" Neville asked.

"Because I found peace there." Harry answered before he took a sip of tea.

"There are no reporters following me and tracking my movements, and I don't have to worry about ending up in the papers. I have privacy. I can conduct my life without fear that everyone will know about the more interesting parts." He explained.

"I don't have to worry about people only wanting to know me or liking me just because I'm The Boy Who Lived." He continued. "That girl that likes me likes me because of my personality, and I imagine because she likes the way I look, and because she likes my accent when I speak in English. That's refreshing; to know that it's me and not my fame that attracts her."

"Beyond that I found my purpose, so I'm not just existing anymore." He added.

"I understand." Neville said as he nodded.

And he thought he truly did. Harry looked much better than he did before he left for his travels; healthier, taller, and peaceful as he said.

"So leaving helped just like you hoped it would?" He asked.

"Yes. It definitely did, and I'm thankful because things had been getting bad. It had actually continued to get bad even after the change in scenery, and I eventually got help." Harry said.

"What do you mean?" Neville asked curiously.

"A friend I made recommended that I see a mind healer." Harry revealed. "It was something I had thought about not long after the war since non-magical's have those types of Healers, but I knew St. Mungo's didn't have any so I was out of luck."

"Learning that Japan had them was surprising, so after a particularly bad couple of nightmares that came back to back I decided to go see one." He said.

"I've been seeing my healer for four months now and I feel so much better. Mind you I didn't like the process at all, still don't, since it meant I had to talk about my feelings and about things I wouldn't tell anyone unless I absolutely trusted them. But I did it, and it worked. The nightmares are nearly gone, and obviously I'm having an easier time talking about things." He explained before he took a bite of his cake.

"Yeah." Neville agreed as he nodded. He knew his friend well enough that before Harry left for his travels he wouldn't even be talking about this topic. He would have considered it too private to talk about.

Even the bit about the girl that liked him would have been off limits, and the only way he would have known was if he had seen them interacting first hand.

"I'm glad you're feeling better and more peaceful, but it sucks that you're not going to be living here anymore." He said.

"Thanks." Harry said with a slight smile. "It won't be so bad. I'll be visiting. I still have friends here, and I still consider the majority of the Weasley's to be family."

"The majority." Neville repeated.

"Yeah. You couldn't have missed seeing what happened between me, Ron, and Hermione yesterday." Harry said, and watched him nod.

"My eyes were drawn over to you guys." Neville said before he took a bite of cake.

Harry nodded. "Yeah. They both accused me of things, like that time Ron accused me at the pub when the DA met up, and they were pretty much upset with me for leaving to travel, as well as leaving without telling them, for not having Ron move in with me after I left the Burrow, for not handling their portion of the reparations with the Goblins. All that on top of accusing me of becoming an alcoholic and a womanizer." He said.

"On top of that the day after I got to Japan I got a Howler from Hermione just because I left and didn't tell her in person. I had actually sent her a letter since she was at school and couldn't be at the dinner where I told the rest of the Weasley's; at least the Weasley's that had come." He added.

"At the time I was staying in a non-magical apartment building, and if I hadn't silenced the room I was in everyone would have heard it and then I would have had to deal with who knew what!" Harry said in remembered frustration.

Neville's jaw dropped in shock. How could they think that about a friend they had known for years?! Someone they considered their best friend?! Did they think the war had affected him that badly?

The only one he had seen of their friends and acquaintances that had been affected to the point of getting drunk was Ron. Others drank, but not like he had seen and heard Ron drink.

"It was clear to me that they either thought they had the right to control me or they hadn't taken steps to deal with their emotions and thoughts from the war and were taking it out on me. Or in Hermione's case she just thought she had the right to try and control and parent me." Harry continued.

"So with that I decided I didn't have to put up with it. I had been calm and stress free and doing well, and I didn't need them dragging me back down, so I ended my friendship with the both of them." He said firmly.

Neville's eyes widened, and Harry nodded.

"I told George, Bill, and Fleur, and strongly hinted at it with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, so they know. That way they can keep any news they learned about me from those two." Harry said, and took another bite of his cake.

"Wow." Neville said. "That's shocking and surprising, but with what you're dealing with I can understand. You shouldn't have to deal with that. Just hearing about it makes me tired; I couldn't imagine having to deal with it."

Harry nodded in agreement.

"So I'm done with them. I'm not going to stress over them, and I'm going to keep my thoughts away from them. Instead I'll focus on the friends that are considerate and treat me right." He said.

"Good for you; looking out for yourself." Neville said, and watched him nod.

"So how's Auror life treating you?" Harry asked, changing the subject before he took a sip of his tea.

"I like it okay, but I'm not entirely sure I'll stay with it as a lifelong career." Neville answered. "I'm going to give it a bit more time to see if my feelings change, and if not then I'll move on to something else."

"What about you? What have you been doing since you've been living in Japan all this time?" He asked in return.

"Well, you already know I've been continuing my magical studies and learning the subjects I would've learn in a non-magical school." Harry said, and watched Neville nod.

"At first I had arranged for tutoring so I could learn how they do magic over there, but I eventually managed to get myself enrolled in the magical school." He continued.

"Oh wow." Neville said in surprise. "What's it like? How is it different from Hogwarts?"

"It's very different." Harry said. "The school is in their version of a castle, and is just as large and impressive as Hogwarts is. They have more magical classes, and also have non-magical classes."

"There is no Muggle Studies class. All students take the non-magical classes, so they can blend into the non-magical society better. Whether that's getting a non-magical job, or working the equivalent of a non-magical job but in the same location, or a job like a lawyer who would take both magical and non-magical clients." He explained, and Neville nodded in understanding.

"I imagine it also helps with the situation we spoke of earlier with talking to a girl who isn't a witch. They could talk to people who aren't magical confidently, because they know the things that they know." He continued.

"That would be helpful." Neville said as he nodded.

"Yeah." Harry agreed. "They have classes for adults, which is eighteen and above, which is how I can go there in the first place."

"They start their schooling at age seven instead eleven like we did." He continued. "The younger years ride a large magical creature to school, and when they reach a certain age they switch to having a semi-permanent Portkey attached to their uniform that will take them to and from school. At least if they aren't part of the students that live in dorms at the school."

"That's how I get to the school. It's very convenient." He said. "And students have to wear the uniform whenever they are on campus; even if they're not a current student. The first time I went to the school I completely stood out as someone who had never attended the school. It would have been embarrassing if I hadn't been in awe over how the school looked."

"Anyway, they have four houses as well, but there are no rivalries like with Gryffindor and Slytherin. And the common rooms are tailored to each house, but the location isn't a secret and anyone from another house can go into them." He continued.

"Oh! Does that mean there's no password?" Neville asked in surprise.

"No password necessary." Harry confirmed with a grin.

"That must be a relief." Neville said. "Although, I can understand why we had them. I don't think the environment with our houses would have been very safe if anyone could come and go into any common room and further into the dorms."

"Yeah. I've found a lot of things only work over there because there's no house rivalries, and everyone is respectful and disciplined." Harry said, and Neville nodded.

"They have rooms scattered around the school that are like the Room of Requirement. One of the things they can do is time compression, which allows students more time while inside the room while less time passes on the outside in normal time." He continued.

"That helps majorly for studying, and I use it a lot; especially for my non-magical classes since I have a lot of catching up to do." He added before he took a sip of his tea.

"I can imagine that would definitely be helpful. I would have taken advantage of that if we had them." Neville said before he lifted another bite of cake to his mouth, but then paused.

"But then if we had more rooms like that at Hogwarts they would have been abused outrageously, and students likely wouldn't have been able to use it for studying the majority of the time." He added, and then stuffed the piece of cake in his mouth.

"True." Harry agreed. "I can imagine couples in there making out or more, skipping classes, and all manner of things."

Neville nodded in agreement; easily able to imagine those things. Broom closets would become unnecessary for anything other than cleaning supplies.

"They have Quidditch there, a team for each house, but I haven't seen any of the matches yet, and that's just because I've been so focused on my studies." Harry said before he took a sip of his tea.

"Beyond that they have a swimming pool and a track field for exercise, which I thought was great when I discovered them." He added.

He had wanted to take advantage of the pool, having learned how to swim during one of his stays at the Burrow, but he wasn't at all interested or comfortable with having his scars on display.

"What's a track field?" Neville asked with a confused frown before he lifted the last bite of cake to his mouth.

"You know the Quidditch pitch at Hogwarts; it's a round oval shape." Harry said, and Neville nodded. "A track field is like that with grass in the middle, and around the edge is a rubberized artificial ground with five to seven rows outlined in white for people to run against each other to test their speed against a time and each other."

"Why is the ground different?" Neville asked with a frown.

"So people can run in all types of weather without slipping and falling." Harry answered, and Neville nodded his understanding.

"Anyway, what else, what else? Umm…oh, they don't have a headmaster." He added, and Neville's eyes widened. "Yeah, instead they have several overseers, which works out well when it comes to the students as it should. There's no one person that is stretched too thin with the work load, so bad behavior is caught easier and students with unique abilities or interests are noticed earlier."

"That school sounds interesting." Neville said thoughtfully. "I wonder what it would have been like to go there; especially at the age of seven."

"I've wondered the same since I learned that fact." Harry said, especially since he had apparently had an invitation to go.

He likely would have gone had the invitation been delivered in person, and he didn't know about Hogwarts and his Potter parents. Anything to get away from the Dursley's. Of course, at seven he hadn't known about either Hogwarts or the magical truth about his parents, so it would have been easy to convince him.

Although, I wonder if Dumbledore would have found out somehow, and prevented it before I could leave the country. He thought idly.

"Anyway, once I finish my studies to my satisfaction I'm going to enroll in the Healer training program." Harry revealed, and listened to his friend gasp.

"You're going to be a Healer?" Neville asked.

"Yeah." Harry said as he nodded.

"I'm surprised." Neville said honestly. "I've never pictured you as a Healer. What made you decide on that path when before you were considering being an Auror?"

"Part of it was my experience with my mind healer. It was helpful, and I still want to help people just without the pressure of fighting while doing it. The other part is that I hope healing people and making them better will offset all the death I've seen." He replied, and his friend nodded.

"Ah, I understand." Neville said. "I can see you being a Healer now, but I don't think I would have seen you that way when we were still at Hogwarts."

"I definitely hadn't seen myself being a Healer then either. I hadn't even really known about Healers aside from Madam Pomfrey, and the occasional mention of St. Mungo's." Harry said.

Neville nodded understandingly yet sadly, and Harry changed the subject; knowing that his friend's mind was turning to his parents.

"So how's your family?" He asked as he began to finish off his piece of cake.

"They're okay health-wise and all that, but they're a bit of a pain to live with; more than a bit actually." Neville said, and then sighed. "I'm actually going to be moving out of my family manor house in the next few weeks."

"Why?" Harry asked, somewhat surprised, and wondering if it was something specific that his relatives were doing to drive him away.

"Honestly," Neville said as he sighed again. "I just want to get away from my relatives."

"My grandmother and great uncle haven't changed even after these past few years, and are still picking at me and critiquing me when it comes to my magic and skills. My grandmother is thrilled that I'm an Auror, but only because my parents, my father in particular, was one." He explained.

"I'm tired of being judged based on those things and constantly being compared to my parents. I'm my own person, and I'm of age and don't have to put up with it." He said.

"I completely understand." Harry said as he nodded. "It's like if I had continued to live with my own relatives after the war. With the way they treated me I would have rather been homeless than put up with it."

Harry was very serious about that. He had only stayed with them under duress after he had learned he was a wizard, and when he had become aware he had other options but was being prevented from taking them.

"Beyond that I moved out of the Burrow only a couple a weeks after the war to get away from all the grief going on there, and moved into the house I inherited from my godfather. It's a depressing place, but I had privacy and no one bothering me. Still, as soon as I had the chance I moved out of there as well, and into a better environment for my overall health." He explained.

There was no need for Harry to go into the fact that he had been compared to his parents; constantly told that he looked like his father and that he had his mother's eyes. Especially since he had gotten rid of the almost permanent glamour charm that had been tied into his magic.

He had liked the comparisons as far as his appearance at first, but they had quickly become tiring since people had also started to take his strong appearance to his father to mean he would act just like him.

Now he looked like a mixture of all four of his parents, so he would be especially unhappy about the comparisons now if he heard them.

"I'm glad you understand." Neville said with a slight smile. "So, when are you leaving to head back to Japan?" He asked before he grabbed one of the sticks of dango.

"Either tonight or tomorrow morning." Harry answered. "I have plans to have dinner with the Weasley's I'm close to this evening, but after that I'm free to leave at any time. Besides, I need to get back so I can get back to my classes."

"And you don't want to get behind in your studies considering what your future goal is." Neville said as he nodded.

"Very true." Harry agreed as he picked up a stick of dango.

The two friends continued to sit and eat, Harry getting them some more tea and Hanami dango, and talk. They spoke a little about the ceremony, and how Hogwarts looked since it had been long months since either of them had seen the school. Since the clean up and restoration for Harry, and since N.E.W.T.'s for Neville.

After they finished their snacks and ran out of things to talk about they parted ways; promising to write and keep in touch.

~HPxXxMC~

Early the next afternoon Harry Apparated to the Ministry and began to make his way to the Minister's office.

He had sent Kingsley a note asking for a few minutes of his time, so he didn't have to worry about interrupting anything. Thankfully Kingsley had sent back a note with a time that worked for him, and wouldn't interfere with anything else he had planned.

He was quickly let into the office and exchanged greetings as he took a seat in front of the desk.

"So what can I do for you Harry?" Kingsley asked. "Your note didn't say, and I admit I'm curious."

"Actually I wanted to let you know that I'm leaving." Harry stated clearly. He hadn't wanted the man to try to send him an owl for some reason only to be surprised to learn he wasn't in the country anymore.

"Oh! You're not done traveling?" Kingsley asked in surprise. He had thought the young man was back for good. "Are you not interested in being an Auror again?" Kingsley asked.

"No I'm not. To both questions." Harry replied. As much as he liked Kingsley he wasn't yet ready to inform him that he wasn't coming back to live and work in England, and even if he was he still wouldn't want to be an Auror.

"I'm not done traveling, and I've definitely decided against being an Auror." He explained.

"Ah, won't you reconsider being an Auror?" Kingsley asked as he leaned forward on his desk. "Your skills would be invaluable to the department. Even after a year and new policies the Auror Department is still understaffed."

"I'm sorry," Harry said, though he felt no such thing. "but I'm not going to change my mind. I'm done hunting down dark wizards, and I have no wish to be an enforcer of the law."

He was a bit unhappy to be doing the type of fighting he currently was, but his instincts demanded it and he needed answers so he went ahead with it. Not to mention he didn't want to leave Usagi to fight alone.

Beyond that he had no wish to be tied to the British Ministry in such a way. He hadn't forgotten how the government had treated him, and highly doubted that would have changed significantly just because Kingsley was the Minister and some new policies were in place.

He didn't even want to be tied to the Japanese Ministry despite his opinion that things were better, more stable and less corrupt if not completely devoid of it, in Japan.

And even further, it just wasn't the type of work he wanted to spend his life doing. He had spoken to Tonk's about her job off and on, learning that it was more than just fighting dark wizards, and had found it interesting and exciting, and yet also tedious and boring.

It's a great way to use my best set of skills, but it's still not worth all the trouble and stress it would bring regardless of where in the world the job would be. He thought.

"Maybe you can do consultation, and help out every once in a while." Kingsley suggested, hoping to get him attached to the Auror department in some way. Perhaps if he did he would find he actually did like it, and agree to stay on full time.

"No. I can't." Harry said firmly yet sympathetically.

While he could understand why Kingsley was being this way, he was not going to let it sway his decision. His days of giving in just because he felt sorry or knew that his skills were needed or because it was a friend asking or because it was expected of him were completely over.

He was not going to tie himself to this Ministry for any reason. It was unfortunate that the Auror department wasn't what it should be, but that was not unexpected after the war, and he was not going to give in just because Kingsley found the department understaffed.

The situation will be worsened with one less Auror if Neville finds himself unhappy with the job. He thought.

"I can't change your mind at all?" Kingsley asked with slight dismay, seeing the potential in front of him slipping through his fingers.

"No." Harry answered simply yet firmly.

Kingsley sighed in disappointment.

"I'm sorry to hear that, but I understand." He said as he nodded. He didn't want to accept it, but it was clear from his words, tone, and facial expression that he wasn't going to change the young man's mind.

Harry simply nodded, not bothering with saying anything he didn't mean.

"I had better let you get back to your work." He said as he stood up, ready go. "I just wanted to let you know I was leaving, so you didn't find yourself wanting to speak to me only to find that I wasn't in the country anymore."

"Thank you for that." Kingsley said as he stood as well. "I hope you enjoy your travels. Don't forget to take care of yourself."

"Thanks. I won't forget." Harry assured him. "Don't let the stress of this job get to you."

"I'll try not to." Kingsley said, and watched the young man wave a little and walk out the door.

~xXx~

Harry had wasted no time getting out of the Ministry after he left Kingsley's office. Now that he had let Kingsley know that he was leaving the country again he was ready to finish up what he had to do so he could get back to Tokyo.

He had already packed up his things last night. His clothes were already in his travel bag along with his school bag, and his Omnioculars, which he had remembered wanting to get the next time he went back to England after the Quidditch game Motoki took him to see.

He had said his goodbyes to everyone he wanted to say them to, so now he just needed to get the gifts he had decided to get for Usagi and Motoki.

The first stop he made was to The Sorcerer's Spot. He could have gone to The Leaky Cauldron, but there was usually more people there; people who wouldn't hesitate to approach him if he stayed long enough.

Once at the still fairly new pub he went up to the bar counter and requested three crates of Butterbeer and one crate of Pumpkin Juice; strongly reminded of the difference between London and Tokyo where he could go to an actual beverage store instead of a pub to buy in bulk.

One crate of Butterbeer for Motoki, and the rest as well as the Pumpkin Juice for me. He thought as he paid for the beverages and shrunk them down. He missed the taste and would make sure to drink them sparingly.

Harry placed the tiny crates in his pocket, and left the pub to make his way to Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. Once inside he went about grabbing some of the sweets he thought his friend might like and a few of the joke products.

After paying for his items he left and headed into non-magical London to find something for Usagi. After a couple of stores he ended up getting a stuffed bear wearing the country's flag, and a London Eye snow globe knowing that Usagi would understand the sentiment of the globe.

With that taken care of he Apparated back home and placed his purchases into his traveling bag then went about making sure he wasn't forgetting anything. He removed the glamours to his hair and eyes, and placed his glasses into his Mokeskin pouch and pulled out the Elder Wand.

He conjured up a red rose and placed it on his bed before he turned it into a one way touch activated Portkey to his apartment in Tokyo. After it glowed the bright blue color to signify the incantation had worked he put the wand away and put his pouch safely back around his neck.

Harry looked around his bedroom briefly before he closed the window, and swung the strap of his travel bag over his head to rest across his chest.

"Ready to head back to Tokyo Helios?" He asked as he stepped toward his familiar where he sat on his perch.

The golden owl hooted quietly and he sensed his agreement, so he carefully wrapped his arm around him to hold him securely to him and stepped back toward the bed.

"Brace yourself." He warned his familiar before he picked up the rose.

A moment later the two of them were inside his apartment in the barely there late evening light coming through the balcony windows. The ride had been as smooth and instant as it had been the times he had returned to help Usagi fight a youma.

"Home sweet home Helios." Mamoru said before he began to get himself and Helios settled in.

*Moshi moshi: Hello
*usagidesu: it's Usagi
*Nē, anata: Hey you
*Ō! Anata wa ima karera no ie ni imasu? Dōshite son'nani hayaku iwanakatta no?!: Oh! You're at their house right now? Why didn't you say so sooner?!
*Anata ni oitsuku koto o ki ni shinakattakaradesu.: Because I didn't mind catching up with you.
*Anata wa totemo yasashīdesu. Arigatōgozaimasu.: You're so sweet. Thank you.
*Soredemo, watashi wa anata ni karera no tokoro ni modora seru tsumoridesu, soshite watashi wa tonikaku nemuru hitsuyō ga arimasu.: Still, I'm going to let you get back to them, and I need to get to sleep anyway.
*Un, asa okiru no ni kurō shite hoshikunai.: Yeah, I don't want you having trouble waking up in the morning.
*Watashi no mezamashi ga umaku ikudeshou.: My alarm will do the trick.
*Wakatta, jā. Atode hanashimashou. Oyasuminasai.: Alright then. I'll talk to you later. Have a good night.
*Arigatō. Baibai.: Thanks. Bye.
*Baibai.: Bye.
*Alors, comment va votre français?: So how is your French coming along?
*Vous me le dites.: You tell me.
*Ça sonne bien jusqu'à présent, votre accent aussi.: It sounds good so far; your accent as well.
*Merci. C'est agréable de savoir que toutes mes études et ma pratique portent leurs fruits.: Thanks. It's nice to know all my studying and practicing is paying off.
*Était-ce le japonais que vous parliez plus tôt?: Was that Japanese you were speaking earlier?
*Oui. Cela a certainement été utile depuis que je suis au Japon.: Yes. It's definitely been helpful since I've been in Japan.

Chapter Text

The day after Mamoru returned from England he resumed his schedule. He went to school, turning in all the homework he had been assigned for his days away, and afterward he went to the Crown cafe to meet up with Usagi.

He sat in the booth they always sat in and began to work on his French homework. He was determined to be completely fluent before the school year ended, which was when he was supposed to be good enough since it was only supposed to take that long.

Aside from gaining the accent and the normal flow of speech instead of slowness and hesitancy. He thought.

He was sure he didn't have that problem. Fleur had approved of his progress when it came to his writing the language, and after speaking to her only days ago she had approved of the way he spoke and his accent as well.

The only thing he would have to worry about once the end of the school year came was what language he would learn next. Maybe Latin to better his spell work or Italian or even Bulgarian to honor Victor Krum.

Maybe I'll get eccentric and try to learn Ancient Egyptian. He thought, and wondered vaguely if it would be easier now that he was learning Ancient Runes.

Mamoru wasn't exactly sure how much time passed as he focused on his homework, but the next thing he knew he was hearing the cafe door open and a familiar voice calling to him.

"Mamoru! You're back!" Usagi exclaimed, not caring that she was stating the obvious in her excitement.

Mamoru looked up to see Usagi walking toward him with bright eyes and a bright smile on her face.

"I said I would be." He said with a grin.

"I know, but still!" She said just before she reached him.

Usagi was so happy to see her friend/crush as she slid into the booth seat opposite him that she wanted to give him a big hug. She wanted to but she didn't, because she knew she had been lucky to get the hug she did when she had boldly hugged him before he had left on his trip.

"Did you enjoy your time with your family and friends?" She asked after she put her school bag down on the seat beside her.

"I did for the most part." Mamoru replied. "I told them that I'm now living here permanently. They were, unsurprisingly, surprised, and some weren't too happy about it."

"They didn't know?" Usagi asked in surprise.

"No. They had thought I was still traveling, and was just staying in Japan for a while." He explained.

Usagi nodded. That answered a question she had had before when he first told her about having decided only after having been here for some months that he would live here permanently.

She'd wondered if those he left behind in England knew he was living here and not just on an extended visit. Now she knew. They hadn't known until his trip back.

Mamoru was going to tell Usagi about ending his friendship with his former closest friends, but decided against it since he wanted to speak to his mind healer first about that situation.

I need to remember to tell her another time. He told himself. He thought the situation might be advice she could use if she ever found herself in a similar situation.

"Still, they were accepting of my decision, and only want me to keep in touch and visit, which I have no problem with." Mamoru said instead. "It was just good to see and speak to them in person."

"I'm glad you got to spend time with them, and that they accepted your decision to live here." Usagi said.

She couldn't imagine how they had felt hearing his news. To find that he wasn't just traveling anymore, but was now living in one of the destinations he had gone to must have been a shock.

"Me too." He agreed. "It wouldn't have stopped me, just as it didn't stop me from leaving in the first place, but it made for a more peaceful leaving."

"That's good." She said as she nodded, although she wondered if some of them had made his first leaving difficult.

"So, I brought back some things for you." Mamoru said as he lifted the bag that was beside him and sat it on the table in front of her. "It's not much, but I thought you might like them."

"Thank you." She said before she reached into the bag and pulled out something soft and squishy. "How cute!" She exclaimed as a tan colored teddy bear appeared. It had brown eyes and was wearing the red, blue, and white flag of Great Britain as a shirt.

"It's so soft!" Usagi said as she hugged it. She knew exactly where it was going. It was going to be living on her bed resting against her pillow; joining the white and lavender rabbit that currently lived there.

She sat the bear on her lap and reached into the bag again and moved her hand around until she came into contact with the only other thing in there. She grabbed it and pulled it out, and gasped to see what it was.

"Oh! Is this the Ferris wheel you told me about?" She asked as she looked at the blue and clear snow globe.

Inside was the image of a Ferris wheel on a blue background with a bridge and a couple of buildings behind it. There were even tiny flags from other countries and some green trees, and at the bottom along the base was the name of the city London.

She shook it and smiled to see snow floating through the liquid.

"Yes. It is." He answered simply.

"Thank you." She said again as she looked at him softly.

"You're welcome." Mamoru said. "Alright, let's start on your English. What have you done while I've been gone?" He asked.

With that Usagi put her gifts back in the bag and put it aside then pulled out her English notes and homework, and began to explain what she had done and what she had to do that day.

Understanding where she was in her studies he helped her with her homework and reviewing her notes, and every other word he spoke was in English to further help her understanding while hearing the language spoken.

When she got confused he paused and let her puzzle it out while giving her hints until she understood the meaning of the word.

All while this was happening he was also working on his own language homework, and would tell Usagi about some of his French notes all while speaking in a mixture of English and Japanese.

He was slightly amused and pleased at himself. Looking back at his time at Hogwarts he could have never seen himself being bilingual let alone helping someone else become so while also working on learning yet another language.

Of course at the time he was more concerned with passing his classes so he could move on to his next year of schooling, and learning enough defensive spells to stay alive.

After they finished their language homework they moved on to their other homework, and worked on that until they agreed to stop. After that they left the cafe and Usagi wasted no time informing Mamoru that she had not forgotten that she was supposed to take him to a music store, and she intended to do that right now.

As they walked along sidewalk after sidewalk Mamoru realized wherever the store was they didn't need to take any buses to get to it since they were passing up bus stops. Altogether, it took about fifteen minutes to reach the store, but it didn't seem long since they chatted about some of the things they had done over the days they were separate the entire time.

The outside of the store looked very simple yet looking at the windows he saw posters of who he guessed were popular singers, groups, and bands.

As soon as they entered the store Mamoru was amazed at how much there was. Looking at the signs closest to him as they moved further in he could see that there were CDs, older vinyl albums, even newer music that was specifically made into vinyl albums, and cassette tapes.

As he looked around and listened to Usagi he began to understand that there were different types of music, and there were so many types of each with different singers and writers that there was always bound to be a song or album that a person could relate to. Some singers apparently also had translations of whole albums, and there were even sections with music from different countries.

With her explanations in mind he began to listen to different types of music since the store had options of sample clips and whole songs. He walked around the store and paused here and there and picked up a pair of headphones sitting there, and put them on before he pressed a button for a particular song.

He listened to many songs in Japanese in different types of genres, and he found he liked them okay before he drifted over to the international section. He sampled Italian opera, English R , rock, and rap, American country, and French pop, and a couple of songs that had a mix of two languages in them, but mostly focused on English language songs since it was his first language.

There were many songs he liked or at least they appealed to his ears. He was also surprised at some of the words, or lyrics as a sign said, that made up the songs. Some embarrassed him when he got pass the rhythm and melody enough to pay attention to them, and others relaxed him or reminded him of various situations he had been in with people. Some even reminded him of his time with Ginny.

A foreign beauty so exotic
When she smiled at me, she took my breath away
She's reminiscent of a goddess
It's a shame that we could not communicate
How do I say...

How do I say hello? I just wanna talk to you
How do I say you're beautiful when I can't take my eyes off you?
I don't wanna say the wrong thing, I wanna use the right words to impress you
My baby, how do I say, how do I say
How do I say?(1)

The first thing that came to Mamoru's mind at hearing the lyrics was Usagi's name. Him being in a foreign country, at least as far as his sensibilities were concerned, even though it was his birth country, and her being attractive in various degrees.

First with her long golden hair and its intriguing style, clear blue eyes, soft soothing voice, and then the physical attraction at seeing her in her Sailor Moon persona.

She is definitely an exotic foreign beauty as far as I'm concerned. He thought before he stopped the song, and forced his mind away from that train of thought.

He decided to try another song by the same singer since he liked the rhythm and melody of the song even though he didn't like where it took his mind.

I don't really care
How long you've been together with your man
It's just a matter of time
Before I make you mine
I wanna make it clear
So there's no misunderstandings
That I get, what I want
When I want

If I wanted, I could take you from your man
(please believe it)
With my eyes closed, I could have you eating out the palm of my hand
And all your little girlfriends, too
(No you can't, you're a playa, I don't want you)
Yes I can, and I will if I, if I want to
If I, if I want to, baby
If I wanted, I could take you from your man
(please believe it)
With my eyes closed, I could have you eating out the palm of my hand
And all your little girlfriends, too
(No you can't, you're a playa, I don't want you)
Yes I can, and I will if I, if I want to
If I, if I want to, baby(2)

Mamoru's eyebrows rose sharply in surprise at the lyrics. He figured the song must be to inspire confidence, or for those who managed to find themselves with actual experience with such a situation, but he couldn't deny a part of him strangely agreed with the words, which he thought really was strange since he had definitely never been in such a situation and had never felt that type of confidence with girls.

Strange. He thought as he put down the headphones and moved on to another section to sample yet another song. He picked up the headphones and put them on before he pressed the button for a random song.

There is so much a man can tell you
So much he can say
You remain my power, my pleasure, my pain, baby
To me you're like a growing addiction that I can't deny
Won't you tell me is that healthy, baby?

But did you know that when it snows
My eyes become large and
The light that you shine can't be seen?

Baby, I compare you to a kiss from a rose on the grey
Ooh, the more I get of you, the stranger it feels, yeah
And now that your rose is in bloom
A light hits the gloom on the grey(3)

He liked the song. He didn't know why he liked it. Maybe it was the rhythm and flow of the lyrics, the lyrics themselves, or the melody, but either way he enjoyed the song.

He listened to the sample clip a few more times before he put the headphones down and moved on to another section. He scanned what was available until his eyes caught sight of something that was in another language aside from the English, Japanese, or the French he was learning.

He picked up the headphones near it and put them over his ears before he pressed the button to see what came out.

I pray you'll be our eyes
And watch us where we go
And help us to be wise
In times when we don't know

Let this be our prayer
As we go our way
Lead us to a place
Guide us with your grace
To a place where we'll be safe

La luce che tu hai
I pray we'll find your light

Nel cuore rester à
And hold it in our hearts

A ricordarci che
When stars go out each night

L'eterna stella sei

Nella mia preghiera
Let this be our prayer

Quanta fede c'è
When shadows fill our day

Lead us to a place
Guide us with your grace
Give us faith so we'll be safe

Sogniamo un mondo senza più violenza
Un mondo di giustizia e di speranza
Ognuno dia la mano al suo vicino
Simbolo di pace, di fraternità(4)

Mamoru hummed thoughtfully, and pressed the button to repeat the sample. He had never heard Italian before, and he liked the sound of it. He also liked the classical opera sound of it, and imagined he might like going to see an opera because of it.

Maybe Italian will be my next language to learn after all. He considered as he closed his eyes to take in the sound of the language better, and vaguely wondered if it would be possible to learn Italian and Latin at the same time since one descended from the other.

Usagi put the headphones that she had been wearing down and looked around for Mamoru. The rows and displays of music were only about waist or chest high, aside from the shelves against the walls, so she spotted him fairly quickly. He was standing next to a section in one of the rows just pressing one of the buttons for a song, so she made her way over to him.

"How are you finding things?" She asked as she reached him.

"Good. I think I might have found the next language I want to learn." He admitted as he listened to what remained of the sample.

"Wow. Another one?" She said in surprise, and watched as he smiled slightly and shrugged.

"Yeah." He answered.

Mamoru didn't know why he was suddenly wanting to learn languages. He had learned Japanese because it was the language in his birth country, and because he wanted to understand what people were saying when he came here. Then he had decided to learn French because he was going to take all of the non-magical classes Mahoutokoro had to offer and that included a foreign language class.

Japanese and French I can see myself using since I'm living here and I see Fleur as a sister, but I can't see when I would use Italian or any of the other languages I'm considering learning. He thought.

Well, Bulgarian I can see using if I got in touch with Victor Krum. He thought as the song sample ended.

"Come on, let's see what else there is." He said as he put the headphones down.

"Sure." She replied, still surprised that he wanted to learn another language.

They stepped over to another section and Mamoru scanned the available samples before he picked up the headphones. He put them on and pressed the button for a random song from an album with a woman on the cover.

From this moment, life has begun
From this moment, you are the one
Right beside you is where I belong
From this moment on
From this moment, I have been blessed
I live only for your happiness
And for your love, I'd give my last breath
From this moment on

I give my hand to you with all my heart
I can't wait to live my life with you, can't wait to start
You and I will never be apart
My dreams came true because of you

From this moment, as long as I live
I will love you, I promise you this
There is nothing I wouldn't give
From this moment on(5)

Mamoru closed his eyes and grimaced before he snatched the headphones off his head. The song sounded like it belonged in a wedding or some other romantic situation, and it immediately brought Ginny to his mind.

That was the last thing he wanted right now. It was a nice song, but not an influence his mind needed right now.

"What's wrong?" Usagi asked him with a slight frown as she watched him.

"Nothing." He said as he put the headphones down. "Just a song I don't need to be listening to right now." He added before he stepped away.

Usagi frowned a little more before curiosity got the better of her. She picked up the headphones and put them on before she pressed the button for the sample song he had been listening to.

Immediately she realized it was English so she focused hard on the words to try to understand, and after listening to it four times through she blushed as she finally realized the gist of what the song was about. She could clearly understand why he wouldn't want to listen to such a song.

Mamoru turned and looked back to Usagi to see her with the headphones he had put down on her head, holding them to her ears with her eyes closed, and her face scrunched up in concentration as she tried to understand the song he had heard.

A fond smile unconsciously rose to his face as he gazed at her. He couldn't help thinking she was cute in that moment with how hard she was concentrating.

I wonder if listening to music in English would help her with learning the language. He wondered, switching his thoughts away from her attractiveness as his eyes flicked from her face to the headphones she wore and back again.

He definitely could have used that method instead of sitting in the Japantown plaza back in London or in addition to that since he believed hearing different people speaking about different things had exposed him to a wider range of words.

Would that method actually help me with learning my next language? He wondered as he glanced around toward some of the areas where he had listened to songs.

It very well could. He thought as he looked back to Usagi.

He decided in that moment he would get the music he had liked, and find himself a CD player so he could listen to them.

I'll also have to figure out how to pipe the music into the rooms or a single room of my apartment on command instead of blasting music throughout the apartment just to hear it in a different room than the living room. He thought as he watched Usagi's face. He didn't want to do that, and he didn't want to expose Helios to that assault either.

Usagi opened her eyes and could feel herself redden more as she saw Mamoru watching her with a smile. She was happy about the smile he was directing at her, but didn't want to call attention to it and make it go away.

"What?" She said instead as she took off the headphones.

"Nothing." Mamoru said as he shrugged. "I was just wondering if listening to music in English would help you with learning the language."

"It's possible." She said thoughtfully. "I usually memorize the words to songs I like without even realizing it. I guess it's the melody and the repetitiveness of it, so I could see that working. Especially if it forces me to learn the meaning of the words."

"Okay. We should both keep that in mind then." He said, and she nodded thoughtfully as she followed him as he began to walk off.

"So I've decided I'm going to get the music I liked, and I guess the album they're part of." He informed her as they walked back toward the sections where he had been sampling music. "Did you find anything you wanted?" He asked curiously.

"No. There's nothing I don't already have, and nothing new I heard that I actually want." Usagi said as they paused at a section of music.

"Are you sure?" He asked, glancing to her before he looked back to the section and grabbed the CD that had one of the songs he had liked.

"Yes." She assured him as she nodded.

"Getting these means I'm going to have to get something to listen to them on." He said as they moved toward the next section. "I might as well get a radio while I'm at it."

"Today?" She asked curiously as she watched him pause and look at the music in front of him.

"Yeah. There's no reason to delay." He said as he dragged a finger along the CDs until he found the one that had another song he liked.

"Then we need to hit the mall next. I know just the place that will have what you're looking for." Usagi said cheerfully, happy to help him with this.

"Good. I'm definitely going to need your help finding what I need." Mamoru said as he moved along to another section where he had been sampling music.

The only radio he'd seen up close was one Dudley had gotten for his birthday, Mamoru's birthday to be exact. He'd been made to sit and watch as it was unwrapped by the overweight boy as a gift to him, and cruel punishment to Mamoru for some supposed freakishness he had performed.

After Mamoru finished getting the CDs of the music he had liked they moved around listening to more samples until he ended up with CDs of more singers as well as some classical instrumental music and Italian opera.

Once he bought the CDs they left the store and made their way to the mall, a place he had been shown by both Usagi and Motoki at different times and to different degrees.

An almost thirty minute bus ride later found them at the mall and Usagi guiding Mamoru to the store he needed to find a radio and CD player. As they walked along the second floor of the mall they passed a jewelry store, and Mamoru made a note of the name and location so he could come back later and search it for the silver crystal.

They reached a department store that he had never been inside, and as he followed Usagi through the store he understood there were different sections. A clothing section, split into men's, women's, young adult, and children, shoe section, food section, book section, home section, beauty section, furniture section, toy section, movie and DVD section, and an electronic section.

The electronic section was where Usagi led him, and it had everything from TVs to computers to cameras to DVD players to radios.

"Here we are." Usagi said as she gestured toward the row of displayed radios and CD players.

Mamoru looked at each of the devices as he slowly walked along the row, Usagi following curiously, and ultimately decided to get a combined radio CD player so he focused on those devices.

"I like this one." He said as he stopped in front of a black device with gold accents. The main part, the radio CD player part, was in a rounded flat square shape, and it had two large speakers with it as well as a remote control.

"I think it would go well in your living room." Usagi said as she remembered the colors she had seen the one time she had been there.

"Then I'll get it." He said before he leaned down and grabbed one of the boxes of the device underneath the display. It was a bit heavy, but after catching Usagi while she was falling through the air he had no problem with it.

They made their way to the front of the store where the cash registers were, and went to the one with the shortest line. Within minutes he had bought the radio CD player and he and Usagi were headed out of the store. They made their way back through the mall toward the exit, and once outside they headed for the bus stop.

The box Mamoru carried was a bit cumbersome, but he dealt with it knowing that as soon as he parted from Usagi he could shrink it. Or if he couldn't find a place to do it without being seen he could just drop it off at home.

"So are you going to go home now?" Usagi asked with a light sigh as they reached the bus stop.

"Yeah. I certainly don't want to carry this around." Mamoru answered as he gestured toward the radio CD player box he had sat on the ground at his feet. "And I definitely don't want to drop it."

"Is it heavy?" She asked as she looked down at the box.

"It is, but nothing I can't manage." He said. "It would just get tiring after a while."

Usagi nodded and sighed sadly that they would be parting ways earlier then usual.

Mamoru smiled slightly, knowing her well enough to know that she didn't want to separate from him yet.

"What do you plan on doing when you get home?" He asked to try to distract her.

"I'll probably finish off my homework, eat a snack, and watch some TV or read a manga." She answered. "What about you?"

"I'll set up this," He said as he gestured to the radio CD player. "and listen to some music while I finish my homework and do some studying. And I'll probably eat at some point. Nothing very interesting." He said with a shrug. Of course practicing his wandless magic would be interesting, but he couldn't tell her that.

"It sounds like we both are going to have a boring evening." Usagi said.

Before Mamoru could say anything the bus came and they got on, paid their fare, and found a two seater seat and sat side by side. He adjusted his school bag and the box on his lap, and looked to Usagi and lightly bumped his shoulder with hers.

"We may have a boring evening but what can we do about it? I'm sure you'll find some way to entertain yourself." He said.

"What about you? You can't entertain yourself?" She asked, and watched him shrug.

"I'll be fine with doing just my homework and listening to music. It's what I've been doing all these months. Well except for the music part. I would usually watch TV. Either way I'll be fine; I'm boring like that." He said.

"You're not boring. You're dedicated to your studies. You can easily go to the movies or..or go do something else, but you choose to stay home and work toward your goal of being a doctor." Usagi said.

She watched him smile with the slight smile she had become used to, and wondered when she would see him smile widely more often. Perhaps when part of him was no longer so sad inside.

"I have been known for my single-minded focus when I'm passionate about something." Mamoru admitted. "Although, I don't know if that's a good thing." He added, remembering the times he had been focused on something that was dangerous. The Philosopher's Stone being the first of them.

"Maybe sometimes it might not have been a good thing, but I think it's possible those times could have lead to good things or important things that wouldn't have happened or you wouldn't have learned about if you hadn't been focused on them in the first place." She said as she idly tapped on her school bag.

"So I think it's a good thing overall, and I admire that about you." She added.

Mamoru hummed thoughtfully as he took in her words. He thought she was right. When he remembered back on his experiences it made sense.

If he hadn't been focused on the Philosopher's Stone he wouldn't have found out when he did that Voldemort was truly still alive and trying to get his body back, and if he hadn't followed the spiders into the forest he wouldn't have met Aragog and learned the truth of Hagrid's innocence when it came to the beast that killed Myrtle.

If he hadn't been focused on eavesdropping on the professors back in the Hogshead who knows when he would have learned that Sirius was his godfather. When he was fifteen he had been focused on a lot of things, but it all ultimately lead to him learning why his parents died and why Voldemort had been after him.

The next year he had been focused on proving that Draco Malfoy was a death eater and trying to contain his feelings for an unavailable Ginny, and ultimately got her as his girlfriend and proved that the blond was in fact a death eater.

Then he'd been focused on finding the Horcruxes and learning about the Deathly Hallows, and that knowledge had helped him when he fought against Voldemort in the final battle.

He especially was glad he had been so focused on the Deathly Hallows. At the time it had been a combination of curiosity, distraction, and urge that had him focused on them.

"I think you're right." Mamoru said as he nodded slowly. "There are things I wouldn't have learned at the time or at all if I hadn't been so focused."

"I also think you might have the same focus for things you're passionate about, and I like that about you." He added. He knew she was certainly focused on her feelings for him, and she was focused on learning the English language.

Usagi smiled and looked down. "Thank you." She said softly.

She wanted to grin, smile widely, and squeal happily at the compliment, but she kept herself composed and quiet. She didn't want to upset him or make him uncomfortable with a display like that. Even though she was certain he knew about her feelings for him, and she had an inkling that he returned them in some way, she was aware that he still felt too much for his lost girlfriend to act on them.

Be patient. Just be his friend, and enjoy that friendship. She told herself before she peeked over at him. And continue to let him know your feelings are still here.

"You're welcome." He replied kindly. "So what are we going to do tomorrow?" He asked, changing the subject.

"Ah! I have an idea, but I'm not sure I'm going to go with it or something else." Usagi said cheerfully. "If I do go with it then I think we're going to have fun."

"Sounds interesting." Mamoru said with a nod. "But I can't know what it is can I?"

"Nope! That would ruin the surprise." She answered with a grin. "Just know that it's something we haven't done yet."

"Ugh! I can't even guess since there's still a lot I haven't done." He said.

"You'll just have to wait and see." She said with a light laugh as he hummed and nodded in agreement. "So is there anything we've done that you want to do again any time soon?"

"I liked roller skating and the wall climbing." Mamoru said. "The amusement park too, but that's different than the other two activities."

"Well I can say that if I decide against what I have planned then I'll go with either the roller skating or wall climbing since I liked those too." Usagi said with a serious nod.

"I can't wait to find out what you're going to decide on." He said.

She smiled but before she could say anything she saw that their stop was coming up. She quickly rang the bell which in turn alerted Mamoru that their stop was coming since he looked around quickly.

The bus arrived at their stop and they stood up and filed off when the doors opened. They moved away from the bus and closer to the building they were in front of and out of the way of foot traffic before they looked to each other.

"I had a good time as usual even if our time was shorter than usual." Mamoru said as he shifted his school bag to his side so it wouldn't be in the way of the box he held.

"Me too." Usagi agreed.

"So I'll see you tomorrow." He half said half asked.

"Yup! Same time same place." She said as she nodded.

"Alright. Stay safe." He said.

"I will. You too." She said.

"I will. Bye." He said.

"Bye." Usagi said before she smiled and turned and began to walk away, not wanting to watch him walk away from her.

Mamoru turned after watching Usagi for a few moments, and began to head in the direction he usually went when he was looking to Apparate home. As he walked he subtly cast a wandless notice-me-not charm on himself, and slipped into a narrow side alley.

He wasted no time shrinking the box down and placed it in his school bag with the CDs he had bought. Then with the charm still surrounding him he Apparated to a spot he had seen near the mall where no one had been standing or walking; mostly because it housed a dumpster.

He walked out of the area and wandlessly cancelled the charm around him, so he would blend among the people walking along the sidewalk.

I wonder what the chances of me finding the silver crystal are? He thought as he walked toward the mall since he intended to head to the jewelry store he had seen earlier.

I haven't had any luck before, but who kn… His thought trailed off as he spotted a shocking sight.

A woman stood next to a young man looking at him sadly. There was nothing surprising there. Two people standing together was normal. She was sad and that was unfortunate, but not anything out of the norm.

What was shocking was that she was not a living breathing flesh and blood person. She was a ghost. She looked like all the ghosts he had gotten used to seeing at Hogwarts; in color yet transparent, and very much a ghost.

It was unexpected and surprising. It was also the first time he had seen a ghost outside of Hogwarts, not counting his use of the Resurrection Stone, and he didn't understand how or why it was happening.

And why is it happening now? I didn't see any ghosts earlier. He thought as he stared at the transparent woman. Or was I just so focused on Usagi and what we were doing that I didn't notice? Or maybe she's just truly the first one I've seen since I can't imagine being so unaware that I would miss something like that.

Mamoru was inclined to believe it was his last thought, because he quite honestly couldn't bring himself to be so unaware of his surroundings. When they walked or were on the bus his eyes were on a swivel, not just to see the sights, but to take in everything going on around him. He couldn't have possibly missed seeing a ghost.

Could this be connected with why I could see certain ghosts at Hogwarts while others couldn't? He wondered as he walked, coming closer to the ghost in his path.

Of course he was still clueless as to why he could see ghosts that others couldn't at the castle nor why the castle called him Master. So if it was connected he had no idea why any of these things were happening to him.

Suddenly the ghost woman looked directly at him, as if she had sensed him, and curtsied to him. He blinked in surprise and nodded his head as she straightened. She looked back to the young man sadly and he continued on his path and walked pass her.

His eyes flickered to the people along the sidewalk in front of him and across the street to the sidewalk there but he saw no more ghosts.

But I didn't see them right away at Hogwarts either. He reminded himself as he walked.

Mamoru reached the front of the mall and pulled open one of the doors before he stepped inside. He moved toward the escalator and as he rode the moving stairs he idly looked around, and paused as he saw two kids on the ground floor that he had just come from.

They were laughing and running after each other in some type of game of tag completely unnoticed by everyone walking around down there. Suddenly they stopped and looked directly up at him, as if they had sensed his eyes on them, and bowed and curtsied.

He nodded in acknowledgment when they straightened and looked at him, not knowing what else to do, and they smiled and waved before they went back to their playing.

He watched them for a few moments and turned his attention to what was going on in front of him as he reached the top of the escalator.

Could this have anything to do with being the Master of Death and keeper of the Deathly Hallows? He wondered, the idea suddenly occurring to him, as he stepped off the escalator and began to make his way toward the jewelry store.

After all, there had to be something to the whole Master of Death title besides just having the Hallows and being able to say that was what you were.

And I honestly haven't tried to find out since I've been focused on getting settled into life after Hogwarts and Voldemort and his Death Eaters. He thought as he walked, his eyes looking for the store.

Mamoru knew that according to legend the Hallows were supposedly created by Death, and whoever possessed all three artifacts would become the Master of Death.

He could definitely believe that Death had created them. They were too powerful to have been created by some incredibly powerful wizard or witch, even Merlin, but he highly doubted the title Master of Death was literal. Death could not be controlled; it could only be accepted as inevitable.

However, if they were truly created by Death itself then there is a possibility that having all of the Hallows could allow the keeper to come into contact with and speak to Death. He considered as he finally reached the store.

As he entered the store he pushed the thought aside for another time and focused on his task of searching for the silver crystal.

He looked at rings, bracelets, earrings, and necklaces with diamonds, white gemstones, and clear gemstones. Unfortunately none of them looked like what he imagined the silver crystal to look like. He didn't even get the sense that any of them could be the crystal.

He sighed and turned to leave but stopped suddenly as he caught sight of a necklace. He moved toward it for a better look, and saw that it was a rose gold necklace pendant combination.

The delicate chain was attached to the wings of an outline of a butterfly, inside yet raised as if it was pulling away from the outline was a slightly smaller solid butterfly, and dangling from the bottom of the outlined butterfly from two small delicate chains were tiny diamonds.

It was a pretty necklace and he instantly thought Usagi would like it, but just as quickly he shook the thought from his mind; not wanting his thoughts to go in that direction.

"Can I help you with anything?" A woman asked as she walked over from another counter and looked down at the glass display to see what he was looking at.

"Oh no." Mamoru said as he shook his head. "I was just looking at a necklace that I thought a friend of mine would like."

"Perhaps you should get it for her. I'm sure she would appreciate it." The woman said suggestively, assuming his friend was a girl.

"Oh no. We're not like that for me to be getting her jewelry." He corrected as he waved his hand. Although, he was sure Usagi actually would appreciate it.

"Well, if that ever changes" She said with a knowing smile at his denial. "then know that this necklace isn't going anywhere. It's a signature of our store along with similar pieces."

"That is good to know." He said, trying not to blush and knowing he was failing if the smile on her face said anything. "Thank you." He said before he left the store.

He had to get out of there before that woman talked him into buying that necklace, which would only happen because a part of him actually did want to get it. He didn't need to be doing that. Didn't need to be buying Usagi jewelry. She was not his girlfriend, but even getting it as a friend would give her the wrong idea with the feelings she had for him.

Mamoru internally shook himself and decided to head back to the department store Usagi took him to earlier to distract himself and get a better look around.

He walked around the store leisurely checking out the types of clothes and shoes they had before wandering into the food section. He grabbed a couple of things that looked interesting, and even got a couple of non-magical drinks; mostly juice and soda.

He eventually backtracked through the store and got a hand held basket to carry his items before returning to his browsing. As he passed by the toy section he stopped as he spotted bicycles. Moving into the aisle he looked at the various types curiously.

Having never learned how to ride a bike he had no intention of getting one, but he wondered how long it would take to learn how to ride.

It's bound to be harder than learning how to roller skate. He thought, which made him turn to the other side of the aisle where roller skates in different sizes and styles were displayed.

Mamoru moved toward the skates for men and wondered if he should get a pair. He had only been skating the one time with Usagi, but he had liked it; definitely enough to get his own pair.

I can skate around at the closest park to my apartment as practice. Maybe even from my apartment to the park once I'm comfortable. He thought as he gazed at the different designs of the inline skates the same as the ones he had used at the roller skating rink.

I could even use them as exercise. He thought, and considered in the next moment if he should start some kind of workout regime.

He hadn't worked out since his time on the Quidditch team back in his sixth year. It would help him stay in shape, and likely enhance his reaction time with the fighting he was doing as Tuxedo Kamen.

I can skate, do some exercises, and some running since I'm now really good at that. He thought as he looked at the skates.

I would just need to find the time to do it without sacrificing any of my study time or the time I spend with Usagi. He thought. Maybe I can combine skating and spending time with her. He considered as he reached out and picked up a narrow yet slightly heavy box with the picture of the skates he decided he wanted.

They were all black with four black wheels in a straight line, laced up with black strings, a locking cuff buckle to help further support the ankles, and another adjustable buckle that went around the skate below the ankle.

I guess that's for further stability of the feet inside the skates; to make sure there's no looseness when you're on the move. He thought with a shrug.

Either way, whether that's what it was for or not, he chose to think that's what the second buckle was for, which only made him feel the skates were safer that way. Especially since the description described them as aggressive inline skates.

Moving on from there Mamoru continued browsing around the store, holding his basket of items in one hand and the box of skates in his other arm, and eventually found himself in the electronics section.

He ignored the TVs, radios, and DVD players, but paused at the computers. He wondered if he should invest in one. So far he hadn't needed one for his school work or studies. In fact, he hadn't touched one since he had booked the rental apartment he stayed in when he first came to Japan.

But that doesn't mean I won't eventually need one. He thought as he looked over the different types. So far my sensei's have been fine with everyone in my classes handing in written work, but that might change when I reach the next level of my classes. Plus, it could help with keeping my notes more organized.

He shook his head and moved on deciding to wait until he actually needed a computer for school to get one.

However, before he could walk far he came across an aisle that had cameras. There were digital cameras, disposable cameras, instant cameras, and regular film cameras.

Mamoru had never had a camera; had never even thought about the device aside from the irritation of having reporters from the Daily Prophet taking his picture without his consent.

Colin Creevey too for that matter. He thought solemnly, remembering the excitable younger boy always trying to take his picture, and how he didn't survive the war.

Should I get one? He wondered as he looked at the numerous options. Hmm…if I do I can send pictures to everyone back in England. He considered thoughtfully as he looked closer at the types of cameras displayed.

The digital camera by its classification alone sounded like he would need a computer to make the most of it, and he had already decided to hold off on that. Reading more of the information on the displays and boxes confirmed for him that that option wasn't what he wanted.

Instant cameras sounded good, but he didn't think he wanted to deal with holding every picture he took in the moment and risk it getting damaged before he could put it somewhere secure.

Disposable cameras sounded good too since they were a one time use, but he wanted his own personal camera. Still, he would remember them for when he really wanted to take some pictures and didn't have his camera on him.

That left the option of film cameras that used rolls of film that had to be developed to get the pictures once the roll was finished, and reading more of the information on display that sounded like the best option for him. Although, he wondered where he was supposed to go to get the film developed.

Mamoru carefully examined each camera, and ultimately decided on one that was black, since the majority of them were that color, and not heavy with a good zoom lens.

He put his basket and the box with his new skates down and picked up the displayed camera and tried it out. He obviously couldn't take pictures but he looked through the view finder and tinkered with the zoom setting to see how things would look through it.

Once he was satisfied with the options he decided were important he put the camera down, and picked up one of the boxes on the shelf beneath it that held a brand new version of it. He put it in his basket and grabbed a couple of rolls of film, and dropped those in the basket as well before he picked it and his box of skates up.

Oh! Do I need to get a special magical camera to produce moving pictures? He wondered suddenly, pausing as he began to leave the area. How would I get the pictures developed so they're moving? And can I trust whoever would do the developing if I can't do it myself since I'll have to look like Harry Potter in some of them? The thought came quickly after the first.

He looked around thoughtfully at the display of cameras as the questions ran through his mind, and then shrugged as he decided to just go ahead and get the camera he had picked since he could have pictures that didn't move and could have those developed by a stranger without worry.

If I need a separate camera for magical moving pictures I can get that later. He thought as he made his way toward the front of the store and the cash registers.

Mamoru quickly paid for his items and all except the box of roller skates were bagged. He carefully grabbed the bags and box and left the store and made his way through the mall toward the main entrance.

He saw the ghost children he had seen earlier, still playing their game, but he didn't let his eyes linger on them as he came closer to the entrance.

As he walked he adjusted the bags he was holding and subtly cast a wandless notice-me-not charm on himself, and left the mall and made his way back to the spot he had Apparated to to come to the mall. He moved around the dumpster and shrunk his purchases and slipped them into his school bag before he removed the charm from himself and willed himself home.

He appeared inside his apartment in front of the door and immediately looked around as he always did.

"Hello Helios." He greeted his mysterious familiar as he stepped toward the living room area. "I've been busy since I left earlier." He added conversationally as he pulled off his school bag and placed it on the couch as he sat down next to it.

As he began to pull out what he bought he told Helios about it all, and explained why he had gotten each item. When he began to speak about his radio CD player he looked over to where his TV was set up and then around the room to see where he could set it up.

As he finished speaking he opened the box and moved over with it to where the TV was, and began to set up the radio CD player on the shelf of the stand just beneath where the TV sat. The speakers he placed on either side of the TV, and as he shifted around to connect them to the radio CD player he suddenly had an idea.

He had wondered earlier if and how he could get music to play in every room or a specific room without having to blast the music from the living room so it could reach every room clearly.

Maybe I can use the concept of how the magical mirror Sirius gave me worked. He considered as he shifted around to connect the speakers to the radio CD player.

He had never used the mirror, but he had figured out exactly how it was supposed to work. Using the same concept should be easier to recreate with what he wanted to do since he only needed the sound and not sound and images if he connected the speakers to the radio CD player with magic.

I could make copies of the speakers and place them in each room, maybe even change the colors to match the room's colors. He thought before he stretched the plug slightly to plug the radio CD player into the electrical wall socket.

I could even make a double of the entire radio CD combo with the speakers for my bedroom. He thought as he pressed the button to turn the device on.

Immediately a random radio station started playing music he wasn't interested in; loudly. He turned the volume down to a reasonable level and changed the stations again and again until he found one that was playing classical instrumental music.

"Hey! We've got music now Helios." Mamoru said as he glanced over his shoulder at his familiar who shifted as he looked right back at him.

With the calming sound of a piano and violin playing he took the food items and drinks he got to the kitchen and put them in their appropriate places. Then he went back to the living room, and grabbed the box with his roller skates in it and went to put it in the hall closet.

As he reached the hallway he stepped toward the closet and glanced down the hallway. His eyes randomly landed on the door to his spell practice room and he paused.

Hmm…I can actually skate in there to get comfortable on my rollerblades until I can find the time to go out to a park. He thought, and made a mental note to keep that idea in mind as he stored the box in the closet.

Mamoru returned to the living room, and pulled all the plastic off the CDs he bought and placed them next to the radio CD player.

With a wave of his hand he vanished all the plastic and the box his radio CD player came out of, and began to focus on the box that contained his new camera. He took it out and attached the lens to the main body of the camera, and put in the batteries that thankfully came with it before he placed it in his lap and began to read the directions.

Once he was sure he understood what each button did and how to put the film in the camera he went ahead and put the film inside and turned the camera on. He watched the little screen show how much space on the film he had and that flash was off.

I don't need it with the lighting in here anyway. He thought as he shifted onto his knees and leaned against the back of the couch as he aimed the camera at Helios and looked through the view finder and zoomed in on his golden figure.

"Smile." He said since his familiar was already looking at him, and pressed the button and heard the shutter signaling the picture had been taken. He pulled the camera away from his face and looked at the little screen and saw that there was one less space on the film.

"I hope that turned out good." He said as he got up and stepped toward the balcony.

He opened the sliding door and aimed the camera as he brought it up to his face. As he looked through the view finder he adjusted the view to try to get a panoramic view and pressed the button once he was satisfied. Pulling the camera away he saw that the number count had gone down by one.

I wonder what a moving picture of that view would look like. He thought before he hummed thoughtfully. He still needed to find out if he needed a magical camera to make moving pictures, and where he could get his film developed.

So let's start with Kototama Market Place, and see if they have a photography store since I don't remember seeing one. He thought as he went and put his camera on the coffee table.

"I'll be back Helios. I'm headed to the market place to see if I can find out how to make moving pictures." He said as he walked over to his slight hallway leading to his apartment door.

Mamoru focused on where he wanted to go and willed himself there disappearing in the next moment only to reappear in the Apparition point inside Kototama Market Place.

He looked around for a few moments before he began to walk and look around to see if there was a photography store he had missed during all of his other visits to the market.

After a few minutes he found a store that was tucked down a side path that he hadn't noticed before even though there was a sign with the names of stores directing traffic that way.

The sign in blocky yet cursive words read Irasuto Shashin satsuei, which sounded like what he needed. The displays in the window also indicated the store was what he was looking for with the color and black and white moving pictures of individuals, couples, family's, and landscapes.

He went inside and looked around for evidence that the store wasn't just a place where they took professional photos. He saw cameras on display, from old fashion to modern, photo albums, picture frames, as well as more pictures displayed on the walls, and more importantly rolls and packages of film.

"Can I help you young man?" A calm slightly raspy masculine voice said, and he turned from the film he was looking at to see an almost elderly man moving behind the main counter.

"Umm…yes. I've never had a camera before and I just got one about half an hour ago, but it occurred to me that I don't know if I need one specifically for moving pictures or even where to get film developed whether they're moving pictures or not." Mamoru explained.

"Ah, well you are definitely in the right place young man." The older man said. "First, you do not need a special camera to create moving pictures. The camera you have is fine. It is the development process that determines if they are moving or not."

"Second, you can have your film developed here, and simply request if you want them to be still or moving or both options."

"Thank you. That's definitely good to know." Mamoru said, especially to know he could get both moving and still pictures in the same place.

But then he or whoever else works here will see me as Harry Potter in some of the pictures. He thought with a slight frown.

"I have a question." He said and watched the older man nod encouragingly. "If I take a picture of myself looking different then I do now will I have to worry about photo me walking out of the frame and returning looking like I do now?" He asked, and watched the man raise an eyebrow.

"I want to send pictures to my friends and family, who are in another country, but they don't know I've changed my appearance and I'm not ready for them to know yet." He explained.

"In that case, you do not have to worry about that issue happening." The older man said as he understood the problem. "Magic is many things, including intelligent, and it will make your image be what you want it to be. It will hold the image you want and not change."

"That's a relief to know. Thank you." Mamoru said. Although, he still worried a little about the people working there learning that he was Harry Potter, and hoped mightily that they didn't react or spread the word about his changed appearance.

"You are welcome young man." The older man said.

"I'll be back when I have film to develop." Mamoru said as he stepped back from the counter.

"Until then." The older man said with a slight wave.

Mamoru waved back before he left the store to head back home. He was going to see what other pictures he could take if any, and then see about making a copy of his new radio CD player and copies of the speakers to put in the various rooms of his apartment.

~HPxXxMC~

The next day found Usagi rushing out the front gate of her school campus to make the familiar journey to the Crown cafe to meet Mamoru. She had already said her goodbyes to Naru, and was anxious to be on her way.

As she power walked away from school she zipped up her white long sleeve hooded sweater. It was a little cool out, but she had worn it more for what she planned to do with Mamoru after her tutoring session.

I hope he likes it. Actually I hope he has fun. She thought, but paused in surprise as she spotted Luna walking on a low wall in front of her.

"Luna?" She said her name in a quiet confused tone as she started walking again, and watched as she glanced back at her before she jumped onto the shoulder of a girl walking up ahead of her.

The girl cried out in surprise and paused as she ducked and tried to see what had landed on her.

"Luna!" Usagi called out, just as surprised as the girl, as she rushed forward. "I'm sorry. I guess Luna likes you." She said as she caught up to the girl, and watched as Luna rubbed against the girl's face and purred.

"She's yours then?" The girl said.

"I guess you can say that. Luna's a free spirit." Usagi said as she looked at the cat that had changed her life. If anything Luna belongs to the Moon Princess. She thought before shaking her head.

"I'm Tsukino Usagi." She said, introducing herself.

"I'm Mizuno Ami." The girl replied.

Usagi recognized her, now that she had heard her name, as the really smart girl that placed first, not just in the school but in the whole country, in the mock exams they had taken recently.

"It's nice to meet you. We'll have to hang out some time." She said with a smile before she looked down the sidewalk in the direction she needed to go. "I'm sorry to cut this short, but I have to go. I don't want to keep my tutor waiting."

And she really meant that. Mamoru was always already there waiting for her, and she didn't want to make him wait longer than it usually took for her to get to the cafe from school.

"What about Luna?" Ami asked when she saw her new acquaintance begin to step away.

"Oh don't worry. She can hangout with you and get to know you since she clearly likes you." Usagi said. "She knows the way home. After all, I didn't bring her to school with me."

"I'll see you at school tomorrow Ami. Luna I'll see you later." She said before she took off running; wanting to make up the minutes of travel time she had lost.

As she ran her mind went back to that encounter. Luna had clearly jumped on Ami on purpose, so there must be something unique or interesting about her.

Maybe Ami's a senshi. She considered thoughtfully. I remember Luna saying she had found me because she sensed the power in me. Maybe she sensed senshi power in Ami too.

Usagi continued to run and made it to the Crown cafe almost fifteen minutes later. She jogged up the stairs and pulled open the door and stepped inside the slightly warm establishment. Immediately she looked toward her usual seat, and saw her friend/crush sitting in the booth.

"Hi Mamoru!" She greeted him happily in English with a wide smile as she walked toward him.

Mamoru looked up and smiled lightly in surprise as she spoke the foreign language.

"Hey." He greeted in return. "How was school?"

Usagi frowned in concentration, trying to correctly translate his words, and nibbled her lip as she sat down.

"It was okay." She answered, and watched him nod. She smiled at the sign that she had translated correctly.

"How much of our conversation do you want to have in English?" Mamoru asked, switching back to Japanese.

"I don't know." Usagi said with a shrug. "I just decided to greet you in English as I was walking toward you."

"Okay. We'll just mix it up, and you can reply in English if you feel confident enough." He said.

"Okay." She replied in English before she began to take out her homework. "How's your language class going? The French class?" She asked slowly, thinking through her words, as she separated her English homework and notes from the rest.

"It's going well." He answered as he watched her narrow her eyes at him as if that would help her translate his words. He knew it was just to help her concentrate but it amused him a little.

"When I was back in England I took the opportunity to speak to a girl I see as my big sister since she's French. We had a short conversation, and she had no complaints. She said I sounded good so far, and my accent did as well." He explained, and watched her nod slowly as she bit her lip in concentration.

"I guess it's like now, talking to you in English. With her you were able to get real time feedback from someone who grew up in France." Usagi said, and smiled at her success when he nodded.

"Before that we had exchanged letters so I could practice writing and reading in French. I guess I'll continue that until the next time I see her and we talk." He said, and she nodded.

"I guess..that..that's what we are doing with my tutoring." She said as she looked down to her notes.

"Yes. So let's get to that." He said, and watched her hand over her English notes and homework.

Mamoru carefully looked over her notes from her class that day and then scanned the homework before handing them back and gesturing toward her notes.

"Is there anything here that you had trouble understanding?" He asked.

Usagi nodded and began to point to certain words and phrases, and he carefully explained in both English and Japanese while she took notes.

A little over half an hour passed before they were both satisfied that she understood everything that had confused her in her notes then she began on her English homework. A half hour passed before she finished and handed it over to be checked for correctness.

As had happened before Mamoru pointed out what was wrong and helped her understand why it was wrong before helping her fix it.

"How am I doing with the language so far?" Usagi asked in Japanese, wanting to make sure she understood what he was saying.

"You're doing well with speaking and reading, but I can see that writing it out is giving you trouble." Mamoru answered. "It's only giving you trouble because the homework asks for the technical things; such as past tense and present tense words, masculine and feminine words, and words that sound the same but have different meanings and are spelled differently."

"It is confusing." She said as she nodded.

"I thought the same thing when I was learning Japanese. It's an intimidating language to learn." He replied. In fact, he was sure that if he hadn't had magic on his side he likely would never have learned it or it would have taken him ages.

"Well it's a good thing I learned it at birth then." Usagi said as she put her English notes and homework away, so she could focus on the rest of her homework.

"Yeah." He agreed with her. "So I got my radio CD player set up, and it works perfectly." He said, switching back to English as she began to start on her other homework.

"Good." She replied as she looked up from the sheet of paper in front of her. "Where…" She hesitated as she tried to think of the right words to use. "Where did you put it?" She asked, switching back to Japanese with a heavy sigh.

"With my TV. I actually put it under the TV and put the speakers on the sides of the TV." He answered.

Of course she didn't need to know that he had duplicated the entire system and placed it in his bedroom with a color change so it matched his bedding. Or about the speakers he'd duplicated, put in most of the other rooms in his apartment with a color change, and connected to the system in the living room.

"I bet it looks like a nice arrangement." She said as she pictured his living room since that was the only place he had a TV as far as she remembered.

"I like to think so." He said with a small grin before he focused back on his own homework.

The pair tuned out the noise around them as best they could as they worked, but Mamoru made sure to look around every so often to maintain an awareness of his surroundings. He didn't expect to be attacked, but one could never know. Especially with those youma attacking randomly as far as he could tell.

After a while the time they usually stopped working arrived and Usagi eagerly began to pack up her things.

"You're really ready to go aren't you." Mamoru said as he began to pack his things up more calmly than her since she was practically throwing her things into her bag.

"Yup!" Usagi answered with a grin. "I'm super excited. I hope you like where we're going."

"I'll let you know once we get wherever it is we're going." He said in amusement as he closed his bag.

Usagi just smiled as she slid out of her seat, and he followed and swung the strap of his bag over his head as they headed toward the door.

They made it outside and walked down the stairs and turned in the opposite direction they normally went in. Definitely in a different direction than Mamoru had ever taken to get to or leave the cafe.

"We haven't been this way before." He commented as they walked.

"True." Usagi agreed easily.

"No hints about what's in this direction?" He asked.

"Nope! You'll just have to wait and see." She said with a smile.

Mamoru shook his head and followed her until they reached a bus stop for a bus line he had not taken before. He determined to pay attention to the route and try to see what was around it in case he saw an interesting place he wanted to visit.

"So after we parted yesterday I got a camera." He said as they settled in to wait for the bus.

"Really?!" Usagi said in surprise as she looked to him.

"Yeah. It occurred to me that I didn't have one, and I could send my friends and family pictures if I got one." He said.

"Ah." She said excitedly, and wondered why it had never occurred to her to bring her camera and take a picture of him. Probably because I thought he might not want his picture taken. She thought.

"Did you bring it?" She asked.

"No." He said as he shook his head. "I didn't even think to bring it, but I'll bring it tomorrow in case we fill the need to take some pictures."

"Okay." She said as she nodded. It's probably a good thing he didn't bring it since he likely wouldn't want to have it out in case he fell. He wouldn't want it to break; especially with it being brand new. She thought as she pictured where she was taking him.

Before Usagi could think to say anything more the bus they were waiting for came.

"This is us." She said, glancing at him as the bus approached.

Mamoru nodded and when the bus stopped in front of them they moved toward the front door as it opened and stepped on. They paid the required fare and moved further in for a seat. It was a little crowded but he managed to spot a single seat, so he grabbed Usagi's hand and pulled her toward it.

He gestured for her to sit as they reached it, and once she had, smiling at him softly in thanks that made his stomach flutter, he stood in front of her so no one else would and they could continue to talk.

"Did anything else catch your eye while you were out or did you go home after getting the camera?" Usagi asked as she looked up at him.

"Something else caught my eye." Mamoru answered as he grabbed onto the pole above his head. "I ended up getting a pair of rollerblades on a whim."

"A whim?" She repeated, questioningly yet smiling. He actually got a pair of skates! She thought happily.

"It was a whim because I spotted them and was like 'why not' since I had enjoyed it the time you took me skating." He said with a shrug. "Then as I was staring at the selection of skates, trying to decide which pair I wanted, I thought I could use them as some form of exercise once I'm comfortable on them."

"I have skates at home. Maybe we can go skating together." She said excitedly as she pictured her white and purple rollerblades.

"I wouldn't mind." He said. "Would it happen on a week day or during the weekend?" He asked curiously.

"Oh the weekend definitely." Usagi answered. "We'd want time to skate and not have to worry about when I need to get home, and time to take a break and eat before getting right back to it."

"Would it be at a rink or just out on sidewalks or in a park?" Mamoru asked as he looked out the window.

"I don't know." She said before she tilted her head thoughtfully. "I guess it would depend on how comfortable you are on your skates when it happens."

He nodded. "I guess I should start practicing so I can be ready some weekend." He said.

"Can I ask where you plan on practicing?" She asked curiously.

"In the park closest to my apartment." He answered readily. "I've only looked at it in passing a few times, but there are walking paths and plenty of grass to fall in."

Usagi looked down to hide her amused smile. She was hoping he didn't fall, but she could admit she wanted to be there to see it if he did.

"Maybe we can take pictures once you're comfortable on your skates." She said as she looked back up to him. "Have any of your family or friends been skating?"

"They haven't as far as I know, so I imagine they would enjoy a picture of that." Mamoru answered.

In fact, he was sure that none of them had even heard of roller skates let alone the activity of roller-skating. He knew that the Weasley's knew how to ice skate since a few of them had mentioned skating on the pond when it froze over.

Plus, there was skating at Hogwarts during the winter when it got close to Christmas. He thought.

He had never participated since he didn't know how, and he usually found himself doing something else anyway. Either serving detention or trying to figure out some mystery. Even homework had taken that time occasionally.

"Yeah, I really have to start practicing and get comfortable, so we can take those pictures." He said as he scanned the area they were driving through.

"Can I still not know where we're going?" He asked as he looked back down at her.

"Nope." Usagi said with a smile. "We're about halfway there." She added as she looked out the window.

Mamoru sighed and looked back out the window. He spotted a few restaurants and a cozy looking cafe, and made note of where the cafe was so he could come back and check it out another day.

"So how's your family doing?" He asked as he looked back to her, hoping to distract himself for the rest of the ride.

"They're good. At least they were when I saw them this morning." Usagi said as she looked up at him. "My mom is likely at home right now planning what to make for dinner. My dad is probably still at work, and my little brother is probably home unless he went to a friend's house after school."

"Do you get along with your brother?" He asked curiously.

"Yes." She answered instantly. "Well, as well as one can with a younger sibling. We go to different schools. Plus, I'm not cool enough for him to want to be seen with me, and I don't want to deal with his bratty mouth. But he's great when he's not being a pain." She explained, and he nodded.

"What does your dad do? I don't think I've asked before." Mamoru said.

"He's a magazine editor." She said as she glanced out the window. "When the article is really important he gets to take the pictures of the people or event." She added.

"So he's also a photographer?" He asked.

"Yeah." She said as she nodded. "At least I think so. He's been the editor for as long as I've known what his job is."

"Maybe he started by selling his photos to the magazine and then started working for them or he started off working for them and moved up in the ranks." He suggested.

"Both of those are possible." She said as she nodded.

"I don't know what my parents did for work. Either set." Mamoru admitted. "In fact, with my adopted parents I don't actually think they worked at all."

"Why not?" Usagi asked curiously.

"My dad's family was wealthy, so it's possible they lived off that after they finished school, so they could figure out what they wanted to do besides be married to each other." He explained, and she nodded.

"Of course, if that was the case, they unfortunately didn't get the chance aside from deciding they wanted me in their lives." He added with a slight grimace; silently cursing Voldemort for believing in the prophecy that likely wouldn't have come into play if he had just ignored it, and Snape as well for telling him about it in the first place.

"How old were your adopted parents when um..they passed?" She asked with a slight frown. The way he said it made it sound like it hadn't been long since they had finished school before they adopted him.

"They were both twenty-one when they died." He answered quietly, and she gasped in surprise.

Mamoru nodded at her reaction. He was only a few years away from being their age. Sometimes he found it hard to believe that they had been mature enough to be married and decide to adopt a baby, all while in the middle of a magical war, but other times he would consider how he felt now and he could understand.

He was eighteen, almost nineteen, and with how he had felt about Ginny he was sure he wouldn't have had a problem being engaged or married to her by the time he was twenty-one.

Although, unlike his mom and dad he wouldn't have even considered having a baby during the war let alone adopting one. That would have been much too dangerous with the way things had been around him.

"Wow." Usagi said as she took in his words. Twenty-one was still a young age even if it was much older than her current age. She couldn't imagine having a baby at that age. Married maybe, but not with a baby.

His parents must have been seriously mature, and knew exactly what they wanted. At least when it came to their family if not what they wanted to do for a living. She thought before she looked out the window.

"Oh! Our stop is coming up." She said suddenly before she rang the bell.

She stood up and he helped steady her with a hand on her waist as the bus rocked and swayed over a bump in the road. She flashed him a grateful smile before they moved toward the back door in preparation to get off.

When the bus pulled over and stopped at the bus stop they stepped off with a few other people and moved further onto the sidewalk out of the way of others.

"Where to now?" Mamoru asked as he looked at his companion.

"This way. Come on!" Usagi said cheerfully, and began to lead the way down the sidewalk.

He followed at her side as they walked down sidewalk after sidewalk keeping his eyes peeled for where she could possibly be taking him this time. He spotted a few places that looked promising as a place she could be taking him, but on second thought he reconsidered, which was correct since they ended up walking pass those places.

Two turned corners later and they were walking down yet another sidewalk with trees standing at equal distances from each other. The area was surprisingly quiet, and he wondered if it was just the time of day or if it was always like that.

Suddenly Usagi slowed to a stop and he stopped at her side as he turned to look at her and away from the trees across the street. She smiled and gestured with her head in front of them.

He turned his head, his eyes already scanning, but stopped as his eyes landed on the white block letters at the entrance of the rather large building they were standing in front of.