Hermione looked around at Harry. "Won't it be nice to get out of school for a bit and explore Hogsmeade?"

"'Spect it will," Harry said heavily. "You'll have to tell me when you've found out."

"What d'you mean?" Said Ron.

"I can't go. The Dursleys didn't sign my permission form, and Fudge wouldn't, either." Ron looked horrified.

"You're not allowed to come? But-no way- McGonagall or someone will give you permission-"

Harry gave a hollow laugh. Professor McGonagall, Head of Gryffindor house, was very strict.

"-or we can ask Fred and George, they know every secret passage out of the castle-"

"Ron!" Said Hermione sharply. "I don't think Harry would be sneaking out of school with Black on the loose-"

"Yeah, I expect that's what McGonagall will say when I ask for permission," said Harry bitterly.

"But if we're with him," said Ron spiritedly to Hermione, "Black wouldn't dare-"

"Oh, Ron, don't talk rubbish," snapped Hermione. "Black's already murdered a whole bunch of people in the middle of a crowded street, do you really think he's going to worry about attacking Harry just because we're there?' She was fumbling with the straps of Crookshank's basket as she spoke.

"Don't let that thing out!" Ron said, but too late; Crookshanks leapt lightly from the basket, stretched, yawned, and sprang onto Ron's knees; the lump in Ron's pocket trembled and he shoved Crookshanks angrily away.

"Get out of it!"

"Ron, don't!" Said Hermione angrily.

Ron was about to answer back when Professor Lupin stirred. The watched him apprehensively, but he simply turned his head the other way, mouth slightly open, and slept on.

######################################################

The three sat in relative silence after the outburst, the only sounds being the Professor's sleepy breathing, the purring of Crookshanks and the chugging rattle of the train. Then the peace was broken by the sound of bickering from the carriage next door. It sounded like three girls were really going at it, however the Trio couldn't really tell what was being said, as they weren't speaking English. It seemed to be a mix of Spanish and something else, as Harry caught the word 'estúpido' a few times.

Then another girl joined the fray, shouting the others down without any trouble at all. There was what was probably mumbled apologies and peace was restored.

"Blimey," said Ron, mouth agape. Hermione, however, was frowning; "I didn't know we had any bilingual students at Hogwarts."

"They're probably in Ravenclaw," Harry said. "They're the only ones who would bother to learn another language."

"No, I don't think so," Hermione mused. "The Ravenclaw car is right down the other end of the train. Besides, if they were Ravenclaws they wouldn't have had a shouting match."

"Yeah," Ron said, interest piqued. "Ravenclaws would have probably had a massive insult game with really long words in." He was cut off by a gasp from Hermione.

"Do you think, maybe, that they're transfer students?"

She was cut off abruptly by a crash, a pained yell and a girl yelling 'Catch her, quick!'

The Golden Trio slid open the door and peered out into the corridor. Their mouths gaped.

Two girls were in the corridor, flailing their arms about as they tried to catch the something flying about above their heads and out of arms reach. The three couldn't see exactly what the something was, but it was the girls themselves that really caught their attention.

One girl was skinny, with short straight brown hair. She was the shorter of the two, but from the way she was snarling in frustration, definitely the fiercer. The other girl was brown-skinned, and very curvy. Hermione was slightly gratified to see that, for once, somebody else's hair was bushier than hers.

Deciding to help them out, Hermione drew her wand and yelled "Immobulus!" The spell hit the whatever-it-was and it froze in midair.

"Accio," said another, quieter and more refined voice. The something, which looked vaguely fish-like, flew towards another girl who had chosen that exact moment to step out from the carriage doorway. Her frame was petite and willowy, even underneath the voluminous black school robes and her long, pin-straight hair was black with a suspiciously greenish tint.

"Thank you," she said; cupping the fish-thing in her hand as she inclined her head towards Hermione. "I hope we did not disturb-"

She was cut off by the other two girl's angry yells.

"Dammit, Sun-Sung! We had it under control!"

"Yeah, we didn't need your help!"

The girl's, Sun-Sung's, eyes glinted as she brought up her other hand so that the sleeve covered her mouth. "Oh, of course, so that's why you failed to catch Lady Harribel's familiar. You could have just used a spell instead of flailing about in such an undignified manner. Or are you just incompetent at mastering your wands?"

The other two girls were practically frothing at the mouth at her last statement.

"Sh-shut up!"

"We're competent enough to kick your prissy little ass here and now you b-"

"Enough."

The new voice was mellow, but it's tone suggested that the owner wouldn't just not suffer fools gladly; but not suffer any fools at all. The three girls stopped dead in their tracks as the owner of the aforementioned voice stepped through the doorway. And what an owner!

Her skin was an unblemished mocha, her hair a messy golden blond, with long thick strands that were tied loosely back and fell over her shoulders. Her eyes, rimmed with lashes of the same gold blond, were a blazing aquamarine. She also possessed a very mature figure that could make a Veela weep with jealousy.

The three girls flinched and stood straighter as she swept her gaze over them.

"I have told you three time and again that nothing is accomplished by your constant arguing. That time you argued in battle nearly cost you your lives!

Sun-Sung, your constant sniping does not help matters in any way, no matter how amusing it might be. I assumed that you would know that; I am disappointed."

Sun-Sung winced, raising her sleeve to cover her face even further.

"Mila-Rose, Apacci. Sun-Sung is correct that you do need to practice your magic. You could have saved yourself a lot of grief."

The skinny, brown-haired girl spoke out. "Lady Harribel, I...'"

Harribel turned to her, teal eyes boring into mismatched brown and blue ones. "No, Apacci! You need to keep your temper in check when the situation calls for it. Your tendency to fly off the handle at the slightest provocation is your greatest weakness. Keep your foul mouth in line as well."

Hermione squeaked as the girl known only as Harribel turned her gaze on her. "You. Girl."

"Y-yes?"

"Thank you for your assistance. I apologise for the lack of manners shown to you. When will your spell wear off?"

Initial shock over, the glint in Hermione's eye had returned. "It should begin to go in a few minutes. But, er, if you don't mind me asking, what sort of creature is it exactly?"

Harribel sighed. "I think we had best continue this conversation in my compartment. It will be easier to explain there, and this corridor's getting a bit crowded."

Ron grabbed Hermione's sleeve as she stepped forward. "Wait, Hermione! You're just going to waltz into somebody else's compartment?!" Hermione shrugged him off.

"She invited us Ron! Besides, people walk into our compartment without asking all the time."

###########################################################

Six months earlier

Professor McGonagall, Headmistress of Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry, entered the Headmaster's study with a frown on her face.

"Albus!" She said urgently. "The wards have activated! Someone is in the-" she stopped abruptly as she caught sight of the man standing in front of the desk. She reached for her wand.

"It's alright Minerva," said Dumbledore, as he lowered the piece of parchment he had been reading. "He is just delivering a message; an interesting one too, might I add."

Professor McGonagall took a proper look at the man, now that he was apparently deemed not a threat. The black leggings and red Japanese-style top, along with the purple rolled-up pack on his back looked like a uniform, but not one she recognised. What was most interesting about him though, was the long wooden rectangular mask secured over his face; showing only his mouth, but with no slits or holes that would allow him vision.

'How does he see with that thing over his face?' She wondered to herself. Her musings were interrupted by Dumbledore.

"Thank you for delivering this, my boy," he said, eyes twinkling. "Tell your superiors that I will need some time to consider this, but I will send an owl with my answer in a week or so."

"Apologies, Dumbledore-sama," the man said, expression hidden under the mask. "But an owl will not be able to reach my headquarters. Instead, please send any letters to this address, where they will be forwarded to my commanding officer." He pulled a neatly folded piece of paper, tied with string, out of his sleeve and laid it on the desk.

The twinkle in the Headmaster's eyes had dimmed slightly in confusion. "My boy, I don't know if you are aware, but any wizarding owl is able to find any address, anywhere on this good earth. If it is because you worry for the birds' safety, I can always send Fawkes to-"

He was cut off by a dismissive wave of the man's hand as he pulled down the mask to cover his mouth. And even though she could not see his face at all, Professor McGonagall got the distinct impression that he was smirking.

"The Bird of Eternal Life cannot follow where I go, Dumbledore-sama. That is why I am here, and not an animal. Never fear, your answer shall be waited upon with great anticipation." There was a soft whumph! as he disappeared into thin air and the air collapsed to fill the vacuum. McGonagall blinked in surprised. "Albus, was that apparition?"

"No, Minerva, I cannot be sure what it was." She turned to him. "What was in the letter? What could be so important that they had to send someone to deliver it in person?"

Dumbledore sighed, removing his half-moon glasses and placing them carefully on his desk. He held out a paper bag. "Lemon sherbet?"

McGonagall shook her head. He replaced the bag inside his sleeve, but not before taking a sweet himself.

"The government of a magical organisation in Japan is asking my permission to send some of their children here, to Hogwarts," he began.

"Well, that's wonderful Albus, but I don't see why this is so serious, we can easily accommodate a few more students-" She was cut off by Dumbledore raising his hand.

"The reason they are asking me about such a matter is because these children are not human." Seeing her gaping mouth, he sighed again and handed her the letter. "It's probably easier if you read their letter yourself, Minerva."

##########################################################l

Albus Percival Wulferic Brian Dumbledore,

Headmaster of Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry

I send you friendly greetings from The Magic Society here in Japan. I hope that this letter finds you in good health.

As Commander of my organisation, I am writing to request a favour from you in regards to your school. I hope you will consider it carefully.

Magical Japan is well known for it's policy of isolation, and although regulations have started to relax, we are still very secretive and protective of our methods. Recently, however, we became embroiled in a civil war. One of our number sort to enhance his own powers by gaining possession of a powerful artifact and using it to combine the powers of others with his own. Thanks to a double agent within his organisation, he was destroyed.

However, it was discovered that he had first tested the artifact's powers on magical creatures, commonly known in our field as hollows, resulting in them gaining a large boost in power and intelligence beyond the point of sapience.

On the suggestion of one of our healers, who is now deemed a veteran of that war, they were taken in for rehabilitation. Although one has refused help and is currently missing and another is still undergoing therapy due to a head injury she sustained, the others have expressed the desire to co-operate with us. Which brings me to my request.

Our Society is still recovering from the devastation brought by the war. Repairs have to be carried out without the notice of Mundanes and bodies must be buried. Due to this sorry state of affairs, the education of our students have suffered and we are unprepared to teach these hollow children (dubbed arrancar, due to a side effect of the process they went through) the ways of magic.

I propose that these children be enrolled into Hogwarts for their magical education. If you feel that you cannot continue after one school year, we can remove them and seek to educate them elsewhere.

Please send your reply to the address the messenger has been instructed to give you. If your response should be in the affirmative, we can arrange for some of your staff members to come and evaluate the arrancar children.

Genryuusai Shigekuni Yamamoto

Commander of The Magical Society

Head Captain of the Gotei 13