A/N: Thankfully only minor typos so the editing didn't take too long. Definitely almost caught up with the first-draft updates!

original A/N: After gazillion years I finally finished this chapter XD; And no, that's not a typo, this chapter really is called 'Untitled'. Anyway, this chapter went through a bunch of rewrites and, combined with RL issues, it took this long to complete. The next chapter will be more fun I promise whenever that is. As always, any feedback is appreciated and thank you for reading!
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Chapter 17 - Untitled

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Not even a week has passed since the visit to the hospital, two letters arrived at Hogwarts, one they had been hoping for and one unexpected.

The first letter was from the Kurosawa Patriarch, with a seal of approval for Dia to visit Riko. This was most likely due to the hospital staff and the Sakurauchis' requests, as he had disregarded Ruby's prior inquiries. However, Dia must be cleared of her charges before she could be allowed to step out of the Estate. While the heiress was never formally convicted, any smidgen of doubt is still a stain to the family name, and there are laws to abide to as well. From the Ministry's standpoint, Dia is not guilty yet not innocent either, especially since there have been no leads to who the true perpetrators were.

Therefore, for the time being, Dia and Ruby's parents will be meeting with the Sakurauchis to discuss what they could do in this situation, to help Riko's recovery. As the former Chief Warlock whose words carry a lot of weight, the Patriarch has also exerted his influence and connections with the Ministry. Several of the Kurosawas from the Estate are allowed to join the Auror team that has been investigating Moonstruck and the slip of security on Hogwart grounds that led to Riko's kidnapping.

It isn't the best scenario, but it is at least more than they could have hoped for.

The second letter was from Hanamaru's grandmother, about how her grandfather is sick with a flu and wishes to see her. Without access to owls, Muggle relatives usually send letters to a specific address, which is actually an outpost under the Muggle Liaison Office's jurisdiction. Because of this extra detour, the letter took longer to be delivered and so Hanamaru doesn't know if he has already recovered or if the flu has worsened.

As much as she tries not to let it show, she must miss her family especially after the rather traumatic hospital visit. Ruby is able to convince Hanamaru that they will be fine and she should visit her family.

Yoshiko requests to go with Hanamaru, a gesture that the rest of the group appears rather happy about, especially the brunette. At the end, Ruby has managed to include herself, along with Chika and You, in the meeting today between her parents and the Sakurauchis, while Kanan and Mari decide to stay behind at Hogwarts. The staff, some of the Professors especially, is sympathetic to their situation and is willing to turn a blind eye to their supposed surveillance.

And so, it is with a heavy heart that Yoshiko treks towards Hogsmeade with Hanamaru and Professor Hoshizora, who volunteered to accompany them. To get to Hanamaru's home, they would have to travel either via Apparition or Portkey since there is no fireplace at her house, and even if there is one, it's not connected to the Floo Network anyway. Therefore, a special Portkey has been arranged to be activated at a designated spot to bring the girls to the Kunikida residence.

Yoshiko walks a little ways behind the chatting pair, still feeling a little awkward in spite of that heart to heart conversation with Hanamaru at the bus stop. She has, however, acknowledged that she needs to stop pushing away her important people and stay close to Hanamaru for as long as she could. She promised her that she would try.

"Okay, here we are!" They stop just outside of the train station, and Yoshiko wistfully recalls the last time she was here, with Ruby and Hanamaru, running from the supposed Grim and receiving help from the golden cat.

"Thanks for taking us here zura~"

"No worries, I need to get some supplies from Hogsmeade anyway so this is on my way nya~" Professor Hoshizora was the one to bring the petite Muggleborn to Diagon Alley, so it makes sense that Hanamaru feels most at ease around her. After all, her memory is clear up until her arrival at King's Cross Station.

"So, just remember to touch this badge again at 5 p.m. nya, both of you," the gamekeeper hands a riceball-shaped badge to Hanamaru. "And it will bring you back here, where I'll be waiting to take you back to the Castle. Unless, of course, if there's any emergency, just tap on the badge with your wand and someone should Apparate right over to you! Any questions? No? Good!" She thoughtfully rubs her chin as she peers at the teenagers. "Hmm, you sure you don't need another person going with you two nya?"

The ponytailed witch looks concerned at their wellbeing, rather than having them leave the castle grounds unsupervised. Yoshiko appreciates that, but she still replies firmly. "I'm more than enough to protect her, Professor, but thank you for offering."

Lucifer pops out from under her jacket then, hissing as if to protest that it is a fine bodyguard too. She doesn't know how the bat knows, but it's rather miffed at her for wandering around the Muggle world by her lonesome. Since then, her loyal minion has been attached to her side since her return, even during daytime like now.

Professor Hoshizora laughs. "I see you're both set then! Well, lemme tell you a lil secret nya~" She lowers her voice playfully. "The Trace is actually just a myth, meaning you can use magic in the Muggle world. We trust that you will not abuse magic and follow the standard protocol of the Statue of Secrecy, so it's okay if you want to show off some tricks for your family nya~"

"Oh, but I can't use magic, not really anyway. It comes and goes zura…"

"That's why she's here, isn't she?" The Muggleborn professor laughs again and ruffles Yoshiko's hair, ignoring her protest. "As awesome as magic is, it's always good to spend time with your family. Have fun nya~"

Though slightly annoyed, Yoshiko is grateful for the Professor's effort in lightening up the atmosphere. She could tell Hanamaru's feeling anxious, in spite of her cheerful tone while conversing with the older witch.

Yoshiko holds out her hand, and without any hesitation Hanamaru hands over the badge to her, though her fingers remain in contact with the Portkey. Minutes later, upon the activation time, she feels this unpleasant sensation of something hooking her navel and flinging her into the sky!

The world spins around her, disjointed scenes of clouds and forests and roads and whatnot. The nauseous sensation continues to swirl, particularly in her tummy, even after they land ungracefully at a small clearing.

"Ugh, no wonder the Apparition license is so popular… I bet anything's better than Portkeys." She fights down the urge to throw up and shakes her head slowly a few times. "As soon as I'm of age, I'm so gonna-" Before her mind begins to form plans for the future, she bitterly stops herself and tries to focus on the present. Lucifer rolls out of her jacket, coughing sickly from the Portkey travel, but the bat still nudges her hand as if to comfort her.

"T-This feels like my first time on a car zura…" Hanamaru isn't faring any better, her back resting against a tree as she attempts to get her breathing under control.

Pocketing the badge, Yoshiko struggles to get to her feet and wobbles towards her companion. After a moment's hesitation, she extends her hand towards the brunette to help her stand up. "So, did we arrive at the right place?"

"Yes, this is close to our backyard actually, I recognize it!" Hanamaru's eyes light up in excitement as she gestures at the pebble-paved path behind the shrubs. "Come on, Yoshiko-chan! I bet Baa-chan's waiting for us!"

Without waiting for a response, the smaller girl pulls her along the forest trail and past a jizou statue, the foliage gradually thinning. Lucifer faithfully glides behind them, its presence bringing a certain amount of comfort to Yoshiko, but she still gulps nervously at the spiritual atmosphere from the surroundings. She tries to remind herself what the Selkie Chieftainess told her, though that doesn't lessen the feeling of being unclean.

"Yoshiko-chan, just a bit more." Hanamaru looks over her shoulder and gives her an encouraging smile then, her grip on their intertwined hands firm and steady. Yoshiko relaxes slightly, finding her being here upon these holy lands acceptable as long as she's accompanied by the temple maiden.

The path widens until it reaches the edge of stone pavement that meanders around a wide expanse of grass and bare soil tops. There are trees and shrubs here and there, carefully arranged and maintained in a way that Yoshiko is certain would form some sort of pattern if seen from the sky. Some flowers are just starting to bloom, adding splashes of vivid red, violet and yellow to this otherwise lush and green scenery.

A moderate two-story house is located near a greenhouse that has a shelf of miniature bonsai trees right beside its open door, while the old temple is further ahead, as well as the many slabs of grey that Yoshiko assumes to be weathered tombstones from ancient times. Strangely, she doesn't feel uncomfortable at the thought of this place possibly haunted by ghosts. Rather, she likes to think that the spirits of the deceased guard the Kunikida residence just as much as they do for the temple.

Hanamaru's serene expression shows that she most likely grew up thinking along the same lines too. She slows down a bit as she scans the the yard before letting out an excited yelp. There, beside a heap of fallen leaves and some gardening tools, is an elderly woman wearing thick-framed glasses and a similar gentle smile.

"Obaa-chan!"

Hanamaru runs towards her grandmother, who opens her arms wide to accept the girl's greeting hug. As the Kunikidas exchange words joyously, Yoshiko couldn't help but watch over them with a small smile. There's envy, or rather longing, for growing up with such a loving family. Simple gestures or just the cozy atmosphere itself are indicators enough that Hanamaru is very close to her grandmother. Looking around, Yoshiko could almost picture a miniature Hanamaru exploring the yard and helping her grandparents with the gardening.

"It is good to have you back, even for just the afternoon, Maru-chan. I see you have brought your friend-?" Grandma Kunikida's eyes crinkle at Yoshiko's hesitant approach.

"Nice to meet you, ma'am. I am Yoshiko Tsushima, Hanamaru's friend," she politely dips her head and holds out her hand.

"Oh~ You're that Yoshiko-chan, the one Maru-chan always talks about in her letters," the elder chuckles as both of her hands clasp warmly over Yoshiko's. "I've always wanted to meet you in person."

"U-Uh-? Thank you-?" Uncertain how to respond to such enthusiasm, Yoshiko drops her gaze awkwardly. Normally, she would have been overjoyed that her girlfriend would talk to her family about her but, as the situation stands, she's just Hanamaru's friend.

"O-Obaa-chan! Um, where's Ojii-chan? How is he doing zura?" From how flustered Hanamaru appears, does that mean she still mentions her even after her memories became jumbled?

Yoshiko isn't sure whether to feel happy about this or not.

"He was just napping until moments ago! He has gotten much better, thankfully, but he still likes being cooped up under the kotatsu, that ol'rascal. I came here to roast some sweet potatoes, y'know, his favorites," Grandma Kunikida gestures at the house. "Why don't you talk to him dear? I'll have Yoshiko-chan help me with the prepping and cooking."

Hanamaru glances at her hesitantly, so Yoshiko gives her a stiff nod. This is the purpose of their trip here after all. Surely, she can be alone with her former girlfriend's grandmother for a period of time.

Surprisingly, once Hanamaru is out of sight, the elder does not grill Yoshiko with questions about school or her granddaughter. Despite her easy-going manner and slow pace, Grandma Kunikida is rather focused on her task and only instructs Yoshiko every now and then to set up the fire pit.

"Erm, I'm done with the skewers. Is there anything else I can do to help, Kunikida-san?"

"Please, just call me Obaa-chan too," the woman's wrinkled smile is kind as she beckons for the girl to come sit beside her. "And yes, if you could please hand me the lighter and my gloves…"

"O-Okay!" Yoshiko is surprised but glad at such mundane request and sense of familiarity. The elderly woman's relaxing and accepting aura makes it easy for her to feel included at the Kunikida residence. Again, Yoshiko is humbled by this down-to-earth and simple atmosphere of Hanamaru's grandmother.

After Grandma Kunikida starts the fire, a stretch of silence descends upon them. Yoshiko tries to think of a topic, uncomfortable with the lack of conversation, yet only apologies come to mind. The elder probably doesn't know the full story of what had transpired at Hogwarts and how she, Yoshiko, is the cause of Hanamaru's suffering.

A quiet crackle from the smoking twigs prompts the elderly woman to prod at the sweet potatoes. Yoshiko fidgets and swallows dryly, deciding it's now or never. She takes a deep breath and opens her mouth to speak.

"Something happened to Maru-chan at school, no?"

Yoshiko narrowly avoids biting down on her tongue. "Pardon me?"

Grandma Kunikida folds her wrinkled hands over her knees as she stares contemplatively into the fire. "The letters she sent us seem different after the end of January. Her Head of the House had sent us a letter explaining to us what had happened, how her magic had been compromised, but Maru-chan did not tell us any of that."

"She… didn't-?"

"Maru-chan never lies to us, so I'm certain that she did this for an important reason." The elder shifts slightly so that she faces Yoshiko, her eyes solemn but kind. "Jii-chan and I do not want to push her. Still, she is our precious granddaughter, the only family we have left after our son and daughter-in-law passed away. We'd like to hear her story too."

Yoshiko's fingers subconsciously curl into a fist, though she doesn't avert her gaze. "…if Hanamaru herself doesn't tell you, then it's not my place to either. I can tell you though, that she always thinks the best for her friends. She… she could have just gone home, back to all of this, yet she chose to stay with us, because she wants to be of help."

"And? What do you think of her decision to stay?"

Yoshiko lowers her head in shame but she's unable to stop the words from pouring out of her heart. She couldn't bring herself to avoid the question or lie to this elderly woman. "I-I want her to be safe. I don't want her to be hurt again but the truth is, deep down, I… I'm happy that she chose to stay. Close to me, willing to still stay by my side, I mean."

Grandma Kunikida nods patiently, giving her a few moments to gather her thoughts.

"I need her, um, Obaa-chan. Even after everything that's happened, she continues to mean a great deal to me, and she calms me like no one else can. R-Recently, I realize that…" I still love her. Yoshiko ignores the heat crawling up her neck and ears and tries to keep her voice from wavering. "…I'm still weak, but never again will I let her get hurt, not while I'm around."

Yoshiko meets the woman's gaze as earnestly as she could, and is unprepared for the quiet chuckles that follow. Grandma Kunikida is slouched over her seat, one hand covering her mouth to muffle the laugh.

"Erm-? What did I say?"

"Oh don't worry dear, I just wasn't expecting you to tell me… this much, and so truthfully too. Then again, I should have expected it - you're every bit the good girl I'd imagined you to be, Yoshiko-chan."

Yoshiko is very aware of the blush burning her face, especially after the woman gives her an affectionate pat on her bun. "Eh?"

"Maru-chan talks about many things and many of her friends in her letters, although I don't think she's realized the topic always goes back to you. Yes, even nowadays." At this, Grandma Kunikida gives her a significant look.

"R-Really-?" Alright, this time, Yoshiko couldn't help that flutter of joy in her chest, but now she's more worried about how the woman would react if she finds out their past relationship.

"Ho ho ho, look at you, what an adorable child! We old people don't last this long on this planet for no reason! We see and sense things young people can't. Had I disapproved of you with my granddaughter, I wouldn't be talking to you, would I? Well, Jii-chan did throw a minor fit, but he got over it after I talked sense to him."

Yoshiko gapes. Grandma Kunikida laughs again.

"I heard you were quite taken with the kimono my granddaughter wore to the Christmas party?"

"Ah yes, thank you for sending her the- wait no! That's not what I wanted to say-!"

At her frantic gestures, Lucifer glides nearby in her defense. Grandma Kunikida watches the bat with interest and attempts to coax it with some snacks she takes out from her pocket.

"I'm okay, Lucifer, this is um, alright, I'm not in any danger," physically at least.

The clever bat looks between her and the elder, and decides food is the priority. It swoops down and perches on Grandma Kunikida's shoulder, crooning when it's fed and caressed behind the ears.

"Tch, that was fast," Yoshiko complains half-heartedly, relieved that her minion's intervention saves her dignity from crumbling further. Grandma Kunikida probably decides that it is enough teasing and seems content with Lucifer's company.

"You girls lead a very exciting life at Hogwarts, though I understand that there have been quite a few dangerous incidents. You're right, I would have preferred to have my granddaughter back here with us, where it's safe, but that's not the path she has chosen. Jii-chan and I respect that. I was going to ask you to keep an eye on Maru-chan, but that's not necessary, is it?"

Yoshiko says seriously. "I will protect her with my life-"

"That's not what I want to hear, dear," the woman admonishes quietly as she covers Yoshiko's hand with her own. It feels warm and protective. "It'd upset me if I hear anything were to happen to you. I want you to take care of yourself too, Yoshiko-chan. I may not know what had happened, but you've been hard on yourself, haven't you?"

"How did you-?" Had she been that obvious, or is the elder that perceptive?

"It's just a haunch, from our conversation. Your expressions are rather stiff, as if you haven't allowed yourself to feel." Grandma Kunikida chuckles gently. "It's okay to want to be happy. I'm sure that would make Maru-chan happy as well. Now, give this old woman your best smile, hmm?"

Yoshiko hastily wipes at her eyes and tentatively makes a pose, which feels both nostalgic yet unfamiliar since it's been a while. Nodding, she gives the woman her best grin.

"Obaa-chan~ Ojii-chan wants some pork buns now but I can't find any in our freezer-" Hanamaru walks up to them, blinking at her applauding grandmother and the posing girl. "Umm, what's happening zura?"

"Pork buns, you say? That Jii-chan, a bigger glutton now that he's recovered from the flu…"

"Oh, so Hanamaru got that from her grandfather huh… ack!" Yoshiko slaps a hand over her mouth but it's too late. Hanamaru glares at her but bursts into giggles a moment later, while Grandma Kunikida watches them with a fond expression.

Yoshiko clears her throat and tries to appear nonchalant. "What do we do with these sweet potatoes then? They're about to be done, right?"

"They are indeed. You're both welcome to enjoy them while they're fresh!"

Hanamaru glances at the sweet potato longingly but determinedly tears her gaze away to face her amused grandmother. "Actually, if you don't mind, Obaa-chan, I'd like to take Yoshiko-chan to town, to get those pork buns for Ojii-chan but also to walk around the neighborhood zura?"

"Hmm, it'd be a nice change of scenery. I'll bring these to Jii-chan for now," Grandma Kunikida makes a playful gesture of shooing them away with her broom. Lucifer smartly takes flight and circles overhead. "Don't dawdle though. You know how your grandpa gets when he doesn't get his food, fu fu."

"Like how Zuramaru gets when you don't feed her bread?" Again, words slip out of Yoshiko's mouth before she realizes it, so naturally and smoothly that it takes both girls a few moments to process what just happened. This is the second time!

"Mou! Yoshiko-chan is mean!" Even then, Hanamaru looks rather happy as she tugs at the taller girl's arm. "Okay, Obaa-chan, we'll be back soon!"

As much as she enjoys Grandma Kunikida's company, Yoshiko is rather relieved to take a little breather. As they walk towards the main entrance to the temple and down the stone stairway, she has to suppress the urge to skip and hum to express this liberating sensation.

It's nice to feel normal.

"So, did something funny happen zura?"

"Hmm? Why would you say that?"

"W-Well, I haven't really seen you smile, not really," Hanamaru looks a bit wistful at that.

"Is that so…" Yoshiko awkwardly rubs the back of her head, unaware that she's been smiling. "It's just that, uh, you have a good family, Hanamaru. It's nice."

"Really? I'm glad to hear that!"

"So your grandpa, he's all better now?"

"Yup! If he hadn't asked for those pork buns, I would've fallen asleep in the kotatsu too," Hanamaru chuckles sheepishly, but her eyes dim in sadness a moment later.. "It's good to see him so energetic. I was so afraid when I got the letter. He's old… they're both old, a-and I've b-been away…"

They stop at an intersection, though there is no need to since there are barely any cars in this quiet neighborhood.

"Will you come here again with me in the summer, Yoshiko-chan? Ruby-chan and everyone else too, I'd like to introduce them to my family zura."

Yoshiko's throat aches a bit but she manages to squeeze out a word. "Okay."

Hanamaru's demeanor lightens at that. "Something to look forward to! First though, those pork buns for Jii-chan zura~ He wants to talk to you too, Yoshiko-chan, so we should hurry~"

"Heh, yeah, it's better if I bring some offerings to him." And if that doesn't work, Obaa-chan probably will have to save me.

"I think he likes you too. He showed me some of the letters I used to send, before my memories were… yeah," Hanamaru glances at Yoshiko curiously. "Those letters said you used to pose a lot, something about little demons and being fallen angel Yohane?"

Yoshiko is mildly surprised that she isn't as bothered as she thought she would be. True, back then, she was ignorant and silly, but at least her antics had made her friends happy and she had believed that identity to be real. It'd be wrong of her to denounce the memories of that time, when things were perfect as they were.

"Yup, I used to collect black feathers. It's just that… things had happened and, well, I just found more important stuff to do than indulge myself in the fantasy."

"Do you still believe in it?"

"Believe in what?"

"Being a fallen angel," Hanamaru pauses, her voice lowering apologetically. "I shouldn't have asked that, when I didn't even know what happened-"

"It's okay." Yoshiko looks up into the blue sky, smiling at the sight of Lucifer circling underneath the clouds. "I'd been angry and depressed for a while, and now I'm just… honestly, I'm not sure how I feel, or how I should feel. In a way, I'm still one heck of a mess just as I had been before I went to Hogwarts. Fallen angel? Perhaps I really am."

Her definition of fallen angel is different from Yohane after all.

Hanamaru is about to reply when she notices the surprise in Yoshiko's gaze. Turning, she smiles at the sight of the playground just ahead of them. Gently tugging the stiff girl, she leads her into the small park.

"Do you remember?"

"Yeah, I do," Yoshiko mutters hoarsely, glancing around the swing set, the monkey bars, the slide and the sandbox. Everything seems so nostalgic, so precious. "Heh, they're smaller than I remember, then again we… we were just little kids. There's no one here though."

"Mostly elderly people live in this area, I think you've noticed that from our walk here. The few children here are all grown up or have moved out of town already," Hanamaru says a little sadly. "No one comes to play outdoors anymore."

"Their loss," Yoshiko shrugs and approaches the swing, hesitantly touching the chains. "We had fun here, hadn't we?"

"We did," Hanamaru seems to be thinking about something. "Can I… tell you something?"

"Sure? What is it?"

"I-In spite of how nice everyone is, a small part of me still isn't sure, because of how my memories are all over the place. Classmates I don't remember, friends I should be close to, magic I should know. But… only you, Yoshiko-chan. I'm certain I've met you before Hogwarts. I didn't want to say anything because I don't know what's real or not but now that we're here, now that you've said that you do remember playing with me here, I'm relieved."

"I didn't know it bothered you that much," Yoshiko says guiltily and struggles to find the right words to express her thoughts. "It's only recently that I remembered this playground though…"

Even though it wasn't me, it was Yohane. I didn't even exist back then.

"I'm just glad you do now. That will always be one of the most special memories in my life," Hanamaru smiles up at her. "The first time I've witnessed magic zura."

Yoshiko almost spills out everything then, about Yohane and Horcrux and all that, but she couldn't bring herself to ruin the joy and the utter trust in those ochre eyes. Instead, inspiration strikes her and prompts her to extend a hand towards the shorter girl.

"Come on, let's go up there."

"Eh-? Up the slides?" Though giggling, Hanamaru takes her hand as they carefully climb up the tiny steps. The platform at the top is almost too small to fit the two teenagers, and they could easily sit on the railings.

"Hmm, there's no one around us right?"

"No, I don't think so-" Hanamaru checks the surroundings, blinking up at Yoshiko when she takes out her wand. "What're you-?"

"You said you've become fascinated by magic because of… me, right? Well, I'm gonna recreate that," Yoshiko wraps one arm securely around Hanamaru's waist so that they are practically hugging. The proximity makes them both blush but she tries to ignore her pounding heartbeats as she grins down at the flustered girl.

"Are you ready to fly with me?"

Her grin widens at Hanamaru's confused expression. With a careful Ascendio, they're propelled into the sky. Startled, the smaller girl clings to Yoshiko, whose grip tightened around her to ensure that she wouldn't fall. Using a few Hover Charms and Descendio here and there, Yoshiko is able to stabilize their flight as they weave and fly around the playground.

Pleased by the success, Yoshiko finds herself laughing and is soon joined by Hanamaru. They continue to chuckle even as they glide over the monkey bars and land safely beside the sandbox.

"T-That was unexpected, but amazing, Yoshiko-chan!" Hanamaru leans against the taller girl, her legs slightly wobbly.

"Heh, it's different than flying with a broom, isn't it?" Yoshiko keeps her steady, breathing her soothing scent and the lingering fresh breeze. This must be what freedom feels like, as fleeting as it had been. What they experienced just now is theirs. Not Yohane's.

This belongs to her. With Hanamaru.

As the thrill gradually fades, she becomes conscious of their closeness again but she couldn't bring herself to let go. Grandma Kunikida's words echo in her head, that it's okay for her to be happy too.

Before she loses her nerve, she leans down and kisses Hanamaru's forehead. The brunette jolts slightly in surprise, but she then responds by tiptoeing and kissing Yoshiko's cheek, her lips lingering as she glances at Yoshiko's.

"I… I think that's what's missing. We weren't just friends, were we? Please tell me the truth, Yoshiko-chan."

Swallowing hard, Yoshiko embraces Hanamaru and whispers against her ear. "No, we weren't just friends."

Hanamaru makes a small sound, burrowing her head against Yoshiko's shoulder. They stay like that for a while, relishing in each other's warmth and touch. The tension is replaced by something more familiar and comfortable.

"…I think I know what you're thinking zura. You didn't want to push it because I don't remember that we were a couple. You didn't want a preconception to confuse me."

"How well you see through me…"

"But the thing is. I-I still find myself… well, you seem distant but you're kind, and today I see for myself that you could be funny and a bit of a dork too-"

"Hey!"

"-and I think that's how you used to be zura. So, it doesn't matter how you're like, I…" Hanamaru's voice is so quiet and muffled against her jacket that she has to strain to hear her. "I'm still attracted to you. Because, you're, you."

"Hanamaru…"

In spite of the Imperius Curse. In spite of everything that's happened. In spite of Yohane. Hanamaru still ends up liking her, just as she couldn't ignore her feelings either.

Horcrux be damned. The whole mess with the Fallen be damned.

She may not have been the one to save Hanamaru from Dementors back then, but the fact stands that a Patronus was summoned, and somehow she was still able to cast it while Yohane couldn't. Maybe…

"I don't know if this would do anything but, we're here at least, so why not?" Yoshiko pulls away a bit, though she keeps one arm around Hanamaru. "Expecto Patronum!"

Silver light burst out from the tip of her wand, and the shimmering coelacanth swims around them freely and magnificently. An evanescent trail of light envelopes them, filling them with such positive energy that they find themselves smiling.

"Looks familiar?" Yoshiko watches her Patronus maneuver around the playground, similar to how she had flown with Hanamaru earlier.

"Y-Yes, it saved me from those Dementors," Hanamaru murmurs, entranced by sparkles of light and the coelacanth's corporeal form. "I was so scared, so very scared, but this concept of fear seems so… impossible zura, now that we're standing here with the Patronus."

"It's an amazing spell, isn't it? It's said to be the only way to defend yourself against a Dementor, but not much is said about its other uses and that's why not a lot of people bother learning it."

"But it's so beautiful…"

"Right? I believe there's more to the Patronus Charm. It reveals your inner self and hints at your Animagus form - heh, it'd be hilarious if I turn into a fish though. Most importantly, it reflects the caster's soul, or at least that's what the Selkie Chieftainess told me. She saw my Patronus and told me that it's proof of my worthiness."

As Yoshiko says these words aloud, she recalls how her Patronus is able to damage Yohane's wings, which are practically pieces of her soul. The correlation must mean something, though she doesn't understand magic enough to figure out what.

"Anyway, I always feel a bit better whenever I cast this spell. It's reinforced by positive thoughts after all. And the coelacanth, it's a nice reminder."

"The living fossil that we learned together from the encyclopedia zura," Hanamaru giggles, reaching out a hand towards the silver fish. "Shiira-kansu, ne?"

When her fingertip comes in contact with the Patronus, Yoshiko feels an odd sensation of cold water trickling down her body and she gets tunnel vision on the coelacanth. Moments later, the vision returns to normal again, except the scenery looks slightly different.

Hanamaru has reverted to a little girl, her eyes wide with terror as she stares blankly at something behind Yoshiko. Yoshiko glances down at her hands, which are tiny as well, before turning around.

Dementors seem to glide towards them in slow motion, their tattered cloaks fluttering and their rotting bodies oozing of despair. A faint voice at the back of Yoshiko's mind reminds her that this must be a flashback, but she's mostly rooted in fear and consumed by a child's young mind, unable to process her thoughts. All she could do is pull at Hanamaru's hand as they try to run away from those foul creatures.

Little children's legs could only move so fast and so far, and soon they stumble at the edge of the sandbox. Yoshiko spreads her arms wide, willing her tiny body to shield her friend from harm. The Dementors descend towards them, enclosing upon them, ready to suck their souls dry.

Hyperventilating now, Yoshiko fervently hopes for her angelic powers to manifest, to defeat this evil and protect her precious friend.

Something hurts within her chest, the pain so agonizing that she's forced to her knees, but that is soon overcame by this sense of joy and hope. Light bursts from her body and the coelacanth Patronus swims around them, warding off the Dementors and chasing them away.

Yoshiko blinks at this miraculous turn of events, and only jolts out of her trance when she notices Hanamaru slumping behind her. The little girl must have been overwhelmed and thus had lost consciousness. Yoshiko herself is close to passing out as well, though she couldn't look away from the brilliant Patronus.

Then she realizes that the Dementors are still around. Perhaps her magic isn't as strong as a child, and the coelacanth is already doing all it could to keep the creatures at bay. Whenever it swims to chase one away, the others would attempt to close in on them.

It would only be a matter of time before the Patronus fades.

Then how had she saved Hanamaru back then? How were the Dementors vanquished? This is a flashback right?

She finds her answer soon enough in the form of another Patronus, a Raven, powerful in its bright light as it soars straight through the Dementors and repelling them far away.

A dark-haired woman, her mother, stands in front of her determinedly while her father wraps protective arms around her small form. Yoshiko sniffles, clinging to her father's warmth as he murmurs comforting words and caresses her back. The coelacanth fades not long after, its magic depleted, and exhaustion washes over her like a tidal wave. Before she nods off, she sees her mother speaking with the wizards and witches who just Apparated into the playground.

Her vision darkens but she remains aware.

She floats aimlessly in the darkness for who knows how long, and suddenly she finds herself facing a fallen man.

The fireplace nearby is littered with charred kindling and the Floo powder is scattered all over the expensive-looking carpet floor. Ornaments are shattered, portraits torn and furniture upturned, a clear sign of an aftermath of a vicious battle.

Yoshiko discovers that, unlike the flashback earlier, she couldn't really control her movements. There's something viscous about the atmosphere too, adhering to her thoughts and weighing her down with malicious intent.

The red-haired man struggles to sit up, but all he could do is to slump against the wall. Amusement fills Yoshiko's mind as she watches the wizard raise his wand with a trembling grip.

Nothing happens. Not even a spark from the tip of the wand.

Panicking now, the man utters incantations after incantations yet he's still unable to cast a single spell.

"You Pureblood rely on your magic too much." A familiar voice, Yohane's voice, comes out of Yoshiko's mouth. She tilts her head slightly, and one of the hooded figures behind her steps forward to yank the wand out of the wizard's hand.

"You won't be needing this anymore after all."

Yoshiko feels vile magic pooling at her back and, from the edge of her vision, she could see black feathers materializing. She flexes her wings in a silent command, and the hooded figures leave the room at once.

The reason becomes obvious when a Dementor glides in, and its terrible effect immediately shows as the wizard begins to quiver.

Yoshiko wants to scream, anything, to stop the creature from nearing the man. Alas, trapped in Yohane's body, all she could do is watch in sheer horror as his soul is sucked out of his body.

A Dementor's Kiss.

The man collapses, his eyes still open but blank with nothing inside of them.

Yohane does not laugh, though she's obviously pleased from the way she kicks a broken plate out of her path as she exits the room.

"Oh, I didn't notice you were here too."

Abruptly, Yoshiko's vision darkens again, the despair and dread dragging her down into that void of nothingness. She doesn't even have a corporeal form, wherever she is, wherever this is.

Wandless.

Helpless.

What's happening to me?

Did my soul leave my body or something?

The more terrified she feels, the deeper she sinks and it becomes harder and harder to form thoughts. This is different from her mind just blanking out when she loses control and those black tendrils burst out. She feels like she's losing something, something important…

Is this what dying feels like?

"Yoshiko-chan!"

Someone's calling her.

"Yoshiko-chan, snap back to your senses!"

She could feel it. Hope and light, somewhere far away and out of reach.

"Please, Yoshiko-chan!"

A familiar soft cry, a bird that is tragically misunderstood like she is.

Her vision is filled with light, forcing her to blink several times to adjust to the sudden brightness. A shimmering Patronus in the form of an Augurey flies around and encompasses the trail of light around her and Hanamaru.

"Y-Yoshiko-chan! You're awake!" Hanamaru chokes with emotions, gripping Yoshiko's hands so tightly that it's almost painful. Lucifer is also perched on Yoshiko's shirt, hissing softly in concern.

Yoshiko peers at them rather dumbly, trying to gather her thoughts and process what in Satan's name just happened. "You saved me…"

"F-From what? What happened zura?"

"I… there was… it was all so dark, I…" Yoshiko says slowly, squeezing Hanamaru's hands as if to reassure herself that she is back in her body. "Did you see anything-?"

"Y-Yes, h-how you saved me from the Dementors when we were little kids, here at this playground, but then I came to my senses and saw that you've fainted zura. I-I kept calling your name but y-you wouldn't respond. Lucifer tried too, it even bit your finger but nothing worked."

Yoshiko takes a deep breath, pressing her hand against her chest and sighs in relief at the sensation of heartbeats. She's back to reality now, from wherever that was.

"Is this-?"

The silver Augurey lands gracefully beside her before fading. "I couldn't cast any spells, no matter how hard I tried, so I thought about what you said about souls and the Patronus Charm a-and, well, it somehow worked a-and it helped me wake you up." Hanamaru shakes her head, as if unable to believe her success.

"T-That's amazing… you're able to cast an advanced spell, a Patronus Charm too…"

They both smile tentatively, though it's obvious they're still in a state of shock at what just transpired. Yoshiko rubs her aching temples, fragments of that scene with Yohane scaring her for many reasons.

Unlike the aftermaths of her previous connections, she doesn't have a nosebleed, meaning this is something else.

Or that Yohane has recovered and is on the move.

And the poor man who was executed by a Dementor was unable to cast magic, most likely because he was hit by that same spell that affected Mari and Hanamaru.

Unlike the childhood memory in the playground, if Yohane can acknowledge her presence, it would mean that event has just occurred in the present. Yohane and the Fallen had attacked the man in his home before he could escape.

A Pureblood, a prestigious one too, based on all the fancy decorations.

The Black Jaguar insignia on the broken plate.

The Kurosawa emblem.

Cold fear settles in the pit of Yoshiko's stomach.

"T-The Kurosawa Estate! It must be! We must get back to Hogwarts now and let the others know!"

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

She grits her teeth and barely manages to dive behind an ornate mirror to avoid a powerful Stunner. A mere moment later, the glass shatters under the house-elf's onslaught and forces her to vacate her hiding spot. The magical creature's eyes are wide in turmoil, unable to fight against the powerful Imperius Curse forcing it to attack its liege.

She's learned a few useful wandless spells for dire situations, yet she is unable to even summon magic. The terrible disruption remains, causing her great pain and almost paralyzing her when she tries to forcefully pour out her magic into the form of a spell. As the house-elf stiffly moves towards her, she mutters a silent apology before flinging a heavy book towards it.

While the servant is distracted by the impact, she lunges forward and smears her bloodied hand upon its brow. The house-elf shudders once before its energy seems to shut down as it closes its eyes and slumps to the side. Feeling her adrenaline receding, she crawls towards the wall, her body aching from exhaustion. She fruitlessly taps the corner of the shelf, hoping to activate the hidden passageway, yet nothing happens since there is no magic output. It seems that while ancient blood magic still works due to the bond between master and servant, she is practically a Squib and utterly defenseless.

It must have been that tea.

Grandfather had summoned those that remained within the Estate for a meeting and, as per tradition and decorum, tea had been serviced before discussions were allowed to proceed. Though fond of tea, she had been nervous and had only taken a small sip.

When the Wards were first breached, her relatives were shocked to discover that they could not cast even the simplest of spells to subdue the intruders. Cloaked trespassers aside, there was a legion of Dementors whose terrible presence alone was enough to incapacitate her relatives and even the Kurosawa patriarch. Having relied on and grown dependent on magic for so long, the formidable former Warlock and the rest of her family were easily overpowered.

Those who weren't in the meeting were disarmed by a few Imperio'd house-elves and the Dementors. The number of house-elves then quickly dwindled down after they deliberately injured themselves, once they discovered having betrayed their masters even though they were controlled against their wills.

Those black feathers… such malignant magic…

Even without her magic, she was able to keep those intruders out of reach at first due to her sabre. Then, the winged witch commanded a different group of people to attack her with weapons like axes, halberds and swords. No matter how confident she was with her sabre, she was terribly outnumbered and, without her wand to cover this flaw in her defense, a blade slipped through her guard and disarmed her.

In spite of her injured right arm, she's ambidextrous and has trained to fight like a Muggle. She knew there was no winning the fight then and successfully fled the room. She evaded Curses and Jinxes, using the layout of the Estate to her advantage when the intruders gave chase. In that moment of panic though, she had ordered Pana and Elicchi to leave the premises carrying the Kurosawa heirloom so that it would not be broken or fall to enemy hands. She did not know who are still free within the Estate but she knew that the Floo Network is compromised and the Wards are overwritten.

Knowing the two intelligent owls, they would have flown for Hogwarts to her little sister and her friends. And knowing them, they will definitely find a way to come here to save her.

However, by coming here, they would all be placed in grave danger and Dia despises herself for being the reason.

Alas, what else could she do in this predicament? Help isn't coming, not from those outside the Vow, and she doesn't know how long she can evade capture.

Her vision blurs precariously, prompting her to bite the inside of her cheek to jolt her back to consciousness. The copper tang of blood makes her stomach lurch. She breathes deeply, hoping to clear away any vestige of lightheadedness so that she could plan her next course of action. The deep cut on her right arm throbs, reminding her that the makeshift bandage to staunch the blood flow won't be enough. The enemies had time to study her fighting style, and had improved their counter since they knew the sabre's weakness against purely Muggle-forged weapons.

"…I …I'm sorry…"

"It is not your fault." Dia tries to block the vivid image of Riko from the Pensieve, but her faint whisper hasn't stopped haunting her since that day. "…it is mine."

Anger overwhelms sorrow and fear, and she regains the strength to move again. With a pained gasp, she concentrates all her energy within herself and is relieved when the transformation slowly takes place. Though her world has become much larger from the new perspective, her sharpened senses now allow her to pick up even the slightest sound from down the hallway. She tests her injured foreleg, finding the limp acceptable before running out of the room. She uses her small size to squeeze under an armored statue without alerting a passing Dementor, though she almost falters from that shroud of despair.

It doesn't affect her as much as it would have been if she was in her human form. She's grateful to have learned Animagus magic, for it is her only defense against such horrid creatures now.

Even if she was able to use magic, she would still be defenseless against Dementors. She hadn't been able to cast the Patronus Charm since…

She hastens her pace, fueled by rage and hatred. That winged witch, the leader of these intruders, most likely knows what her Animagus form looks like due to Riko's memories. It's only a matter of time before she's found or succumbs to her injuries. However, there are still many things she could do, things that only she knows about the Kurosawa Estate.

Just how long would this battle of attrition last, between the wounded rabbit and the hunters out for her blood?