Disclaimer: I don't own, nor do I profit from the characters and the story. This story is written purely out of fun and practice.

Marionette Ch. 5

Sometimes, Kyoya wonders if visiting Ranka is good for his mental state.

Part of Kyoya wants to tell everybody in the host club to damn them all. He is not Anderson Cooper, if they want news about Haruhi they are perfectly capable to do it themselves. The only problem is that everybody knows that it is a lie.

Ranka is the only person who seems to be in contact with Haruhi. Sometimes he would hear about her school, her new friends in England or wherever she is, but those bits of news are few and far in between.

Still, Kyoya made sure that he visits Ranka once every two weeks. It is good to have a schedule; it would be rude and impolite to only visit Ranka when he wants something. No, Kyoya would never do something so deceiving.

After all, Ranka was almost his father-in-law. Over the years his father contemplated on creating engagement contracts with other prominent families. For once in his life, Kyoya was thankful for his older brothers because they were the ones who ended up engaged to ditzy heiresses instead of him.

As it stands right now, Kyoya is still technically engaged to Haruhi but it was doubtful if a wedding would really happen. Sometimes, Kyoya thinks that if it wasn't for the international chaos that it would cause his father would send Ootori Police Force to look at every high school and university in the British Isles to look for her.

Did Haruhi graduate High School yet? She's sixteen the last time Kyoya saw her two years ago. The last memory Kyoya had of her was when she was studying quietly at Music Room 3. To be honest, Kyoya was not sure if that memory was even before or after his father told him that he was engaged to Haruhi.

There were several parts of Kyoya's memories that are fuzzy at best. It was as if a giant part of Kyoya's memory was torn off. A part of Kyoya is sure that a significant amount of the memories he is missing involves the rest of the host club but nobody else brought up anything about missing memories so Kyoya just kept quiet about it.

Sometimes, Kyoya wonders if he just speaks up once it would release a floodgate of things that needed to be discussed.

Kyoya grabbed today's gift to Ranka. It is a fruit basket this time, the cheapest one that he could find from the grocery store his maids frequent. Unlike Tamaki who would immediately buy the most expensive fruit basket in the store, Kyoya is aware that Ranka has some pride and a comparatively expensive fruit basket would not bruise his ego.

Ranka still lives in the same apartment building he was living in two years ago. The steel staircase is still wobbly and some of the paint is peeling off. Most commoners would not even notice these minor things, but someone like Kyoya could always tell.

Kyoya knocked on the door but nobody answered him. Kyoya knocks again but Ranka still does not answer. This is odd, Kyoya made sure that he called ahead before coming over. Ranka said that he is going to be in his house all day.

Kyoya paid a trip to the building manager's apartment and gives her the fruit basket intended for Ranka. After a small chit chat and a flirtatious smile here and there Kyoya learns that she has not seen Ranka for a couple of day. After a few more pleasant exchanges, the manager bid him farewell.

On his way down, Kyoya pulled out his cellphone and made some calls. An hour later Kyoya is sitting in his limo clutching his cellphone until his knuckles turn white.

Nobody has seen or heard of Ranka for the past three days. Kyoya alerted the police immediately and made sure that finding Ranka would be the top of their priority.

Once he made his statement to the police, tok out his phone and pressed speed dial.

"Hello? Kyoya? I'm at school." Tamaki's sleepy voice called.

"Tamaki, There is something I have to discuss with the entire club."

In an instant, Tamaki's voice becomes animated. "Oh, so do you agree that we should go to the Bora Bora this winter break? I heard Hawaii is last century, it's all about the Caribbean now."

A vein threatened to burst on Kyoya's forehead.

"Tamaki, I have more important things to do than worry about a vacation. Just call everybody in the Host club and tell them to meet me at my house within thirty minutes."

"But Kyoya, that's too soon-"

Tamaki never got to finish his sentence because Kyoya turned off his phone, not wanting to talk to anybody else.

He ordered the driver to take the long way home.

It is not the first time Haruhi is in Draco's bedroom. It was the first place they stuck her in when Voldemort kidnapped her. Her biological father kept her there for an entire week before she finally saw him face to face.

In the meantime Haruhi read a good chunk of Draco's old textbooks while meals were delivered to her three times a day. A lot of them were droll and boring and many times Haruhi would stumble on a word that she has to look up with a dictionary that permanently sits on Draco's bookcase. By the time Voldemort's subordinates came to fetch her she already knew some basic potions and charms up to the second year level.

Haruhi just hopes that nobody would disturb her for a while. Draco keeps last year's books in his bedroom and she needed to review a few concepts if she wants to keep up with her studies. She would not let Voldemort's whims get in the way of her graduating in time with Harry and the others.

It may sound weird, but the only real friends at Hogwarts seem to be Harry and Hermione, Hermione especially. They seem to be the only ones who are welcoming to her.

The Slytherins were nice enough to here, under the pretext of "let's be nice to the new kid" kind of way. However, Haruhi immediately sensed that they were looking for more than just friendship from her.

When Haruhi asked Pansy Parkinson what she wants, the girl avoided the question. When Haruhi kept asking what she wants, Pansy started to avoid Haruhi and so does most people from Slytherin.

Predicting that she would be left alone for a while, Haruhi immediately took out a book and started reading.

When Haruhi started studying magic, everyone around her questioned why she used muggle writing materials. Haruhi immediately replied why not? Highlighters and pens are much more convenient than inks and quills. There is a reason why muggles got rid of them in the first place.

Curiously, those around her protested and she even received a rare visit from her biological father. When Haruhi made her case, Voldemort ended up sending one of his servants to muggle London to buy all the writing supplies that she would need.

It was such as surprise for Haruhi and she almost cried while using a particularly expensive pen. Almost. What can she say? The writing is just so fluid.

There is a soft knock on the door followed by someone opening it which Haruhi barely notice.

"Haruhi, your father requests your audience during dinner tonight." Narcissa Malfoy said.

Haruhi glances up from Draco's book and sits up properly as Mrs. Malfoy taught her. Haruhi doesn't like it when Voldemort gives her "requests" to join them. Even though they make is sound like she has a choice of the matter, she doesn't. On top of that, everybody at the table would be sneaking glances at her no matter how hard they try not to.

Despite the horrible news, Haruhi thanks Mrs. Malfoy before quickly asking her what clothes she would wear.

The effects were instant. Mrs. Malfoy's face brightened. "I would assume that it would be a meeting with some of your father's men. It would best to look presentable therefore wizard clothes are a must. Did you pack anything like that?"

Haruhi shook her head. This is only supposed to be a few days break-inconvenience really-from school. She did not pack a lot of things with her.

"Well that would be a problem." Mrs. Malfoy said. "Why don't we look around my old clothes if there is something that would fit you?"

Haruhi nodded, although it is very apparent that Mrs. Malfoy is more excited about it than Haruhi.

Out of everybody in the house, Haruhi knows that Mrs. Malfoy seemed to be the happiest person to see her in the Malfoy Manor. Now that she thought about it, she is also the person who was saddest to see her away. Haruhi long suspected it is because Mrs. Malfoy does not like to be around her father's followers and Haruhi was there last year as someone she could talk to. That, and Haruhi thinks that Mrs. Malfoy wants a daughter for a long while and she thinks of Haruhi as a daughter she never had.

This becomes apparent to Haruhi more than ever when Mrs. Malfoy practically gives her every piece of clothing that would fit her from her own closet. There were clothes with every color and cut which leaves Haruhi a robe for every occasion.

For tonight's dinner, Mrs. Narcissa choose an elegant Slytherin green colored robes with flattering frills.

"Your father might like to see you in Slytherin colors. He was not really happy when Draco wrote that you were sorted to Gryffindor." Mrs. Narcissa said as she picks out of silver jewelry for Haruhi.

"Is getting into Slytherin that important to him?" Haruhi asked curiously.

Thinking of all the Slytherins she met in her first few weeks of school, Haruhi thought that being in one House over the other is not such a big deal. After all, they all end up in the same classes. Despite what some people say about how your Houses defining your friends, Haruhi thinks that it doesn't make any difference because they all avoid her. Including the Slytherins.

"I cannot pretend that I know the Dark Lord as well as my sister but I do know that Salazar is Slytherin is your father's ancestor and by extension, yours." Mrs. Malfoy said. "The Dark Lord prides himself as Salazar Slytherin's heir... but you shouldn't let that little thing bother you Haruhi. Gryffindor is a perfectly nice House."

Nice save there, Haruhi thought. Even before Haruhi entered Ouran she could tell a backhanded compliment. Besides, that comment seems more comforting compared to the ones Kyoya gives her at a regular basis when she started working for the Host Club.

Huh, that was the first time she thought of anyone on the Host club for a while. Were they still in High School or did they already graduate and they are enrolled in college now?

Haruhi is seventeen now, she's pretty sure that the twins are seniors right at this moment and are graduating soon if they were not held back.

"Oh look at the time. Everybody must be gathering already." Mrs. Malfoy said. "Here put these on quickly and we'll walk there together."

Mrs. Malfoy helps out Haruhi with the jewelry.

They walk together to the dining hall where half of the seats are already occupied by Death Eaters.

Haruhi took her place at the left hand side of the table, ignoring her best to ignore people's stares and in Mrs. Lestrange's case, glares.

During dinner, there was only idle chat around the room. There were no grand schemes planned which Haruhi learned from various mentors is not always the case.

The Dark Lord on his part paid did not engage in any conversation despite how hard Mrs. Lestrange tries to strike up a conversation. Many Death Eaters suspect that the Dark Lord wants to spare his little girl of the gory details of his job.

It was not until dessert did the Dark Lord start talking.

"My daughter." The Dark Lord said. The Dark Lord never learned Haruhi's name or if he does, he refuses to use it. "I heard from the young Malfoy that you were sorted to Gryffindor."

From across the table, Haruhi could see Mrs. Lestrange smirking which Haruhi ignores.

"Yes." Haruhi said in the same tone someone would use while commenting the weather.

"How are the lions treating you?"

"I think they are treating me nicely enough." The table's silence told Haruhi to go on. "They don't bother me in while I study which is always nice."

The Dark Lord continues to ask questions about his daughter which is a surreal experience for everybody in the room. The Dark Lord on his part don't know how to approach his daughter who is a foreigner as well a stranger while Haruhi tried to answer each question as quickly as she could.

"Do you make any friends from Slytherin?" the Dark Lord asks.

Haruhi shook her head before elaborating. "I tried talking to them and some of them tried to talk to me but all of them have an agenda."

The Dark Lord laugh so loud that Haruhi is willing to bet that the even the house elves downstairs could hear him. Soon enough everybody else in the room are trying to laugh along with the Dark Lord. Suck ups, Haruhi thought.

"What made you say that?"

"Well, from the moment you start talking to people from Slytherin you could tell that they want something. I even asked this girl once, I think her name was Pansy, what she wants outright but she just avoids the question. They also bother me in the most inconvenient time. One time, everybody in potions were supposed to study and a bunch of people from Slytherin were trying to call out to me."

Haruhi looks at her father with her large brown eyes. "What is it with Hogwarts students and avoiding schoolwork? In Japan sure, nobody really likes to do homework but when the teacher tells us to read a chapter, we read the chapter."

"A few weeks in school and you already figured out many of your peers." The Dark Lord's lipless mouth curved into a smile. The Dark Lord turned to his followers. "I am sad to say that my ancestor's noble house has reduced to a bunch of flatterers and fools. Back when I was going to Hogwarts, ambition means hard work and cleverness. Now it's all about connections and flattering."

The Dark Lord looks towards his daughter. "But tell me, who amongst the student in House Slytherin are you closest with."

"Out of all of them I would say Draco." Haruhi said in a contemplative manner.

"Of course, Draco is such a sweet and genuine boy." Lucius Malfoy interjected. "Everybody else are obvious flatterer but not-"

With one glare, the Dark Lord silenced the flatterer.

"I would not say that everybody in Slytherin are flatterers." Haruhi said. "It is just a lot of those who I met are. Maybe once I am all caught up with studying I could go out on Hogsmeade weekends and meet more people."

"How about your classes then?" the Dark Lord asks. "Did my followers teach you everything you needed to know?"

"Yes they did. But it would still take a while for me to adjust. On the plus side I always get over ninety percent in my essays and tests."

"That is my good girl. I always know that any child of mine would be brilliant like me." The smile on the Dark Lord's face widened even further.

It was a creepy sight to behold.

"You know I was thinking just the other day that I never gave my little girl a gift in her life." The Dark Lord said. "Seventeen years in this world, and not a single present from me. How could I be the greatest wizard of all time when I have been the worst father to my only child? So I made arrangements."

The Dark Lord moved a wiry finger and a pair of Death Eaters across the dinner table left the room to fetch a red headed Japanese man shorter than either of them.

"Is that?" Haruhi asked. "Otou-san?"

A.N.: I would apologize about not updating but I like to think that I live life with no regrets. Anyway, I have been working on a book of short stories using my original characters. Ciao.