"Chikyuubei"

"English"

Thoughts

Chapter 4- Dragon Heart

Gohan had seen battles so bloody, that they would scar men three times his age for life. He had met aliens and Gods, and stared into the face of some of the most evil beings in the galaxy. He had been brought to the brink of death, and had seen those he loved step over that threshold and into the world beyond. He had experienced wonders so fantastic that most people would believe it to be a work of fiction.

But he'd never, ever seen anything like Diagon Alley.

He'd never been so excited to be shopping before in his life. Everything was so familiar and yet so alien at the same time. A bank run by goblins and filled with strange, gold coins instead of paper zeni. Shops filled with all sorts of mystical tools and ingredients, which sold things like flying broomsticks and self-stirring cauldrons alongside quills and herbs. A tailor who made robes the likes of which he had only ever seen in pictures, who took a shine to Gohan and gave him a discount on the midnight blue cloak he had gotten instantly attached to because it reminded him of Piccolo. Even Chi-chi's dark mood and bitter mutterings couldn't dampen his amazement at the completely new and incredible world before him. A world which he was now set to be a part of.

Though it certainly didn't stop her from trying her best.

"I'm not gonna tell ya again ta keep up, Son Gohan." She snapped in their native tongue. Though she actually spoke English better then her son, Chi-chi hadn't spoken to anyone but Gohan since they set foot in Diagon Alley, forcing Gohan to translate his mother's words to whoever they were speaking to. It was a little childish of her, but Gohan remained patient with the prideful woman since he was still grateful that she wasn't making things as difficult as she could if she put her mind to it. "We have a long flight back home, 'n we still need ta buy yer books 'n yer wand. Not ta mention I'm gonna need ta stop somewhere fer a broomstick that preforms better then my old Nimbus 1500. I want ta be able ta get back out here fast when somethin' happens."

"Nothing's going to happen, Mom." Gohan reassured his mother for the umpteenth time.

"I wouldn't believe that even if I didn't hate wizards with every fiber of my being, Gohan." Chi-chi scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Our family's been cursed that way. Why, look at everythin' you've already been through! And yer only eleven, fer cryin' out loud!"

"It hasn't been that bad." Gohan said, feeling the need to defend his childhood, only to flinch at Chi-chi's flat look. "…Well, except for all the people who ended up dying or trying to kill everyone. But at least we've made plenty of good friends, right? I mean, they weren't even that surprised when I told them I was going to a school to learn magic."

"That's not helpin' yer case, Gohan." Chi-chi pointed out with an exasperated sigh. "It ain't a good sign when Goku's friends are more surprised that I'm pregnant again than they are about the fact that there's magic in the family." Gohan grinned a little at that, remembering all too well the reaction of the group when Bulma had let it slip that Chi-chi was expecting at dinner after her wedding to Vegeta.

The resulting celebration (which included drunken toasts to Goku for being a sly dog who could still surprise them even after his death) lasted well into dawn, and definitely eclipsed the responses everyone had had to the revelation of Gohan's magical heritage. In fact, the only real reaction that had gotten from the group was a couple of taunts about pointed hats and long white beards and a few jests about Gohan abandoning them now that they were getting too old to hang out with him anymore. Still, everyone had been happy for Gohan and wished him the best at Hogwarts. Krillen even promised to fly out to the school and set any magical bullies straight if they gave Gohan a hard time, which had gotten a laugh out of nearly everyone present.

"Actually, I think that proves that we've been blessed, not cursed." Gohan informed his mother warmly. "After all, we have friends who will accept us no matter how different we are. That's a pretty special thing to have, if you ask me."

"I'd rather have peace and prosperity." Chi-chi grumbled, though the smile she fought to hide told Gohan that she didn't mean it. "Still, I want ta look into a new broom. Just fer my own peace of mind, if nothin' else."

"If you want, I can go buy my books on my own and you can go broom shopping. That should save us some time, right? You can just come get me at the bookstore when you're done. It probably won't take me long to find what I need for school, and I can use the extra time to find a few books for myself." Chi-chi considered her son's proposal for a moment before sighing.

"Fair enough." She decided. "Just promise ya won't buy any books about dragons 'n we have a deal."

"Promise!" Gohan agreed obediently, grinning as he darted ahead to Flourish and Blotts.

"'N don't talk ta any strangers!" Chi-chi called after his retreating form. Gohan waved a hand in acknowledgement that he'd heard her before stepping into the bookstore, inhaling deeply as the door shut behind him and feeling the tension melt away at the familiar scent of paper and ink. If he was completely honest with himself, this was the shop he'd been looking forward to visiting the most. His friends back home might've teased him about being a little on the nerdy side, but Gohan still loved the unique magic of literature.

He was probably at more of a disadvantage then most of his classmates since he was both new to magic and English wasn't his first language, though he was better at reading it then he was at speaking so hopefully he wouldn't struggle too much with the language gap. He also planned to use the time before his classes started in September to review all his books throughly and look up anything that he didn't understand.

Maybe I can even get Mom to help me. Gohan thought. It was a long shot considering her obvious distaste for magic, but Chi-chi's English was flawless, a thing both Goku and Gohan had always marveled about the woman. As a very young child, Gohan used to beg his mother to read him children books and fairytales in English, awed by how easy it was for her. That had been years and years ago though, before Raditz or the Saiyans or Namek. Back when it was just him, Mom and Dad on Mt. Paozu.

The memory of those days now filled Gohan with a bittersweet nostalgia.

"Can I help you?" Someone interjected, drawing the half-saiyan out of his thoughts to focus on the young wizard manning the cash register.

"Yes." Gohan answered in English. "I am going to Hogwarts in November. I would like to buy books for school."

"Oh?" The man said curiously. "Are you a first year?"

"Yes, sir." Gohan answered with a nod, feeling more then a little self-conscious at his imperfect English. He was definitely going to have to practice before heading to school…

"We keep a table of books for first year Hogwarts students near the back of the store. Here, follow me and I'll show you the way. I need to check and see if anything needs to be restocked, anyways."

"Thank you." Gohan said gratefully, smiling as he followed the man.

"Did you and your family just move to England, or are you commuting from somewhere else?" The man asked as he led Gohan past rows and rows of books about curses, charms and potions.

"Commuting." Gohan answered. "I am from Chikyuu." That got him a low whistle from the clerk.

"We don't see many people from Chikyuu out this way." He said. "Usually, you guys keep to yourself."

"I wanted to go to school." Gohan explained. "My mother went to Hogwarts."

"No kidding? Oh, here we are. All the books on your list should be right here." And there they were indeed. Gohan grinned happily as he picked out the books he needed, tucking them under his arm.

"Thank you." Gohan said again, earning a chuckle from the man.

"No problem. Is there anything else you need?"

"I would like some history books, please. Also anything for someone who does not know much about magic."

"You mean like Muggle-born stuff?" The wizard said, looking confused. "I thought you said that your mom is a witch?"

"She is." Gohan confirmed. "But she did not tell that to me until after I got my letter. I want to learn more before going to school."

"Really? That must've been awkward." The clerk said, shaking his head. "But we got a couple of books that might be able to help you. Let's see what we can dig up, okay?"

The next half an hour was spent browsing through the seemingly endless titles that the bookstore stocked. By the time Gohan finally found himself at the cash register he'd acquired not only his schoolbooks, but about five history texts (Hogwarts; A History, Speak No Evil (The History of the Wizarding War and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named), History's Mysteries of Magic, 1,000 Influential Witches and Wizards, and Behind the Magic Barrier; Secrets of the Hidden Continent), three introductory-level spell books (Silly Spells to Entertain Your Friends, The Quick Guide to Spell Casting, and The Beginner's Spell Book) and a handful of others that the clerk recommended in response to Gohan's questions or interests (Perfecting Potions, A Muggle-Born's Guide to Magic, The Forbidden Forest of Hogwarts, Magical Plants and Herbs, and Science and Magic; The Best of Both Worlds).

"You sure you can read all that, kid?" The clerk asked as he rang Gohan up, earning a grin from the half-saiyan.

"I will try." He responded cheerfully as he handed over the proper amount of money, relieved that his mother had given him so much as a precaution. The foreign currency still didn't make much sense to him, but it was easy enough to count out and hand over the proper number of coins when prompted.

With his books bought, Gohan figured that he could kill some time waiting for his mother by sitting in the arm chair the store had placed near the window and getting a head start on his reading. On his way there though, Gohan found himself noticing a small, bushy-haired brunette around his age who was straining to try and reach a book on one of the upper shelves.

"Would you like some help?" Gohan asked her, setting his bags down. The unexpected question startled the girl, which caused her to upset the bookcase and sent a stack of heavy texts balanced precariously at the top of the case plummeting down towards her head. Immediately, the brunette threw her arms up over her head to protect herself from an injury which, to her undying surprise, never occurred.

Lowering her arms, the young witch looked around in confusion before finally noticing Gohan at her side, the fallen books intercepted and tucked safely under his arm. The girl's eyes widened to the size of saucers at the obvious save.

"How did you-?!" She began to ask, glancing from the books to Gohan with visible confusion.

"Magic." Gohan answered with what he hoped was a convincing smile.

"Oh." The girl didn't look as though she bought the explanation, but let the matter rest as Gohan set the books down on a free shelf nearby. "Well, thank you then, I suppose."

"You wanted a book?" Gohan reminded the girl, motioning to the bookshelf in front of them. "Which one?"

"Um, Your Wand and You, by Anastasia Archot, but it's all the way near the top." The girl said, pointing to the book in question. Nodding, Gohan bent his knees a little and gave a light jump, careful not to go so high as to make anyone suspicious. Grabbing the book the girl had singled out, Gohan returned to the earth and held it out to the brunette with a wide, friendly grin. The girl's eyes lit up as she took the book from his hand, hugging it close to her chest. "Thank you so much!" She exclaimed gratefully.

"You are welcome." Gohan returned warmly, bowing politely to the girl before collecting his bags once more. The girl watched him curiously as he prepared to leave, only to make a startled noise when she noticed some of the books he had in his bags.

"Are you starting your first year at Hogwarts soon?" She asked excitedly, pointing to the bag with his school texts.

"Yes. I will go there this November." Gohan replied, tilting his head at the girl like a confused puppy as she gave a cry of excitement.

"Me too!" She declared, beaming at Gohan brightly. "Oh, I can't believe I met another first year! I was so sure that everyone else had already bought all their books and I was behind! My mother couldn't bring me out here until today, you know. She's a dentist, you see, and she couldn't clear her schedule to take me shopping for all of my supplies. I'm actually the first person in my family to have any magic. It all seems so amazing doesn't it? I can't wait until the school year starts and we get to start studying at Hogwarts!" Gohan really didn't know how to reply to all that. He was still trying to think of a response when the girl started talking again. "By the way, do you know what House you're going to be in yet? I'm rather partial to Gryffindor myself, but Ravenclaw seems like it would be lovely, too. Oh, I haven't introduced myself, have I? I'm Hermione Granger. And you are?"

"Son Gohan." Gohan answered before he could stop himself. Flushing brightly, the boy hastily corrected himself. "I mean, Gohan Son. Sorry, I'm not used to introducing myself the way you do here in England."

"Where are you from?" Hermione asked curiously.

"Chikyuu." Gohan answered.

"I've never heard of anyplace like that before. Is it in the Wizarding Community?"

"No. It is a continent in the Atlantic Ocean that has been hidden from the rest of the world. I think here it is better known as Atlantis."

"Atlantis?! Really?!" The girl gasped in wonder. "What's it like there? Are there many differences from the rest of the world?"

"Many." Gohan confirmed. "Magic is not hidden there, and there is greater science and technology and many different kinds of people."

"Oh, it sounds lovely!" Hermione gasped. "But… wouldn't it make more sense for you to go to school there, rather then at Hogwarts?"

"There are no magic schools on Chikyuu." Gohan explained with a shrug. "We go to other schools instead. My mother went to Hogwarts, and I am too."

"But if magic isn't hidden, then-?"

"There are not many professional witches and wizards still living on Chikyuu." Gohan admitted to the girl. "The only one I know is Baba. But there are many magic artifacts and creatures. Like Kinto'un and Nyoi-bo."

"Are there any books about Chikyuu that I could read?" Hermione asked, eyes aglow with excitement. "It sounds fascinating, and I really want to learn as much as I can about the magical world before I go to Hogwarts. That's why I'm getting this wand book, you see. I just got my wand at Ollivander's, and I found the whole process so interesting that I just had to learn more about it. Have you gotten your wand yet?"

"Not yet." Gohan said, shaking his head in the negative. "I will be going there next." Looking at the girl thoughtfully for a moment, Gohan began fishing through his bag before finally finding his copy of Behind the Magic Barrier. Grinning, he held the book out to Hermione. "Here. You can read this. It is about Chikyuu."

"Oh, but I couldn't just take one of your books!" Hermione protested.

"There are no problems. You can give it back at Hogwarts." Gohan assured the girl cheerfully. Hermione bit her lip as she studied the book Gohan was offering her before suddenly brightening.

"Hang on, I have an idea!" She declared happily. Grabbing Gohan's arm, she dragged the startled half-saiyan to the cash register where she slammed Your Wand and You down on the counter hard enough to make the clerk jump in surprise. "May I purchase this book now, please?" Hermione demanded.

"Oh, um, of course." The young wizard answered, looking a little confused as he rang her up. He didn't even have time to tell her the final price before Hermione practically shoved the money in his face and reclaimed the book she just bought. Turning back to Gohan with a pleased look on her face, Hermione held out Your Wand and You. "Here. We'll exchange for now, and then switch back when we get to school. That way, everything is fair."

"Alright." Gohan agreed, handing her his book and taking the one she offered in return. It hadn't mattered to him to get a book in return for the one he was loaning her, but if it made Hermione feel better then he had no problem with the exchange. Hermione certainly looked pleased with herself too, as she tucked Behind the Magic Barrier under her arm. Just then, Gohan sensed his mother approaching the store, having apparently finished her broom shopping. Gathering his bags, Gohan offered one last smile to Hermione. "It was nice to meet you, but I have to go now. I will see you at Hogwarts?"

"Of course!" Hermione responded with a light laugh, earning a grin from Gohan in return.

"Take care of yourself then, Miss Hermione." Gohan said politely before heading to the door, more excited then ever to be heading to Hogwarts in the fall.

It seemed like making friends his own age wasn't going to be as hard as he thought…

"I almost forgot how creepy it is in here…" Chi-chi grumbled as she glanced around the wand maker's shop. Despite his inherit optimism, Gohan couldn't help but agree with his mother's assessment of the dark, depressing store they had entered.

It unnerved Gohan more then a little how all the sounds and chaos of Diagon Alley seemed to disappear as though the wand shop was on a completely separate plane of existence from the rest of the shopping district, leaving an eerie silence broken only by the soft footfalls of the half-saiyan and his mother. The store was dusty, and there was a disorienting feel of power in the air that made Gohan's instincts as a fighter go mad. Not ki but magic, ancient and mysterious and unlike anything Gohan had experienced before in his life.

There was also the distinct feeling of eyes watching him from the shadows.

Zeroing in on the source, Gohan frowned at a dark corner near the back of the shop, warily stepping in front of his mother even though the ki he felt was quite weak. If Dumbledore was any kind of indication, that meant less than nothing in this world of magic. As if sensing the half-saiyan's agitation, the source of the ki stepped out of the shadows slowly, taking care not to spook the young warrior into acting.

He was an elderly man, though probably a little younger then Dumbledore. Everything about him was pale, from his white hair and pasty skin to his eyes, which reminded Gohan of a ghost. It didn't help that he made practically no sound when he moved, something that the fighter in Gohan really disliked. The only time something moved so silently was when it was preparing to attack.

"New customers, I see." Though he spoke quietly, his voice carried as though he was shouting, making Gohan fidget uncomfortably. "Welcome, welcome. Are you here for your first wand, then?"

"Yes, sir." Gohan answered, bowing politely.. "I am So- Gohan Son. I start my first term at Hogwarts in November, and would like to buy a wand."

"Ah, I see." The man said, ghosting forward to look at Gohan more carefully before turning his attention to the boy's mother, who had seated herself in a nearby chair and seemed determined to ignore him. "And you were brought here by Chi-chi Gyumao, were you? It's quite a surprise to see you again, my lady. It's been years since you purchased your wand from me. Cherry Blossom, 12 ½ inches, Phoenix Feather. Graceful, and excellent for defensive spells. Any chance it's still in your possession?"

"I threw that thing away years ago." Chi-chi said curtly as she used her foot to discreetly move her purse (which held her usual things, along with some wizarding money, a baby catalog and her favorite frying pan) out of view. "I haven't had any use for it."

"Ah. What a pity. It was a lovely wand." The old wizard sighed before turning his attention back to Gohan. "But enough reminiscing. Let's see about getting you matched up with a wand, shall we? Wand arm out, please." The half-saiyan jumped a little at the sudden switch from English to Chikyuubei.

"You speak-?!"

"Yes, yes, I'm familiar with a number of different languages, my dear boy." The wizard said, waving his wand dismissively in Gohan's direction, which produced a roll of measuring tape which more or less attacked the young hybrid. Hesitantly, Gohan held out his right arm for measurement, watching in amazement as the tape flitted about measuring his arm, individual fingers, shoulders and, far more strangely, earlobe and nostrils. "Ollivander is the leader in wands and wand-making, spanning back generations. We take great care to select only the best woods and wand cores, which come from all over the world, Chikyuu included."

"Get on with it, Ollivander." Chi-chi snapped shortly. "We gotta long trip back home, 'n we don't need ta listen ta ya brag about yer pedigree."

"No need to be so impatient, Chi-chi." Ollivander sniffed as he began to pull random boxes off of shelves. "You know these things take time." Waving his wand once more, Ollivander made the measuring tape fall into a heap at Gohan's feet as he deposited the boxes on a nearby table. "Let's give this one a try first, shall we? 9 inches, Phoenix Feather and Oak. Useful for quick spell-casting. Go ahead and give it a wave, then." Gohan accepted the wand, but it had barely been in his hand for more then a second before Ollivander snatched it back. "No? Very well. Fir. Unicorn Hair. 14 ½ inches. Very reliable." Gohan had barely raised the wand before Ollivander took it away. "Not that one either, then. Alright, let's try this…"

On and on it went like this. Gohan didn't know what Ollivander was waiting for, but after a hundred rejected wands he was starting to fear that they would never find it. It didn't help that Chi-chi was getting angrier and angrier with each rejected wand. In comparison, Ollivander looked as though he was having the time of his life. He even laughed outright when Gohan recoiled the first time Ollivander offered him a wand with a dragon heartstring core.

"Don't worry, my boy." He assured Gohan cheerfully when the boy demanded to know how he came by dragon heartstrings. "The dragons all died of natural causes. There aren't many spells that can wound such powerful creatures, let alone kill them. Besides, on the rare occasions that someone does manage to slay a dragon, their hearts are generally useless for wand cores. I only ever made one wand with a dragon heartstring core from a dragon that died at the hands of another. I wasn't made aware of it's cause of death until too late, and the wand I made turned out too violent and powerful to ever be handled by anyone. I assure you, the dragons who's heartstrings provide power to these wands all perished cruelty-free."

Gohan still couldn't bring himself to be completely happy about that (He kept picturing Icarus every time Ollivander handed him a dragon heartstring wand, which made him feel incredibly guilty) but reluctantly accepted it nonetheless. His hands weren't exactly bloodless, after all, so he wasn't really in a position to judge the wizards for such a thing even if he didn't agree with it.

Not that such a thing ever stopped Chi-chi.

"Is this some kinda joke ta ya, Ollivander?!" Chi-chi growled out irritably as yet another wand was rejected. Gohan's arm was actually starting to get tired from the repeated abuse, something that hadn't happened since he was a child training under Piccolo. "Ya know we have a long flight back to Chikyuu. Why are ya wastin' our time like this?!"

"Patience, Chi-chi." Ollivander dismissed happily. "There's a match here somewhere. We just have to find it."

"I'm gonna take a lit match to this store if you-!" The rest of Chi-chi's threat was drowned out by a sudden, violent explosion from one of the store rooms, which knocked the mother off her feet and would've sent Ollivander sprawling as well, had Gohan not caught him.

"What the devil?!" Ollivander said, reverting back to English in his surprise. As soon as he recovered from the shock, the old wizard whisked off to the store room the blast had originated from, a wary Gohan at his heels in case something went wrong.

The room was an absolute mess. Wands and boxes laid scattered everywhere, some still smoldering from the explosion. Portions of the wall had been charred black, which helped to determine that the blast had originated from a heavily locked chest situated near the back of the room. Though the fact that there was still a faint glow from the chest was very condemning as well in that regard.

"What happened?" Gohan asked, bending down to gather the fallen wands with a worried frown before someone could step on one and break it. "Did something go wrong?"

"Of course something went wrong!" Chi-chi shouted, sounding near hysterical. "That's the last straw! We're leaving right this instant! Let's go, Gohan!" Gohan was about to try and reason with his mother (difficult though the task may have been) when a sharp intake of breath from Ollivander drew his attention back to the old wandmaker.

"Mr. Ollivander?" the half-saiyan questioned in concern. The wizard's pale eyes turned to Gohan, studying him with such intensity that it unnerved the young warrior.

"Wait here a moment, please." Ollivander finally requested, his tone serious and urgent.

"Are ya mad?!" Chi-chi hissed. "That explosion-!"

"It won't happen again, Chi-chi. Just please wait here. I'll return in a moment." The wizard promised before darting out of the room. True to his word, he returned shortly after with a ring of keys clutched in one hand and a pair of leather gloves in the other.

Making his way to the glowing chest, Ollivander crouched down in front of it, undoing each of the locks one after another. Some of them must've been magic, since they required certain actions from the wizard's wand. For one of them, Ollivander even had to whistle a tune which sounded suspiciously like The Itsy Bitsy Spider. It took Ollivander a full five minutes to undo each lock, after which he pulled on the gloves and carefully eased the chest open. The glow subsided as Ollivander slowly reached his gloved hands inside the chest, drawing out it's contents as if it were a live bomb that could explode at any moment. The old wizard even appeared to be holding his breath as he turned back around to face Gohan and Chi-chi, never taking his eyes off of the wand in his hands.

"Bamboo. 17 ½ inches. Dragon heartstring core. Very powerful." Ollivander said warily as he carefully held the wand out to Gohan.

"Oh no, yer NOT givin' that thing to my son!" Chi-chi said, clearly off-put by how cautiously the wandmaker handled the tool. "We're leavin' NOW. Let's go- Gohan?!"

The half-saiyan didn't hear his mother's fearful query, stepping forward as if in a trance. He could sense something from the wand in Ollivander's hand ever since the wizard opened the chest. Not just something powerful, but familiar as well. Oblivious to Chi-chi's alarmed protests, Gohan grasped the wand Ollivander was offering him.

The minute his fingers brushed against the wood, Gohan felt a sense of completion. Like he'd found a part of himself he never knew was missing. Power seemed to surge from the wand into Gohan's body, and he finally got a sense of what magic truly was. Raising the wand above his head, Gohan brought it down in a brilliant arch of light, which momentarily blinded everyone present. When the spots cleared from their eyes, everyone was stunned to find that the damage caused by the explosion had been fixed, and all the misplaced wands were properly stored once more.

"Well, it looks as though we've finally found our match." Ollivander said, breaking the stunned silence that had fallen over everyone. "Well done, Mr. Son. Well done indeed." Gohan barely heard the praise, too overwhelmed by the strange feeling that he knew the power he could still feel pulsing from the wand. That he'd felt something similar before.

"What is this wand?" Gohan asked, finally tearing his eyes away from the magic tool to look at Ollivander once more. The man considered him silently for a moment before answering.

"I told you before that I have received some components I use to make my wands from Chikyuu from time to time." Ollivander finally answered, seeming to choose his words carefully. "I also mentioned that there was but one Dragon who's heartstrings came to me after a violent death rather then passing through natural means." Gohan might not have understood much about magic yet, but he knew where this was going.

"This is the wand you were talking about earlier, isn't it? The one no one could handle because it was too violent."

"Indeed. Even it won't even allow me to hold it very long, despite the fact that I created it. To be perfectly honest, I've always been a little afraid of that one. Afraid, and yet amazed at the same time. I always wondered, if paired with the right wizard, what that wand could accomplish."

"What do you know about the dragon the heartstring came from?" Gohan demanded, more then a little uncomfortable with what Ollivander was implying. He knew where having incredible power had gotten him in the past, and he was honestly a little reluctant to go down that road again with magic.

"Just what the witch who sold it to me told me about it." Ollivander said, frowning to himself. "I didn't put much stock in her words at the time since it was all so unbelievable, but after the wand was made and started showing such incredible power, I started wondering if some of it was possibly true.

"Supposedly, the dragon who provided that heartstring was a unique and powerful magical creature who had been made a legend in Chikyuu. It slept, hidden away from the world, until brave a brave adventurer managed to complete some sort of task and called him forth. Then he would appear to grant that adventurer a single wish, anything that person's heart may desire. Apparently, one wicked man saw fit to kill the dragon after his wish was granted, after which- Mr. Son, are you alright?"

Gohan was not alright. Gohan was as far from alright as it was possible to be and, judging by the crash somewhere behind him that was probably his mother fainting dead away, Chi-chi was right there with him.

He knew this story. His father and the other warriors had told it to him hundreds of times, even though it had taken place long before his birth. King Piccolo murdering off skilled martial artist. The way he gathered the dragon balls and had granted his wish for youth. The way he then killed the dragon so that it's powers could not be used against him.

That's why it felt familiar. Gohan realized faintly as Ollivander rushed past him to check on Chi-chi. The dragon who's heartstrings went in to making this wand was Shenron. The Shenron killed by King Piccolo.

And suddenly, the power that was quite literally right at the tip of his fingers felt painfully overwhelming.

Both of the Sons were silent as they sat on the iron wrought bench, a short distance away from the hustle and bustle of Diagon Ally. Though the wand that had so greatly disturbed both Gohan and his mother had been packet in a box and tucked into one of the bags, the implications of it's presence was still weighting heavily on the two.

Gohan had actually been a little surprised when Chi-chi did not protest when he purchased the wand. But then, it was possible that she felt the same way that he did. That, as dangerous and frightening as that kind of power was to have around, it was far more frightening to think of it falling into the hands of another who could go on to abuse it. Ollivander might not have believed in the story of the dragon balls or the power which Shenron had, but that didn't mean that others would share his skepticism. It was far safer to keep the wand close then risk someone discovering the truth and trying to obtain that kind of power for themselves.

"It musta been Baba." Chi-chi said darkly, breaking the heavy silence at last. "She's the only witch I know who keeps in touch with the magic community outta Chikyuu. What was she thinkin' bringin' that kind of thing ta Ollivander!"

"Should we tell the others?" Gohan asked.

"No." Chi-chi said. "Not unless it becomes a problem. The less people who know this, the better. Just hope that ol' wandmaker can keep his trap shut…"

"How powerful do you think the wand really is?" Gohan asked, though he was a little afraid to know the answer.

"Magic follows rules just as science does, Gohan." Chi-chi sighed solemnly. "I grew up knowin' that ta be true. The Rule 'a Conjuration, The Rule Against Resurrection 'n The Rule Against Immortality… Shenron has granted wishes which have broken each 'n every one of these rules. He can create from nothing things which fit exact specifications, 'n which are as strong- or even stronger- then that which is made naturally. He brings the dead back to life 'n grants true immortality ta the ones who wish for it. I think it's safe ta say that yer wand is probably one of the most powerful on the planet."

That was exactly what Gohan was afraid of.

"But why would it choose me?" Gohan wondered, frowning to himself.

"Probably because yer more like Shenron then anything else in this world." Chi-chi theorized. "I mean, Shenron is a magical dragon created by an alien race, and yer half-alien 'n half-wizard. It's safe ta say that a normal wizard wouldn't be able ta handle the kinda power Shenron's got ta offer, but someone like you could pull it off."

"You really think so?" Gohan asked skeptically.

"'Course I do. Yer a tough kid, Gohan. Tougher then I ever was at yer age. 'N you can bet that Shenron knows that just as well as I do." Gohan gave a little chuckle at that. "Now whaddya say we stop moping around in the awful place 'n get back home so I can start dinner, huh?"

"Sounds good to me." Gohan answered, grinning as he got to his feet and started to follow his mother back to the entrance of Diagon Alley.

That was when the wall exploded.

People screamed in terror as rock and debris rained down on them. Chi-chi didn't even have time to properly react before Gohan had pulled her down to the ground, shielding her the best he could from the flying rubble. As soon as the dust clear, the half-saiyan rolled to his feet and into a fighting position, prepared for anything that he might face.

Except for the strange, lion-headed monster that now stood before him.

"What is that thing?!" Gohan demanded, gaping at what looked like a mash up of different animals. Chi-chi gave a little gasp as she got back to her feet and saw the creature responsible for the attack.

"It's a Chimaera!" She said, face going pale. "What's somethin' like that doin' around here?!"

"Chimaera?" Gohan repeated, urging his mother to give him more information.

"It's a magical creature. Head of a lion, body of a goat and tail of a dragon. They're very dangerous, Gohan!"

"More dangerous then me?" Gohan asked. Chi-chi had to concede the point to her son there. Gohan winced as the Chimaera roared loudly before smashing through another shop, frowning in worry at all the witches and wizards who were trapped nearby. "I have to stop it."

"Are you outta yer mind? Gohan, if ya go out there, people are gonna recognize you! Then what?! These people might be magic, Gohan, but fighting' like you do ain't any more normal here then it is with regular people back home!"

"What if I disguise myself?" Gohan asked hurriedly. If he didn't act fast, someone was going to get killed. The Chimaera was already heading towards a pair of girls his age who had been trapped after its initial attack.

"'N how do ya plan ta do that, huh?" Chi-chi demanded. Stepping out of sight of the street, Gohan transformed into a super saiyan with a burst of golden light. Chi-chi looked less then please with her son's quick thinking, but sighed in defeat before fishing out the cloak he'd gotten from Madam Malkin, throwing it over him to better hide his features. "Don't get yerself hurt, ya hear me?" she said dourly. Gohan merely smiled brightly in response before disappearing from sight.

He then reappeared with a fist planted firmly into the side of the Chimaera's face, sending the monster flying just before it could kill a pair of frightened twin girls trapped by the fallen debris. The attack sent the Chimaera flying nearly ten feet away before it skidded to a painful stop along the cobblestone road.

Better make this fast. Gohan thought uneasily as the Chimaera shook off the surprise attack and climbed back to it's feet. Mom's right, I don't want anyone to recognize me.

Zeroing in on Gohan, the Chimaera growled when it realized that the young half-saiyan was his assailant, springing forward to attack. It was a lot faster then most of the animals Gohan knew back home, including the saber-toothed tigers and the Dinosaurs, but it was nowhere near the speed it would take to land a decent hit on the young warrior.

When the Chimaera lunged at Gohan with the intent to kill, Gohan easily stopped the attack with one hand, stunning the monster and everyone else present. One weak ki blast later, the creature was lying unconscious underneath what had once been a lovely fountain.

With the battle done, Gohan turned back to the twins who had nearly been killed by the monster, frowning a little when they both stiffened upon realizing that his attention was now on them. Approaching slowly so as not to frighten them any more then they already were, Gohan took hold of part of the wreckage which had trapped the girls, pulling it free to give the girls an easy escape route. Satisfied that his job was done, Gohan utilized his speed to disappear once more.

A few seconds later, he emerged from a blind alley, back in his base form with his cloak bundled up in his arms.

"Time to go?" He asked his mom quietly as the witches and wizards around them began to recover from their shock.

"Ya read my mind." Chi-chi said, grabbing her son by the elbow and rushing them towards the exit, both Sons careful not to make eye contact with anybody.

Unfortunately, that didn't stop a certain brunette from noticing their departure.

The8thDragonball- I swear this chapter was cursed or something. I had to write it threetimes before I finally got it done. It's probably for the best, since the first draft was much different then this one. I actually originally planned to open up with Bulma and Vegeta's wedding celebration, but after I lost my flash drive with that chapter I realized that that scene was unnecessary and that it detracted from the plot. So instead, I implied the wedding and focused on elements that were more important to the story instead. The biggest change from draft #2 (which got lost when my IPad decided to eat it or something) was the way that the scene between Gohan and Hermione played out. Again, I like this version a little better since it helps show both of their positive traits and paves the way better to a future friendship between the two. With that said, though, I'm just about ready to burst into tears of joy now that this chapter's finally done.

The Shenron wand is something I had planned since before I started writing this chapter, because it's such a wickedly fun concept that I just couldn't ignore it. I mean, can YOU imagine what a wand like that is capable of? Poor Gohan's gonna have his hands full with that one, that's for sure. 'cue evil laugher' For the sake of this story, we're going with the assumption that when Kami recreated Shenron, he literally made a new body for him since his old one got blown into itty-bitty pieces. This is why it is possible for Gohan's wand to have the heartstring of a dragon which is still technically alive. And yeah, the itty bitty pieces of Shenron's body disappeared after King Piccolo killed him, but we don't know where they went now, do we? Since Baba is a dimension-jumper capable of coming and going into the after-life as she pleases, I'm gonna assume she could track down Shenron's heart if she wanted to.

And to end on a more personal note, I'm not sure if you guys are aware of the drama going on with my other stories, but I want to take a minute to say that I am NOT abandoning Lost and Found. A lot of people misinterpreted my author's comment in Teacher's Pet and thought the story was caput, but that's not the case at all. So please stop spamming me with messages about how I'm horrible and lazy and ought to be ashamed of myself, okay? Because I stand by what I said in Teacher's Pet. Aaaand now that all that's out of the way, I'm off to work on the next chapter of Hush Little Baby. Please leave a review if you enjoyed the update! (Or even if you didn't. I'm a big girl, I can handle it.)