Coyote Tricks: A Coyote at Hogwarts

Welcome to Hogwarts

Harry brought down his things and set them to one side as clan Weasley arrived. He joined up with Ron and sat down for breakfast.
“Dad got some Ministry cars to take us to the station because of those folks from Japan.” Ron said as loaded up his plate. “What’s so special about them anyway? I hear they are going to teaching a special class.”
Harry grinned remembering Kit at the Dursley’s, “Oh they are special all right.”
“You know something,” Ron said looking at the glint in Harry’s eye. “Come on spill.”
“Sorry, I made a promise to respect their privacy. I suspect you’ll find out once we get to Hogwarts.”

They were prevented from more probing by Ron by Kit, Yuki and the Kitsunes, all in Human guise, coming down the stairs. Hanako was in non-stop giggle mode.
“What’s so funny?” Ron asked.
“Papa fell out of bed,” Hanako answered in a renewed round of giggles.

“Hurry up and finish breakfast kids, we don’t want to miss the train.” Mrs. Weasley said.
Kit’s ears perked up, though the humans couldn’t see it, “Train?”


~~~

Harry pushed his cart loaded with baggage and Hedwig's cage across the platform between tracks 9 and 10. They arrived at the brick wall dividing the track tha hid the entrance to track 9 3/4. The twins went first disappearing into the wall. Harry looked at Kit as he starred at the bricks where the two older teens had just vanished.

"It some sort of portal," the American said to the others.
"It leads to the platform 9 and 3/4. Just follow me, you'll see." Harry said and pushed his cart through the invisible opening arriving on the train platform hidden on the other side.
Kit followed him through and stood slowly spinning around.
"It’s amazing," Kit said to Toshiro who followed him through. "The portal leads to this platform that is magically hidden in the structure. It’s just like that Diagon Alley, so carefully incorporated into the structure of the station a simple permanent spell can hide it. This has to have been done as part of the original construction to fit in so seamlessly."
"Yes it is a masterpiece of magic and construction."
“Yep, the wizards that did this must have…. Wow! Look at that steam engine!”

Harry left Kit and others as the American literally started bouncing around and pointing excitedly at the Hogwart's Express engine. Harry joined Ron and the other students taking their carts to be loaded in the baggage car.

~~~

Later, Kit wandered the train, partly to explore (trains fascinated him), partly to look for Hanako who had run off, but mostly to get away from Shippo. This trip was the most time he had spent with the Kitsune Clan leader in months and his emotions toward his former lover were in turmoil.

~~~

Harry and Ron took their usual cabin together with their friend Hermione Granger. They were loading up with sweets from the trolley when Hanako came bounding into the room.
“Hello, what are you doing here?” Hermione asked.
“Shhh,” Hanako said finger to her lips. “I’m hiding”
“Hiding? From who?” Ron said.
“Fred and George,” Hanako said giggling.
“Oh I see; would you like a chocolate frog?”
“Oh yes!” Hanako said grabbing the package then paused and bowed to Ron.
“Thank you sir.”
“You’re welcome,” Ron laughed. “Be careful it jumps.”

The warning came too late as chocolate amphibian leapt out of Hanako’s hands sending her squealing after it as it leapt around the compartment. A moment later, Fred and George stuck their heads into the compartment.
“Hear have you seen…there you are!” Fred said seeing a chocolate covered Hanako sitting next to Hermione petting Hermione’s cat Crookshanks.
“Gor, she had us running all over the train she did,” George said plopping down next to Ron and helping himself to licorice whip.
“I’m very good at hiding,” Hanako giggled.
“That you are,” Fred said. “By the way, yesterday you had an accent and I swear you had a lot of trouble with English. Today you sound like a native, what’s with that?”
“Babel Fish,” Hanako said holding up a bracelet with a small fish shaped charm on it. “Its Papa’s, he let me use it since he speaks English. Uncle Toshiro is mad at him because he says I won’t learn as well so I have to take it off for at least two hours a day.”
“That would be a cool charm to have,” Fred said.
“Do you have another one?” George asked.
“No,” Hanako giggled.

“Oh well, does your dad have any other good charms?” George asked.
“Yea, like why does he wear that necklace of beads all the time?” Fred finished.
“That’s the leash,” Hanako said making a face as she got a mud pie bean from her box of Every Flavor Beans. “Papa can’t take it off. Mama put it on him and it works for me too.”
“What works?” Hermione asked.
“When I say ‘heel’ it makes Papa fall down.”
“Can you show us?” Fred said grinning.
“No, I promised not to do it.”

With a look of disappointment, Fred started in on a pumpkin juice.
“I’m really looking forward to Dark Arts this year.” He said.
“You? Looking forward to Dark Arts? That’s a laugh.” Hermione Granger said as she scanned through her copy of ‘Wendigo and other Shapeshifting Terrors of the New World’.
“You haven’t seen the new teacher,” George grinned. “Fred’s in love.”
“You mean Miss. Goodbody?” Hermione said closing the book to look at the cover picture. “She is from the witch community at Salem. They practice a different type of magic there. For one thing, they don’t use wands but rely more on rhyming chants to cast spells. I’ve read that the effect can be quite powerful but much easier for something to go wrong if the chant is misspoken.”
“Feh, she can chant for me anytime,” Fred said as he glanced out the compartment door into the hall. “Say Hanako, what was that word you said worked your father’s necklace?”
“Heel,” Hanako answered.
Just at that moment Kit looking for Hanako walked past the doorway and was slammed face first onto the floor. Fred and George joined him on the floor rolling in laughter.
“Hanako!” Kit murmured into the carpet.

~~~

The train arrived at Hogsmeade station after sunset. By her father's permission, after determining she was tricked into 'heeling' him on the train, Hanako followed Hermione, Harry and Ron to their carriage for the ride up to the castle. Kit, Toshiro, Shippo and Yuki were met by Professor McGongal and lead to another carriage.

Harry suspected that Kit was sensitive to magical energies so he wasn't surprised when Kit and his friends pulled up short and started gesturing and talking about the coach, apparently noticing something about the magic that pulled the coaches without horses or motors.

Professor McGongal came up and said something to the group to which the males nodded knowingly but Yuki continued looking on in confusion. Then they boarded the coach.

~~~

They arrived at the castle and Hanako followed Hermione and the others into the grand hall. She ohhed and awed at the enchanted ceiling that magically recreated the sky outside. When the 1st year students were sorted, she asked Hermione if she could play with the 'funny talking hat'.
"Maybe later," she was told.

At last Professor Dumbledore rose to speak.

"To our new students I extend a hearty welcome. After the feast, please follow your house prefects who will show you to your dormitories and explain the rules. To our returning students welcome back.”

“This is a special year at Hogwarts. The Wizarding World has always been an insular community, often settled in our own affairs content to leave the outside world to its own affairs. But this in my opinion is to our loss for there are other magical communities out there with ways and lives different from our own. It can only be to the benefit of us all to reach out and make ourselves known to each other.”

To that end I have I have taken two steps to address this. First I would like to introduce our new Defense against the Dark Arts teacher, Endora Goodbody.”
Endora stood momentarily and nodded her head to the students.
“Miss. Goodbody comes to us from the Salem Witch community in America. The community there has evolved different approaches toward the formation and casting of spells. Miss. Goodbody’s wandless approach to spell casting should be very useful for the Dark Arts class.”

The second initiative I’ve taken is to invite representatives other magical communities to join us here this year. They will hold seminars in which students may learn about their culture and in return they may learn about us.
It is with great pleasure I introduce our guests. From Japan, Shippo Kitsune, Head of the Sunset Kitsune Clan and his son Toshiro."

At his gesture, Shippo and Toshiro joined Dumbledore at the podium. They bowed slightly to the crowd in greeting.
"And from America, Kit Coyote."
Kit joined the others. Under their illusions they looked to all in the room like a human Amerind and two Japanese. They all bowed to the student tables.
“Hello, I am Toshiro, this is my father Shippo and my friend Kit. We hope that our time here will let us all learn much about each others peoples. Most of you I suspect have never met anyone quite like us.”
Kit's sensitive ears picked up a conversation and focused on a blond haired boy sitting at one of the tables. He concentrated on the boy. Suddenly a voice echoed loudly across the hall.

“I’m sure the primitive magics in Japan and America is interesting but I’ve met many American wizards and they are not that different from us.”
“Malfoy!” Dumbledore said.
Kit smiled and said, “Things are not always what they seem, young man.”

Another hand was raised and acknowledged.
“I’m Hermione Granger,” the young lady said. “Mr. Kitsune, are you a Kitsune or is it just your name?”
Toshiro looked at Kit who matched his smile. “The jig is up,” he said.
Shippo, Kit and Toshiro made the silent command to their charms and their ears and tails appeared from the disguising illusion.
On the other side of the teacher’s table, Hagrid’s face lit up as if Christmas had come early.

~~~

The house was dark, abandoned but clearly not empty. Two cloaked and hooded figures entered the drawing room on the upper floor and moved to stand in front of the figure sitting in large chair in the center of the room. The shorter of the two stepped forward and removed his hood to reveal a shoulder length blond hair and pointed ears. By mortal standards, he was stunningly handsome and yet behind the green catlike eyes was something cold and dark.
“We are Valdune-Khepri. You are the one called Voldemort?”
"Lord Volemort," the figure in the chair hissed.

At first glance, the figure looked like twisted deformed child but that impression was quickly dispelled when one looked at the face. Behind the scalely snake like face and eyes one could see a very mature and hate filled mind.

"Its been over a hundred yearss since there hass been even a rumor of High Elvess. Most people think they are extinct and now I have one in my living room. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"A trivial matter," Valdune said. "You are familiar with the castle now called Hogwarts?"
"Intimately. The foundersss of the current school wresssted it from a great lord of your people, I believe."
"They defeated a lowly lieutenant, if we had not been otherwise detained; we assure you the outcome against such mere mortal wizards would have been different."

Voldermort looked at the Elf Lord carefully.
"And how can thisss mere mortal wizard be of ussse to you?"
"The wards and spells around the castle, many of which we formed ourselves, have been twisted and tuned to the current masters of the castle. Our companion and we could pass them easily but not without alerting those inside."
"And sssurely that is no concern; after all they are just mere mortal wizards."
"Of course," Valdune continued purposely ignoring the sarcasm in Voldemort's voice. "But slaying so many mortals, especially mortal children would attract attention from the High and Bright Courts we would rather not have at this moment. Thus we need to find a more subtle way onto the grounds."
"I sssee and if I help you, what do I gain? I have my own plansss for Hogwarts you sssee."
“We know of a rebirth potion that will restore your body. This we will give to you in return for your assistance."

"Yess, and how do I know that you will keep your end of the bargain? Why would you want to restore the most powerful wizard in the modern world?"
Valdune laughed.
"You have no choice. We sense the magic that sustains you; you can only live a short while longer using Unicorn blood." Valdune said scornfully but then continued with indifference. "It makes little difference to us, as we said the matter is minor and we will force the wards if we must but there is no real need for us to deceive you. Once we have what we want, we can care less about the castle or your petty desires. You will have your potion."

Voldemort considered a moment, he didn't care for the 'take or leave it' but this was a High Elf. If the legends were even half true, he would be hard pressed to defeat him at his full strength, and there was his companion.... Voldemort looked at the tall figure completely hidden in his dark robe. There was a feeling of pure cold terror that radiated from it. It was something like the Dementors, which is what Voldemort that it was at first, but much older and stronger. No, he decided best to not challenge these two, at least not yet. Besides the risk of accepting the Elf's offer was not that great. At worst he will have lost a minion.
"Very well. My faithful servant, Wormtail knows of a tunnel that leads to the castle grounds. You can give the potion to him after he has shown it to you."

~~~

Valdune and his companion walked away from the house after making arrangements to meet with Wormtail.
"You promised the child wizards would be mine." The hooded figure said in a bone chilling whisper.
“And they will be. Oh we will keep our promise to the mortal long enough to open the old gates and obtain the rod but once we have it, we need no longer fear the wrath of the High Court and we will reclaim all that was once ours, including Castle Hogwarts You will soon have all the mortal morsels you can handle.”