Coyote Tricks: A Coyote at Hogwarts

This chapter is rated PG-13 for violence and adult situations. Please read the disclaimers in the introduction section if you have not already done so.

First Meetings

Coventry, England (14 Nov 1940)

“Hear Professor, you going to be much later? The missus is waiting with supper.”
Professor Summersby looked up from where he was working on an inscription with a brush and small pick.
“Oh I’m going to be here awhile but I think the heavy lifting is done for tonight. I’m probably going to need a jack to shift the stone. Why don’t you go ahead and nick off. We can start in on this wall tomorrow.”
“All right then Professor. Don’t work too late. Hear, if you don’t mind my asking, this here mound is so close to town how come nobody found it before now?”
“I don’t know, I guess they just didn’t look. Good night John.”

Summersby watched as the workman left and made himself a fresh cup of tea from the camp stove. As a matter of fact he was a little puzzled himself at why the mound hadn’t been found earlier this close to Coventry particularly with the rather large and obviously ancient monolith that had marked the entrance. The monolith had just been taken for granted by the locals and was even considered part of the old Abbey even though it was rather far from the Abbey grounds. It had been shattered in one of the first German bombings and the entrance to this burial mound located under the hillside was discovered by Summersby and some others who came to survey the damage to the monolith. The entrance was so easily located that Summersby had almost wondered if there wasn’t some ancient magic on the monolith that made people ignore the mound.

He shook his head to clear of it of silly nonsense and went back to on the inscriptions in the wall in front of him. He was quite certain that this wall led to the burial chamber itself but it was quite solid. More than he and John could shift by themselves. He was clearly excited by the discovery; no telling what ancient Celt chieftain lay behind that wall. So far the inscriptions he had found were not helpful. Many were in a language he didn’t recognize and the ones he could decipher had references to the mound being sealed by Oberon, High King of the Fairies.
‘Now that would be a discovery’ he laughed. ‘Finding the King of the Elves, probably in there right now having tea with Merlin and Arthur.’

He was so intent on the inscriptions that he missed the sirens until the first dull thumps of the falling bombs began dropping dust from the ceiling. Summersby looked at the roof dubiously, not sure how well the mix of ancient pilings mixed with modern bracing would hold up to a direct hit but it was too late to move now. He was knocked to the ground by a near miss. Coughing from the dust he looked up in time to see a flash of light around the edges of the wall as it shattered revealing a dark entrance beyond. Heedless of the bombing, Summersby picked up a lantern and proceeded to look in the passage and was shocked to find a face looking back at him. The stranger was tall with blond hair, dressed in an almost Egyptian garment and had…pointed ears?

‘My God, he is an elf,’ Summersby thought.
The stranger's arm shot out grabbing Summersby by the throat and physically lifting him from the ground. The last image Summersby saw as he struggled for breath was the bright flash of light from the stranger’s eyes.
The Elf dropped the dead Human to the ground and walked out into the flame filled night. A few moments later the mound was destroyed by an enormous explosion, completely unnoticed as the Nazi bombers above flattened the remainder of the city.

~~~

Nermia District, Tokyo Japan, Present Day

The visitor had arrived quite unexpected one summer's day. To the passersby on the street he looked like an old Caucasian man dressed in an expensive English tweed suit, a rare but not unusual occurrence in this Tokyo suburb. Toshiro's Kitsune senses however saw straight through the illusions surrounding this stranger standing on door step of his Father Shippo's house. He saw a tall old man dressed in a grey robe and wearing a wide brim pointed hat.
'Who is he supposed to be, Gandalf the Grey?’ Toshiro thought.
"May I help you?" was what he said aloud.
"Good Afternoon," the old man said in passable Japanese with a distinct British accent "I am Albus Dumbledore. I'm looking for Master Shippo, Head of the Sunset Kitsune Clan."
Dumbledore, apparently unaffected by the illusions around the house or Toshiro himself, looked at Toshiro's red furred tail and fox ears atop his similarly colored hair.
“I can assume that I have arrived at the right place?” he said. ”Yes sir, please come in” Toshiro said.
Toshiro led Dumbledore into the common room and offered him a cup of tea.

Shippo came in a few moments later.
“I understand you are looking for me?” He asked.
“Indeed, allow me to introduce myself. I am Professor Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of the Hogwarts’ School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I don’t suppose you’ve heard of us?”
“I am afraid I haven’t,” Shippo said.
“Hogwarts is a school for young wizards and witches in England. We operate under the British Ministry of Magic.”
“I think I have heard of this Ministry of Magic before,” Toshiro said. “It has a connection with a club of Human magic users out of Tokyo that go to Europe each year for some game, Quidditch I think it’s called.”
“Ah yes, the Toyohashi Tengu, an excellent team.” Dumbledore took a sip of tea and continued.
“My business here is two fold. First, while the wizarding community stretches around the world, it is primarily represented in Europe. To the best of my knowledge, Japan, like the US, does not have a Ministry of Magic and there is very little cultural interchange and what little there is, is primary between Humans. I would like my students to have a chance to meet with some non-Human races outside of the ones that exist in Europe. A chance to broaden their horizons, so to speak. So I am putting together a special course for representatives of various magical races from around the world to come and teach our students a little about themselves.”
“I see,” Shippo said.

“A friend of mine in the Royal British Library, a Mr. Joe Carpenter, said to look you up. He said you head one of the largest Kitsune clans operating in the mortal world and my thoughts were that the Kitsune would be the ideal representative for Japan. He also said I should give you this to verify that he sent me.”
Dumbledore handed Shippo a card. Shippo turned it over to reveal ‘The Fool’ trump from the tarot.
“I think we could accommodate you, Professor Dumbledore.” Shippo said smiling. “How long would this course last?”
“Oh, one semester - approximately six months. We would then rotate the course with a group from another country.”
“I see, I couldn’t afford to be away from Japan that long right now, but I’m sure I can find a few representatives to send.”
“Thank you, preferably they should be able to work with teenage students.”
“Well, I would need to send someone with the rank to be a pack leader. I think my son Toshiro would do.” Shippo said.

“Good, I have already made travel arrangements.” Dumbledore said. “Now I come to the second matter. It was also the reason why Mr. Carpenter said to seek you out particularly. I understand that there is a Native American Shaman named Spirit Singer staying with you?”
Shippo and Toshiro looked nervously at each other.
“He was. I’m afraid Master Spirit Singer is dead,” Shippo said. “May I ask what your business is with him?”

~~~

Kit Coyote arrived at the house a couple of hours later. Toshiro meet him at the door.
"Is Hanako ready?" Kit asked.
"She is playing with Yoshi. She has a new trick she wants to show you." Toshiro said. "But Father would like to see you first."
Kit followed Toshiro to the common room. Sitting in the room were Shippo and Dumbledore.
The American and Englishman considered each other.
‘Who is he supposed to be, Gandalf the Grey?’ Kit thought looking at his outfit.
“Good afternoon, Mr. Coyote,” Dumbledore said.
Shippo introduced the elderly wizard, explained his request of the Sunset Clan and how he was also seeking the assistance of Spirit Singer.
“I see,” Kit said. “And how exactly can I be of assistance?”

“What do you know of elves?” Dumbledore said. “I’m not talking about the cute elves out of fairy tales but the powerful elven lords of the spirit realm.”
“I know a little about them,” Kit said guardedly.
“Well I know a great deal about them. They long ago disappeared from all recollection of the magical communities in Europe but my recent research suggests that they can still be found in places in the Americas and perhaps elsewhere. That search led me to Master Spirit Singer, who if my sources were right, could be an intermediary to these elven lords for me. But I guess that is all in vain now.”
Kit looked thoughtful for a moment.
“Perhaps not,” he said.

~~~

Kathleen finished making the connections on the computer in the conference room corner. The large projection screen at the other end of the room lit up. The image showed another conference room a world away. There Kit, Shippo and Dumbledore sat at the table under the Ninja Foods logo on the wall.

"Hello Kit!" She said cheerfully. "How is my favorite puppy?"
"Hi Kat, how are things at the Peak?"
"Oh fine, we've had a good season. We miss you, you know."
"I miss you too Kat." Kit said grinning.

At that moment, the door beside Kathleen opened and a handsome silver-haired man entered. He looked like he was in his late 20's but if one looked into his eyes one saw the depth of many years there.

"Master Llewellen," Kat said standing.
"Hello Kathleen."
"Master Llewellen, it is good to see you again." Kit said.
Llewellen looked up at the screen.
"Oh Kit, good to see you too lad."
He looked around at the cameras and screens a moment before sitting down.
"Its amazing what the humans can develop. So Kit, what was so urgent that you called me from my den?"

"Master, this is Professor Albus Dumbledore," Kit said indicating the old man next to him. He then proceeded to explain who Dumbledore was.
"Professor Dumbledore feels he has found something of great value from the High Elven Court."
Llewellen frowned at the mention of Elves but noted that Kit was using the common term instead of the more proper Sidhe. Certain his young friend had not betrayed any trusts, he listened as Kit continued.
"He is hoping to contact the Elves concerning the matter."

"Just what is it you think you have found, Professor Dumbledore?" Llewellen said after a moments thought.
"We found a sealed chamber under the castle at Hogwarts."
"And what makes you think this has anything do with 'Elves', as you call them?"

"He brought me this," Kit said touching a control on the desk. On the second wall screen, an image appeared of a silver coin.
Llewellen looked closely at the coin.
"The seal of Oberon," he said quietly then continued more loudly. "Just where is this Hogwarts?"

"I thought you might ask, so I located it on the map based on the Professor's description." Kit said pushing another control.
A series of maps appeared showing a location in Scotland.
“This is all very interesting,” Llewellen said. “Tell me Professor, if there are Elves still around to be found, it is highly unlikely that they would be willing to reveal themselves after all this time. What is it you hope to accomplish?”
“I’m sure as an expert on the history of the Fairie Lords; you know their power waned with the spread of iron through Europe. I’m afraid that near the end, the wizards and witches of that time aided in driving them away. I would very much like to set right that wrong. If they still exist and if this treasure is of value to them, then I hope that it would be a means to atone for those days and reestablish ties between Fairie and the Magical Community.”

"I see," Lewellen said. "Kit, might I have a word with you and Master Shippo in private?"
"Certainly,” Shippo said. “Yoshi, would you escort Professor Dumbledore to the waiting area?"

"Ok Master," Kit said after they left.
"Kit, the Seal of High King Oberon was not just left casually lying about. Your Professor may be on to something.”
“Then should I bring Dumbledore to see you?”
“No,” Llewellen said flatly. “What have you told him of us?”
“Only what I passed along in the e-mail to Kat to set up this meeting. That you are an expert on the mythology of Fairie. Not exactly a lie.” Kit said with a smile.
“Good, I want you to follow up on this but remember your vows are still binding, you may reveal nothing about the Elfhame without the Prince’s permission.”
“Of course, Master.” Kit knowing better than to argue on this point. The Elfhames had survived all this time due primarily to their secrecy. Elf magic may be far more powerful than any of its mortal counterparts but the humans far out numbered the elves and far too many human scholars knew the significance of Cold Iron.

“Be warned Kit, I know this castle that he calls Hogwarts. Long before the human wizards made it their home, it was the World Above citadel of one of the most powerful of the Unseleighe Lords. Great evil was practiced there and it would not surprise me to find it is still.”
“Master Llewellen,” Shippo said. “This Dumbledore seems nice enough and I trust Joker to have not referred him to me if he were a threat.”
“Do not be fooled! It was the growth of Cold Iron that drove my kin and mine from the Old World, but it was his type that helped, and that is not easily forgotten by the Bright Court. They sought to defeat and capture us, hoping to learn the secrets of Underhill and eternal life. In the end, after we had gone, they were rewarded by their own lords with fire and death. This is the reason they live in the shadows, and like any shadow creature, they are not to be trusted easily.”
“Yes, Master Llewellen.” Kit said.
“But on the other hand, if he is honest in his desire to build a friendship between us, the potential benefits to Bright Court cannot be dismissed. With their support we could reclaim Elfhame Avalon and the throne of the High King. On that basis alone, I’m sure the Prince would allow one of his Knights to go with you. Worse comes to worse, we will at least learn of the power and danger of these human wizards.”

“You should hear in a day or two, what he decides. I want to warn you one more time though, to be wary not just of these wizards, but of what you might find. There were many powerful items created by Oberon and most are dangerous in mortal hands.”

~~~

“I understand, Master Llewellen. I’ll be careful.” Kit’s voice sounded in the darkened room.
The monitors with the images of the two conference rooms went dark as the recording finished playing.
“So they reopened the Chamber of Secrets.” A shadowed figure said quietly. “I think it is time to reclaim my old home.”
"I told you an alliance would be of use to you," a second shadow said. "After all we have the same goal, a world free of Human domination."
"Tell me what you know of this half-breed son of Coyote." The first shadow said.

The second shadow turned to a figure in the corner.
“Tell us of Kit.”
The figure spoke long and in detail
"Your assistance is done, go now and forget all that you saw or heard."
"Yes Master," the figure said and left the room.

"An interesting love life this Kit has.” The first shadow said after a moment. “I will use this to deal with him and keep his companions out of my hair while I reclaim the Rod. Once I have that and come into my own, we shall see about freeing your mistress."
He stood and left the room.
Momoru leaned forward and steepled his hands in contemplation.
"Yes this should be very interesting indeed."