Coyote Tricks: A Coyote at Hogwarts

Sorry I haven't posted this sooner. I think Foxfur has proofed this but I'm not sure so if I'm wrong I apologize for any grammatical errors.

Between Worlds

“Kit!”
Shippo rushed over to the fallen Coyote Hanyou as Goodbody turned him over. As they both leaned over him, Kit’s ears and tail faded away leaving looking entirely Human.
“His Youki is gone,” Shippo said touching Kit’s face. “And he is ice cold.”
“Youki?” Goodbody said worried.
“Magical energy,” an Elf said walking up and bending down to examine Kit.
“Who are you?” Shippo started to ask when Dumbledore walking up answered for him.
“Master Llewellen, will he be alright?”
“I don’t know I’m not sure why he is still alive. Help me get him into the castle.”

~~~

Kit wandered aimlessly through a rocky canyon. He felt something brush against him and looked down to see a Coyote walking beside him. He squatted down and let the Coyote smell his hand, then pat it on the head.
“Hey there fella, where do you think we are?”
Though he was adept at communicating with Canines in their natural language of body movements and growls he was completely taken aback when the Coyote answered him in English.
“Think of it as a waiting room,” he said. “A place between the mortal world and the next life.”
“You mean like Limbo?”
“So the Whites would call it.”

The Coyote shifted to stand on his hind legs and grew to match Kit’s height.
“Who are you?” Kit asked.
“Who do you think?”
“Father?”
“Yes!” The Coyote said spreading his arms wide. “I am the Great Coyo….”
He never finished as Kit with a growl threw himself at the anthropomorphic Canine, who disappeared just as Kit reached him leaving the Hanyou to crash into the dirt where he stood. Coyote reappeared squatting on a nearby rock.
“…Coyote.” He finished. “Now is that anyway to treat your dear old dad?”

Kit lay quietly in the dust as his mind caught up with emotions he didn’t even realize he had.
“Why?” He said at last. “Why didn’t you come back? Why did you leave me?”
“Oh so that’s it. I would have liked to have come back. Oh not as the same Avatar mind you, that would have been awkward. But as something that could be by your side.”
Coyote transformed into a Golden Retriever sitting on the rock.
“A faithful companion perhaps to protect you and…”
He changed again into an anthropomorphic cricket wearing a coat, top hat and carrying an umbrella.
“…act as your guide and conscious.”
He changed back into Coyote.

“So why didn’t you?” Kit said standing up and dusting himself off.
“Several reasons, first off having just lost an Avatar it takes a little time to invest the spirit energy to build another one. And it wouldn’t have helped you to have extra weirdness going on around you just then. Did you know that old fool of a Shaman that took over for Rain was trying to talk those ninnies you call Aunts into taking you out and leaving you in the desert to die? They had the most amazing string of bad luck after you were gone by the way. Anyway, that’s why I contacted Singer to come get you.”

“Ok but why didn’t you come at Spirit Peak? I think it would have been easier for a Great Spirit to come there with the nexus and all.”
“Well yes,” Coyote said looking off in another direction. “It’s entirely their fault really.”
“Whose fault?”
“Them, the People,” He said gesturing towards the sky. “Bear, Eagle and the others. Even Wolf turned against me. They never really approved of my interest in mortals, you see. They prevented me from returning to the Mortal Realm.”
He looked up and yelled at the sky, “A bunch of prudish busybodies, I tell you. I’ll fuck who I want to!”
“Oversexed idiot indeed,” he muttered to himself. “Those fools wouldn’t know true love if it bit them in the ass.”

Kit started to comment but some inner sense of cosmic irony warned him to change the subject.
“Why am I here?” He asked instead.
“You don’t remember?”
“I remember trying to stop the demons attacking Hogwarts.”
“And you succeeded to; it was quite impressive except that shouting part. Coyote Howl, how lame is that? It’s like something out of a bad anime.”
“I don’t know where it came from, I just said it.”
“Well, you drained your spirit energy entirely. If you were wholly magical creature like your Elf friends you would be dead now.”
“So I’m not dead?”
“Not quite, your Human half saved you from just drying up and blowing away on the wind, like most magical creatures do when their spirit energy is gone but it is just delaying the end.”

~~~

Dumbledore watched as Goodbody, Llewellen, Hagrid and the Kitsunes carried Kit and Dannon away to the infirmary.
“It was hard enough keeping one Elf secret from the students,” Snape said walking up next to Dumbledore. “An army of them though….”
He gestured to the fair of Elves in silver armor sweeping the field for stragglers. The nearest finished a conversation with an Elf who ran off to give directions to the others. The first turned and walked over to Dumbledore and Snape.

“Professor Dumbledore?” He asked.
“Yes.”
“I am Terendil, Lord of Elfhame Spirit Peak.”
“I would like to thank you for your timely rescue.”
“Thanks are not necessary; I should apologize for not coming sooner. I did not fully realize the nature of the threat the Unseelie posed to your school until I consulted with the High Court. We have much to discuss.”
“Then let us adjourn to my office.”
“Yes, and do not worry about keeping our presence secret, no more of my people will enter the castle. They are going to follow the enemy into the forest and secure the gate there.”

At Snape’s smoldering look, the Prince reached up and tapped his pointed ears and then turned to follow Dumbledore.

~~~

“So what was the story with the Skin Walker?” Kit said sitting on the rock next to Coyote.
“Pretty much what he told you. Your mother was not the first Human mate I’ve had. Centuries ago there was another Son of Coyote in the mortal world. His powers were much like yours. He passed it on to his children but they had to ‘taste’ the flesh of a being in order to change and thus the Skin Walkers were born.”
“But he said you rejected him.”
“Yes, the Skin Walkers could take what they need without killing but it became almost a matter of pride with them to destroy their victims and take their place. They refused my lessons on restraint and so I rejected them just as their own people did. A lesson you must remember to teach to your own children.”

“Feh, What children? You said I was dying remember?”
“Well yes,” Coyote said looking off into the distance. “But it seems your fate is not yet sealed but that lies in the hands of others. Anyway one way or the other you will be moving on soon. And speaking of moving on, I think I mentioned this is a place for souls that are between life and the world beyond. Mostly folks that have some left over troubles that keeps them from moving on. I’d like your help with one such case, she has been driving everyone nuts and we’d really like her to move on.”
“Oh, who and how can I help?”
“Beloved?” Another voice called.
Kit turned, “Yuriko?”

~~~

“He’s dying?” Shippo said distressed.
He sat by Kit’s side in the castle infirmary. Toshiro and Hagrid had left; the former to take his place in a meeting in Dumbledore’s office as Shippo refused to leave Kit’s side.
“His Human Half has kept him alive,” Llewellen said. “But his life force is an intricate combination of Human and Spirit energies. In the absence of one, the other is not enough to sustain him.”
“But there must be something you can do?”
“We must restore his spirit energy but his energies are of the mortal world. The magics I manipulate are of Underhill, they aren’t directly compatible.”
“Then give him my energy!”
“Its not that simple, your demonic energies are of the mortal world true but they are pure youkai power. I would have to blend your energies as they are drawn to match his life force, it could kill you both.”
“If it is the only way to save him…”
The Elf nodded.

~~~

“Kit? Yuriko?!”
Before Kit could move toward Yuriko, Shippo appeared.
“Shippo?” Kit and Yuriko said together.
“What is this place?”
“The way Pop puts it,” Kit said tilting his head at the figure of Coyote, who was sitting on all fours again. “Its kinda like Limbo, a place between life and death.”
“Pop?” Coyote said torn between being indignant at the rude tone or glad that Kit at least acknowledged him on some level.
“Oh,” Shippo said and turned to grip Yuriko’s hands in his own.
“Lady Yuriko, I am deeply sorry for what happened to you. I can never atone for my part in it.”

“Being mighty familiar isn’t he?” Coyote whispered to Kit.
Kit suddenly found himself overcome with anger. He stepped between Shippo and Yuriko pushing Shippo away.
“Get away from her!” He yelled.
“Kit, I only…”
The Kitsune never finished as Kit lashed out with a right cross on his chin. Shippo fell on his back and Kit was atop him flailing away.

~~~

“I would like to apologize for the trouble that visited your school,” Terendil said.
He was a captivating figure. Tall and slim like most of his race with flowing silver hair. His youthful appearance and cat like graceful movements was at odd with the impression of age and wisdom that lay behind the green cat-like eyes.
“When I heard from Kit that the Unseelie were possibly involved, I should have come sooner. I regret I was delayed by a summons to the High Court on the matter.”

“No apologies are necessary,” Dumbledore said. “We are glad that you were able to come and I’m sure news of reestablishing contact with such good Elves as yourself will more than overshadow any fear that will arise from the attack.”

“Now Albus,” Fudge spoke up. “We mustn’t down play the seriousness of this event. The parents will be hysterical. We might have to close the school, at the very least there will be a demand that you step down as Headmaster.”

“Things are a little more complicated than you think Minister,” Terendil said. “As I said I was delayed coming sooner because I was summoned to the High Court. The Unseelie Court lodged a protest concerning contact with your school. I’m sure the Unseelie Lord responsible for this attack was behind it, which makes it even more frustrating that his attack helped determine the outcome. The High King has determined that contact with the wizarding community is too dangerous at this time. He has directed me to break off formal contact with the school.”
“Oh, I see.” Dumbledore said disappointed.
“He also directed,” Terendil continued looking embarrassed, “that the memory of these events be erased from Human knowledge.”
“What?” Dumbledore and Fudge said together.
“When my Magus Major finishes tending to Bard Singer’s apprentice, I have directed him to repair the damage to the castle’s defenses. As he does so, he will weave a spell of forgetfulness into the shield spells that will cause all memory that High Elves were ever here to fade.”
He turned to Dumbledore.
“Professor Dumbledore, you have acted honorably and kept the vows made of you. On that basis, you at least will be allowed to retain your memories of these events.”
“My dear Prince Terendil…” Dumbledore started.
“Wait a just a moment Albus,” Fudge spoke up. “Maybe this is for the best after all. I mean it no different than what we do to preserve our secrets from Muggles.”

Dumbledore looked at the Minister for a moment. Fudge was always looking for easiest way and avoiding conflict but Dumbledore had to admit it would not serve his goal of reuniting the races by fighting the Elven High Court.
“Yes,” Dumbledore said turning to the Prince. “I suppose it is. I will agree but I hold open the hope that we can have further contact in the future, when the time is right.”
“It would be my honor dear Professor.”

“But how will we deal with this, the events are too large to simply erase.” Toshiro chimed in.
“I have learned enough of the events from Ms. Goodbody to address that.” Terendil said. “We can blame the attack and events surrounding it on the Skinwalker’s desire for revenge on Kit.”
“Yes,” Fudge said. “We can say he recruited a group of creatures from the Forest.”
Terendil nodded. “Any other inconsistencies can be attributed to non-malicious but misunderstood Kitsune trickery. No offense Master Toshiro but your people do have a reputation that we can use and Kit shares in that reputation as well.”

Toshiro’s thoughts on this were unspoken as Madam Pomfrey, the school nurse, entered the room.
“Master Toshiro,” she said. “You need to come to the infirmary.”
“Is it Kit?”
“And your father, Master Llewellen was attempting some sort of magic transfusion but something has gone terribly wrong. I think they are dying.”