Itoshii Sune-ku

Itoshii Sune-Ku.

Chapter 26:Shouga.

Ginny,
Would you ask your mum if it's okay if I come visit you for your birthday? Now, don't go screaming and jumping around quite yet! I'm still trying to work out all the details, and one of those details is your parents' permission. So, basically, if I don't get their permission I can't come. So be sweet!!

I was told there's going to be a new Potions Master coming to my classes in the next week or so. I can't wait till he gets here! I was told he is one of the best in the world.

But for some reason, Hanone doesn't seem to like me talking about this new guy. She still hasn't told me why, either.

I'm glad you've gotten to the point where you don't need help when reading, and I'm sending you a book to help you keep it that way. This book was one of the first books I ever read. So take good care of it, and read it well. It may not seem like much, but that book helped me figure out words that normal kids my age wouldn't even have heard of let alone be able to read.

The second book Hedwig's bringing you is a book on Japanese history. Mostly it's stuff I figured you would be extra excited over.

Kyoushi told me to tell you 'hello' and to tell your mother the envelope attached to the bottom of the box is for her.

The last letter you sent me was real interesting. I really enjoyed the book Fred and George sent me. Tell them I said 'thank you' and that 'I'll use it well...Somehow...'

How's your studying going? I heard from Kyoushi that your mum said you are becoming very knowledgeable with your charms. Ah....Would you mind tutoring me? I seem to have a real failing when it comes to learning charms. I'm pretty good at the practical aspect of my charms work, I'm just horrible at the theory aspect.

Well, I need to get going. Hope to hear from you very soon.

Love,
Harry!

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Harry,
AAAAAAHHHHHH!!!! YES, YES, YES!!!! My mum says YES!!! Come visit! Come visit soon!!

On a more boring note, sure I'll help with the theory. That's basically the only thing I'm good at. You know, since I don't have a wand or anything.

I love my new book!!! Thank you!! I've already read it twice now and I've looked through it at the pictures several times. Why don't the pictures move? Is it a really old book, that the potions and things have worn off?

Oh, I used that potion you sent me. I put it in Fred's ice cream. It didn't effect the ice cream in any way, and don't blame me, but I had no idea Fred would share his ice cream with George. They didn't seem to taste anything wrong with it, and there wasn't any outsi--outward effects. Nothing happened until we got home and Fred and George started talking in riddles.

How did you do that??? Yeah, yeah, I know you're always saying, 'most of the time potions are more powerful than the spells witches and wizards depend on so much,' but come on!! How is it possible? You're basically recreating the effects of a spell in a potion. How???

Anyway, I've got to get going. I didn't get your letter until late, and I wanted to send this out to you before I went to bed. I've told Hedwig to rest a while more before she started back home so she wouldn't tire herself out. She just hooted at me and pecked me. I still have a red mark from that! Ah, well. Write back soon. See ya!

Love,
Ginny.

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Ginny,
Brilliant!! My experiment is completed!! Okay, okay. So I'm not all that excited. But still!! Yes! I can't believe it worked. Personally, I figured, what with the ingredients I used, it would just turn their hair transparent, and cause whatever they ate to taste like kiwi for a few hours. That gives me a great piece to write about for next week's potions issue.

The pictures in the book I gave you don't move, because they aren't supposed to. It's what you call, a muggle book.

All right, well, I need to get going. At the moment, I'm sitting in the back room of the apothecary where my potion classes are held. And class is about to start.

By the way, ask Fred and George what their potions teacher looks like again. I think the new master that's come to teach the next few classes is their teacher. He looks so familiar! Uh oh. I gotta go, the guy's coming over here. I'll talk to you later! Bye!

Love,
Harry.

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"Excuse me." Kyo looked up after he placed the letter he had just finished into an envelope. The man standing in front of him looked eerily familiar, but Kyosuke couldn't figure out where he knew him from. The man was tall, very lean, with shoulder length coal black hair. He had a sharp face, high cheeks, and a slightly crooked nose as if it had been broken. But it was the eyes that really struck Kyo. They were dark, black is what most people would say, but Kyo thought they looked more like Karasu's.

"Hai." Kyo didn't think this guy was a very nice person. And if he was Fred and George's teacher, than he really wasn't a nice person. He stared up at the dark eyed man dressed all in black, and wondered not for the first time where he had seen him before.

"Aren't you a little young to be in a class this advanced?" Kyo's eyes widened only slightly, and he tried to look extra innocent.

"This class isn't honestly a real challenge for me. Not anymore. I continue to come here to find a competent teacher who is willing to take on a student my age." The man's eyes narrowed, and Kyo was again struck by the familiarity of this man.

"You're the new teacher, yes?" Kyo tilted his inquisitively.

"Hai."

"So, you're supposed to be really good. I'm looking forward to finding out how good." Kyo quirked an innocent smile at him, and his eyes widened nearly unnoticeably.

"What is your name?" Kyo looked down at the envelope underneath his hands, and looked up toward the ceiling. His owl friend Hedwig came gracefully floating down to land lightly on the edge of the table.

"Take this to Shouga." He said softly, attaching the letter to her outstretched leg. Usually she would carry it in her beak, but since this was such a long trip for her, he attached it to her leg. Hedwig nipped at his ear while he attached the letter, digging her beak into his hair, preening it. She hooted several times, sounding rather indignant, saying to Harry's ears, "I wish your hair would grow faster. You look worse than some of the drowned rats I've seen."

"Hey now, Hedwig. I resent that."

"Yes, yes. Goodbye." Hedwig took off.

Kyo looked back at the new teacher, smiling slightly.

"Kyosuke. Hanjimono." Kyo's smile widened into a smirk, very reminiscent of Karasu.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Severus Snape. Potions Master."

"You work at Hogwarts, then? The school?" Severus eyed him curiously.

"Yes, but how did you know?"

"Severus Snape. Head of Slytherin House, Potions Master, and professor. You teach first through seventh year potions. You haven't taken on an apprentice once since you were certified as Master, nor do you seem inclined to. It's a pity really. My studies have crossed over you many times. You're supposed to be one of the best. Especially in Japan."

"Why in Japan? May I?" He indicated the across from Kyo, and sat when the small boy inclined his head slightly.

"Japan, compared to many places in Europe, and even the United States, has a higher population of werewolves. You created the Wolfsbane Potion, correct?" The Potions Master's eyes widened slightly.

"Well, yes, but it still hasn't been perfected yet. I'm still trying to get the results just right."

"Yes, I know. You want the potion to be able to control the instinctive werewolf mind. Control the natural wolf instincts, and boost the instincts of the human mind instead. Correct?"

"Yes. How did you know?" He sounded shocked, and didn't look too happy with the knowledge.

"My sister's a werewolf. Not exactly normal, but...Well, she's a werewolf. She doesn't take your Wolfsbane at the moment. Doesn't need it really. But my sister Hanone has had me study the potion for a while now. She says that one day five years from now, I might just need to know how to brew the perfected version." Kyosuke smiled sweetly, looking at Severus with wide green eyes full of slightly faux innocence.

"Your sister's a werewolf, and she doesn't even take the imperfect Wolfsbane...?! Why not? That's highly dangerous." Kyo shrugged.

"She doesn't need it. It's never been an issue before."

"That's impossible. She would've had to have been born from two werewolves for that to happen. And that's been outlawed. Was she? Were you?" Kyosuke laughed quietly.

"No. My sister and I have no blood between us. Not much anyway. You could say I was adopted. But why so interested in my sister? It's much more interesting to talk of your potion. Maybe you could teach me how to brew it."

"As you said, I haven't taken on an apprentice since I was certified, nor do I seem inclined to. What makes you think I'm a very good teacher, hm?"

"You're not."

"Hmm...?"

"Shouga's brothers attend Hogwarts. According to them, you're a very competent Potions Master, yet you're an abysmal teacher of the subject. Now don't take that as an insult--"

"And if I do?"

"Then I'll just have to ask your indulgence and request you hear me out."

"Go on then. Why shouldn't I take that as an insult?"

"Personally, I think that you were already fairly knowledgeable in potions before you ever became a teacher--Before you ever became a student for that matter. You are, after all, the youngest Potions Master since the fifteenth century."

"And what relevance does that have to our current topic?"

"You are always judging people by their knowledge of potions, and your knowledge. If I was one of your first year students and you quizzed me on sixth year potions material, and passed with no mistaken answers, would you or would you not believe me to be a competent student?"

"Hm...I would."

"The reason why people believe you to be an incompetent teacher, is because you overestimate them, and give them the type of material that *you* knew at their age."

"You...ah...Seem to be more intelligent than the students I have to teach year round."

Kyo looked at the professor sitting across from him. He looked uncomfortable, like he had just been told his worst nightmare would be visiting him that night in his own room.

"Kyoukan!!" Both looked up from staring at the other to see the owner of the shop walking toward them. The middle aged man was nice. He always gave Kyo a Blood Pop every time he came. He was very thin, not unlike Kyosuke, but obviously much healthier. The greying black hair and bright brown eyes, the corners always creased from so much smiling.

"Ah, Kyoukan, I see you've met Kyosuke-ko. You know, he's looking for a teacher. When I told him we were getting a new teacher, he was real excited. Wanted to know how good you were. He was pretty disappointed when I told him you had no inclination to take on an apprentice." Kyo sighed, dropping his chin to his chest. He jerked forward in his chair when the shop owner patted him on the back a bit too enthusiastically.

"I don't know...I might like to teach him a thing or two." Kyo's head jerked up, staring in shock at the man across from him.

"IF he proves to be as...capable as he believes himself to be." Kyo didn't take offense. If the man was willing to at least consider teaching, at least for a little while, he was grateful.

"Don't bring him home with you, Kyo. He may be real famous here in Japan, but he isn't famous in our regard. Don't bring him home." Kyo's eyes widened as he remembered what Karasu had said after the first time he had talked about the new teacher coming.

Kyo looked at his hopefully soon-to-be new teacher, and sighed, wishing for the life of him he could figure out why he was so familiar. He knew, for certain, a lot of his nagging questions would be answered if he could just figure that out. In any case, Kyosuke would just have to wait it out.

And wait it out, he did.

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I hate my computer. Though I love that it'll work this much for me. I'm sorry. I've got several chapters done, I just need to be able to upload them. Some of you commented on a few things I want to clear up. Anon--There isn't supposed to be much of a plot to this story. I'm doing this just as a fun way to get these ideas out of my head, they've been driving me up the wall. RemPadfoot--I know. I did it on purpose. Suits my purposes, I guess. Fear Sin--First off. Not quite. They are most certainly NOT Horcruxes. Second. Close, extremely close. Artifcial Dawn--No. No Harry and Ginny. Might not Snape and Harry, either. Don't quite know yet. The voices and picture people in my head won't really shut up long enough for me to ask a question like that. They just give me idea, after idea, after idea. Very confusing.