Coyote Tricks: A Coyote at Hogwarts

Time of the Month

Shippo looked up as Kit entered the Cauldron and joined him in the corner.
“That took awhile, what did he say?”
“He wanted me to go over every detail.” Kit said.
“On an international cell phone call?!”
“Kat and I never could get him to understand modern electronics but I doubt anyone listening would have understood anyway, most of the conversation was in Elvish. Anyway, the development has put a new light on everything; the council is meeting again to discuss it. He may not come at all now.”
“Are they frightened of this ‘Unseleighe Court’ so much?” Shippo asked surprised.
“Not frightened, just that there is a complicated and delicate political situation between the two courts. They hate each other’s guts and fight individually all the time but open warfare between the Courts is forbidden by the High Court. If the Unseleighe are here, the Prince is going to be all the more cautious about sending Llewellen.”
“I don’t understand,” Shippo said. “If they hate each other so much why do they avoid war?”
“You have to remember the Sidhe are the Lords of all Fairie. If they go to war all of Underhill goes to war with them and the Sidhe are physically part of the magical fabric of the entire spirit realm. When they go to war the repercussions spill over onto all the worlds; spirit, human and demon.”
“Really bad, eh?”
“Let’s put it this way,” Kit said with a wary grin. “Do you really think the dinosaurs were destroyed by a rock?”

Shippo was considering this when they were interrupted by a shout across the room.
“I said not tonight! Now leave me alone!” Toshiro yelled at Yuki before storming upstairs. The entire room fell silent even though most didn’t understand what had been yelled in Japanese. Then Yuki turned and fled from the prying eyes to the back patio.
“Trouble in paradise?” Kit said.
“A little,” Shippo said. “You didn’t notice the change in Toshiro’s scent this evening?”
“That time of the month?”
“Yes.”
“And he hasn’t told Yuki, I usually like to have loved ones around me at that time.”
“You grew up in a different world, Kit. I sometimes think Spirit Singer and the Sidhe did protect you too much in Spirit Peak. Remember Toshiro is as old as your whole country. When he was born demons still roamed freely and hanyous are hated. Most full Demons would go out of their way to take advantage of a moment of weakness to kill them. A Hanyou’s best defense is keeping that time of weakness a close secret.”
“Humph, you and I both know Yuki wouldn’t hurt him and having my own ‘time of weakness’ I can tell you it helps to have someone with you.”

Kit stood up.
“Kit,” Shippo said in a warning tone. “It is Toshiro’s business, you shouldn’t interfere.”
“Another Japanese honor thing?”
“Yes.”
“Then I guess it’s a good thing you don’t hold me to the same standards then. I’m going to check on Yuki.”
Shippo watched the Coyote go knowing he should stop him but didn’t hoping he wasn’t making a mistake of his own.

~~~

Yuki sat on a stone bench near the wall crying when Kit stepped out in rapidly falling darkness. She immediately straightened up trying to hide her emotional display in the darkness.

“Don’t bother hiding it,” Kit said. “I can smell the tears.”
"I'm sorry," she said wiping a tear away.
"No need to apologize for what isn't your fault."
"Is it? It seems like every time I get to close to someone they push me away."
Kit sat down next to her as she continued.

"It really seemed to be going so well, Toshrio and me. I thought he really cared for me. But lately it seems like he just pushing me away and I don't understand why."

Kit frowned remembering some recent conversations with Toshiro.
'Dumb stupid Fox,' he thought. 'He doesn't want to burden her with a commitment to a Demon so he pushing her away. I think maybe she should be allowed to decide how she feels.'

"It’s a little complicated," he said at last. "Let me ask you a question and I need a serious answer. Do you love him? I mean love him enough to stick with him no matter what?"
She started to answer but he interrupted her.
"Think carefully, I can help you if that is what you want but you'll both be hurt if you're wrong."
She hesitated for only a moment.
"Yes," she said simply. "I do."

"Okay then," Kit said. "As best I can tell he feels the same about you but he doesn't want to ruin your life with the problems, and there are some big ones that you will have to deal with as life mate to a Hanyou. You are going to have to show him that you understand those problems and still want him."

"Ok," she said. "What do I need to know?"
"That’s the spirit; we can start with the easy one tonight and work from there. First off what I'm about to tell you is one of a Hanyou's most closely guarded secrets. You mustn't share it with anyone who doesn't have his best interests at heart. Okay?"

Yuki nodded.
"Alright," Kit took a deep breath. "All Hanyous like myself have a period that we lose all our Demonic powers and become Human. It is a very scary time, it leaves you feeling helpless. Some Demons hunt down Hanyous when they are like this and kill them. That is why they keep it a close secret. You understand?"
"Yes," Yuki said. "That’s awful. Are you saying that the reason he was so mad just now is that this time is upon him?"
"Yes, it is. From sunset to sunrise tonight he will be a mere mortal. I'm sure he is barricaded in his room now. I always found such times easier to bear with family and loved ones around to support me."
"I understand," she said. "Thank you Kit."

She kissed him on the cheek and ran into the building. Kit looked up at the stars and whistled tunelessly as he followed her in.

~~~

Kit found Shippo talking with Harry in the main room.
“You should not have interfered,” Shippo said in Japanese.
Kit mentally adjusted the babelfish bracelet he wore that enabled to understand and speak other languages so he could reply in the same language.
“It’s not just the time of the month.”
“What?”
“He had been telling me he was afraid he would be stealing her life if he took her as a life mate. I think even though he loves her, he is pushing her away rather than subject her to life with a Hanyou.”
Shippo shook his head. “I see. I’ve told him many times about his mother and my sadness as she grew older while I did not but I also told him of our happiness and how she would have it no other way. I guess he didn’t listen about the last. What do you intend to do?”

Kit grinned, “First Yuki must learn what being a mate to a Hanyou is all about and if she is still willing, she must convince him. I can teach her the first part, the last part is up to her.”
Shippo nodded. “You know you can be very wise now and then, for a young pup.”

Yuki came up and whispered into Kit's ear.
Kit nodded and got up.
"Excuse us, Shippo but the less you know the better."
A short while later Kit and Yuki stood in front of Toshiro’s room. Kit looked at the door for a moment.
He smiled when a saw a young woman coming down the hall.
“Yes,” she said coming up to them.
“Miss, we are worried about our friend, could you open the door for us?”
“Certainly,” the maid said pulling out her key.
Kit as the girl started to open the door but then stopped.
“I suddenly remembered I have something to do,” she said and started to leave.
“But we need the door open!” Yuki said.
“Our friend could be hurt,” Kit added putting on his best charming smile.
She hesitated for a moment then handed the key to Yuki.
“Here, you can give back to me later,” she said and walked quickly off.

Yuki approached the door then hesitated; a look of determination came over her face and closing her eyes in concentration pushed ahead. She felt the key make contact and opened her eyes to find the key touching Kit’s stomach. Somehow she had turned completely around!
Kit smiled, “Don’t sweat it there is a ward on the door that won’t let a human approach it. You’re wearing that charm you used to sneak into the bathhouse.”
Kit said it as a statement not a question and Yuki blushing intensely nodded.
“Fortunately, the Sutra he is using is a variation of the same ‘don’t notice me spell.’ I can ‘tune’ your charm to let you pass through.”

Kit stepped behind her and swept his arms around her palms facing the door. To his spirit senses the ward on the door appeared as a thin mist radiating outward from the center of the door where Kit was sure the sutra scroll generating it lay. A similar mist was draped over Yuki and the two were slightly different colors. Kit started humming a tune under his breath as he concentrated. The mist around Yuki slid out tendrils along his arms. They hesitated momentarily when they reached the mist on the doorway as if reluctant to make contact then they slowly mixed and the colors blended ever so subtly until they were the same.

“Alright,” he whispered to her. “You can pass through now. Remember, he is for all intents and purposes Human now and feeling very vulnerable, good luck.”

~~~

Yuki quietly shut the door behind her. Only one lamp lit the room. Toshiro sat with his back to her at the desk. As she stepped away from the door, he suddenly jumped up pulling forth his katana as he turned.
“Yuki!”
She almost couldn’t recognize him. The reddish hair and fox ears were gone, replaced with black hair covering the very human ears underneath. He lowered his blade as she walked up next to him.
“What are you doing here?”
“Forgive me, Kit-kun explained to me the change you go through and…and I wanted to be with you.”
“Kit-kun should mind his own business.” Toshiro said with a growl. “I’m at least 200 years his senior, he should respect my privacy.
“Please don’t send me away; I just want to be with you.”
The irritation faded from Toshiro’s face and he said at last, “You can stay.”

They sat quietly on the couch for moment. Yuki looked at the dark hair so normal compared to the reddish brown almost fur like hair he normally had. It seemed so strange to not see the fox ears over that face.
“What are you looking at?” He asked.
“It’s just so different. Can I touch your hair?”
He nodded and she tentatively felt the hair noting the different texture.
“Like what you see?”
Yuki frowned sensing the hidden trap in the message even if he didn’t realize he had laid it. A choice was being laid on her lap, which do you hate more the Hanyou or the Human?
“Silly I like you no matter how you look. Do you realize you are the longest relationship I’ve had in years? Did you think I was staying with you all this time just because of the fuzzy ears?”
Toshiro seemed taken aback by this answer.
“I’m sorry.”
She snuggled up against him and he found himself embracing her and enjoying the comfort of her presence.

Kit stood outside the door both to see if his meddling went ok and the need to guard a fellow Hanyou and adopted clansman in his hour of need. Shippo relieved him a short while later and he took Hanako to bed. The sounds that reached his ears before he drifted off curled up with Hanako suggested that his plan had indeed paid off.

~~~

The portrait of the Victorian Woman in Kit and Hanako’s room awoke to low growl. Kit Coyote’s paws and ears were twitching in some dream.
“Dirty beast,” she muttered going back to sleep. “Shouldn’t be allowed in civilized quarters.”

Kit was uncertain where he was at first; he recognized it at last as the clearing where he had first met…
“Life Mate.”
He turned towards the voice.
“Yuriko,” he said gathering the Kitsune in his arms. “Why? How?”
“Quiet beloved. Your disturbed spirit called out to me from the other side, what troubles you so?”
“I failed you.”
“No so beloved, there was nothing you could have done. You must move on for Hanako.”
“I guess but…”
“Something else troubles you.”
“There is someone I love, that I loved even before I met you but…”
“But what?”
“He betrayed me, he was the one who sent me to your time and he knew information that would have saved you but was forbidden to tell it to me.”
“And if you had known this secret would you have come?”

“I don’t know…” Kit stopped as the world around them turned dark.
“What is happening?” He asked.
“Something is interfering.”
Yuriko faded into the darkness.
“Yuriko!” Kit yelled running after her.

The darkness changed as he ran, he found himself in a dark alleyway. He recognized the closed and shuttered shops of Diagon Alley. The prey was just ahead, dark robes fluttering as it walked unaware of the impending doom stalking it. He leapt, a scream echoed in the alleyway as he tasted with joy the hot blood and flesh in his fangs.

There was a loud thump and a ‘yelp’ as Kit rolled off the bed to the hardwood floor. Hanako, transforming back to humanoid form, peered over the edge of the bed at him.
“Papa?”
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Author's Note: I decided after the bath house chapter to leave further details of Yuki and Toshiro's night 'off stage' as it were in this chapter. I might revisit it again in either a short story or reworking of this chapter later.