Harry Potter and the Lance of Longinus

Harry Potter and the Lance of Longinus

Harry Potter was suddenly awakened one night by a painful burning sensation from the lightning shaped scar on his forehead. He sat up rubbing it. This was usually a sign trouble was nearby - trouble with the very wizard who had given him the scar - Voldemort.

Looking around his room there was no obvious sign of trouble. It was fairly plain looking room as his closest relatives, the Dursleys, didn't allow him much. His school books, robes and other magic supplies were hidden beneath a floorboard in his room. He did his summer homework in secret and his owl Hedwig had to be kept in her cage where she often squawked and flapped against the bars in her unrelenting search of freedom. But tonight, somehow she'd found a way out and flown out the open window.

Harry didn't worry, he knew she could find her way back. He only hoped she was back before his aunt or uncle woke him up. If they found her missing he'd be in a lot of trouble - they might even lock him in the cupboard again.

The flapping of wings caused him to look up as Hedwig flew into the room. The moonlight seemed to reflect off of her snowy feathers making her look beautiful and mysterious. She flew over his bed dropping a piece of folded parchment on the sheets and then landed on the perch in her cage, hooting quietly.

He picked up the note unfolding it. One hand immediately flew up to rub his burning scar. He read the inscription carefully.

Beware of the four children

Who come from the East

They bring with them an evil

In the one you suspect the least

Two girls one with a hot temper

And hair of burning flame

The other hair of ice

Her personality rather tame

Two boys one with brown hair

And a personality down to Earth

The other has hair of a wolf

And a mark on his forehead since birth

Harry read and reread the poem...noting that whoever wrote it had no poetry skills whatsoever. He couldn't think of anyone at Hogwarts who fit those descriptions. With the exception of Ginny Weasley who indeed had hair red as a flame, but she was quiet and shy, not temperamental. He had a scar on his forehead, but he'd received it at one year of age, not since birth.

Also, everyone he knew at Hogwarts were residents of Great Britain, none came from the east...maybe east Britain. And why did he scar burn when he touched the note and read it. Was Voldemort back? Would Hogwarts be in danger again? Was he the one to protect it?

* * *

"How was your summer?" A pleasant voice asked.

Harry turned to face none other than Hermione Granger, one of his closest friends from Hogwarts. No doubt, she had come to Diagon Alley to buy her school supplies as had Harry. "I spent the summer with the Dursleys. How do you think it was?"

Hermione nodded. "Of course. How is Dudley?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "Fatter than ever. Seems he forgot about the diet he was supposed to be on last summer. He must have gained twenty or thirty pounds."

"HARRY!!!" An excited cry came from down the street.

Harry turned around and ran to his friend Ron Weasley. They embraced then let go quickly. "How was your summer."

"Bill and Charlie were back up. Almost no sign of Percy, he's been working eighteen-hour days at the ministry. Fred and George are ready for their last year and Ginny is already buying supplies."

"I assume you've done all the required summer homework?" Hermione asked him.

"We shouldn't even have homework, it's summer!" Ron told her. "But I suppose you did it."

Hermione nodded. "Every bit of it and I also took swimming lessons and brushed up on my Japanese language."

"Japanese?" Harry asked aloud. "Isn't that difficult?"

"Not very. I guess you didn't hear that our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers is a professor from a very prestigious school in Japan." Hermione informed them.

"If he's teaching at Hogwarts, I think he speaks English," Ron said.

"Of course, but with him he's bringing four exchange students from the school."

The poem's words seemed to echo in Harry's head. Beware of the four children, who come from the east, they bring with them an evil in the one you suspect the least. "Hermione, isn't Japan in the Far East?"

"Yes it is, why?"

"I got this note. I don't know who it's from." He showed them the piece of parchment. "But Hedwig dropped it on my bed one night and when I touched it, my scar started to burn."

Hermione read the note. "This is strange. You should talk to Professor Dumbledore first chance you get when you arrive at Hogwarts...he might..." Her gaze drifted off staring at something across the street.

Harry and Ron looked over to see a tall slender boy walking down the street. His skin was a pale alabaster and his eyes were red like blood. The sunlight caught in his silvery untamed hair. The other has hair of a wolf. As he turned his head to look at something, Harry noticed a tattoo on his forehead in between the boy's eyes that looked like an oval with a line drawn down the middle and two filled in circles on either side. And a mark on his forehead since birth.

Ron stared wide-eyed. "Who is that?"

Harry looked over at Hermione whose eyes were still fixed on the boy. He felt a twinge of jealousy...maybe it was over protectiveness...right, right, that's what it is, he told himself. Hermione was almost like a sister; he couldn't possibly have feelings for her.

Ron waved a hand in front of Hermione's face. "Earth to Hermione."

Hermione blinked and shook her head. "As I was saying...what was I saying?"

"I don't know...you got distracted by Mr. Sexy over there," Ron said.

Harry laughed, glancing over watching the boy walk off. He walked with an odd grace about him and was dressed in robes that looked foreign. A wind blew through the air bringing the scent of pine with it.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Don't be ridiculous. I've just...never seen one up close before."

"What? A wizard?" Harry asked with a hint of sarcasm.

Hermione almost glared at him. "No...surely you noticed his skin and eyes. He's an albino. I've read about them, but have never seen the condition outside of animals."

"Oh yeah, like those guinea pigs with the red eyes!" Ron exclaimed. "Fred and George had one once but they lost it somewhere in the house."

Harry looked at him. "Did they ever find it?"

"No...but sometimes we hear scraping in the walls."

Hermione made a face. "Some people should never have pets."

Ginny bounced up to them. "Come on...Mum's waiting in the quill shop."

The foursome headed over to the shop.

* * *

King's Cross Station was packed as usual when Harry along with Hermione and the Weasleys headed towards platform 9 ¾ as they had the four previous years. He pushed his cart full of his trunks with Hedwig in her cage secure on top.

"I hope we make the train on time," Hermione said.

"We have plenty of time, never worry." Mrs. Weasley told her.

"ANATA BAKA!!!" A loud voice shouted fom nearby. "Chizu ga arimasen ka?! Baka! Baka! BAKA!!!"

They looked over seeing a girl with flaming red hair yelling at and slapping a brunette boy who was cowering.

"Gomen nasai! Gomen! Gomen!" The boy said apologetically.

"Asuka-chan, anata wa shukujo," a calm-looking blue haired girl said to the redhead. "Kishitsu o yokuseishimasu."

Asuka whirled around yelling at the girl. "Anata wa dare da?! Atashi no Okaasan?"

The crimson eyed, pale girl blinked and said nothing. Next to her, much to Harry's dismay stood "Mr. Sexy" from the day before. He looked over at Hermione who was straightening her clothes and running fingers through her own mess of tangled hair. He recalled how she'd straightened it at the Yule Ball the year before and how lovely she'd looked. He wondered if she'd go with him this year...but then Christmas was four months away.

What struck him more was that these people were exactly what the parchment predicted.

Mr. Sexy looked at his ticket. "Tadashii janai...purattohoumo kyuu yonbunnosan...doko desu ka?"

Hermione cleared her throat and walked over. "Sumimasen!"

Harry watched as she talked with the tall, silvery-haired boy in Japanese, pointing to platform 9 ¾. He nodded, smiled and thanked her, or so Harry thought, he couldn't understand the conversation.

Hermione came back smiling, blushing a bit.

"When's the wedding date?" Ron teased.

"Grow up, Weasley!" Hermione scolded, blushing redder. She glanced over. Mr. Sexy gave another smile before he ran onto the platform.

"So...does he speak English?" Harry asked, still feeling jealously rising up in him.

"I believe so...they're all exchange students from Japan. They'll be at Hogwarts this year. That boy..." She pointed to the brunette. "Is the son of our new professor."

Ron and Harry turned their attention to the boy who was again being yelled at by Asuka before she ran onto the platform. The passive teen allowed the albino girl onto the platform before he disappeared behind the wall.

The Hogwarts express was on time as usual. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny had no trouble locating a private compartment to sit in. George and Fred were riding in another compartment with some of their friends, no doubt thinking up hilarious antics for the coming year. The trip was long and they arrived at nightfall. Harry got into the boat with his friends never tiring of how mysterious Hogwarts looked draped in moonlight which found it's way through the thin, misty clouds.

He noticed the Japanese students in one of the boats. Asuka looked as though she'd seen bigger and better schools than Hogwarts, the brunette boy had a look of awe on his face, Mr. Sexy (Harry scowled at him) was looking straight ahead with a serene smile on his lips, and the small crimson-eyed girl sat in the back, her expression unreadable. He wondered if she was the silver-haired boy's twin...or at least his sister.

Glancing over he noticed Hermione's eyes glued to the other boy and jealously rose in him again. What does he have that I don't?! Harry thought. He might not even speak English!

Hermione let out a breath that almost sounded like a sigh. "He looks like some kind of prince or something."

Ron made a face. "I think he looks gay."

"And just what do you know Ronald?!" Hermione snapped.

"All I know is, you don't even know him...what if he's some kind of pervert?"

Hermione didn't hesitate to defend Mr. Sexy. "He's not...he looks like a perfectly decent young man!"

"All right, what's his name?"

"Uh..." Hermione's voice caught in her throat. "He...he told me, but I forgot."

"Right." Ron said, looking up at the castle.

Hermione tipped her head towards the bottom of the boat but Harry noticed her eyes shifted in the direction of the Japanese boy.

The great hall was a welcoming sight after a summer away. Harry looked up at the enchanted ceiling which looked like the clear night sky.

"Atashi wa motto ii tenjoo o mimasu," Asuka said in an almost boasting voice.

Hermione looked at the redhead and rolled her eyes.

The shorter boy looked up in amazement. "Mimasen...sugoi..."

Harry, Hermione and the Weasleys sat at the Gryffindor table with friends they'd met in previous years - Neville Longbottom and Seamus Finnigan.

"Where's Dean?" Ron asked.

"He's on the fifth year foreign exchange as well. In America," Neville told them. "Or did he say Russia..."

Seamus simply shook his head at Neville's forgetfulness. "We have our own exchange students, right?"

"Yes, from Japan, now isn't that exotic?" Hermione asked.

"You're only interested in Mr. Sexy." Ron teased.

The boys busted up laughing, as Hermione blushed bright red to her ears.

Professor Dumbledore stood at the head table where all the teachers sat. "I'm very pleased to welcome everyone to Hogwarts this year. Many of you I remember from previous years..." He looked over at Harry's table. "Some of you I'm meeting for the first time." He went on to remind them of the school rules before getting to fresh news. "Also I'd like to welcome our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher - Professor Gendo Ikari has joined us all the way from the Mahoo Tajina School in Japan."

The bearded man next to Professor Snape stood and bowed to the students. He looked cold hearted and serious as though he were Snape's Japanese cousin.

"Along with him four students from the school have joined us this year. I hope you will all do your best to make them feel welcome here," Dumbledore finished.

Professor McGonagall picked up the Sorting Hat. "When I call your names, come up to be sorted into your houses."

"I guess we finally get to find out Mr. Sexy's name," Ron said.

She finally sorted through the long list of first years. "And now for our foreign arrivals...if I pronounce your names wrong, please don't hesitate to correct me. Eh-sue-kah Langley So-rye-uu."

The redhead stepped forward. "Asuka Langley Soryu...Ahs-kah Langley Sore-ree-yu."

Professor McGonagall placed the hat on Asuka's head. The hat seemed to think for a moment before shouting: "RAVENCLAW!!"

The Ravenclaw table cheered as Asuka got up and headed down to take her seat there. The professor picked up the Sorting Hat again. "Shen-zi...Ick-airy?"

The brunette timidly walked up to her, almost shaking. "It's actually Shihn-ji Ee-Kah-ree...Shinji Ikari."

No sooner was the hat on his head than it spoke. "Your name means 'trust' does it...I know where you should go...HUFFLEPUFF!!"

Shinji smiled meekly, looking at the teachers as he walked to the table. Professor Ikari's unrelenting glare caused the smile to melt from his son's face.

"Ree-ii Ah-yam-neh-mih..." Professor McGonagall struggled through the next name.

"Ray Eye-Ah-Nah-Mee...Rei Ayanami..." the albino girl quietly said as she stepped up. The hat was put on her head and shouted out: "SLYTHERIN!!!"

Rei got up and calmly walked over to the Slytherin table. Harry kept his eyes on the boy Hermione fancied. Please not Gryffindor...he pleaded silently.

Professor McGonagall looked at her list. "Qua-ru...Nah-gih-se..."

He walked up to her. "Kah-oh-ru Nah-gee-sah...Kaworu Nagisa."

"Kaworu Nagisa..." Hermione almost sighed. "Fragrance of the seashore...that is a beautiful name."

The hat acted surprised as being placed on his head. "What have we here...you bear the mark...something truly extraordinary..."

Not Gryffindor...Harry's mind begged. Not Gryffindor...not...

"GRYFFINDOR!!!" The Sorting Hat shouted.

Harry felt jealously and rage brew in him again as the seemingly perfect boy walked over to the table.

Hermione raised her hand. "There's a seat here...next to me."

Kaworu gracefully walked over and sat next to Hermione, smiling. "Thank you."

"I'm Hermione Granger."

"I remember you from the train station. Kaworu Nagisa." He extended his hand.

She shook it gingerly, blushing lightly. Harry's eyes narrowed. Not only did he speak English, but he had a soothing voice and knew English customs.

"So, how was my Japanese when I spoke to you before?" Hermione asked.

Kaworu thought for a moment. "A little off but I could understand you and that's what's important. You made a few grammar mistakes."

"I'll have to work on that. How long have you studied English?"

"Oh...it's been quite a few years...since I was about eleven. It's required at our school because English is such a major language," he explained.

Professor Dumbledore stood, holding out his hands. "Let the feast begin!"

The tables suddenly became laden with food. It seemed to Harry that each beginning of the year feast was more grand than the one before. He and Ron and most of the boys piled their plates full of the delicious things in front of them. Harry looked up to see that Kaworu had selected only small portions of foods that contained no meat.

"Are you a vegetarian?" Hermione asked him.

Kaworu nodded. "I believe eating animals is wrong, but don't worry, it doesn't offend me if other people eat meat, so please go ahead."

"What sort of meal is typical in Japan?" Ron asked.

The handsome boy thought for a moment. "We eat a lot of rice...that's our staple food, like bread here. Lots from the sea - seaweed, fish, other sea creatures - but I don't eat any living animal. Meat is very expensive and usually only reserved for special occasions or when it's on sale. So many Japanese are on a mainly vegetarian diet."

Harry and Ron noticed Shinji and Asuka eating rapidly anything with meat in it. Rei ate slowly, but everything on her plate was nearly all meat as well. She paused between bites to either turn down or accept Draco Malfoy's advances. From the look on Draco's face, it seemed to be that she was turning him down.

Unfortunately for Harry, Hermione and Kaworu seemed to be hitting it off. "Are forks used much in Japan?" Hermione asked.

"Chopsticks are still preferred, but much of the younger generation is interested in western culture, so many younger people use them nowadays," Kaworu explained.

"Okay...how do you eat rice with chopsticks?" Seamus asked. "That's always baffled me."

"Our rice is short grain and much stickier than western rice, so we can pick it up in clumps. If we can't, we hold the bowl to our mouths and use the chopsticks to scoop it in."

"See, that's what I did once and Mum said I was being rude!" Seamus exclaimed.

Kaworu laughed a little. "Perhaps in England it is considered rude, but in Japan, it's perfectly normal."

Harry stabbed a piece of food. He didn't trust this boy. He certainly was the one the note spoke of...and even if he wasn't, Harry would find a way to get rid of him one way or another.