Healer

[Healer] - Chapter Two

Aiko and Mrs. Yamanaka had to make three trips to unload the all the packages from Diagon Alley out of the car. It was mid-afternoon by the time they'd unpacked everything, only to be repacked into Aiko's trunk.

Aiko laid out everything that had to go into her trunk on one side of her bed, and laid out other stuff that she'd take if she had space. If should couldn't fit it all in, she could always ask her mom to cast a spell to make the inside bigger. However, she'd never had a problem packing everything before, why should she start now? On the one side she had her uniforms, textbooks, wand, cauldron, toiletries and spare clothes: general life essentials. On the other side she had her Discman and a year supply of AA batteries, her sketchbook, some pencils and paint, and her music books. After rearranging things four times, everything managed to fit. Aiko also managed to find some spare room in case she thought of anything else to bring.

On top of her trunk, Aiko had her birdcage with her owl in it (which still needed a name) and her guitar case. If worse came too worse, she could always put stuff in there.

"Ai-chan!"

"Hai! What is it, Mum?" Ai-chan was Aiko's nickname since she was little, and she always answered in Japanese too it.

"You have a visitor!" Mrs. Yamanaka's singsong voice drifted off as she went back to the kitchen. She was always happy when she was cooking. She liked to do everything the muggle way. She drove a car, she used the phone, she cooked everything from scratch, and she even listened to the radio. Visiting her extended muggle family reminded her how much fun and satisfying it was to do everything for yourself. Aiko didn't always see eye-to-eye on the matter and was forced to do manual labor sometimes, but after a certain number of years it just became second nature.

Aiko skipped down the stairs, 'A visitor for me? Who the hell could it be?' She padded into the living room-entrance of the old house and was met by a familiar face. She knew the face, a young handsome face, but she couldn't quite put her finger on a name.

"Hey, Aiko. I thought I'd just stop by before you went of to school for the year. I only just heard you got back yesterday -" He lost his train of thought as she almost jumped on him in happiness.

"Jeremy! I haven't seen you -"

"Since you were yay high." He held his hand up about four feet off the ground.

"I wasn't that short! Even at twelve."

"Not from my point of view." Jeremy had been Aiko's best friend in England; they'd kept in touch over the years but less frequently as they grew older. He was a couple years older than she was; his parents were friends with Mrs. Yamanaka and lived across the street. He was a muggle, but knew about Aiko being a witch. His parents however just thought the Yamanaka's were 'regular people'. He hadn't believed her at first but then finally he caught on when she'd go off for years to Japan and her letters came by owl. On more formal occasions (like birthday's and Christmas) Aiko had sent cards by muggle post, to keep Jeremy's parents from thinking odd things.

They talked about the last two years over tea and cookies (freshly baked ones). Jeremy had been made his high school football team, and they'd made him captain. He'd been planning to apply to Oxford or Cambridge to become a doctor. He'd always been good with the books; Aiko had no doubt he could do it.

Mrs. Yamanaka came into the living room wearing a cow print apron and matching chef's hat. "Jeremy, are you going to stay for dinner? I think I made too much anyway."

"If it's no problem, I'd love to." He replied politely, however trying to stifled a laugh. Turning to Aiko he held her hands in a brotherly manner. "I'm going to miss you when I go to Uni. At least you're closer now."

"Now there's no excuse for not writing!" She punched him in the shoulder in a sisterly manner. There were more like brother and sister than anything else, even more than best friends.

"Dinner!" Mrs. Yamanaka called from the dining room, and they both raced for the best seats. It didn't really matter; Jeremy would give her the better one anyway. It was only gentlemanly.

*

At the train station, after unloading everything onto a cart Aiko had a strange feeling of déjà vu. This was so much like the airport: it was freaky. 'I'm doing too much muggle traveling,' she thought.

They'd almost been late for the train since Jeremy came by the house to see Aiko off. They'd spent a good half hour making promises for the future, in the end just pinky-swore the write as often as they could manage.

Casually leaning on the barrier between platforms nine and ten, a gleaming scarlet engine came into view. It was like nothing she'd ever seen before. Mrs. Yamanaka explained about the bags and such and shoved her on the train.

"Owl me when you get there!" Kissing her daughter on the cheek before the last whistle blew. Aiko watched her mother wave good-bye from the platform until the train was well away from Kings Cross Station. 'Total déjà vu,' she thought.

Aiko took to walking up and down the train, looking for an empty compartment. No such luck, most will filled with chattering Hogwarts students going on about "History of Magic" and "Snape"; whatever or whoever those were.

Aiko reached the back of the train before she found a compartment that sounded even a little quieter. Slowly opening the door, she peered in. At first they didn't notice her standing there, but slowly three pairs of eyes landed on her: a pair of brown ones, a pair of blue ones and green ones.

"So we finally meet." A smile broke across her face as she stepped into the compartment and offered her hand. "I'm Aiko." The other two, the girl and the redhead looked extremely puzzled.

"You know her?" The boy asked his friend.

"Sort of."

"What do you mean, 'sort of'?" It was now the girl's turn to ask questions.

The boy with green eyes and raven hair took Aiko's hand and shook it gently. "This is the new fifth year I was telling you about."

Aiko was a little taken aback by this, "You knew? But I didn't say anything!"

"I could tell by the shopping bags, and I'd never seen you before." He was grinning madly. She couldn't tell what there was to grin about, but she didn't mind it. He looked endearing that way. "Oh, I'm being rude." He gestured Aiko to sit down. She took a seat next to him, but set herself a little apart. "I'm Harry, and that's Ron," Ron waved weakly. "And that's Hermione." She shook hands but still looked pretty confused.

"Nice to meet you."

Conversation soon turned to Aiko: who she was and what brought her to England. Hermione was the most interested; she asked the most questions. Aiko didn't mind: she liked to talk about Japan. It was a nice place to be, but not somewhere you wanted to stay too long. Everyone needs a break.

"What's that for?" Ron pointed to the guitar case that was still on Aiko's shoulders.

"What?" She turned and laughed at her own stupidity. "Oh! It's my guitar. I forget I have it on sometimes." She took it off and opened it up. The case was soft and zipped off, and was dropped in a crumpled mass on the floor.

"Can you play it?" Harry asked politely.

"Yeah, I've taught myself since I was young. Any requests? Most of the stuff I know is muggle though, you might not know any of it." She played some Eric Clapton songs, and one by Lenny Kravitz and some of the new ones from Our Lady Peace. Harry and Hermione had a vague idea of who Aiko was talking about having lived in the muggle world, but Ron was left out in the dark. It was still nice to listen to, though he didn't know the songs.

The door suddenly opened and the lady with the trolley cart asked if there were any hungry passengers. Aiko got a box of Bertie Botts' Every Flavor Beans but ended up abandoning them half way through after getting a bacon grease one. Harry and Ron loaded up on everything; Hermione rolled her eyes.

Leaning across the car she whispered to Aiko, "I'm surprised they aren't blimps! The amount of junk those two eat..."

"Hey, what?" Ron tried to butt in and catch the conversation, but didn't have any luck. Being a bit put out, he started on a cauldron cake. The boys offered to share, and soon the pile of junk decreased.

Letting out a sigh, Aiko patted her stomach. "I don't think I'll need to eat for a week!"

"Don't say that! You'll miss the great feast when we get to Hogwarts!" She could see little lights in Harry's eyes as he imagined the delicious food coming at dinner.

"Feast? Wasn't this a feast?" They laughed and lapsed into a comfortable silence. Hermione buried herself in her book and Ron drifted off to sleep. Harry gazed out the window and Aiko strummed random chords on her acoustic. She picked up the case off the floor and took out her drumsticks, placing them beside her on the seat.

"Why did you stop?" Harry asked as she was putting her guitar away.

"I don't want to disturb anybody."

"I think it's what put them to sleep," Harry whispered. Aiko giggled silently to herself and picked up her sticks, absentmindedly tapping her knees.

"You play drums too?" Harry seemed to want to know all about her.

"Yeah, a little bit." Aiko blushed slightly at getting so much attention.

"You'll have to play that for us some time."

"But I don't have a kit." Aiko sounded a little sad as she said this.

Leaning towards her, keeping his voice low like it was a secret, Harry said, "I'm sure we could work something out."

"Don't go spending money on me! You don't even know me." She couldn't help smiling. 'He's flirting with you!' she thought.

"But I want to." His voice was so low, only she could hear it. She looked into his eyes, and saw him blush ever so slightly. He leaned back in his seat and returned to gazing out the window.

Aiko excused herself to go to the bathroom, bringing her clothes that she's stuffed into her guitar to change into. On her way back from the bathroom, Aiko saw a blonde boy walking down the aisle towards her. He was flanked by two larger boys, both not looking very intelligent. Aiko straightened her skirt, since the bathroom was too narrow to do so.

She stopped outside the door to her compartment, only to meet with the blonde.

"You're in here?" He asked. He eyed her up and down. He seemed to be undressing her with his eyes.

"Yes. Why?" She didn't feel like making enemies just yet, even though this guy deserved a punch in the teeth. His attitude and demeanor screamed "I'm a spoilt prat!"

"Just looking for someone."

"Maybe I could help you?" She rested her hand on his as he tried to turn the doorknob.

"Um... Well, have you seen Potter and Weasley? Granger should be with them too."

"Sorry, I don't know them. I don't think they're here but I think I saw three people in a compartment near the front."

He gave her one last look over before heading off. 'Ass, didn't even say thanks,' Aiko thought as she opened the door. Ron and Hermione were awake and all three were changed. Harry seemed to read her features.

"What's wrong?"

"What's wrong is that guys like that give the British a bad name. Everyone thinks we're assholes because of people like that."

"Like who? Who's an asshole?" Harry now wore the look of confusion.

"Some blonde guy, with two lackeys. He was looking for Potter, Weasley and Granger. I told him I didn't have a clue who they were and sent him off to the front of the train." All three of them burst into to silent laughter. "What? What'd I say?"

Harry managed to regain his composure enough to say, "That's us!"

"Oh." Aiko plunked herself down in her seat, and noticed the train starting to slow down. "I think we're nearly there."

"Yeah, we should be. It's dark. I can't believe he believed you!"

"So, who's who again? Wait, Potter? Hmm." She glanced at Harry and he just returned her look. "You're Harry Potter, Ron?"

"Weasley.

"And Hermione?"

"Granger."

Aiko pointed to each in turn. She put extra emphasis on 'Potter', as if to say 'I should have known'.

"Nice to meet you!" Ron relapsed into another fit of giggles.

"So who was that jerk anyway?"

"Oh, he didn't introduce himself? I thought he would have jumped at the chance for a little self-promotion. That was Draco Malfoy." Hermione offered the information matter-of-factly. "Slytherin."

"Then you would be...?"

"Gryffindors!" Ron jumped out of his seat and raised his fist into the air.

"Ron, sit down. I think you've had too much sugar for one day." Hermione tugged at his pants trying to get him back to ground zero. Finally he sat since his pants were about to come off.

"So, then I have to do this Sorting too? Ugh, that would be so embarrassing." Aiko crossed her arms over her chest.

"It's not so bad." Harry tried to make it sound like getting up in front of the whole school with the little kids wasn't so lame. He wasn't very successful. "It's over in five minutes anyway."

"I hope so."

The train slowly stopped at Hogsmeade Station and they stepped out into a clear night. The air smelled cleaner than in London, and the sky was littered with millions of stars. Harry and Ron had to lead Aiko by the elbows so she wouldn't knock into anyone while gazing skywards.

"You're going to catch flies that way." Hermione knocked Aiko's chin lightly with her knuckles and Aiko closed her mouth but didn't stop looking at the sky.

Ron whispered over her head to Harry, "You'd think she'd never seen stars."

"I guess not like these, they are pretty amazing."

*

Upon arriving at the castle, Aiko had regained her senses and felt slightly embarrassed by her reaction to the stars. Professor McGonagall lead Aiko to the dinning hall before the rest of the school. The headmaster and various other teachers were sitting at the head table at the end of the hall.

"Aiko Yamanaka, how nice to finally meet you." This must be the headmaster, Professor Dumbledore.

"Hello, Professor."

"I suppose you know all about the procedure from your mother? She attended Hogwarts if I remember correctly."

"Yes, she's told me all about it sir." Aiko couldn't help but feel intimidated. Dumbledore commanded so much respect even from an empty room.

"We're going to do things differently in your case. We'll sort you first, before everyone else arrives. It will be faster that way, I'm sure you're starving after the long ride." Aiko only just noticed that she was hungry again. 'I guess Harry was right,' she thought.

Aiko was led to a little three-legged stool in an adjacent room. Professor McGonagall motioned for her to sit down, and then placed a battered old had on her head. 'Ew. Has this thing ever been washed?' she thought.

"Excuse me! You're a rude one you are." The voice rang in her ears.

'I didn't say anything!'

"You didn't have to. I can see all that's in your head. Now where to put you?"

Aiko didn't have the foggiest clue where she would go, or even where she'd like to go. She hated schoolwork so Ravenclaw wouldn't do, and she had a tendency of letting secrets slip so Hufflepuff was out too. She wasn't very ambitious so Slytherin wasn't an option, and she definitely didn't want to be around Draco Malfoy more than necessary. She wasn't very brave either, but when in a pinch she could command an army.

"I guess it's the best for you then, everywhere else is absolutely wrong."

'Come again?'

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Professor McGonagall snatched the hat off her head and told her to wait in the little room. The Sorting continued out in the Great Hall, not without a little song from the hat first. There were about sixty odd first years sorted and Dumbledore said a few words.

"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! As always, I have some announcements: the Forest is forbidden to all students! Disobedience will not be tolerated." He sounded extremely serious but he was smiling. He went on for a few more minutes about class adjustments and minor details before calling Aiko out of her hiding place. "This is another new student, she's just transferred from Mahou Academy in Tokyo. I hope you'll all welcome Aiko, who's already been sorted. Welcome her to Gryffindor!"

The Hall erupted into cheers, 'Maybe it wouldn't have been so bad being sorted in front of them all. They are nice enough.' Aiko took a seat next to Harry on the end of the table and he introduced her to a few of her fellow fifth years: Dean, Seamus, Lavender and Parvati were nearest.

Dumbledore called for silence for his final words: "Tuck in." The tables filled with any type of food you could imagine. There was even sushi! Not that anyone had any, apart from Aiko, but it wasn't the same eating it with out chopsticks. Everyone ate till they were bursting, Aiko could have rolled up to the common room if it wasn't so high and there weren't so many stairs. She lost her balance a couple times from having eaten so much, crashing into some Hufflepuff girls on the stairs. Ron caught her the second time, only because he was behind her talking to Hermione.

They all laughed themselves to bed. Aiko was so stuffed; she didn't even have time to be amazed that her trunk was already brought up. She had followed Hermione into the dorm and asked which bed was hers before stripping to her linen shirt and underwear and climbed right into bed. She was asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow, full of food and hopes for her future at Hogwarts.