#lolololoolol

She jolts awake with a strangled cry.

Her eyes dart about in confusion. The sky is high above her, and what is this warm and furry thing beneath her? It seems to be moving, no, carrying her on its back? Where is she? What’s going on?

Her head throbs horribly, forcing her to curl up. This movement causes her to fall off onto the ground, though she barely feels the pain. It’s nothing compared to that agony in her chest.

She tearfully peers through her bangs, noting a massive canine is hovering above her with its jaws slightly agape. She recoils from terror and waves her arm feebly to see if the wolf would back off.

To her shock, dark and wispy tendrils of magic whirl around her arm and shot out towards the wolf, which hops away with a startled growl. She could feel herself hyperventilating now as uncontrollable magic continues to ooze from her body.

Snarling, the wolf paws at the ground and bares its fangs at the tendrils. It is then that she notices someone else behind the creature, a girl who looks vaguely familiar but her cloudy mind hurts too much for her to think properly.

The petite brunette is shouting something and would have run towards her if the wolf hasn’t blocked her way. Yoshiko, is it? Is that my name? Am I Yoshiko? The girl desperately repeats the name again and tries to move around the wolf to get to her.

“No! Don’t come near me!” The dark strands of magic lash out, but the wolf jumps in front of the brunette just as the tendrils solidify and slice into its flesh. With a pained yip, the canine morphs into an older girl with long ponytail, holding a bleeding arm.

The blood and the transformation surprise her so much that the swirling black haze around her dissipate a little.

“Petrificus totalus!”

 A spell shots through the haze and strikes her fully. Her limbs lock in place and she falls backwards rigidly. In spite of being rendered immobile, the shrouds of inky magic continue to seep out of her body. The more she panics, the wilder these sentient tendrils become.

“Yoshiko-san!” She recognizes that voice too, but her inability to place a name and face to it freaks her out more.

Just what’s going on? Why can’t she control her body?

“Yoshiko-chan, please snap out of it!”

Prone on the ground, she can only stare blankly at the sky, though her limited view is misting over with all that intangible magic shroud.

Someone… help me…

“Yoshiko-chan!”

A girl with a soft smile flashes in her mind and it matches with this voice. The brunette from earlier.

Zuramaru…?

“I am sorry, Hanamaru-san, but I need to Stun her now. Stupefy!”

There’s a streak of red light and she knows no more.

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“So where are you from, Yoshiko-chan?”

“It’s Yohane!”

“Yo-ha-ne? What is that zura? Can you eat it?”

“... is that all you think about, eating?”

“Yes! I love the tea and cakes Grandma makes, and the sweet yam Grandpa likes to grill in the yard zura~ Oh, here!”

“What’s this, some sort of bread?”

“Yup! Noppo-pan! I love sharing it with you Yoshiko-chan!”

“It’s Yohane! Grrr, call me by my real name, silly mortal.” Nom nom nom. “But hnff, I’ll forgive you since this offering is yummy. Why do you want to know where I’m from?”

“You’re always here whenever Grandpa and Grandma drop me off. I live over there, in the temple zura! How about you?”

“Ku ku ku, I came from the heavens, y’know!”

“A-Are you an angel then?”

“Nope, I can’t fly anymore cuz I fell… so I’m a fallen angel!”

“Oh… so what’re you gonna do then?”

“Isn’t that obvious? I’ll return to the sky!”

She climbed onto the very top of the monkey bars and pointed upwards. The small brunette gazed at her in awe, clapping with her tiny hands and ochre eyes sparkling. However, a moment later, tears well up and trickle down her pudgy cheeks.

“W-Why are you crying?!”

“Uuuaaa! Yoshiko-chan is going to disappear! Uuuaaa!”

“What!? No I’m not! What makes you think that?” Panicking, she hopped down from the bars and scraped her knees and palms from the landing. Ignoring the pain, she hurried towards the sobbing girl and hugged her.

“Y-You said y-you’re going to -hic-  return to the -hic- sky! I-I’m not an angel, so I can’t -hic- go with you!”

“What? That’s silly. You’re silly, Zuramaru.”

“What -hic- do you mean?”

“When I return to the sky, I’ll bring you with me, duh! So stop crying already.”

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Yes, someone was crying and there were whispered conversations around her. Silence took over and she felt like she was swimming through a murky swamp. Unfamiliar images glided past her yet instilled a sense of nostalgia as she trudged by. A distorted voice was saying something but she couldn’t make out what.

All she knew was to move towards the light. It was a mere dot in the distance, but having a destination, a goal, kept her mind focused. She doesn’t know how long she’s struggled forward, but eventually she summons enough strength to shout out.

“I’m… Yoshiko. Yoshiko Tsushima!”

The indistinct voice becomes louder. “And who is Yohane?”

“The fallen angel of course!”

“Who is the fallen angel Yohane?”

“Yohane is me!”

The voice, sinister and airy, giggles. “No, you will never ever be Yohane.”

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Yoshiko gasps hoarsely as her eyes snap open. She frantically sits up and looks around her, her ragged breaths the only thing she can hear in this silent room. Upon seeing the covered Mirror of Erised at the corner, she realizes that she’s in the Room of Requirement. She reaches into her pocket and freezes in fear when she couldn’t find her wand. The green scarf, charmed by Dia to stop her peculiar trances, is not around her neck.

Feeling vulnerable, she grips the cushion beneath her and surveys the room again with cautious eyes. It’s actually a lot more spacious than she thinks, for there is an open area behind her filled with rows of bookshelves, lab benches and cauldrons.

And there is someone coming towards her!

She lunges for the tea cup on the nearby table, hoping to use the broken shard as a last resort. Alas, she gets frozen in mid-motion and curses inwardly at her naivety. Of course, whoever brought her here must be a witch or wizard.

“Please calm down, Yocchan.”

“Lily-?”

Nodding, Riko gazes at her carefully and only lowers her wand after she appears certain of something. Now able to move again, Yoshiko presses her hand against her chest, which aches a little, and slumps back against the cushions with a huff.

“Does it hurt?” The Ravenclaw doesn’t wait for her response and pours a translucent liquid from a pot.

“Um, what happened and why am I-?”

“Drink this first.” Riko’s voice is flat, leaving no room for argument. Even then, Yoshiko remains skeptical and does not move to accept the steaming potion.

“N-Not until you tell me what happened, Lily,” she tries to use her commanding, husky voice, though her throat is too parched for any sort of effects.

The older girl furrows her brows. “I will, but you need to drink this first. This potion… it’ll help in calming you.”

“Calming me? I think I’m pretty calm right now-?”

“It’ll also make you feel slightly weak, since it would suppress your magical power for a period of time,” Riko raises her voice just as Yoshiko is about to protest. “As a precaution, so that you will not go out of control again.”

“Out of control? Just what do you-”

“Why don’t we talk first, Rikocchi? She can drink the potion as we go along. I’d do the same if I were in her shoes,” a silhouette seems to have appeared out of nowhere, stepping out from the shadows with light smile.

“M-Mari-san?” Yoshiko has many tutor sessions with Riko, and has talked to Mari on a few occasions, but for some reason she feels very intimidated now that she’s alone with these two Ravenclaws.

“In the flesh~ Now, I’ll need you to answer something first before we start talking. What do you remember? And please don’t lie,” there’s something predatory about the senior’s feline-like gaze. “I will know if you do, capisce?”

Yoshiko gulps, feeling even more nervous now. Perhaps drinking the potion doesn’t seem so bad? She helplessly glances at Riko, whose demeanor is unreadable as she sits on the couch opposite of her. Mari is standing behind her housemate, her arms folded and draped on the backrest.

“Well, there were a lot of images…? Memories, maybe, before I woke up but I honestly don’t remember. They’re all so vague,” Yoshiko rubs at her temple, feeling a prickle in her head as she tries to recall. “And before that, I thought I was flying - ah, You-san lent me her broom, and then I found Zuramaru by the Lake and- wait! Where’s Hanamaru? Where is she now?”

Before she could spring up from her seat, her movements are locked again by the same spell, and the more she tries to struggle, the harder the body-binding spell becomes.

“Hanamaru-san is fine, Yocchan. Please drink this potion now.” Perhaps it is the slightly panicked gleam in those amber eyes, or the fact that a faint, shadowy veil of something is seeping out of her own arm, but she obediently drinks the potion with haste.

The liquid isn’t as bitter as she imagined, and it warms her chest and makes her rather dazed in a pleasant way. When she glances down again, she is relieved to see nothing around her arm. Just for a good measure, she prods at her own limb and notices nothing out of ordinary.

“What… was that?”

Mari’s humorous tone has a frigid edge to it. “We’ll get to that in a bit. So, yes, you were talking to Hanamaru-chan, and you fainted for some reason. Kanan heard her cries for help and was carrying you two back towards the castle when you, well, for the lack of better word, went bonkers. Dia arrived in time and dispatched you. She took Hanamaru-chan and Kanan elsewhere to treat their injuries, and left you with us.”

“To treat-? T-They got hurt? Because of me-?”

Yoshiko really couldn’t remember anything, no matter how desperately she tries. Mari’s cheerful giggle has never sounded so menacing until now.

“Oh yes~ Hanamaru-chan got a few scrapes here and there but she’s mostly fine, just rather shaken up and understandably so. While Kanan… well, she’s lucky her arm stays attached to her body~”

“Mari-san. It’s not Yocchan’s fault,” Riko says severely.

The blonde stares at Yoshiko’s bewildered face and sighs after a few tense moments. “I know, I know. It’s just, I’m worried and, no, you’re right, sorry. Let me try that again. Yoshiko Tsushima, we’ve been watching you since Day1, back on Platform 9 ¾.”

“You what?”

With a Cheshire grin, Mari morphs into a familiar golden cat and paws at Riko’s scarf as if it were an ordinary pet. Yoshiko blinks once, twice and again. What the freaking hell just happened?! One moment Mari was a human, and now she was this cat? No wonder the cat’s chartreuse eyes always seem so familiar, so human! No wonder it always gives her advice and understands her words, because it’s been a human all along!

“W-What sorcery is this!? No, that’s not the point - you’ve been spying on me since the beginning? And I’ve told you so many things about me, about the orphanage-!”

Truth be told, Yoshiko feels rather betrayed.

Ears flattened, the cat leaps behind the couch and instantly changes back. “You’re understandably upset, but I promise I have never shared what you’ve told me to the others. Your secrets stay with me. That’s why I’ve revealed my secret to you just now, to make things fair - I’m an unregistered Animagus, so don’t tell anyone else, alrighty? Then again, after what happened, you’ll find out eventually now that we’re bringing you into the loop.”

“Why should I trust you?” Yoshiko glares at Mari, whose characteristic smirk is nowhere to be seen now. She averts her gaze towards Riko, who gingerly sets her wand down onto the table.

“Yocchan, we will explain what we’ve been doing and why. You can decide whether to trust us or not afterwards.”

Yoshiko winces under the older girl’s patient tone, feeling inexplicably sheepish. Even though her mind is still a mess, she understands enough that the Ravenclaws are trying to help her and seem to have the answers to her issues. And really, here alone in the Room of Requirement without her wand, she doesn’t have a choice but to at least listen to them.

“Alright. So, go on, on my first day, back at the train station-?”

Riko takes a deep breath and takes out a black feather from her pocket. “Do you know what this is?”

“Is that the one I gave you when you first became my little demon? Hey, come to think of it, I’ve been missing a lot of those since coming here to Hogwarts…”

Mari points at one of the benches at the lab area, where small orbs light up upon her gesture. There are many similar black feathers, some ruffled and some as sleek as quill, placed neatly in some sort of order on the table. Each appears to be quarantined via a silvery veil.

“Err, okay, I don’t think some of those are mine. Did you get it from a shop like I did or-?”

“No. We either got them from you, or we found them at various places. Let me ask you again, Yocchan, what are they?”

Yoshiko trembles a little from Riko’s austere voice. “They’re just accessories! Y’know, I do rituals with them but mostly just to go along with my hairdo-”

“What ritual?”

“M-Mari-san should know! I think I’ve shown her one time, when she’s in her cat form.”

It could just be pretense but Riko truly doesn’t seem to know what she’s talking about, so Mari didn’t lie about keeping her secret. “Rikocchi, those so-called rituals are just third-rate ‘black magic’ Muggles are fond of but have no special effect whatsoever.”

“Hey, don’t call it third-rate! I’ll have you know that-” Yoshiko trails off when Riko sighs wearily and covers her face with shaking hand as if to regain her bearings.

“So does this mean they’re created without her knowing or what? Just how…” The older girl mumbles to herself before leaning back against the couch and gazes solemnly into Yoshiko’s eyes. “Yocchan, these feathers are what we call ‘Horcrux’.”

“Hor-what?”

“A Horcux is a Dark object that contains a piece of the creator’s soul, for the purpose of gaining immortality. After all the tests we’ve run through, these feathers seem to have similar properties as a Horcrux would have.”

Yoshiko stares blankly at the two Ravenclaws. “... you’re saying, somehow, I’ve… split bits of my soul, into those feathers-?”

“That’s the most plausible conclusion we’ve arrived at. However, one thing disputes our theory - it is impossible for you to create a Horcrux, let alone so many.”

“D-Duh! That sounds like a really fancy spell that a First-Year like me couldn’t have possibly known,” Yoshiko says shakily, though a small voice at the back of her mind reminds her that she somehow repelled the Dementor when she was only a little girl, using an advanced spell as well.

There’s a chilling gleam in Riko’s amber eyes. “No, that’s not the main reason - in order to create a Horcrux, you must commit a murder.”

“I haven’t killed anybody!” Yoshiko blurts frantically, “No way, I-I haven’t, I couldn’t have p-possibly-”

Mari interrupts her firmly. “Don’t worry, we never said you did. That’s why Rikocchi says our theory doesn’t work because you are not evil - we all know that. We’ve been observing you since you’ve arrived at Hogwarts after all.”

“Y-Yeah, I may be the fallen angel but I would never k-kill anyone.” Yoshiko sighs in relief when both Ravenclaws nod in agreement, though Riko still looks tense.

“Regardless, these feathers are Dark objects and are similar to a Horcrux - we’ve detected spiritual presence just likes yours, Yocchan. We’ve been researching this for a long time, and to this date we still have no answer.”

“... who’s ‘we’ exactly? And why the research? Isn’t it too much even just for curiosity’s sake?” Yoshiko tries to remain calm and ignore the fact that her soul might possibly be damaged. Everything intrigues her, not in a good way, and to be honest she feels better not knowing any of this. The old saying ‘ignorance is bliss’ really applies here.

“Dia-san, Mari-san, Kanan-san and I form this research group.”

“Oh, that makes sense I guess… wait, not You-san or Chika-san?”

Pain flickers in Riko’s gaze. “They used to be, but not anymore.”

Yoshiko gulps, and Mari pats her housemate in comfort. “Before that, let me add something - we suspect that your mind blanks out randomly due to the creation of these feathers - something must be in the Forbidden Forest. So for this reason, Kanan in her wolf form would patrol the area, sometimes with Dia. I would scour through the Castle grounds in my cat form. That’s how we’ve found many other feathers.”

“I see…” She glances worriedly at Riko, who is staring at her lap and whimsically wringing her fingers. Mari squeezes the younger girl’s shoulder again in encouragement.

“Everything started a year ago. I came to a possession of a black quill that conversed with me. It taught me a lot about my family, blood purity, magical core, and many other things you can’t learn from books alone. We Sakurauchis hail from an Ancient bloodline known for the research of the Origin, so I suppose that’s where my natural inquisitiveness came from… ha ha, no, that’s no excuse for my stupidity.”

“Lily…” Yoshiko desperately wants to comfort the older girl. Riko has always been her composed, flawless tutor, but now she just looks like a lost teenager on the brink of breaking down.

“That quill called me Lily too,” Riko smiles faintly, though there is no humor in her eyes except guilt. “Overjoyed by all this knowledge, I shared this discovery with my two best friends, Chika-chan and You-chan. As per the quill’s tales, we’ve gone exploring many previously unknown places in Hogwarts, such as this Room of Requirement and more. To make our trio’s adventures more official, the quill suggested we form the Unbreakable Vow, which we stupidly did. This magical vow had us swear not to divulge this secret to anyone who is not a student and outside the group. That’s why, even to this date, I cannot reveal any of this, any of our research, to the staff, my family, or anyone else.”

She shakes her head as if to scoff at her foolishness. “Chika-chan always dreamed of having a grand adventure, and You-chan was always ready to go along with any idea she and I had. Together, the three of us, we had learned so much and had so much fun together, enjoying these secrets that only the three of us knew. But, during one of these a-adventures...”

Her voice cracks and Yoshiko is aghast to see tears welling up in her eyes.

“To m-make a long story short, we f-found ourselves surrounded by cloaked strangers who knew powerful Dark magic a-and… t-they… C-Chika-chan and Y-You-chan protected me a-and basically became guinea pigs for their spells… particularly, Curses that affect that mind. Something happened then that forced the attackers to Disapparate. I-I tried my best to help Chika-chan and You-chan but… in the end, to preserve their minds, I h-had to...”

She bites her lips and clenches her fists. “I Obliviated them. I wiped their memories of the time we spent together, everything… somehow, we’re still friends now, but it’s not the same anymore, and it never will be. I p-practically killed them, didn’t I?”

Mari moves to hug Riko then, though the latter is admirably trying to contain her emotions. Yoshiko could only stare in horror, trying to absorb what she just heard. She’s so deep in thoughts that she doesn’t notice that another person has joined them until the familiar deep voice speaks up.

“Riko-san. Do not push yourself. I will continue the story.”

Yoshiko instinctively flinches under Dia’s gaze, and grins weakly when the Head Girl nods in greeting. Good, Dia doesn’t seem angry at her or anything, and her attention is wholly focused on Riko anyway.

Mari scoots aside to give Dia room as the latter sits down beside Riko. “How’s Kanan doing?”

“You know her. Even if she is in pain, she remains stubborn, but she should be fine. Hanamaru-san is with her,” she adds when she notices Yoshiko’s unspoken question. She gently pulls Riko towards her shoulder, allowing the younger girl to rest there.

“As one of the oldest Pureblood Families, the Kurosawas have been under scrutiny by many for centuries and that includes Dark Wizards. I have had my share of assailants wanting to kidnap me or obtain samples of my blood, presumably for experiments on blood purity. Such attacks have stopped since coming to Hogwarts, until it resumed again last year. Back then, I barely knew of Riko-san’s group so I did not make the connection between her story and these attacks. But now, since we have discovered similar feathers on my attackers, they must be the same as the ones who attacked Riko-san’s group. I suspect that, as the heiress and a young adult, my magical core is at its prime while remaining malleable, thus making me the ideal target for whatever Dark experiment they have been committing.”

Dia’s voice softens then. “On the other hand, Ruby would have been a candidate as well, except her Sorting into Hufflepuff and her lack of a typical Kurosawa’s qualities must have deterred these unknown hostiles.”

“That’s why you’re always so cold to Ruby,” Yoshiko hopes her tone doesn’t sound accusing, but she’s quite upset for her dear friend’s sake. “Because you want to protect her, I get that, but do you have any idea how much she-”

“I know. But this is the only way I know how.”

Yoshiko grits her teeth, uncertain what to say. Dia truly cares about her little sister, that much is obvious now, but isn’t there something they can do about this messed up situation?

“So let me get this straight - something must have happened to me when I was younger, or even the moment I was born, that’s why memories of my childhood are so vague. This something makes me go weird, empties my mind and or attack people with that dark shroud thingy. Feathers with whatever Dark properties are created somehow, and this is related to the attackers who went after Dia-san, and Li-” Yoshiko pauses and decides it’s better not to use that nickname even though Riko consented it back then. “Riko-san’s group. You’re all in this together, to research these feathers and find out what secrets hide in the Forbidden Forest, but you’re not allowed to tell the Professors or anyone else about all this. Did I miss anything?”

“No, you have understood everything perfectly, Yoshiko-san.”

“Sounds like I’m a key player in this eh? Why didn’t you just tell me everything from the start?”

“We did not know if you’re trustworthy or not,” Mari quirks an eyebrow, “there is a necessity in keeping secrets and distance. Once we get to know you better, we do not want to endanger you either.”

“A-After what happened with Chika-chan and You-chan, I didn’t want anyone to be hurt because of me again,” Riko murmurs flatly, her fingers curled around Dia’s scarf. “I only allowed Dia-san, Kanan-san and Mari-san to join because of their situation as well, but…”

“Well, you need more comrades, doncha?” Mari winks, her voice playful as she fondly caresses her junior’s hair. “And there’s no way Kanan and I are leaving Dia alone in this either.”

“But now you’re part of this. For that, I’m so sorry, Yocchan.”

“Why are you apologizing? I mean, yeah, it’s gonna take a while for everything to sink in but, if by the end of this, I can find out about my past and a remedy for those weird things happening to me, then I’m in!” Yoshiko gives her a small grin, and adds inwardly. Anything to make me normal. I do want to stand out, but not as a freak. No more.

“Yoshiko-san,” Dia speaks in the most stern tone she’s ever heard. “By joining our group, you are indirectly tied to Riko-san’s Unbreakable Vow. If you were to divulge our secrets to those outside of our group, your action would cause Riko-san to break her terms.”

“W-What would happen then?”

The older Slytherin’s eyes narrow and her arm tightens imperceptibly around Riko’s shoulder. “She will die.”

“I-I was just wondering that’s all!” Yoshiko squeaks. “But technically I can tell Hanamaru and Ruby right? I mean, you’ve brought me into the loop, so they could be too, without breaking the er terms.”

“Hanamaru-san has unfortunately become part of our group after what happened earlier. She has a right to know, as a witness and someone who shares your childhood no matter how brief a period. I have spoken to her already about the crucial details, and I am certain Kanan-san is filling in the details as we speak. As for Ruby, I would request that you do not involve her.”

Yoshiko frowns and swallows her protest. “...fine. So what now?”

“After what happened, we will need to monitor you, for a while at least. While you recalling your memories would help us a great deal, it would not be wise to do so forcefully. The Pensieve perhaps… no, it is best not to chance it. We will discuss this matter further at a later time. For the time being, we will train you.”

“Huh? For what?”

Dia looks exasperated by her brilliant response. “Now that you are part of our group, you will need to be able to defend yourself. Of course, we will do our best to ensure you would not fall in harm’s way, though you still need to become stronger and better.”

“That’s awesome!” To be under the tutelage of the Head Girl is a great honor. Soon, she’ll be able to kick ass just as she dreams of.

“How can you be so cheerful? Do you not understand the situation you are in?”

“Well, I was terrified and so very confused earlier… and frankly, I still am. But you know what? At the end of the day, nothing shall stop the great fallen angel Yohane-sama~” Yoshiko makes a pose and points to the three older witches. “There’s no use moping or thinking! Ya gotta take actions if ya want to get somewhere!”

Dia sighs, Mari returns her grin, and Riko gives her a tiny smile. Yoshiko relishes in this sense of purpose and is about to proclaim more goals when the door creaks open.

“Kanan!”

Mari hurries over to the tall Gryffindor, who greets her with an one-armed hug. Yoshiko feels her rush of excitement deflate at the sight of the sling and bandages on Kanan. It does look quite serious and, due to the Unbreakable Vow, she couldn’t go to the Infirmary for proper treatment. That would invite too many questions that they cannot answer.

Before Yoshiko could apologize, a small form practically bulldozes her and makes them collapse in a heap on the carpet. It takes her a few moments to realize that Hanamaru is sobbing on top of her.

“Y-You’re awake… y-you’re okay zura…”

“She’s so worried about you but I couldn’t let her come here until we make sure you’re, well, back to normal,” Kanan elaborates in a friendly voice, seemingly relaxed to be talking to the person who almost sliced off her arm, as unintentionally as it had been.

Yoshiko looks around the room, her gaze lingering on each witch before returning to the crying girl in her arms. “I’m sorry.”

“What for? It is not your fault,” Dia says kindly. “It concerns us just as much as it does you.”

“Right, but I still want to apologize.” She awkwardly sits up while cradling the brunette against her. “K-Kanan-san, I’m sorry about hurting you and thank you, for protecting Hanamaru.”

The ponytailed Gryffindor simply smiles at that, accepting her words. Only a tidbit of jealousy remains, and it’s nothing compared to the magnitude of gratitude she feels towards Kanan now.

If she had truly hurt Hanamaru, she would not know what to do with herself.

Kanan will protect Hanamaru, at least until Yoshiko becomes strong enough to do so.

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“It’s hic… all my fault hic…”

“Are we still on that?”

Yoshiko stiffly walks beside the sniffling brunette, and each and every single one of her whimpers stab into her chest. She’s frustrated by her inability to comfort Hanamaru, so she simply allows the latter to grip her hand rather painfully.

She deserves this pain, and it’s nice to hold onto that petite hand in her own.

“It’s all because hic… I started talking about the Dementor hic…”

“Hey now, you wouldn’t have known I’d go crazy. I mean, I’m actually glad all this happened, otherwise I would’ve continued to be kept in the dark! I’m the one who should be sorry. I dragged you into this.”

“We’re in this together, Yoshiko-chan. I don’t want to be hic... left out. I want to help you zura.”

Yoshiko smiles. “Thanks. You’ve always stood up for me, haven’t you? My memories are blurry and in fragments, but you stayed on my side even after the other kids at the playground mocked me. Well, nothing’s changed, I’m still a freak-”

“You aren’t! You’re my heroine!” Hanamaru exclaims, startling her so much that she almost drops the former’s hand. “ I actually thought you were an angel back then, the way you protected me zura.”

“Erm…t-thanks?” Yoshiko blinks down at the shorter girl, noting how unwavering and pretty her eyes are in spite of her tears.

Also, her face is really close.

“Oh!” Hanamaru notices their closeness as well and recoils, her cheeks red. Yoshiko knows her face must match the other’s girl’s, judging by how warm it feels. At least, the somber atmosphere between them has finally lifted. They resume walking in silence, each sneaking glances when they think the other isn’t looking and blush when their eyes meet.

Just before they arrive at the entrance to the Hufflepuff Dorm, Yoshiko speaks up quietly. “So, we’re doing the right thing aren’t we?”

“Yes. We can’t keep this a secret from Ruby-chan.”

Just before they left the Room of Requirement, Yoshiko had spoken up against Dia again about Ruby. After a lot of back and forth, and some support from Mari and Kanan, she managed to convince the older Slytherin to at least allow Ruby to participate in their self-defense lessons.

To their surprise, Ruby has been waiting for them for who knows how long. “Hanamaru-chan, and Yoshiko-chan too! Where h-have you gone to? I went over to the Lake because that’s where I thought you’d be, but I-I only found your glasses and books…”

The two girls hastily move towards their friend, each placing a hand on her shoulder to calm her. “Thanks, Ruby-chan. Um, many things happened zura.”

“That’s putting it mildly, Zuramaru. We’ll update you as we go but first, we want to show you something - come with us.”

Though puzzled, the pigtailed Hufflepuff guilelessly follow their lead. Hanamaru and Yoshiko exchange a look and walk just a bit closer to their trusting friend. While they omit the majority of the truth, such as Riko’s past, they reveal that there are unknown attackers going after Dia and Yoshiko and, due to a sensitive circumstance, they cannot go to the officials or others for help.

“T-There are still people going after Onee-chan? I thought that had stopped,” Ruby peers at them anxiously. “But why Yoshiko-chan?”

“Fufu, because the great fallen angel is too amazing-”

“We don’t know why yet zura, but either way it’s good that we learn to defend ourselves.”

“R-Right. S-So where are we going?”

“The Room of Requirement.”

“You’ve found it?”

Yoshiko looks away sheepishly from Ruby’s awed expression. “Well, I had help…”

The trio come to a stop at the seventh floor, opposite of that memorable ugly tapestry. Ruby freezes at the sight of Dia standing there and subconsciously clings to her friends’ sleeves.

“Onee-chan-? But why-?”

Yoshiko and Hanamaru share another look before gently pushing her towards her sister. They stay a fair distance away to give the Kurosawas some privacy. From the corner of her eye, Yoshiko is warmed to see Ruby smiling happily at Dia, whose movements seem awkward at first but she eventually pats the smaller girl’s head.

“Things will get better now, won’t it zura?”

“Yeah, I sure hope so. There’s so much we don’t know yet, but that’s why we’re gonna train to become better, so we’ll be ready for anything.” As for the possibility of my soul being damaged... well, that’s merely another challenge for the great fallen angel, that’s all.

“Mhmm. We only have one another now, but I believe we can trust each other. This group is a nice group, isn’t it zura?”

Yoshiko finds herself grinning at the brunette’s soft smile. “You’re right. Everything will be fine now that we’re all working together. Hanamaru, I promise I’ll do everything in my power so you won’t have that kind of horrible experience again. That’s Yohane-sama’s own version of Unbreakable Vow to you.”

“Hehe, right back at you, Yoshiko-chan! That’s my version of the Vow too zura.”