Chapter 5: Macaw
July 24 of 1991 in someplace in London.
"So today is the day, isn't Little Yozora?"
"Yeah, if my memory serves me right, today Harry will get his first letter to Hogwarts, so the most likely scenario is that today I would receive mine," I said with a big smile thinking about finally starting the mission and also being able to see Hogwarts with my very own eyes.
"So, what's your plan, with the teacher, you have to give a good impression to her, and with your personality that would be…." Gramps just gave me a deadpan expression. I know that he just thought of something rude.
I just shrugged about that "I don't know what you are talking about, I'm charming" I said giving my 'charming' smile.
Gramps just sighed at my antics "Little Yozora you are my grandson and I love you, but you as a person are …. hard to deal with."
I just raised an eyebrow "What that's supposed to mean?"
"Well, most of the time you are sarcastic to no end, you tend to make rude comments that would make a monk frown, you swear a lot to the air or any person, and most of the time you say 'references' that I don't understand and I highly doubt that anyone does," Gramps said without blinking.
I almost choked on how blunt Gramps was. "You are just jealous of how wonderful and handsome I'm," I said dramatically.
"Oh yeah and you make a lot of lame jokes about how 'handsome' you are"
"Oh, come on, my jokes are gold, it's just that everyone is petty," I said in an 'angry' tone.
"Well lame jokes asides, what is your real plan?"
"Nothing much, I would just be polite and try to fake being an excited kid learning about the 'magical side' of the world, oh and make a lot of questions, McGonagall likes kids that ask a lot of questions from what I know, and also she could fill the gaps that I have"
"And what about-"But before Gramps could say anything else…
*knock*
*knock*
*knock*
"I'll check the door"
In front of the door, I checked with the door hole who was it, I don't what to repeat the same mistake and open the door to some idiots trying to sell us time shares again, but after looking at who was it I froze.
On the other side of the door was an old lady around her 60s wearing green robes and a pointed hat and since I knew that it was way too soon for Halloween there was only one person that it could be,
"Shit, why is she here? I thought that all the letters were shipped by an owl but…. Shit, I forgot that they send a professor to deliver the letter to the muggle-born, well I will have to improvise, Gramps she is here"
Gramps just nodded as I opened the door.
"Hello darling, is this the resident of the Hoshimura's? Asked McGonagall with a smile.
"Sorry, my grandpa told me to not give information to strangers," I said trying to sound like an 11-year-old boy.
McGonagall chuckled a little bit "Your Grandparent is right you shouldn't give information to a stranger, is he at home I would like to talk with him."
I just nodded at her "Grandpa, someone wants to talk with you" I said in a loud voice.
"Who is it? It's another man trying to sell us timeshares?" Asked gramps pretending ignorance. But I think that that guy annoyed him quite a bit.
"I assure you that I will not try to sell you anything Misterm I just wanted to talk to you about an opportunity for the young one, I beg your pardon where are my manners? My name is Minerva McGonagall professor at Hogwarts" said McGonagall with a calm demeanor.
"It's nice to meet you, Miss McGonagall, my name is Hoshimura Lee or Lee Hoshimura on this side of the world, but if you could satiate my curiosity why would a professor from a school that I never heard of want to talk with us? After all, Little Yozora has been home-schooled his whole life"
"I understand that this must be quite confusing for you Mister Hoshimura, but I can assure you that there is a reason for me to be here, if you could let me enter your home for a few moments to explain this in…. a private ambient I assure you that you will not regret it"
"Ah yes, where are my manners please come in," Gramps said letting McGonagall enter to the house.
After letting McGonagall we took her to the living room.
"Would you like some tea professor McGonagall?" I asked her. In all honestly, this wasn't to earn some brownie points it's just that manners made the man, and not offering something to a guest is simply disrespectful.
"That would be lovely my dear," Said McGonagall with a smile.
"Is Darjeeling okay or would like another kind of tea?" I asked her since I didn't remember if the books mentioned if she had a favorite kind of tea.
"Darjeeling it's okay my dear."
"All right Professor McGonagall, could you explain to us why you are here?" Gramps asked even if he already knew the answer.
"Of course, but before that, I would ask the both of you if you believe in magic?"
"Like what Uri Geller does?" I asked her, remembering the guy who allegedly said that Kadabra was based on him.
Professor chuckled a little bit at my answer "While in not quite sure who that person is, I assume that he is a kind of celebrity?"
"Yes, his famous trick is to bend a spoon without touching it!" I said with an 'excited' voice.
"Well while I don't want to undermine Mr. Geller's work, what he does are just like you said, tricks. But what I mean is that if you believe in real magic."
"Mmmmm," I said while making a pensive face "Well, I can't prove that magic is not real, but also I can't prove that magic is real, so I'm open-minded about the idea of magic being real, but in all honesty, if magic is real, I don't think that I would be able to know," I said the last part in a 'sad' tone.
McGonagall just raised an eyebrow "And why is that?"
"I mean, if magic is real and the general population doesn't know about it must be for a reason don't you think? Just think about if magic is real, it does mean that many of the people that died in the witch hunt were actual witches so the most likely situation is that they went into seclusion or they found a way to be safe for the people that hunted them. Ergo in either of the cases I would have better chances of winning the lottery than finding if magic is real"
After saying all that McGonagall looked at me with a surprised expression. If I'm being honest I didn't say anything groundbreaking, in many worlds the existence of the supernatural world is being kept secret from the common populace like in the DxD, Bleach, and the Nasuverse, but her surprise is that a 'child' made a very accurate supposition of the magical world while being in the blind.
After a few moments, McGonagall composed herself "Aren't you a smart child? But I have a surprise for you. You see magic is very real and that's the reason I'm here." And she said that she handed me a letter.
It was a simple letter but what excited me the most is that had the iconic emblem of Hogwarts and without waiting anymore I opened the letter.
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,
Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)
Mr. Hoshimura
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all the necessary books and equipment.
The term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress
HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
UNIFORM
First-year students will require:
1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)
2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear
3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)
4. One winter cloak (black, with silver fastenings)
Please note that all pupil's clothes should carry name tags.
COURSE BOOKS
All students should have a copy of each of the following:
The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)
by Miranda Goshawk
A History of Magic
by Bathilda Bagshot
Magical Theory
by Adalbert Waffling
A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration
by Emeric Switch
One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi
by Phyllida Spore
Magical Drafts and Potions
by Arsenius Jigger
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
by Newt Scamander
The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection
by Quentin Trimble
OTHER EQUIPMENT
1 wand
1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)
1 set glass or crystal phials
1 telescope
1 set of brass scales
Students may also bring if they desire, an owl OR a cat, OR a toad.
PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS
ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICK
Yours sincerely,
Lucinda Thomsonicle-Pocus
Chief Attendant of Witchcraft Provisions
"Is this real?" Gramps asked in an 'incredulous' tone.
McGonagall just nodded "Is as real as you and me, and here Mr. Yozora is a Wizard"
I wanted to say Magus like a certain sword, but I hold myself back. "Really!!!? Can you show me magic? What can you do? What do you teach? Can you transform yourself into a macaw? Can I make broomsticks make the chores I don't want to?" I said as an excited kid.
"I like your attitude of searching for knowledge and answering some of your questions. My specialty is transfiguration is using spells to change an object to another and that is what I teach at Hogwarts. I can't transform into a macaw, but I can do this" McGonagall said and she transformed herself into a black cat.
"Meow"
"In Kazuma's name magic is real!!" I said with 'stars' in my eyes. And thinking again I just maybe exaggerated a little bit. "Sorry for getting too excited"
After a few seconds, she returned to her human form. "fufufu don't worry, every kid reacts the same way as you the first time they see this, now you believe me Mr. Hoshimura?"
Gramps just nodded "Even if I was skeptical about all of this, I'm not blind Miss. McGonagall, so what's next?"
"If both of you accept like as stated in the letter Mr. Yozora Hoshimura would start class on the first of September and the next week I'll come here to take both of you so you can buy all the school material since you don't have any connection to the magical side of the world"
"And if we don't?"
At my question McGonagall made a complicated expression "Well in case you don't want to attend Hogwarts, you still need to take some complementary courses so you can avoid having cases of accidental magic."
I just nodded at her words. I don't remember if they talked about this in the books, but I always wondered what happened with people that didn't want to be involved in the magical side of the world. Even if it must be hidden they can't just obliviate all the muggle-borns since eventually, this would return to bite their asses.
We kept silent for a bit as if we were thinking
"We accept the offer, Professor McGonagall" Gramps said to McGonagall
McGonagall smiled sightly "Excellent! I will come to both of you on the last day of this month. We will have a company that day since there's another young lady that was accepted and lives near this area."
'Maybe is Hermione, the one who needs to sort out her priorities' "Understood Professor McGonagall, it will be nice to meet another person in the same situation as I, maybe we could be friends" I said with a smile.
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After McGonagall left, I felt relieved.
"That went better than I thought" I said relaxing myself in the sofa.
"Indeed who would thought that you could be this polite" Gramps said joking.
"You know that I'm always polite with stranger that aren't idiots and that at least respect, remember how or relationship was the first couple of weeks when we arrived here?"
"Indeed, you were a extremely polite boy, but now let yourself free but I like it this way better. But leaving aside that. What did you 'see' on her?"
"She is an honest woman and teacher to her very bones. While she doesn't like the muggle world very much, she doesn't hate muggles at all… well mostly. From time to time when she thinks of a couple that she loathes, Usually I would know who they are, but I don't have to be a genius to know that are the Dursley's, so…"
My eyes widened at the realization "She knows… she knows how they treat Harry and she hates that she can't do anything, No… She hates that someone is stopping her from doing something for a stupid reason…"
"This is 'for the greater good' frinking Dumbledore, this will be annoying as fuck." I sighed at this realization.
"So, what's your plan?" Gramps asked.
"First of all, it means that I shouldn't take a direct approach, while I don't think he can beat us… Well, I don't think that he can beat you, but that is not the point of the mission, I need to help Harry to kill Voldemort and god's know what else in the middle of this, but what I know, is that have to stay in Hogwarts at least until the 4th grade. So, we will need to help him from the shadows most of the time, this will be troublesome."
"So you won't approach the boy?"
"Pff of course I will, this will be convenient for both for the mission and for personal reasons, but I will need to take a casual approach with him not trying to become his bestie but maybe being casual friends not so close that Dumbledore will watch me 24/7, that's the troublesome part."
"Why is personal? you don't know the kid" Asked Gramps a little bit confused.
"While I don't know him, I know about him, so a part of me that read his story wants to help him just for self-satisfaction, nothing more nothing less."
"And what would you do with Dumbledore?"
"Nothing… at least for the moment. He is important for the 'plot' and while I dislike him, I need him until Voldemort is done, but after that… who knows."
"So, what do you want to do for the next week" Gramps asked trying to change the subject.
"What we always do" I grinned.
"So, you want me to 'beat the hell out of you', like you will say?" Gramps says with a shit-eating grin.
"Hey, I'm getting better, when you least expected I will kick your ass gramps"
"Hahaha, I think that I will become a great-grandparent first than you beat me." Said in a mocking tone.
"Pff as if, I don't think of having kids any time soon."
"With that attitude of yours I don't doubt it hahahaha"
"You dam-"
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"So how do you want to spar, hand to hand combat, weapon training or going all out?" Gramps asked me.
"Just weapon training, today we will go to the Diagonal Alley with Professor McGonagall in a few hours and if we go all out I'll be to tired to do anything after that." In all honestly even if I was way weaker than Gramps out spars without holding back are to… destructive.
Usually we spar in the apartment since the rooms here beside being magically enlarger they are reinforced to a ridiculous degree. One time I messed up a runic array that could destroy the whole apartment but after the explosion there wasn't even a single scratch in the room. But in my case… I will just say that I was grateful that Cú knew some healing rune arrays.
But since we travel a lot we can't always train here, also I have to train in different types of environments to handle different kind of situations.
The time that we causes the most amount of property damage that we(I) have done was when we were traveling in Spain looking for some supernatural thing in ghost towns, sadly there were just abandoned for the economic recession. But on the bright side we had a lot a whole town as a training field.
But again we(I) got carried away… it was so bad that half of the town was destroyed and the other side was half was on fire, and getting things worse it turned out that the town was used for some kind of festival by some hipsters(If the term exist in this year) so since they didn't saw we did what any rational adult would do… we ran away so fast that it would put in shame a certain Jojo's character.
Any way coming back to the spar, we took a decent amount of distance between each other and each of us summoned a spear. Thinking in retrospective I feel very stupid since Gramps has a spear and I totally forgot about that. Gramps spear is just a durable one not a Noble Phantasm since his Noble Phantasm is his very own technique.
Both of us take our respective stances, neither of us made a movement, we just keep analyzing each other trying to predict each other future moves.
For untrained eyes this seems easy but actually doing it it's mentally tiring and stressful, one second of distraction could be fatal, suddenly I moved my neck to my left side avoiding the tip of Gramps spear, after that I moved back to gain some distance while doing a slash, but Gramps easily avoid it.
Then he did a diagonal slash, but I redirect it while lowering his spear to the floor, I tried to cut his right leg but he avoid it with a simple jump to the backside. After he took his stance again Gramps made a quick sequence of trust that I could barely avoid with a few scratches. If I didn't had Mind Eye(Fake) it would be many time worse.
I trusted my spear to his right feet which he dodged with much problem, but I continue my offensive using the momentum to do a front jump and simultaneously doing a vertical slash but gramps stopped it with his spear using his superior strength he send me flying to the other side of the room and crashing with at the wall.
"Grr"
"Your speed and technique are improving at an incredibly degree, but your strength its quite lacking but understandable for your body age little Yozora."
"Hahaha it sucks to be a kid's body, but don't think that this is over" I said with a big smirk.
Bzzz
In the next moment I was behind gramps and I trusted my spear towards him, he quickly dodged but maybe because on the surprise he couldn't completely evade it and I cut part of his shoulder. But Gramps used the backside of his spear and hitting me in my stomach sending me flying… again but this time it wasn't strong enough to send me to the wall and I crashed at the floor.
I had multiple cuts on my body, by mouth taste like iron, my whole body hurts and I think that I have a fractured rib but… "Hahahaha finally, after more than two years, I finally hurt you without using magecraft!"
I am ecstasy I finally made it, when I go all out I can hit you from time to time using my runes to increase my physical strength and using phantasmal weapons, but only using martial arts or weapons I could never land a hit on him. Even if he mostly evades it, but still counts.
"I'm proud of you Little Yozora, its not to undermine you but I thought that it would take another year to finally land a hit on me, but what that movement technique? I don't recall any servant with that technique."
I smiled at gramps. "It's because it's not a technique from a servant. The name is Sonido for the last year I tried to reproduce it, I used multiple movement techniques that I recorded inside the Armirger as base to do it, but it still not perfect and at best I can use it 2 or 3 times."
"If you have multiple movement technique why try to make another one?" Gramps asked curiously.
I just shrugged my shoulders "For two reasons. The first one was to challenge myself, I wanted to see if I was capable recreating a technique without the direct help of Armirger" Even if I used techniques recorded as a template, it was extremely difficult to do it. But since there's not many things to do here I had A LOT of free time.
"And the second?" Gramps asked rising an eyebrow.
I just smirked at Gramps "Because Sonido it's a cool name"
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Hello guy everyone I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Sorry for the late update but this chapter word count is 3580 .
So we are close to the first year and now Yozora knows that there would be a lot of shady things from Dumbledore. So since Yozora can't bitch slap his way he would have some problems in the future.
Also in what house do you think that he would end up? Leave a comment with you thoughts .
See you later in the next chapter.