Chapter 11: Playing the Game

Chapter 11: Playing the Game

Harry entered the dormitory with a rushed manner as quickly got dressed for the day, changing out of his night clothing and into his uniform and cloak, meeting Ron and Hermione at the common room. Beckoning his friends over, Harry scanned the busting Gryffindors, not finding the person he was looking for.

Noting her friend's surveying eyes, Hermione spoke up. "Harry, who are you looking for?"

"Hitsugaya." The green-eyed-boy replied, whispering.

"Why? Are you suspecting that he and Snape are trying to poison Professor Lupin again?" She said exasperatedly, clearly tired of his accusations at an innocent transfer student.

"Hear me out." Harry snapped, as he recounted the little he overheard of Dumbledore and Snape's conversation of him and Hitsugaya. "Did you see Hitsugaya this morning?"

Ron and Hermione shook their heads.

"But when I looked over," Ron recounted, appearing to be seriously racking his memory to recall despite it being only several moments ago. "Hitsugaya's bed was made, his clothes and books on his bed like he had it yesterday."

"That does not prove anything, Harry." Hermione defended, as Ron looked just as convinced as Harry. "Just because Snape and Dumbledore mentioned the two of you in the same conversation does not mean that Hitsugaya and Snape are plotting something."

"Hermione." Harry insisted as he continued. "The last time we saw the bloke was when he came to dinner and even then he didn't stay. He wasn't there when we were at the Fat Lady's portrait and he wasn't there when we were sent to the Great Hall to go to sleep, and he isn't here right now the next morning. Tell me that isn't suspicious."

"Hitsugaya may have his reasons for not being here this morning or last night, Harry. You know like I do that Hitsugaya doesn't like sweets and last night, the tables were filled with them." She argued back as Ron cut in.

"But you have to admit, 'Mione, the white-haired midget is odd." Ron mused. "He hates candy and sweets, always has his guard up, and is so cold sometimes."

"You have a pet rat that lived for twelve years and you, yourself, have made it miraculously to your third-year." Hermione deadpanned right back at Ron, who opened his mouth in defiance. "You are as odd as it gets Ronald Weasley."

With a small sniff, the girl turned away, fingering her golden Time-Turner as her red-headed friend complain outwardly to Harry who could only sighed at the absurdity of his current situation.

Later. He promised himself as he droned out his best friend's complaints. He will find out about this later, but he will find out.

After 'awakening' in the Hospital Wing, with a majority of the day gone for good measure for his facade, Toshiro, upon Madame Pomfrey's insistence, donned his injured arm in a sling with Hyorinmaru's Transfigured gigai/bracelet latched on to his other arm. McGonagall had the foresight to repair his bloodied and tattered shirt, for which the captain made a mental note to thank her for as he made his way to the dormitory, which was cleared last night, having been searched and came up empty.

Toshiro entered the common room after saying the new password with an exasperated sigh, noting at the appearance of two new guards at the Fat Lady's portrait.

If they are this paranoid over a serial killer, it makes me wonder how they will fare if they learn that Voldemort is alive. Toshiro voiced internally as the two dragons chuckled lightly as they entertained the thought.

Knowing wizards, they would probably deny his return or status of being alive until they see him, wand at the ready and poised to kill. Hyorinmaru pointedly remarked as Toshiro scoffed at the truth of the words.

Or hole themselves up to the point that they will never see that he is alive that they would already be doomed to their destruction. Sephiroth added morbidly, Toshiro holding back a small laugh as he entered his empty shared dormitory, his clothing and textbooks hidden behind the bed curtains.

Flicking out his wand, the captain held out his shrunken trunk from his pants pocket, enlarging the said trunk, as he took out a large stack of paperwork, his mod-soul dispenser, his mod-soul phone, and several souma-fixers; placing all into his school bag that realistically should have not fit all of the things he had listed. Not trusting his things to be safe away from his self, the captain had decided prior to have his things with him, trunk included.

Shrinking his things, the ice captain exited the dormitory, making his way to his last class of the day, Defence Against the Dark Arts, ignoring the eyes that caught his injured arm and the whispers that followed it. Entering the classroom, Toshiro found it void of anyone, enjoying the silence as he seated himself in back of the room, near the windows.

Soon enough, one after another, Slytherins and Gryffindors entered the classroom adding noise and bickering arguments as the captain droned them out, deciding to do his paperwork, as he scrawled several sentences when he was taken out of his thoughts by a surprised cry of his last name.

"Hitsugaya?"

Uplifting his teal orbs from his paperwork, Toshiro found a suspicious Harry and a Ron that was failing in the aspect of attempted intimidation. Sighing lightly as he lowered his quill, the captain merely rose an eyebrow in answer.

"Where were you last night, Hitsugaya?" Harry all but interrogated, Ron beside him as if to intimidate. "We haven't seen you since dinner, not to mention ever seeing you at the Great Hall or this morning."

"That is none of your concern, Potter." Toshiro replied, monotonously. "My whereabouts of last night and this morning are classified."

"What are you hid—" Harry began, only to have the slam of the classroom door cut his interrogation short, by none other than Snape.

With a swift wave of his ebony black wand, the sunlight from the afternoon sun was immediately cut off from the room as Snape strode in, stopping at the front of the room where a thin string hung. Pulling it, Snape turned to the class with penetratingly intimidating orbs, as a screen lowered behind him.

"Turn to page 394."

Not daring to anger Snape, Harry and Ron seated themselves in their seats, the latter towards the front and the former toward the back; as they each lazily opened their textbooks to the indicated page.

Toshiro narrowed his teal orbs at Snape, well aware of what creature that the ordered page taught, as the Potions Master locked gazes with the white-haired transfer, sharing a small exchange. Blinking as his sign of understanding, the captain returned to his paperwork, the exchange only lastly a mere half-second, his textbook already opened to the correct page.

However, the captain was interrupted of his paperwork. Again.

Looking up, it had appeared that Potter had asked a stupid question. No surprise there, to be honest.

"Excuse me, sir." Harry began, his voice of forced politeness. "Where's Professor Lupin?"

"That's not really your concern, is it, Potter?" Snape replied, colored with a hint of condescendence. "I believe, Hitsugaya has already stated that. Must it be vital to you to have the knowledge of where others are at all times for your own well being?"

"No, sir." Potter replied through gritted teeth as Snape smirked slightly.

"Suffice it to say that your professor currently finds himself unable to teach at the present time. Turn to page 394." The Potions Master all but ordered as he stood behind the podium, the textbook opened and the projector by his side. With a click of his wand, the projector lit to life, as he scanned the room, undoubtably watching for stragglers. One being a certain redhead.

One wave of Snape's wand later, Ron had finally read the indicated page's subject, looking at the professor with surprise.

"Werewolves?" He cried out questioningly as only Snape and Toshiro noticed Hermione appear in the room, the said girl seated next to the ice captain who nodded at her in acknowledgement, who turned to address the Potions Master.

"But, sir. We just learned about red caps and hinkypunks. We're not meant to start werewolves for weeks."

"Quiet." Snape silenced her.

Oblivious to the exchange between Hermione and Snape, Ron turned to his best friend with widened orbs.

"When did she come in? Did you see her come in?" Ron cried, only to have his confusion reflected back at him by Harry who shrugged with just as much confusion. Huffing at the obliviousness of these children, the ice captain once again cursed his fate. He just wanted to stay in Soul Society. Was that really too much to ask?

"Now, which one of you can tell me the difference between an Animagus and a werewolf?" Snape addressed the class aloud, Hermione's hand snapping skyward as the captain merely continued his paperwork, keeping an ear out on the class as he continued.

Without turning as the projector continued to display photographs, Snape drawled in the classroom silence. "No one?"

"How disappointing." The professor's words contradictory to his tone, as he turned to face the class with an exasperated Hermione, who spoke up to Toshiro's concealed disapproval.

She took the obvious bait. Toshiro commented internally as he sighed. Children, they never really see it coming until it blows up in their faces. Especially with students like Granger.

The girl means well, Master. Hyorinmaru countered lightly as Toshiro merely snorted.

And she is still a child after all. Sephiroth added, his just as light.

Perhaps, but good intentions are useless against those who do not share them, regardless of age and otherwise. Toshiro countered back, as the two dragons merely hummed in response.

"Please, sir." Hermione implored as she began. "An Animagus is a wizard who elects to turn into an animal. A werewolf has no choice. With each full moon he transforms, he no longer remembers who he is. He'd kill his best friend if he crossed his path. Furthermore, the werewolf only responds to the call of its own kind."

Only to be interrupted by Malfoy who sat in the middle of the class, right arm still set on a sling, howling in mockery as the stupid muscle boy laughed along with him.

Intercepting, Snape nodded in Malfoy's direction before turning his dark eyes on Granger. "Thank you, Mr. Malfoy."

"That's the second time, you've spoken out of turn, Miss Granger." Snape snapped at her, who looked at her professor with defiant eyes before looking down in shame, which Toshiro easily read without looking up to the girl beside him, his paperwork nearing completion. "Are you incapable of restraining yourself or do you take pride in being an insufferable know-it-all?"

"He's got a point, you know." Ron commented to Harry as Toshiro merely rolled his eyes at the comment, signing a new approval form for new barracks in his division, subtracting the amount from the division's account.

"Five points from Gryffindor." Snape deducted, inciting sighs and laughter from the differing houses as the professor continued his public execution. "As an antidote to your ignorance and on my desk, by Monday morning, two rolls of parchment on the werewolf, with particular emphasis on recognizing it."

It seems that Professor Snape conducts punishment and consequences like I do when straightening out deceitful children. Only in Soul Society's conformity. Toshiro mused airily, as he put away his paperwork, finished in neat scrawls as a familiar protesting voice echoed in the room.

"But, sir;" Potter implored. "It's Quidditch tomorrow."

"Then I suggest you take extra care, Mr. Potter." Snape sneered as he hovered over to Potter's desk. "Loss of limb will not excuse you. Page 394."

Continuing his lecture, the Potions Master came to the podium once again, and after a small exchange of glares with the ice captain, the period continued without incident. As far as the children knew.

Cold pouring rain fell onto the Hogwarts grounds as a majority of the school attended the current Quidditch game that the ice captain had learned; courtesy of Hermione and a indignant Ron who bellowed almost deafeningly of an atrocity of not knowing Quidditch.

The sport was apparently, the most popular game among wizards and witches, equivalent to the Muggles' passion for football; only Quidditch was played on broomsticks. The objective of the game as most games are, was to score more points than the opponents; and in doing so each goal through the goal posts is ten points and the Snitch being one-hundred and fifty points, the game ending when the minuscule golden ball was caught. Each team consisted of seven: three Chasers, who control the Quaffle to score through the goal posts; two Beaters, who keep Bludgers away from their team and aim toward the opposing team through the use of bats; a Keeper, who guards the goal posts from the Chasers to score; and lastly, a Seeker; who is to catch the Golden Snitch.

There are three balls that are employed in the game, Hermione explained to the captain. The first being, the Quaffle, a leather-covered ball that is used to be thrown through the goal posts to score points. Second, came the Bludger, a round jet-black ball consisted of iron and two are used in the game. These balls, unlike the Quaffle were bewitched to fly around and knock players off their brooms. Lastly, came the Golden Snitch. Walnut-sized, it was a golden sphere that had a pair of silvery-wings, the sphere enchanted to move in it's own accordance, pausing or flying in high speeds in it's own accord.

Of course, the wizards would give the position of the greatest importance in the most popular game to Potter. Toshiro thought internally. At least they needed their savior to have confidence.

Declining Hermione's gesture to go to the game, Toshiro merely revealed that he was preoccupied with another appointment. Apparating before the girl could inquire more, the ice captain quickly removed his sling to reveal not only a bandaged arm but dried blood that had seeped through the white.

Curse this mission and the wizards who healed too slowly.

Not giving the bandages a second glance, Toshiro shunpoed into the cave, only to have the screen flicker to life after having a member of the Twelfth Division to connect him to the First Division. On screen was the Head Captain, seated at his chair, the other captains' alined in order; clearly in the midst of a meeting.

"So, you have come Hitsugaya-taicho." The Head Captain greeted, his hands gripped tightly over his cane, all noticing the ice captain's bloodied and bandaged arm. "Report."

"Sir." Toshiro obeyed as he explained the events of the 31st and Sirius's side of the Potters' murder. "The rat as Black claims to be Pettigrew is likely as I have only seen the rat in a glimpse, Hyorinmaru and Sephiroth noted something was rather off however."

"And in regards to the 'heavenly guardian'?"

"The wizards are clever in concealment, sir." Toshiro replied curtly. "All books and the mere mention of the 'heavenly guardian' have been lost and erased in the pages, concealed with limited persons with such knowledge."

Nodding evasively, the Head Captain shifted his attention to the Sixth Division captain. "Kuchiki-taicho, your findings."

"In accordance to the Kuchiki family history and private library, the 'heavenly guardian' is the reincarnation of the original wielder of Hyorinmaru, which is born in the real world every few centuries. However, all other information of the guardian was not recorded." Byakuya reported, his grey eyes steely and indifferent, similar to Toshiro's teal orbs, differing in only iciness.

"In other words, it only tells us no more than what we already know." Soifon concluded, crossing her arms with impatience colored in her onyx orbs, before turning to Ukitake. "And on your end?"

With a sigh, the older white-haired captain spoke up, his kind voice colored with disappointment. "We were only able to uncover that the 'heavenly guardian' would be reincarnated as the wielder of Hyorinmaru and that each would be more powerful and have a greater amount of reiatsu than the last."

Silence enveloped the meeting, as the fact that they were unable to uncover nothing that they already knew when a dark reiatsu alerted the ice captain, who widened his teal orbs a fraction, turning to the cave's mouth. Not going unnoticed by the fellow captains', Soifon spoke up in representation.

"Hitsugaya, what is it?" The petite woman all but demanded, her stern voice icy and stiff.

"Dementors." The ice captain hissed as the gigai contained ice captain shunpoed outside, leaving his colleagues with slight worry, only to be stopped.

"Hitsugaya-taicho!" The Head Captain's sagely voice bellowed, stern and commanding as the ice captain paused in mid-shunpo, head slightly bent to indicate his full attention on his superior, who nodded. "You are to capture one of these Dementors and execute others if necessary. Your highest priority is to see if the speculated entrapped souls maybe saved."

"Sir." Toshiro bowed as he shunpoed out, growling darkly at the sight of several Dementors nearing his enlarged kido barrier.

Shattering the barrier only to reform it with the hollow-like beings inside, Toshiro allowed orange Kido to generate in his hands, forming into a large ball as he chanted aloud.

"Way of Binding: Number 9: Horin!" Toshiro chanted as he held out his pointer and middle fingers, each emitting an orange glow. "Disintegrate, you black dog of Rondanini! Look upon yourself with horror and tear out your own throat!"

At the incantation, the ball became an orange-hued tendril, wrapping itself around the half of the Dementors, the other half too immobilized by other end of the tendril, conjured by the captain's other hand. Conjoining the rattling Dementors to one tendril, the ice captain glared darkly at the assembled six Dementors, hissing at the captain, rattling voices almost as if calling for his soul.

The orange glow dissipating, Toshiro held up his hands in another more powerful kido barrier to be erected, finishing with a small mutter as he isolated a single Dementor as prisoner. Allowing his reiatsu to gather, the ice captain withheld his index finger to the five Dementors as he chanted, firing a pale blue bolt of lightning, disintegrating the soul-sucking creatures in a puff of dust.

"Way of Destruction: Number 4: Byakurai!"

At the stead of the Dementors, a small group of souls with familiar chains clasped onto their chests with grey hexagons looked around in blank confusion, however, not devoid of happiness or lifeless as the captain suspected. Seeing the captain and obviously recognizing his Hogwarts attire, the souls relaxed and neared him, unaware of the white mask growing over their faces, only to have the said 'boy' slash them with his zanpakuto.

Immediately, the souls stopped their hollowfication, masks ruptured as a pair of doors appeared behind the souls. The doors were the Gates of Hell, a pair of gates the ice shinigami had seen more than his fair share of, along with having gone through in. Turning with horror written over their faces, chains dragged the damned wizard and witch souls, the last thing they see the ice captain's indifferent expression, his teal orbs unmoved and unsympathetic.

Toshiro. They were souls that this world had condemned and had declared to be evil. Hyorinmaru soothed in comfort as the ice captain sighed heavily. They were evil in their lives therefore are sent to Hell.

I know. Toshiro replied evenly, his disturbance only evident openly with a single furrowed white brow. But no soul deserves to be condemned in a Dementor like that.

Perhaps not, Toshiro. Sephiroth comforted softly. But their actions in their earthly lives have made others decide that they were to be condoned to this as punishment.

Sighing and silently sending a silent thanks to both of his ice dragons, the ice captain turned to his sole prisoner, struggling in his Kido in vain still eager to suck away the captain's undoubtably delicious soul.

Flicking out his wand immediately after, with a silent Levitation Charm, the ice captain lifted his new prisoner and reappeared before the screen before falling to a small pant, noting how the connection was still strong. Apparently an argument had ensued, two guesses who.

Thanking for the fact that he was not in between the two idiots as usual in nearly every meeting, Toshiro half-lidded his teal orbs and awaited for the eventual cut in by the eldest soul among them.

"Enough of your bickering!" The Head Captain boomed, his voice annoyed as the Eleventh and Twelfth Division captains conceded to their positions, sneering glares exchanged silently. "Hitsugaya-taicho."

"Sir." Toshiro lowering his head in a small bow as he reported. "Fortunately, the speculation that the souls within the dementors were indeed trapped was found to be true and were for the most part unharmed. Kido proves to be most effective in defeating the Dementors and releasing the souls from them."

"Along with this report, I have captured a Dementor for Soul Society to investigate." Toshiro finished, as the Head Captain nodded in approval.

"I shall send someone to retrieve the Dementor, Hitsugaya-taicho." The Head Captain declared in conclusion as the captains retreated to their respective positions, Toshiro standing unmoved, his white wand still in his grip. "You are to continue with your investigation in the Wizarding World and observations of Black, Potter, and this Voldemort."

"Yes sir." Toshiro said with a respectful nod as the screen crackled into darkness, leaving the captain in silence other than the hissing of the sole Dementor.

"I presume that you will be delivering, then?" Toshiro questioned aloud in the dank cave, seeming questioning to no one when a black cat appeared beside him, shunpoing into appearance.

"But of course, Hitsu-chan." Yoruichi meowed in her deep male voice as she flicked her tail at the Dementor. "But I would appreciate you wrapping up the package for me."

With a small sniff, the ice captain obliged before he shunpoed away, leaving a trapped Dementor in a more convenient cage of a small bag that contents fitted in the size of a small room.

Practical was the extent of these wizards' magic. The ice captain swore as he disappeared, rolling his eyes as the two dragons merely chuckled in amusement.

The world was obnoxiously loud when Harry regained his senses after falling off his broom, after another nasty encounter with the Dementors. Not to mention with his revelation of the fact that it may have been his mother's screams that he heard.

"He looks a bit peaky, doesn't he?" That was Ron, for sure.

"Peaky?" That was either George or Fred, Harry could never for the sake of his life ever tell the two mischievous twins apart, not helping with the fact that the twins finished each others' sentences or simply say one says something after the other. "What do you expect? He fell over 100 feet."

"Yeah, come on, Ron. Let's walk you off the Astronomy tower and see what you look like." One of the twins finished off, as Harry wearily opened his eyes to find Seamus, Neville, Ron, Hermione, and the two twins hovering over him, only able to have one thing to say in response.

"Probably a right sight better than he normally does." Harry commented, earning a few sniggers from his audience as he sat up, with Hermione's overly worried face the first he locked eyes with.

"How are you feeling?" She asked, her brown orbs glistening with worry.

"Oh, just brilliant." Harry could not help but snap with bitter sarcasm. He just fell off his bloody broom and had possibly lost the game, how did she think he felt?

"You gave us a right good scare there, mate." One of the twins nodded as Harry pulled on his glasses, gathering his senses.

"What happened?"

"Well, you fell off your broom." Ron stated the obvious, as if he did not figure that much already.

"Really?" Harry questioned rhetorically. "I meant the match. Who won?"

Harry watched as his friends grew uncomfortable, exchanging worried yet disheartened glances at one another before they met his green ones again, Hermione taking the ball.

"Um. No one blames you, Harry." She cleared up to begin, only to make the Boy Who Lived narrow his green orbs at her words, noting the worried glance that Ron shot at her. "The Dementors aren't supposed come inside the grounds. Dumbledore was furious."

Rolling his eyes, Harry was able to piece together what happened to his disappointment being that he had lost them the match, trying to ignore Hermione's words, but they filtered through anyway.

"After he saved you, he sent them straight off."

"There's, uh, something else you should know too, Harry, um." Ron spoke up, his hesitation evident as the addressed Chosen One finally noticed the bundle that his red-head best friend held.

Do not tell me that's my… Harry thought as he met with all of his friends' gazes, their looks away from his own only confirming his fears. All because of those Dementors…

"When you fell…your broom…it…sort of…blew into the Whomping Willow, and…" Ron trailed off as he unwound the bundle to allow the thought that his broom was truly and utterly no more, Ron picking picking up the snapped end of his broom as he continued to put his words lightly. "Well…"

"Broke." Harry deadpanned as he fell back on the pillows with a plop.

Harry remained in Hospital Wing as his friends were finally ushered out of the wing by Madam Pomfrey, the only thing filtering through to his bustling mind was Hermione's news of how Wood had declined to the Hufflepuff captain's proposal of a rematch, as if it were a form of self-punishment. Not even noticing the many minuscule cuts that were were beginning to heal due to Madam Pomfrey's handiwork, the Chosen One turned to lay on his side to only find the very last person he would expect to find at the bed beside him.

"Hitsugaya?" Harry addressed the white-haired transfer, watching the transfer with careful eyes. "What are you doing here?"

The transfer turned to face him, his teal orbs expressionless yet hinted with a tinge of annoyance, snowy white locks damp undoubtably due to the pouring rain outside. The transfer did not even have his cloak on properly. The said cohort wore only his white uniform shirt, pants, his scarf to conceal himself from the cold with his cloak shouldered over, barely on him. Yet the boy looked almost comfortable in his icy condition.

"Consider it, Potter. What would someone being doing in the Hospital Wing?" Toshiro answered with a question, raising an eyebrow at the rather stupid question.

Blushing, Harry forced his anger to cool.

"Sorry, that was a stupid question." Harry smiled sheepishly as the transfer merely nodded, which Harry had a feeling he did not fool the transfer at all. A silence enveloped between the two as the younger of the two tried to study and select the correct the questions to address the captain, who merely ignored him.

"Mr. Hitsugaya?" Madam Pomfrey addressed the captain, who turned to the healer, as she broke Harry from his thoughts. "I am glad that you have heeded my recommendation to see me later in the day. Although, you have come at a late time."

"My apologies, Madam Pomfrey." Hitsugaya said with no change in his expression, his voice still icy enough to send chills up Harry's spine. And his words were not even directed toward him, not to mention even hostile. "But it seems as I was walking on the grounds, I had an encounter of unfavorable conditions, noting the loss of my sling."

It was only then that the Chosen One had noticed that the transfer's right arm was obscured from his sight, hidden within his cloak, much like how one of the white-haired transfer's teal orbs was obscured from time to time.

"Well, then." Madam Pomfrey nodded as she seemed to catch onto something Harry obviously had not, pulling the white curtains that surrounded each bed to administer privacy if need be. "I presume we would need a bit of privacy for your check-up."

And that was all that Harry could make out as the transfer's and healer's voices muffled by the curtains, even their silhouettes masked to the green-eyed boy's dismay.