An Exchange Student at Hogwarts

[Jessy753]

@See Me Play 0715


As the term had already began a bit of normality was back in Hogwarts. The students had been gotten used to the lessons and homework again as well as the pranks from the Weasley twins. The only thing that was off was their new teacher for Defense of Dark Arts. Professor Umbridge was worse than Snape and that said a lot to most students in Hogwarts. No one liked Snape but Umbridge had managed to become the most hated person in school within the first few days of school year.


Hermione was seated in the Great Hall for dinner as some first years entered the room and rushed passed them to their friends on the Gryffindor table. They looked excited about something that had earlier occurred. Rumor had it that some first year had accidentally started to burn Snape's robe and got detention. "I swear those first years are becoming smaller and smaller each year!", Ron commented as one of them rushed passed them on their way. Hermione just rolled her eyes and looked at her friend as she replied "I doubt they are smaller than you.. I mean we all grow up and don't stay the same height from back when we were 11."


Ron retorted something to that but Hermione wasn't paying attention to whatever her best friend had to say. She had spotted a new student or she assumed that it was a student. His green scarf made him look like a Slytherin but Hermione could swear that she hadn't seen him on the grounds before. It made him look a little like a Weasley within Slytherin clothes even though his hair were lighter than her friends. "Do you guys know him?", she asked and nodded over to the person, who had just entered the Great Hall. Apparently other students had spotted him as well because people were looking into his direction and mumbling things.

 

[See Me Play 0715]

Ichigo Shiba-Kuchiki was a transfer student to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Why he had to go alone was beyond him. Something about trouble brewing up that he needed to take care of. He had been late, seeing as the beginning of the new term had already started. Not to mention he'd only draw attention to himself. Sighing lightly to himself, he was fidgeting with the school uniform he had been made to wear. The stupid thing. It was too layered and too constricting. At least he was allowed to bring his own clothes to wear.


Entering the Great Hall, seeing as introductions were to be made then, he looked around at all the students looking back at him. He was the new comer after all. His hair was orange. A bright orange. Brighter than the Weasleys, and he did see hair deeper than his at the red table. Well at least his hair colour won't arise fights. His hair was slightly longer towards the back and a little less wild. His eyes were a chocolate brown, though they were far from soft. Around his neck, he had a green silk scarf, covering up markings on his neck. In his hair, he had a small swallowtail butterfly ornament. He was about 5'9'' and seemed rather muscled. His face and body looked that of a fifteen year old, though his eyes told a different story. They said he was older than he looked.


Looking around, he tried to locate the one in charge which was rather difficult when the whole castle was reiatsu enriched. His eyes landed on the head table where he assumed were all the teachers were. They were elder than everyone here, and he supposed that would be true. His own age as rather skewed. He knew how old he was, but it didn't really matter. He looked like the students and that all that really mattered. All he hoped was that he did not get paperwork soon, because that would be hell to do right now. Sighing lightly, he pinched the bridge of his nose before walking regally towards the table.

 

[Jessy753]

Hermione watched the orange haired boy a moment as she considered walking up to him. After all it was her duty as a perfect to make sure everything was alright and she guessed greeting newcomers as well. Both of her friends denied knowing him and seemed more occupied with their dinner than what was happening. Especially Ron, who just loved his dinner. It even drew her nuts because he wasn't one to eat normally but more like a pig. Hermione was about to get up from her place as she guessed it wouldn't hurt welcoming the new student as he seemed a little lost. But as soon as he moved to the teacher's podium, she slowly sank back down onto the bench.


Dumbledore was eyeing the new arrival for a moment before getting up to welcome his new student. He had been owled about a new student arriving at Hogwarts a few weeks prior. Ignoring Umbridge, who eyed him and the new student rather curious, he slowly made his way around the teacher's table towards the boy. "Welcome at Hogwarts the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.", he greeted him as his light blue eyes scanned him for a moment before resting at the boy's face as he continued to speak "I'm Professor Dumbledore, the headmaster of this school. You must be Ichigo Shiba-Kuchiki?" There was a gentle smile playing on his lips as he waited for the boy to speak for a moment.


Hermione was watching the scene at the front of the Hall. Dumbledore was speaking to the orange haired boy and she was getting curious about what they were talking. "Do you think Dumbledore expected him to come?", she randomly asked. Harry nodded as he looked at Dumbledore and Ichigo as well "I think so. Dumbledore knows everything going on here after all, 'Mione..." Her friend had a point with that. So she nodded.

 

[See Me Play 0715]

Ichigo could feel everything and could almost sense everything around him. This was a good thing that he was getting better at sensing people. Because if he didn't, well it could end badly for him. And the people around him. That was something the he vowed on not doing. He'd protect every single person he vowed to protect. The old man with the long beard came around to greet him and introduce himself and the school. What was with that anyway? Even the Gramps back at home hand a bloody long beard. Did it have some sort of magical properties or what? It confused him to no end.


When he was face to face with him, arms were by his side and he bowed in respect and greeting of the man. Did not want to seem impolite. It could really mess up his cover story if he wasn't. Standing up straight again, he nodded his head. “Aa, I am Shiba-Kuchiki Ichigo. Ski for short. My name is much longer than just that. Stupid elders thinking they need it for official purposes.” He muttered underneath his breath. After a moment, he looked at the other teachers. “I am sure you got the reasoning for my sudden appearance here from Jii-san.” He asked the old man. Surely Jii-san (Gramps) would have sent word forward.


His English was near perfect but you could hear his accent in the words. It was faint but it was there. In his line of work, he had to be fluent in the languages of the places that he governed. Otherwise what was the point in that. He had people from all places under his command, it would not do to not be able to understand them or be able to read what they have written. Plus that was easily combated by saying that he studied English as a second language since he was young.

 

[Jessy753]

Dumbledore grinned slightly at his remark because of his name. But he didn't comment on it as it seemed like he wasn't talking to him. "I have indeed received a letter and of course replied to it.", he replied to him nodding slightly. Dumbledore had replied to said letter with the required information about his stay. "I assume you must be hungry from your journey to our school", Dumbledore spoke and continued "The necessities of being sorted into a house can wait until dinner, I suppose. We will require to meet at my office for this. Miss Granger over there is one of our perfects and will be gladly helping you on your stay" He gestured towards a brunette girl being seated at the Gryffindor table while he spoke about Hermione.


Hermione's bushy hair was bushier than normally. So it stood out from the people surrounding her. She was still watching Dumbledore and the new boy as she didn't want to join the conversation about Quidditch, which had slowly settled in. As soon as Dumbledore gestured and looked at her. She got up from her chair and slowly walked over. She had a feeling that she was required based on Dumbledore's behavior. So, she slowly walked over to them.


"Ahh... Miss Granger.", Dumbledore greeted her and continued "I'm sure you can help Mr. Shiba-Kuchiki to both find his way in the castle and during his stay?" "Of course, sir", she replied dutifully before turning to the boy. She extended her hand with a warm smile and introduced herself "Hi, I'm Hermione Granger."

 

[See Me Play 0715]

Ichigo nodded his head at the reply that he got. He was a little hungry, he needed the food to power his energy. Without that to fuel it, he was gone. And while he could keep going longer than almost everyone back at home, it wouldn't do if he didn't eat. Resting didn't matter as much. He could still go. “I am hungry, we can do as such after dinner then.” Bowing once again to him, he looked at the girl with the bushy hair. She was an... infant, or so they would say.


“Konbanwa, Granger-San.” Ichigo bowed at her when she introduced herself. He did not take her hand though, it was a western thing and it was not right in his custom. “It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Shiba-Kuchiki Ichigo, or Ichigo or Ski. Whatever you prefer.” He said. Once the introductions were over, he followed her back to the table. The red one. The one he had noticed with all the red-heads on. Well he supposed he would fit in.


Giving them a warm smile, his eyes flashed a golden colour on white before going back to normal. “Konbanwa.” He greeted. It was the greeting for the evening. They had three 'hello' greetings. One for the morning, one for the afternoon and one for the evening. It was odd, but he didn't question it at all. They grew up that way so it was nothing out of the blue. Eyeing all the food, he went for curry, seeing as he knew he would enjoy it. Rice was there as well and he put on his plate. Bringing out a fully black wand, he waved it and the knife and fork turned into chopsticks. There was no incantation for it, just more of a will sort of thing.

 

[Jessy753]

Hermione awkwardly drew her hand back. She wasn't sure, if it was common to bow as well. So, she more or less did so not wanting to appear rude towards him. "Pleasure's all mine and call me Hermione or 'Mione, please", she replied smiling warm at him. She wondered where he was from based on how he behaved during the introduction and the foreign words. Until now, she couldn't tell where he was from as he didn't seem to actually have an accent. "So, where are you from?", she asked him as she attended to do small talk while they walked back to where Hermione was seated minutes before.


There were curious gazes as they made their way to the Gryffindor table. It was apparent that the students were wondering who that stranger was and he seemed to be too young to be send to Hogwarts to help Umbridge by the Ministry. Hermione was able to hear the students muttering about Ichigo. But she wasn't sure if she should apologize for it or simply ignore it the way he was.


"Konban.. what?", Ron asked irritated and looked at the stranger. That earned him a strict gaze from Hermione as she went to ignore the comment. "Folks, this is Ichigo... Ichigo these are Harry, Ron, Ginny, Neville...", she introduced the lot to him as she sat back down on her space. The ones, who were not busy with their dinner, greeted him and the others just gave him a simple wave to not be impolite. Hermione thought about how to start a conversation and include him into their conversation as he went to transfigure his silverware into chopsticks.

 

[See Me Play 0715]

“Granger-san, Potter-san and...you...” Ichigo said after he found he didn't know the boy's surname. Not that he'd remember it if he was told it. He'd forget in a while. So it didn't matter to him right now. “I am from Karakura in Japan. Well sort of. I was born there I think.” He shrugged his shoulders and started to eat the food on his plate. The food was finished rather quickly and he dished out more. More spirit power meant more food to keep enough in reserves and at full strength.


Seeing how she acted when they had arrived as everyone started to whisper and mumble about who he was. He could hear most of it and he didn't care. He got the same back at home so it didn't really matter to him. This was something that he could easily deal with, ignore it if he had to. “Don't worry about the whispers and the mumbles. It is easily ignored if you block it out.” Turning to the red head. “Konbanwa. Good Evening. A greeting. Though I suppose you don't have polite greetings as we do.” The boy reminded him of Renji.


Closing his eyes for a long moment, he sensed and felt and remembered the three's spiritual pressure so they would easily be located no matter where he was to them. It would be a little difficult with the place bursting with spirit pressure but it was easily conceivable so it was nothing too bad. If he could do this in the Soul Society then this should be a peace of cake. He was on his third plate, just finishing off when everything vanished and out came sweets and dessert. He was so glad Nel or Yachiru was no here with him. Because then that meant a sugar high. Christ... That was not something that he wanted to deal with at all.


“So this school of yours, has it got records of past students?” He asked them. His mother was a Witch and a Quincy. So maybe she had came here to learn about her powers before going back for her final year at Karakura High. That's when she met his father.

 

[Jessy753]

"Ron Weasley...", Ron answered because of the 'you' even though he didn't mind. He watched the boy for a moment. Something about him was a little off to Ron as he continued with a shrug "I s'ppose 'Good evening' is as polite as it gets around here." Hermione continued with her dinner as soon as Ichigo was seated as well. She didn't eat as much as Ichigo did. Sometimes she wondered where boys stuffed all those food as Ichigo seemed to have the same amount of appetite which Ron had.


She recognized his gaze towards the dessert as the conversation of the boys drifted back to Quidditch. "Don't worry...", she answered smiling at him and continued to explain "We don't always have dessert.. It's just for special occasions. It seems like Dumbledore has awaited your arrival." She smiled as she took a piece of the apple pie on her plate. She had her first bite of it as Ichigo asked about the records.


"Oh, yes, they do. Upstairs in the library", she answered and offered" Do you need anything in praticular? I might be able to help you. If you want to I can show you around in Hogwarts after your appointment with Dumbledore or just show you the way to the library..." Hermione still remembered her first days in Hogwarts. The castle was a labyrinth, in which you were able to become easily lost if you didn't know where to go.

 

[See Me Play 0715]

Ichigo looked at him and nodded his head. “Well it is good to see that you have manners around here. It would not be good to be rude to your guests. Even if I am staying here for the majority of the year. I just hope they don't send me work to do when I am here straight away. It would make my life much harder. The stupid peace of shitting general.” He muttered under his breath.


Looking around at the desserts, he tried to see what he recognised. There was a lot of western desserts that he found and were okay but he much preferred the Japanese ones. “Oh, it's not that I don't like sweets as such, it is more of the fact that I have one person under my care that gets a very big sugar rush. Not to mention some of the others as well. It's hopeless sometimes.” When he saw the Dango and Taiyaki, his eyes lit up. Taking a few sticks of the sticky dango and a few of the fish shaped cakes. These were among his favourite back home. Stacking his plate with them, he was very happy with it.


“Oh I do. I want to see for my other.” Ichigo told her, tilting his head. “She was a Witch and I am pretty sure she studied here in England when she was a girl. I just want to see if there are any records of here being here. I have her stuff with me in my belongings. She has a journal with all her notes and other workings. By what I have seen, she has invented a lot of potions and spells in her school days when she was younger. And that would be well. I have yet to know anything about her school life though. That is in another journal that I have not looked through just yet.”

 

[Jessy753]

"I doubt they will spare you with homework...", she replied hearing his muttering as she continued "there had been quite a change in the ranks of the teachers since Umbride has arrived. The woman in the pink clothes... She's a pain in the bottom so far I can tell. She's been sent by the Ministry. So, you probably shouldn't get in her way" Her tone was a little warning as Hermione couldn't tell yet what Umbridge was doing here besides representing the Ministry. The way she had been behaved the last few days weren't exactly foreshadowing anything good.


"Under your care?", Hermione wondered with a frown. For the first time, she actually wondered how old the boy next to her was. She had estimated him to be around the same age as she was. But that wouldn't mean he actually took care of anyone. She didn't ask anything further and guessed she would need to make a little investigation of her own. It might take time because he was from Japan but she would probably succeed anyway.


Hermione nodded and guessed his mother was deceased by the way he spoke about her. "Well, I'm sure that there will be trace of your mother in the library, if she ever wandered around those hallways.", she told him with a smile and continued encouraging "to be exact those registers you are looking for a well sorted. Maybe if you have a clue in which graduation class she was in, you might even be able to find something like a year book." Her eyes lit up with excitement as he mentioned what his mother had accomplished while being in school. "Your mother seems to be a really remarkable witch. Maybe you could show me some of those spells and potions, if you don't mind?", she asked him hopeful.

 

[See Me Play 0715]

Ichigo looked at her and sighed. “Well that is just brilliant. It will mean that I have homework from here on top of work from him and any other stupid things they decided to give me. And don't worry about Gama-basu. She is of no concern to me. I am under protection of the Japan Federal Government of Magic. She can do nothing to me. Plus she is probably a weak one out of all the teachers on that table anyway. She is fine. Plus I can always scare her silly to stop in what she is sent here to do.”


Ichigo heard the murmur of that question and sighed. He had slipped up, but as long as the child did not ask anymore questions about it, it would be fine. All the documents that they would find on him would be forged. A personal favour from the scientist. They said what people would want to hear. And they were encrypted. So it would take a while to translate. Which would be a very good thing.


“That I do not know. I am unsure of when she came. But she talked of a school. That is all I know of. Spells and potions and other things that she had in that book.” Ichigo murmured before he gripped tightly on his wands. On both of them. Tilting his head to the side, as if he was listening for something, he nodding his head. “I can show you after I have translated them. Translation spells will not work on them.” Wincing lightly, he stood up abruptly and disappeared for a moment. He appeared almost as fast as he was gone, though this time he had a brown folder in his hands. He did not disapparate though from everyone else's view, it probably seemed like that.”

 

[Jessy753]

"What are you going to do here?", she asked him curious as she took another bite of her apple pie. After Hermione had swallowed she continued "Apparently you're not here to attend school after all. I mean or else you wouldn't complain about homework and having work to do..." This visit from Ichigo seemed to be getting stranger and stranger every minute to her. She looked at him like he was a puzzle to solve for a minute. Within the next few seconds, she decided that she would definitely do some research on the boy.


"Who was it again you said was under your care?", she asked him normally almost seemingly like she was just doing small talk. She smiled at him as her mind was already ahead of her going through the possibilities of where to begin with her research. Of course, it would be a difficulty to translate possible documents or simply datas from Japan to English but that was probably nothing a simple translation charm wouldn't master. After all, she wouldn't be Hermione Granger, if she wouldn't master such things.


Hermione watched the strange behavior of Ichigo but stayed quiet over him. "Do you know when your mother is born?", she asked and continued "It would make the research easier because we would simply add 11 years and look for the first years from that year to look through the students." She blinked as suddenly Ichigo disappeared and within seconds reappeared with something in his hands. Obviously he hadn't been able to disapparate after all no one was able to neither apparate nor disapparate. Everyone, who had read the book about the history of Hogwarts, knew that fact. "What.. where...", she mumbled and looked at his folder. "What did just happen?", she asked him clearly confused.

 

[See Me Play 0715]

“I am studying here as part of my course at my other school. I was complaining about having to do all the homework set here and all the homework they will send me to make sure I am caught up.” Ichigo told her, not wanting anyone to hear that he wasn't exactly human. And not in that sense either. He wasn't suppose to exist at all and yet here he was. So he wouldn't like this to get out or it could be his head on the line. Something that he really didn't want happening at all. It wasn't as if Central 46 didn't have enough to get you.


“I said nothing about who was under my care.” He said, not mentioning Nel or any of the other people he had to supervise. It would really not end well for him. The sudden change in her spirit pressure was like some people he knew back at home. She was going to want information from him. And if she did not get it from him then she was going to go looking for it. It was a good thing that there were little to no books or information on where he came from so that should hopefully be okay.


“My mother would have been born in 1959 and I would have been born in 1980 I think it was. I don't really remember. Everything before my ninth birthday is a bit of a blur. I do not remember much.” He replied after he returned. Looking at the expression on her face and those around her, he laughed. “Well this is something that I would have thought to not be a surprise to you lot. I went outside. Needed to get the file from someone. They've gone now so don't worry about it.”

 

[Jessy753]

This whole exchange thing seemed to be weirder and weirder with every passing moment. Hermione had never heard of any exchange programs within the wizard school around the world. She would need to do some research on that as well. It would not only interesting from where Ichigo came but also to her. Maybe she was able to participate on an exchange one day. The only time that actually schools had visited Hogwarts had been for the Twiwizard tournament last year. But apart from that at least Hogwarts hadn't participated in something liked that. There were question over question, which needed some answers.


Hermione nodded slightly even though she was not satisfied with his answer regarding his protégés. The way he behaved around this whole thing seemed to her like he had accidentally let something slip through. She was growing more and more suspicious with each passing moment because he was acting so strange and she wouldn't blame that on the cultural differences. There was something different and she was afraid it had something to do with Death Eaters and Voldemort. After all, the ministry had done nothing than calling Dumbledore and Harry liars after both had declared that Voldemort was back and now Umbridge was here as well. This school year seemed to start 'interesting'.


Hermione just looked puzzled at him. Who didn't know when one was born?, she wondered but stayed quiet over that. She didn't want to seem rude to this boy. "Actually it is strange..", she replied cautiously and informed him "No one is able to apparate or disapparate within the walls of Hogwarts. There are protection spells around the castle and its properties. Hence, the only way for people to move from A to B is walking or flying on a broom... How did you manage that?" She was amazed by his ability but also confused. Hermione took a glance at the brown folder in his hand once more. She tried to take a glance, if there was some kind of information written on it.

 

[See Me Play 0715]

The only person that actually knew of why he was truly here and what he actually was. That person was the headmaster and he knew that he would keep his secret quiet and will only tell who will need to know. And that was it. The rest fell on him. Fell on him to keep quiet and go through this whole mission without saying anything. This was the best cover story for him. Being a transfer student for the year would be the best thing for this mission to go smoothly. Taking a deep breath, he smiled at them and shrugged his shoulders lightly.


It was a good thing that he was not apart of the second because then he would have messed up on a lot of missions regarding this. He would not have been able to handle keeping his mouth shut like this. Shaking his head at the thought, he was glad that he was in charge of the third instead. This mission was to do with Tom Riddle, and Tom Riddle only. He would get all the information and try to get everything sorted out and try to deal with the problem. If he needed backup, then he would ask for backup. But only then. Otherwise he would try to resolve the problem himself and hopefully nothing else would happen.


“I didn't apparate or disapparate or whatever it is that you had mentioned. I don't know how to do that. I was never taught. That was a technique that I have been able to do for a long time, but is taught at the Academy. All I simply did was move fast. It is called Shunpo, or flash step. It allows me to move quicker than an untrained eye can see. There is nothing to much more to it.” Ichigo said, finishing off his dessert and opening the brown file. Looking through each page and skim reading them. Once he was satisfied with what he read, he called out a black butterfly and opened the pocket dimension from the antennas on the butterfly. Then he instructed it in Japanese to go where his room would be. Then it sauntered off through the walls and disappeared out of sight.

 

[Jessy753]

She looked genially interested in this thing called Shunpo. It might come in handy sometime. "Is that some kind of Japanese magic?", she asked him interested and excited to learn something new. She smiled at him but looked a little confused over his butterfly device. No one really saw technology inside the halls of Hogwarts. So, this was interesting to her.


Ichigo was obviously more planning than simply attempting courses. That much she could tell and Hermione wasn't about to offer her help. He obviously didn't want it or else he wouldn't act so mysterious and she had enough to do with the other things on her mind. Her friends were saying good bye and she waved after them, staying behind with Ichigo. With a glance to the teacher's table, Hermione recognized that Dumbledore was already gone and guessed they could start moving as well.


Hermione sighed as she ate the rest of her apple pie and the rest of the students were slowly leaving the Great Hall to either go to their common rooms or whatever they wanted to do before curfew. She looked around before turning to Ichigo once more. "Just tell me when you want to go to Dumbledore.. I can show you the way and maybe wait in front of his office? I'll need to go to the library anyways. Hence, I can show you the way and maybe also the way to where your quarters will be?", she suggested, having no secret thoughts behind that this time.

 

[See Me Play 0715]

“I suppose you could say that. I mean I never actually learnt it at the Academy, then again I never went to the Academy in the first place. Long story short, the answer is yes and no.” Ichigo said, looking around as he saw other people leaving the room. “I can see you are confused by the butterfly. We call them Jigokuchou or Hell Butterflies in English. They open up a pocket dimension to carry things. They will only respond to those who it is intended for so they cannot be intercepted. That is one type of butterfly. The other type is for messages. Verbal messages. Sort of like you would use email or a letter. Or a walkie talkie.


“Again saying that, it will go to only those it is intended for. So it cannot be intercepted. Almost all the butterflies that you will see will be black. But there are other colours that you will see, depending on who is sending it. There is the black with green which is typically my butterfly. Well it is an indicator of the Shiba Family. There is a black with pink which is Byakuya's butterfly, it is an indicator of the Kuchiki Family. Black with blue is Yoruichi's family, the Shiohin Family. And black with red is the other family's butterfly. The four noble families.” He explained the butterfly function and colours. “Oh but the whole genetic makeup of them is not my area. So you'd have to ask someone else about that.”


Seeing that the headmaster had disappeared but he found was still in the castle, he smiled softly. “We can go see him now. Get this meeting done and over with. I can get that sorted and go find out if my mother was a student here or not.” He murmured, standing up and nodding his head. “Lead the way, Granger-san.” He said, wincing lightly at the noise in his head.


((Sorry about the delay. I have been out the whole day.))

 

[Jessy753]

(Oh, no worries at all)


"Oh, that's really interesting! I wish people would teach something like Shunpo here at Hogwarts. It could be really useful...", she answered smiling lightly. Hermione listened intently to him as he explained that butterfly thing and nodded occasionally. Moreover, she looked at the device once more. "That device sounds very useful. Especially because it works here at Hogwarts. Normal technical Muggle devices normally don't work inside these walls. It must have something to do with magic, I suppose.", she explained and asked genially interested "Do those colors have anything to do with those families?"


"Alright... Please call me Hermione.", she slowly stood up as he winced and asked a bit concerned "Are you alright?" But nevertheless she slowly walked out of the Great Hall with him towards the moving stairs. "You have to be a little cautious with those... They do what they want and randomly decide to switch their ways. As you can see they move... They have brought me and my friends into trouble before", she told him the last thing to lighten up his mood a little.


Slowly they made their way towards Dumbledore's office and stopped in front of the gargoyle, which protected the entry to the headmaster's office. "Has he told you the password to his office?", she asked with a gentle smile. From experience she knew that the gargoyle wouldn't help them even if it was very urgent. "Without password we won't be able to enter his office...", she explained slowly.

 

[See Me Play 0715]

“I am unsure whether it will work for you lot. The flesh is a heavy burden to be carrying around with you. It takes years of practice to be able to do so in flesh. It took me a long while to do that, and I learnt from the very best. The Flash Step Goddess. I doubt I would be very good if I hadn't.” He murmured, and listened to what she said about the butterflies. “Oh they are not technology. They are actually butterflies. Just modified by a mad scientist. There is nothing magical about them. They need a little bit of spirit energy to allow butterfly to come to you. Normally they will find their way to the person it is for. And I suppose it does.” Turning his head to show her the emerald green ornament in weaved into his hair. “This is the symbol for the Shiba clan. A green butterfly. The scarf is of the Kuchiki Clan. It shows that I have become apart of that clan through marriage. The Kuchiki butterfly used to be black and white but they changed it due to the Sakura petals that Byakuya's sword imitates. The Shihoin Clan is black and blue due to them being in charge of the special ops and all round very good with manipulating life energy.”


“Calling you by your first name means I know you well. I have known my own friends for a very long time and I still call my own nakama by their surnames. And don't worry. Shiro is running a riot in my head right now.” He murmured, not realising that he was giving away so much information. Watching the stairs, he grinned. “Now this is more like it. They won't bother me, especially since we have a little trick to walk and stand on air. So I will be fine by this. Besides, I'll be quick going up the stairs.” He laughed, thinking that this would be the most fun he'd had in a long while. It would be fun to see moving stairs in the Soul Society.


When they made their way to his office he saw the gargoyle that was seemingly made of stone. Though he knew that was not the case. It was his alive as the stairs they had just come up on. The moving staircase. And the moving pictures. Oh that would be a nightmare if Seireitei Communications got the technique to do that. It would be horrendous. Especially if Rukia's drawings got in there. “You say that as if it is a problem for someone who is not human. Walking through walls is a speciality.” He grinned at her. “Want to come along?” He asked her, going up to the gargoyle and he touched the stone which soon came to life. “But saying that, it would be goo to have the password. I don't know it.”

 

[Jessy753]

"Actual butterflies?", she asked surprised and looked interested at the one he showed her. But she couldn't help than feel sorry for those poor creatures. She bit back an remark as she was sure that those small animals would prefer flying around in the nature than actually serve as communication devices. "You're married? I mean I don't know much about the Japanese culture and laws. But isn't it illegal to be married in your age?", she asked him dumbfounded as she glanced at him.


Hermione listened to him and explained "Well, here in Britain it's more common to call people by their first name. Especially when they're in the same age. You call your elder people by their surname out of respect. But of course do as you feel most comfortable with" She wondered who or what a Shiro is. But somehow it seemed it was better not to comment on that. She chuckled at his comment over the moving stairs. "Well, the third floor is forbidden for everyone, who doesn't wish to die a painful death. Hence, just be careful that you don't step in there. It's forbidden for students to be there." Hermione wasn't sure, if Fluffy, the three headed mystical creature, was still in there but she had no desire to actually find it out and she doubted that Ichigo would want to find that out either.


"The password is mostly just a random word or some sort of sweets.", Hermione explained and continued "Dumbledore likes those kind of passwords." Slowly she walked through the passageway, which magically had appeared. "Well, for the students in Hogwarts it's actually a problem walking through walls... We're no ghosts.", she explained with a slight chuckled and gestured him to knock as she stopped in front of Dumbledore's door. "I can wait outside, if you prefer to Dumbledore on your own?", she offered.

 

[See Me Play 0715]

“They are actually butterflies, but they are given freedom within their pen so they don't get lost. Most of the time we can easily produce them with a bit of spiritual pressure. They are not hurt and they are made for this purpose. They are not easily killed and have to be disposed of in a proper way if they are too injured to carry on. They are perfectly fine, and we do not abuse them. They get the proper care.” Ichigo told her and smiled slightly when she exclaimed about being married. “Well normally it would be, I guess. Well what I know of this country, it is fine to marry under the legal age if there is consent from their parents. But it had to be done. I am the head of the family and I had to be wedded off. It was a requirement of my duties for the clan. I don't mind. He is not stifling and actually allows me to go out. He was very apprehensive of allowing me to go for a year.”


The teen laughed at that. “Ah that's the thing with me. I call my friends by their surnames, but people like Byakuya and Rukia and my father and all of them, they are way older than me. They have to earn my respect into calling them their proper titles. Well except for Byakuya, he won't get that. Not when I have to share a bed with him. Which reminds me I should probably make it up to him and produce an heir for him. It would make him and the elders happy.” He giggled lightly, shaking his head a little. “Don't worry about it. And I saw a forest outside. That would be a perfect place to train and make sure I don't lose my shape or edge. That won't bode well. I'd sooner be killed by one of them if I do. God, even Shiro would try and take my crown, metaphorically speaking of course.”


Nodding his head in regards to the passwords, and he'd try to make sure he'd remember all the passwords. “Of course, thank you for telling me that. I shall keep that in mind.” Knocking on the door. “You are welcomed to come in of course. All that is happening is my sorting and my placing of where I am staying for the year. Most likely warnings. I doubt he will say anything that shouldn't be said, and if he does want to talk about it, then he will ask me another time.” He murmured, as he was given leave for enter. He'd hardly do this back at home.

 

[Jessy753]

Hermione still frowned at that thought. Especially because wizards were saying the same things about house elves and Dobby was the best example that not everyone felt the same. The only difference was that those butterflies weren't able to raise their voice because they weren't able to talk. She crinkled her mouth at that thought but dropped it for another time.


"I have to disappoint you because of that forest.", she told him dutifully and continued "It's called the Forbidden Forest and you can take a wild guess why it's called 'forbidden'. It's forbidden to go inside the forest because dangerous creatures live inside its shadows" She looked at him for a moment and wondered how old he actually was. Because talking about children like that and being married was hardly something that was on a mind of a 15 year old boy.


Hermione followed Ichigo inside as soon as Dumbledore had called them. "Ahh.. Mister Shiba-Kuchiki and Miss Granger.", she greeted them with a gentle smile. "I see you two get along pretty well.", he spoke with a glisten in his blue eyes as he took a glance at both. "Good evening, Sir.", she greeted her head master back. The sorting hat was placed on his desk and Dumbledore gestured for them to sit down opposite his desk on the chairs. "I'm afraid that this will be not as formal as the sorting normally is. Hopefully, you don't mind.", Dumbledore spoke towards Ichigo.

 

[See Me Play 0715]

Ichigo saw that the girl had frowned at his explanation concerning the butterflies. “Well I have seen your mailing system. You use owls. Where is the difference there? They are used for communications and carrying packages. We just have more security on ours by no one being able to intercept them.” He said. “You give them their freedom. You give them their food. Our butterflies are designed like that. They guide us through the middle world. A faster way to get where we want to be.”


When he heard about the forest, he grinned even wider. If no one would come in there then it would be the perfect place to train. It would make his life much easier. “Oh that would be fine. Nothing scares me. I deal with soul eating monsters for a living. A couple of creatures don't scare me.” He smiled at her, and smiled at the headmaster when he called them in.


“Good evening, Jii-san.” Ichigo greeted, calling the old man Gramps. It was the best he could remember, seeing as he was utterly hopeless with remember names. “Don't worry on my account. I would rather it be in the privacy of this office instead of in front of the whole school. I would rather not get ridiculed for being too long to place or where I get placed.” He said as he sat down on the chair the old headmaster gestured to. “What do I have to do? Is there any tests or what?”

 

[Jessy753]

"That is true..", she answered nodding at that thought. Ichigo had a point that it was a similar to the owling system, the wizards had connected. "I suppose those butterflies are even more useful than the owls. Even though we consider them more as friends than a communication system", she slowly added and a small smile formed on her lips.


"With that sentiment you'll get removed points quicker than anything as well as detention. In Hogwarts we have a points system. If you break the rules, a professor or a perfect has to minus points from your house and if you do something extraordinary, a professor will add points to the house you're sorted into.", she explained and continued joking a little "And being a perfect myself. I have to say that I didn't hear that statement, have I?"


Hermione sat down as well, looking around in Dumbledore's office. It had been a while since she was last in here. Dumbledore shook his head. "Nothing like that. I will place the Sorting on your head and he will decide into which house you'll be sorted. In Hogwarts we have four houses: Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin", he explained and continued "Each house stands for different treats within a student and based on these treats you'll be sorted." Hermione chipped in and explained "For example my house, Gryffindor, stands for bravery, daring, chivalry and nerve. Than there's Hufflepuff which values the loyalty, fair play and patience. Ravenclaw on the other hand values intelligence, knowledge and wit. And lastly there's Slytherin and those traits are ambition, cunning and resourcefulness" She crinkled her mouth at the mention of Slytherin and Dumbledore nodded appreciating. "So, are you ready, Mr. Shiba-Kuchiki?", he asked him and lifted the Sorting Head from his desk before placing it on the head of his new student.