Happenstance by Sage McMae

Chapter 1

Prologue

Once is happenstance, twice is coincidence, and three times is enemy action. - Ian Flemming

All children are born with wonder in their eyes and hope in their hearts. When Kagome Higurashi was born, she had both of these traits. Yet, there was something different about the Higurashis' first born child. Their newborn was gifted with an additional attribute. She was blessed with magic in her soul. 

Like most children, Kagome entered the world crying. She was instantly comforted by her parents. No one noticed the faint pink glow around the baby or the way her crystal blue eyes surveyed the room with far more understanding than a newborn should possess. No one surrounding her that day— not the nurse who had cleaned her up nor any of her family members— understood what Kagome was.

Except for her grandmother.

Haruka Higurashi recognized the pulse of power in the infant’s aura. The energy was as raw as lightning and as deep as thunder. It would take years to tame.

She gave her congratulations to her son and daughter-in-law before excusing herself from the room. Haruka’s husband, Ginzou, shot her a look but it did not dissuade her. If her instincts were correct, there was no time to waste. The mere existence of her granddaughter’s unique power was enough to put the newborn at risk.  

Haruka rode the lift down to the ground floor and navigated outside to the prayer garden. She walked around the courtyard, ensuring she was alone. Once she was certain, Haruk settled down on a bench partially concealed by a row of overgrown shrubs. From the folds of her jacket, she produced a thin piece of wood. The stick was roughly ten inches in length and had smoothed edges. With a whispered word and a flick of her wrist, she vanished from sight.

Or so it appeared.

In actuality, Haruka had never left the garden. Disguised by the charm she had cast, the witch muttered another spell.

“Muffliato.”

Only once she was sure no one who entered the garden could hear or see her, did she perform her next feat of magic.

A heron appeared before her, barely visible in the crescent moon's light. Its corporeal body was a bluish-silver color, a bit lighter than the color of her granddaughter's eyes.

In a hushed voice, Haruka spoke to the animal. The bird tilted its head at her while she relayed her message. Once she was finished, it unfurled its wings and took off.

Haruka remained on the bench in the prayer garden for some time. Every once in a while, a doctor would enter the courtyard to smoke a cigarette or a patient’s family member would stagger in, looking for closure. Unnoticed, Haruka watched them all from her spot.

Just as a surgeon from the third floor returned inside, a pop sounded from the center of the courtyard. There stood a woman, her figure hidden from view by the long, hooded cloak she wore.

Haruka tucked her wand into her jacket and rose to greet the newcomer. “Midoriko.”

“Haruka, it’s been too long.”

The two women embraced.

“I hear congratulations are in order,” Midoriko remarked, removing her hood, “though I doubt that was your purpose in summoning me here.”

Haruka shook her head. “I wish that were the case.”

Midoriko’s expression turned solemn. “So, it’s true then? Someone is practicing illegal magic to increase their powers?”

“No one has seen it occur, but I’ve heard rumors about wizards and witches disappearing. The Ministry claims that without evidence there is no way to prove it wasn’t a Magical Transportation accident. They say it happens to underage wizards all the time.” Haruka rolls her eyes. “They are either blind or wish they were. This isn’t underage magic. This is the work of someone employing the Dark Arts— someone who understands those with inner power and wants to abuse it.”

“And your granddaughter— you’re certain she is one?” Midoriko asked, briefly glancing up toward the maternity wing.

Haruka swallowed thickly and nodded.

“You should run,” Midoriko told her.

“No,” Haruka returned. “The shrine was built over the seventh gateway. This is the last portal that still has a live guardian watching over it. The Higurashi family has protected this site for over five hundred years. As one of the sacred seven sources of power, it cannot be left unattended, especially now when it is as its most vulnerable.”

“My friend,” the cloaked witch began, clasping one of Haruka’s hands in both of her own, “Let the Aurors handle it. I heard Touga Taisho is heading up an investigation. He’s been looking into all of the past crimes trying to triangulate a location for where this dark witch or wizard is hiding.”

“They won’t find him and, even if they do, he’ll escape again. The Ministry can’t contain him, not while those loyal to him lurk in the shadows,” she argued.

Midoriko stared at her. “You believe it to be a man?”

Haruku nodded and her friend’s gaze widened. “You’ve had a vision.” 

“My gift of Sight has never been unequivocal but the things I see come to fruition— one way or another.” 

“And what did you see?” Midoriko prompted. 

“Our country in ruin.The three strongholds of our society— the Ministry, Mahoutokoro, and Amaterasu —fall, crumbling from an infection within,” Haruka shares. 

“You suspect corruption?”

“Don’t you?” Haruka challenged.

“Even if practitioners of the Dark Arts had infiltrated the Ministry, it’s only a matter of time before the Aurors discover their plan. They will make the perpetrators stand trial and lock them up. You can trust the members of that department. I know Auror Taisho’s former supervisor. I’d trust him with my life.”  

“No,” Haruka repeated insistently, shaking her head. “Our magic has always been strongest by the portal. Guarding the gateway is Kagome’s birthright.”

“Your granddaughter can’t defend the site if she’s dead,” Midoriko pointed out. “Come to Salisbury. You’ll remain by one of the sacred gateways and you’ll have the added protection of living with me.” 

Haruka pursed her lips. “I’ve never traveled outside the country before.”

"I know," Midoriko said with a laugh. "You were supposed to come to visit when I was reassigned."

“I couldn’t leave my family.” 

“This time, you don’t have to. Tell your husband and son that you want to take them on a vacation. You can stay with me until the Aurors make an arrest,” Midoriko offered.

“We will need to wait. Magical travel with a newborn is risky, especially one like Kagome. There’s no telling what could happen.”

Midoriko squeezed her hand. “Your family will be safe with me. I can help you train your granddaughter. After all, who better than me to ensure she’s properly trained?”

Her words seemed to trigger something within Haruka who suddenly grabbed Midoriko back. “I need you to promise that if anything happens to me, you’ll watch over her.”

“I swear it.”

“Will you make the vow?” Haruka asked, pulling her hand free.

Midoriko stared at her. Slowly, Haruka extended a single hand to the witch. Midoriko grasped it firmly and Haruka withdrew her wand once more. 

Together, the witches began uttering Latin, sealing the promise with the very threads of their souls. Such words may have been meaningless to anyone who happened upon them but to all who were of their world, their ritual would have been regarded with awe.

An Unbreakable Vow was reserved for only the most serious of promises. If the swearer did not uphold their side of the bargain, they paid with their life. Such an oath was not meant to be shared between indecisive individuals. It was a pact that separated friends from acquaintances, loved ones from family. Though there was no one in the garden to witness the exchange, the moment would forever change the fate of all future events.

With the binding spell complete, the women’s hands dropped to their sides.

“Owl me when you’re ready to move. I’ll make the necessary arrangements,” Midoriko said. 

"It was good to see you, my dear friend," Haruka replied, hugging her. 

She watched as Midoriko disappeared with another pop. Then, in a slightly smaller voice, she added, “Even it was the last time.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Six Years Later...

“Grams! Grams, look at this one. It’s ready!” Kagome cries, ripping the plant out by the roots.

Her grandmother grins. “Dittany.”

No matter how many times Kagome asks her about the herb garden, Grams never raises her voice or rolls her eyes. She is always patient.

“For healing abrasions and deep cuts,” Kagome recites.

Last year for her birthday, Grams bought Kagome a copy of One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi. Even though she’s just learning to read, Kagome knows every page by heart. She makes her mother read it to her each night before bed.

“Very good,” Grams praises her. “And this one?”

“Bubotuber.”

“Which is used along with Dittany to create what potion?”

Kagome beams. She loves when Grams quizzes her while they weed. It makes the afternoon go by so much faster. “Healing Potion,” she answers.

“Someone’s been studying hard,” Grams responds.

“One day, I’m going to be Head Healer at Amaterasu’s Hospital,” Kagome announces.

Her grandmother pats her on the head. “I’m sure you will, my little bird. I’m sure you will.”

“Grams, why can’t I go to school like Ayumi next door? Whenever I ask Mama, she tells me I’m too young but I’m older than Ayumi by a month,” she reveals.

“You’re not like Ayumi, little bird. You’re different— special.”

“Special how?” Kagome asks.

“You were born with a gift, child, one that people like our neighbors do not understand,” Grams explains.

Kagome frowns. “But why can’t I go to school?”

"Until you can learn to control your powers, you need to remain where you are protected. Within the walls of the shrine, you are safe. This place is sacred to our family. There are defensive wards etched into every stone and cast along every wall."

“I still want to go to school,” Kagome pouts.

Grams laughs. “Don’t worry, you will. One day, you’ll receive a letter from Mahoutokoro.”

“From where?” Kagome asks, her forehead creasing as she tries to pronounce the school’s name.

“Mahoutokoro,” Grams repeats. “It’s the closest wizarding school.”

“Is that where you and Gramps went?”

Her grandmother nods. “Yes.”

“And Mama and Papa too? Is that where they met?”

Grams smile fades slightly. “Your father attended Mahoutokoro but your mother is a Muggle.”

“A what?”

“A non-magic person,” Grams clarifies.

Kagome tries to remember seeing her mother perform a spell. Papa does it all the time— to do the dishes, to sweep the porch, and even to polish his shoes— but Mama never has. She wonders if that bothers her.

Grams puts her hand on Kagome’s shoulder “There’s nothing wrong with being a Muggle, little bird. They are people, just like us. They have jobs and families. They get scared, feel love. We are very much the same.”

“Except we have magic.”

"Exactly," Grams says as she taps Kagome's nose with a dirt-covered finger.

“Grams!” With the sleeve of her shirt, Kagome wipes her nose clean.

“Making trouble again, you two?”

“Papa!” Kagome springs to her feet and wraps her arms around her father’s legs.

“What have you been learning today?” he asks.

“We’re growing herbs. Grams is going to show me how to make Healing Potion,” she informs him.

He arches a brow at his mother. “Potions? Already? Isn’t she a bit young for something that complex? She’s only six.”

Grams shrugs, unbothered by his skepticism. “There are no age qualifications for learning. If a person has the desire for knowledge, they will find a way to access it.”

Kagome watches her father scratch the back of his neck. It’s what Mama calls a nervous habit. He’s been doing it all week and his aura has been tinted with a grayish-yellow. She hasn’t asked Grams about it yet but Kagome thinks it means fear.

“Alright, you’re the tutor,” he relents. “Just make sure you both wash up before dinner.”

“Tergeo,” Kagome says, brushing her hand down her front. Instantly, all the dirt was removed from her skin and clothes.

Grams smiles up at Papa as if she has just won a game of Go. Papa shakes his head, chuckling. “Why don’t you come inside and help your mother set the table?” he suggests.

“Alright,” Kagome agrees, taking his hand.

As he leads her out of the garden, she asks, “Papa, when will Souta get his powers?”

Her father’s expression changes. “Your brother isn’t a wizard, Kagome.”

“So, he’s a Muggle like Mama?”

“Yes,” Papa confirms.

“Will he get to go to the school down the street like Ayumi?” she questions.

Papa nods.

“But I have to go away? To Mah...outo—.”

“Mahoutokoro,” her father finished for her. “And yes. Witches and wizards can’t learn how to properly cast spells if they don’t attend one of the eleven wizarding academies.”

“Is Mahoutokoro the best?” Kagome asks.

Papa laughs. “I’m sure your grandparents would say it is.”

She frowns. “Don’t you think it’s the best?”

“Of course I do, but I’m biased. It’s my alma mater.”

“You’re what?”

“It’s the school I graduated from. I spent seven years there, living and learning. Those were some of the best days of my life,” he tells her.

“Better than now?” Kagome asks.

Papa shakes his head. "No, and you want to know why? Because your mother, your brother, and you are the most important people in my life."

“What about Gramps and Grams?”

He grins and squeezes her hand. “Them too.”

Kagome smiles. She doesn’t notice the anxious way her father’s gaze flickers to the torii. Her mind is on Mahoutokoro.

She wonders what it will be like there. The only witches and wizards that Kagome knows are the members of her family and a few of their neighbors. She’s spent her entire life within the shrine walls. Her grandparents and parents leave now and then but Kagome has never stepped foot outside the grounds. She's not allowed.

Ayumi says she’s sheltered, whatever that means. Kagome thinks her neighbor is just jealous. Ayumi and her family live in the apartment building next door. They don’t have a courtyard to run and play in. They don’t have a garden with more herbs than fruits and vegetables. They don’t have magic. They’re Muggles.

Kagome feels bad for her friend. She has no idea what she's missing. So what if Kagome isn’t allowed to go to WacDonald’s or attend primary school? She doesn’t need it. Grams teaches her at home. Ayumi may know arithmetic but she doesn’t know how to turn a rat into a teacup.

“Did you have fun in the garden?” Mama asks as Kagome and Papa enter the kitchen.

“Yep! The Dittany is fully grown,” she tells her mother.

“We’re going to have to turn the storehouse into a potions lab,” Papa remarks with a smirk.

“Oh?” Mama looks a bit startled but then she smiles. “Well, I’m sure I can move some things around.”

“I can help,” Kagome offers. “Grams said we’re going to be focusing on the Packing charm and other traveling spells.”

Mama and Papa exchange a look.

Kagome senses a shift in their auras. “What? What is it?”

“Nothing,” her father dismisses her question. “Here, set the table— without magic.”

Kagome pouts but does as he requests.

While Grams encourages Kagome to use her powers whenever there is an opportunity, Mama and Papa don’t want her relying on her magic for everything. When Kagome asked her father why, he said, “There may come a day when you won’t be able to use magic.”

She doesn’t understand what her father means. Her magic is a part of her. Kagome can feel it the same way she can feel the beat of her heart. It’s always been there, hidden just beneath the surface.

“What’s for dinner?” Gramps asks, appearing in the doorway.

“Soup,” Mama replies.

Everyone begins to sit around the table. Papa passes Kagome a bowl of seaweed salad before carrying over a large steaming container. Mama follows with rice balls. They are all uniform triangles except the last one which is circular and decorated to look like a Panda bear.

Kagome grins at her mother, who returns her glance with a wink.

She leaves the room to grab Souta from his crib. Kagome’s younger brother is barely a month old. He sleeps most of the day and cries throughout the rest.

At first, Kagome found him irritating. Mama and Papa spend all their time with him. Even Gramps, who is usually grumpy, has been hovering around, making silly faces and telling stories. No one does that for her anymore.

Grams says it’s because she’s growing up. “Once you’re older, you stop relying on others to take care of you. You start taking care of them. That’s a mark of maturity.”

Kagome decides to help her family with Souta. When she isn’t studying with Grams or weeding in the garden, she watches her baby brother. Kagome can’t wait to share with him everything she knows. Souta may not be able to do magic like her but she can still show him how to grow herbs. Maybe he can be her assistant when she brews, just like a real Potions Master.

Mama ladles Udon into their bowls while Gramps and Papa talk about the latest renovations for the shrine. Grams holds Souta, slowly rocking him back and forth to keep him from fussing.

Kagome folds her napkin into the shape of a bird and waves her hand over it. The paper wings flap. Her creation teeters a bit before it manages to glide across the table to her brother.

Souta watches the bird circle overhead. His brown eyes go wide as the animated paper dips low, drifting across his forehead before returning to Kagome’s open hand.

His little hands wave about. Kagome glances over at her father, who nods. She blows on the paper crane, sending it back to Souta. He coos happily. Gram shoots her a look of approval.

With the youngest member of their family content, they can eat.

Kagome enjoys dinner. It’s the one meal her entire family takes together. With Papa and Gramps running the shrine, Mama taking care of Souta, and Grams teaching her, everyone is busy. Their days are spent apart but at night, they come together to talk and share a meal.

Hearing their voices is comforting. There is a natural ebb and flow to the conversation. Rarely does anyone speak over someone else. They have a rhythm— one that sounds like a well-rehearsed symphony. Kagome smiles as she slurps her broth. As excited as she is to study at Mahoutokoro, she is glad it’s several years away.

When she finishes with her food, the crane flies over to her, swooping low to wipe her mouth clean. Souta giggles. The gesture ends up sending spit all down his face. Mama removes him from the table to clean up. The rest of the family takes it as a cue to wash the dishes.

Kagome positions herself in between her father and Gramps. They form an assembly line. Papa washes the dishes, Kagome dries them, and Gramps puts them away. They don’t use magic, even though Kagome knows the scouring charm.

“Papa, when will I get to pick out a wand?” she asks.

“You don’t choose a wand, Kagome. The wand chooses you,” he responds.

“That’s the way it has always been,” Gramps agrees.

“How does it choose?” Kagome asks.

“Wands are like people. They have unique traits and compositions. Typically, they select the witch or wizard that most closely resembles themself,” Gramps explains. “Not that you need to worry about that.”

“What do you mean?”

“Dad,” Papa says in warning.

Kagome glances between them. She’s never heard her father take that tone before.

Gramps shrugs. “She’s going to find out sooner or later.”

“Find out what?” she asks.

Neither Gramps nor Papa answer. They are both staring at each other in an unspoken challenge.

“Papa, what—.”

Mama’s return interrupts them. “Time for bed, Kagome.”

“But I want to know why—.”

“Which section of One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi do you want to read from tonight?” Mama asks, covering a yawn.

Mama doesn’t appear to know what Gramps and Papa are fighting about. Kagome’s shoulders slump with disappointment. She’ll have to wait until tomorrow to ask her grandmother about it. Grams will tell her the truth.

She always does.

Kagome changes into her nightgown. A collection of stuffed creatures sit in a neat line by her pillow. They are all presents from Gramps and Grams.

Before they gave her books to study, her grandparents gifted her with toys. Each one came with a story but the Fenghuang’s tale is Kagome’s favorite.

The firebird is native to Asia and is revered for its abilities. Like its cousin the Phoenix, it has immense strength, is extremely intelligent, and cannot die. The Fenghuang is an immortal creature, which makes it extremely rare. Only a handful have ever been spotted in the wild.

The most recent was seen by Grams.

"It was the morning you were born," her grandmother told Kagome. "Your mother had been in labor for hours. The doctors wouldn't allow your grandfather and me to be inside the room so we went out to the garden for some fresh air. While we were waiting, this ball of light appeared."

“Your grandfather thought it was just the sun rising. He went to check on your father and that’s when I saw it— the Fenghuang. It was as beautiful as they say with feathers made up of the most brilliant colors.”

“Was it on fire?” Kagome asked.

"It wasn't on fire. It was fire," Grams explained. "The bird wasn't composed of solid limbs the way a normal creature is. Its entire body was made of external burning light. There are no words for it...," she trailed off, remembering.

Then, with a smile, Grams continued. “That’s how I knew you would be special.”

“Is that why you always call me little bird?” Kagome asked.

Grams nodded.

Kagome wonders if she’ll ever get to see a Fenghuang. She asked for one as a pet. Papa said no. Grams told her that a Fenghuang wasn’t like an owl. “You can’t own one but you can earn its loyalty. If you do that, you may be lucky enough to consider it your companion.”

Having a firebird as a friend sounds cool. They can go flying together. Maybe the Fenghuang could even take Souta for a ride so he wouldn’t be left alone. Grams said the magical creatures can carry ten times their weight.

“Have you decided on a page?” Mama asked, entering the room.

“Aconite,” Kagome requests as she crawls into bed.

Her mother’s eyes grow slightly wider. “Your father’s right. If you keep this up, we’re going to need to build that potions lab.”

Kagome leans forward, eagerly. “Really?”

“We’ll see,” Mama returns with a grin.

She takes a seat on the edge of the mattress and begins reading. Kagome is lulled to sleep by the familiar sound.

Sometime later, Kagome wakes to the sound of raised voices.

She tosses her covers aside. Grabbing her stuffed Fenghuang, she creeps to the top of the stairs.

“We can’t ignore it anymore!” Gramps snaps. “Naraku is done with hiding in the shadows. The attacks are increasing and they won’t stop— not until he gets what he wants. The Shimizus were killed last month and yesterday the entire Mashda family was found murdered, including their daughter, Eri.”

Kagome gasps. She knows Eri. They are the same age. Like the other magical families in the neighborhood, Eri and her parents visit the shrine weekly. They are kind, thoughtful people. She doesn’t know who Naraku is or why he killed them. Kagome doesn’t understand why anyone would kill at all. 

Slowly, she slips down the steps and tip-toes closer to the kitchen where the adults are talking. 

“I don’t understand. What does he hope to gain by doing all this?” Kagome’s mother inquires. 

“Power,” Gramps answers. 

“Power, like from a wand or something?” 

“Not something— someone, ” Grams corrects. She shakes her head, suddenly looking older in the low-light of the room. “This is what I’ve always feared. Even with the ley lines and the gateway, I’m not powerful enough to keep her hidden. Her power grows every day. Soon there won’t be a charm on Earth that can conceal her.”

Kagome feels a chill race down her spine. She knows exactly who they are talking about. 

“We’ll reinforce the wards,” Papa insists. 

Gramps takes Grams hand. “Wards won’t be enough. Our only hope is to run,” he says.

“You want us to leave our home? No! We’re safest here. If we leave, it will only make it easier for him to get to her,” Papa argues. 

“He’s been hunting for Kagome since she was born. It doesn’t matter how well-protected she is. He will find her and when he does...,” Grams’ voice withers away. “We need to take her to Midoriko. Only she has the power to keep Kagome safe.”

“Mother, you haven’t seen the woman in over a decade. How do you know she’ll help us?” Papa asks.

“That’s not entirely true. I saw her the night Kagome was born. We made the Unbreakable Vow.”

Mama gasps, her hand flying up to too late to stifle the sound. Papa’s expression changes from irritation to shock. “You knew?”

“I had my suspicions,” she replies.

Papa turns away, cursing under his breath while Mama tries to console him.

“I’ve done all that I can for her. Other than Midoriko, she may very well be the last of her kind,” Grams says.

“She’s only six,” Papa returns. His voice sounds funny, almost like he has a cold.

“Exactly. How many people do you know who can cast wandless magic or non-verbal spells like Kagome? Not even fully-trained witches and wizards are capable of that level of magic,” Grams points out.

Papa sighs. Suddenly, he looks smaller as though expelling all the air from his lungs has also made him shrink. “How do we reach Salisbury without detection?” he inquires.

“Midoriko has contacts in the Japanese Ministry of Magic. There’s an Auror— Touga Taisho —who can arrange a non-traceable portkey for us. All we have to do is—.”

Grams falls silent as all the lights in the house go out. Kagome freezes. She clutches her stuffed animal to her chest, waiting for Papa to utter the Illumination charm.

But the next person who speaks isn’t anyone Kagome recognizes.

“I should have known you’d keep her here. This close to the portal it’s almost impossible to discern her power from the gateway itself. Almost,” a cruel voice taunts.

Kagome doesn’t know where the speaker is. His voice seems to echo throughout the house. She closes her eyes, focusing on everyone’s auras.

She knows her family well. Mama is usually yellow. Papa is primarily orange. Gramps is blue with hints of indigo while Grams is green and violet— the same colors as aconite. Overhead, there is a blend of yellow and orange. Souta is asleep in the nursery, which is positioned directly above the final pulse of color.

This one is black with sparks of crimson. Only someone tainted by death could have such an imbalanced aura. Instantly, Kagome knows who the stranger is.

Naraku.

Fear crashes over her like a bucket of ice water. This man— this monster —killed Eri and now he’s here to do the same to her.

Kagome inches backward, holding her breath so as not to make a sound.

“Where is she?” Naraku demands.

“Mahoutokoro,” Papa lies.

Naraku chuckles. It is a hollow sound that terrifies Kagome. He doesn’t sound angry. He sounds amused.

She swallows, continuing to slip down the hallway toward the side door. If she can make it outside, there’s a chance she can find help.

“Mahoutokoro has fallen,” Naraku states evenly. “Taisho almost had me. Too bad his eldest son was there. It gave me the leverage I needed to defeat him.”

Mama gasps. Kagome feels her stomach clench. She hopes Auror Taisho and his son are okay, though from the sound of Naraku’s grisly laughter she doubts it.

The house remains unnaturally dark. Kagome knows it must be some kind of dark magic— as dark as the wizard who conjured it. She can’t see anything beyond their auras.

Kagome keeps her back to the wall, wishing she was stronger, wishing she knew a spell that would take them all away from this.

“Now, where is the girl?” he snarls.

There is a flash of blue light as Papa tries to disarm him. Naraku casts a counterspell. His quick reflexes send Papa's wand clattering to the floor.

Gramps tries next. His attack is meant as a distraction. There is the shuffling of feet as Papa and Mama try to shove past Naraku. She hears Mama cry out as Naraku slams her into the wall. Then Papa shouts and Gramps deflects a jinx.

Grams charges at Naraku, freeing Mama before trying to ensnare the wizard in thick ropes. The command sounds vicious coming from her lips. Kagome has never heard her grandmother duel before.

Naraku retaliates with an unfamiliar spell. It’s the first time Kagome has ever heard an Unforgivable. She will never forget the way Grams shrieks in agony or the frantic way Mama begins pleading for Naraku to stop.

The sound wakes Souta, whose shrill cries join the racket.

Gramps and Papa don’t waste time with begging. They start shouting spell after spell in rapid succession. Their efforts work. They break Naraku’s concentration long enough for Mama to collect Grams off the floor. The two women stumble out of the kitchen.

“Get Souta,” Grams orders Mama.

“But—.”

“Go,” Grams says briskly.

Mama doesn’t hesitate. She runs upstairs.

A willowy figure bursts forth from the top of her wand. The silvery mist grows until it transforms into a heron.

Kagome approaches the creature. The bird tilts its head, watching as she stretches out her hand to glide over its beak. The wisps of silvery light shift but don’t fully dissipate. They remain clustered together, keeping the shape of the great bird.

Over the raised voices in the kitchen, Grams calls to her. “Fly away, little bird. Fly free.”

Before Kagome can respond, the heron lowers its head and maneuvers her onto its back.

Behind Grams, the kitchen wall explodes in flames. The house shakes as a lone figure steps out from the debris. Kagome can’t make out any details of his form except for his eyes. He has blood-red eyes.

“Found you.”

“Now!” Grams shouts, attacking Naraku.

The side door flings open. With a screech, the heron takes flight. Kagome pitches backward. Instinctively, she wraps her arms around the bird’s neck.

As they pass over the threshold, there is a momentary flash of green light before a blaze of gold overtakes her vision.

Then nothing. 

Only darkness.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Author's Note: I am a HUGE Harry Potter fan. Writing this story has been an amazing experience and I've had so much fun placing my favorite Inuyasha characters in this world. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I've enjoyed writing it. Endless thanks to my friend, and fellow Potterhead, originalone73 for betaing, cheerleading me, and just being an all-around awesome person. Moodboards and fan art for this story can be viewed on my tumblr.

Harry Potter, and the Potter universe, belong to J.K. Rowling and no money is being made from the use of anything associated with said universe.