Harry Potter & the Shipgirls

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Walking out of the broker's office, McGonagall watched as Nagato shoved the large safe box under her shirt, the object disappearing as if it was never there. "A rather... useful skill that."

Nagato only nodded as she looked up at the sky with a frown as she gauged the time. "It can be at times. Though unfortunately we cannot do it with people."

That got her a nod from McGonagall before Harry then spoke up. "Um... so where are we going to next?"

Pausing, McGonagall looked around the small side alley before humming in thought. "While normally, I would bring you to Ollivander's wand shop... since we are here anyways there is something that you might be interested in." Glancing toward Nagato, McGonagall nodded some. "You were worried I believe with contacting Mr. Potter while he was at school and vice versa, I believe."

Slowly, the Battleship narrowed her eyes. "That's correct. I don't believe that your normal, uh, method would be as effective as some might think in our case."

With a slight chuckle, Minerva shook her head. "No, I suppose that normal owl mail would not be all that effective." Coming to a stop, the witch nodded toward the store in front of them. "May I introduce you to Traveling Spaces. I believe that they will be exactly what you are looking for."

For a moment, Nagato pursed her lips in thought before Hatsuzuki spoke up softly. "Won't Hagrid-San wonder where we have gotten off to?"

All McGonagall did was nod and smile. "You are quite right." She pulled out her wand and then made a motion. "Expecto Patronum!" There was a glowing, silver streak that shot from her want then then hit the ground before forming into a silver tabby which looked up at her. "Hagrid, we are currently in Diurn Alley at Travelling Spaces where we shall be waiting." With another motion, the cat ran off as McGonagall nodded. "There, Hagrid will now know where we are."

Raising an eyebrow, Harry just followed the direction that the cat had taken off in before looking at McGonagall in awe. "What was that?"

Softly smiling, the Professor nodded as she slipped her wand back out of sight. "That, Mr. Potter, was a Patronus. The charm used is very advanced but can defend against certain types of creatures or, as you saw, carry a message to someone."

Curious as to what it defended against, Harry frowned as his mother became thoughtful. "I can see where there might be a few uses for a spell such as that."

With a final nod, McGonagall entered the shop but, unlike the previous one, this shop was brightly lit with pictures covering the walls of various far off destinations. One of which Nagato realized was just outside of the Sydney waterfront in Australia and she was about to walk on when she stopped and looked again to make sure that she was not seeing things. Because there, out on the water, were several shipgirls heading out on a patrol as the Sun began to set. "I see that you're enjoying our picture."

Turning, Nagato found herself looking at a women in her thirties with blonde hair. And then she noticed that said woman had a twin who had black hair instead and frowned. "Hello..."

Eyes wide, the woman held out her hand which Nagato shook. "Sorry about that, I'm Abeona Portunes, and over there is my sister, Adiona... the names run in the family before you ask being what we specialize in."

Looking away from a picture of his own, which was that of some place in an American desert, Harry blinked. "What do you mean?"

A smile on her face, the woman did a twirl and then vanished with a pop before reappearing closer to Harry, not noticing the Destroyers stiffen. "Our family specializes in magical transportation. Not just of items, but also of pictures such as you can see." Then her eyes widened as she noticed the scar. "Harry Potter... I... oh wow..."

More then a little uncomfortable with her stare, Harry shifted so he was a bit further behind Akizuki. "Transport?"

Shaking off her awe, the woman nodded. "We can transport both people and goods as a matter of fact."

Thoughtful, Nagato glanced at McGonagall who looked back and then returned to her conversation. Seeing that, Nagato frowned. "How far exactly can you transport an item and how big?"

For several moments, Abeona frowned deep in thought before she shrugged. "Depends on how much and how far."

While still somewhat concerned, Nagato glanced to Harry. "Internationally and anything from packages to people."

Sucking her teeth, the witch hummed. "Well... packages are easy and cheap. Just use a Vanishing Owl Box. People are trickier due to size though... a Vanishing Cupboard would be able to do that, but we haven't made any of those since the last war."

If there had been anything that she learned on this trip, Nagato had learned to be somewhat open minded. "Vanishing cabinet?"

Nodding, Abeona pointed toward what looked like a wardrobe, except quite a bit fancier then what Nagato usually saw. "We made them during the war with You-Know-Who alongside our father..." She blinked away some tears and then swallowed. "They come in twins really. One steps inside and closes one door before waiting and opening the other, at which they step out through the twin. It was the perfect way to get around the normal way of blocking escape from You-Know-Who, which is why he targeted our father and murdered him... we barely escaped through our own you see while father was supposed to be the last one through, but destroyed it rather then let the Death Eaters use it to get to us."

Eyes softening, Nagato shook her head. "You have our condolences, your father was a brave man."

There was a watery smile on Abeona's face as she nodded. "Thank you, and we know that."

Waiting for several moments, Nagato turned back to the cupboard. "I take it though that there was a reason that not more had them?"

A sigh escaping her as she calmed herself down, the witch nodded. "Each one takes a rather lot of time to build, six months minimum depending on distance. The further the distance, the longer it can take to build and enchant." Then she straightened her back. "But the Vanishing Owl Box is much easier and we routinely make international versions. Like their larger cousin, the owl is placed inside by the owner and the door slipped down. After a few seconds, the door on the other side will be pulled up and the owl can then step out and fly off to where they have. We make them for various customers with interests in countries besides their own or the Ministries."

There was a frown on Harry's face as he crossed his arms. "Um, what if someone doesn't have an owl? Does it still work then?"

While chuckling, Abeona gave a nod. "Yes, because the same mechanism will open it to the other end. As long as someone notices it, they can just pluck out the letter or package. We can even sell you something with an expanded inside to use for bulk transport. Not much, maybe a hundred pounds, but it works."

For several moments, Nagato was quiet as she ran through the implications of what she had just been told as well as the fact that she was told that some of the "Slush Funds" could be used for useful items she saw for herself. Looking at Harry, it only took her a few moments. "How much for one of the owl boxes..."

Abeona just smiled.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The bell above the door rang as the group left the shop with Nagato looking down into her bag at the two items within it. Both resembled large bread boxes in some ways, though she was thankful that she did not need to wait. As it turned out, they had a cancelled order which they had competed for a family there in Britain that they were going to use to communicate with a fellow member in New Zealand. However, seeing as the member in New Zealand had died just before the order was completed, the family had cancelled and received their money back.

And while Nagato was saddened for the reason behind her luck, she was thankful for it and sent a silent prayer to the kami for the person who died. Mainly because now she would be able to stay in contact with her son throughout the year. "Now then... that's out of the way."

Hearing a sound though, they looked up and blinked as Hagrid came walking up with a grin on his face. "Well, 'Ello there. Sorry about takin' so long... but I decided to get 'Arry here a small birthday present."

Eyes wide, Harry blinked. "You did?"

A chuckle escaping from the large man, he pulled a cage out from behind his back and everyone leaned in to see a beautiful snowy owl inside looking back at them. "Yup! I figured that yeh would need a pet and, well... toads are nice and all and so are cats, but not much use."

Furrowing his eyebrows, Harry looked up. "What about Shiromizu though? Couldn't I take her?"

McGonagall sighed a little bit and nodded. "You could, though having a snake in Britain nowadays can have... unfortunate implications for the wizard or witch in question. There are also those students who I might not trust in the same general vicinity as a snake... As well, Hogwarts is in Northern Scotland and outside the Common Rooms and dormitories, it can get extremely cold in winter." Then her eyes twinkled in a way that resembled a certain old wizard. "Of course, with the items your mother got, I doubt that anyone could stop it if she was to, ah, visit you. Not that I am suggesting any such thing, of course."

Amused, Harry grinned back. "Of course."

Dusting off her skirt, McGonagall ignored the smiles directed at her and began to walk off. "Well then, next stop is the most important, I believe. And that is to get your wand from Ollivander's."

It was only a few minutes before they reached Ollivander's and walked into the dimly lit shop. Almost immediately, all the shipgirls as well as Harry stiffened at the feeling of the energy within the room. Some of it felt positively ancient. Looking around though, Nagato frowned as all she saw were boxes in various places. "Now where is the shopkeeper."

Much to McGonagall's surprise though, the Akizuki sisters suddenly moved into a new formation and whipped around to glare at a surprised Ollivander. Soon though, his expression melted into one of curiosity. "Interesting... I have not had a shipgirl in my shop before, let alone four."

Glaring at him, Nagato scowled. "How?"

He only chuckled and waved his hand. "You have a feel much different then a normal human, my dear. In fact, now that I think about it... perhaps you are not the first in my shop."

Slowly, Nagato's glare melted into one of confusion. "You met another shipgirl?"

Moving toward the window, Olivander looked out at the alley. "Hmm... yes, she had a feel very similar to yours, and yet... different. Almost as if it was asleep." Then he slowly turned and looked at Harry directly. "It was your mother, Lily. Ten and a quarter inches, willow and quite swishy. Perfect for the charms that your mother often used it for." Seeing Harry's surprise, Ollivander smiled. "I remember each wand and person that come through my shop, a curse of a perfect memory. In fact, I sold the wand that gave you that very scar upon your brow. At the time if I had known what that wand would go out into the world to do..." However, he shook off the thought and began to look at the wands he had. "Never mind the past, I suppose. Now then... what sort of wand."

As he moved, Nagato cleared her throat while Ollivander used a measuring tape on her son. "I have been wondering something in regards to wands, Ollivander-San."

Even as he disappeared behind one shelf, they could hear him hum as they suddenly realized that the measuring tape was now moving on it's own. "Of course, of course, I am always open to discussions involving wands no matter the length."

Despite how odd she found that, and how she could hear the fairies on her laughing at the wandmaker's statement, Nagato waited until he had given Harry a wand and told him to wave it. Though she winced as a vase shattered only for Ollivander to grab the wand and head off to another spot. "Would it be possible for my son to have two wands?"

That caused Ollivander to pause as did McGonagall and Hagrid who had been talking. "Two wands you say...?"

Not quite sure what the problem was, Nagato nodded. "Yes, I noticed that most have one wand and they are rather easily broken."

Staring at her piercingly, Ollivander finally nodded. "Most believe that the Ministry limits one to only one wand, at least among children. And to a certain extent that is true as the Ministry does not like one to have more then one wand. However, they are by law supposed to know which wand belongs to which wizard or witch since having your wand snapped is a punishment. After all, they can be used to cause harm or even death. In any case, the Ministry would know, in the case of children at least, if a second wand was being used after the first is snapped. And that carries a jail sentence to say the least. The true reason, is much more basic then that."

Eyebrow moving upwards, Nagato tried to ignore how Harry set some papers on fire, though the Akizuki sisters winced. All Ollivander did was put out the flames with an unconcerned air and look for another wand. "How so?"

The old wizard raised a finger as he continued to test wands with Harry, heedless of damage. "The first wand used for a person will usually be the best suited for them. Now, as a child grows and ages, their magic changes as they become an adult, minutely, true. But it still changes. This does not mean that a wand will have much issue, because they are already it's master. A second wand on top of the first becomes problematic for a number of reasons. Firstly, it would not have the fit of the first and secondly, as the child's magic changes, that fit would degrade even further. In extreme cases, the influence of both wands can make both unsuitable and thus affect one's spellwork in the end. At best, it's a waste of time. And at worst? It could do damage to one's ability."

All Nagato did to that was slowly nod. "I see..."

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Standing outside of Ollivander's shop after an informative, though disturbing, talk about Harry's wand, Nagato hummed as she went through a booklet. Beside her, McGonagall raised an eyebrow in interest. "I was not expecting you to be so interested in wands."

There was a slightly amused expression on Nagato's face before she glanced to where Harry was examining his wand. "Perhaps, but I am military. And in my view, one should always have a basic understanding of one's weapon beyond pointing it in a direction and pulling the trigger."

If anything though, McGonagall's eyebrow raised further. "A wand is not a weapon."

All Nagato did though was shake her head. "It can kill and wound. Perhaps a tool that can be used as a weapon." Lips pursed, McGonagall left the argument at that, though the Battleship understood that the Professor disagreed with her. However, Nagato just turned back to the booklet, one of several. Inside it detailed the most common woods and cores as well as what such meant in regards to the wizard or witch separately. What caught her attention though was under the holly section where it mentioned wands made with Phoenix feathers. 'Hmm... so normally holly and Phoenix feathers do not work because their natures don't mix... but those that Master them are the type that one should stay out of the way of. Interesting.' Taking the booklets, all of which cost less then a Sickle, along with the wand care kit, Nagato shoved them under her shirt where they disappeared. 'Akashi should be pleased though.'

More then a little confused, McGonagall frowned. "Where did they go?"

Raising an eyebrow, Nagato shrugged. "I had them placed inside of my hull and put away."

Furrowing her brows, the witch frowned. "Your... hull?"

Slowly, Nagato nodded as she watched the alley around them. "I am a ship and as such we have holds in which to store items." For a moment, her expression became a grimace of remembrance. "Thankfully, as there was this one time where I was dragged along on a shopping trip in America..."

Rubbing his beard, Hagrid nodded some. "Mighty useful tha'."

For her part, and not quite sure what Nagato meant, though having a good guess about it, McGonagall nodded only to stiffen at a silky voice. "Well now, Deputy Headmistress, rather surprising to see you in the alley today."

Turning, McGonagall's lips thinned as she looked at the blonde haired family in front of her. "Lucius, Narcissa, young Mr. Malfoy. I could say the same of you."

However, it only made Lucius smirk while Narcissa placed her hand on her son's shoulder. "We're here to put in a order for Draco's wand. A custom one as it's so difficult and time consuming to test all the ordinary ones for one with a small amount of fit. Hopefully it'll be ready in a few days."

Glancing at Nagato as well as the Akizuki sisters as Harry was hard to see in the middle of the three Destroyers, Lucius frowned as one corner of his lip turned upward. "I don't think that I need to ask why you are in the alley, Professor. After all it seems that you're currently busy introducing some... people... to our world."

At that, Nagato's hackles raised, but the only sign of that was her eyes narrowing before she spoke with a voice like silk sliding over a sword. "Am I to understand that there is a problem?"

Lucius just smirked a bit. "No, just saddened that some don't understand how our world works or, rather, should work." He then began to walk past, only to stop and look over his shoulder. "Just one last thing, Professor."

Teeth gritted together, McGonagall let out a soft hiss. "Yes, Lucius?"

He rubbed one finger along the snake head on his cane. "I would like to warn you and your group about a rumour as you're fellow humans. Apparently there might be some of those.... shipgirls in the alley. Do be careful as they can be quite violent as some of our fellows can attest."

Much to his surprise, Nagato gave him a serious nod. "I see... thank you for the warning, we'll be on the lookout."

Even though something about her expression caused Lucius to feel as if the woman in front of him found what she had been told to be hilarious, he dismissed it. With that, he turned and walked toward Ollivander's. "Come Draco, we shall find you the perfect wand."

Completely disbelieving what had just happened, Harry poked his head out from beside Hatsuzuki. "Uh... Mum?"

All the Battleship did though was sigh and shake her head. "Don't worry about it, Harry. He's not the first, nor the last to have that sort of attitude..." For a moment, she paused and looked over at McGonagall. "Though do you know that man?"

Scowling, McGonagall nodded with a sigh. "I do."

Hagrid though, had more to say on the matter. "Tha' was Lucius Malfoy. Was a Death Eater he was an' some say he was one of You-Know-Who's right hand men."

Narrowing her eyes, Nagato felt her Fairies opening a file and inserting some photos. "I see..." Glancing around the alley though, she shook her head. "I would like to know more, but not here."

Just then, there was a series of growls that caused people to look around in confusion. Seeing the blushes on Nagato's face as well as those of the Akizuki sisters, McGonagall let out a soft chuckle. "Perhaps we should leave for the Leaky Cauldron for some breakfast."

Finger against her bottom lip, Akizuki looked at Harry. "I've never had a lot British food before..."

Harry just smiled up at her. "Don't worry, it's pretty good. And I can help pick if your unsure."

That got him nods from the three Destroyers. But before they could start moving, Nagato coughed and gave a pointed look to his wand. "Before we do that. Do you want me to carry your wand for you?"

Blinking, Hagrid stared at her in utter befuddlement. "Why would 'e need yeh to carry it for him?"

Simply raising an eyebrow, Nagato looked up at him. "Harry doesn't have any way to carry it besides in his hand..."

As his mother trailed off in thought, Harry knew what she was thinking and looked over at McGonagall. "Um... how do wizards and witches carry their wands around anyways?"

Caught off guard by the odd question, the professor frowned for a moment. "Most just stick them into their pockets, in particular their back pockets. Though most of the students will carry them in their bags and more then a few witches will place them in their handbags."

With a rueful chuckle, Hagrid nodded. "Aye, though I've seen some slip it behind the ear."

Both magicals realized the utter silence that met them and found Harry and the shipgirls to be just staring at them. Frowning slightly, McGonagall hummed. "Is there a problem?"

It took several tries, but Harry finally managed something. "It's just that... um..."

However, Nagato placed her hand on his shoulders and shook her head. "Never mind, it's nothing..." inside her head though, she shuddered a bit. 'Do not let the Americans know. Texas especially.' Shaking off the thought of what the Dreadnought would do if she knew how weapons were being stored, Nagato cleared her throat. "Is there any other way?"

McGonagall frown grew a bit, but she nodded. "There are wand holsters, of course. But they're usually custom made and this close to school... I am not sure if the order would be made in time with all the ones that they might have gotten from some of the graduating class." Then she smiled slightly. "However, I can create one that will last a few hours if that would help."

Much to her bemusement, Nagato seemed relieved. "Thank you."

Waving her own wand around, the professor nodded as she conjured a wand holster. "You're welcome." That done, she put away her wand and handed Harry the holster, which clipped onto his belt. "And there we go. I warn you though, that will last eight hours though we'll have you back to your home by then, I am sure."

All Harry did though was nod before he looked up at her. "Thank you, Professor McGonagall."

Unknown to the professor, Nagato was internally groaning. 'Why... just why... these people make no sense!'

 

[darthcourt10]

Omake: Revenge of the Admirals

Oh, have an omake in regards to what happened when Nagato stated the last bit in the snippet:
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Unknown to the professor, Nagato was internally groaning. 'Why... just why... these people make no sense!'

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*You have logged into #HoardChat SmaugCruiser*

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BumblebeeBotherer: Excuse me for a moment, Ladies... I need to see the First Sea Lord...

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Walking toward the Leaky Cauldron's Diagon Alley entrance, Harry glanced around nervously. "Are you sure that it's not going to be like... before?"

There was a very slight smile on McGonagall's face as she nodded. "I am sure, Mr. Potter. In fact, it would not surprise me if those who had been there when we first arrived are long gone if only to tell their stories of meeting you." She then let out a small sigh. "Though if it does worry you, Tom does have private dining rooms for meetings which I am sure that he would allow for us to use."

Nagato's eyes narrowed a bit. "He better after what happened."

A minute later, they entered the pub and Tom looked up, only to be silenced by a glare from McGonagall. "Tom, we wish for one of your private rooms, if you would."

Glancing at Nagato and seeing the two red eyes glaring back, Tom nodded. "Of course, Professor. if you would follow me?"

With a stiff nod from the two women, they followed him into a small room and Nagato gave it a glance around before giving him a look. "Thank you."

On Tom's face, there was a slight frown, but he nodded. "You're welcome, and I'm sorry about what happened earlier with..." He gave a glance around and leaned in. "Young Harry here, I was just shocked."

Eyes softening a little, the Battleship gave him a small smile. "Understood, and you're forgiven for it."

With that, Tom left and they all sat down at the table as they looked over the menu with Akizuki drooling slightly. "All of this looks so good..."

Her sisters nodded with Hatsuzuki swallowing nervously. "It really does..."

Meanwhile though, Harry frowned as he looked over the menu and shook his head. "What's butterbeer? And... isn't rationing an issue?"

For a moment, McGonagall paused but Hagrid answered the first question for her. "Butterbeer's a drink, 'Arry. A lot o' children like it, I know that I did when I was a knee high..." Trailing off, he looked down at his knee and then shrugged. "O' a sort, o' course."

Looking over the menu herself, Nagato hummed. "It doesn't contain alcohol, does it? After all, it states here that it's not for those younger then four."

Softly chuckling, Minerva shook her head. "There is a small amount of alcohol in the drink, yes. But it's so low that one need to be quite small and drink a lot in order to be affected. And us witches and wizards are less affected by alcohol to begin with." She turned away from the still unsure Nagato and looked toward Harry. "As for rationing..." Pausing for a moment, McGonagall gathered her thoughts and then frowned. "Rationing is much less a issue here in the magical world then in the muggle one."

That caused Teruzuki's eyebrows to raise a bit. "Really? Why? Unless..." Giving it some thought, she frowned. "I guess that you could transport food easier from what we've seen..."

Much to her surprise though, McGonagall shook her head. "Not quite. Rather, magic allows for us to increase the amount of food we have available."

Now interested, Nagato leaned forward and supported her chin on her hands. "You can create food?" However, McGonagall shook her head with the air of someone used to this question. 'Which... now that I think about it, I am sure that she is.'

Unknowing of what was going through Nagato's head, the witch frowned for a moment to gather her thoughts before nodding. "Magic, despite everything, does in fact have rules. Mr. Potter will be learning more later on in his education, but in regards to this question, it has to do with Gramp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration. In particular, food is an exception to the rules in that one cannot create it via magic. But instead, one can transform it. You can also increase it if you have a little either through magically multiplying it or enlarging it. And if you know where some is and reasonably sure that it is still there, you can summon it. There is an exception though in the form of sauces and liquids though."

It went without saying that Nagato was deep in thought over this before Harry spoke up. "But... what about people who aren't wizards and witches?" At the looks from McGonagall and Hagrid, Harry gestured with one hand. "I mean... there's people over Britain who are under rationing and it would help out!"

Leaning back in her chair, McGonagall nodded. "You are, of course, right. It would be a help though how much of one I am unsure of since there's so many people. However, there are... reasons, why we cannot do so, openly at least. The least of which is that due to the Statute of Secrecy, it is illegal to do anything that may expose magic to the world. Thus, anyone caught would be arrested and charged. We may not like it, but it's there. Now..." She raised a hand to forestall Harry's next words. "That does not mean that there are not those trying to help in that manner. There are and they risk their freedom doing so, though a number of our Aurors..." At the looks, the Professor shook her head. "Our version of police." Once they nodded, she continued. "In many cases, the Aurors will look the other way in regards to those increasing the amount of rations available to muggles as long as they do not do so in a way that they must take notice."

Just crossing his arms, Harry shook his head as he remembered back to his days with the Dursleys. "I still don't like it."

With a gentle look on her face, Nagato reached over and placed her hand on his shoulder. Before she could say anything though, Tom returned and took their orders. Within minutes, they all found themselves with their meals in front of them, though Tom was confused as the four shipgirls ordered meals more suited for someone of Hagrid's size. But he shrugged it off, though Hagrid just watched with wide eyes as the shipgirls ate. "Where do yeh put it all?"

Dabbing a little at her lips, Nagato smiled. "Whatever we eat becomes fuel for our boilers, ammunition for our guns and torpedo launchers, and food for our crews... what you know as Fairies."

There was a thoughtful look on McGonagall's face as she leaned forward. "Does the food actually transform or...?"

For a moment, Nagato blinked and looked toward her. "The food becomes oil for some, and coal for the older shipgirls... we have not had any nuclear powered ones come back yet though I am sure that it would be similar. But yes, it does become shells and torpedoes."

Rubbing her chin in thought, McGonagall nodded. "Fascinating... I'm going to need to look into this at a later date, I believe."

The rest of the meal continued with small talk, though the Akizuki sisters were all interested in what they were eating. Harry though pouted as, with a teasing smile, Teruzuki stole some of his butterbeer to try. However, soon enough, everyone had their fill and Nagato leaned back. "Now that we're done eating... could you explain what you meant by that Lucius person having been one of the higher ranked Death Eaters?"

A sigh escaped from McGonagall before she nodded. "Lucius was in fact a Death Eater and one of You-Know-Who's lieutenants during the war. However, when the war ended, he was one of those who escaped prosecution. He claimed to have been under the Imperious Curse, a spell that can control a person utterly and is an Unforgivable..."

Snorting, Hagrid shook his head. "More like 'e bribed his way out of jail."

Just raising an eyebrow, Nagato looked toward McGonagall who pursed her lips but nodded. "That is what is rumoured, yes. And I only wish that I could say that I had my doubts but..." She then shook her head. "In the years since, he's made many donations to certain places such as our hospital, Saint Mungos, and a few charities so most will just ignore him."

Nagato was more then able to see between the lines, but didn't say anymore. "I see..."

Gesturing with a hand, McGonagall then frowned. "He was not the only one, though most of the others have kept out of the lime light as it were, while Lucius is rather politically active. Some Death Eaters though escaped prosecution by turning and informing the Aurors about other Death Eater... though those left the country in a hurry."

All the shipgirls did was snort at that. As McGonagall continued to explain though, she did not know about all the notes being written up inside the shipgirls by some of their fairies.

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

With no one in the Nagato family quarters, Shiromizu was looking toward a quiet night. However, she suddenly awoke and looked out from her home with a frown on her face. 'I wonder what...'

Not even a moment later though, she heard a bemused voice speak up. "You can come out now, Shiromizu-San, I wish to speak with you." Frozen in place, Shiromizu let her tongue flick out and she could taste the scent of fox in the air. More then that though, she could also taste the power that hung in the air. "Ara, ara, don't tell me that you're afraid of little ol' me now.~"

Knowing that the jig was up, Shiromizu poked her head out and watched Haru who lazily watched her back. "{I would be a fool not to be frightened.}"

Simply laughing, Haru shook her head. "No, you're right about that. Rather smart of you." Her eyes twinkled a bit in amusement as she smirked. "Now then, how about you come fully out of that home of yours and we can talk a little. After all, Nagato and Harry-Chan are out on their shopping trip, Hoppou is at Tenryuu's, and Rose is with Haruna. That makes this the perfect time."

Heart thudding in her chest as she realized that if it came down to it, she was dead, Shiromizu looked around. "{I don't know what you could want with a snake such as myself.}"

Then she felt her heart nearly stop as Haru leaned forward. "Really now? You're going to try and play pretend with a kitsune?" Leaning back, her expression softened some. "You have nothing to fear, you have my word. And we both know there's far more to you then being a snake."

Still nervous, Shiromizu made her way out of her tank and shifted into her other form. "Happy?"

Once more laughing, Haru nodded. "Yes, very much so." Then she became thoughtful as she looked over Shiromizu. "Hmm... you look to be thirteen for a human... younger then I had expected for one such as you."

Utterly confused, Shiromizu frowned. "What do you mean by that... and why do you want to talk?"

Now it was Haru's turn to blink and mutter to herself. "You mean you... no, you don't. Of course you don't. How amusing, far be it for me to explain that yet." Seeing as Shiromizu was about to speak, Haru held up a hand. "As for why... would you believe that I came across an Itachi earlier."

Furrowing her eyebrows, Shiromizu frowned. "An Itachi...?"

Slowly, Haru nodded with her next words causing Shiromizu to freeze. "Well, yes. It seems that you have someone out there that wants you quite dead... or rather, brought to them in order to be made dead, they don't seem to care much in either case."

With a glance around, Shiromizu swallowed. "I..."

However, she was stopped as Haru held up a hand. "I don't care to get into your past, so don't worry. And between myself and several others, whoever it is won't get you."

Blinking, Shiromizu bowed. "Thank you... may I ask what happened to the Itachi?"

Suddenly, Haru grinned revealing a mouthful of sharp teeth. "Do you really want to know?"

With a shudder, the snake girl shook her head. "No, on second thought I think that I'm quite alright."

Just snickering, Haru nodded. "Smart girl." Taking a deep breath, the kitsune smiled. "Now then, that does lead into why I am here though as I have an offer that would be to your benefit as well as my niece's in regards to Harry-Chan."

That caused Shiromizu to frown as she tried to piece together what the kitsune in front of her wanted. Unable to, she went with the most likely one to her. "I have neither any want nor need to get involved in that particular situation between your niece and the others around Harry. So neither of you have anything to worry about. As a matter of fact, I am waiting for when he gets old enough for the real fun to start."

For several moments, Haru stared at her and then laughed. "You, you think that I'm here to warn you... no, no, no. Nothing of the sort, though that does mean that I think that I like you a lot more now since you seem to enjoy what will happen as well." Her expression then became more thoughtful as she leaned forward. "Tell me... do you know about what happened to Harry-Chan's parents?"

Much to Haru's bemusement, Shiromizu's eyes hardened as she looked off into the distance. "You mean how his parents were murdered at the hands of a madman? Yes, Harry told me himself as a matter of fact." Hands clinching, Shiromizu let out an angry hiss. "I also heard about how said man was a speaker..."

Thoughtful, Haru frowned as she softly muttered to herself. "That last bit I did not know..." Shaking it off, she continued. "Well, that is good as my own niece also knows and Natsumi-Chan is convinced that whatever Harry-Chan's destiny is that awaits him, it somehow involves this Voldemort creature."

Intrigued, the serpent looked at her more directly. "And you?"

Rubbing one claw against her chin, Haru frowned. "I suspect much the same to be quite honest. Though how a human might have survived such a thing as this Voldemort is... worryingly." Then she shook her head. "However, thanks to that, Natsumi-Chan is determined that Harry-Chan will not face him alone without her being there to back him up when she can. Hence, she's asked for more training from me after Harry-Chan has left for this school. Needless to say, I am quite proud of her and I know that her family will be as well once they hear."

Shiromizu smiled at hearing that. "Well, kitsune are known for their loyalty to those that they care for. Though... sometimes I do worry about what may happen if she..."

Having realized what she was about to say to the kitsune in front of her, Shiromizu froze only to be shocked as Haru chuckled. "If she does not win his heart when the time comes? Ah, I can see how one will worry about that. However, I have my doubts that we need to overly worry much about that, amusement potential aside. And from what I have read, even if she does not get together with him, she will find him to be one of her best friends for life. And vice versa quite honestly, their red strings of fate are entangled too much for that."

Slowly, Shiromizu frowned. "I see... though I must ask why you come to me in regards to training for her. After all, I... am not that experienced, compared to one such as yourself."

After a few moments, Haru snorted and her eyes glowed in laughter. "Are you calling me old, young one? Though I suppose that you are right seeing as I am over four hundred years old. However, what I have come to you is for a favor." Seeing that Shiromizu was utterly confused, Haru shook her head. "My niece needs someone to train alongside as a partner, to push her and be pushed in turn to become stronger. I cannot do so as the gap between us is far too large, however..."

Eyes widening, Shiromizu pointed at herself. "You want for me to train beside your niece?"

Humming, Haru nodded. "Correct. You both are at a similar level unless I am mistaken and training will help you hone your own abilities... which may help with whoever it is that keeps sending yokai to try and capture or kill you."

Despite what her kneejerk reaction was, Shiromizu considered what she was being told before frowning. "And what could you teach me?"

Once more, the kitsune Miko in front of her laughed as she spread her arms. "Many things! Us kitsune may be known mostly for our abilities in illusions, however once you get to my age, we know much more. After all, in order to disguise ourselves and enter in our roles that we play, us kitsune must know how to act in those roles. A merchant along the highway is one thing, pretending to be a samurai? One must know how to handle weapons with proficiency. Visit a dojo? We must know martial arts for our acting. The kindly magician who has arrived to take care of the troublesome fox bothering the local villagers? Not only must one be able to convince them that you are not that fox, but you must also know how to perform human style of magic. Us kitsune pick up many, many skills over our lives."

Shiromizu stared at Haru in utter disbelief which made the Miko grin widely before the snake-woman shook her head. "Unbelievable..." Then she gave her a searching look. "So you are offering to teach me such things alongside Natsumi-San? And in exchange I..."

Nodding, Haru nodded. "Become her training partner. If I know Natsumi-Chan, and I would like to think that I do, you training alongside her will push her to do her best. Meanwhile, that in turns pushes you to do your best. Together, the two of you will become far stronger then you might alone..."

All that Shiromizu did was stare out the window with a frown. "I see... Why not a shipgirl though?"

Simply chuckling, Haru shook her head. "They have skills outside what would be appropriate for Natsumi-Chan besides a few such as Junyou or Ryuujou. I suppose that you could learn a few things from them, but..." Just shrugging helplessly, Haru shook her head. "I think that we both know that's not much use for you."

The kitsune waited as Shiromizu thought about it as the minutes passed before, finally, the snake nodded. "I... accept. You're right and also, what sort of friend would I be if I did not repay the kindness shown to me by Harry by not learning so that I can stand beside him if ever needed."

Clapping her hands, Haru nodded. "Wonderful! And if you want, I can put in a word with the samurai at the tunnel here on base."

Just blinking, Shiromizu mumbled to herself. "A samurai...?"

Amused, Haru nodded. "Well, he's long dead now, but I've spoken with him and he does not mind taking on a student or two to pass the time and unlike most like him? He's not all that bad."

Hearing that, Shiromizu stared at Haru while wondering what she was getting into much to the kitsune's amusement.

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Frowning thoughtfully, Nagato flipped through the pages of the book in front of her and narrowed her eyes. "Interesting..." Of course, that was when she caught sight of a red book on the cart beside her. Glancing around, she picked it up and began to read through it around the middle. Almost immediately though, her eyes widened and her face went red at what she was reading. "Oh my..."

However, she jumped as Harry poked his head around the corner. "Mum?"

Quickly, she hid the offending book behind her and cleared her throat. "Yes, Harry?"

Giving his mother an odd look, Harry soon shrugged it off and raised the small canvas bag. "I've gotten all my books for school and, um... a few extra?"

Slowly, Nagato raised an eyebrow at him. "Extra?"

Uncomfortable, Harry shifted a little. "Some books on, um... curses and jinxes? Nothing really bad, I swear!"

For several moments Nagato just stared at him before she smiled. "I see no problem with that."

Relaxing, Harry let out a sigh of relief. "Oh, it's just that Hagrid didn't want me getting them but I kind of had... I mean, I snuck them past him."

Nagato only snorted though as she guessed what had really happened. "I see... well, I don't see any harm done. Now, I'll be just a moment."

Once he was gone, she looked at the red book and bit her lip. In the end though, she placed it back with the other red books on the cart and began to walk away. Just as she was about to exit the aisle, a panicked wizard followed by a witch rushed past, with her scolding the younger man. "How could you leave a cart of Carmella: Happy Crimson Reunions out in the open like that!? Especially with Hogwarts students around!"

The wizard only sulked a bit. "S'not my fault! I just found one of the copies we had of The Invisible Book of Invisibility! We've been looking everywhere for them since we lost them because they're invisible! Besides Hogwarts students won't really be showing up for another day or so."

Hearing the sound of a hand meeting someone's head, Nagato sped up a bit as her face burned. "That doesn't you daft fool! Besides, those books are not to go in this section! Anyone could have found them!"

By the time she reached the front desk though, her blush was gone and she was considering something else that made her bridge crew scratch at their heads. 'Why would someone write an invisible book on invisibility...?'

Waiting for her though was McGonagall who raised an eyebrow at the books in Nagato's hands. "I didn't know that you were interested in history."

Just humming, Nagato paid for her books with a distant expression. "I find history rather fascinating really." Then she held up two books. "I can't wait to have a look at these though."

Leaning in, McGonagall nodded. "Ah, yes, 'Dreadful Denizens of the Deep' and 'Merpeople:
A Comprehensive Guide to their Language and Customs'. I can see how those might be useful in your line of work as it were."

As they were walking out of the bookstore, Nagato smiled. "They will come in very useful, I think."

Even though she couldn't help but think that she was missing something, McGonagall nodded. "I must admit, it's rather refreshing to see a parent newly introduced to the magical world take such an interest in it. Though why you bought two Wizarding wireless sets is beyond me."

Despite the slight pang of unease at her subterfuge, Nagato only shrugged. "I would like to know about the world that my son is in. As to why I bought two? Just in case one breaks." Internally Nagato continued. 'When Akashi examines it more closely.'

Meanwhile, McGonagall nodded some. "Quite forward thinking." After a few moments of thought, she nodded. "I do believe that we have gotten everything that Mr. Potter needs for the school year."

Glancing at the list in her hands, Nagato gave a smile. "I think that you're right." Then she blinked and looked around. "There is something that I have been meaning to ask you though... and you have already done quite a bit with stating that we would have a Portkey for the first of September..."

Upon seeing the serious expression on the Battleship's face, McGonagall just nodded. "It wasn't anything that was too much, but I can see what can be done."

Stopping, Nagato took a deep breath. "Would it be possible to arraign a way to come here to Britain sometime in Mid-August?"

That caused the Professor to frown a little. "I... don't see any real issue with it myself, but may I ask why?"

For several seconds, Nagato watched Harry before she let out a sigh. "It will be the time of the Obon festival back home in Japan."

Confused, McGonagall furrowed her eyebrows. "Obon Festival?"

Having realized what the problem was, Nagato's expression softened. "It's a... holiday of sorts, dedicated to commemorate one's ancestors who have left this world for the next. One of the things done is to visit the graves of relatives."

Sucking in a breath, McGonagall pursed her lips. "So you wish to bring Mr. Potter back to..."

With a nod, Nagato softly frowned. "To visit his parents' graves, yes. I think that he's more then old enough for that and it might give him some more closure."

Her own expression softening, McGonagall softly whispered to the shipgirl beside her. "I shall see what I can do. But I see no problems." She was silent for almost half a minute. "It's still standing there you know."

Blinking, Nagato looked over at her. "Hmm?"

McGonagall looked up at the taller woman. "The house where... it happened." Turning back to watch Harry talking with Hagrid about something, the witch continued. "They've preserved the home, as it was on that day since then. It's a national monument of sorts, though no one is allowed inside of it. I am sure though that no one would have an issue if Mr. Potter decided to enter however."

There was a frown on Nagato's face as she nodded. "I see..."

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Walking beside her son, Nagato smiled a bit at him. "So you got everything that you wanted?"

Harry just nodded as he looked up at the Battleship beside him with a smile on his face. "Yup! Hopefully they like them."

All Nagato did though was shake her head though as she chuckled. "I think that they'll all enjoy your gifts for them."

Meanwhile, Hagrid shook his head in utter confusion. "Still don' know why yeh wanted dragon meat? Not many want th' kind of meat yeh know." He then leaned down a bit. "Gives one bad breath, it does."

However, Harry and the four shipgirls just gave each other amused expressions before Teruzuki snickered. "You don't know Akagi-San."

It was then that Harry frowned in thought and turned to his mother. "Um, did you get whatever you wanted, Mum? I mean, while we were looking at some gifts, you went said that you needed to get something."

There was the slightest bit of a blush on Nagato's face before she coughed into her fist and became stern. "I did find what I wanted, yes. Though I think it's best that what I got remain a mystery for now." Memories of the red books caused her blush to deep a little bit, though Harry himself only gave her a confused nod. 'Now how to get Mutsu's copy to her in a way to get maximum embarrassment...'

Not quite sure what was going on, how why Nagato was snickering in a way that spelt trouble for his Aunt Mutsu, Harry slowly nodded. "Um... okay." Then he spotted something and tapped Nagato on the arm before pointing. "How about we go there for our last stop, Mum."

Looking in the direction that Harry was gesturing, Nagato felt a smile on her face. "Hmm... Florean Fortscue's Ice Cream Parlour?" A glance to the three Akizuki sisters showed them staring with wide eyes and slightly heavy breathing. "Any particular reason?"

With a smile on his face, Harry jerked his thumb at the three Destroyers. "Well... they took time out of the day to escort us, so they deserve a bit of a reward..."

All three Destroyers blushed and Akizuki waved her hands around in the air. "Y-you don't need to do that! We enjoyed ourselves!"

Just raising an eyebrow, Harry wagged a finger at them. "Well, I think that you deserve it." He then paused for a moment and shrugged. "Anyways, I want to see if he'll be able to give us some to take back."

For a few moments, Nagato was silent before she softly nodded. "That... would be something." Turning towards McGonagall who was watching in bemusement, she frowned. "You did say that the amount of food wasn't an issue, right?"

Her bemusement increasing, McGonagall nodded. "Correct, and I do believe that Florean does in fact have buckets of ice cream that he sells."

Needless to say, all three Destroyers just stared off into the distance with awed looks on their faces. "B-buckets...?"

Slowly, McGonagall smiled. "I believe that he sells up to one gallon in size, yes."

When a shudder ran through the Destroyers, McGonagall turned to an amused Nagato who bit her lip. Not getting an answer from her, she looked toward Harry who grinned. "Destroyers really like ice cream." He then grabbed the hands of the three Destroyers, with Akizuki's and Hatsuzuki's hands in one of his and dragged them off. "Come on!"

Following at a much more sedate pace, Nagato only shook her head. By the time she sat down though, she looked up to see Akizuki and her sisters come to the table with pouts and she raised an eyebrow as she looked in the direction that Harry was in. "Is there a reason that Harry is over there?"

If anything though, Akizuki's pout increased. "Harry-Chan told us to come over here and wait while he got us our ice creams."

Nagato, knowing her son, just smirked at them. "I see."

A few minutes later, Harry walked to the table with two large serving tray in his hands which he set down which had one small sundae and a much larger one. "Here we go."

Eyes wide, Teruzuki pointed at it. "I... wow!"

For her part, McGonagall raised an eyebrow at it. "Ah, you got one of the party sized sundaes."

That caused Akizuki to look between the sundae and the witch. "Party sized...?"

Slowly nodding, McGonagall smiled at the look on the three Destroyers faces. "Correct, they're made for four people to share."

Her hair flaps moving as if they were ears and stars in her eyes, Hatsuzuki pointed at herself. "Th-this is for us?"

Much to their surprise, Harry was looking behind them and Nagato held back a chuckle as he answered. "No..." At their confused and slightly crestfallen faces, Harry pointed behind them. "Those are."

Looking behind them, the Akizuki sisters eyes widened and their jaws dropped at the sight of the three party sized sundaes before they were placed in front of them. Pointing at herself and then her sisters, Teruzuki swallowed. "Are-are these for us?" At his nod, she clapped her hands together and gave a small bow alongside her sisters. "Thank you."

Even though he was confused at the amount of ice cream ordered, or how the three waifish girls could put away that amount (or why he wanted to stuff them full of ice cream for some reason), Florean just nodded. "I hope that you enjoy your sundaes. And Mr. Potter?" The young wizard looked up from where he was preparing to dig into his own ice cream. "I'll have your orders ready by the time that you leave."

With a smile on his face, Harry nodded at him. "Thank you!"

Beside him, Nagato only nodded though she watched Hagrid walk over with a sundae of his own. "I'll pay for them when we pick them up." Taking a spoonful of her sundae, she put into her mouth and held back a groan. 'Oh yes... I can see Teitoku being happy with these supplies...'

The three Destroyers just nodded and thanked the older wizard before they began to dig in with gusto with happy sounds coming from them.

 

[darthcourt10]

Barricade

The month after Harry left for Hogwarts, was a very quiet month indeed for the base. Not simply because of Wanko upholding her bargain with the Admiralty, and thus nearly halving the strain on both the base and Japan itself, but from the notable lack of spontaneous laughter amongst the destroyers, subs, even a few cruisers and battleships. Not to mention both a Kitsune and a Nune-onna...Yami-no-kami...Tatsu? Nobody in the know was sure what Shiromizu was, as she wouldn't talk about her past, but everyone did know that both of them were missing their friend most dearly.

That, and one tiny, lonely installation. Adrift in a world not her own, and the only one of her kind on the base.

While never exactly put into words by Admiral Goto within earshot of Nagato, it was a known, if unspoken fact that there were guards watching Hoppou nearly round the clock even prior to Harry's heading overseas to study. Guards which quietly doubled in number, and now always numbered a cruiser or large amongst them, as the little princess raged against the world for the first few weeks. Even her adopted mother was hard pressed to put her foot down, as the little one very likely had enough power hidden in her tiny form to outright knock the proud battleship silly. But time, as with many things, slowly eroded that rage, to mere spates of anger, to quiet pouting and irritation, and so on.

Until, once again, the little one once again took up her nickname of the lonely outpost of the north.

Two weeks in, and the watchers begun to notice a trend. Day after day, the little Abyssal would climb either to the top of the clubhouse she shared with DesDiv6 and Natsumi, or somehow manage to find a way to the rooftop of the battleship dorms. And each time, she'd stare off towards the north, with an intensity only another kanmusu could understand. The fidgeting hands however, anyone with an older sibling who'd gone off to deployment for the first time, or had left them behind for college, was easy enough to spot.

And so word slowly trickled back up the chain of command. A guard mentioning an opinion to a sympathetic cruiser, that cruiser - after glancing in herself - quietly saying a few things to her officer boyfriend, and up, and up, until it reached the desk of Admiral Goto. An admiral, who, coincidentally at the time, was set to meet with the carrier division less than ten minutes later. He also had a rather bubbly battleship close at hand, and being the Machiavelli he was, quietly pointed out that she'd been abusing her unofficial position just a tad bit too much lately, and that there was another battleship on base who really deserved to get a weekend off to spend time with her family. Although that wouldn't happen immediately, so why not sit in on the carrier's meeting for a few minutes?

So it was that not-so-secret plans went into motion, several fairies were volunteered - willingly no less - and coffee plus paperwork were both emptied and filled in equal proportion.

Thus it came to be, no matter how hard she tried to push it away until a flat order was dropped on her, that battleship Nagato, found herself with a full weekend pass to one of the most enchanted places on earth, that wasn't actually under an enchantment no matter how much Walt Disney might otherwise suggest, along with a delightfully surprised Hoppou, happily making propeller noises with a hyper-realistic, if miniaturized 'Reppu' as she held it aloft while sitting across her mother's shoulders. The dreariness would return, in time, but for today, it also went on vacation. One far away from that small family.

[image here if it doesn't load]

This chapter is out of canonical order of Harry Lefert's chapters, but obviously takes place only after Harry Potter-Nagato has left for schooling.

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Looking up at the large man beside him, Harry smiled brightly. "Thanks for staying for my birthday, Hagrid."

There was also a smile on Hagrid's face though it was hidden behind his massive beard. "Well, couldn' say no ter a personal invite, 'Arry." Scratching at his beard, he added in a lower voice. "Wish that I had thought ter bring a cake is all."

However, Harry just shook his head. "That's okay, besides you already got me Hedwig."

Glancing at the owl which perched comfortably on top of one of the Destroyer's heads, who she was told was called Inazuma, McGonagall widened her eyes slightly in surprise. "You already gave her name?"

Only nodding as he searched the slowly growing crowd of shipgirls, Harry scratched his head. "Um, yeah? It was in one of my history books that I was reading this morning." Suddenly, his expression lit up and he began to wave. "Wanko!"

Confused by this, McGonagall and Hagrid turned only for the witch to pale at the sight of the massive Abyssal Princess walking toward them. Part of her also noted the Re class beside her with a grin on both it's faces. "Hello.. Little Brother. Happy birthday..."

Blinking, Harry just tilted his head to the side. "Little brother?"

Wanko only nodded. "Yes. Hoppou has already... stated that you are... her big brother. Therefore... since I am... big sister, you... are little brother."

Shrugging it off, Harry just gave her a hug as Hoppou bounced around happily. "Cool!" Various shipgirls looked uneasy about the Abyssals, but they had been told what to expect well before hand. Upon seeing how both Wanko and Revina were acting though, they relaxed some. Meanwhile, Revina gave out a laugh. "Yeah! Awesome bash you guys put together here! Oh, yeah, happy birthday squirt, another year older, another year closer to de-ow!"

Even as Revina rubbed at her head where Wanko had smacked her, said Abyssal Princess was glaring at her. "Enough."

It was then that she spotted the two magicals and blinked, only for Harry to start dragging her over to them. "Oh, right, did Hoppou tell you about me going to Hogwarts?"

Nodding, Wanko was staring at Hagrid as he was the first non-Abyssal she had met who was her own height. "Yes... Hoppou told us... all about it." Now in front of the two magicals, Wanko gave them both a nod. "Hello... I am Wanko, Harbor Princess."

A tight smile on her face, McGonagall tried her best not to show any fear. "I am Professor Minerva McGonagall."

Taking the offered claw that was larger then her hand, McGonagall shook it. Then Wanko offered a hand to Hagrid who shook it with a pleased grin on his face. "I'm Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper o' the Grounds and Keys at Hogwarts." Before Wanko could say anything he chuckled. "Aren' yeh a pretty one?"

Much to Harry's surprise and Revina's amusement, Wanko blushed. "You... think that I'm... pretty?"

Slightly confused, Hagrid nodded after glancing toward Harry. "Sure yeh are."

Eyes wide, Wanko just poked her claws together. "Ah... thank you?"

Feeling something pull at her sleeve, Wanko looked down to see Hoppou there. "He told Hoppou all about dragons! And even has a pet giant tickler!"

Just blinking, Hagrid took a moment and then laughed lightly. "Oh! Yeh are talking about the giant squid!" Still shaking his head, he turned toward Wanko who seemed interested. "Got 'im off this chap in Oklahoma. Was breeding these giant octopuses for 'is lake or some such and tried it on some giant squid. Little fellow likes the Black Lake though he sometimes scares students, likes playing tug of war even!"

Tilting her head to the side, Wanko looked him over. "It does not... scare you?"

With a chuckle, Hagrid shook his head. "Nah! Mos' just misunderstand 'im is all. Like dragons!" Sighing, he shook his head. "Blimey, I would love to have me a dragon."

Claw pressed against her chin, the Abyssal just listened as Hagrid continued to talk. 'Very brave...' Once more though, she compared their heights and frowned thoughtfully. 'And so tall...'

That said, she found what he was saying about magical creatures fascinating, though she also noted that the witch looked uneasy by her. Then Wanko shrugged as it was not her problem.

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Cleaning up a little after Harry's birthday was done, Rose was about to grab a plate when someone else did. With a blink, she turned and looked to find Haruna there which caused her to smile. "Thank you."

The Battleship just nodded. "Haruna is happy to help Rose-Chan." She then gave a slight wink. "Besides, Haruna cannot let her friend clean all this up."

Softly giggling, Rose just smiled at her and nodded. "Still, thank you." Both of them continued their work before Rose hummed. "Did you enjoy the party, Haruna?"

With a smile on her face, Haruna blinked. "Of course, Haruna did. Haruna really does like parties with how everyone is always so happy."

Her own eyes bright, Rose nodded. "I've always enjoyed a nice party. Though I do think that Revina enjoyed the party much more."

A sparkle was in Haruna's eyes as she placed the plates into the container to be washed later. "Haruna noticed, and you know what else Haruna noticed?" When Rose shook her head, Haruna smiled. "That Wanko-San kept staring at Hagrid-San thoughtfully."

Tilting her head to the side, Rose's smile grew. "She did, didn't she? But then, I suppose that he is the first man that she has ever seen who is of her own size..." Sharing a look with Haruna, Rose burst into giggles before fanning herself. "Oh, look at me, I think that I might have had a bit too much to drink."

Moments later, she felt Haruna wrap her arms around her waist. "But Haruna likes Rose-Chan when she's giggly. It makes Haruna happy and Rose-Chan seems to sparkle."

Blushing, Rose shook her head. "You're just saying that."

However, Haruna shook her head with a mock serious look on her face. "Of course, Haruna isn't!" She then hummed and placed her chin on Rose's head. "What was Rose-Chan's favourite part?"

Curious, Rose tilted her head back some and looked up as Haruna looked down. "My favourite part?" At Haruna's slight nod, Rose tapped her chin in thought as her other hand came down and gently placed itself on top of Haruna's. "Hmm... I think that it was the dancing!"

That caused Haruna to blink. "The dancing?"

Rose hummed as she gave a nod, her other hand coming down to join its twin on Haruna's clasped hands. "Oh yes! While I didn't recognize some of them, I do enjoy a good dance."

Seeing the far off look in Rose's eyes, the shipgirl tilted her head at the tsukumogami. "Rose-Chan?"

It took her a moment, but Rose came out of it and shook her head. "Sorry, just... remembering the past."

Expression gentle, Haruna gave her a small squeeze. "The past?"

Once more that far off expression was on Rose's face. "My... second Mistress, Mistress Violet Jessop. She married into the Evens family you know." Taking a deep breath, Rose's fingers ghosted across Haruna's hand sending a shiver though the Kongou sister. "She was a dance instructor. Absolutely loved to dance and was a dance instructor during the 1920s. I remember her... teaching her daughter, Dehlia, how to dance while I sat on the table. Oh, such fun it looked."

Her own eyes becoming distant, Haruna mumbled to herself. "Haruna can imagine."

Tilting her head back, Rose's eyes seemed to glow. "And sometimes... sometimes Mistress Violet would bring her students over and would have a lovely tea party. They would laugh and talk, happiness warming the air as if it was water for a tea."

Once more squeezing her gently and feeling the much smaller body against hers, Haruna sighed. "Sounds wonderful, Rose-Chan."

Thoughtful, Rose hummed. "Can you dance, Haruna?"

Caught off guard by the question, Haruna blinked. "Can Haruna dance?" At the nod, she frowned. "Haruna... has never thought about it... but Haruna thinks that she can dance. Though Haruna is not sure if it's the same kind as Rose-Chan was talking about."

Slowly, Rose nodded before she twisted around so that she was facing Haruna who flushed a bit. "You know..." Her arms now wrapped around the blushing Haruna's neck, though there was also a dusting of red on her own cheeks, Rose continued. "When I was just a tea set, when I... became aware. Do you know that I thought back to that time and found that I wished that I could dance?"

Staring downwards, Haruna licked her lips and shook her head. "No... Haruna did not know that."

A moment later, another shiver ran through the Battleship's body as she felt Rose's fingers wiggle behind her neck. Each of them just barely touching. "But now... I have arms, legs... a body." Haruna found herself nodding as she felt the tsukumogami's warm breath ticking her lips, the smell of tea reaching her nose. "I think... that I would like to dance. Very much so. Would you like to see?"

Not trusting her voice at the moment, Haruna only nodded before loosening her hug as Rose pulled away. Her boilers thundering away, Haruna felt her mouth go dry as Rose shot her a look full of something. Something that Haruna didn't quite understand and yet did at the same time.

Then... that was when Rose began to dance.

Entranced, Haruna could only watch as the human avatar of Harry's family tea set danced in front of her. At first, it seemed clumsy, as if she was not too sure how everything worked, or fit together. However, slowly, that began to change as if she was highly rusty with what she was doing. Which itself shifted to as if she had been doing it for a while. And soon... to a music that only she could hear, and sometimes with a invisible partner, Rose glided across the floor.

From one style to another she danced. Each time, she would seem rusty or clumsy at the start, but within a short period was dancing as if she had been doing it for years. Of course, one of the dances had Haruna's mouth drop open. She didn't hear one of her Bridge Officers comment that it looked like the Tango, except with one person.

At last though, Rose's performance came to an end and, with a grin that made her face hurt, the tsukumogami came to a stop. Breathing hard, she did a quick hop around to see Haruna staring at her. Face hot, Rose walked forward she quickly hugged the stunned Battleship. "What did you think?"

Working her jaw, Haruna finally managed to speak. "Haruna thinks that Rose-Chan was very good! No, amazing!"

Softly laughing, Rose just nodded not knowing that Haruna could feel the smaller woman's chest rise and fall against hers. "It was as wonderful as I thought! I never knew that I could dance like that!"

There was an odd look on Haruna's face as she reached up and brushed a stray, sweaty hair off Rose's forehead with her finger. "Haruna thinks she knows why."

Intrigued, Rose searched Haruna's face for a clue. "You do?"

Humming, Haruna nodded. "Us shipgirls... we have knowledge and skills that our crew had. Haruna thinks that it was similar for Rose-Chan. That her owners... somehow passed on their skills to Rose-Chan. That is how Rose-Chan can dance like that."

Eyes wide, Rose stared up at her and Haruna could see some tears gather in the corner of her eyes. "S-so my Masters and Mistresses... they..."

One hand cupping Rose's cheek, Haruna's expression softened into one of understanding. "Yes, Haruna thinks that a part of them... is now part of Rose-Chan."

Blinking, Rose gave a sniff before leaning her head against Haruna's upper chest. "A part of them living on through me... I like that."

The two stood there for several moments before, slowly, they began to sway in place. Unnoticed by either of them, Kongou just pulled away from the window and began to walk away.

A soft and yet bright smile on her face.

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

The cicadas made their song in the heat as Harry watched Inazuma a distance away. As per usual, Hedwig was perched on the Destroyer's head which caused Harry to frown. "Do you think that she even realizes that she's there, Shinano-Chan?"

A frown on her face, Shinano gave it some thought before she shrugged and looked down at the boy currently sitting in her lap. "Um, I don't really think that Inazuma-San minds one way or the other." Placing a finger to her chin, Shinano slowly shook her head. "I kind of wish that I could balance things like her though."

Nodding, Harry smiled a bit. "Yeah, same here." He then stretched out a bit. "I'm really happy with how the last few days went though!"

Shinano nodded along before she stopped. "Well, um... except for how Iowa-San tried to make a hamburger with the dragon meat you bought... or is that a dragonburger?"

His nose winkling, Harry snorted. "Ugh, don't remind me. I know that Hagrid said that dragon meat makes a person's breath smell bad, but I didn't know it was that bad... though I do wonder where Akagi-Oba got all those mints she shoved into Kaga-Oba's mouth..."

With a blink, Shinano tilted her head. "She did have them out as soon as Kaga-Sama came by." Another thought struck her then. 'I wonder why Kaga-Sama looked so amused by that reaction and that she expected Akagi-Sama to pull out the mints...?' Shaking off those thoughts though, Shinano pulled Harry closer to her as the two enjoyed the shade. "I liked the ice cream though, it was really good."

Now smiling, Harry chuckled. "Yeah, I thought that everyone would like it." Both of the slipped into silence before Harry looked up at her. "Shinano-Chan?"

Humming, Shinano looked down at him. "Yes, Harry-Chan?"

Much to her surprise though, Harry shifted around a bit. "Why were you so sad, the other day?"

For a moment, Shinano bit her lip before she just tightened her hug. "You're going away." That was not the response which Harry had expected from her and it must have shown on his face as she sniffled a bit. "You're going to go away to some school far away and I'll only get to see you on holidays."

Blinking, Harry watched her before he hugged her back. "But I'm only going away for a few months, Shinano-Chan. And... and I'll make sure to write you as often as I can!"

The Support Carrier just buried her face into his hair and mumbled. "Don't care. I still don't like it. What... what if you go away and decide..."

Despite what some might think due to his age, Harry could guess what his friends often thought. Maybe it was due to growing up around them and other shipgirls, or maybe something else, but more often then not Harry somehow knew at times. "I'm still going to keep my promise, Shinano-Chan! I'm going to be your Admiral!"

On Shinano's face, just like all the other times he had said exactly that, there was a blush. "But..."

All Harry did though was tighten his hug. "I promised!" Suddenly, he looked rather nervous which caused the larger shipgirl to blink. "Um, can you keep a secret?"

Eyes wide, Shinano nodded a bit. "Mm-hm?"

Looking around, the black haired boy leaned in once he was sure that there was no one nearby who could overhear. "I want to learn magic and stuff so that I can help you and the others out."

Confused, and her eyebrows furrowing, Shinano frowned. "What do you mean? You help out a lot."

Snorting, Harry shook his head and spread his arms wide. "Yeah, but if I know how to do magic and stuff, then I can really help you out! I'd be like... a Magic Admiral! And since I would know all about magic and be able to use it, then they really would make me an Admiral so I can have you in my fleet. Because shipgirls use magic and stuff."

Despite the rather convoluted logic involved, Shinano had to admit it made some sense. "I don't think that is how it works, but maybe..."

Harry just grinned though. "We'd be so awesome together, just think about it! I've be using magic and you would have your planes. We'd kick so much Abyssal stern!"

Tilting her head to the side, Shinano blinked as the image of her beside a adult Harry throwing fireballs at Abyssals popped into her head. Then, when the Abyssals were defeated, a dragon landed by them and Harry swept her up into his strong arms before climbing onto the dragon- "Gah!"

With a blink, Harry tilted his head as Shinano slapped herself. "Poi?"

Moments later though, Shinano waved her arms around. "I-it's nothing!"

Shrugging it off, Harry got comfortable in her lap again. When he spoke though, it was in a soft voice that had the shipgirl frown. "Um... Shinano-Chan? Can... can I ask you something?"

Part of Shinano was concerned and she pulled him back into a hug. "Mm-hm."

Just taking a deep breath, Harry let it out in a sigh before he played with his fingers a bit. But Shinano just waited until he said something. "Mum... is taking me back to Britain on the thirteenth."

Her breath catching, the shipgirl was about to say something about him leaving early when the date clicked and her voice became a near whisper. "The Obon... you're going to be visiting your..."

Nodding, Harry swallowed as he finished her sentence. "My parents graves... I was wondering if you could come too..."

Eyes wide, Shinano looked down at him and then looked around. Turning her attention back to Harry, she bit her lip before giving a sharp nod. "I-I'd be honored."

Almost immediately, the tension that was in his body disappeared and Harry slumped against her. "Thank you."

The only thing that Shinano did was wrap her arms around him and nod.

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

"Desu! Desu desu desu desssu!"

Blinking some of the tiredness from her eyes, Mikasa gave a soft smile to the elaborately uniformed fairy in front of her. "Yes, I realize that it is late, Teitoku. But if this is one of the few ways that I am able to perform my duties for our country, then I shall. And besides..." She gestured around her to the scroll filled room. "Who doesn't like a bit of light reading, Dess?"

All the fairy did was shake his head. "Desu."

That brought a chuckle to Mikasa before she looked at the room deep in the archives. One could only enter with permission from the Emperor, which she had gotten once she had told him why. However, said archives were covered in dust and disorganized to say the least. Softly, Mikasa frowned as she sipped her black tea delicately. Around her, fairies were swarming the shelves. "Hmm..."

Suddenly, one of the Fairies shouted and caught her attention. "DESU! DESU DESU DESU!"

Getting up, she walked over to the shelf in question and removed the folder that the small being had dragged out. "Now what did you find?" Looking at the folder, she noted the title on it. "'Akuzen Kaze'..." Looking up, she frowned as she tried to ignore the shiver down her back. "What caught your interest?"

The fairy just pointed. "Desu."

Frown slowly becoming more pronounced, Mikasa tried to ignore the sinking feeling as she read a little bit. "Nakanotorishima?" Walking back to her desk, she opened the folder and began to read the rest as the clock ticked on. By the time that dawn broke, the folder had been joined by several others and Mikasa just sat there with her head in her hands as she tried not to weep. "Oh kami..."

Even the fairy of her beloved Admiral looked shakened and sickened by what was on those pages. "Desu..."

Just staring forward, Mikasa blinked away the wetness that threatened to spill out. "We both knew how far our nation fell, but this... I don't think that we have strong enough curses for those such as these." Then she took a deep, shuddering breath. "I can only hope that the little ones found peace in the next life."

Hands shaking, she reached over and grasped her now cold tea. One word on the paper sticking out far more then any other as it was in English.

"Obscurial."
________________________________________________________________________________________________

When Kongou walked into Goto's office, she stopped and raised an eyebrow at the sight of Mikasa sitting in a chair and pouring a glass of scotch. The sight of said Battleship actually drinking brought Kongou up short, especially as she gulped down the alcohol and poured herself another. A glance at Goto only got her a shrug as he didn't know why. Of course, that was when Kongou also noticed that Richardson was there with Mutsu and Arizona, who Mikasa kept glancing at, as well as Kaga and Akagi not to mention Haru. "You wanted to see me, Teitoku?"

All Goto did was nod and gesture at a seat. "Please, come and sit down."

Much to the surprise of those who didn't know her as well, Kongou closed the door behind her with a click and then sat down with little fuss. "What's wrong, Dess?"

If anything, the brittle laugh from Mikasa caught her off guard. "Everything."

Clearing his throat, Richardson frowned. "'Everything'?"

Slowly, Mikasa brought out several folders from her clothing and set them down onto the table. Seeing the seals on them, Goto leaned back and shot her a look. "These are-"

Mikasa shot him a look before giving a sharp nod. "Direct from the archives. I had permission from the only one who matters to remove them from the room they were in... this does not leave this room unless the Emperor himself allows for it..." Then she turned to Richardson. "Or your own President."

That caused Richardson to stiffen as he looked at her straight in the eyes. However, when she didn't flinch, he grimaced. "Fuck."

With a snort, Mikasa shook her head. "Appropriate."

His hands trembling a bit, Goto opened the folder to the first page and frowned even as Richardson looked over his shoulder. "'Akuzen Kaze'? Evil whirlwind?"

Leaning forward, Mikasa took a deep breath before placing the scotch on the table and producing several glasses. "As you know, I gained permission to search through the archives for any information regarding the 'Phantom Islands'. Being as I am not suitable for combat, I have not minded, Dess. More then that, it's taken on a more immediate need with what Wanko-San has told us..." She then looked up. "As it turns out, there was a magical side to... Unit-731."

Needless to say, everyone stiffened at that before Kaga cursed on her breath. On Haru's face there was an angry look before she growled. "What did they do?"

Simply placing her hands into her lap, Mikasa closed her eyes. "While some of the islands hidden were private residences, others were under their control. A few were prison camps for magicals captured by them from places as from the fighting going on in Asia and the Pacific, including American ones. There was also mention of at least one shipyard for... 'Experimental Construction Techniques'. A clean name for using magic to enslave workers and force them to work to death... or even beyond it."

Frowning, Goto gave Richardson a look and then turned back to Mikasa. "Beyond it?"

On Mikasa's face, there was a disturbed expression, but she continued. "Apparently there is a way to reanimate the dead... they were basing their work on research in Germany by someone called Grindlewald in using reanimated corpses to help lessen the strain on industry near the end of the war. Mostly for aspects that were highly dangerous."

Richardson just rubbed his face in disbelief. "Jesus Christ... zombies? They were using zombies for..." Shaking his head, he sighed. "God..."

Taking a breath, Mikasa shook her head. "However... I think that the Akuzen Kaze, based out of Nakanotorishima... is the most horrible." Seeing the looks, she swallowed. "Obscurials."

A sharp intake of breath caused everyone to turn toward Haru who was staring at Mikasa in horror. "Please... please tell me that they did not mess around with..."

When the Pre-Dreadnought shook her head, Haru relaxed some only to freeze at her next words. "They found a way to... induce... their creation."

To everyone's surprise, Haru's eyes glowed before her ears and tails popped out. She became more beastal as she roared. "THOSE FUCKING BASTARDS!"

Sharing a look with his American counterpart as the kitsune cursed whoever was involved, Goto waited until Haru had calmed down before he cleared his throat. "What... are obscurials?"

Her paw-like hands clinching and unclinching, Haru growled with her teeth bared in her muzzle. None of them flinched though and slowly her features melted back into something more human. "They are... a form of yokai. They are made when a magical child is abused over a period of years, in particular to force them to repress their magic. This has the effect of, for lack of better words, forcing their magic to turn inwards. A parasite is then formed called an 'Obscurus'. It... devours the child from the inside out while lashing at things around them, often injuring or even killing people. Eventually, it consumes the child, known as an obscurial, completely and utterly. From the one time I saw one, it takes the form of a massive black cloud that just destroys anything in it's path. At this point, it's nearly unstoppable except with large numbers of magicals or waiting until the strain kills the host."

It was Kaga who said the one thing on her mind as she stared off into the distance. "So Harry-Chan could have..."

Haru just shrugged. "I... don't know." From the look on her face, that much horrified her before she shook it off. "If Ryuujou and Junyou were here, they might explain more."

Lips a thin line, Goto shook his head. "I think that I know enough..." He then turned toward Mikasa. "So Nakanotorishima was where they were..."

Softly snorting, Mikasa blinked away some tears. "Performing the experiments? Yes." Letting out a sigh, she seemed almost as physically old as her hull for a moment. "From what I gathered, they started researching them as they expected to face off against Grindlewald and wanted them as weapons. But as Grindlewald was knocked out of the fighting and the Americans pushed us further back..."

There was a stony expression on Arizona's face. "They were going to use them against us."

Even as Mikasa nodded, Kongou leaned forward, her face expressionless. "Operation Downfall."

Just frowning, Mikasa sighed. "That... was one idea, yes. It would have broken that Statute of Secrecy, but the casualties would have been massive among the invading troops... But they decided on doing more as they found a way to contain an full fledge obscurial somehow." Looking directly at Goto and Richardson. "The I-400 Submarines."

Stiffening, Goto gave her an even stare as he growled as Richardson paled. "Where."

All Mikasa did was get up and walk toward the map of the world before pausing. "Each plane could carry two contained Obscurials. One plane for each targeted city..." Taking several pins, she began to put them into place. "San Diego... San Francisco... Los Angeles... Puget Sound... Seattle... They would also have hit the Canadian city of Victoria alongside the previous two." She then looked directly at Arizona who paled. "Pearl Harbor was another target alongside with the rest of Honolulu for just one of the I-400s."

His hand on the shaking Arizona's shoulder, Richardson frowned. "How many dead? Hundreds?"

Much to their surprise, Haru was the one who answered them even as she stared at the map. "No... thousands." Before any of them could say anything, she gave them an horrified look. "For each strike, I would not be surprised if the death toll was in the tens of thousands for each one as the obscurials would just tear their way through the cities for probably hours. Guns wouldn't stop them and neither would bombs or shells."

Voice soft, Mikasa sat back down and held her face in her hands. "They believed that the blows, as well as the threat of more such attacks, would cause the United States to back off and sue for peace."

Goto just stared at the map before closing his eyes. "Those fools... there wouldn't be a Japan after that."

Face expressionless, Richardson took a deep breath. "No, there wouldn't be." He then turned toward Mikasa. "What happened to them?"

Raising her head, Mikasa thinned her lips. "The American magicals invaded Nakanotorishima and then released the obscurials held there before leaving. There were no survivors. As for the rest? They had made an oath on their magic that Japan was going to win the war. But being as they also swore not to harm the Emperor or his family, when the war ended, they died as their magic ripped them apart."

That only got her a nod from Akagi as she glared at the folder. "Good."

 

[darthcourt10]

crazyidiot78

The department of mysteries was a dark and confusing place on the best of days and now it was even worse as it was site of a running battle as a group of students fought against Voldemort and his death eaters. "Damn it," Ron cursed as the spinning hallway of doors changed before he could enter and he was separated from the group again. In any other universe the youngest Weasley son would have been forced to confront a tank of floating tentacle brains. However luck was kinda sort of on his side this time, as he entered a sadomasochistic wet dream of a special room. The dimly lit room was lined on either wall with a variety of implements that were stained with a dark oily ichor. Ron managed to force down the bile rising to his throat as he looked for a way out.

"Stay away......." a weak voice called out.

"Who's there," Ron replied turning towards the sound.

"Stay away......" the voice said again drawing Ron's eyes to a sight that would forever change how he viewed his fellow wizards. A pale skinned silver haired woman was restrained to a cross inky black blood leaking out of numerous wounds.

"Difindio," Ron growled aiming his wand at the flinching woman as the spell bounced off her restraints. "Damn it!"

"Why......" the woman groaned softly.

"Alhomora," Ron said as the unlocking charm failed. "Why what?" Ron asked looking for anything that might be able to free the woman.

"Why are you helping me," the woman said as Ron managed to pry one of the shackles off.

"Why wouldn't I," Ron replied working on removing her shackles.

"Because of what I am," the woman said.

"If I didn't help a woman in need my mother, Warspite, and Victory would kill me," Ron said struggling to catch the woman as she fell to the ground.

"But I'm an abyssal a Ta class battleship," the woman said.

"Oh......" Ron said looking at the woman with a smile. "Ok."

"But......" the woman stammered.

"Hoppou is a cute little scamp, Revina is hilarious, and Wanko is totally smitten with Hagrid, what could be so bad about that, so what if some of your distant relatives are jerks. You aren't and that's what matters."

"Really," the woman gasped a bit of color rising to her cheeks.

"So do you have a name....." Ron asked

"Ta class battleship, but you can call me Temeraire," the woman said.

"Ron Weasley its a pleasure to meet you Temeraire, and I think its time we got out of here," Ron said.

"Agreed," Temeraire replied as they limped out of the room.

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Softly snorting, Harry stirred from where he had been taking a nap and slowly opened his eyes with a yawn. To his surprise though, Natsumi was there in front of him with a sketchpad held in one hand. "Natsumi-Chan?" When she looked up, Harry shifted a bit from where he had been leaning against the one of the posts for the bridge going across the koi pond of the shrine. "Were you sketching me?"

There was a slight upturn of her lips as she nodded. "I was. Besides, you looked peaceful..." Suddenly she grinned though. "Don't expect me to leave you alone for that too often."

A smile on his own face, Harry just nodded. "Sure, sure." With a groan, he stretched as his various joints popped as Natsumi giggled. "Hopefully it's not too bad."

Pouting, Natsumi shot him a glare. "My drawings are always good, Harry-Chan! You know that!"

That only got a laugh from Harry as he continued to relax. "Yeah, I know that." Getting up, he made his way over and sat down next to her. Just leaning over her shoulder, he examined the sketch of him sleeping with the koi pond in the background. "Kind of wish that I could draw like that, wow..."

On Natsumi's face there was a slight blush before she smiled. "Thanks. But then you got so much going on that I'm surprised that you got time in the first place." Then she looked down at the sketchpad and her expression softened as she proceeded to do some more work on it. "Besides, I like sketching. It... freezes moments in time that would have passed by without warning. Here and then gone..."

Harry blinked a bit and then turned toward her. "Natsumi-Chan?"

Gently, she set down her pencils and then turned toward Harry and he was surprised to find them misty before she wiped them. "It's just... I'm going to miss you, Harry-Chan. I won't get to see you for months."

Eyes wide, Harry hugged her which caused the redness on her cheeks to intensify. "I'll miss you too, Natsumi-Chan. But I promise to write you as often as possible, you know that I will."

Sniffling, Natsumi nodded at that. "I know."

When she gave off a laugh though, Harry just gave her an odd look. "What's so funny?"

Lips turned upwards, Natsumi poked him in the side. "I just realized that with how you'll need to write to me, you're going to get a lot of practice with your calligraphy. " As he groaned, she gave another laugh. "I thought that would be your reaction."

Hearing a growl though, she blinked as Harry took her sketchpad and placed it to the side before pouncing on her. Laughter could be heard from the two eleven year olds as they rolled around in the grass with Harry tickling Natsumi and her trying to retaliate. Finally though, they settled down and laid beside one another, sucking in lungfuls of air before gasps of laughter. Getting that under control, Harry grinned at Natsumi. "You know, I'm not the only one whose going to improve their writing."

All Natsumi did was stick her nose into the air the best that she could before sniffing. "My writing and calligraphy is perfect, unlike yours, Harry-Chan."

Expression blank, Harry had a dry tone to his voice. "How did Haru-San refer to it? Oh, yeah... 'I've seen chickens write better.'"

Natsumi just snorted at him. "You got mine confused with yours, obviously."

Several moments passed before Harry spoke up again. "Um, Natsumi-Chan?"

Blinking, Natsumi turned her head to see him looking at her. "Yeah?"

Much to her surprise, Harry bit his lip a bit before nodding. "You know that I won't forget to write you or anything, right?"

For almost a minute, Natsumi stared at him before she shuffled over and placed her head on his shoulder. "Well, yeah. Besides, you promised." She reached down and grabbed his hand in hers and nodded. "And I promise to write back just as often, though I'm going to be busy as well."

That caught Harry's attention and he looked over at her in interest. "Really?"

Slowly, the disguised kitsune nodded as she hummed. "Yup! Oba-San is going to up my training while your gone..." It seemed as if she was unsure, but continued. "Because, well... I'm going to stand right there by you no matter what. And as a Miko, it's my duty to beat bad things up, right?"

With a snicker, Harry nodded. "Yeah, though I think that we might have read too many manga or watched too much anime."

Just scoffing, Natsumi rolled her eyes. "As if." Once more, the two drifted off into quiet as they stared up at the clouds drifting by above without a care in the world for those down below them. "By the way... I was wondering something." Knowing that she had his attention, Natsumi continued. "Thanks for the gifts, but did you see anything in the magical world that I can use? I've never been there so I don't know myself."

In turn, Harry became thoughtful as he thought it over and then snapped his fingers. "Well, there was some magical paints and stuff. And I read that they can make paintings that move and talk to you."

Now intrigued, Natsumi looked over at him. "They can talk to you?"

Putting his hands behind his head, Harry nodded. "Yeah, it's really weird. Didn't see any myself, but apparently some portraits have the memories and personalities of those in them."

Breath caught in her throat, Natsumi slowly turned to him and blinked. "They... have the memories and personalities of those painted in them?"

The eleven year old blinked as he realized that there was something in his friend's voice, which also cracked, that he couldn't identify. "Um, yes?" At her stare, he became slightly unnerved before continuing. "I mean. according to Professor McGonagall, it's just like you're talking to the actual person after they've died and the next best thing."

On Natsumi's face, there was a far off expression. "I see... and how are they made?"

Confused at how she was really interested in this, Harry scratched his head in thought. "Um... I don't know. But one of the books I was reading said that Hogwarts has some kind of spell. When a Headmaster or Headmistress dies, a portrait appears and after a time 'Wakes' up and animates. According to it, the longer that takes, the more memories that the portrait will have."

Not saying anything, Natsumi just stared at the clouds. 'Maybe...' Glancing at Harry, she smiled a bit. 'He won't leave me then.'

Unknowing what was going through Natsumi's mind, Harry relaxed and the two just spent the hot, summer day with each other. After all, soon enough they would be split up except for letters.

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

"Having a bit of trouble there, Ron?"

With a blink as he snapped out of his thoughts, Ron looked up at his opponent. "What?"

Softly giggling, Warspite gestured at the set up in front of them. Four chess boards layered on top of each other with their pieces scattered between three of them. "I was asking if you were having a bit of trouble."

Quickly, Ron moved one of his pieces and shrugged as Warspite hit her timer. "I guess? I mean, this is a lot different then what I've been doing."

A frown on her face, the Battleship considered her next move with a finger held to her lips. "Hmm, yes, Raumschach chess is quite a bit different then the normal variants you've done. And in my mind much better then the other 3 dimensional variants." Picking up one of her pieces, she moved it between two boards. "After all, one needs to think in more then the normal two dimensions of a chessboard in order to play. Much tougher."

Hitting his own timer, Ron grunted as he frowned. "Yeah..."

Several moves passed between the two before Warspite spoke up again. "Are you excited for Hogwarts, Ron? I know that it's only a few weeks away by now."

Blinking, Ron looked up at the odd tone in his much older opponent's, and friend's voice. "Um, I guess?" That got him a few chuckles that caused him to blush, though strangely he didn't get angry as he normally would have if it was someone else. But this was the shipgirl who went out of her way to spend time with him over the past two years. More then that, she had taken him under her wing and actually took him to various junior chess championships. Ron had never known that his favorite game was so popular and the small amount of money he had made had quietened his mother's complaints. "What?"

Warspite held her hand against her mouth until she calmed down and leaned forward in her wheelchair. "Oh, I wasn't laughing at you, Ron. But you did sound unsure just then."

The only response she got was Ron moving his piece as he furrowed his eyebrows. "Just... you know, wondering what will happen." He then scrunched up his nose. "And hoping that I don't get put into Slytherin."

Just humming, Warspite became thoughtful as she planned her own move. "Well, despite the reputation for the place, being sly and cunning is not truly bad. One must be in chess after all... that said, I very much doubt that you would have much need to worry about that." Taking one of his pieces with her own, Warspite nodded. "Perhaps Hufflepuff from what I have been told."

Confused, Ron looked up at her. "Hufflepuff?"

Softly smiling, Warspite waited until he had performed a move and then nodded. "Quite, the House of the Loyal. And you do work hard with the proper motivation or in subjects that interest you."

All Ron did was shrug at that. "Mum doesn't really think that chess is something to work hard at."

With a sigh, the Battleship shook her head. "No, I don't suppose that Molly does. But still, I do not believe that you have much, if anything, to worry about."

There was a smile on Ron's face as he nodded and then took one of Warspite's pieces. "Thanks, I guess." His face then lit up. "Oh! And I already got my school supplies, including new robes!"

Only shaking her head, Warspite rubbed her chin. "Well, that is good. I look forward to seeing you in them before you leave, if you could. After all, I have never seen you in proper fitting robes before... still, it does me good to know that you are heading to school with proper supplies."

Yet again, Ron nodded as the two lapsed into silence before he frowned as the game slowly came to an end. "I'm going to miss our games though. And you taking me to chess championships."

Blinking, Warspite looked at Ron and, for a moment, he thought there was a slight blush before it was gone and she smiled. "I, too, am going to miss our games."

As they continued their game, Ron reflected on that being the truth. He could still remember how he met Warspite two years before after all. It was a 'Take your child to work day' and Arthur had brought Ron along with him on a case close to one of the naval bases. Someone had set up a prank and while his father had dealt with it, Ron had wandered the nearby park when he found a woman sitting at a chess table in a wheelchair. After seeing him watch her, she had invited him for a game. Thinking that he was going to win, Ron accepted.

He was soundly thrashed.

Much to the woman's surprise though, the Weasley stubbornness had come out and found him challenging her to a second game. This time he was prepared and put up a much closer fight that forced them both to work for it. Still, he lost, though barely, but then she had challenged him. It was almost a half hour later that his father had found him and Arthur had nearly had an heart attack at seeing who his son was playing against as a crowd watched. If anything, he had known Warspite from several incidents before. To Arthur's surprise though, she had taken it in good humor and asked if Ron could have a match with her some other time.

Thus, an odd friendship sprung up between the two of them with them often spending hours playing chess against the other, just talking about whatever came to mind. Then starting a year ago, she had started taking him to chess tournaments which resulted in the youngest Weasley son actually having money of his own which he had earned. Needless to say it was a rather large boost to his confidence and self-esteem, not that he knew that.

Soon though, the current game ended and Warspite smirked a bit. "New game, Ron?"

Ron only grinned. "You know it."

Chuckling, Warspite set it back up as she shook her head.

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

That afternoon was slightly sombre for Harry as it was the day that was set aside to visit his parents' graves. He still was not sure about that and slightly worried, but he had gone through the motions including having a nap so that he would not be over tired due to the time differences. When he arrived at the spot for the Portkey though, he had to blink at the sight that met him. "Iku-Chan?"

Said Subgirl, dressed in normal and tasteful civilian clothing, just gave him a sad smile as she waved. "Hey there, Harry-Chan."

Confused, Harry looked from her to the others waiting, which seemed to be all of DesDiv6 including Tatsuta, before frowning. "Um..."

Nagato simply smiled and gestured at her. "I asked for her to come, Harry. I thought that you might want your friends here with you when we... visit your parents."

Eyes wide, Harry just stared at her before he turned to Iku and hugged the shipgirl. "Thanks."

All she did though was pat him on the head and run her fingers through his hair. She wasn't about to tell him that it took a while for the subgirls to decide who was going to go with him for their side after Nagato had asked if one of them could come. "You're welcome, Harry-Chan."

When he pulled away, he looked at DesDiv6 as well as Shinano and nodded. "And thanks for coming, I..."

Just scoffing, Tenryuu walked up and gave him a shove toward her Destroyers. "Honestly, you never even had to ask if we were going to support you."

Part of Harry thought that she just looked odd without her usual horns floating beside her head, same with Tatsuta missing her halo. Unnoticed by him, Ikazuchi shared a look with her sister before placing her hands behind her head. "Besides, you can always rely on us!"

Meanwhile, Inazuma just nodded before she frowned and decided to take Harry's mind off of what was going on. "Um... this is going to be our first trip to England so... is there anything that we should know, Harry-Chan?"

However, Harry only shrugged. "Um, not really? I mean, maybe speak English but that's about it."

Before the conversation could get any further though, there was a sound and they turned to see McGonagall there with a rope in her hands. At seeing the number of shipgirls though, she frowned. "I'm afraid that I wasn't expecting this many to transport..."

Frowning, Nagato glanced at the rest of the group before turning back to the Professor. "Too many?"

Much to her relief though, McGonagall only shook her head. "No, not at all. Just surprising is all..." Shaking off whatever thoughts she had, McGonagall nodded. "Now then, I won't tell you what to do, but... I'm afraid that I won't be the one guiding you around Godric's Hollow today, unfortunately." At their looks, she sighed. "I am needed to escort some muggleborn students and their families around. However, the one who will be showing you around is completely trustworthy, you can trust me on that."

Still unsure, Nagato only nodded with a frown on her face. "I see, well I suppose that there is nothing for that."

On McGonagall's face there was an apologetic look before she held out the rope. "Once more, I am sorry about this. Now, if you could each grab hold of the rope, we'll be off to Godric's Hollow, just don't let go." After they had all grabbed the rope, McGonagall cleared her throat. "Vicky's Barnacles."

Tenryuu was about to comment on that when they disappeared and soon found themselves in a tunnel that swirled around them. It seemed to take minutes before they dropped out and hit the ground with the shipgirls stumbling a bit, though Hibiki kept Harry from falling over. Looking at her, he gave her a shaky smile. "Thanks."

A slight blush on her cheeks, Hibiki just nodded. "You're welcome."

With a grunt, Akatsuki patted herself down as she grumbled. "That is not a very lady-like way to travel!"

Looking around, Tatsuta glanced at the sky and did some quick calculations on the time. "It is a very quick way though, look around."

Quietly, they did so and Shinano gave a soft squeal. "It looks like one of those villages from a storybook." At their looks though, she blushed and scuffed her foot. "S-sorry..."

Before Nagato could comfort her, a voice spoke up. "That's perfectly okay, my dear. I've heard much the same from others."

Turning, the group could only blink at the sight of an old man who seemed to checkmark everything on the checklist for how a wizard should look. Raising an eyebrow, Tenryuu frowned. "I take it that you're our guide?"

Simply ignoring the frown on McGonagall's face, the man chuckled as his eyes twinkled. "Correct... I am Albus Dumbledore and allow me to welcome you to Godric's Hollow."

 

[darthcourt10]

Tristar

let's step back, step back in time not long after Harry was adopted.

---------------------------------

She was Wo there where many like her but, she was Wo the standard carrier of many of the Abyssal flotilla today she had a job a very important job. That job was currently being hampered by the rather sizable hole in her chest, of course that didn't matter she had a job to do. The sound of cannon fire and the screaming of fighters would not stop Wo for her job was important possibly the most important task a Wo had ever undertaken. Even as important parts of her leaked out creating a ever growing pool of abyssal blood she carried on with her job the weight in her arms quiet possibly the most important thing. Her golden viewfinders scanning searching for a place to hide the most important thing, the mud and refuse. Behind her she heard the barking of Light cruiser guns she ignored it. She placed the important thing in the refuse and ever growing wreckage the Wo clawing into the mud pulling it down covering the important thing it's mitten reached out but Wo did her job.

Wo did her job hiding the most important thing standing she took a shell to her conn tower leaving only half of it remaining. She did not care the most important thing was hidden the Wo could hold her head high the most important thing could rebuild make a new fleet Wo could fall happy.

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Raising her eyebrow, Nagato gave him a level stare. "Albus Dumbledore?"

Part of the Battleship was impressed that the man in front of her met her gaze evenly and without flinching. "That is correct, Miss Nagato. If you wish though, I am willing to talk about certain subjects if you wish."

Now that surprised her, but Nagato only nodded. "Very well... though I am surprised that you are here. We have heard that you are a very busy man these days."

A sad chuckle escaped from the old man and she could have sworn that he looked much older then what he had. Then Nagato blinked and it was gone. "It may be true that I am always rather busy these days, but I once I heard that you were coming I made some time..." In his eyes, the twinkle went out. "If anything, I owe Mister Potter that much as well as to answer what questions I can."

Once more, Nagato searched his face before nodding. "Very well."

Looking between his mother and Dumbledore, Harry coughed. "Um... why would hearing about me coming here cause you to come?"

Dumbledore now turned toward the younger boy and felt his eyes widen slightly. From what Arabella Figg had told him, Harry had looked near identical to his father with glasses. The boy in front of him still resembled James Potter, but there was quite a bit of Lily showing already and not just in the eyes. Slowly, Dumbledore's expression softened. "Besides what I owe you for the darkness of your... early years, I was actually born here in Godric's Hollow and grew up, though that was over a century ago. I am quite knowledgeable about the area and your family." He paused for a moment and then nodded. "I have also heard that you wished to visit your parents' cottage. It is protected by spells which would inform certain people if someone tried to enter the property. As I am one of the few with unfettered access, I felt it best to come and help you with that if you still wish to do so."

Eyes wide, Inazuma looked up at the older man. "You mean that Harry-Chan's family has been living her for a century!?"

Much to her surprise though, Dumbledore chuckled and shook his head. "No, in fact Mister Potter's family has lived here for several hundred years. The Potter family is a very, very old one dating back to the 12th Century I believe." Stroking his beard, he nodded some. "In fact, part of the reason that I chose this spot in particular was that it is one of the pieces of land owned by Harry's family."

His jaw dropping, Harry looked around and blinked at the pasture around them which looked down toward the village below before he spotted what looked like the ruins of a home not too far away. "This... is mine?"

Just nodding, Dumbledore hummed. "It is." Then he gestured at the ruined home which all of them noticed looked like parts of the stone had been melted and others looked like they had been hit with explosives. "That home once belonged to your grandfather... But your parents abandoned it when they went into hiding as it was too well known and the Death Eaters destroyed it because they at first thought that was where they were. When they realized that your parents were not staying there, they destroyed it to send a message."

Due to her much taller height, Shinano noticed another building that was partially hidden behind some brush and pointed at it. "Um, what about there?"

Glancing in the same direction, the old wizard suddenly smiled. "Ah, that is a bastle house. It is a fortified building that the Potters had built several centuries ago for livestock and to protect against the Goblins after one of their rebellions, but it was ignored by the Death Eaters as the Potters only used it for storage more recently and they had to flee when the Aurors and others arrived. I personally had sealed it off to protect what is inside, so if you wish, I would be more then willing to let you inside."

Thoughtful, Nagato looked down at Harry who looked back up at her and then clasped her hand tightly. "I think that it would be best if we wait on that. None of us know how... we shall feel later."

With a hum, Dumbledore tilted his head forward a bit. "My offer will remain open, of course. You only need to contact me and I would be willing to open it up." Giving a nod, he gestured at the path which lead down to a short, stone wall that had a wooden gate. "Now then, this path will lead us directly to the village proper." Keeping back as Harry pulled Iku and Shinano forward by grabbing their hands as Inazuma and her sisters followed, Dumbledore softly smiled. "It does my heart good to see him so happy."

A voice that had an odd tone that almost sounded amused spoke up. "Odd, considering how his childhood went at a place you put him in."

Blinking, Dumbledore turned to find Tatsuta giving him a smile that for most would have sent a shiver up their backs. However, Dumbledore only nodded. "It may surprise you, but I do agree with you." He gave a nod to a nervous McGonagall who steeled her expression and then nodded before vanishing with a pop. "I only wished that I had better choices at the time..."

Eyes narrowing and her voice one of steel, Tenryuu glared at him with her one eye. "Explain."

Slowly nodding, Dumbledore did so as well as his reasons and by the time they ended, they were already out the gate and heading down toward the village proper which it turned out that they were on the outskirts of. Mulling over what she had been told, Nagato frowned. "So... Harry's mother invoked some form of magic based on her love which used the sacrifice of her death to protect him and continue to do so. But for it to continue to work, you either needed to put him with someone that would unconditionally love him, or with blood. And the first was near impossible with how people felt about him..."

Having seemed to be all his true age, Dumbledore nodded. "That is correct. If I had any other choice, I would not have placed him with his aunt. In fact, I had many times looked into family which might have taken him in during the years since that night, but there were always problems."

All Tenryuu did was curse under her breath. "That is some fucked up shit right there."

Much to Nagato's wry amusement, Dumbledore only nodded at that. "I agree with you full heartedly." He then turned Nagato and gave a small bow to the surprised Battleship. "And I must thank you for what you have done for him. You have done what this old man could not and ensured that he had a happy childhood, if a bit odd."

With a hum, Tatsuta smiled. "Yes, only a bit odd."

That got her chuckles from both Tenryuu and Nagato. Meanwhile, up ahead, DesDiv6 shared a look as did Shinano and Iku. All six had clearly heard the adults' conversation and had their own thoughts, though they were not about to say anything quite yet. Shaking that off though, they began to look around the small village with slightly odd looks, Akatsuki clapping her hands together. "It really is something like out of a storybook!" At the amused looks, she straightened some and then coughed into her fist. "O-or one of those books about elephant English ladies!"

Lip twitching, Ikazuchi snorted. "It's 'Elegant', Nee-San." Putting her hands behind her head, the Natural Born shipgirl continued to look around in interest. It was then she spotted what looked like an obelisk in the middle of the village square as they entered and blinked. "Uh... there's something wrong with that..."

Nearly as one, the group came to a stop and zoomed in their rangefinders, Shinano frowning a bit. "What's... a monument to the Afghanistan War doing here?"

They all nearly jumped as Dumbledore spoke up from behind them. "Ah, appearances can be deceiving, I'm afraid." He then motioned them forward. "Shall we? I believe that Harry should see this."

With shared frowns, they slowly walked forward and, as they did so, the monument changed. Coming to a stop, Nagato stared at the couple holding a baby and then down at Harry who was looking unblinkingly. "Is this...?"

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

At the back of the group where he stood watching, Dumbledore nodded. "Mister Potter and his parents? Yes."

Seeing him wave his wand, Tatsuta frowned. "What did you just do?"

The old wizard only tilted his head slightly toward Harry who took a few steps forward. "A spell to give us a little bit of privacy."

For his part, Harry didn't even hear Dumbledore as he continued to run his eyes over the features of the messy haired man and the kind looking woman beside him. His eyes hungrily devoured each bit that they could see. "I..."

Walking up beside him, Nagato reached out and placed her hand on his shoulder gently. "So these are your birth parents." Looking over the statues herself, she looked over her shoulder. "How accurate is it?"

Softly chuckling, Dumbledore only nodded. "Extremely. They used photographs and a stone master to carve it." His eyes then took on a far off look. "It looks just like them in fact."

As Dumbledore spoke, Harry slowly reached out with a trembling hand and then placed it on the lap of the man, looking up into his face. One so much like his own as he felt tears prickle at the corners of his eyes. "They look so happy..."

From where she stood, Tenryuu just nodded. "Yeah, speaking as a parent I know the feeling." Her head then turned to her daughters as she smiled. "I feel the same way each time I look at you girls."

Needless to say, that got embarrassed expressions from DesDiv6 which she chuckled at while Shinano just looked at Lily Potter's statue. "Your kaa-san was a very beautiful woman, Harry-Chan..."

Beside her, Iku nodded as she hugged Harry from behind. "And your Tou-San was really handsome." She then ruffled his hair a bit. "I can see where you get it."

With flush cheeks, Harry just nodded. "Thanks."

Nagato meanwhile looked it over before turning and looking over her shoulder. "Would it be okay if I took a picture? I assume that it would turn up..."

Stroking his beard in thought, Dumbledore frowned. "Hmm... It would be okay, however it doesn't turn up on non-magical photographs I'm afraid. Part of the spells that hide it."

However, Nagato only shook her head. "I have other methods then just my phone."

Bemused, the older man watched as what looked like a flash went off behind Nagato's eyes before his attention was caught by Inazuma looking up at him. "By the way... why is it hidden as a war memorial?"

The smile on Dumbledore's face became saddened as he shook his head. "Well, it is a war memorial. After all, it represents all the families like Mister Potter's which were torn apart in the war... but as to why it is hidden? There would be many questions if there was a statue of Lily and James placed here by the muggles. After all, many of them knew the two. So it was felt it was for the best to simply hide the memorial."

On Harry's face there was a slight smile before he took Nagato's hand and gave it a squeeze. "I... think that we should move on, Mum."

Glancing at the monument, Nagato gave a nod and then smiled. "Okay then, Harry."

Nearly as one they moved on, though Harry gave one last glance back at the memorial to see it once more turn into an obelisk not seeing Dumbledore cancel the spell. Then he looked forward to see that they were heading toward a graveyard and steeled himself as he felt his stomach drop. Beside him, Nagato didn't even flinch as he tightened his grip before Dumbledore held open the gate to the cemetery. Swallowing heavily once they were all inside, Harry looked around at the gravestones, some of them being quite old. "Um... where are they?"

A gentle expression on his face, Dumbledore nodded. "If you would follow me?" It was several minutes before Dumbledore stopped and gestured at two white marble graves. "Here we are."

Frozen, Harry felt his breath catch in his throat and he stood there as he looked at the two graves. Then he felt a much larger hand take his and give it a squeeze, which caused him to turn and see Shinano there beside him. She didn't say anything, in fact she didn't have to. Neither did any of the others as he could feel them there with him. "Here."

Looking up, Harry noticed that Nagato was holding the bouquet that he had put together and with shaking hands he took it. Slowly, he walked forward until he stood in front of the graves and then slowly kneeled. "Mum... dad... I... I'm here. I'm here to..." Reaching up, he wiped at his eyes and sniffled a bit. "I wish that I knew you, you know?" With a glance over his shoulder, Harry gave a watery smile. "My mum brought me... I mean, my adopted mum, Nagato. But she's a great mum and takes care of me... and.. and I have some friends here. Like Shinano-Chan, Iku-Chan, Inazuma-Chan, Hibiki-Chan, Akatsuki-Chan, and Ikazuchi-Chan. They're great friends too. And I got some awesome aunts, like Aunt Tenryuu and Aunt Tatsuta as well as..."

Unnoticed by him, Hibiki who stood to one side of him widened her eyes and shot a look down before she slowly backed away. Partially to give him some space as he spoke, but also so he could whisper to Nagato. "Uh, Nagato-San?"

Her eyes being pulled away by Hibiki, Nagato leaned down. "Something wrong?" It was then that she noticed that the other Destroyers by Harry also shot looks downwards and frowned. 'I wonder...'

Nervous, Hibiki looked around and frowned. "My sonar picked up something..." That caused Nagato to give her a look which she flinched at and then looked extremely embarrassed and ashamed about. "We always kind of have them on when escorting..."

After a few moments, Nagato nodded as she remembered that shipgirl sonar was less sound and more something spiritual which meant that normally it should not have picked anything up. Not to mention that the Destroyers were often so used to having it on that it became second nature to do so even when just walking around. "Yes?"

The next words out of Hibiki's mouth caused her to freeze. "There's... a wreck there. Under Harry's Kaa-San's grave."

Slowly, Nagato turned toward the grave in question and stared at it. "I see..."

It was then that she noticed that Harry was waving at her and slowly walked forward until she was beside him then kneeled down. While her own sonar was not on, she could still sense the feel of a wreck underneath her. "Mum? This is my adopted Mum."

With a deep breath as the others moved back, Nagato gave a nod as she looked at the gravestones. "Hello, Lily-San, James-San. As our son said, I'm his adopted mother, the Battleship Nagato. I hope that you don't mind that or me calling him ours. Harry... may not be of my flesh, but I consider him my son in all that matters and I hope that you approve."

Blinking, Nagato swore that she felt a shock on her fingertips that were touching the ground before it passed. Shaking it off, she continued to talk to the graves as Harry took her hand and squeezed it tightly as tears rolled down his cheeks. Her own were just as wet as she told the graves all about Harry, even as the boy in question leaned into her. Neither noticed nor cared that Tenryuu gently moved the others to give the family some privacy. And once they were done, both of them felt much lighter as if a burden was taken off them.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Her arm around Harry, Nagato blinked and looked up as Tenryuu held out a drink to the two of them. "Thank you."

As they took it, the Cruiser only shrugged. "No worries." She then tilted her head off to the side. "There's a bakery there that the girls are getting some stuff at so we can have a small snack, looks pretty good actually."

Seeing Tenryuu's look and understanding it, Nagato just smiled. "We're doing okay."

Just taking that as it was, Tenryuu jerked her thumb toward the bakery. "I'll head on back and give the girls a hand, okay?"

When they both nodded, she headed off as Harry snuggled into the hug. Finally, he spoke up. "Mum?" Getting a hum in return, he continued. "Is it bad that I can't help but wonder about if..."

Nagato finished his thought. "If your parents didn't die?"

For a few moments Harry was quiet before he whispered. "Yeah..." He then looked around. "I keep imagining growing up here and stuff. Coming home to my birth mum making food, playing with my dad... maybe even having some brothers and sisters. But... isn't that wrong? I mean, I'm happy with what I got and if they hadn't, you know... then I wouldn't have met you or any of the others."

Much to his surprise though, Nagato gave a chuckle to that. "I would be surprised if you didn't have those thoughts... Especially as I've had much the same." There was an odd look on her face as Harry looked up at her surprised, her expression almost wistful, as she shook her head. "I think though, you would have grown up here very happily in such a case."

Several minutes later, Inazuma came running up with the others behind her as she had a worried look on her face. "Um, we brought some snacks..." Looking at Harry, she reached over and hugged him. "Are you feeling better, Harry-Chan, nanodesu?"

Blinking, Harry slowly nodded as he hugged her back. "A little bit."

Much to Nagato's surprise, Tatsuta cracked one of her eyes open a bit. "If you want, we can leave off visiting the cottage."

However, Harry just gave her a shake of the head. "I think that I want to see it, now more then ever." Looking up, he bit his lip as he looked over at Dumbledore. "Um... Sir, can I ask a question?"

A smile on his face, Dumbledore nodded. "Of course. And if it's about the wonderful pastries that Miss Dickson makes, they truly are a treat."

Just blinking, Harry soon shook it off. "Um, no, but I'm sure that they're good if you say so..." Taking a bite out of one of the pastries, he soon swallowed it. "I was wondering about what was on their gravestone, about how the last enemy to be defeated would be death."

Pausing for a moment, Dumbledore slowly turned thoughtful. "There is a meaning behind it, yes. In regards to your parents, it means that there is a life after death, and life beyond death as well. That even after a death has happened, life will go on and those we care for will continue to live."

Thoughtful, Iku rolled that around in her mind for a little bit. "I like that, it's wise."

Harry blinked as he felt a hand in his and looked to the side to see Hibiki there holding it. There was even a blush on her face as she did so and gave it a squeeze. "It's very khorosho."

Simply tilting his head to the side, Harry nodded. "Yeah... I guess that it is." The next few minutes passed with them enjoying their snack before they were finished and Harry hopped off the bench and looked around. "Um... can we..."

Nodding, Dumbledore let out a breath. "We can, it's in this direction."

Almost ten minutes later, the group came to a stop in front of a ruined cottage. The lawn and gardens had long since gone wild with the lawn now containing waist high grass and the odd bush. Looking around, Akatsuki frowned. "Why didn't anyone fix this place up?"

With a soft smile on his face, Dumbledore stepped forward and suddenly a sign sprang out of the ground which caused Harry and the shipgirls to jump back before they leaned in to read it. Scratching her head, Ikazuchi looked from the sign to the ruined building. "Wait... so they left it like this as a monument to Harry-Chan's family? And what happened?"

Meanwhile, Shinano frowned a bit. "Um... should people have written on the sign?"

Running a finger along it, Harry just smiled as he read some of the messages. "I kind of like it, actually."

Dumbledore nodded as he waved his wand at the gate in a complicated gesture. "Quite, I've enjoyed reading some of the messages myself." Then he reached over and opened the gate. "There, now we can go inside without fearing anyone coming."

Behind him, the group followed right up to the door where they paused, Harry taking a deep breath. "This is..."

Her hand on his shoulder, Nagato thinned her lips. "This must have been where he entered that night."

Taking Harry's hand in hers, Iku just nodded while on his other side, Inazuma did the same. And then they stepped inside the former Potter residence.

 

[darthcourt10]

Tabac Iberez

Spoiler: Replace the word "Vultures" with "English" and you get a good impression of Yavuz.

Istanbul burned.

Istanbul, once Constantinople, once Byzantium, once the axis of the world, once a city of peace and prosperity. No matter now, as it burned with an insidious hellfire that threatened to consume the city. From the Hagia Sophia to the Hippodrome, fire brigades tried to save the city and barely held their own. If it had been in absence of the ruinous fleet, they would have saved Istanbul.

And yet, in the harbor and Bosphorus the desolate and damned demons threw their iron and fire heedless of the destruction they had brought. No defense pact held the city safe as Crete and the Aegean received their own compunce for defiance in the face of the new world order. The shore batteries had been silenced, the fighter bases suppressed. Now, all that remained were the destroyers and a handful of light cruisers, the flag heaviest among them.

In the Black Sea, a merchant freighter had broken for safety. Half-unloaded of cargo with every civilian it could cram aboard, the last departure from the docks fled for it's life, hounded by destroyers and light torpedo boats.

So there it was, the thing we dread the most. Time had caught up with us. The thread ended. I felt betrayed, and disappointed. Was that really it?

The torpedo boats surged ahead, crude hulls barreling through the waves to assault the belabored cargo ship. Shot after shot missed, but the gunnels ran red with every one that hit. Screaming for the Hungarians, the Russians, Ukrainians, Turks, any who could hear him, the captain called for aid. He was helpless- and then the four inch guns began to fire.

We watch the sand trickle, anxious to see its steady flow. But what we really fail to see is that any minute, the glass might just burst into pieces. You see, it's not about what you take with you, it's about what you leave behind.

The echo of naval guns were heard, dwarfing the puny popguns on the destroyers and torpedo boats. An eleven-inch rifle was no popgun, and the roar dwarfed the guns near a third its size attacking the defenseless merchantman. Abyssal ships, their cankers oozing into the sea broke straight courses as a fog rolled in thick from the west of the Black Sea. One ship was not fast enough, a hit rending it's machinery spaces asunder. Changing their courses, a half dozen of the torpedo boats went into the cold mists. Six inch fire roared out, and another salvo of eleven-inch rounds flew into the wolfpack of light beasts. This time, the only thing that was hit was the water, but now the destroyers proper had to contend with the rolling fog. Howling like mad, they dove in to try and find out what had wrought such a slaughter.

Now, sharp and flat cracks rang out- more four inch guns, but long of barrel and tight of rifle. The destroyers and their torpedoes detonated in droves as their decks of tubes lit off at the high-explosive rain coming from the escort in the fog. Frantic, one turned to launch its twenty-one tubes deep in the fog.

It met an axehead, the sharp blade sinking deep into it's bridge. Striding by to get it, a shipgirl smiled vainly and stuck it behind one of her turrets.

"Come, Midilli. It would not do to be late for our return. So strange, though, to fight the Russians as we come from the north."

Her slight compatriot just smiled, and laughed as she stroked long blonde hair.

"I would not worry overmuch, unless we find a mine. Do you think they mined the Bosphorus?"

For a minute, Yavuz did not reply. Then another.

"Yavuz? Yavuz?"

"There were children on that ship."

"Yavuz, what are you thinking?"

"I am thinking that fifty years of rest is too long, and we have never faced a worse foe."

At this, Midilli blinked and got closer to her good friend. She had escorted her from their birthplace in the north, through the straits and into service with their new home. The two could not be closer. It was at this moment, though, that Midilli saw the bearskin that hung off Yavuz's waist.

"Please... please Yavuz. Come back to me."

The elder battlecruiser laughed and rolled her turrets in their mountings. "And neither fire nor sharp steel could harm them in their rage as they descended through every kind of madness." Considering the poor showing they have displayed so far, I do not fear. Just stay behind me, and howl if you see torpedoes. I will know."

Nodding, the protected cruiser fell in line astern of her leader and gulped tightly. This would be a fierce fight.

----

Midilli had not underestimated the severity of the issues. Yavuz was a maelstrom, leaping and bounding through the waves to fight the enemy, laughing and crying in equal measure as rotten oil and diseased carcasses hit the waves. Behind her, Midilli shot true at all angles, suppressing the plywood hounds and keeping her flanks clear. It was as they approached the mouth of the Bosphorus that resistance incresed, the guns growing to five-point-fives to the laughter of Yavuz. The light cruisers were weak things, their belts barely enough to fuse the sophisticated SAP ammo that Yavuz slung like candy.

"F͆̈́̂ͬ̚o͗̐̑o͍̦͔̬̦̍ͦ͑̏͑l͈̭̳̠ͫ̕s̜̜͇͖̉̽̎̆͢!̳ͤͣͨ ̵͉̥̗́ͮ̈́ͧ̎ͤY̷͇̟͊ͣo͒̐ͧ͌ͦ͑̚͡u͈̜̯̘͇̪̐͛̓ ̰̭̓ͯ͆̀ͦf͔͇͌ͯͦ̇̋ͮį̼͙͕̜̯ͬ̃̏̐̋̌̌ͅg̠̬̰͑̇̓̒̅̿̕ḥ̞ͨ̌ͬͩ̏ͪͮt̤̻̳̤ͯͮͯͨ͐ͨ ̮̃ā̜͓͇̠̑̆̊l̩̣̜͚̿ͦͧ̒ͅo̘͈̠̮̩̥̜̒͐̐n̑͢e͗ͯ̄ͦ̒ͬ,͈͇͚̬̜̯͍̎́̓̽́ ͈̞̹̬̣̔͛͂͌ą̩b͈̮̲̫̪̞̤̀a̟̯͇͌͊͐ͮ̀n͇̈d̸̟͒ͫ͐̊ŏ͇̜̲͖͑̈́̅̆̆ͭ͡n͓̻͙͔͖̳̓ͥ͛ͯẹ̰̪̲͕͑̽͐͜d ̻̙̦̜̝͈ͪ̓ͭ͑̆̽b̀ͅy̠͚̞̻̾͗̑̽͜ ͑ͯͬͭ͠y͚͍͇͈̜̑͒ȍ̸̙̘͎̝͕̽̃̎ͧ̋ṳ͉͈̣̲̌̍r̘̦͚̀ ̟̙͊̄ͤc̘ͩo̸̫̰͊̔̚u̼̻͍͍̝̙̎̒̅̐̊̉͞n͖͙̼̼̪̘͈̆̿̃̽͢t̰̝͉͉̰̮͛̋̌ͥ̑r̛̻̬̹̬͚͛ͯͭ̓y̸̖͇̜͛͒̉ͦ ̭͉̦̲ͥ͊̾̽̾͡á̹͙̫̗͍̫̗͆̄̉ͦ̿nͬ̔ͯ̓̄d̨̻̯͉͆̏̉ͥ̿ ͎̟̮̙̌ͦ̑̓̿͒̇b̦̬̻̳̳̞̭ͫͤͣ͋ÿ̶̱̓ ͈̰̲̑y̠̩̭͟o̻͈ͥ͟u̱̗̯̭̙̪͞r̘͉͈͓̉́ ͇̣̰͈̜ͣ͗̆̅ͦ̚d͗ͯ́̔e͚͚̒͆̐ͣͪͭ͌a̜̫̩̘̯ͥͣͅd̞͊̍ ̠̝̙̾̇̔ͅg͙̑ǫ̰̮ͥ̿̏ͣ̆̋d͉͊̑ͧ̕s̼͓̣̎͐͛̾ͭ̈͛!̤̣̠ͣ̾͊ͬ ͙̳T̉̈͒͆̈̌́h̵ͪͭe͕̼̜̰͙ ͙̣̏͊̒ͪͦě̼mͧͮ̋p̡̦̱͔̗̻̙͈͆i͑̃́r̸̤̪̯̻̙̬̅̂̂̽ͧe ͂̀̓ͥ҉͍̮ÿ́̔͏͍ŏ̪̫͔̝̲̯̗͑u̶͕̠̺̺̖̞͌̃̂͊̂̈́ ̲̜͕͚̖̘̏ͦͤͮ͆͒̀̚s̹̦ͮe̛̮̟͖̮̖͔̣ͪ̂r̺͠v̥̓͋̚ẽ̻̗̟́ͨ͂̇ͬ̚ ͚̫͔̦͈̝̤ͪ͒ͣ͞i͖͓̳̋͐̈́ͪ̽ͩs̍҉̲͖ ͂ͩ̇̒ͦ͋͗ď̢̗̄͗̑ͪ̾̄ĕ̮̞̰̺͖̌͆̈̊̈͜ă͇̪͓͚̺͖̬̐͗ͨ̔ͦd̨͔̭̰̙ͥ͐̾ ̱̪̯̹̫̫͒̓̽̂w̹̝̯̉͛͋ͫ̕i̡̱̓̈́̄t͖̘͎̰̬̞͚̅̾̎́͌͠h̢͆͗ ̹̘͌͗͆͒͑̏ͦa͂̿ͨ͏̤͍͈̻͚ ̤͓̬̯̰̩ͫͧͧc̺ͥ͗̑̇o̾̎̊͊̈̆̌r̞̋̂͋̎p͈s̻̤̮̬͚̫̋̈ͯ̏e̯̗̤̻̣̽͝ ͙̹̭̫̲̳̍̅̐͆ͯͨ̎͠i̙̙͖ͦ̌͋̔̏͒̚ń̴̤͕̰̗̠̺̆̇ ̸̫̗̙̏ͪ̃ȋ̱̘̐͒͋́t͙͍̤͉̻͓ͪ̂͒ͫ̏ͪ͊͟s̺͚̆ͫ ̬̳ͭ̂̏̊ͅͅp͓̌͊̈́͋̆͊͛l̛̜̩̹̩̤̳̦̽a̺͉ͭ̓̾̚c̞̟̤̻̺̓ͣ̌͢ȩ̳̙͎͖̲͚ͣͭ̓̋ͩ̉̚!̤͓̝̱̗̦̲͆̊̑̽ͧ̂ ̱͍̆̿͊͌̚͟I͕̝̓ͮ̚ ̼̎͋͌̓͡w̮͓̯̳̹̪͌̍ͫ̆̄̓͡i̺̾ͣl̳̰̟̱͉̝̓ͥ͐͠l̵͚̞̦̥̀ ͖̦̰͂ͨ͡e̳̍ͧͬn̛̜̹̲̱̦̻̦̈́͒d̨̙̳̘͉̰́ͮ͐ ͫ̒͊͏̞̥͙̗̭̘ỳ̻̙͈̹ͅo͓͕ͣ̓u͕̦̬̯̤̒͆̆ͬ̓͛͛̕ ̃̊̊a̛ṅ̝d̜̘̩̳̹̤̏̇̓ ̻̬͚̳̰̥̜ͤ͐b̼̞͖̩̲͓̔ͦr̵̜̞̘̭ͫ̿ì͔ͯ̑ͥ̾̉͝ͅn̡̮̙͖̤ͥ̃̀g̹͆͘ ͔̩̻͓̣͎̠ͩ̔̈́̉yo͙͍͕̼͚ͧǔ̴̠̺̗ ̢͈̫͍̰͓ͫͩ̆ͯẗ̮̗̻̒ͅͅoͨͫ̒̆̊̌ͩ͏̬͉͈̥ ̤̘̪̐ͩͫͧ̆ͅẗ̸̻̖̗̔ͥ͊͐̉ͅͅh͈̫̐̏̑̏̔͑ͤe͕͖̥͖̭͔ͬ͒ͩ̎ͭͥͪ͞ ͉͚͓͖̹̾̓ͦͪͬ̇Ạ͎̹͕̊b͏̳̫͉y̨̐̾̈́ͫ̍s̾͐̑͗̔̓ͤ҉̥̠͖̻̭͈͖sͫ҉̫̥͚ ̶̤̜̬̳̄m̧̰̺̟̼̽̂͊ͣͯ̊ͅͅy̫̮̍ͯͧs̵͚̗̗͚͚̫͚e̥̰̩̥̍͌͑̾͛̐͡l̢͖̫͇̲͙͉̓̿ͥͥͭͮ͆f̣͕̘͕̮̤̈́̊̌̒!̸̭͖̿̉̚"

In the darkness of the sunset, the blue and black Princess looked like a monster in the Bosphorus. Charging, Yavuz tried to close, firing her turrets in sequence, but the first proper six-inch gun struck her upperworks a harsh blow. Secondaries were lighting the night, but the Light Cruiser Princess fought on, closing the range fiercely. An eleven-inch shell ripped off an arm, but the demon still closed.

"O͕ͮ͗ͤ̔͞u͍͟rͥ͂̈́ͣͥ҉̦͚͚̞̗ ̢̻͍̤͈͔ͩͫ͋̽ͅw̖ͨr͍̳̩̣͓̣̳̈ͯͬͭe̝̞̳͔ͧ͊̊̽ͮ͐͆͢c̲̫͎̭̦̲ͣ̑̑̽͒k̶̞̥̩̜̑͋̍́s̱̲̰͕̗̹̗͐ͬ̋͂̋̎̕ ̻̦̲̩̫̱̟̈ͯ̿ͥw̟͔͔̻̓̆̍i͎͙̰̤͖͚̿ͭ͒̓̃ͨͭ͢l͎̲̟̳̠̀̍ͧͅl͍̭̟̼̘ ̡̼̖̭̞ṡ̶̘̫͊̇͒͐ṱ̨̪̯̓ͯͩ̽͐o̪̘̹͜ͅp͕̫̈̌̌̃̿ ̘͓͕̺̳̮̏͊̋̃͒ͩt̨̰̗̮̞̹̖̽ͮ̈̇̿̑̇h͂͌͐̐͒ͅe͎͈̞͎̟̺̍͂͐ͤ̇͞ ̺̱̟͚̰̦ͮc̸̥̦̬̳͙̆͗ͯͯ̉̑ͬh̳̖̤͍̱͊͒ͫ̂̒a̙̯̻̯̗̟̭ͨ͒ͯ̏̾͑nͪͫ̿̀͂̐͂ň͒҉̗̮̱̝̝̮ȩ̣̺̗͙͎̩͉l̙ͩ̀ͨ͌͐̏ ̝͕̣̱͙ͯ͌ͮ̇̇͜t̰̩̻̬̓̆̓̌͌og͚̗̦̈̃ͥ́͋e̴̼̦̗̹̥̐̓ͭ̂ͅt͈̦͈̊̌ͧ̾ͩ̔͌́ͅh̪͉̹̝͔̝̋ͣ͆ͨ̕eͨͮ͊͡r̻̝̺ͩ̅̈́ͤ̈̉̚!͉͎̱̃ ̩͚͙̬͓͍͌̅J̲͌̑̔̚o̜͕̺̮͈͚̔͗́i̫̯̩̙̖͚̹̊̏̔̀ṇ̢̙̯̰͐ͮͩ ̣͕̩͉͈̥͓ͮm̫ͫ͞e͖͉̮̙̩̾ͬ ̠̈ͣ̑̔n̫̹̫͛̓ͫ̓ͣ̈́͜ͅo̷̭̙w͖̼̼̋ ͍̥̬̯́͆̾̃͡i̵̳̝͔̞ͦ̋ͤ̑ͧ̅ͅn̰̭͉͒ͨ̇̔̾̄̉ͅ ̧͒ͩͪ͊̔̒t̩͚͔̮̼̰̦͂ͩͪͥhͤͫ͑̏ͧ͐e̞̟̣̪͕͉͙ ̑̓͊̍̈́́ͧ͘e̟͖̲̱͈ͦ͛̚nͭ͆̄ͧ̏̿̋dͬ̾̋ͯ̚!̳̩̟̱͓̱͂̐͝"

At that moment, Midilli saw the telltale puffs and splashes. The Light Cruiser Demon had launched her torpedoes in an atempt to take Yavuz with her.

"TURN! YAVUZ, TURN! YAVUZ SULTAN SELIM, TURN! GOEBEN, TURN!"

It took three cries to breech the red haze from Yavuz's eyes, but when they were clear enough to see the onrushing danger, she threw her rudder over while reversing thrust. It was almost enough, even though it rammed her bow into the side of the channel. Breaking her course as well, Midilli narrowly avoided Yavuz's fate of a stern blown near totally off and a bow ripped to shreds by the grounding. Still, as the handful of remaining Abyssal ships broke to a fresh-launched wave of planes from Antolian airfields, Midilli had to smile as she took Yavuz up in her arms sans rigging. As she sailed into port, she smiled. It was good to be back.

 

[darthcourt10]

Tabac Iberez

EPILOUGE
---

As Midilli lounged in the hot tub the Turkish navy scrounged up, she sipped her beer softly and shot a smile over to Yavuz.

"Hey, Yavuz, how's it going?"

The reply was instant, and was accompanied by an empty bottle.

"Fuck you! I thought they pitched this damn thing!"

"C'mon, it's not like it's the first time you've used one!"

Slinging another bottle, Yavuz glared up from her rubber inflatable docks/pool/thing and screamed another obscenity at her squadron-mate. "Damnit, I thought they pitched this stinking thing years ago! Last time, it broke as- uh-oh..."

As the inflatables sprung a leak, Yavuz just swore more and pulled out one of the new tellephone thingies.

"Hello, is this that weird immagrent store on Hourglass and Belkan? Yeah, I'm going to need all your beer. And wine. And vodka. Billing? Well, when you get here I'll cut you a check. If you have kegs, bring them too. Oh, and little thing? Sixty euro tip if you can find me a really good fez. Relax, this is a Navy purchase, and make that two fezzes."

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

It took only a few moments for Harry's eyes to adjust from the bright, summer sunshine outside to the much more gloomy interior of the cottage. Much to his surprise, the sound from outside seemed to cut off and he looked around. "What just happened?"

Hearing a small, sad chuckle, he looked back to see Dumbledore step inside. "Years ago, shortly after... what had happened, I placed a sort of barrier." His eyes roaming the dust covered hallway, Dumbledore sighed. "It keeps out the wind, the rain, the snow... or any animals. I also placed one upstairs where... well, your mother confronted Voldemort."

With a blink, Harry nodded before he felt Inazuma squeeze his hand. "Yeah..." Once more scanning the hallway, one spot near the staircase caught his eye. Something about it caused his senses to tingle and it wasn't until he was beside it that he realized why and his breath caught in his throat as he stared down at it. "This is where..."

Gently, the Headmaster nodded. "That was where your father's body was found, yes. He held off Voldemort here on his own to try and buy time for your mother."

Flipping up her eyepatch to reveal the seemingly cracked glass eye there, Tenryuu glanced around and nodded. "Put up a hell of a fight by the looks of it." At their looks, she gestured with her head. "Look at the walls."

Now looking themselves, their eyes widened at the damage. There were gouges and cuts in the walls nearby as well as scorch marks running up and down them. Close to where Nagato stood, there was a hole punched through the wall into what had been the living room. At the end of the hall where there was a door into the kitchen, the top half was just gone as if an explosion had happened. What raised Tatsuta's eyebrow was the shattered table which had pieces embedded in the floors, walls, and ceiling. "I wonder what happened there, now?"

Observing the surroundings for himself, Dumbledore shook his head. "While normal shields cannot block the Killing Curse, having a solid object between you and it can block it." He then tilted his head at one leg embedded into the plaster like a spear. "Though anything less then metal can often blast apart as you can see."

Seeing the damage from the shrapnel, not one of the shipgirls spoke aloud that Harry's father would have been hit by a good number of it. A frown on her face, Shinano took in the sight and then looked at he door. "So... Voldemort would have had the doorframe to duck behind while Harry's father..."

Nagato finished the thought with a soft whisper. "He would have had little cover to protect the staircase..." Walking over to Harry, she waited until Iku and Inazuma moved away and gathered him into a hug. "He was a truly brave man, Harry."

With a sniffle, Harry just nodded. "I... I know."

For her part, Iku looked at Harry with saddened eyes as she knew he had to be hurting. But to give him some space, she quietly walked around the spot where James' body had lain and made her way into the slightly ruined sitting room. Making her way past a scattered bunch of puzzle pieces, she came to a stop by a book shelf and looked it over. Most of them were covered in dust, but she frowned at the titles before looking back at the Headmaster. As if he could feel her stare, he looked at her through the hole in the wall and raised an eyebrow. "Dumbledore-San, these books... if Harry wanted..."

A soft, understanding smile on his face, Dumbledore nodded. "Harry can take them if he wants. All there is in this house belongs to him, after all. In fact, I believe one of them is a book on the Potter family history written by his grandmother."

For her part, Tatsuta raised an eyebrow at him. "Just how much was left behind?"

Dumbledore merely looked at her evenly before he replied. "Everything." He then nodded toward the doorway under the stairs. "For example, downstairs Lily's potion lab is as it was when she was alive..."

That caught Harry's attention and he looked over at Dumbledore. "Potion's lab?"

Chuckling, the old man nodded. "Your mother was a genius at potions, she was a Potion Mistress." At the looks of confusion, he hummed. "I suppose the closest equivalent might be... a PhD I think."

Eyes wide, Harry looked at the door and bit his lip. "Maybe..."

Understanding what was unsaid, the elderly wizard gave a nod. "We can have a look, though most of the ingredients and potions are likely gone by now... so I just ask that you be careful as it might be dangerous."

Not quite wanting to confront the upstairs just yet, Harry just nodded and Dumbledore walked toward the door, making sure not to step on where Harry's father had been found and then opened the door to the basement. Looking down it, Harry tried to see in the darkness, but was unable to before a light sprung up beside him. Just blinking, he turned to see Ikazuchi there with some of her fairies on her shoulders. Said fairies had lanterns that swung back and forth as the shipgirl herself gave him a wink and a thumbs up. "You can rely on me!"

Slowly smiling, Harry just nodded. "Well, yeah, I've always known that."

Hearing snickers though, he turned to see Tenryuu grinning while missing the slightly pleased flush on Ikazuchi's face. Once he shook it off, he began to walk down the creaking steps to the basement. The glow of the lanterns slowly revealed the basement. One wall had a long bench on it which caused Harry to blink as there was a cauldron there hung over a stone box. Above the cauldron, there looked to be a small vent and there bits and pieces of things there. The wall beside the bench had several jars, some of the contents impossible to identify after so long. Others though looked like preserved bits and pieces of animals. "Whoa..."

With her feet touching the cobblestone, Ikazuchi only nodded as more like joined them as other shipgirls walked down the stairs, their own fairies out with lanterns. "Yeah, this place is pretty awesome. Creepy, but awesome."

As he brushed away a cobweb, Harry could only agree as they slowly turned. One of the things that caught her eye was a raised portion and, after sharing a look, both her and Harry walked over to see a trap door. Lifting the trap door, they peered down it only to see the glimmer of water below which Harry blinked at. "Huh... must be a well."

There was a slight gasp, and they looked over to see Akatsuki waved them over to what looked like a side room. "Look at this!"

Sharing a look, Ikazuchi and Harry walked over and their own eyes widened as they looked at what looked like a small wine cellar. "Oh wow."

Just slipping past him, Iku began to examine some of the bottles, blowing dust off them. "Huh... some of these are pretty old." Then she paused and frowned as she leaned in to better see a cask there. "'1877'... Okay, forget just old."

Peeking in, Dumbledore gave a chuckle. "Ah, yes, Dragon Barrel Brandy. The makers in question age it for one hundred and fifty years before they sell it. It's quite good brandy."

Eyebrows raised, Tenryuu joined him in peeking in and gave a low whistle. "Junyou and Pola would love this place I think..."

Even as Dumbledore looked at her, Harry just frowned as he stood beside Iku. "Why would my parents have all this here?"

A sigh caused him to look to Dumbledore who shook his head. "Some of these belonged to your grandparents in their own cellar before the home was destroyed. I believe that there's another one underneath the bastille home on the property though where they stored the rest." There was then a twinkle in his eyes as he chuckled. "These also belong to you, though I do believe that perhaps your mother would rather that you wait for a few years yet to try them."

Behind the elderly wizard, there was a snort before Nagato's voice could be heard. "And you would not be wrong on that."

That actually brought a bit of a smile to Harry's face before he gave another look around and frowned thoughtfully. "Um... I guess that if any of you want you can take something... I don't think that I'm going to use any." He then mumbled a bit to himself. "Maybe get something for Junyou and Pola..."

Rather amused, Dumbledore slowly pulled away and waited until they stepped out. However, then Shinano waved Harry over. "Harry-Chan, come look at this!" Quickly, Harry walked across to where the Support Carrier was in front of a small bookcase and came to a stop as Shinano bit her lip and pointed at a group of what looked like research journals. "Um... your name is on that envelope."

Eyes wide, Harry crouched down and took the envelope that was there before carrying it over to the table. His hands trembling, Harry slowly opened it and felt his breath catch as he pulled out the letter and saw his mother's handwriting on it. Swallowing, he began to read it.

'Dearest Harry,
If you are reading this then the worst that I have feared has come to past and I have died. I can only hope that I did so defending you and your father who is now reading over your shoulder. Yes, James, I know you and that you're probably grumbling. However if both of us are dead, then just ignore that last little bit, please. Now then, onto the rest of the letter. Harry, I can only hope that you had a wonderful childhood and look more like myself then James one can hope. And if your father is there, he is likely grumbling with a fake insulted pout on his face. But we both know that it's true, James. I am the better looking of the two of us. Doe not deny it.

Yes, James, I am still going to punish you from behind the grave. But do not worry, I shall stag-ger the puns, my deer James. Fur sure. And I know that you're probably prancing around at times.

Now that I got that out of my system, likely to the thankfulness of whoever is there with you, I have a gift for you. There are several books in my bookshelf addressed to you. When we went into hiding, I rapidly became rather bored needless to say. And so to kill the boredom, as one can only make the same puzzle so many times, I began to think. One of the things I thought up was how to pass on my knowledge to you, my son. So I started to write a group of books to help you in potions, and I am quite happy with them. They will give bits of advice for someone making potions including notes for specific potions that you are likely to encounter from year to year at Hogwarts. Also some simple potions that one can make using easily harvested materials.

I've probably written far too much in my boredom though.

Harry, I'm going to finish this letter up soon, but I want you to know something rather important. I love you, honey. I love you so much and I only wish that I was right there beside you as you grow up where you can see me. But even if you cannot see me, I am there beside you every step of the way. Know that I will always be proud of you and my love for you will never go away. When you stumble, I will try to catch you even when I cannot touch you, when you need a kind word, I will give it even if you cannot hear it.

Never, ever, think that I will stop loving you.

Just as an aside, of course, please give me lots of grandbabies. Maybe name one of the girls after me.

Signed,
Your loving mother, Lily Potter.'

Reading it, at certain points, Harry gave a snort of laughter and at other points he sniffed a bit as his eyes misted. Slowly, he wiped at his eyes. 'Thanks Mum.'

With a smile, he handed the letter to Nagato who read it and then squeezed him in a hug. "She was a wonderful woman, though I do have to wonder about those puns of hers."

A sigh escaped from Dumbledore as he shook his head. "Lily always did love her puns a touch too much at times. She also had something of a dry wit at times with what she found to be amusing."

Looking at the books in question, Harry gathered them up in his arms and glanced through one, able to see his mother's hand writing there before he handed them to Nagato. "Could you... keep a hold on them, Mum?"

Gently, and with great care, Nagato took them as she nodded. "It would be my honor."

Once they were done, Harry took a deep breath and began to climb the stairs, the old potion's lab slowly slipping back into darkness for now though the young wizard promised to be back one day. Then they closed the basement door and Harry took a look at the staircase going up. Feeling his hand being squeezed, Harry looked up to see Shinano. "We're right here."

Nodding, Harry began to climb the staircase to the upstairs, not sure what they would find there.

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts Omake: "Lily the punny witch 1"

Yorath said:
apparently if Sirius was allowed to do it, James wasn't allowed to complain when Lily did it BETTER!?​

James poked his head into the kitchen and blinked. "Lils... what are doing in here?"

Just humming, Lily raised up an odd contraption. "I made an edible clock."

For a few moments, James blinked and then frowned. "Why... would you make a clock that you can eat?"

Suddenly, Lily looked over her shoulder with a grin. "Because it's very time consuming."

All that could be heard was the palm of James' hand meeting his face. "For Merlin's sake, Lily!"


Harry Leferts Omake: "Lily the punny witch 2"

Daeven Anell said:
I suspect that it is less that Sirius was allowed and more that James and the others couldn't stop him. So of course they couldn't stop her either. I'm also imagining her and Sirius getting into pun offs that she always wins.​

James sighed and looked up at Sirius who had a stern expression on his face. "Padfoot, what are you doing now?"

Still frowning, Sirius cleared his throat. "Prongs, I am conducting a poll of all the Seventh Years this Christmas. It's a very Sirius matter."

Pinching his nose, James was about to say something when Lily spoke up from beside him. "Oh, fur sure. But I wouldn't as you might be caught."

That caused the two boys to look at each other and then her as Sirius blinked. "Caught? Caught by who?"

Grinning, Lily snickered. "Why, by the Poll-ice."

Just holding his face in his hands, James sighed. "Lily..."

However, she simply tapped her chin. "What's wrong, James? Are you going to pun-ish me? Perhaps send me to the pun-geon? Or the pun-itentiary? Oh, deer me."

For several moments, James opened his mouth and then let out a sigh as he placed his hand on her shoulder. "Since your my girlfriend, and in the spirit of the holidays, Lily? I forgive you."

However, to his surprise, Lily nodded as she patted his hand. "That's very genu-wreath of you, James."

Unable to help himself, Sirius just fell back laughing. "Bloody hell, Lils! That was awesome!"

Meanwhile, James just groaned and put his head onto the table.

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts Omake: "Harry's punny inheritence"

namar13766 said:
Somewhere, Somehow, Sans just sensed a kindred spirit and wept because he can't meet them.​

And then it turns out that Harry inherited it...
___________________________________

Harry just blinked at the sight before him and then turned to Inazuma. "So... you found Aoba buried under all those newspapers, huh?"

Slowly, Inazuma nodded. "Yeah... I don't think that the others were too impressed with her articles and decide to show her what they thought of it." Hearing a groan, she winced. "You think that she'll be okay?"

With a hum, Harry just shrugged. "Sure, but we should give her some space."

That just caused Inazuma to look at him. "Why?"

Suddenly, Harry grinned. "Because Aoba... has just received the worst news of her life!"

All Inazuma did was facepalm at that.

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Walking up the stairs, each creak and pop of the wood from their steps echoed in Harry's ears like a cannon firing. He knew that he was being silly, but that was exactly what it sounded like and once he reached the landing, he looked down one side of the hallway. There was the partially open door to his parents' room and inside he could just see the dusty bed and furniture, so much like the rest of the house. Slowly, he turned...

And there it was.

The door to his old bedroom which was blasted open.

Sunlight beamed through the door and caught the dancing motes of dust in the air creating an otherworldly effect. Feeling a hand on his shoulder, he looked to see Hibiki there with what some might think was her usual expression. But after so many years of being around her, Harry could tell that there was a softness and understanding there. A glance showed that Tenryuu's own expression was soft as was Nagato's and the others. Turning back to the door, Harry licked his dry lips and then took one step.

Then another step.

It was all too soon for him, but he was right before the doorway and Harry took a deep breath and then walked fully into the sunlight and had to close his eyes against it. When he opened them, there was a red haired woman with green eyes watching him with a kind look on her face in a child's room. Light laughter, kind and loving, met his ears as she smiled. "Welcome home, honey."

Blinking though, the image was gone and instead all there was in his view, was a ruined nursery with the sunlight coming in from a massive hole in one wall and ceiling. Tears gathered in his eyes as he stood there before he took a step inside and slowly panned his view around. With each step, some dust rose from the floor, but he also stepped on some debris as he slowly made his way toward the crib. As he did so, one spot in particular stood out to him in front of it and he came to a stop as he stared down at it. Harry didn't know how or why, but he somehow knew that was where his mother had stood and died for him.

Where she had held her ground before being struck down.

Slowly, he collapsed to his knees and slowly reached out for the spot with trembling fingers and then set them down and he almost swore that he could feel his mother's presence still there after all these years. From the doorway, Nagato and the other shipgirls just watched as tears ran down their eyes from what they were seeing in front of them. For her part, Tenryuu gathered her daughters into her arms and held them close and they her at the choked sob from Harry.

At said sob, Nagato strode across the room and then fell to her knees before Harry, pulling him into an embrace as another sob broke out from him. Sniffing as she nuzzled his hair, he blinked and tried to see through the blurriness that had over taken his sight. "M-mum?"

For her part, all Nagato did was kiss him on the head and continue to stroke his hair as she nuzzled it. "It's okay, Harry. It's all going to be okay" Gently, she reached out with her own hand and then placed it on top of Harry's much smaller one. 'Thank you, for all that you did.'

Just as her fingers touched the wood, Nagato felt a tingle there before it was gone. But she was unable to give it any more thought as Harry grabbed her and hugged her tightly, the Battleship soon returning it.

Tatsuta watched this with an uncommon softness in her eyes before she turned away to give the mother and son some privacy and began to examine the rest of the room. Slowly, she began to piece things together from the shattered door, one that she noted had been reinforced with steel or iron for all the good it had done. Then there was the hole in the wall as well as the ceiling, which she presumed was from the backlash from the spell used on Harry. In fact, the only part of the room not damaged was Harry's crib and the small area in front of it including where his mother had lain dead. Softly, Tenryuu whispered to her as she glanced at Tatsuta. "What are you thinking?"

Glancing back at her sister, Tatsuta frowned as she whispered back and tried not to pay any attention to the sobs or the soft speech elsewhere in the room. "A few things honestly."

With a nod, Tenryuu also glanced around the room. "Yeah." After a few moments, she let out a sigh. "I think that I would have liked to have met her."

In her arms, Akatsuki nodded. "She sounds like she was a real lady."

Meanwhile, both Inazuma and Ikazuchi just held onto their mother as they watched Harry and Nagato with soft, understanding expressions on their faces. At the same time, Hibiki blinked away some mistiness before looking away. 'Harry-Chan...'

Shinano sniffled a bit and wiped at her eyes before biting her lip. She wanted to say something, anything, to comfort him. But she just could not find the words. Beside her, Iku closed her eyes and then bowed her head a little. Something about the room just had an odd air, as if it was a tomb. 'Then again... I suppose that it is a tomb for the broken dreams of a family...'

It took a few minutes before Harry's sobs died down and he pulled away slightly from his mother and rubbed at his face. At seeing the wetness on her shirt, he sniffled a bit. "Sorry, Mum."

A sad chuckle escaped from Nagato before she shook her head and then rubbed his hair. "You got nothing to be sorry for, my son. Remember, I told you that it is perfectly fine to cry at times like this."

Harry just nodded as he slowly stood back up, helped by his mother. "I know."

Pulling back some, Nagato watched as DesDiv6, Shinano, and Iku all walked forward and hugged Harry tightly. As she knew that he needed some time, Nagato looked around the room and slowly frowned. 'There's... not much left.' Something on the floor in front of a smashed dresser caught her sight and she respectfully walked around the place where Lily had been before reaching down and picking it up. 'A book?'

The sound of Harry speaking up with a cracked voice caused her to turn. "Mum?"

While still looking over the book with one eye, Nagato glanced over her shoulder. "Just a book... called 'Tales of Beedle the Bard'."

From the doorway where he waited, Dumbledore nodded. "Ah, yes. It's a collection of Wizarding fairytales. I... suppose that some might not like the form that they take, but they're rather traditional."

Looking at the book in his mother's hands, Harry blinked. "My birth Mum would have read that to me... didn't she?"

Dumbledore only nodded. "She would have, yes."

Walking over to another dust covered object, Tenryuu blew the dust off and then turned it over before holding it up. "Here's your baby book, kiddo."

Just nodding, Harry began to feel the day catching up with him before he looked around. Not much survived the backlash it looked like and several minutes later, they only found a record (which they later discovered was one of Lily herself singing lullabies), a small photo album of Harry as a baby, and some stuffed toys in the crib. Looking at the stuffed wolf, dog, and stag which had lilies in it's antlers, Harry felt drained and allowed himself to be led back out of the room. Soon, after a few more minutes including finding a picture of Harry's parents for a small shrine back in their quarters at Yokosuka, Harry left the house. After the gate was closed, Harry looked back before nodding as he whispered. "Goodbye, Mum... Dad. I'll come back some day.

And then he turned as he held Nagato's hand while a feeling of peace settled down on the property for what seemed like the first time in years.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

With a soft groan, Nagato leaned back into the water as she felt it relax her. Unlike usual though, she still had her uniform on and her rigging out as she looked over at Akashi. "How long do you think that this will take?"

Humming as she looked over her tools as well as her own rigging, the repair ship frowned. "Perhaps most of the day. You'll be done by dinner by the latest." At the look, she shrugged. "It's the best that I can do as I finally got everything for your first rebuild. You would not believe how hard it is to come up with a Kai refit for a ship that never got one way back."

A soft grumble escaped from Nagato as she nodded. "I suppose."

Rolling her eyes at the response, Akashi began to sort her materials out as she frowned. "By the way... how's Harry-Chan doing? It has been a week after all since you..."

There was a frown on Nagato's face as she sighed and shook her head. "Harry is... doing better. It left him drained, but I think that it was something that he needed... and perhaps that I did as well. It healed a wound there that I don't think that any of us realized was there."

Simply nodding, Akashi flicked the tank of her blow torch and then tilted her head at the sound. "That's good, though at least we now know about his mother, Lily-San. It answers a lot of questions now that we know that she was an unawakened Natural Born... though I wonder who she was."

Looking at the ceiling, Nagato frowned in thought. "I don't think that we will ever know."

Almost two minutes later, Akashi cracked her knuckles and nodded. "Okay, everything is ready." Turning, she regarded Nagato for a moment before glancing at the schematics beside her. "All that's left is to put you under." The Repair Ship placed her hand on Nagato's stomach and said shipgirl could only watch as Akashi's fairies climbed down onto her body. Soon, she could feel them enter her body and Akashi began to explain. "Now, while we're doing the work, we'll need to turn off your boilers. Don't worry at all, it's perfectly safe and when we're done, we'll turn them back on."

The Battleship just grunted at that. "Understood."

Her vision was then taken up by Akashi who held up one hand and then began to count down. "One... two... three..." Nagato's vision began to blur and she felt herself slipping out of consciousness as each of her boilers switched off one by one. "Eight... nine... ten..."

Eyes closing, Nagato felt herself slip away...

And then she suddenly blinked them open only to widen them as she looked around. To her surprise, she was in a dock area with a wharf that extended out to sea. To one side, was a dry dock that contained a ship and she walked closer, only to blink as she easily recognized the hull. 'That's... me?'

It was then that a voice spoke up behind her. "About time you come here."

Turning, Nagato frowned. 'Who...'

Once she saw who it was, Nagato froze in place as the woman smirked at her. "I've been waiting here for a bit now to meet you." The red haired woman's green eyes sparkled in amusement at the stunned Nagato as the sun glinted off her rigging, an actual warship tied up to the docks beside her. "Lily Potter, at your service."

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Staring at the woman, Nagato just blinked. "But you're..."

Lily raised an eyebrow further in amusement before crossing her arms across her chest. "Dead? Passed on? Pining for the fjords? Expired and gone to meet my maker? Pushing up daisies? My metabolic processes are now history? Shuffled off the mortal coil? Kicked the bucket? Joined the choir invisible? Lost all nine lives?"

For several moments, Nagato parsed what was just said before giving her a look. "Monty Python?"

Grinning, Lily shrugged. "I've always loved Monty Python myself personally and just had to do it to lighten up such a grave situation. No need to wreck yourself as I've sunk plenty of time into this." She then gave Nagato a look who just gave her a deadpan look. "I am surprised that you guessed so quickly though."

If anything though, Nagato just raised her own eyebrow before commenting dryly. "I have a son who's British and the Kongous are obsessed with him keeping in touch with his heritage. I would think that you would be surprised if I didn't catch that." She then frowned. "Also, do you need to be making those puns."

After a few seconds of thought, Lily shrugged. "Yes, though I guess that it's time for me to be coffin up some information."

Not pinching her nose, the Battleship took a deep breath and then sighed before looking around. "Very well... Perhaps you should start with... whatever is happening."

Leaning against a group of crates, Lily slowly nodded. "I suppose that would be the best place." She then looked directly at Nagato. "When a shipgirl undergoes their rebuilds, their spirits pop up here once their boilers are offline for the process."

There was a frown on Nagato's face as she glanced to her hull, where sure enough, there was work being done on it. "And where is here?" The look Lily gave her caused her to get the distinct impression that she had asked a rather stupid question. "..."

Softly chuckling, Lily just spread out her arms. "Here... is the border between the world of the living and the world of the dead."

Eyes widening, Nagato felt a rise of panic inside of her. "I'm-"

However, the red haired shipgirl cut her off. "No, you're not dead. At most, you're in a coma as you're being worked on. It's just that this is the easiest method for me to speak to you as you would come here anyways..." For a moment, Lily trailed off before shrugging. "Though normally, you would not remember this place if I was not... interfering, in a way. But I would rather that you remember our conversation."

Calming down, Nagato slowly relaxed. "So this is the border..."

Just nodding, Lily pointed toward the ocean where the warm Sun glinted off of the ocean, barely any waves to be seen. Part of the Battleship just wanted to go there and cut through the water before she shook it off with Lily's next words. "In that direction is the afterlife, as well as where us shipgirls come. It's basically... the way to Fiddler's Green though there is far more to the afterlife then just that portion."

Far off, Nagato could just make out a ship that seemed to be heading toward another dock that appeared, only for the ship to blur and become a girl and then walk down the dock and vanish. In that split second, she realized that she just saw a summoning or, perhaps, a ship being reborn as a human and glanced toward Lily who nodded. "I see..."

Lips twitching, Lily jerked her thumb down the opposite part of the pier. "And down in that direction is the Realm of the Living, where one plays that mysterious game of life."

Turning her head, Nagato felt her eyebrows raise at the wall of fog there. "Why can't I see anything?"

A laugh burst from the former witch before she shook her head. "It's all metaphorical really. Like in a fog bank, one will never see what life is going to toss them or what they're going to come across. That's also the reason for everything scattered here on the wharf, it's all the baggage that one leaves behind when they pass on."

With a blink, Nagato noticed that there was piles of luggage everywhere. "... Right."

Simply waving her off, Lily just snorted. "All you really need to understand is that this place is one where the living and the dead can meet and that's it." Her expression softened some. "Before we continue or talk about anything else, I just want to tell you thank you, for all that you've done for our son." Seeing Nagato about to say something, Lily reached over and placed a finger to her lips. "Shh, you have more then earned the right to be called his mother. For Harry is your son in every way that matters except blood, and even that matters little in the end to be honest as Tuny showed."

Eyes narrowing, Nagato grunted. "Your sister is..."

Voice sharp, Lily scowled. "Someone that there will be a reckoning for when she arrives. The two of us will be having a nice, long chat when she arrives here." Her expression then softened. "But enough of her, I doubt very much that Harry nor yourself will ever need to deal with her ever again. That said, just to move back? Both myself and James have agreed that as far as we're concerned, Harry is your son as much as he is ours."

Becoming thoughtful, Nagato frowned some. "You're speaking as if you won't be coming back." Her eyes roaming over Lily, Nagato furrowed her eyebrows. "Seeing as you are a shipgirl..."

If anything though, Lily seemed to slump in place and stare off at the ocean. "What do you understand about how us shipgirls reach the World of the Living?"

Nagato could only frown at that before thinking it over. After nearly a minute though, she shook her head. "There's not much known..."

Sadly chuckling, Lily shook her head. "Not surprising, the living are not supposed to know much about the Afterlife or how things might work there... Let me ask you, what is the youngest ship to become a shipgirl?"

That caused a blink as Nagato gave it some thought before her eyes widened. "The youngest are..."

Finishing her thought, Lily sighed. "Those that were almost stopped around the time of the end of World War Two. More then sixty-five years ago. Ever wonder why?" At the shake of Nagato's head, Lily tilted her own back and forth with a hum. "It takes decades for a soul of a ship to gain enough spiritual weight for it to... manifest... as it does in a shipgirl. And by that, I mean from the time that work is complete on a hull, even if it is not complete itself. For us Natural Borns though, if we die without awakening, the clock gets restarted from the point of our birth. So in my case..."

For a moment, Nagato's eyes widened before they closed as she sighed. "How long?"

Lily was quiet before she spoke in a soft voice. "Harry will likely be in his thirties at the least before I can be summoned. More likely he would be in his forties or even fifties. By that point... there's not too much reason for me to come back unfortunately. He'll no longer need me."

Eyes soft, Nagato shook her head. "I'm sorry."

However, Lily only waved her off with a smile. "You got nothing to be sorry for. It's not your fault how the rules work after all."

The smile did not reach Lily's eyes, though Nagato did not comment on that. "I suppose not."

Suddenly, the red head clapped her hands. "Right, that said there's more to tell you though."

Raising an eyebrow, Nagato frowned. "What do you mean?"

Much to her surprise, Lily turned serious. "It's in regards to Harry. Now, I can't tell you everything as I had to make certain... concessions in order to have this chance. But I can tell you some things that can help." Waiting until she got a nod, Lily continued. "First and biggest, the reason that Voldemort came after us is due to a prophecy made that someone managed to pass on part of to him. The long and short of it is that it has to be our son who has to strike the final blow to him. Whether the prophecy was correct or not, Voldemort believing in it has turned it into a self-fulfilling one so it doesn't matter in the end."

For about a minute, Nagato stared at her before growling and slamming a fist onto a wooden pier, smashing it. "DAMMIT!" Turning, she regarded Lily evenly. "So he is alive... how?" Seeing the grimace, Nagato scowled. "Don't tell me..."

Shaking her head, Lily sighed. "Telling you how was one of the concessions I had to make. I don't like it, but in order to have this chance..."

Just rubbing at her face, Nagato groaned. "At least knowing that much is better then nothing, I suppose. At least now we can prepare." Noticing that Lily was staring off at the ocean, Nagato frowned. "Is something wrong?"

With a frown, Lily shook her head. "We don't have much longer before you head back, so I need to make it quick. Firstly, Harry's godfather is in prison for something he did not do. He never betrayed us nor did he kill the true betrayer..." Seeing the Battleship open her mouth, Lily sighed. "I doubt that you'll be able to get anything done for him though. Between certain factions, inertia, and... how things are going right now, it might be a long time before anything happens. Just give him somewhere to live when he gets out. That's all I can ask."

Nagato gave her a questioning look, but nodded. "I shall see what I can do."

There was a slight smile on Lily's face as she relaxed. "Thank you... now for the last thing."

Getting up, Lily walked over to Nagato who watched her with confusion. But that soon turned to shock when Lily reached out and placed her hand on Nagato's chest, which caused the Battleship to leap back. "THE HELL!?"

All Lily did though was roll her eyes. "I'm not doing anything to you that's bad. In fact... I am going to help you in the only way available to me."

Narrowing her eyes, Nagato glared. "What do you mean?"

Rather amused, Lily tilted her head. "A... shipgirl can be what can best termed as 'Scrapped'. By doing so, the materials gained can be used during refits to give said modernizations a boost. Being as I am dead, and therefore 'scrapped', I can give you a boost. I don't know how much of one or how it'll manifest... but it's the best that I can do that will also help our son and give him the best protection I can."

For several seconds, Nagato searched Lily's face before nodding. "Very well." Once more, Lily placed her hand onto Nagato's chest as the taller woman looked down at her before commenting dryly. "And here I thought that you were trying to grope me."

Eyes sparkling, Lily gave her a wink as motes of light rose from her and the ship that had been behind her. "No, though that is a bonus I'll admit."

Sputtering, Nagato stared at her. But before she could say anything, the motes began to shoot into Nagato as well as her hull and the breath was driven from her lungs as she felt herself get more powerful. When it was done, she stared down at the tired looking Lily who softly smiled up at her. "I... what just happened?"

With a giggle, Lily shook her head and pulled away. "You got something of a boosted upgrade."

It was then that she realized that Lily was missing her rigging and that the ship was also gone. "Wait, your..."

The former witch shrugged. "I've set back any possible clock for me being summoned, but to protect our son I'll do anything." Slowly, the fog began to cover the wharf. "Something that I know that the two of us can agree on."

Feeling Lily being pulled away, Nagato bowed as she realized that she was waking up. "Thank you... and it has been an honor."

Almost totally covered in the fog, Lily gave a small bow back. "You're welcome, and likewise. Just continue to look after our son, he'll need it." Before she was fully gone, she said one last bit that confused Nagato. "By the way... you should play some D&D, it's rather informative at times."

Then Nagato blinked and found herself floating in the baths at Yokosuka with Akashi standing over her. "There we go, all done."

Just frowning, Nagato looked down at her arm and then clinched it feeling more power going through her. "... Did anything unexpected happen?"

Opening her mouth, Akashi was about to say something when she stopped and frowned. "Just at the end something odd did happen... Your capabilities seemed to be boosted beyond what I thought possible with your rebuild. But how did you know that?"

All Nagato did was just smile. 'Thank you...'

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Clicking his pen, Goto stared at the window looking out onto the base in deep thought before he finally sighed and rubbed the side of his head. "And you're positive that none of this was a dream? At all?"

Where she sat in a chair modified for shipgirls, Nagato shook her head. "No, Teitoku. I'm positive it wasn't. In fact..."

At the glance from her, Akashi grunted. "I don't have any explanation except that the one she gave, Teitoku." Seeing his look, she waved one hand in the air. "I had all the materials for her rebuild right there already. But then more suddenly appeared out of nowhere in her at the end of the process. Material that should not have been there in the slightest."

Eyes narrowed, Goto leaned back. "What changes did these materials cause?"

Snorting, Akashi shook her head and then yawned. "If you mean spiritual... don't bother as I couldn't tell you much. At the most, Nagato's ability to speak English is much better then it was and she speaks with the slightest bit of a British accent..."

Kongou then piped up. "Sounds like something from the Midlands, Dess."

None of them commented on that except to give her a glance before turning back to Akashi who began to tick off on her fingers. "Other then that? Nagato is a bit faster then expected and her resource consumption is way down from even my expectations. Her sonar is also improved as well which was not in the plans at the least. From what I can see? It's been replaced by a British ASDIC. Hell if I know how that happened, but it did."

Raising an eyebrow, Goto frowned. "How good...?"

All Akashi did was give him a look. "Very good, I would say that Nagato here now has the best sonar in our fleet. Grant you, now that I see how they work for her, I might be able to use it as a basis for some upgrades for the others. I'll have to get in touch with Resource mind you, but if we can make it work..."

The Admiral leaned back and thought it over. "It could give us a massive boost for ASW... get in touch with the Canadians as well, their shipgirls are pretty much masters at that." Getting a nod, he looked over at Haru who had been quiet during the talking. "About this prophecy..."

Said Kitsune just sighed and rubbed the side of her head. "Unless I hear said prophecy word for word, there's not much that I can do honestly. Prophecies can be tricky things at the best of times. They never fulfill themselves quite the way that one expects and it's not until after they've been completed that you realize exactly how it was supposed to fall into place. And this one sounds like a doozy as it's a self-fulfilling one making it even more troublesome."

Intrigued, Goto hummed a bit as he sipped his tea. "How so?"

Rolling her eyes, Haru gave a slight groan. "Basically? Self-fulfilling ones will always be heard, at least partially, by one of the parties involved in them. Said party will then make moves to try and prevent it from happening... and what they do to prevent it will cause it to happen. If you want an example not from Japan? The Norse Gods heard that the giant wolf Fenrir would kill a number of them in that end of the world thing they had going on. So to prevent it... they decided to imprison him in a way that was sure to enrage him and leave him stew in hatred for however long it took before he managed to get freed when before he considered them all friends and family. In Harry's case? I suspect that if he was supposed to kill Voldemort, then said wizard hunted his parents to prevent it and that attack just put the whole prophecy into motion. At least the end point is not ambiguous."

Eyebrow twitching, Nagato gave a growl. "Yes, because that end point is that my son will need to either kill or be killed."

Just shaking her head, Haru gave a sigh. "Not that simple though it may seem that way. Once more, I would need to hear the exact wording for it. All we know for sure is that one must be dead at the end, nothing more. If it says something like... 'The one shall die at the stroke of the other', that might mean that Harry just needs to issue a written order to kill Voldemort and the prophecy would be done as it would be at the 'Stroke of a pen'. Nothing is ever simple at this sort of thing."

Feeling an headache coming on, Goto only grunted. "So what can we do? Because, no offence, but the last thing that I want to deal with is some Sauron wannabe attacking us." At the sight of Nagato opening her mouth, he held up his hand. "I am not leaving Harry to his fate. Not only are we talking about someone I consider family, but this Voldemort is from all reports someone who would try to kill or torture who knows how many as a matter of course. I've read enough history to know the type and I very much doubt that he wouldn't attack our British counterparts as a threat to his power. So he's going to be needed to be put down like the animal he is anyways. What I want to know is how to minimize any problems."

Slowly nodding, Haru's lips turned up some. 'I knew that I liked him for some reason.' Clearing her throat, she shrugged. "At the moment, just keep doing what we've been doing. Teach Harry-Chan useful skills such as our Onmyouji lessons or Inazuma-Chan and Hibiki-Chan teaching him self-defence. And more then that, be there for him as he's going to need support to get through this. Children of Prophecy never have easy times."

Thoughtful, Kongou sipped her tea before setting it down. "Well we'll be right behind him, Dess. And he also has Natsumi-San and her Burning Love as I heard that she is training for that!"

Pausing, Haru considered her next words. "Natsumi-Chan... is not the only one training to help him in the end."

Eyes narrowing, Goto frowned. "Who else?" Once Haru told him, one could have heard a pin drop as he leaned back and groaned. "Please tell me that we don't have a-"

Haru just interrupted him with a slight grin. "Sorry, can't do that. Shiromizu-San doesn't yet know what she is. I'm personally waiting for that moment to happen myself as it will be so very.... amusing." Everyone ignored the tails that appeared behind her and wagged a bit. "That said, once she does realize and come into her own, we'll have someone as a friend and ally who will be able to help out greatly in certain situations. It also explains some things."

Rubbing her face, Nagato let out a sigh. "That was the last thing that I expected."

All Haru did though was let out a barking laugh before wagging a finger at the Battleship. "No, I suppose not, but one can never expect what life will throw at us, which makes it all so much fun in the end."

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Haruna was watching the various shipgirls and base personnel as they enjoyed the day on the beach of Sarushima with the Naval base well within view. She also knew that were more in the woods of the island enjoying the break. Reaching for the changing booth, Haruna gave it a knock. "You almost done, Rose-Chan?"

At the adorable squeak, Haruna blinked before Rose's embarrassed voice could be heard. "I... don't know about this, Haruna... I'm not exactly sure about this, I am a tea set after all and I've never been to the beach and... I am not quite sure about what I am wearing... It's so different from what I usually wear..."

Raising an eyebrow, Haruna frowned and then crossed her arms before nodding. "Well, if Rose-Chan doesn't want to wear it, then she doesn't need to. Haruna doesn't want her friends to be uncomfortable. We can do something else."

There was a mumble for a moment, but before Haruna could say anything. "Oh no, I couldn't ask you to do that... but... what if someone says something?"

Unseen by Rose, Haruna's expression hardened for a brief second and then was gone. "If someone says something, then Haruna will take care of it."

Inside the changing booth, the tsukumogami blinked at that. "Really?"

Outside, Haruna just nodded. "Haruna promises."

Several seconds passed before a small hand gripped the side of the curtain. "O-okay then." And then it was pulled to the side and Haruna stared a little bit as Rose walked out into view. Covered in a one piece, Rose's hair was out of it's usual bun and down around her shoulders. Blinking her silver eyes, Rose frowned as she scratched her cheek. "Is... there something wrong?"

Quickly, Haruna shook her head and gave her pale skinned friend a once over. "N-no, Haruna thinks that Rose-Chan looks very cute in her swimsuit."

That if anything just caused the Battleship to freeze as she realized what she said, but before she could try and fix what she thought was a mistake, Rose blushed and looked down. "Cute?"

Now feeling some heat in her own cheeks, Haruna decided to be a Battleship and charge while firing all batteries and so placed an arm over Rose's shoulders. "Hai, Haruna thinks that Rose-Chan looks extremely cute in her swimsuit."

Eyes wide for a moment, Rose's expression softened some. "Thank you..." She then looked over Haruna and smiled at the sight of the Battleship in her white bikini. "I think that you look very cute as well." Looking away, Rose missed how Haruna's face went red at that and looked down at her toes. Slowly, she worked them in the sand. "That feels so very odd..."

Also looking down, Haruna's lips turned upward slightly. "Haruna remembers when she first came back and went to the beach. Haruna was so very confused about how sand felt between her toes and under her feet that Haruna... kind of played in it for some time."

Looking up at the taller woman, Rose slowly nodded. "I think that I would have liked to see that."

Her expression brightening, Haruna smiled with her eyes closed. "Maybe later Rose-Chan might want to play in the sand with Haruna..."

Rose's expression also brightened as she clapped her hands. "Oh! Maybe we can make sand castles. I remember my Mistresses' children all talking about such." As if realizing how she looked, especially with how Haruna gave a small giggle, Rose flushed. "If that would be okay..."

Placing her arm around Rose's shoulders, Haruna nodded. "Haruna would like to make sandcastles with Rose-Chan very much." Unsaid was the thoughts going through her head as she guided Rose toward the water. 'So... cute...'

As they got closer, Rose frowned as she stared at the water and then up at Haruna. "Are you sure that I won't tarnish? Saltwater is not good for silver after all..."

With a blink, Haruna stopped and then pulled the slightly nervous Rose into a hug before looking down at her. "Haruna promises Rose-Chan that she will not tarnish." She then grasped one of Rose's hands and brought it up, her fingers intertwined with Rose's. "Now, Haruna would like to ask Rose what this is?"

Confused, Rose looked at her hand and then back at Haruna though she felt some heat rise in her cheeks. "Our hands, of course."

Nodding, the shipgirl smiled. "Exactly. Hands. We have bodies like humans now, Rose-Chan. Which means that what is okay for humans, but might not for what we were, is now okay for us. Rose-Chan will not tarnish from the salt because humans do not."

There was a frown on Rose's face as she rolled that around in her mind before she blinked. "Oh..." Then her eyes widened. "Oh! I never thought of it that way." It was then that Rose spotted something and frowned. "What is going on over there?"

Slowly, Haruna turned and then giggled. "Looks like Teitoku and Captain Yonehara are about to have some fun, want to see?"

At the nod, the two ran across the sand until they stopped at the water edge where Goto and Yonehara circled each other, crouched. Smirking, Goto chuckled a bit. "You're going down, Sousuke."

However, Yonehara only snorted. "Like Hell, Goto. After all, I am not the one sitting behind the desk all day eating snacks."

Frowning with a glare, Goto growled and then charged. Almost at the same time, Yonehara did the same and soon the two were trying to wrestle each other to the sand as various people cheered or jeered. One of them being Ashigara who pumped her fist into the air. "KICK HIS FAT LAZY ASS, SOUSUKE-KUN!"

On the opposite side, Kongou shot a glare at the Heavy Cruiser before turning back to the impromptu wrestling match. "KNOCK THAT UNCULTURED MUSCULE HEAD OUT OF THE FIGHT, TEITOKU~!"

Head snapping up, Ashigara growled. "WHAT DID YOU SAY!?"

Eyes narrowing, Kongou sniffed a bit. "I said... YONEHARA IS GOING TO LOSE BEFORE TEITOKU'S AWESOME MIGHT AND BURNING WILL!"

Ashigara's jaw dropped before she glared. "LIKE THE HELL HE IS YOU TWO BIT ARMORED CRUISER, BRITWEEBO!"

Gasping, Kongou rocked back before she shot back, pumping one fist as both Yonehara and Goto stopped wrestling to look between the two shipgirls. "WHAT DID YOU SAY YOU UNCOOTH MANEATER!?"

Nostril's flaring, Ashigara growled as an aura sprang into being around her, a howling wolf forming from it. At the same time, a different colored aura sprang up behind Kongou which had a tiger form in it which roared as the Fast Battleship snarled. Then the two flung themselves at each other before knocking them, and the two men, into the water with a splash. Meanwhile, Haruna just giggled and tilted her head as water flew everywhere. "Haruna thinks that Onee-Sama is having fun."

Scratching her head, Rose just shrugged. 'I don't believe that I will ever understand such things...'

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Having heard the splashes, Harry glanced over to see where Kongou and Ashigara were wrestling each other. "Huh..." Soon though he shook it off and looked at Hoppou beside him who was looking at the water nervously. Part of him couldn't help but grin at the amount of sunscreen on her or the floaties on her arm. 'Really Mum, sometimes you worry far too much.' Crouching down, Harry raised an eyebrow at his little sister. "Is something wrong?"

Looking up at him, Hoppou took a step forward and then backed away from the waves as they crashed by her feet. "Hoppou is not sure about this, Big Brother..."

Slowly, Harry nodded as he guessed what was the issue. "Afraid to swim, huh? You know that I'd keep you perfectly safe, Hoppou. As long as I am here, you won't sink."

With a blink, Hoppou looked up at him and nodded. "Hoppou knows..."

It was then that Harry noticed something and then lifted Hoppou quickly to his shoulder height in time for a large wave to smack into him at chest height. When it receeded, he blinked as he noticed that Taigei was now laying on her front on the beach having been left behind by the wave. Her legs weakly flopped around as someone shouted that she had been beached. "..." Looking in the direction of the wave, Harry could see Musashi and Iowa in a water fight with each other, throwing up giant splashes of water. "That explains where that wave came from."

Meanwhile, Hoppou tilted her head as the Submarines charged out of the water and used a stretcher to bring Taigei back into the water where the Support Ship began to swim around happily again. '... Silly.'

Gently, Harry set down Hoppou and patted her head. "So how about it? I'll be swimming right next to you just in case?"

Finger against her lips, the Abyssal considered this and then grabbed Harry's hand and nodded. "Okay."

"UWAWAWAWAWAWA!"

Both Harry and Hoppou looked up to see Inazuma flying above them and Harry's eyes widened before he once more grabbed Hoppou and then held her above his head in time for the massive wave to wash over him. When it receded, Harry spat out some sea water as Hoppou blinked. "... Is Big Brother okay?"

Water dripping from him, Harry just nodded before looking as Inazuma bobbed up to the surface near the stunned and soaked forms of Musashi and Iowa while Goto, Yonehara, Ashigara, and Kongou were all tangled together where they had ended up. "I'M OKAY, NANODESU!"

Then they heard Ikazuchi shouting. "ME NEXT! ME NEXT!"

As they turned, Harry and Hoppou could only blink as they spotted Montana grab hold of Ikazuchi's arms while Hiei, who had been visiting, grabbed her legs. Then they swung the laughing Destroyer back and forth between them before tossing her. Harry could only watch as she was launched over him and Hoppou and he picked up his little sister with a sigh as there was a loud splash and he saw the wall of water. 'Dammit...'

Hoppou meanwhile just clapped her hands as a laughing Yuudachi passed by on a surfboard. 'Hoppou likes this.'

Underwater as the wave rushed past, Harry could see a grinning RO give him a thumb's up as she was sucked back into the ocean by the retreating water. Spitting out some more saltwater, Harry looked up at his giggling adopted sister and snorted. "At least you're enjoying this... now let's get into the water before anything else happens."

Nodding, Hoppou just held him around the neck as he rushed into the water. He picked up some speed though as he heard Fubuki asking for Montana and Hiei to throw her as well.

From where she was laying back on a towel, Nagato raised an eyebrow as she looked toward Tenryuu. "Not going to say anything?"

Softly snorting, Tenryuu just grinned. "Nah, besides they're enjoying themselves." She then flipped a page in her book before humming. "Not going to go and join them?"

Just shifting into another position, Nagato shook her head. "Not yet anyways, let them have their fun first." A laugh burst from her as she spotted Hachi leap from the water and then onto Harry's back sending him tumbling into the water as Hoppou laughed. It was then that Tenryuu did a double take as she noticed that Nagato had a camera in her hands recording what was going on. "Besides, I've got a good viewpoint from here."

Raising an eyebrow at her though, the Light Cruiser hummed. "I take it there's more to it then that though?"

For a moment there was a pause before Nagato nodded. "Harry's heading to Hogwarts in only a week, best to let them spend time with him until then."

Tenryuu put the book down and then considered what was going on before she frowned. "You know, that explains why Ami is so set on Harry spending two nights over in a few days. Damn..." Flopping back, she frowned some. "It's going to be so weird not having the kiddo around."

Sighing, Nagato only leaned forward. "I know... Hoppou's been extremely clingy." She then glanced to where Harry now had Imuya on his shoulders, despite the Subgirl being taller. Meanwhile, Iku had Shioi on hers as the two got into a splash fight... one swiftly ended as Mutsuki splashed down from being thrown and drenched them all. "And she's not the only one."

Just scratching her cheek, Tenryuu nodded at that. "I see..."

Their talk though was interrupted as Akagi came over and pointed at a pile of shells near to them. "Would you mind if I use those?"

Blinking, the two mothers shared a look before Nagato shook her head. "Harry won't mind, I'm sure."

Her expression brightening, Akagi just smiled. "Thank you."

Gathering them up, she ran back over to where she had buried Kaga. The Carrier had the slightest bit of a smirk on her face as Akagi had built a sandcastle on top of her and was now adding shells as decorations. Sharing a look, Nagato and Tenryuu just took a picture of it.

 

[darthcourt10]

Harry Leferts

Grumbling to himself, Goto had disentangled from the pile that was Kongou and brushed the sand off of himself before raising an eyebrow. "I'm going to get something to eat, anyone want something?"

Kongou's hand shot out from beneath Ashigara as she called out. "Some watermelon would be good!"

That caused him to blink and frown. "Someone is selling watermelon here?"

Her hand waving around, Kongou replied. "Dess!"

For several moments Goto just stared at the pile and then at Kongou's two legs, only to give it up. After all, with under normal circumstances, there was no way that they should have been connected to her. Though he did like the sight of them and began to walk away only to stop as Ashigara shrieked. "GET YOUR HANDS AWAY FROM THOSE!"

At hearing Kongou's reply of fuel tanks getting in the way, Goto just moved faster while sending a small prayer out for Yonehara. Walking across the sand, it didn't take him long to reach the booth for the watermelons and cleared his throat. "Hello?"

Much to his surprise, Ryuujou popped up with a smirk. "Yo."

Blinking, Goto's eyebrows furrowed before he shook it off. "I heard that you got melons?"

Slowly, Ryuujou's smirk grew as she nodded. "Oh, I've got a lovely bunch of melons here. Big ones, small ones, extra large ones." Reaching down, she pulled up two and then held them at chest level. "See? And I can promise that they're nice and juicy."

All the off-duty Admiral did though was stare. "..."

Unable to help herself, Ryuujou snickered a bit. "Something wrong, Teitoku?"

Raising an finger, Goto looked around and frowned. "Are you really..."

Her eyebrow raising, Ryuujou's smirk grew into a grin. "What? Expected for Atago or maybe Hamakaze to be here for this? Or maybe Ushio if we had the Sasebo fleet as a whole?"

Expressionless, Goto just sighed. "Yes."

That got him a cackle from Ryuujou before she looked him right in the eye before going into a pose with the watermelons. "Too bad, you're stuck with someone with a distinctive silhouette."

Pinching his nose, Goto held back a groan. "You're really doing this... you're really making that sort of joke."

All that did though was make the Carrier shrug. "Yes, and? What? You expected me to get pissed off or something?" Snorting, she shook her head. "Like hell, the looks on peoples' faces are hilarious." Then Ryuujou grinned again as one of her fairies operated a crane that brought a basket of melon bread up and she waggled her eyebrows. "I also got some nice buns to go along with my melons."

His hand meeting his face, Goto only groaned. "Oh for fucks sake, Ryuujou..."

Said Carrier only cackled at his expression. A distance away, Natsumi yawned as she uncurled from where she was laying in the warm sun. "Hmm? What was that all about?"

On her aunt's face there was a slight blush as she looked away from where Junyou was refilling her sake saucer and then began to snicker. "Just Ryuujou having some fun messing with people." She then grinned. "Not going to go and have some fun with Harry-Chan?"

Yawning, Natsumi shot a sleepy look at the group playing in the water and hummed. "Maybe in a bit... right now I'm just so relaxed."

Tone dry, Haru drained her sake and then snorted. "Sometimes I wonder if your a fox or a cat." Getting a hum in return, she rolled her eyes. 'That kit...'

At the tap on her head, the kitsune blinked and then turned to see Junyou winking at her. "Enough of that!" She then thrust out her bottle. "It's time to kick back and relax with some fine drink!"

Laughing, Haru nodded as she held her saucer back out. "Now that I can agree with!"

Off in the nearby woods, Hamakaze stood up with her arms full of deadwood. 'Why... do I hear laughter?' Shaking it off, she looked over at Shinano who was standing there looking at a fallen tree. "Shinano-Sama? Is something wrong?"

Her face blushing, Shinano just shook it off. "N-nothing's wrong." She bit her lip a bit and looked in the direction of the beach. "I... just kind of wish that I was with the others."

Isokaze snickered a bit. "With the others or a certain boy?"

To Shinano, it felt like her face was on fire as she muttered before Hamakaze shot her fellow Destroyer a look. "Harry-San is one of Shinano-Sama's precious friends and is going away for some time, it is only natural that she wants to spend time with him before he leaves."

Still blushing, Shinano gave Hamakaze a nod. "Thank you."

All the busty Destroyer did was give a soft smile to Shinano before she felt Isokaze's hands adjusting her swimsuit. "What is up with this thing?"

While she shifted the branches in her arms, Hamakaze sighed. "I don't believe that they designed them in mind for... Destroyers of my displacement."

Just scoffing, Isokaze shook her head. "Obviously not." She then frowned and considered what she was seeing before nodding. "We should probably special order something though just in case."

Simply sighing, Hamakaze shook her head. "I suppose so, though all this is still rather odd."

Hearing the sound of wood splintering, Isokaze turned as she in mid nod of agreement to see Shinano bringing one foot down on part of the tree trunk, splintering it. Giving a soft whistle, Isokaze shook her head. "That was impressive."

On Shinano's face there was a bright smile before she picked up the sections of tree trunks and held them under her arms easily despite each being wider then her body and weighing several hundred pounds each. "Hopefully this will be enough wood for the bonfire."

Looking at the pile of wood in her arms as well as the one that Isokaze was picking up, Hamakaze slowly nodded. "I think that we might have enough as we already got a pile back at the beach."

Now grinning, Isokaze nodded. "Yeah! Now let's head back to the beach and hit that water!"

With a nod, Shinano turned and began to head for the beach though her thoughts were mostly of playing in the water with her friends.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________-

The Sun having set, most of the group were gathered around the giant bonfire talking or just enjoying each other's company. Other members had brought out skewers and were cooking various things in the fire. At one side though, Harry had Shinano and the Akizuki sisters gathered around him as he raised one finger. "Okay, now we're going to be making some s'mores."

Licking her lips, Hatsuzuki nodded some. "Hai, I've heard about these... they're supposed to be really good."

Beside her, Akizuki nodded. "So how do we make them?"

A smile on his face, Harry passed them some paper plates and, at their looks, shrugged. "Best to keep sand off of your food. Now then, first we take the graham crackers here and break them in half."

It being demonstrated, the Destroyers and Carriers followed and then Shinano looked around. "What's next?"

Harry then brought out a chocolate bar and broke some off. "Okay, now you break some chocolate and place it on one of the graham crackers." Waiting until they did so, he pulled out a skewer and put a marshmallow on it. "Okay, now to roast our marshmallows, you don't want them too crispy, just golden brown and gooey."

Eyes wide, Akizuki then thrust her marshmallow into the fire. "I can do that!" Within seconds though, she pulled it out and began to panic as it was on fire before Harry just blew it out. Then Akizuki hung her head as she saw that it was burnt. "I... ruined it..."

Feeling a tap, she turned to see Harry there just shaking his head as he held his own cooked marshmallow. "It's not ruined, just burnt a little on the outside. Now just place it down onto your chocolate like so and out the other graham cracker on top before pulling out the skewer and there you go! A s'more!"

Slowly, Akizuki examined hers doubtfully as some of the burnt outside could be seen. It didn't help that she could feel her sisters staring at her until Harry held out his s'more. "Here, I'll have that one and you can have mine, okay?"

Unsure, Akizuki handed hers over and watched as Harry blew on it for a few seconds and then bit down on it. "Um..."

Getting a thumb's up from Harry, she looked at his and then bit down on it before quickly gobbling it down to chuckles from Harry. Eyes wide, Teruzuki leaned forward, glancing between her sister and her own s'more. "How is it?"

There was a look of happiness as Akizuki chewed. "'S so good!"

Both of her sisters looked at theirs before they began to eat them, their expressions also turning to ones of bliss. On the other side of Shinano, both Hamakaze and Isokaze shared smiles at how happy the Support Carrier was as she ate her own. A few seconds later though, they felt a poke and turned to see Harry holding out a paper plate with some s'mores on them. Blinking, Hamakaze gave him a nod of the head and a smile. "Thank you, Harry-San."

Smiling back, Harry chuckled. "You're welcome."

It was then that Naka leapt to her feet. "NAKA-CHAN! IDOL OF THE FLEET HERE, IT'S TIME FOR CAMPFIRE SONGS!"

Laughing, Iowa elbowed a snickering Willie before holding up a bag. "For anyone not singing, I got some hot dogs here, the real good ones, not the shit ones!"

His face nearly hurting from how much he was smiling, Harry leaned back and just watched as his friends and family all enjoyed themselves with a break from the war. Up above, the Moon shone down on them laughing and smiling.