It started as a whispered rumor spread by drunken travelers but that was the sort of material that the aged wizard specialized in tracking down. Many in the re-established Order of the Phoenix had expected him to make a greater stand against the Ministry’s blatant lies, but he knew that there was only so much he could do. In the years since Dumbledore had turned down the position of Minister of Magic many had distanced themselves from the wizard that many considered their greatest and brightest hope as they sought to establish they realized that he was not playing the same political games as they were.
In truth the Ministry had little to offer him, though there were those within the Order who were better at those games. It was a sign of his trust in them that he allowed them to make their subtle inquiries about who could be trusted to take up arms when Tom and his fanatical followers eventually turned up. Each member of the Order had a purpose, and though the others looked to him to lead, Dumbledore knew that he needed to investigate the strange rumors that had reached his ear.
“They say that a fierce battle was waged in the east,” Mundungus Fletcher had told him. “An entire mountain was leveled and the valley laid to waste.”
In his youth Dumbledore had planned to travel the world as most young witches and wizards of that day did when they completed their education at Hogwarts. There were so many different cultures and peoples even in the secretive and hidden magical communities, though most nations had their own ministry of magic to regulate the interactions of magical and non-magical communities. Alas that was one of many things that he had not been able to do as a youth. His recent travels to other countries limited him to dealing with foreign ministry officials and prevented him from seeing the true cultures of the various nations that he traveled to.
Resisting the urge to explore the east, Dumbledore focused on the task at hand. Though he had never traveled to China he knew enough to start in Hong Kong then made his way up into the mainland. To the non-magical China was one nation, but to the magical world it was three nations each fielding their own teams for international competitions (though rarely making past the qualifying rounds). What surprised Dumbledore was that the incident in question occurred right along the border where all three of the magical nations met and near two magical communities though it appeared as though no one had anything out the incident.
A lesser man would have been confounded and even given up in the face of ministry stonewalling, but not Dumbledore. Mundungus would have felt at home here but the well known and upstanding wizard stood out like a broken finger. None would mention seeing him to anyone else as no one wanted anything to do with him.
Witches and wizards were quickly eliminated as possible sources of information, forcing him to seek other avenues away from the usual magical communities.
“Jusenkyo valley was considered neutral,” the balding squib stated. “Cursed land that neither wanted but both needed. Only the most desperate of travelers ventures into the valley, though the Amazons use it to punish and the Musk… well, they have their own uses for the cursed springs. With the valley destroyed everyone is scrambling to find other methods of… maintaining the status quo.”
From the way the squib spoke it was clear that he too was skirting the issue, though he was the most forthcoming source of information. Within his battered shop the aging man was more pliant. “Unlike the other guides, I run a legitimate operation. I keep track of my clients,” he said over a cup of tea. His gaze went to the weathered book at the end of the counter. “It is also my duty to keep track of those who have frequented the springs and list their curses. I keep a very thorough."
Dumbledore nodded, “It appears you do.” Reaching for the guest book the old wizard eyed the writing. While he could not understand the writing his enchanted glasses quickly deciphered the names. Setting the book down, he extracted several gallons and placed them on the saucer beside his own cup of tea. “Thank you for your time.”
It was fortunate that he found himself in Jusenkyo as Apparation and use of Portkeys were not regulated in the unclaimed valley as the magical energies of the springs made it impossible. By the time the squib had finished his tea Dumbledore was already in Japan.
Like London, Tokyo had a long history and tiny pockets of magic hidden beneath the towering modern buildings that graced the skyline. As a bustling city there was so much going on that few paid heed to the a robed man wandering amongst them. There were many who were decked out in outlandish outfits, almost as though such dress was accepted.
Using Mundungus’ contacts it did not take long for Dumbledore to track down It did not take him long to find Ranma Saotome as others were looking for him as well.
“Ranma – prepare to die!”
The cry sent the walkers to far side of the street as everyone made way for the apparent duel. Only a young man, his long hair tied into a short pigtail, refused to let the outcry hinder his stroll. The challenger, another young man wearing a worn yellow shirt, black pants, and a yellow and black bandana launched himself from the street at the pigtailed boy. The man known as Ranma casually leapt over his attacker without the aid of a wand. The missed attack, a powerfully jabbed index finger ruptured the street sending shards of concrete spraying into the air.
Dumbledore silently marveled at the speed and power displayed as the attacker flew at his target. He’d heard tell of masters of the martial arts in the East, but had never paid it any serious thought until now. There was a magic behind the attacks and counter attacks, but nothing like anything that Dumbledore had ever felt or witnessed before. Fascinated he watched their duel as it moved from the street to an abandoned lot, noting that the lay people were uninterested in the fight or the destruction caused aside from moving around the craters or kicking aside bits of concrete.
Out of the corner of his eye Dumbledore noticed several witches and wizards shaking their heads as they walked the street and eyed the damage. Only an odd wizard in white stopped to place slips of paper on the street and buildings. By the time the two fighters had retreated to the abandoned lot the muggles in the area had dispersed as a result of the muggle-repellant charms.
“Does this happen often?” he dared to test his own limited Japanese
“Almost every day,” the wizard replied as he prepared another set of charms.
“Why not use strengthening enchantments on the street to mitigate the damage?” he ventured to suggest.
“I have; if I didn’t the entire street would be in shambles, and half the bystanders would have been injured.” The tiny wizard shook his head. “At least Saotome led Hibiki away quickly.
“Before you ask why we don’t do anything to them, we’ve tried. Hibiki’s underaged and we can’t stop Saotome from trying to defend himself; we’ve tried to contact the elder Hibiki but he’s elusive nor can we find those who instructed the younger Hibiki so recklessly. No one knows where anyone else in the Hibiki family is most of the time other than when the younger Hibiki is attacking Saotome.”
Dumbledore took a moment to ponder the facts presented to him.
“Your first time in Japan?” the other wizard asked.
“Yes.”
“I’d suggest staying away from Nerima if you know what’s best for you,” the man advised. Shaking his head he turned away from Dumbledore. “You’re here to check out the fights, aren’t you? There aren’t many western wizards who are interested in Eastern magic, much less the type that those boys use. If you’re really interested I suggest seeing the witch at the Cat Café; she can point out some of the more interesting sights as well as how to avoid the trouble areas.”
Taking the local wizard’s advice, Dumbledore found his way to the Cat Café. The cozy restaurant was not used to suiting a person of his height, but the witch was accommodating as she waved at the chair so that it grew to support his frame.
“You’ve traveled a long way,” she stated as she looked him over. “Unfortunately we don’t serve scones, but our ginseng green tea is remarkable.”
“I’d like that,” he said, hopping that his best Mandarin was sufficient. He watched her bounce around the shop on her cane as casually as anyone else would walk.
The restaurant was fairly vacant though the young wizard in back was busy filling out orders for the buxom young witch to deliver. From the style of clothes that the trio wore it was evident that they were not from Nerima or Japan.
Upon her return the witch poured herself and him a cup of steaming tea before claiming the seat opposite him. “What brings you to Nerima?” she asked in Mandarin
Seeing as how the woman was being very up front with him Dumbledore thought it best that he be honest and straightforward with her. “The Jusenkyo incident.”
“Incident?” she smirked. “Is that what they’re calling it?”
He shrugged, “It’s what I’m calling it.”
“Why would you be interested in that when there is supposed to be much worse happening in your neck of the woods?”
Dumbledore took a light sip of his tea as he looked over the clever witch across from him. “I wanted to know how capable Ranma Saotome really is.”
It was the woman’s turn to look him over again as she pondered the meaning of his words. Huffing (or was it a sigh?) she turned her head slightly towards the delivery witch. “Shampoo, can you deliver a dinner to the Tendos?”
“Yes Grandmother,” the girl’s voice was enthusiastic and cheerful.
“Tell Son-in-law that I need to see him immediately,” the old witch added. “If you see Happosai tell him to come too.”
X X X X X
For the first time in a long time Ranma felt excited. It wasn’t the feeling he had of mastering a new style or technique or even from besting Happosai or Cologne the first few times. He wasn’t even sure how to explain it really. All he really knew was that it was in part due to the fact that he now had purpose and something to work towards.
Before the wedding he had always assumed that he would just inherit the Tendo Dojo after marrying Akane, but after the failed wedding with the increased tension between him and Akane, Ranma could honestly say that he was not looking forward to that scenario being fulfilled. He knew that they both still cared about each other, but both knew that it would take more than that if they wanted to be happy together.
The job in England was meant to give them both time apart to grow as individuals and if all else failed Ranma could always marry Nabiki or Kasumi. It also helped that he was legally an adult now, though only in the magical community.
The one downside to his lessons in magic was learning that in reality there probably was no cure for his curse. Magic of that magnitude was beyond what any current magic user was capable of and had not been performed in centuries. Such magic was considered god-level magic, though having fought some self-proclaimed gods, Ranma was sure that such magic had to be performed by a higher pantheon of gods. Still, the knowledge that there was no cure allowed him to move on with his life in a way.
Breathing a happy sigh, he settled into the spacious compartment. The long trip to England had provided him with many firsts – first time as a paid customer on a boat, first training trip with Happosai, his father, and Mr. Tendo; first fight with a werewolf/vampire/ghoul/giant/troll, lessons in magic, and first practical uses of spells/magic. Sure, some of the basics had to be explained such as the affect that different types of paper had on talismans, the affect that the purity of materials that were to be used in seals, using chi to alter or enhance an object, or the use of familiars and elements. Of course there were the philosophical lessons as well but considering that it was the old letch teaching Ranma had only paid a little attention to those lessons.
By the time the quartet had reached France Happosai was confident in Ranma’s abilities, though his father and Mr. Tendo were less than enthusiastic in having their junior learn more than them. From the stories that the two had shared it had been obvious that the grandmaster had never actually taught the two how to cast spells and instead been forced to learn on the sly when the grandmaster was drunk and passed out.
Still, the stakes were much higher now. From what Dumbledore had told Ranma, the English magical community was secretly gearing up for a war though their official stance was that nothing was wrong. It was evident from the daily paper, or at least the one read by the magical community, that the ministry was attempting to down play any possible turmoil as well as making Dumbledore appear to be a senile old fool.
As the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Ranma knew that the Ministry and thus the Daily Prophet would target him next as they Minister of Magic sought to discredit Dumbledore. There were several attempts by persistent reporters at trying to hound him for an interview, but thus far he had been able to evade them. The fact that there were no articles about him yet proved that no one knew anything about him yet.
Few thought anything of him slipping through the illusionary barrier that separated platform 9 ¾ from King’s Cross station as many youths and their families were set to embark upon another school year at Hogwarts. In no time at all he was aboard the train (a paid customer even!) and had settled into a spacious compartment. Most of the early arrivals passed the compartment by, only stopping to see if one of their friends was inside before moving on.
It was a rare opportunity to people watch, noting how different things were in England than they were back in Japan. Before he would have just scanned the crowd to spot any possible opponents and get a read on their skill level, but now he was scanning the crowd for possible threats and taking note of where the witches and wizards hid their wands.
Wands had been one of the first subjects covered by Happosai when discussing the differences between Eastern and Western styles of magic. Wands were more powerful and quicker than creating talismans and seals, but only if the user was truly master of his/her wand. The flimsy twigs held a magical core, usually a part of some very magical creature, but were fickle and unpredictable. Each wand, like each mage, had different specialties and tendencies. The only problem with wand magic was that most witches or wizards were often powerless without their wand. In essence the wands were the magical equivalent of a Swiss army knife – capable of doing anything, but once you lost the tool you were helpless.
His own wand was acquired after nabbing a rogue wizard in Romania. Happosai had insisted that he keep the wand, in part because the wizard would be less of a threat, and in part because the wand seemed to recognize him as its new master.
The hands of the clock crept towards 11 am as the platform and train began to fill. The wand itself was useful, but he preferred to not use it. The wandmaker that he had visited had not been able to match him with a suitable wand, but had endorsed the idea that Ranma use the captured wand and insisted that he could not buy the wand from Ranma as there was no market for second-hand wands.
Extracting the wand he gave it a careful flick. The wand acquiesced to his command, opening up his satchel and pulling out a tome. Useful, but not something that Ranma wanted to become dependent upon.
Turning his attention to the tome he sheathed the wand in a wrist holster. The position of Defense Against the Dark Arts professor was daunting, especially for someone who had never instructed anyone before. His task was all the more difficult because he was dealing with a large number of students, though broken down into four or five classes each weekday. The main problem was that because there had yet to be a single professor to make it through an entire academic year which made left gaps in what the students’ learned. To remedy that he would have to get back to basics and then push the pace of their lessons, especially for the fifth and seventh years who were set to take their O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. exams.
The tome was a collection of writings that Happosai had collected in his travels detailing how others dealt with various magical creatures and dark arts practitioners. There were also bits that Happosai had written about his own adventures as well as lessons that the Amazons passed on to each successive generation. A second tome comprised of things that Western magi were taught to at least survive their encounters.
Having read and reread both over the past few months he sighed and instead took up a copy of the Daily Prophet. Aside from focusing itself on tarnishing the reputations of Albus Dumbledore and Harry Potter the paper did offer some useful news. The Ministry of Magic with the consent of the Hogwarts’ Board of Governors had appointed a High Inquisitor. The witch’s primary duties were to ensure that Hogwarts’ long reputation as one of the finest institutions of magical learning not be tarnished and to assess the quality of the education that the students received.
Ranma knew that it was a direct assault on Dumbledore’s authority as the Headmaster had historically appointed each professor without needing prior approval from the board of governor or the Ministry of Magic. With the high turnover for the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor there was some doubt as to the quality of education that the students had received, as referenced by a graph showing the declining scores that correlated with Dumbledore’s tenure as Headmaster.
“I haven’t even started the job and I’ve already been challenged,” he muttered. The thrill of a challenge sent his heart pumping. Setting the paper aside he reached into his satchel for a third tome. This one contained the academic files of all the students currently enrolled at Hogwarts as well as the unsorted files of the first year students.
By the time the train was set to depart he the thrill of the challenge had worn off. Having read and re-read the files he was confident that he could handle his classes but he knew that he would need to actually gage the classes and the individual students to see how competent they were.
With most of the compartments claimed and some full, it was no wonder that some of the students considered joining him in his compartment.
A pair of attractive twins appeared at the door, rapping in concert before one of them opened the door. “Excuse us, but would you mind if we joined you?”
“Sure, go ahead,” he replied. Returning his tomes to the satchel he eyed the girls. “Need a hand?”
The braver of the two girls smiled and nodded before removing her hand from one end of the trunk so that he could assist. With one hand he carefully lifted the trunk and placed it in the overhead compartment. He could tell it was enchanted to hide its size, but it was still a good thirty kilos at least. Both girls were mildly surprised at the casual display of strength.
“I didn’t see you charm the trunks,” the second twin stated once Ranma had placed her trunk beside her sister’s.
“I didn’t need a charm,” he replied as he took his seat.
“That was at least thirty kilos,” the same girl said as she cautiously took the seat across from him.
“Yeah, so?”
“That’s impressive,” the first said as she slipped in beside her sister. “There aren’t many boys who can do that.”
He shrugged.
“You’ve got a funny accent,” the second added. “It’s almost as if you’re from across the pond.”
“English isn’t my first language,” he replied as he looked the girls over. Their dark complexion suggested that they were Indian, but that was as far as he could ascertain.
“That’s what I thought.” Her dark eyes ran over him again. “Your clothes say Chinese, but you look more Japanese, and then there are those blue eyes… I’d say you’re Japanese.”
He nodded.
“What brings you to Hogwarts?” the other sister asked abruptly.
“Don’t be rude,” the second insisted. Reaching out she offered her hand, “My name is Padma Patil and this is my sister Parvati.”
“Ranma Saotome,” he took her hand and gave it a gentle shake before repeating the gesture with Parvati.
Parvati’s hand was noticeably warmer and the girl fought back the urge to giggle. “Pleasure.”
‘Is this how normal teenagers are supposed to act?’ “How do you like Hogwarts?”
The look in the clever girl’s eyes suggested that she knew he was the new DADA professor. Padma shrugged, “Okay I guess.”
“It’s had its moments,” Parvati replied. The look in her eyes was something akin to the looks that Shampoo and Kodachi gave him, though much tamer and less aggressive. None the less it sent a slight shiver down his spine. “Last year was fun for the most part.”
“I heard that they renewed the Tri-wizard tournament; that sounds like a good opportunity to meet foreign witches and wizards,” he interjected.
“It’s also pretty dangerous,” Padma stated flatly. “Cedric Diggory died – I wouldn’t call that interesting or fun.”
Another chill filled the compartment.
“You’re right,” Ranma ceded.
“What’s wrong with you Padma?” Parvati asked her twin.
“Don’t you see? He’s our new Defense Professor.”
There was just a brief moment for Padma to soak in the news before the trio was interrupted by the opening of the door to the compartment.
“Padma! How was your summer?” The new girl had wavy dark blond hair and a perky attitude, perfect for ignoring the chill in the compartment. Setting her bags down, she hugged Padma.
“Lavender!” the first twin returned her friend’s enthusiastic greeting.
“Parvati,” Lavender said curtly as she pulled back from Padma. “Who’s the cutie?”
“Ranma Saotome,” he answered, “the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.”
The chill returned even as he aided Lavender with putting her things away.
“It seems the standards really are dropping,” Padma stated once the girls had settled back into their seats.
“I wouldn’t know,” Ranma remarked. “I never went to Hogwarts.”
“What kind of education did you get?” Lavender asked. Playing the role of peacemaker did not suit her, but it was clear that she was the most neutral of the three.
“Things work differently in Japan. We don’t have formal schools of magic, just a master/apprentice set up. My father taught me some, but it was his master who instructed me.”
Padma eyed him skeptically, “Why you?”
Ranma shrugged, “Probably because the grandmaster is too old. We don’t have as large a ministry as you do. In the east magi are responsible for dealing with the local issues like monsters, magical creatures, and whatnot, but if something big is going on then they call in an expert. I’m one of those experts.”
“Really?” all three girls asked with varying degrees of interest and skepticism.
“I’ve dealt with a forest of giant animal, an eight headed dragon, a carnivorous plant the size of some skyscrapers, minor demons, ghosts, cursed springs, magical artifacts and rogue magi.”
“I’ve heard that before,” Padma scoffed.
“I’m no Lockhart,” Ranma insisted. He’d heard of the former professor who had a line of books that detailed his exploits.
“Pro-AH!!” cold water splashed the girl, cutting her off before she could demand that he prove himself. It was a mean trick, and only a trick, but it was something that he’d come prepared with. “What did” she heard the difference in her tone.
“What did you do to her?” Parvati shouted only to have Ranma grasp her hands to keep her from drawing her wand.
“I hit her with a curse,” he explained. “It turned her into a guy. Don’t worry, it’s only temporary. And unlike the usual transfiguration I’m sure you didn’t feel any discomfort at all as you changed.”
Looking at her reflection in the window Padma began to pat herself down.
“Wow Padma,” Lavender exclaimed. “You look pretty handsome as a guy.”
“Change me back!” Padma demanded as she turned around to face him.
He grinned as he waved his hand, sending a spray of warm water splashing her face and undoing the temporary transformation. “Better?”
Patting herself to ensure that she had changed back, Padma eyed him wirly. “I’ve never heard of such a spell.”
“They could fill entire libraries with what you don’t know,” he smirked. “Oh wait, they already have.”
Releasing Parvati he settled back into his seat. “Not everyone does things the same,” he explained. “It’s different in the East than it is here. Even the other European communities don’t use the same styles of magic as everyone else. I’m here to help prepare you for what’s out there. I have loads of experience with being attacked and having to defend myself – experience that I will be passing on to all of you.
“And if you like being a guy I could always arrange for that curse to become more permanent.”
Wiping the moisture from her face Padma scowled at him.
“At least I didn’t hit you with a lightning bolt or fireball,” he added. “I only hit you with a catalyst spell – spells that affects are triggered by something else.”
“I’ve never heard of spells like that,” Padma repeated.
Taking her hand, he extracted the seal he’d tagged her with. “The water was the trigger – cool water in particular, warm water to undo it.” The ink slowly burned away the paper leaving nothing but ash. “I tagged each of you.”
Padma quickly doused her twin and Lavender, triggering their transformations.
Laughing, Ranma settled into his seat.
The atmosphere had changed dramatically once Parvati and Lavender were changed back and dry.
X X X X X
A/N
Just trying my hand at something.
Dreamingfox
In truth the Ministry had little to offer him, though there were those within the Order who were better at those games. It was a sign of his trust in them that he allowed them to make their subtle inquiries about who could be trusted to take up arms when Tom and his fanatical followers eventually turned up. Each member of the Order had a purpose, and though the others looked to him to lead, Dumbledore knew that he needed to investigate the strange rumors that had reached his ear.
“They say that a fierce battle was waged in the east,” Mundungus Fletcher had told him. “An entire mountain was leveled and the valley laid to waste.”
In his youth Dumbledore had planned to travel the world as most young witches and wizards of that day did when they completed their education at Hogwarts. There were so many different cultures and peoples even in the secretive and hidden magical communities, though most nations had their own ministry of magic to regulate the interactions of magical and non-magical communities. Alas that was one of many things that he had not been able to do as a youth. His recent travels to other countries limited him to dealing with foreign ministry officials and prevented him from seeing the true cultures of the various nations that he traveled to.
Resisting the urge to explore the east, Dumbledore focused on the task at hand. Though he had never traveled to China he knew enough to start in Hong Kong then made his way up into the mainland. To the non-magical China was one nation, but to the magical world it was three nations each fielding their own teams for international competitions (though rarely making past the qualifying rounds). What surprised Dumbledore was that the incident in question occurred right along the border where all three of the magical nations met and near two magical communities though it appeared as though no one had anything out the incident.
A lesser man would have been confounded and even given up in the face of ministry stonewalling, but not Dumbledore. Mundungus would have felt at home here but the well known and upstanding wizard stood out like a broken finger. None would mention seeing him to anyone else as no one wanted anything to do with him.
Witches and wizards were quickly eliminated as possible sources of information, forcing him to seek other avenues away from the usual magical communities.
“Jusenkyo valley was considered neutral,” the balding squib stated. “Cursed land that neither wanted but both needed. Only the most desperate of travelers ventures into the valley, though the Amazons use it to punish and the Musk… well, they have their own uses for the cursed springs. With the valley destroyed everyone is scrambling to find other methods of… maintaining the status quo.”
From the way the squib spoke it was clear that he too was skirting the issue, though he was the most forthcoming source of information. Within his battered shop the aging man was more pliant. “Unlike the other guides, I run a legitimate operation. I keep track of my clients,” he said over a cup of tea. His gaze went to the weathered book at the end of the counter. “It is also my duty to keep track of those who have frequented the springs and list their curses. I keep a very thorough."
Dumbledore nodded, “It appears you do.” Reaching for the guest book the old wizard eyed the writing. While he could not understand the writing his enchanted glasses quickly deciphered the names. Setting the book down, he extracted several gallons and placed them on the saucer beside his own cup of tea. “Thank you for your time.”
It was fortunate that he found himself in Jusenkyo as Apparation and use of Portkeys were not regulated in the unclaimed valley as the magical energies of the springs made it impossible. By the time the squib had finished his tea Dumbledore was already in Japan.
Like London, Tokyo had a long history and tiny pockets of magic hidden beneath the towering modern buildings that graced the skyline. As a bustling city there was so much going on that few paid heed to the a robed man wandering amongst them. There were many who were decked out in outlandish outfits, almost as though such dress was accepted.
Using Mundungus’ contacts it did not take long for Dumbledore to track down It did not take him long to find Ranma Saotome as others were looking for him as well.
“Ranma – prepare to die!”
The cry sent the walkers to far side of the street as everyone made way for the apparent duel. Only a young man, his long hair tied into a short pigtail, refused to let the outcry hinder his stroll. The challenger, another young man wearing a worn yellow shirt, black pants, and a yellow and black bandana launched himself from the street at the pigtailed boy. The man known as Ranma casually leapt over his attacker without the aid of a wand. The missed attack, a powerfully jabbed index finger ruptured the street sending shards of concrete spraying into the air.
Dumbledore silently marveled at the speed and power displayed as the attacker flew at his target. He’d heard tell of masters of the martial arts in the East, but had never paid it any serious thought until now. There was a magic behind the attacks and counter attacks, but nothing like anything that Dumbledore had ever felt or witnessed before. Fascinated he watched their duel as it moved from the street to an abandoned lot, noting that the lay people were uninterested in the fight or the destruction caused aside from moving around the craters or kicking aside bits of concrete.
Out of the corner of his eye Dumbledore noticed several witches and wizards shaking their heads as they walked the street and eyed the damage. Only an odd wizard in white stopped to place slips of paper on the street and buildings. By the time the two fighters had retreated to the abandoned lot the muggles in the area had dispersed as a result of the muggle-repellant charms.
“Does this happen often?” he dared to test his own limited Japanese
“Almost every day,” the wizard replied as he prepared another set of charms.
“Why not use strengthening enchantments on the street to mitigate the damage?” he ventured to suggest.
“I have; if I didn’t the entire street would be in shambles, and half the bystanders would have been injured.” The tiny wizard shook his head. “At least Saotome led Hibiki away quickly.
“Before you ask why we don’t do anything to them, we’ve tried. Hibiki’s underaged and we can’t stop Saotome from trying to defend himself; we’ve tried to contact the elder Hibiki but he’s elusive nor can we find those who instructed the younger Hibiki so recklessly. No one knows where anyone else in the Hibiki family is most of the time other than when the younger Hibiki is attacking Saotome.”
Dumbledore took a moment to ponder the facts presented to him.
“Your first time in Japan?” the other wizard asked.
“Yes.”
“I’d suggest staying away from Nerima if you know what’s best for you,” the man advised. Shaking his head he turned away from Dumbledore. “You’re here to check out the fights, aren’t you? There aren’t many western wizards who are interested in Eastern magic, much less the type that those boys use. If you’re really interested I suggest seeing the witch at the Cat Café; she can point out some of the more interesting sights as well as how to avoid the trouble areas.”
Taking the local wizard’s advice, Dumbledore found his way to the Cat Café. The cozy restaurant was not used to suiting a person of his height, but the witch was accommodating as she waved at the chair so that it grew to support his frame.
“You’ve traveled a long way,” she stated as she looked him over. “Unfortunately we don’t serve scones, but our ginseng green tea is remarkable.”
“I’d like that,” he said, hopping that his best Mandarin was sufficient. He watched her bounce around the shop on her cane as casually as anyone else would walk.
The restaurant was fairly vacant though the young wizard in back was busy filling out orders for the buxom young witch to deliver. From the style of clothes that the trio wore it was evident that they were not from Nerima or Japan.
Upon her return the witch poured herself and him a cup of steaming tea before claiming the seat opposite him. “What brings you to Nerima?” she asked in Mandarin
Seeing as how the woman was being very up front with him Dumbledore thought it best that he be honest and straightforward with her. “The Jusenkyo incident.”
“Incident?” she smirked. “Is that what they’re calling it?”
He shrugged, “It’s what I’m calling it.”
“Why would you be interested in that when there is supposed to be much worse happening in your neck of the woods?”
Dumbledore took a light sip of his tea as he looked over the clever witch across from him. “I wanted to know how capable Ranma Saotome really is.”
It was the woman’s turn to look him over again as she pondered the meaning of his words. Huffing (or was it a sigh?) she turned her head slightly towards the delivery witch. “Shampoo, can you deliver a dinner to the Tendos?”
“Yes Grandmother,” the girl’s voice was enthusiastic and cheerful.
“Tell Son-in-law that I need to see him immediately,” the old witch added. “If you see Happosai tell him to come too.”
X X X X X
For the first time in a long time Ranma felt excited. It wasn’t the feeling he had of mastering a new style or technique or even from besting Happosai or Cologne the first few times. He wasn’t even sure how to explain it really. All he really knew was that it was in part due to the fact that he now had purpose and something to work towards.
Before the wedding he had always assumed that he would just inherit the Tendo Dojo after marrying Akane, but after the failed wedding with the increased tension between him and Akane, Ranma could honestly say that he was not looking forward to that scenario being fulfilled. He knew that they both still cared about each other, but both knew that it would take more than that if they wanted to be happy together.
The job in England was meant to give them both time apart to grow as individuals and if all else failed Ranma could always marry Nabiki or Kasumi. It also helped that he was legally an adult now, though only in the magical community.
The one downside to his lessons in magic was learning that in reality there probably was no cure for his curse. Magic of that magnitude was beyond what any current magic user was capable of and had not been performed in centuries. Such magic was considered god-level magic, though having fought some self-proclaimed gods, Ranma was sure that such magic had to be performed by a higher pantheon of gods. Still, the knowledge that there was no cure allowed him to move on with his life in a way.
Breathing a happy sigh, he settled into the spacious compartment. The long trip to England had provided him with many firsts – first time as a paid customer on a boat, first training trip with Happosai, his father, and Mr. Tendo; first fight with a werewolf/vampire/ghoul/giant/troll, lessons in magic, and first practical uses of spells/magic. Sure, some of the basics had to be explained such as the affect that different types of paper had on talismans, the affect that the purity of materials that were to be used in seals, using chi to alter or enhance an object, or the use of familiars and elements. Of course there were the philosophical lessons as well but considering that it was the old letch teaching Ranma had only paid a little attention to those lessons.
By the time the quartet had reached France Happosai was confident in Ranma’s abilities, though his father and Mr. Tendo were less than enthusiastic in having their junior learn more than them. From the stories that the two had shared it had been obvious that the grandmaster had never actually taught the two how to cast spells and instead been forced to learn on the sly when the grandmaster was drunk and passed out.
Still, the stakes were much higher now. From what Dumbledore had told Ranma, the English magical community was secretly gearing up for a war though their official stance was that nothing was wrong. It was evident from the daily paper, or at least the one read by the magical community, that the ministry was attempting to down play any possible turmoil as well as making Dumbledore appear to be a senile old fool.
As the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Ranma knew that the Ministry and thus the Daily Prophet would target him next as they Minister of Magic sought to discredit Dumbledore. There were several attempts by persistent reporters at trying to hound him for an interview, but thus far he had been able to evade them. The fact that there were no articles about him yet proved that no one knew anything about him yet.
Few thought anything of him slipping through the illusionary barrier that separated platform 9 ¾ from King’s Cross station as many youths and their families were set to embark upon another school year at Hogwarts. In no time at all he was aboard the train (a paid customer even!) and had settled into a spacious compartment. Most of the early arrivals passed the compartment by, only stopping to see if one of their friends was inside before moving on.
It was a rare opportunity to people watch, noting how different things were in England than they were back in Japan. Before he would have just scanned the crowd to spot any possible opponents and get a read on their skill level, but now he was scanning the crowd for possible threats and taking note of where the witches and wizards hid their wands.
Wands had been one of the first subjects covered by Happosai when discussing the differences between Eastern and Western styles of magic. Wands were more powerful and quicker than creating talismans and seals, but only if the user was truly master of his/her wand. The flimsy twigs held a magical core, usually a part of some very magical creature, but were fickle and unpredictable. Each wand, like each mage, had different specialties and tendencies. The only problem with wand magic was that most witches or wizards were often powerless without their wand. In essence the wands were the magical equivalent of a Swiss army knife – capable of doing anything, but once you lost the tool you were helpless.
His own wand was acquired after nabbing a rogue wizard in Romania. Happosai had insisted that he keep the wand, in part because the wizard would be less of a threat, and in part because the wand seemed to recognize him as its new master.
The hands of the clock crept towards 11 am as the platform and train began to fill. The wand itself was useful, but he preferred to not use it. The wandmaker that he had visited had not been able to match him with a suitable wand, but had endorsed the idea that Ranma use the captured wand and insisted that he could not buy the wand from Ranma as there was no market for second-hand wands.
Extracting the wand he gave it a careful flick. The wand acquiesced to his command, opening up his satchel and pulling out a tome. Useful, but not something that Ranma wanted to become dependent upon.
Turning his attention to the tome he sheathed the wand in a wrist holster. The position of Defense Against the Dark Arts professor was daunting, especially for someone who had never instructed anyone before. His task was all the more difficult because he was dealing with a large number of students, though broken down into four or five classes each weekday. The main problem was that because there had yet to be a single professor to make it through an entire academic year which made left gaps in what the students’ learned. To remedy that he would have to get back to basics and then push the pace of their lessons, especially for the fifth and seventh years who were set to take their O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. exams.
The tome was a collection of writings that Happosai had collected in his travels detailing how others dealt with various magical creatures and dark arts practitioners. There were also bits that Happosai had written about his own adventures as well as lessons that the Amazons passed on to each successive generation. A second tome comprised of things that Western magi were taught to at least survive their encounters.
Having read and reread both over the past few months he sighed and instead took up a copy of the Daily Prophet. Aside from focusing itself on tarnishing the reputations of Albus Dumbledore and Harry Potter the paper did offer some useful news. The Ministry of Magic with the consent of the Hogwarts’ Board of Governors had appointed a High Inquisitor. The witch’s primary duties were to ensure that Hogwarts’ long reputation as one of the finest institutions of magical learning not be tarnished and to assess the quality of the education that the students received.
Ranma knew that it was a direct assault on Dumbledore’s authority as the Headmaster had historically appointed each professor without needing prior approval from the board of governor or the Ministry of Magic. With the high turnover for the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor there was some doubt as to the quality of education that the students had received, as referenced by a graph showing the declining scores that correlated with Dumbledore’s tenure as Headmaster.
“I haven’t even started the job and I’ve already been challenged,” he muttered. The thrill of a challenge sent his heart pumping. Setting the paper aside he reached into his satchel for a third tome. This one contained the academic files of all the students currently enrolled at Hogwarts as well as the unsorted files of the first year students.
By the time the train was set to depart he the thrill of the challenge had worn off. Having read and re-read the files he was confident that he could handle his classes but he knew that he would need to actually gage the classes and the individual students to see how competent they were.
With most of the compartments claimed and some full, it was no wonder that some of the students considered joining him in his compartment.
A pair of attractive twins appeared at the door, rapping in concert before one of them opened the door. “Excuse us, but would you mind if we joined you?”
“Sure, go ahead,” he replied. Returning his tomes to the satchel he eyed the girls. “Need a hand?”
The braver of the two girls smiled and nodded before removing her hand from one end of the trunk so that he could assist. With one hand he carefully lifted the trunk and placed it in the overhead compartment. He could tell it was enchanted to hide its size, but it was still a good thirty kilos at least. Both girls were mildly surprised at the casual display of strength.
“I didn’t see you charm the trunks,” the second twin stated once Ranma had placed her trunk beside her sister’s.
“I didn’t need a charm,” he replied as he took his seat.
“That was at least thirty kilos,” the same girl said as she cautiously took the seat across from him.
“Yeah, so?”
“That’s impressive,” the first said as she slipped in beside her sister. “There aren’t many boys who can do that.”
He shrugged.
“You’ve got a funny accent,” the second added. “It’s almost as if you’re from across the pond.”
“English isn’t my first language,” he replied as he looked the girls over. Their dark complexion suggested that they were Indian, but that was as far as he could ascertain.
“That’s what I thought.” Her dark eyes ran over him again. “Your clothes say Chinese, but you look more Japanese, and then there are those blue eyes… I’d say you’re Japanese.”
He nodded.
“What brings you to Hogwarts?” the other sister asked abruptly.
“Don’t be rude,” the second insisted. Reaching out she offered her hand, “My name is Padma Patil and this is my sister Parvati.”
“Ranma Saotome,” he took her hand and gave it a gentle shake before repeating the gesture with Parvati.
Parvati’s hand was noticeably warmer and the girl fought back the urge to giggle. “Pleasure.”
‘Is this how normal teenagers are supposed to act?’ “How do you like Hogwarts?”
The look in the clever girl’s eyes suggested that she knew he was the new DADA professor. Padma shrugged, “Okay I guess.”
“It’s had its moments,” Parvati replied. The look in her eyes was something akin to the looks that Shampoo and Kodachi gave him, though much tamer and less aggressive. None the less it sent a slight shiver down his spine. “Last year was fun for the most part.”
“I heard that they renewed the Tri-wizard tournament; that sounds like a good opportunity to meet foreign witches and wizards,” he interjected.
“It’s also pretty dangerous,” Padma stated flatly. “Cedric Diggory died – I wouldn’t call that interesting or fun.”
Another chill filled the compartment.
“You’re right,” Ranma ceded.
“What’s wrong with you Padma?” Parvati asked her twin.
“Don’t you see? He’s our new Defense Professor.”
There was just a brief moment for Padma to soak in the news before the trio was interrupted by the opening of the door to the compartment.
“Padma! How was your summer?” The new girl had wavy dark blond hair and a perky attitude, perfect for ignoring the chill in the compartment. Setting her bags down, she hugged Padma.
“Lavender!” the first twin returned her friend’s enthusiastic greeting.
“Parvati,” Lavender said curtly as she pulled back from Padma. “Who’s the cutie?”
“Ranma Saotome,” he answered, “the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.”
The chill returned even as he aided Lavender with putting her things away.
“It seems the standards really are dropping,” Padma stated once the girls had settled back into their seats.
“I wouldn’t know,” Ranma remarked. “I never went to Hogwarts.”
“What kind of education did you get?” Lavender asked. Playing the role of peacemaker did not suit her, but it was clear that she was the most neutral of the three.
“Things work differently in Japan. We don’t have formal schools of magic, just a master/apprentice set up. My father taught me some, but it was his master who instructed me.”
Padma eyed him skeptically, “Why you?”
Ranma shrugged, “Probably because the grandmaster is too old. We don’t have as large a ministry as you do. In the east magi are responsible for dealing with the local issues like monsters, magical creatures, and whatnot, but if something big is going on then they call in an expert. I’m one of those experts.”
“Really?” all three girls asked with varying degrees of interest and skepticism.
“I’ve dealt with a forest of giant animal, an eight headed dragon, a carnivorous plant the size of some skyscrapers, minor demons, ghosts, cursed springs, magical artifacts and rogue magi.”
“I’ve heard that before,” Padma scoffed.
“I’m no Lockhart,” Ranma insisted. He’d heard of the former professor who had a line of books that detailed his exploits.
“Pro-AH!!” cold water splashed the girl, cutting her off before she could demand that he prove himself. It was a mean trick, and only a trick, but it was something that he’d come prepared with. “What did” she heard the difference in her tone.
“What did you do to her?” Parvati shouted only to have Ranma grasp her hands to keep her from drawing her wand.
“I hit her with a curse,” he explained. “It turned her into a guy. Don’t worry, it’s only temporary. And unlike the usual transfiguration I’m sure you didn’t feel any discomfort at all as you changed.”
Looking at her reflection in the window Padma began to pat herself down.
“Wow Padma,” Lavender exclaimed. “You look pretty handsome as a guy.”
“Change me back!” Padma demanded as she turned around to face him.
He grinned as he waved his hand, sending a spray of warm water splashing her face and undoing the temporary transformation. “Better?”
Patting herself to ensure that she had changed back, Padma eyed him wirly. “I’ve never heard of such a spell.”
“They could fill entire libraries with what you don’t know,” he smirked. “Oh wait, they already have.”
Releasing Parvati he settled back into his seat. “Not everyone does things the same,” he explained. “It’s different in the East than it is here. Even the other European communities don’t use the same styles of magic as everyone else. I’m here to help prepare you for what’s out there. I have loads of experience with being attacked and having to defend myself – experience that I will be passing on to all of you.
“And if you like being a guy I could always arrange for that curse to become more permanent.”
Wiping the moisture from her face Padma scowled at him.
“At least I didn’t hit you with a lightning bolt or fireball,” he added. “I only hit you with a catalyst spell – spells that affects are triggered by something else.”
“I’ve never heard of spells like that,” Padma repeated.
Taking her hand, he extracted the seal he’d tagged her with. “The water was the trigger – cool water in particular, warm water to undo it.” The ink slowly burned away the paper leaving nothing but ash. “I tagged each of you.”
Padma quickly doused her twin and Lavender, triggering their transformations.
Laughing, Ranma settled into his seat.
The atmosphere had changed dramatically once Parvati and Lavender were changed back and dry.
X X X X X
A/N
Just trying my hand at something.
Dreamingfox
