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One would think with his misdirection it would be swimmingly easy to avoid certain people. In reality, however, it is sadly otherwise. Kuroko might have promised his best friends that he would explain everything last night, so it is of a high chance that both of them would confront him today, and they wouldn't take no for an answer. Naturally it leaves Kuroko with the choice of having game of tag with the two to deny them the explanation. The whole Hogwarts ground is massive, and classes haven't started yet, so Kuroko is more than confident of his ability.

Except that Kuroko forgets that Aomine and Kise combined are more stubborn than You-Know-Who, who wouldn't just stay dead (until the Great Saviour Harry Potter kicked his bucket for good). Kuroko admits that fooling the Gryffindors would not be as easy as fooling anyone else, since Aomine has almost seven years of practice in spotting Kuroko. On the other hand, Kise, even though he has known the Ravenclaw less long than Aomine, too has a finely adept Kuroko-radar. His absentness does still work, but it's effective probably for only three seconds. Those three seconds, however, are all Kuroko needs to do yet another disappearing trick.

The first day of Plan A: Dodge Daiki and Ryouta at All Cost is effortless, since the two don't even know Kuroko is trying to steer clear of them. Kuroko wakes up at six, fixes his bed hair and goes down to the Great Hall half an hour later, when breakfast is starting to be served. The tables are mostly empty, save for the Ravenclaw table which already has some students loitering here and there, mostly with a tome in hand.

Someone doesn't belong, however- the boy with purple hair from last night is sitting on Kuroko's usual spot. In the sparse of the room he is even more overwhelming in height. Kuroko doesn't know what to make of him, but he's had enough of troubles lately, so he makes his mind to sit with a group of third years to make himself even less noticeable than before.

Nevertheless, before Kuroko does just that, the Durmstrang already spots him.

"Isn't it Tetsuchin," says the Durmstrang in between his munch.

Too caught up in his surprise that someone detects him without much difficulty, Kuroko can only remember his manner to say good morning.

"Come, come, sit with me," the tall student says again, lazily thumping the empty space amongst his mountain of food—a very narrow space—as a gesture in asking Kuroko to sit in front of him.

Kuroko shuffles closer, wary. Akashi might not be able to hurt him, but his minions certainly are able to if they do it willingly.

"I'm Atsushi," the Durmstrang says sluggishly, as if introducing himself takes too much effort from him. Even his eyes are half-lidded, creating the impression that he is sleepy all the time. "What is Tetsuchin doing there standing like an idiot, come here and eat," Atsushi speaks with a frown, and even that is half-hearted at best. It is the first expression Kuroko has seen on his face today except for his blissed visage when he takes a bite of a scone a moment ago.

Speechless, Kuroko sits down. Only then Atsushi starts gulping down food again, much like one drinking water after a long trek across a desert.

"My name is Tetsuya Kuroko," says Kuroko after a long pause. If anything, Kuroko is definitely polite.

"Hmmm," replies Atsushi as he cuts a stack of five pancakes into three, then wolf down a part of the cut in one bite.

It's making Kuroko nauseous just by looking, so he busies himself with a vanilla pop tart. As he chews he tries to think of the reasons why the Durmstrang is on the Ravenclaw table alone, but finds none plausible.

It seems safe to ask. "What are you doing here?"

Atsushi doesn't pause in his annihilation of the scrambled eggs. "Eeh. Breakfast is served at six thirty and the food is good so I want to start eating as soon as possible."

Kuroko blinks. That is certainly not the answer that he expected. It is strangely difficult to parse what is on the Durmstrang's mind. He doesn't seem dangerous, however, more like a lethargic mountain bear that only bite when you poke him right.

Deciding that lack of clever words and unsubtle insults is the best way to deal with the kind of Atsushi, Kuroko asks again, boldly, "How did you notice me?"

"What are you talking about, Tetsuchin; you were standing right there just before the table in this giant empty room, of course I saw you,"

Well that makes sense. Kuroko feels a little bit stupid to ask. It's just that lately his misdirection doesn't appear to be working as properly anymore, Kuroko is half-expecting someday he'd wake up and find his professors actually see him when they roll-call.

Pouring himself an orange juice, Kuroko determines that maybe this is the only chance he'd have to dig information on Akashi from his close friend, so he continues his questioning. "Do you know what Akashi wants from me?"

Atsushi actually dwells a bit on his sausage before answering, it makes Kuroko rather nervous. "Maybe he just wants to play,"

"Well he's got a sick definition of play, then."

"Just sometimes," Atsushi agrees with a careless disposition, shrugging his massive shoulder. The way he easily throws words with such heavy meaning makes Kuroko go rigid for a while just to discern it.

Kuroko drinks his juice to fend off the dryness of his throat. "Really."

"Seichin collects strong friends to play with. Tetsuchin looks very weak, so maybe Seichin has a use of you for something else," says Atsushi. He's grinning quaintly, a strawberry jam still in the corner of his lips, and he's patting Kuroko's head like it's supposed to cheer him up. It only serves to make Kuroko's stomach twist.

The odd choice of words—collects and has a use for you—strikes a chord within him. Atsushi has also said strong friends, and it just dawns on the Ravenclaw that Atsushi is within Akashi's crowd, which means he is strong. Strong enough for Akashi to collect. Maybe it's a bad decision after all to sit and fraternize with the enemy.

"Tetsuchin is turning really pale,"

Kuroko doesn't even have energy to summon a glare. When Atsushi says, "Oh, Seichin is here," however, ("Tetsuchin is turning even paler,") there seems to be a leftover of energy just adequate to be used to flee the Great Hall, and Kuroko does just that.

His feet bring Kuroko to the library. Halfway he realises it isn't open yet, so he stops at one of the empty classrooms. The fireplace isn't lit so the temperature is freezing. Kuroko casts a warming charm at himself, summons his unfinished Wonder of Merlin, and makes himself comfortable in one of the chairs in the back.

No one comes in except for Peeves, who doesn't bother Kuroko out of respect. Somehow since this one incident in his first year the poltergeist is sure Kuroko is one of his kind who's so powerful that he could even convince everybody that he isn't, in fact, a ghost. Peeves waves at him as he floats from the floor to the ceiling, to which Kuroko responds with a nod.

At ten Kuroko skulks into the library. He finds some Durmstrang students in one of the long table, Akashi being one of them. It's easy to notice him with hair like it's been dipped in blood in the midst of the dull colour of the Durmstrang uniform. Even Atsushi, whose head is purple and twice Akashi's size, is less interesting when he's sitting beside the Durmstrang champion. It appears that the tall teen has been smuggling Bertie Bott's All Flavour Beans.

They are far enough for Kuroko to be sure he isn't going to be noticed even if he drags a Hippogriff behind him, so he strides calmly towards the Restricted Section to get the book he likes (You-Know-Who: His Beliefs, His Life, and His Governance) and settles down even further away with a group of fifth year Ravenclaw studying for their OWLs. Kuroko tries to keep an eye to the entrance from time to time, but soon he's too immersed on his readings that he doesn't notice Aomine coming in.

"Hey, Tetsuya," one of the fifth year calls him.

Kuroko doesn't look up from his book. A very understandable trait amongst the Ravenclaw, that. "Yes?"

"You asked us to tell you if Aomine or Kise comes in, right? Well, one of them is currently heading over here."

Calmly Kuroko lifts his book to his face and peers. Seven bookshelves away from them is Aomine, jaw set and determined. Kuroko has no doubt about whom he is looking for. Half the time, he is the one causing that expression on Aomine's face.

Lucky for Kuroko, though, Aomine doesn't appear to have discovered Kuroko yet, so the Ravenclaw quietly casts a disillusionment charm at himself and puts his nose back in his book. When Aomine reaches the table and scans the group, he doesn't give any indication that he has seen Kuroko, though he does stays around for a while.

"Oi, any of you have se-"

As if on a cue, the entire fifth years Ravenclaw glare and shush Aomine up.

"I was ju-"

"Shhh!"

"Okay, fi-"

"Shhh!"

Contrary to the popular belief, Aomine actually hates the Ravenclaws the most. Kuroko knows this very well. He might have pulled on pranks on the Slytherins more, but that's only because in their illusion of grandeur their reactions are simply more entertaining. Facing the same prank, the Ravenclaws would have probably figured out the trick sooner or later. And the professors always, always side with the Ravenclaws.

Kuroko can almost hear Aomine's teeth grinding.

"Wankers," hisses the Gryffindor before spinning on his heel and leaves, stomping his feet when he does so. The librarian yells at him on his way out.

Only by the time Aomine is completely out of sight Kuroko cancels his spell.

"Thank you," says Kuroko to his fellow housemates.

Some shrug in reply, some already fall back to their tasks at hand. One of them, however, sitting just across Kuroko, whispers hurriedly, "Only if you tell us what's the deal with that Durmstrang bloke last night. Did you really shag him to find out about the truth behind the Emperor's Eye?"

Even if it is said in the undertone, everybody hears. Being Ravenclaw students, their interests are piqued, and now all eyes fall to Kuroko.

"Excuse me," says him, flabbergasted, though he hides it well.

"Well? Did you or did you not?"

Kuroko hopes they wilt under his gaze. Sadly they don't, no matter how magical Hogwarts is, she never sees it fit to grant a student's wish. "No."

The fifth year deflates in disappointment. Like a bush caught in fire, however, other questions just do not stop coming. Especially when it is rare to get Kuroko all by himself. He supposes for those who don't know his best friends well will think of Aomine as scary-looking and Kise as too sparkly to approach.

"Did you at least find out his last spell to bring down his creature on the First Task?" one starts, and a bespectacled boy hisses in reply, as if it is a great personal offense to him, "It's the Mongol Shorttail, Anne, not just some creature," and among other things, "Bloody hell, now I have to pay you a galleon!"

One is different from others, however. Of all things, she asks about a dragon tattoo.

"I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I'm not following."

"When people shag, it usually, you know, involves less clothes. So you should know if Akashi has a dragon tattoo on his back."

Merlin's beard, give him strength."I did not shag him." Kuroko cannot give more stress to the word 'not'.

It doesn't look like they believe him. One of them even seems to be worried, as if she knows for certain that Kuroko did shag the Durmstrang and he was, of course, Obliviated after the act. There are times when Kuroko wishes he has a different kind of upbringing so that he can tell people to bugger off freely. This is one of them.

When Anne appears to be about to say, are you sure? Kuroko responds to it by lifting his book and lets his sleeves slid down. He also makes sure the rest of the table sees his wand holster, strapped to his left forearm.

That certainly shuts them up.

There is no reason to stop using a plan when it has proven to be working before, so Kuroko does not change the course of his actions. Like the previous day, the Ravenclaw wakes up at six, fixes his bed hair, and proceeds to go down for breakfast at six thirty. It would've gone without a glitch, except this time Aomine and Kise currently are in the Ravenclaw's common room, walking to his direction.

Kuroko only lets himself freeze on the stairs for a split second before casting disillusionment charm at himself. Right after that Aomine looks up right at him, and in that moment Kuroko can swear that his best friend is able to see him, charm or not. It feels like his heart is on the way out of his body through his mouth but it gets stuck in his throat instead.

Aomine's gaze swept past him however, landing on the entrance to the Ravenclaw boys' dorm behind him. Kuroko wills himself to stop breathing, because if the air around him shimmers just a little, Aomine will easily pick up on it. He's very adept to how little magic tricks like this works—if not, he wouldn't have gotten away from all of the pranks he's done.

"Should we go upstairs?" asked Kise.

Just as Aomine's eyes stray, Kuroko skulks down the stairs, not forgetting to Silence the old wooden board under him. He keeps to the wall, one hand on his wand and the other gathers his cloak so that it doesn't catch on anything, since it's so long.

Aomine nods. His smile takes into a feral twist.

"I can't wait to tickle the secret out of him, that twat."

Hearing that, Kuroko is glad, so glad to have escaped beforehand. Kuroko honestly believes if there is something worse than cruciatus curse, that would be Aomine's method of torture. Kise, that traitor, dares to rub his hands maniacally at Aomine's statement, like he can't wait to join in.

Whilst the Gryffindor discuss plan B—Kuroko takes note to remind them who's actually in charge after all of this is over; they have been slacking off too much—the object of the exchange has reached the exit, and in the process of pushing the painting out. Kuroko's string of luck ends there, then, because Kise catches him in the act.

Fortunately, Kise is stupid. So is Aomine.

"Is that a ghost?" Kuroko hears Aomine questions, voice trembling in horror, as he swings close the painting behind him. Aomine believes that there are real ghosts—Headless Nick or Slytherin's own baron doesn't count, as far as he concerns.

However stupid they both are, there are two brains after all; sooner or later they will realise it's Kuroko who has gone out from the Ravenclaw's common room. Kuroko bolts as soon as he is outside.

With his almost non-existent presence, invisibility spell, and the silencing charm on his feet, Kuroko is practically unseen. The library is still closed, he thinks, and even though it's easy to break in it will be more difficult for his best friends to find him in a crowded place, where he can blend in. The only place that holds people at this hour is the Great Hall, so Kuroko makes a turn at an intersection to go there.

At that moment there is a sound of people running, coming from the direction of the Ravenclaw's tower. Kuroko is done for—Aomine is powerful, no matter where Kuroko is, the taller male can just point his wand on any direction and say finite and like that, the disillusionment charm will fail. The Ravenclaw cannot go back, however, the Great Hall is right in front of him; he has no other choice, really-

Except- except that his eyes find the broad back of the Durmstrang student he made an acquaintance of yesterday. He's definitely big enough for Kuroko to hide behind his cape—oh, how he is thankful for Durmstrang's apparent love of flair. Atsushi also looks like the type who will help with a bit of incentive, as for instance, food. That's an easy one, since Kuroko is a good friend of the house-elves in Hogwarts.

How wrong he is.

Kuroko is too busy looking behind that he doesn't notice the tuft of red hair, not until he's right before the giant Durmstrang. He hasn't seen Akashi sitting across Atsushi since he's hidden by the other's stature. Kuroko doesn't even bother to call for Merlin's name. Akashi already knows he's here.

Akashi doesn't even get his wand out, and Kuroko is unmasked already. The Ravenclaw doesn't know what his face looks like right now, but it seems like Akashi is pleased of what he's seen.

"Well- what do we have here; the pretty songbird flew from his cage, hmm?"

The Great Hall's door slams open, and it's not a matter of choosing between two evils—it's very clear who's the evil here—really, Kuroko sometimes experiences bouts of preposterousness of his own, so he doesn't spare even a second of hesitation to duck under the long chair into the table. Aomine and Kise will not care to check this spot; undoubtedly they will think this is the last place Kuroko will be.

Indeed it is. Kuroko doesn't know what's wrong with his brain this morning. He's not even sure now if it's worth the trouble, hiding the secret, which isn't a really big deal now to think about it. There is no reason for his best friends to go charging at Akashi, isn't it; Kuroko is the one who goes his way to look for troubles. And asking for more, judging from his situation he's into recently.

Now he probably owes Akashi a favour by hiding here.

Kuroko thinks he hears a chortle. The sound was ominous—he rubs his arm to make his goosebumps go away.

The tinkles of the cutlery above him continue, as if there is nothing wrong. Kuroko watches toast's crumbs fall to Atsushi's lap to pass the time.

"Are you sure you're running from the right crowd?" asks Akashi conversationally. Atsushi doesn't answer. Kuroko knows it's directed to him. He feels incredibly foolish, now.

Ryouta. Daiki. I might have tricked Akashi into giving me the information on how to open the egg for the Second Task, and now he wants to have my hide.

That probably will not go very well.

"Come, they're gone already," comes the voice from behind his shoulder, after several quiet moments. Kuroko's heart jumps to his mouth.

He turns around slowly on his knees. Akashi is leaning down, peering into him, one of his hands stretched towards Kuroko. It's as if he is offering his hand to help the Ravenclaw out. Kuroko stares at Akashi for a second.

"Come now," the impatience breaks through the Durmstrang's tone. His hand shot to catch Kuroko's wrist mid-air, three fingers curling firmly around his bone. Kuroko feels the skin on his wrist jumps every time his heart thumps. By the way the redhead is holding him—like a mediwitch checking for a pulse—he probably feels it too. He probably does it on purpose, the creep.

Akashi guides him to sit beside the Durmstrang's champion. Kuroko wants to get away, but the hand on his wrist feels like a manacle.

"Delicate feet aren't meant to be used for running, even if it's on fine sand," starts Akashi, one cheek leaned on his fist so that he'd be able to look at Kuroko easily. His other hand has yet to let Kuroko go, and now it's caressing his wrist slowly. "It will bleed, and then what will you do when the real thing you should be running away from suddenly decides to come after you?"

Kuroko's hand twitches in Akashi's grasp. The latter always talks like that—like he has a thousand things planned for Kuroko. With that movement the redhead lets go.

"Pretty songbird," Akashi coos when Kuroko stays silent.

"I can't sing," says Kuroko once he finds his voice.

Akashi's lips quirk up even more, like a fisherman when he knows his bait is taken. "No matter, I'm sure you scream very well,"

There is a hippogriff on his stomach. Kuroko wants so badly to throw up. "I have to go."

"Tetsuchin, you haven't eaten any breakfast yet," pipes Atsushi, not helping the situation. The giant pushes a muffin into Kuroko's clean plate with jam-covered fingers.

"I'm sorry, but I'm not very hungry."

The look on Atsushi's face is one of pure terror, as if he cannot believe someone is able not to feel hungry. Kuroko ignores that, twisting in his seat to leave. Akashi's statement stops him, however.

"Did you realize that you owe me a favour?"

Kuroko was hoping to avoid that. He should've known Akashi Seijurou doesn't miss anything. Resigning to his fate, he nods.

"Don't make such a face, it's as easy as a piece of pumpkin pie," says Akashi, one gold eye glints in delight. Kuroko is glad one of them finds amusement out of this.

"Will you leave me alone if I do it?"

"I will think about it," is the response, and the Ravenclaw knows that's as good as he'll get from Akashi.

He doesn't have a choice, really. "What is it?"

"You'll know when it comes," answers Akashi cryptically. One corner of his lips tugs up; his right hand extending as if he wants to touch Kuroko's face. The shorter man leaps before he can do so, running away and not turning back even once.

Kuroko thinks he hears a laugh, one that leaves him wonder whether the killing curse would rebound if he casts one to a mirror. He wishes he doesn't exist at all.

There is a new rumour by lunch. It goes something along, Kuroko cheated on Aomine and Kise, that he gave Akashi head during breakfast this morning.

"I swear I saw it by my own eyes- that Kuroko bloke crawling out from under Akashi's table, and they were holding hands afterwards—I mean, what else he'd be doing under the table?"

Hiding, you imbecile, Kuroko remarks silently. He confesses it wasn't one of his better ideas, hiding under the table. Twice he's done it somehow always involves Akashi. He's not going to do that anytime soon, or ever.

"Are you talking about them under the table together on the food fight the other night?" a Hufflepuff girl asks excitedly.

"What- they were? No, I'm talking about this morning-"

By Merlin's beard. Kuroko cannot take it anymore. He leaves the safe haven of the Hufflepuff's circle, quieter than a thief. He doesn't know where to go, it's like he keeps bumping to either his best friends or students who just cannot stop gossiping.

In his inattention to his surroundings he doesn't see Kise and Aomine rushing towards him until he's caught in their arms. He struggles, thinking it's somebody else, until he realizes it's only the Gryffindors.

"Gotcha!" yells Aomine in triumphs, whilst Kise just rubs his cheek into Kuroko's crown.

"Tetsuyachii, why are you avoiding us?"

"I'm not. Let go."

"I don't want to," Kise says stubbornly. "You'll escape again."

Aomine pulls both of Kuroko's cheeks. "Now that we have you, we can talk,"

"Thesh nethin te talk abeth," says Kuroko as best as he can with his cheeks toyed.

"You know what liar gets? He gets eaten by You-Know-Who,"

Kuroko slaps Aomine's hands away and rubs at his reddening cheeks. The tallest of them grins widely, hands creeping to Kuroko's waist. Eyes widen in fright, the latter trashes in Kise's embrace. He summons his wand, only to have Kise plucks it from him.

"Fine- I'll tell you. Just don't tickle me to death, please."