Chapter 24: Exeunt

Toshiro Hitsugaya entered Soul Society through the Senkaimon, the feeling of being free from his gigai and the reiatsu in the air calming the ice captain as he felt he was finally home for a while. Though Hogwarts was nice and suitable, there was just something about Soul Society and the walls of Seireitei. Perhaps that was just something that all shinigami felt when they came back from the World of the Living.

Greeted by the majority of his division members, the ice captain merely nodded at each with slight approval, the members smiling at the aspect that their captain was back and once more, there.

"Welcome back, Hitsugaya-taicho." His Seventh Seat greeted as the ice captain nodded. "The Head Captain has ordered that you meet him in the First Division immediately upon your arrival for a Captain's Meeting, without Vice Captain Matsumoto."

Nodding as if he had expected this, the ice captain turned to Matsumoto, who met his icy glare with a serious one of her own as he handed her a small teal bag that appeared too small to hold much of anything. "Matsumoto, take my things to my private chambers and look over the division in my absence for a while longer, I will not be back until nightfall. And the rest of you, run the division as you were."

The division members sent a surprised look at their highest superior.

Captains were away in meetings for a number of hours at the most but until nightfall? And considering it was now mid-morning in Soul Society, it was going to more than just a couple of hours.

But nonetheless, they obeyed.

"Yes, sir." They bowed in unison as their captain disappeared, his reiatsu sealed and undetectable as he shunpoed away.

The ice captain entered the cave known to only select individuals as he pulled out his wand to incant several other charms and protection spells over the cave other than the Kido Barrier he had bypassed. Satisfied, the ice captain entered deeper into the caverns to find the Head Captain and Vice Captain Sasakibe as the ice captain narrowed his teal orbs to the vice captain before bowing to his superior who nodded at the white-haired captain with a look of approval, going straight business as he folded his hands over his cane.

"Report, Hitsugaya-taicho."

"Sir." The ice captain bowed, as he explained what he had learned hours prior, of Sephiroth's true identity as the guardian of the Ivory Wand and the Elder Wand.

"It seems that due to myself being the Master of the Ivory Wand, it may work in our favor." Toshiro finished as he recited the last of the prophecy to which only the two captains were informed of. "Having inserted a false memory for Potter to eliminate the latter half of the prophecy, as you recall, Head Captain, it is: ' However, if the heavenly guardian were to ascend from the heavens, the Dark Lord shall rise to an even greater reign, over the heavens and world. The servant shall be slain and the heavenly guardian shall be faced with a choice, to reap the child who shall vanquish the Dark Lord or to reap the Dark Lord into limbo for his sins.'"

"In either case," Toshiro spoke as he slipped out his wand. "We are involved in this semblance of 'war' whether we like to or not, Head Captain."

"Hitsugaya-taicho, due to vagueness of this prophecy, and seeing how we are now very much involved in Wizard World, you are to investigate the fragments of this individual, Voldemort. We, as shinigami, cannot allow this Voldemort to exist."

With a slam of his cane, the Head Captain cracked open his eyes as he met his gaze with the ice captain who stood in attention, his teal orbs meeting with his superior's with ease. "Hitsugaya-taicho, you are to investigate the fragments of Voldemort and ally yourself with those you see fit, and ensure that Voldemort is defeated. Along with how Aizen is connected to this Voldemort."

"Yes, sir." The ice captain obeyed as he bowed, waiting as the Head Captain shunpoed out of the cave, leaving the ice captain and the First Division Vice Captain who bowed before addressing the ice captain; only the latter noticing the glance that the Head Captain had sent to his lieutenant.

"You shall continue this investigation in Hogwarts as a student, however, sometime in the middle of the following school year; Hitsugaya-taicho." Sasakibe said as the ice captain rose an eyebrow in questioning. "You have another task that calls for your attention."

"I am well aware." Toshiro replied icily as he shunpoed out of the way.

His expression unchanging, the ice captain dodged a blow to his neck, spilling blood as he ran his blade through the First Division Vice Captain with a fluid swipe, before the fragment reverted into another shinigami, it's bloodthirsty orbs glinting for release.

So, you are my assignment. The ice captain narrowed his orbs over the shifting ebony vapor before him, the Vice Captain of the First Division morphing into a brown-haired, bun-topped shinigami with a maddening smile that did not suit her soft appearance. Hinamori.

With pain-veiled orbs, the ice captain lunged at the Horcrux.

Returning to his division with minor injuries, Toshiro cursed softly as his haori and ebony robes were covered in blood, Soifon appearing before him with a slightly risen eyebrow. The two shortest captains regarded each other with a nod in mid-air as the ice captain spoke swiftly. "Hirako will take over for you. But as of now, we will have to just keep watching it."

"Very well." Soifon replied just as coldly as she entered the cave before she spoke once more in a soft whisper, warmer than usual. "Welcome back, Hitsugaya."

Raising an eyebrow at the words, the ice captain merely nodded in thanks after sending a soft smile, as she blushed before shunpoing away, leaving the ice captain slightly confused at the reaction. Shrugging it aside, Toshiro shunpoed off, evaporating off the blood on him in crimson snowflakes as he appeared before his division.

"Taicho!"

Turning at the sound of his division members calling him, they all knelt before him, chorusing in welcome backs and questions of how the meeting had gone. Folding his arms, the ice captain neither nodded and answered evasively that the meeting had gone well before he waved a hand.

"Is Matsumoto in the office?"

"Yes, sir." One of the Unseated members replied from his knelt position.

Nodding, the ice captain entered his office, after relieving the evening guards for the night, to which they bowed and thanked him in unison. Seeing his lieutenant asleep on the couch, the ice captain sighed as he saw a large pile of paperwork on his desk, just as much as he had expected upon his return. Seating himself and pulling out a thin brush, the ice captain could not help but smile softly as he finally had the quiet he had relished for ten months ago, spotting his freshly brewed tea that Matsumoto made for him, the captain was finally home.

So that's it?! Sephiroth cried in the Inner World as he flew freely, Hyorinmaru at the ice meadow, to where ice floors bloomed and sat unmoved in their crystallized beauty, watching them before raising an eyebrow at the younger dragon's exclamation. That's what captains do on a daily basis?

Well, it's the gist of it. Hyorinmaru snorted as he conjured more four petaled flowers with a soft grin. Along with paperwork, training the new recruits, attending Captain's Meetings, more paperwork, chasing Matsumoto, more paperwork, planning missions for subordinates, and more paperwork.

I think I'm allergic to paperwork. Sephiroth argued as he looked sickened at the mention of the thin enemy of shinigami called paperwork.

Hyorinmaru snorted at the sound of that as he raised an eyebrow at the younger dragon. Then you sure as hell chose the wrong master. Master even does Matsumoto's paperwork, as she 'cleverly' is able to make him do it even though he knows when she is.

Then why doesn't he just make her? Sephiroth questioned confusedly.

Because Matsumoto can't stay still for more than half an hour unless she's drinking or asleep. Toshiro snapped as he entered the Inner World, just finished with his paperwork as he entered his private residence that all captains were given along with their position in the Soul Society.

Now, what do we do, Master? Sephiroth questioned as he curled in a complicated twist in the air, before landing beside Hyorinmaru, who was entertaining himself with creating more ice flowers. Other than paperwork that is.

Well, seeing as we were thrown into an unknown place for my Third-Year, I would like to be as prepared as possible for my Fourth Year, or at least for the latest addition to this. Toshiro smirked as he lifted a book, taking the two dragon's interest as they read the title.

Triwizard Tragedies.

How did you acquire this, Master? Sephiroth questioned with a risen eyebrow. Isn't it in the Restricted Section of the Hogwarts Library? Only students with permission from a professor are allowed access.

It helps that Madam Pince is fond of me and that with a simple False Memory Charm, I was able to convince her rather easily. But they would be returned upon my return to Hogwarts.

They? Hyorinmaru noted.

I had take along with several others, of course. Toshiro continued as he pulled out the pile for them to read one, taking their interest immediately from the rest. Not that it took too much to see which from the selection: Pureblood Directory, Olde and Forgotten Bewitchments and Charmes, A History of Magic, The Tales of Beedle and Bard, Dragon Species of Great Britain and Ireland, and Magick Moste Evile.

Opening the Dragon Species of Great Britain and Ireland, the ice captain smirked as Hyorinmaru and Sephiroth peered curiously over his shoulder, scanning the contents hungrily as he glanced at his wand, lying in the snow with an icy blue glow as the captain knew that he was going back to the Wizarding World, whether he liked it or not.

And for some reason, he was not bothered by it. Well, not as much as he had prior at least.

Author's Note:

Hello, and salutations to all of my readers, guests, and whatnot persons you are. I would like to take a moment to thank you all for taking the time for finding and reading my fanfic, and to have receive so much love and attention for my very first one. I hope you have enjoyed this story just as much as I have, and look forward to the sequel of Spellbound Reapers; which will be uploaded on March 14, 2016 with the first two chapters. Thank you for being patient and waiting for me to upload these within my own time and understanding that I have other activities that take up my time, other than writing for you all.

*** UPDATE - The sequel is now up, and is called Order of the Heavens.

Thank you!

SapphireMoons.