Whew, thank god this chapter is done. Sorry for the delay but this did not want to be written. It took ages to straighten this chapter out.

Please read the note at the end of this chapter. I need some help with something.

Sougyo no Kotowari approved of Hogwarts. They approved of it a whole lot. It gave their wielder what they'd only been able to provide in his Inner World before: a safe place where he could spread his wings without having to worry about anything trying to cut them off.

The muggle world hadn't been suitable for Harry. It was drowsy and dull. Sleepy and pacifistic. People made the news by simply throwing a few punches in a public place. Even Juushirou's division hadn't been that peaceful.

It made people blind. Blind and indifferent to anything that might not fit their peaceful, drowsy lives. Violence was something of hooligans and immigrants. Abuse something done only by drunks and failures of people, not their own kind. Muggles had allowed the Dursleys free reign as long as they kept up the pretence of being normal and respectable. Harry was forced to struggle against the Dursleys every day and that was a vastly unfair fight. They curbed his growth instead of stimulating it. And the neighbours didn't even notice. Or worse, pretended not to.

Granted, Harry hadn't shown that much signs of abuse. No bruises beyond what might be expected from a boy playing rough games, no weird sick days. He had been healthy, if a bit too thin. At his age, the shabbiness of his appearance could still be explained away as parents not wanting to waste money on clothes he wouldn't be careful with. Which was one of the Dursley's most common excuses.

But still. Someone should have at least noticed the bullying done by his own cousin.

Maybe it had something to do with magic. Even in places that peaceful someone should have noticed the differences between Harry and his cousin. That no one had even when Harry had been so obviously skinny and downtrodden while Dudley was the epitome of a child spoiled rotten, was a sign of meddling.

It was the most sensible option. Harry was famous. After Voldemort's demise it surely wouldn't have been safe for the orphaned baby held responsible, no matter where he was kept. It would only take one lousy coincidence for him to be discovered. What was a better way to protect someone from simple bad luck than to make sure no one would notice anything unusual about him? Even Harry's magical accidents had been forgotten within hours by everyone but the Dursleys.

Though they had still encountered the occasional friendly wizard and witch who hadn't been fooled. Only friendly ones, oddly enough. Maybe whatever spell had been used had allowed for those who would aid Harry if he needed it to at least recognize him? If that was the case then the spell also ensured that they wouldn't be able to remember when or where they'd met Harry, because with how enthusiastic some had been Sougyo no Kotowari were sure some of those people would have tried – and likely succeeded – in meeting Harry again.

If Sougyo no Kotowari were right and that had been the plan, they had to admit that Dumbledore's plan to hide Harry had been very clever.

At least, initially. The consequences of failing to pick the right caretakers for their wielder were bad enough that they dearly wished they could manifest into a physical form.

In the muggle world wasn't good for Harry. There was nothing that nurtured their wielder, nothing that supported him and urged him to flourish. No mischief or joy to teach him what was precious enough to fight for. No playfulness and curiosity that would help him discover his own limits. The Dursleys choked all of that with their neglect and petty grudges, their spiteful indifference to Harry's wellbeing. Happiness was sabotaged, kindness mocked, and wonder suppressed ruthlessly, all because of the irrational resentment of narrow-minded people.

All Harry had learned among the muggles was the hard grit of reality, the indifference of strangers, and the general unfairness that was characteristic of life. Important lessons, sure, but without happiness and comfort to offset it, only crushing weights on their wielder's young shoulders.

At least once he had managed to win himself access to the remnants of his past life, Sougyo no Kotowari had been able to help him carry it. But that was bitter comfort, when they knew it shouldn't have been necessary.

Sougyo no Kotowari were aware that in a way, Harry was similar to some of the Shinigami who came from the Rukongai. He was alive and physically okay, but the casual cruelty he'd faced his entire life had left him scarred, despite Sougyo no Kotowari's efforts. They had hated it, but they had known from the start that a safe haven that only existed in their wielder's mind would not be enough. Harry needed to tend to his body and had to maintain what little goodwill he got from his relatives, so they'd been forced to send him off time and again.

Those Shinigami needed the Academy not just for learning how to be a Shinigami, but also to learn how to breathe freely, and to find out who they really were. To learn what they wanted and not just what they needed.

The magical school did for Harry what the Academy did for those Shinigami: it gave him time to be himself. To learn about himself without his family trying to make him a meek, beaten-down dog begging for their approval. Here, away from the toxic influence of his family, Harry was free to explore his desires and beliefs, and the things he would be willing to put his life on the line for.

Hogwarts truly was a wonderful place. It offered their wielder friendship, and wonder, and the promise of challenges. Proper challenges, that Harry could strive to overcome. Things and situations that tested his creativity and sense of honour. Things that would nurture and stimulate Harry's developing sense of self.

Simple, everyday things like how to handle people who meant well and how to deal with disagreements. Slightly rarer things, like Ollivander's intriguing puzzle ball, the balance he had to find between defending himself against his rivals and keeping himself out of trouble, and the tantalizing mystery that surrounded Nicolas Flamel and the would-be-thief of whatever was hidden on the Third Floor Corridor.

All things Harry would need to really grow, that weren't offered in any classroom or lesson, and his family didn't give him either. Grow, and maybe one day, the unpredictable and exiting world of magic would bring him the opportunity that would lead him to the blade hidden in his soul.

Sougyo no Kotowari wanted Harry to find it. The core of himself that was the source of their power, and the part of him he would need to draw on to manifest their physical form. They wanted it very badly.

They had wondered, back when Harry had still been stuck in the muggle world, how long it would take before Harry would acknowledge what his soul already knew: that they were a blade left idle to rust. Worse, a blade shunned for its true purpose, regarded as inferior to even the humblest kitchen knife. That grated, like water slowly but surely gnawing holes in soft rock. Though Harry refused to recall their previous life, that callous disregard still cut the way it had cut Juushirou, before he'd grown so strong even the most foolish of the nobles had been forced to admit he wasn't the pitiful crippled youngster they had made him out to be.

Sougyo no Kotowari would have made the Dursleys pay a thousand times over for the way they had made Harry feel, had they been able to manifest. They had hated how Harry's own family had tried to beat him down.

Harry had hated it too. His anger was hidden so deep under layers of resignation and sufferance that he might not be aware of it, but it burned steadily like smouldering coal. They wished they could have suggested Hollow-hunting as a way to relax. Some violence towards creatures who needed it would have been good for him. Nothing better than a deserving target to vent on.

Unfortunately, that wasn't an option.

They could not let their wielder face Hollows. Without their physical form or even a kidou to protect himself with, Harry could not defeat one of those wretched, corrupted souls. And so far, Harry had not felt comfortable enough with his heritage to pursue either, preferring to hide from the Hollows instead. Which was wise! They just wished it wasn't necessary.

Though Sougyo no Kotowari did have hope for the future. It was possible that Harry might be able to face those creatures with Manjushage's aid sometime in the upcoming years. Though they suspected it would take a few more years before Harry would learn the kind of magic that might give him a good chance in a fight.

So regretfully, no Hollows. Harry just wasn't ready for those. Not yet. But there were other things they could do to slowly bleed off the poison, and start to guide Harry to the truth of his soul.

They had to start out slow. Right now, Harry was still more fragile than Juushirou had ever been since before he'd entered the Academy. Sougyo no Kotowari had not been awake yet all those centuries ago, but they still had one or two of Juushirou's memories that were clear enough to confirm what they knew in their hearts.

Harry, for all his bravery and boldness and his feigned confidence, was still fragile and uncertain inside. The way Juushirou had been until Katen Kyoukotsu's wielder had proven once and for all that he believed in him and would always support him. Starting by kidnapping him from his fretting relatives who were almost literally strangling him with their concern after the first time Juushirou had pushed himself too far in his training and had been bedridden for two weeks. Katen Kyoukotsu's wielder had even managed to drag Minazuki's wielder along, though Sougyo no Kotowari suspected that she'd only gone along with it because she wished to see what kind of warrior their sickly wielder could be come.

Harry's friends didn't know enough yet to realize what Harry needed from them. Too young, too innocent, too sheltered. And Sougyo no Kotowari were well aware that Harry's friends did not possess the gift of insight Katen Kyoukotsu's wielder had been able to boast.

That was okay. This time round their wielder could already hear them, so what his friends lacked Sougyo no Kotowari and Manjushage could make up for.

There were plenty of little things they could use after all. Small things, that let him slowly build his strength and confidence, like his talent for flying. Like the joy he could find in a good game. Successfully sneaking past a patrolling teacher at night. All those things like little scraps of tinder to nurture the spark of a single ember into a bonfire.

Slowly, slowly, Harry was growing. His confidence became more and more real. Closer to what they desired for their wielder.

It was difficult, balancing what they knew Harry was right now and what he had the potential for. Difficult, not to push Harry to seek out the memories Juushirou had left them. They knew Harry wasn't anywhere near ready, but there was no helping their desire.

Harry was in his heart a warrior. Sougyo no Kotowari's very presence proved that, and they desperately desired for him to become one in truth. To reach into his soul and draw them forth.

Unfortunately, getting to that point was a very complicated matter.

On one hand, mere classes would never be enough to help Harry reach his soul's full potential. He would need to face challenges, battles, and life-threatening danger. He would need to test himself and push himself to be better if he ever was to wield the full power of his soul.

But on the other hand, Harry needed to learn about himself at his own pace more than anything. Needed the peace to learn his own mind. How could they ask him to face his past as Juushirou, when he had not discovered what made him Harry? Harry would need that surety before he ventured into Juushirou's domain.

For most Shinigami there was no greater teacher than hardship. No better way to find the essence of themselves than to be pushed to their very limits. It was in the heat of combat, when they teetered on the very edge of soaring and collapsing, when they had nothing but themselves to rely on, that most Shinigami found their Zanpakutou's name, and the key to the core of their power.

Harry was different. He had already faced too much hardship, and not in a good way. Hardship had led him to them and the remnants of Juushirou that slept within him, but that was the only positive thing it had brought him. It hadn't been anything he could fight, nothing he had been able to protect himself from, and knowing that had wounded him. So right now, more than he needed to be pushed to his limits, Harry needed to find stability first. Needed to find something he could trust beside himself.

Shinigami shouldn't be this alone.

Sougyo no Kotowari were happy that they and Manjushage were able to be there for him. Though their presence was a double-edged blade. Usually, someone who had gone through the things Harry had would cling to the friends he had made. Too desperate for support to hold back and still undamaged enough to hope they would get it. But Harry had depended on his spirits and the sanctuary of his Inner World too long for that to happen. He only had his bonds with his spirits and the insidious influence of his tightly suppressed memories of his life as Juushirou to compare his current friendships to.

Both were doing more harm than good in that regard.

He might choose not to consciously remember it, but Harry knew in his heart what true friendship was like. Juushirou's bond with Katen Kyoukotsu's wielder had been an awe-inspiring example of it. It was no wonder that Harry saw his current friendships as pathetically inadequate imitations. His bonds with his friends were awfully fragile compared to the bond between Shinigami and Zanpakutou, or the bonds he had held as Juushirou. Harry really shouldn't compare them. Sougyo no Kotowari knew he couldn't help it, that it was a subconscious progress of comparing this is what I see with this is what I feel it should be when judging any form of friendship. But it wasn't good for him.

Sometimes, one could definitely make an argument for the old 'ignorance is bliss' adage. Right now, Harry's conscious and subconscious knowledge kept him isolated. And until he felt ready to trust his friends Harry wouldn't reach out much further than he already had, leaving the gap between them to yawn widely. It would be less pressing if his friends had been unaware what he kept from them, but that was not the case. Being reluctant to share details about your spirits was entirely normal for a Shinigami, whose skills at secrecy might one day save their life and the lives of all they care for. But friends could usually be trusted with some details. Harry hadn't shared more about Manjushage than her gender and approximate age. Most friends knew at least the names of each other's spirits.

If they had felt that any of Harry's three friends was less than honest in their offer of friendship Sougyo no Kotowari would have fully approved of that reticence. Names had power and could reveal a lot about a spirit, so reticence could be a lifesaver when dealing with hostile people. But Ronald, Hermione, and Neville were as honest as children that young could be. They didn't want to harm Harry. They only wanted to be his friends.

Yet Harry was still not willing to reveal more. Not until he was sure he could trust them to keep the knowledge to themselves.

To be fair, they recalled that Juushirou had been similarly reticent about them. People knew Sougyo no Kotowari were paired blades, but no more. Only those who had fought next to him when he'd released his Shikai had known their name. Only Katen Kyoukotsu's and Ryuujin Jakka's wielders had known the full extent of their abilities. It seemed that Juushirou's habits were filtering though, despite Harry's wishes and Sougyo no Kotowari's efforts. And Harry didn't seem to wish to adjust them anytime soon.

Sougyo no Kotowari sighed to each other. Theirs was such a troublesome wielder. Just as bad as their old one. They wished the conversation on the train had never happened. So much trouble could be saved if Harry hadn't forgotten himself in the heady anticipation of that day. His friendships would be far less tense if his friends were not aware of the secrets he kept.

Yet Harry refused to speak, especially now the argument had come to a standstill. Not that Sougyo no Kotowari wanted him to reveal anything about Manjushage just to spare his friends' feelings, but the tension lingered. Names and knowledge were important and shouldn't be given freely, but reasonable actions still caused friction when others were not aware of this. Harry's stubborn refusals to speak of his wand had worsened the tension.

He really could have used Juushirou's skill of persuasion for those conversations. At least then Harry would have known how to make his friends understand that he preferred to leave it up to their own spirits and Ollivander to give them the knowledge they desired. Alas, he would need a lot of practice before he'd reach his past self's level of expertise. So troublesome.

Yet at the same time, his resolution was one of the things Sougyo no Kotowari loved about their wielder. All Shinigami needed a certain amount of stubbornness if they ever wished to get anywhere. No goal was reached without it. Juushirou had needed that persistence to overcome the limitations of his illness. Harry would need it if he ever wished to neutralize the leaden weight of the memories of their soul's past.

Already, Harry's will was stronger than most, and Sougyo no Kotowari could only be glad for it, even though it was sometimes more trouble than it was worth. Not in the least because it gave them quite a few dilemmas.

One was that they had to find a way to help Harry acknowledge his soul's past. Which was difficult enough on its own, as right now, Juushirou's memories still vastly outnumbered Harry's. Even suppressed their presence felt overwhelming to Harry.

Predictably, Harry refused to examine his past as Juushirou. He was very stubborn about it. For now, Sougyo no Kotowari would allow him that luxury. They understood that it was difficult for Harry to face what he used to have in a past life when he already felt he didn't measure up to the expectations of people in his current one. Juushirou hadn't challenged the limitations of his illness until much later either. For now they would be patient and supportive. The memories were a burden, but not so terrible that they couldn't leave Harry a bit more time.

The other problem Sougyo no Kotowari faced was a bit more complicated, and more pressing. It had everything to do with the fact that they were deadly weapons, not just the playful, childish spirits Harry knew them as. Manjushage was a wand, not a Zanpakutou, and did not have the same problem. A wand was far more tool than weapon, and she was very young still. She was safe enough for Harry to handle freely. But Sougyo no Kotowari weren't that benign. Not at their core. They could feign it, but a mask was all it was.

They were Zanpakutou. Their core was a killing blade.

With Juushirou, it hadn't been a problem. By the time he had awakened them he was already walking the path to become a Shinigami. The viciousness and lethality of his own soul had not bothered him much and they had fought together often.

Harry, on the other hand, was a civilian child raised in a society that looked down on violence as something vile and considered death to be one of the worst fates imaginable. Under ordinary circumstances, Harry would never have found their name this soon. Not without a single serious fight to his name.

But Harry was not ordinary. Nowhere near close. Unlike any other Shinigami he had remembered his Zanpakutou's name instead of finding it. In a way, that was fine. Part of him was still Juushirou, and Juushirou had earned the right to their name a thousand times over.

Yet at the same time, Harry had not. He was new and untried, for all that he held part of Juushirou's memories. Their soul was still the same, but Harry had not earned the right to call on his soul's power.

Sougyo no Kotowari loved their wielder and would not withhold their name from him. Harry had found them fairly. His actions had allowed him to hear their voices, and that on its own was proof that he had a right to it. His honour and courage to gather the remains of a past that frightened him deeply had impressed them enough to happily allow him that liberty. The memories were sealed, but he kept them despite the fear they invoked, even when leaving them to be destroyed would have been so much easier. Sougyo no Kotowari could appreciate that courage.

However, they could withhold their power, even mere knowledge about it, until the time was right. And Sougyo no Kotowari had to, no matter how much their nature rebelled against it.

Their wielder had found them, but he had not tried to make them his own. Had not even tried to reach for the power he knew they held. They had not moved or fought together like Shinigami and Zanpakutou should. Until that time, Harry had not claimed them fully. Until then, they couldn't give him all of themselves. No matter how much they wanted to whenever he used their name.

That was the truth and the nature of Zanpakutou. The right to wield them had to be sought, not given. Had to be earned through blood and tears and deep unyielding determination. They were the embodiment of the most dangerous part of his soul, a weapon, and like any other weapon they needed to be handled properly. A Zanpakutou's power without a will of steel behind it was deadly only to its wielder. Like any other wielder Harry would have to prove he could handle it, before they would grant him that privilege.

That took time. Time, and the right circumstances to nurture the warrior that slept within their wielder.

Sougyo no Kotowari wondered if they should speak to Harry about this. Wondered whether telling him about their true nature would aid or hinder him. They knew he worried about their lack of change since their previous life. They knew Harry feared they weren't as much his as they assured him they were. Even just offering a few hints might help…

But no. Regardless of the answer, they knew they would not speak up on their own. They would aid and advice their wielder if he asked, but they would not just hand the solution over. Not when Harry hadn't even started asking the right questions. He would never learn to know himself that way.

That was alright. Their instincts cried for a proper bond, but Harry wasn't even dead yet. When he died and lost the limitations of his human body their desire would become far more urgent, but that time was still a long time away. They had a whole life worth of time to prepare him. And then an afterlife as well. Even if he was not ready to wield them yet, Sougyo no Kotowari already belonged to Harry wholly. They were his Zanpakutou, and would never belong to any other soul. Their wielder only needed to find the resolve to pick them up. To be their wielder in truth as well as name.

There was no rush. Their wielder was young and curious, and finally, finally, in a position to follow his own wishes.

They had all the time they needed.

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Manjushage fairly danced as she reflected on their time in Hogwarts so far. They had learned so much already. Simple tricks, yes, but enjoyable ones. There was no greater delight than working together with her wielder to craft a spell into its proper form.

Her wielder. Her chosen. She whistled a tune Sougyo no Kotowari had taught her, pleased with herself and the world. She couldn't have picked better.

Manjushage smiled in reminiscence. The first time Harry had picked her up had been like waking from a deep sleep. Before him she hadn't been truly conscious. Dreaming, half-asleep and barely aware, she had sensed his touch. Something about it had sung to her. Felt warm and inviting and interesting. Like a hand held out to be grasped. Before she'd even realized it, she had reached back.

It had felt like a slot clicking into place. An emptiness being filled. Like finding a home when you never knew you wanted one.

He had taken her with him, and the soothing warmth of his presence had lulled her back to sleep. The next time she'd woken, she'd been within his Inner World. Held in the hands of beings that felt-like-yet-did-not-quite-match the one she had reached out to.

She had still been formless and shapeless then. A little ball of light, like a tiny star, the twins had told her. She hadn't known at the time, as she hadn't been big enough to look at herself then.

The twins had been frightening at first. She hadn't sensed them when her chosen first touched her, hidden as they were within the depths of Harry's soul. But from up close it had been easy to tell that they were vastly more powerful and dangerous than her. Ancient and knowable in a way she could not even come close to matching. While their hold was gentle, their warning wasn't. And it had been a dire warning indeed. They swore that if she'd ever dare harm their wielder, ever even entertained the thought of doing so, they would only allow her time to thoroughly regret her choice before they destroyed her.

She had been angry then. Had straightened and spat at them in affront, despite being as tiny as she had been. She had not known many things yet back then, but she already knew she would never harm the one who had woken her. He was her chosen, and she was his for as long as he would have her.

The twins' approval had felt like warm sunlight. They had nursed her then, carried her through her chosen's Inner World and let her absorb the energy therein, talking to her and showing her around to fill the blank, shapeless void within her. Their gentle urging had caused her to grow and change, as their support allowed her to adapt to her chosen and take proper form far more swiftly than she would have ever been able to do alone.

When Harry had come to the House that evening, she had achieved a steady enough shape to meet him properly.

And then he had given her her Name.

It had been the final touch, the final key to completing her transformation, to the bond the twins had helped her nurture. Immediately after Harry had left she had slept again, and when she woke her bond with him had been thrumming with life, strong and steady as a tree in its prime. Her appearance had shifted a little, not just reflecting the elements of her physical body but her name as well.

The flower he had named her with she had tucked into her hair. It had seemed fitting, and had made the twins smile and laugh. It matched the flowers that now bloomed along the underside of her kimono well, so it was not as if it looked misplaced on her.

She still wore it to this day. Harry had marvelled over its complete and utter lack of wilting, but Manjushage could not see why. It was her flower. There was no reason for it to wilt.

A tiny giggle interrupted her whistling. She looked around and set her hands in her sides when she didn't see anyone.

"Alright Casper, I know you're there," she called. "Come on, show yourself."

She waited for a moment, but all she got was another giggle. She huffed. "If you come here I'll sing for you," she promised.

A small shape shimmered into view before her, drifting on a barely-there breeze like an oddly-shaped dandelion puff. A wide grin decorated the round face, arms wide and large grey eyes pleading.

Manjushage smiled and allowed the small, baby-like spirit to land in her arms. Casper looked even younger than her and was therefore relatively easy to carry. His white hair floated around him like a cloud and tickled her nose.

She had to admit, when Harry first got the invisibility cloak she had not expected a new spirit to appear in their world. But the small spirit was not nearly as much as an intrusion as she had feared. It was quite welcome company in fact, and Manjushage was glad to no longer be the only young spirit around. Casper couldn't speak – or at least, he hadn't yet – but the spirit was friendly and slightly mischievous, like a kitten that liked to get tangled up in balls of yarn.

Sougyo no Kotowari liked the little spirit a lot and were convinced he was some form of tsukumogami. After their explanation Manjushage could see why. The spirit of the invisibility cloak looked like a miniature version of the cloak that had grown a head and hands. The rest of him was all loose silvery fabric that floated around a non-existent body.

Harry had named his new spirit after a cartoon he had sometimes managed to sneak peeks of while Dudley was watching television. Casper's pale complexion had reminded him of the cartoon ghost. Sougyo no Kotowari had been surprised that the little spirit had not minded a name with so little personal meaning. Their own name had layers and layers of meaning behind it, as did Manjushage's. Their names fit because subconsciously, they had been made to fit. Like hand in hand. Like keys and locks. Like sunlight and warmth, one without the other was just not right. Deep down their names resonated with their very being.

Casper's lacked that complexity, that echo of rightness. It was… just a name. And Casper was content with that. As if a name was no part of its being.

It was very odd, but maybe that was just the way it was for magical cloaks. Maybe Casper just did not need one like Zanpakutou and wands did.

Humming a tune, she continued to wander around the House. Harry was spending time with his friends at the moment, so there was little for her to do but watch Harry's Inner World. Which was just as well. Sougyo no Kotowari had told her it was important for any spirit to roam around their wielder's Inner World. Seeing it grow and change and watch how shifting beliefs could alter it; all were important for a spirit to understand their wielder. Sougyo no Kotowari themselves had done so extensively after being awakened to get a good grasp on how their wielder thought and worked so they could support him better.

"We are the manifestation of Harry's powers, the embodiment of his true self. We are shaped by his very nature. But our relationship is not a one-way road. We shape him just as much as he shaped us." Sougyo no Kotowari had looked oddly wistful when they had said that. "To do that right we must learn how we can reach the results we desire. Being careless would harm all of us. We are the closest to him, the most trusted, and if we make a wrong decision we can do great harm. That's why we always need to watch our wielder." They had smiled at her. "You have linked to his soul. You are part of him too now, and if you wish to aid him you will need to learn how. Observe carefully, and learn to know him."

Manjushage had followed their advice dutifully. She had watched and learned about Harry's past and unhappy home life. She had seen her wielder's world become brighter and livelier with his arrival at Hogwarts. No longer were the memories of his parents the only memories of his own that decorated the House. Hogwarts had given Harry many he wished to keep mementos of.

As a result, the House contained an increasingly odd mix of brand new and near-broken objects. The new objects were still vastly outnumbered, but compared to the numbers before Hogwarts, they had increased at a tremendous pace. Which could only be a good thing, according to Sougyo no Kotowari. It would help balance things.

Seeing how many objects still remained from the past, Manjushage had to wonder how immense the collection of the previous life had once been. Sougyo no Kotowari did not recall much details in that regard, but they knew that before the death of Juushirou the House had been filled to the brim and much had been scattered through the Garden besides. What remained now was only a fraction of what once had been. Only the strongest memories and the most fundamental of knowledge had survived death in one piece. Everything else was all hazy and confused, faint and elusive as mist.

It was saddening, to think how much had been lost.

Manjushage was pulled out of her musings when stubby little fingers reached for one of the inked talismans the twins had painstakingly put on every memory-object from Harry's past life.

"No, Casper," Manjushage scolded taking a step back so the little spirit couldn't touch it anymore. "You know you're not allowed to play with those."

With a huff, she inspected the slip of paper to ensure Casper hadn't pulled it loose. "Some might bind, others might bury, but with our forms this is what is right. We seal and subdue with will and focus and written words," Sougyo no Kotowari had sing-songed when they renewed the paper seals and had checked the lights in the lights in the stone garden lanterns. Ofuda, they had called the slips of paper that kept ancient memories at bay. The lanterns were more general defences. "We originally created them to defend against a violation of the mind, but they do work to keep the memories from appearing in dreams too often," they had explained.

Manjushage nodded to herself. The paper hadn't come off. She carefully suppressed the part of her that felt disappointed at that. Wistfully she looked at the many broken relics. She could understand Casper's impulse. A previous life… she was so curious about it. The twins had told her stories, but that just wasn't the same.

Not that she was every tempted to release the seals the twins had so carefully crafted. Not when she knew her chosen desired them buried with a reason. Harry would unseal them, or not, when the time was right. Until then… well. Humans did not consider patience a virtue because it was easy. But she could handle it.

She had to. She didn't want to harm her wielder by prying at things best left alone for now.

She only hoped she would not have to wait too long.

With a sigh she turned her back on temptation, carrying Casper with her.

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Time… might not be in as large supply as Sougyo no Kotowari had thought. When the twins had considered challenges they hadn't counted on Harry being sent to the on a mission like this. Were the professors mad?

Smuggling a dragon had been okay. At least Ron's brother had been intelligent enough to realize Hagrid wasn't all that good at safety measures, and had sent him an enchanted crate to transport the dragon in. Of course, with the dragon inside the package could no longer be entrusted to a parliament of owls so naturally couriers had been needed. They were still of the opinion that Hagrid should have brought the crate to the tower himself, but letting their wielder and his friends handle it had seemed quite harmless at the time. They were a great deal better at subtlety for one, so as far as strategy went that had actually been a good idea. And even when poor clumsy Neville had tripped and fallen so hard they couldn't avoid being found by Filch, they hadn't thought their wielder would get more than a valuable lesson in the consequences of getting caught. And the value of fast hands, as Harry had managed to hide the cloak behind a statue before Filch had caught sight of it.

Sougyo no Kotowari weren't feeling that charitable now. Detention McGonagall had called it.

Into the Forest. Into the Forest. Three eleven year old children that had not even a full year of training were sent into the Forbidden Forest to look for unicorns that were killed by an unknown predator. A predator that hadn't even been identified yet. What was wrong with cleaning cauldrons or scrubbing toilets, if usefulness was so important?

They might just prefer Ryuujin Jakka's wielder's punishments over this, and those consisted of beating people within an inch of their lives. Literally, if he was mad enough. But at least that was a person doing it, who knew when enough was enough and how to avoid causing permanent damage. Hunting down injured prey with their mysterious predator still on the loose? What were the odds that it would leave children alone? They'd rather trust one of the Eleventh to decline a good fight than an unknown hunter to forfeit easy prey.

Now, if the group had stayed together it might have been fine. Predators usually avoided large groups, and the spirits could easily believe that even the braver ones would think twice before attacking Hagrid. But that didn't happen. Instead, once they were in the forest, Hagrid split them up. Malfoy and Neville were a bad matchup to go off alone, but at least it meant their wielder was in a relatively safe position. Harry didn't have any combat training and all the spells he knew were mere parlour tricks. He was nowhere near ready for a fight if the predator found them.

They were very glad that Harry had been able to retrieve the cloak the day after the dragon fiasco. They wouldn't wish their wielder without it right now.

Of course, Malfoy then had to do something stupid, and while Neville had tried to keep a tough front on the way, Malfoy's ill-timed idiocy was a bit too much. And instead of doing the sensible thing and keeping all three children with him, Hagrid decided to just switch Harry and Neville around.

Sougyo no Kotowari wished they could believe Hagrid about Harry being safe as long as Harry was with his dog but they already had plenty of proof that Hagrid could be a bit… short-sighted when it came to safety.

Killing a unicorn was supposed to be hard. Sougyo no Kotowari rather doubted that anything capable of that would have much difficulties killing two eleven year olds and a cowardly dog.

But they couldn't tell Harry that. Not if they wanted him thinking instead of letting nervousness turn into panic.

Panic was a sane reaction, but it wasn't useful.

Though the way it looked now, Harry would be able to handle knowing what they knew. For his first time having to navigate a situation with potential life-threatening danger they couldn't flee from, he was holding it together very well, listening to their instructions with concentrated dedication. They were sure that he was far more aware of the kind of danger they were in than the complaining Malfoy-brat, who was not so subtly getting more and more fearful the deeper they went into the forest.

They were proud of their wielder. Harry chose not to remember Juushirou's life, but some instincts had survived death and there was no way Sougyo no Kotowari would keep those away from him. So far he was responding to them beautifully. They could feel Harry was already partially aware of the danger the unknown predator posed, and he discussed possible solutions with his spirits accordingly.

And he had feared Gryffindor might not suit him. Ha!

"If it can catch unicorns then running won't do any good. You will either have to stand your ground or try to climb a tree. Though the latter might be difficult. This forest is a bit too old to offer easy climbing spots, so keep your eyes peeled for a good one," they told him.

:Stand my ground? How would that help me?: Harry asked contemplatively, feeling around the edges of the idea without knowing quite why it felt right. :Wouldn't I be easier to eat then?:

"That depends on the creature. A lot of predators see anything that flees as prey," one half of their selves stated.

"So if you do not flee, you might avoid being attacked. That is not to say you should not retreat. You just should not run. Or turn your back to it," their other self finished.

:No running, no looking away. Okay.: They could feel the deep, shaky breath Harry took at that. A deliberate calm that rustled through the leaves of the Garden like a wayward breeze. :I can do that.:

"And continue to watch your surroundings even when you happen to encounter it. There are more dangers in the forest than just the one you're looking for," Sougyo no Kotowari warned in unison. "We don't even know whether it is just one creature or a group of them."

:Right. Malfoy already mentioned werewolves. … Which doesn't make sense right? I mean, aren't werewolves only supposed to transform during a full moon? It is not full yet.:

Sougyo no Kotowari shrugged, knowing he could feel it.

"Maybe there are different kinds?" Manjushage suggested, thrumming with barely suppressed eagerness to pit herself against anything that might attack her chosen. Sougyo no Kotowari wanted to tease their kouhai about how adorable she looked when she was determined, but now was not the time. "Some permanently transformed and others human, perhaps?"

:I don't know,: was Harry's troubled reply.

"Worst come to worst, use Casper," Sougyo no Kotowari said firmly. "We don't know if this thing hunts by scent or by sight, but Casper should at least confuse it. You could try to hit it with the levitation charm or the leg-locker curse afterwards. That should hopefully slow it down."

And who knew? Casper loved Harry and always made extra effort to hide him completely. They suspected from encounters with Mrs Norris that Casper dimmed sound and smell as well. It might just be enough to escape.

:Alright. But Malfoy will probably not stand still long enough.: And no matter how much Harry disliked the other boy, he didn't want him to get eaten. But he didn't want to reveal Casper either. Malfoy was petty enough to try and get him in trouble with it, like he had tried with Norbert. Maybe not immediately, but definitely when they were back at the castle.

"You can't save anyone if you cannot save yourself," Sougyo no Kotowari replied. "He is not your responsibility. If he runs you shoot red sparks and hope Fang is as good as Hagrid said. You save yourself first."

Their wielder had a good heart. They could feel his misery when he gave them his word.

Sougyo no Kotowari felt a bit bad. If Neville had been with him they would not have been so harsh. But unlike Neville Malfoy was unlikely to listen to anything Harry said and would not appreciate Harry's aid the way he should. Worst came to worst, Malfoy would have to deal on his own. Their wielder's wellbeing had priority. And if they had to push their wielder to be ruthless for that…

Well. They were swords, not stuffed animals. When their wielder required them to act they would do so, and compassion would not limit their actions. As for Manjushage, she was a lot gentler in nature than Sougyo no Kotowari but she was quite pragmatic. When push came to shove, she would place Harry's wellbeing before anyone else's without remorse.

In that there was no difference between tool and weapon; your wielder came first.

Wandering the Forest, Sougyo no Kotowari and Manjushage used all their wielder's senses to try to detect the faintest trace of danger, hoping to find it before Harry was found in return. A sense of foreboding hung in the air. It increased with every splash of quicksilver blood they found. The gleaming trail had gone on for so long they had to be getting close. Sougyo no Kotowari couldn't imagine that a unicorn could survive losing much more than this.

Then Harry and his two companions broke into a small clearing. Something white gleamed on the ground, as if a piece of the moon had descended from the sky in the shape of a horse. The unicorn was beautiful the way a perfect tragedy was, lovely like rainbows in a fractured mirror, or falling sakura in spring. A sorrowful beauty.

Death had already claimed it when they arrived.

The small group was just about to approach the fallen unicorn when something slithered out of the bushes. A being that looked like a human in a hooded cloak crawled to the corpse and sucked the blood from the leaking wounds.

Malfoy screamed and fled, and Fang bolted with him. The creature raised its head and met their wielder's eyes.

The stone lanterns of the Garden flared brightly, ghostly flames leaping as if fed by an unexpected wind. Sougyo no Kotowari's lips curled. Whatever the being was, it had just attacked them.

Manjushage shouted as she threw her power behind the curse Harry fired in return. The being collapsed with a very human-sounding grunt as its legs locked together so tightly they might as well have turned to stone.

Wait… That wasn't a mere creature!

"Run!" Sougyo no Kotowari yelled. Harry obeyed immediately, scattering red sparks in his wake to call for Hagrid and hopefully blind the person he just attacked as well, using the bright flares of crimson light as a weapon against night-adapted eyes.

Something horse-like thundered past Harry. It startled them all, but as it seemed to focus on their attacker they opted to ignore it for a moment. Jumping behind the cover of a large tree Harry threw the invisibility cloak over his shoulders and pulled the hood so far over his head that even his chin was covered. Casper immediately disappeared from sight, putting his all into concealing Harry. The last thing they saw was an expression of raw determination that oddly suited the little spirit's child-like face.

Sougyo no Kotowari released their breath slowly, urging Harry to favour silence over speed with forced calm.

:W-what was that?: Harry asked, shakily. He kept a wary ear on the sound of hooves and the rustling slither of something cloaked fleeing at great speed. The horse-being that had passed them seemed to wander a little but not particularly inclined to come after them. The sound of hooves faded slowly as Harry moved further away.

"Something far too human," Sougyo no Kotowari replied darkly. Their eyes strayed to the stone lanterns, whose light had returned to normal levels.

"Something we have encountered before too," they added grimly, remembering previous instances where the defences they had once created to ward off an enemy's abilities had flared without apparent reason. They hadn't been able to identify the cause before, but with the culprit right in front of them the riddle was not hard to solve.

The thing that killed unicorns didn't come from the Forest.

It came from Hogwarts.

Now, I hate to bother you all with this, but someone put my story on another site, fanfics. me, without my permission. I do not appreciate this. So here is a message to the one who did this and anyone who considers doing this: I don't mind people sending each other links or sharing a couple of fragments, but putting almost my entire story on another site is going way too far. An entire chapter is already going too far. I own my own story. I do not own Harry Potter or Bleach, but I do own this story. It is my work, my intellectual property, no one else's. I am the one who put hours and hours of work in it. I have the right to decide where, when, and how my story gets posted. Putting it up on a mirror site is a violation of that. I only post my stories on fanfiction. net and Archive of Our Own for a reason. I don't want them somewhere else and I certainly do not want someone to do it for me. If I want them added to another site I will put them there myself.

So: WHOEVER IS POSTING MY STORY ON WITHOUT MY PERMISSION, PLEASE STOP DOING IT AND REMOVE IT. The very least you could have done was ask for permission before doing it. I do not want my story there. I would never post my stories on sites I can't even understand myself, and I certainly do not want to be associated with a website I do not trust. A site that makes reporting theft and plagiarism this difficult likely does not care much about it.

Everyone who can read Russian, I would appreciate the help in making sure my work gets removed from there. I have not managed yet because I do not understand one jot of Russian. Though be careful about making an account on that site. I have heard that it is not a safe website and that it is better not to login there.

Special thanks to Jazebeth for telling me fanfics. me is a mirror site. I was not aware of this. I first thought someone was impersonating me since the story was under my own username, which is even worse and part of the reason for the delay for this chapter, as I spend some time being pissed off as hell. I am still not happy that someone linked my story to that site in the first place, but at least someone didn't think they could make an account with my username and use my work willy-nilly.

Since this incident has made me a little paranoid: I have made a list on my profile on fanfiction. net that I keep up to date on where I post my works, and where I will add links to translations I have given permission for (if anyone ever wants to do one; so far their number is exactly zero). If you find my work on a site or account that is not on that list, no matter if it's a mirror site or whatever, you have found a thief. Please report that person to the admins of whatever website they use and inform me so I can keep an eye on it.

Thank you and till next time!

PS, for those interested:

Tsukumogami = an item that, after a certain amount of years, has gained life/a spirit living in them.

Kouhai = junior (at work or school)

UPDATE: My readers are awesome! Special thanks go to ElinkA and Baysen for helping me with the fanfics. me issue. Thanks to them the situation is now fixed. I love you guys!