Kindred Dyad

Hariel was gently patting the dirt around a flower she had just planted. She had been working in the garden and had just finished planting the new flower bed. “Oh, that looks good bishoujo." Nanjirou commented from the porch. 

“Thanks. It’ll take me a little longer to clean out the rest of the weeds from the grass, but after that it shouldn’t be that hard to keep up with maintaining the garden." She said happily.  

The only chore Hariel had really enjoyed doing at the Dursley’s had been gardening. Though she liked cooking with Rinko, she hadn’t liked cooking for Petunia at all. She had always hit her with a spatula whenever she made the tiniest mistake and she still had a few burn scars from the hot oil which had splashed her wrists when she first learned to cook. 

Slowly she sank her magic into the roses, enhancing their magical qualities. Abruptly she thought about Yukimura’s barren hospital room. Maybe he would like a plant? She was there every day so she could take care of it for him. It would cheer up the sad room. 

She resolved to find a plant known for healing to give to him. 

“Ah, you do know you don’t have to work in the garden right?" Nanjirou asked gently. He was well aware that her relatives had heaped work on her too young shoulders and he didn’t want to leave her with the impression that she had to do the same here. 

Hariel glanced back at him. “I know Nanjirou-san, Rinko-san already told me that I don’t have to do this. I just like gardening." He nodded, that was fine, as long as she knew that it was optional and not an obligation. “Do you want plants in your room?" He asked curiously. “Am I allowed to have plants?" She asked shyly. He nodded. “Sure, bishoujo." He easily climbed to his feet. “In fact, let’s go get you a few pots and plants right now. I don’t think we have anything else to do this afternoon, right?"  

Hariel nodded happily, glad to spend time with him.  

One trip to the store later she was happily arranging the pretty blue pots with several herbs plants and flowers on her window sill. Nanjirou watched her quietly from her doorway, glad to see her relaxed and happy. 

He watched curiously as she started etching runes into the flower pot. “What do those runes mean?" Hariel hummed as she worked. “Well, these are just energy and strength runes, to help the plants grow. You can do just about anything with runes though." The samurai nodded, watching her slowly charge the runes until they glowed a steady violet. 

A little while later the green-eyed girl spoke up again, voice soft. “Nanjirou-san, can I paint runes on the ceiling?" The samurai nodded. “Sure bishoujo, just make sure that you add an invisibility ward keyed to mundane people if you animate them or make them glow, or anything overtly magical like that." She nodded, that made sense, if she ever did manage to make friends and they happened to be mundanes, it wouldn’t do to scare them half to death with a glowing magical ceiling. 

The bell rang. “I’ll get it." Hariel called softly as she made her way to the front door. She stared, surprised, as she recognized the person on the other side. “Ryoga-san..." She whispered. Then she reached out to hug him, smiling happily as she wound slender arms tightly around his waist. 

Golden eyes set in an older version of Ryoma’s face widened in surprise. “Chibi.... -chan?" He whispered, surprised.  

Then he swept her up in a hug, twirling her around in delight. “I didn’t know you’d be here." She tugged him along as soon as he put her back down on her feet. “Ryoga..." Nanjirou murmured, spotting his oldest son as he was dragged into the room right behind Hariel. The two making for a comical sight as the tiny teenager towed the tall young man behind her easily. 

“Yo, oyaji." The older copy of Ryoma stated semi-casually. Hariel noticed his tightly clenched hands and wondered what had happened. The last time she had seen them in England Ryoga had still been living with the Echizen’s. 

Nanjirou gathered the young man in a tight hug. “I’ve missed you." He stated lowly. Golden eyes widened, as if surprised by that. “Ah." He clung to his father. Feeling safe in the shelter of the strong arms that had picked him up whenever he fell for most of his childhood. He had missed his family intensely.  

“Ryo... ga-nii?" Ryoma stood in the doorway, face a mask of shock. As Ryoga gathered him a tight hug he clung to his big brother. “Where have you been, idiot?" He muttered resentfully, pressing his cheek harder against his big brother’s chest. Ryoma was not good with emotions. 

“Around, I am going to university now." The young man answered gently, familiar with his baby brother’s antagonistic personality. “Why didn’t you stay in touch?" The younger brother asked angrily. He had missed his older brother a lot, but he was also mad over being abandoned.  

“My aunt said you didn’t want me anymore." Ryoga eventually confessed lowly. It had taken all of his courage to even show up here. He had thought that Nanjirou had just send him away, but maybe that hadn’t been the case... 

The samurai looked angry, focussed golden eyes almost spitting fire. “Your aunt is a lying cunt then." He snarled, Hariel watched wide-eyed as the usually laidback, relaxed man got truly angry. “I fought for you, I sued for custody, there were court battles. She threatened me with a restraining order to keep me away from you." 

Ryoga’s world was crashing, but instead of pain it felt like freedom. He was loved... 

Hariel’s world was crashing, but instead of freedom she felt fear. Angry adults had always been a threat. Nothing good came out of an adult getting angry in her experience. Flashes of being hit, of old pain and resentment played in her mind like a horror movie.  

Ryoma, spotting the ghostly white pallor of his best friend turned little sister immediately curled a supportive arm around her and then turned them around to slap Nanjirou. “Oi, oyaji, calm the fuck down. You’re scaring Ri-chan." He stated loudly. 

As if he had been doused in cold water the anger fled from Nanjirou just as fast as it had formed. Ryoma was softly rubbing her back, trying to support her as her legs started trembling. Unable to carry her any longer, her legs collapsed beneath her and she would have fallen if Ryoga hadn’t caught her small frame easily. 

“Hey chibi-chan." The young man said softly, gently cuddling her closer. “It’s okay, oyaji is an idiot but he would never hurt you. You know this." Hariel, being tiny in comparison to the tall young man was plucked up from the ground and gently wrapped in a hug as if she was still a little girl toddling after him. 

He swayed from side to side, rocking her soothingly. Hariel hiccupped, tears streaming down her too pale face. Ryoma reached up to hold her hand, a grounding sensation for the teenager, who was thoroughly caught in a flashback.  

Nanjirou looked stricken. “I’m so sorry, Hariel-chan..." He whispered remorsefully. Hariel just kept crying, roughly trying to wipe the tears away with the back of her hand, even as more fell. Ryoga pressed a kiss to her forehead.  

He felt cold inside, for her to react to an angry adult like this didn’t exactly paint a very pretty picture about her old homelife. They’d all known she hadn’t been treated very well but this indicated that it might have been far worse than they thought. 

Hariel eventually calmed down, laying her tired aching head on Ryoga’s strong shoulder. Feeling her calm down, her tears finally stopping, the older Echizen brother plopped down on the couch. Small teenager still ensconced in his lap as they waited calmly for her to come around. 

Eventually she spoke up. “Sorry Nanjirou-san." Was the first thing she said. Nanjirou sighed, this was in no way her fault. “No bishoujo, I am sorry. I should have remembered that you have a hard time with angry adults. I’m supposed to look after you and I am not doing a good job right now." 

As if she was still the five-year-old girl she had been when he first met her, she held out her arms in the wordless plea mastered by children everywhere to be picked up. 

He easily gathered her into his arms, mirroring what Ryoga did shortly before. Hariel, now perched on Nanjirou’s hip buried her head into his neck. A big warm hand stroked down her spine and she relaxed into him. She knew he’d never hurt her like the Dursley’s did but seeing him angry had unearthed many ugly memories. 

After all the hullabaloo of Ryoga’s return and Hariel’s breakdown, Nanjirou decided that they needed a family evening, time to rest and relax. He asked Hariel to pick a movie and then made the two boys sit through her choice. They didn’t even protest that much, Mulan was after all not really a girly movie. It could have been a romantic monstrosity for all they cared, cheering Hariel up was worth sitting through stupid movies. 

When Rinko came home hours later, it was to the interesting cuddle pile of Nanjirou, who had Ryoga and Ryoma leaning into him, cuddled underneath his arms with Hariel sprawled all over Ryoga. She had fallen asleep hours ago, exhausted by her crying jag. 

“I’m home." She whispered, trying not to disturb the sleeping teens. Nanjirou and Ryoga nodded at her, smiling softly but keeping mum to avoid waking the teenagers. 

She sat down in one of the chairs to wait until they came back. Ryoga carrying Hariel while Nanjirou carried Ryoma off to bed. 

“They’re sleeping soundly." Nanjirou said as they re-entered the living room. Rinko got up to gather Ryoga into a gentle hug. “You came back... you’re really here." She pressed a loving kiss to his forehead. “I missed you." 

Ryoga’s eyes gained a suspiciously watery sheen. “I’m home..." He whispered. Nanjirou sighed, pulling his son close on one side and his wife close on the other he spoke up. “Ryoga’s dear aunt apparently told him I didn’t want him. The stupid cunt. I got angry and Hariel had a panic attack because of me."  

“But she’s okay now?" Rinko asked. The two Echizen males nodded. “She’s fine. His anger probably just sparked bad memories. She is not actually afraid of oyaji at all. The first thing she wanted when she calmed down was to be picked up by him." 

Rinko sighed. “I guess it was too much to hope that she could simply forget her deplorable relatives." She relaxed against her husband. “We’ll just have to help her." Ryoga stated casually. “Oh, so you’re staying then?" Nanjirou asked teasingly, a serious glint in his eyes. The young man nodded. “If that is okay? I am going to the nearby university after all." 

Rinko grinned, delighted that he would be staying. “Of course you can stay, we have plenty of room. Hariel and Ryoma will be pleased to have you around and I know Nanjirou missed you a lot." The man in question nodded and hummed vaguely, looking somewhat reticent, yet completely unable to deny that he had in fact missed his oldest very much. 

Ryoga grinned. “Alright then, I guess I really am staying here." 

With a start Hariel woke from a dead sleep, haunting acid green still flashing behind her eyelids. Combining in new horrible ways with the sight of broken white wings. Staring at the ceiling she already knew that she wouldn’t be getting anymore sleep tonight. Curling up on her side she stared at the red glowing numbers of her alarm clock, slowly ticking up until the day started. Mind unable to stop spinning in circles even though she felt so, incredibly, immensely tired. 

At four o’clock she sighed and stood up on her bed, barely able to reach the ceiling. Slowly, meticulously, she started drawing the runic array she had first created in Hogwarts with a glowing fingertip. Softly glowing violet runes marched around the borders of the ceiling as she locked in the array, the runes sprawling over the ceiling like an oil stain in a clean pond. 

Seeing that the clock had struck five by now, she decided to change so she could go for an early run. She crept down the stairs, opening the door and locking it shut behind her carefully. She stuck her keys and her cell phone into a pocket of her green shorts. Clad only in a long-sleeved black t-shirt and thin shorts she shivered mildly. It was still cold, the sun had yet to even peek over the horizon. 

“It should be fine, running warms you up right?" She muttered to herself. She started jogging. As she passed by houses and crossed streets she slowly started to relax. The physical exercise helping her sort through her demons, her nightmare finally releasing its stubborn grasp on her emotions. Sadness remained, steadily hanging in the background. She would always miss Hedwig, but the weight was becoming more bearable with each passing day.  

Running really was a lot like flying, she eventually decided. It made her feel free. A little while later she sat down besides the river. Sitting down on the still wet grass she drank big gulps of water. Leaning back to enjoy the early morning sun on her face, she poured clean water over her head.  

She blinked as the boy from the Seigaku regulars came running by. She nodded politely almost in reflex. “Fssshhhhhh." He hissed, then nodded in return. Her magic brushing softly passed him, pleased and giddy with his presence. 

Hariel thoughtfully looked at his back as he kept on running. He had dark eyes, his presence was intimidating, but his eyes seemed really kind. Maybe he was a big softy inside? 

She made her way back home at a decent pace. Wondering if maybe she should talk to him, they had been exchanging friendly nods for weeks now... 

A pale girl eventually entered the hospital room. Yukimura watched with worry as she collapsed against his bed, as if her strings had been cut. She had dropped her bag already, wordlessly setting a plant in a pretty violet pot which matched his eyes on the windowsill. “This is for you." She stated softly, sadness hovering over her. 

He tugged her against him, running a gentle hand through her hair. “Thank you, it’s a beautiful plant. But what happened, Hariel-chan?" He asked eventually, as the tension slowly melted away from her tiny frame. 

“I had a panic attack." She admitted tonelessly. “I left my relatives far behind and they are still ruining my life and yesterday I had a nightmare." She curled her hands tightly, nails cutting into her palms. “I’m weak. What if they decide that I’m too much trouble? What if they don’t adopt me after all..." 

Yukimura tilted her chin up so he could look her in the eye. “They won’t. Hariel-chan, from everything you’ve told me, the Echizen’s love you. Just because you had a panic attack doesn’t mean that they will stop loving you." He took her hands in his, uncurling her fingers from where her nails were cutting into her skin. 

He frowned at her. “And you are not weak. Don’t say that..." She rested her too heavy tired head against his chest, starting to mumble into his soft t-shirt. “Seiichi-senpai... what if I’ll never get over them? And I still miss Hedwig, so much. What if I’ll keep having nightmares and panic attacks?" 

He sighed. “You won’t, it will get better. You are very strong Hariel-chan. Maybe even the strongest person I know. I’ve watched you come her day after day. You’re always cheerful and you always try to help me out even though you’re exhausted from your nightmares. You have so much pain locked inside but you never gave up. It’s okay to miss her, just don’t give up now..." 

“You think they really won’t mind?" She asked again, voice soft with the hope of a child. He nodded. “I really think they won’t mind. Just talk to them..." 

Eventually she nodded. “Okay. I’ll talk to them." She sighed, a headache piercing through her skull. “Go to sleep Hariel-chan. You won’t learn anything like this anyway and you look sleep deprived." She yawned as she cuddled closer. Strong arms cradled her close as she drifted off. “Thank you... Seiichi-senpai..."  

“I’m going to England tomorrow, to try and get the Dursleys to sign over your custody." Rinko announced out of the blue. Nanako blinked, RyomaRyoga and Nanjirou nodded, while Hariel wrung her hands together nervously. 

“Okay obaa-san. I’ll take over cooking dinner, when do you expect to be back?" Nanako asked softly. Rinko frowned. “I don’t know. It all depends on how fast the courts will sign off on the adoption." A vicious smile appeared on her pretty face. “If I have my way, I won’t be there long." 

Ryoga reached out a hand to pat Hariel gently on the head. “Don’t worry so much chibi-chan. Kaa-chan is much too vicious to let those pigs get away without signing those papers. She’ll be fine and you will be as well." 

Hariel swallowed uneasily. “I hope so..." She mumbled almost too low to hear. 

Hariel started with a perfect twist serve. Despite the fact that her right hand had been swaddled into another cast once the swelling had finally gone down, this time a green one, her tennis had steadily grown stronger. 

Yuuta was already running as they started to rally. That was the nice thing about being fairly evenly matched, Hariel mused as she finally managed to hit the ball somewhere the grey-eyed boy couldn’t return it. It meant a lot of growth on both sides, because a win was always tantalisingly within reach. 

They weren’t keeping track at all since they were only trying to practice, to get stronger. Eventually she collapsed in the grass, pillowing her head on her jacket. 

Yuuta stared curiously at her arm in the cast, angry red scars spiralling above it to halfway on her upper arm. “What happened?" He asked, poking her new cast casually. 

Hariel stiffened. “My old school... I was attacked there. They broke my wrist and cut these scars into my arm." She eventually said haltingly. Yuuta paled. “That’s awful..." She hummed, because yes, it really was. 

“Say, Hariel-chan?" He had started addressing her more casually after a few weeks. “I took your advice and you were right. Aniki really was trying to protect me." He scowled. “Why he always has to embarrass me I don’t get though. He told me he loved me, but he did it in such a way that everyone at school misunderstood it as a love confession." He groaned. “He always does that, wording things so that people misunderstand him. Then he stands there smiling angelically as he watches the fallout." 

Hariel giggled. Somehow that sounded funny. “That’s nice..." She sighed. “Love of a family huh..." 

Yuuta looked a little panicked at her sad face and blurted out the first thing that came to mind. “Do you want to have dinner at my house?" She blinked. “Huh?". “Aniki is curious, he has been asking after you." He answered the unspoken question, blushing as he looked away. 

She hummed. “Okay." He immediately looked back. “Really?" Hariel nodded. “Sure, you are my friend right? I’d like to meet your family."  

And that was how Hariel ended up having dinner with the Fuji family later that week. 

Hariel had brought her sketchbook along to Seigaku. As she watched the regulars train, she opened the notebook and started sketching the boy with the gentle smile. Somehow her gaze kept being drawn to him. 

While she could admit that he was really pretty, her fascination had more to do with the way he could project a soft gentle demeanour without it feeling like a lie. Even though she was almost completely certain that there was far more to him. 

She gasped quietly as she watched him open his eyes for the first time. He had cerulean blue eyes, lit with a sharp fire. His gaze was incredibly intense. Seeing him playing tennis serious for a few moments against the captain of the team was mesmerizing. He was incredibly graceful. 

Sakuno walked over to where Hariel was sitting in the shade. Tomoka for once not with her, leaving her free to go to the green-eyed girl’s side. She knew that Hariel probably didn’t dislike the loud girl, but she never the less avoided her. Sakuno didn’t mind, she had seen Hariel shy away from all loud people over the weeks they’d been acquainted. 

“Ah, hello Hariel-chan. I didn’t know you could draw.” Sakuno spoke up softly, watching in awe as Hariel created a sketch of Ryoma. His fierce eyes nearly glaring of the page, she had captured his intensity perfectly. “Oh hi Sakuno-chan, uhm, it’s just a hobby. I’m not very good at it.” Hariel shyly deflected. 

“Eh, but these are really good. Ryoma-kun looks so lifelike.” Twin-braids were dangling over her shoulders as she leaned closer to see the sketchpad better. “Thanks.” The raven-haired witch said softly.  

Tomoka called, and Sakuno softly bid Hariel goodbye to join her best friend in cheering for Ryoma. 

By the time practice came to an end and Ryoma wandered over to her she had pages full of his face, but most of her drawings were of the regular she was slowly becoming obsessed with, his eyes burning up at her. “Ah, were you drawing Fuji-senpai?" Ryoma asked bluntly. 

Hariel flushed. “He... he looks amazing when he plays tennis." She mumbled. “So his name is Fuji?" Ryoma’s eyebrow rose. Hariel had never been interested in anybody before so this was certainly new terrain... 

“His name is Fuji Syusuke... a third year at Seigaku. He’s known as a tensai." 

Hariel ran as fast as she could, it was like she was still being chased by her nightmare. Tears tracking slowly down her pale cheeks as the sun started rising. The miles were quickly disappearing as she tore down the road as she desperately tried to outrun her memories. 

Flashes of bloody feathers, haunting green light and a female voice pleading “Not Hariel, not Hariel, take me instead." 

As her fear and frustration ever so slowly started dissolving, she gradually started enjoying the run. Eventually ending up by the river as she always did. She sat down in the grass, staring at the shimmering river in the early morning sunlight, her hands itching for her sketchbook. 

She was just trying to braid her hair, scrunchy clenched between her teeth when she spotted the boy. “Ah..." She said, well aware that she looked a little silly with her arms contorted to braid her long hair. “Uhm, hi." She greeted, she had seen him enough times on her morning run that she felt she should introduce herself by now. 

“Fsssshhhh, hello." He muttered lowly, a threatening scowl on his face even as he glanced away shyly with a very soft nearly invisible pink blush. Her magic weaved over his skin, as if pulling her attention to him, again. The dense power had only ever reacted to Ryoma and Sirius before, but since coming to Japan it had already found two new people it apparently liked. She wondered if that was normal. 

Hariel almost wanted to coo at his apparent shyness. “Are you also running towards the temple?" She asked curiously, for their paths to always cross by the river, did that mean that he lived nearby? 

He nodded, hissing softly. “I live two blocks east of the temple." Hariel smiled gently. “Do you want to run back together? I live at the temple." He nodded immediately, then as if embarrassed by that he glanced away again. She got the feeling he was not a very socially skilled person. 

Finally managing to wrangle her hair into a braid, she bounced up and down quickly. “Ready?" In answer he started jogging, she easily kept pace and together they ran down the dirt path towards the road. “What is your name?" She asked, several blocks into their run. “Kaidoh Kaoru....fssshhhhh." She grinned. “I’m Potter Hariel, it was nice to meet you... Maybe I’ll see you tomorrow?" 

He nodded awkwardly, then as she ran left where he had to go right, he waved awkwardly as well in response to her enthusiastic wave.  

Grinning she made her way to the temple, hopefully she could make a new friend. He seemed really sweet. 

As Hariel felt her magic pull towards the sick boy she started wondering what was going on. Her magic had always been a mostly instinct driven force, far more active then was normal. She attributed that to the way the Dursley’s had forced her magic into healing her and preventing malnutrition. 

She was fairly certain that without magic she wouldn’t have been merely petite, she’d have been underweight. So while she was used to her magic independently reacting, she was not used to her magic reacting to a person. 

The last time her magic had been this active she had just met Ryoma. Her magic had pulled her towards him for months, as if it was eagerly pointing out to her that this kid, this one was safe, was her friend, was loved... was her family. 

Now her magic swirled around several new people as well. 

Sighing she decided to shelve that issue for another time. Maybe she could research this if she asked the goblins to buy her reference books. 

“Good morning, Seiichi-senpai." The boy merely nodded. He was pale with purple smudges under his eyes. Already realising that this was not a good day for him, she merely sat down beside him, laying a cool hand over his hot sweaty forehead.  

He sighed, pushing against her hand. They sat in silence for a while before Yukimura finally spoke up. “I hate this, I am so weak, I can’t walk anymore, I can’t even stay awake for a whole day. I Can’t DO, ANYTHING." She didn’t flinch even when he screamed. She had been expecting this for a while now. Nobody could be that calm in such a frustrating situation. He was tired and always in pain, he was allowed to break down every once in a while. 

“You are not weak. In fact, I think you are very strong." She said softly, staring into anguished violet orbs. “Don’t be too hard on yourself, Seiichi-senpai. Your body is fighting itself and you are still keeping up with school and helping me and most of the time, you even smile and ask after others." 

She sighed. “It’s hard... It must be so hard." She lifted her head, a very kind smile appearing on her face while glimmering eyes looked at him gently. “You are amazing." 

He frowned guiltily. The last time his frustration at his situation had boiled over, Sanada had gotten angry as well and they had fought. Hariel didn’t even flinch, not mad at him for losing his temper or even fazed. “I’m sorry, for losing my temper." He bowed his head.  

She pressed a kiss to his forehead. “You are allowed to." His eyes widened in surprise. “You don’t have to keep everything inside, you are allowed to be angry and sad and frustrated." Emerald eyes which suddenly seemed so incredibly old stared out of the window. Avoiding his gaze for a moment. 

“Nobody gets to tell you what to feel. If nothing else that is always yours, your feelings. People can tell you to shut up, but that won’t make the anger go away. Nothing does, some things you will just have to go through."  

She thought about hearing her mom, screaming as she died, seeing sickly green in her dreams for years without even being able to fully comprehend the horror. She thought of all the people telling her to cheer up. Of how the only thing which had really made her feel better was when Sirius sat with her in the sunlight and told her that he missed them too, allowing her the space to just mourn. 

Kind old eyes looked at him. “Let’s go, sunshine and ice-cream always make things easier to bear." He looked at her, surprised. “What, now?" She nodded. “But I don’t know if I can manage to get myself into a wheelchair." It was said lowly, as if it pained him to admit. 

Hariel pushed his wheelchair to the bed, clicked on the breaks, and then she leant over and simply lifted him up, gently setting his uncooperating legs on the plastic of the chair. 

Without fanfare she pushed him out the door, silently taking him out of the hospital. She bought ice-cream at the nearest vendor and handed him his cone, then settled right beside him on a bench in the sun. 

Silently Yukimura soaked in the sun, enjoying his ice-cream. The anger and frustration he felt slowly fading under the warm light. Now that he wasn’t trying to suppress it, it actually passed quite quickly. Watching the girl beside him hum, licking her ice-cream and smiling at the sun he wondered how he got so lucky. She was a sympathetic and sweet friend. 

‘Luna-bell, what does it mean that my magic likes some people?’ The slanted narrow handwriting inked itself onto the page as if by an invisible hand. 

Hermione’s amber eyes widened. “What does that mean? Magic doesn’t behave independently. Is something wrong with her?” The wavy-haired brunette fretted worriedly. 

Meanwhile, Luna hummed a singsong tune. ‘It is magic’s gift to you. Trust in your power Hariel.’ She paused for a moment, giggling to herself as the future once more took a turn onto a better path. A loving kiss, family friendship and bonds flashed through her mind. ‘Meditate more.’ She scrawled down idly. 

Then the seer turned to her logical friend. “Your magic doesn’t. Hariel and I are both far more connected to the roots of our power. Magic is an ancient guardian deity of earth. Of course, she is sentient. Hermione... magic only colours within the lines of reason if its wielders do.”  

Wide-eyed the Gryffindor witch tried to come to terms with that. Luna never lied, even if she didn’t always follow the strange tangents her mind wondered off into. 

“Hariel-chan..." Rinko said softly, waking the sleeping girl. “I’ve got the papers. You only need to sign this and then they can never take you back to England." Wide green eyes stared up at her, then she scrambled into an upright position. “Really? The Dursley’s signed over their custody of me?" 

Rinko frowned. “They were eager to. Those people aren’t fit to raise a tadpole, never mind children." Hariel grinned, Rinko could be viciously funny when her ire was roused. Accepting the pen Rinko handed her, she signed her name, then her new name on the required spots. “Echizen Hariel... welcome home." 

Tears sliding down her cheeks as she grinned fiercely, the petite teenager was gathered in a tight hug. “Thank you, so much." She said, gratitude laced through the words. 

“Nanako is already cooking up a feast. Let’s go wake your older brothers." Rinko suggested mischievously. Ryoma was notoriously bad with mornings, and Ryoga wasn’t much better. 

She nodded happily. With Rinko ever so softly opening Ryoga’s door, Hariel snuck through and then, when she was right beside his bed she shrieked. “Good morning, Ryoga-niisan!!!" He nearly jumped a foot in the air. “What the fuck is going....on...... Nii-san?" He pulled the girl into his arms, dragging her onto the bed. 

Hoisting her into the air by her hips he held her up as if she weighed nothing. “Does that mean that you are as of right now officially Echizen Hariel, chibi-chan?" She nodded happily. He grinned. “That’s amazing." He easily held her up and she felt a little like she was flying. 

She nodded. “Now let go, niisan. I still have to wake up Ryoma." Ryoga’s eyebrows rose. “This I have to see."  

He got up and wandered after his now officially claimed little sister. Watching Rinko open the door he looked at the humorous sight of Hariel tiptoeing into the room. She looked as if she was playing a role in a spy movie, a b-rated one. 

“Good morning Ryoma-nii!!" She shouted into his ear. Golden eyes fluttered open as the owner groaned lowly. “Shut up Ri-chan. It’s too early." They all waited patiently as they watched the shout slowly sink into his brain. He was slowly waking up enough to actually hear what was said instead of loud noise. 

When it finally sank in what she had called him, his eyes flew open. “Kaa-san did it? You are officially ours now?" He asked urgently. Hariel nodded happily. “Yes. I signed literally minutes ago, but it’s done."  Ryoma smiled, a soft beautiful expression rarely seen and all the more precious for it. 

Ryoga wandered into the room, plucking up his kid sister easily, he set her on his hip and then grinned down at his baby brother. “Get up chibisuke. Nanako-chan is already cooking, and I might just eat your share if you continue to laze in bed." He flounced out of the room. “Let’s go, chibi-chan."  

Rinko watched her three kids (three, she could barely believe it) interact, happiness burning brightly inside her heart. Nanjirou, who had been woken up by the shouting came up behind her, winding a tanned arm around her waist. “So did I hear it right that the bishoujo is now officially an Echizen?" Rinko smiled, nodding her head. “I’m so glad." She leaned back against him. “Yeah, me too." 

Hariel showed up at the hospital radiating happiness. Yukimura watched with a small smile as she eagerly explained how she had woken her brothers up with the news of her adoption. “It sounds like you had a great morning, Hariel-chan." The raven-haired girl nodded enthusiastically. “It was really funny, Ryoma is always a zombie in the mornings." 

The navy-haired boy listened with interest as the young teenager told him about her morning. It was rare to see her so uncomplicatedly happy. She was a fairly upbeat person, but sadness tended to linger around the edges of her expressions. Her icy demeanour had melted over the months, as she slowly started healing from the trauma she had endured, but she was still generally quiet and introverted. The reserved quality to her personality likely permanent. 

“Will you take me outside?" Yukimura asked gently, only a little apprehensive. It was hard for him to rely on others, but it seemed like Hariel was becoming the exception to a lot of things. The emerald-eyed girl nodded. She easily lifted his slack body when it became clear that muscle weakness was one of the things plaguing him today.  

She wheeled him through the corridors, pushing his wheelchair and stepping on the iron bars stretching along the back to coast along long stretches of the empty hallways. Yukimura smiled as he heard her giggling softly. “You are almost caught up to where a freshman should be science, but I think Japanese Literature will take some more work." The tennis captain told her calmly. 

Hariel groaned softly. “I just didn’t read anything discussed in that class, and I still have minor issues with kanji. English is so much easier to read." Yukimura hummed. “Don’t worry about it, you are progressing really fast for someone who hasn’t lived in Japan before." 

Yukimura blinked up at the sun, enjoying the gentle heat and the sight of sun-dappled leaves. “Thank you." He said sincerely. Hariel looked at him, a little sad. She was very independent and she couldn’t even imagine being so restricted and helpless. “I’ll take you outside whenever you want. It is no problem at all. I like spending time with you."  

Seeing all of the benches were full and both of them not in the mood to listen to small talk with strangers, they ended up beneath one of the ancient trees, a little way of the path. Realizing that this time there was no convenient bench for Hariel to sit on, the violet-eyed boy merely pulled her into his lap.  

She wasn’t heavy at all after all and this way they could both be comfortable. Weeks spend napping together meant that they were comfortable with sharing their personal space, Hariel’s usual trust issues kept at bay by her magic singing of trust, humming soothingly in the back of her mind whenever she was close to him. Hariel leaned back against him, closing her eyes and feeling the warm sunlight filter through the leaves to touch her face. Yukimura wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his chin on her shoulder. 

He was people watching when one of the other visitors of the park spotted them and started walking towards them. He wondered what the young man wanted with them, since he was unfamiliar to him. 

Hariel blinked, a little surprised as she spotted Ryoga walking towards them. “Chibi-chan. Who’s this?" The tall young man asked curiously, seeing his sister seated on the lap of the pretty boy in the wheelchair. 

“Ah, Seiichi-senpai, this is my older brother, Echizen Ryoga." Yukimura politely bowed his head. “Niisan this is Yukimura Seiichi, my tutor." Ryoga blinked. “Nice to meet you, Yukimura." Then one of his eyebrows rose. “So, why are you in a wheelchair?" The Rikkaidai senior smiled, just like his sister the young man was refreshingly straight forward. “I have a neurological disease which has paralysed my legs. I’m being treated for it in the hospital." The raven nodded.  

“Are you dating my baby sister?" Ryoga demanded seriously. The younger male smiled very softly, tucking a stray lock of hair gently behind her ear. He leaned against Hariel’s back, intentionally closing the gap between their bodies to curl himself around the petite teenager. 

“No, we’re not dating." He stated gently. Ryoga’s eyebrow twitched with irritation. “From where I’m standing it looks like you are being way to casual and close with her, back off." Hariel who had merely watched them interact curiously giggles. “Stop teasing niisan, Seiichi-senpai." She mentioned casually. “Ne, Ryoga-niisan, what are you doing here anyway?" 

The young man frowned. “Are you sure he isn’t being too casual, chibi-chan?" Hariel nodded. “Mhm, yes, he is more like my best friend, like Ryoma or Hermione, we usually nap together so we’re used to being close but it is completely platonic." She shrugged, a loose liquid movement. “He makes me feel safe." 

Yukimura smiled at her admittance. “Hariel-chan is indeed very beautiful and very kind, but we are not dating, Echizen-san. I consider her to be one of my closest friends but I am not attracted to her like that and I don’t believe she is attracted to me either." 

Hariel nodded seriously. “While senpai is a very pretty girl for a boy and undoubtedly will make someone very happy one day I don’t feel that way about him at all." Ryoga nearly giggled, Hariel’s blunt way of describing people could on occasion be hilarious. 

“Just call me Ryoga, Yukimura. As one of chibi-chan's friends you will undoubtably end up acquainted with more Echizen’s eventually so to prevent any confusion you should get in the habit of calling me by my first name."   

Yukimura blinked at Hariel’s description of him. Then he decided to let it go because she didn’t mean it offensively at all and he himself was well aware that he looked feminine.  

“So, what are you doing here?" Hariel repeated her earlier question, still curious. “My university is close by, I had a break in my schedule and decided to eat lunch here." Hariel hummed, that made sense. “Seiichi-senpai, can we have lunch with niisan?" Yukimura nodded. “Of course Hariel-chan, I’d like to get to know your older brother." 

Lunch ended up being an interesting collision of characters. Hariel hadn’t really realised it, since she could be dense on occasion, but Yukimura liked to tease people and Ryoga made an excellent target. 

With his angelic face most people never caught on, but Hariel, when it didn’t involve herself, was fairly adept at reading people and realised that he was doing it on purpose. She grinned as she watched Ryoga twitch, trying to figure out when he would realise that Yukimura was teasing him. 

Hariel made her way towards the river banks, where she saw Kaidoh going through a set of exercises. “Good morning, Kaidoh-san." She greeted softly. “Good morning, Potter-san." Hariel blinked, realising that she would have to explain her name change.  

“Ah, it’s Echizen now, I was adopted." She explained brightly. Kaidoh looked at her curiously. “Fssshhhh, Echizen is your brother?" She nodded. “Ryoma-nii is a little older than I am, and he delights in lording that over my head." She mentioned, a bright flutter of happiness squirming in her stomach at the realisation that she had a family now, that she could tell someone about her very own brother. 

“Fssshhhh, he’s a brat." Kaidoh stated, fondness for the team’s baby colouring his harsh comment. Hariel merely smiled. “He is, but we love him anyway." Kaidoh nodded, motioning for her to go first to continue their run.  

They ran in companionable silence for a while. “Kaidoh-san, do you like Seigaku?" The dark-haired boy was silent for a while. “There is a good tennis team." He ended up stating. Hariel grinned, trust a regular to be tennis obsessed.  

“What are the lessons like?" She asked, she was considering going to Seigaku now that she was mostly caught up with the curriculum, but she was scared of being bullied again, of people talking behind her back, of being on the outside forever staring in. “What do you want to know?" Kaidoh asked tersely, aware that she wasn’t just making small talk. 

Hariel sighed, trying to gather her thoughts. “I was assaulted at my old school." She raised her arm, shoving the sleeve up high enough to show the still blood flaked lines on her arm. “This happened to me because of rumours and bullying. I guess what I really want to know is if Seigaku is safe from bullies." 

Kaidoh frowned at the sight. “Seigaku... is not perfect." He eventually said. “Bullying does happen sometimes, but I don’t think it would ever go that far, the faculty does punish bullies if they are reported." 

Hariel pulled her sleeve over the cast again. “Thank you." The dark-eyed boy nodded seriously. “Echizen would never allow people to bully you." He looked away shyly while finishing his sentence. “And neither would I." 

Hariel flushed, grateful for his awkward kindness. “Thank you." She murmured thickly.