Chapter 2: What the hell is Hogwarts
The Dojo was silent as Ranma trailed off after finally telling Akane the full story about himself and Ryoga.
"So lemme get this straight in my head. It started with the bread feud, moved on to the duel that never happened. Then Ryoga followed you to china, where you according to him kicked him over a cliff and into the pools where he picked up the curse of the drown little black piglet. Then was almost eaten several times before he finally found you here in Nerima, attacked us at school, followed you home, tried to attack you here and fell into the Koi pond." Akane looked at the clearly embarrassed Ranma. "So when you learn about his curse you as the honourable baka that you are promised to keep it a secret so no one else can use it against him." Ranma stared down at the floor his face a bright red.
"Um, yeah that's pretty much what happened."
"Uh huh. So after making this promise I found him out in the rain in his curse form, brought him home and took him to bed with me and have been doing so every time he's showed up for the past two years."
Ranma paled as he looked up noting her battle aura as she glared at him. "So instead of just saying Akane P-chan is Ryoga, you decide that a promise to a dishonourable pig was more important than my own honour and that I was sleeping with another man!"
Ranma glared at her his own volatile temper starting to get the better of him. "That's not it at all ya dumb Tomboy! I gave him my word, I promised him I would never say anything, what he did was wrong but it don't change the fact I still gave him my word!"
"What did you call me!" Akane stood glowing brightly surrounded by her bright red aura and her Mallet of doom appeared in her hands and she swung intent on giving Ranma intimate knowledge of the Dojo floor.
Not this time though, enough was enough for the pigtailed martial artist and he reached up with his hand, the mallet head thudding into his palm. He glared at Akane. "Right enough is enough. Am tired of you blaming every damn thing on my Akane, I'm sorry I never came out and straight out said P-chan was Ryoga, but I dropped hint after damn hint, you even seen things yourself and just plain ignored them. Plus I'm pretty sure your pops knew, mine as well probably, and Nabiki seems to know everything that goes on in this town." He stood towering over the glowing girl as she struggled to free her Mallet from his grip.
Akane struggled in her fit of anger to pull her mallet free and in the end kicked Ranma solidly on the shin causing him to yelp in pain and release his hold on the mallet. "RANMA NO BAKA!" She spun on her heel tears streaming down her face and walked out of the Dojo leaving Ranma imbedded in the floor.
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That night around the dinner table was a subdued affair. Akane refused to come down from her room screaming at who ever came to her door to check on her. Even screaming at Kasumi, which sent the house reeling in shock, nobody had ever screamed at her before. Nodoka sat impassively every now and them reaching to stroke the silk wrapped bundle she wore on her back as Genma turned to his wayward son his trademark frown on his face. Soun sat across the table cutting loose with his patented My baby girl yelled at me wail and slowly started to flood the dining room.
"Well boy what did you do to your fiancé this time!"
Ranma glared at his stupid panda of a father. "I din do noth…" He trailed off and stared down at the table. "She found out about Ryoga's curse today, then when she had me explain everything she didn't take it to well that I knew about it and never told her." He set his chopsticks down and glared at Soun and Genma. I also told her that the pair of you two knew as well and that unlike me you were not under any oath of honour keep the secret."
Nodoka shot a scathing glare at the two patriarchs before turning her attention back to Ranma. "Why would the Ryoga boys curse upset her so." Ranma flinched visibly under his mom's stare and he fidgeted in place.
"You know Akane's pet pig P-chan."
Nodoka nodded slightly. "Yes what about him?" Ranma stared pointedly at his mom till he saw comprehension dawn. "And you knew this and kept it from her?"
"I was under oath mom, made before she found that dumb pig to begin with. Ryoga used it against me countless times while I tried dropping hint after hint after hint to that thick as a brick tomboy upstairs."
"Now son that wasn't very manly of you was it." Nodoka used the Saotome Matriarch secret technique to bring her son into line and was shocked when it seemed to fail.
"Sorry Mom but that's not gonna work this time, she's violent, bad tempered and she never listens, I killed for her, I even broke my word as a martial artist because she means more to me and still she tries to hit me, not anymore."
Genma scowled. "You broke your word? Oh why did the fates lumber me with such an ungrateful boy!" He didn't get any further as He splashed down in the Koi pond from Ranma's throw.
"Something to say pop?"
The Panda just growlfed and climbed out of the pond and stalked towards the door. Nodoka sent her husband a sharp glare. "You'll stay outside till your fur dries your not tracking water over Kasumi's clean floors. The Panda whipped out a sign #But it's dinnertime and I'm hungry!#
Ranma snorted and looked at his mom waiting for her to demand seppuku. "I'm tired of this mom every time something always comes up and it gets between me and Akane and she always blames me for it, not anymore. I received a letter today and it may be my last chance of finding a cure for my curse." He smirked knowing this was the perfect bait for his mom. "I've been invited to join a school for Witchcraft and Wizardry, if anyone's gonna have a cure for a magical curse I'd say that they would have it wouldn't you?"
"Oh my manly son, son you'll be a real man again, I'm so happy!" Nodoka gushed from her spot at the table whilst Soun Wailing changed pitch
"Wahhhhhh now the schools will never be joined Ranma's leaving again!"
"Oh my!" Kasumi raised a hand to her mouth in surprise. ((AN: What expecting something else?)) Whilst Nabiki raised a finely shaped eyebrow staring down at the pigtailed Martial artist. "Running away again huh Saotome, leaving my little sister behind, you already forgotten what happened the last time you went gallivanting off for a cure?"
Ranma whirled to face her for a moment as their eyes locked the blue orbs where replaced by the fiery ones that he developed at Mount Phoenix. "I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED!" His chest heaved in anger as the mercenary girl flinched at the heat in his words and the fire in his eyes. "Tomorrow somebody from the school will be arriving to talk with me about what the school is about, and if ANY of you mess this up for me I'll never forgive you!" He scowled and stood leaving most of his dinner untouched and turned away from the table. "I'm not hungry anymore." With that, he turned and headed upstairs to his room leaving the occupants of the dining room to massive facefault at a Saotome not eating his dinner.
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Akane lay in her bed curled into a ball her tears had stopped she just felt empty now and so hurt. In her hands she clasped the letter to Ranma, she knew he was leaving and now after what happened in the bathroom she was sure she had lost him, *damn Ryoga I thought he was a my friend, that, that...PERVERT! * A soft knock at her bed room door made her sit up a scowl on her face. "GO AWAY!"
"Akane I'm coming in."
"Go away Ranma I don't want to talk to you." Akane curled up tighter into a ball tears once again
threatening to spill from her eyes. *GAH why can't I stop crying it's not like I love.... * She just
couldn't do it anymore she just couldn't lie to herself.
"Tough Akane I'm coming in to talk and this time your gonna listen" The door pushed open and the pigtailed martial artist made his way inside and closed the door leaning against the wood staring down at her an unreadable expression on his face. "Just before you climbed onto the roof this morning I got a letter, it asked me to…here look read it for yourself." He pulled the letter out of his back pocket and tossed it onto the bed.
Akane sniffled as she wiped her eyes, sitting up she unfolded the letter it's contents causing her mouth to open and her eyes to widen in surprise. "This has to be a joke Ranma."
"It maybe, but if it's not it could be my last chance to find a cure for my curse. I need to take this chance." He sighed as he watched her eyes cloud over.
"So go...why are you still here it's not like anything's keeping you here Ranma." She turned away staring out her window.
"No....that's not true Akane, there's something keeping me here, someone really, and I can't go till I tell her something really important."
"So why are you still here shouldn't you be out there telling her this." Inside she felt like she was dying as she struggled vainly to keep her tenuous grip on her emotions.
"You really are a baka sometimes you know that." She never even saw him move. Just one moment and he was kneeling in front of her his hand gently turning her face back to his eyes. Blue eyes stared into brown before Ranma leaned forward slightly and pressed his mouth against hers in a soft kiss. Minutes passed before they finally broke apart and Akane stared at him with something akin to shock in her eyes. "I love you Akane Tendo, even though you are violent, can't cook and probably more of a tomboy that Ukyo. I still love you."
"Akane I'm tired of fighting, I'm tired of you hitting me and if I go to this school I don't know when I'll come back, but I dun wanna go without telling you how I feel and without doing this." He reached into his pocket and withdrew a velvet-covered box. Slowly with shaking fingers he opened the box and withdrew a simple gold band with a single tear shaped diamond in the centre. "Will you marry me?"
Akane sat there staring at him totally struck dumb by his proposal a large sweat drop forming on the back of Ranma's head as he waited for answer. Suddenly she burst into tears; this day was too much for her fragile grip on her emotions and she leapt into his arms wrapping hers around his neck covering his face in soft kisses each punctuated by a yes. "What took you so long Baka?"
"Yeah, well I was terrified you'd mallet me and tell me no...." Ranma leaned up and caught her lips with his own giving her a deep passionate kiss...his first real kiss and was he enjoying it.
Standing outside the door was Kasumi her soft smile replaced finally with a genuine one as she made her way down the hall to her own room. *Congratulations Immuto Chan it took you long enough.*
******* 31 July*******
Dumbledore apparated with a soft pop into the yard and paled when he saw the destruction. The wall was demolished in places and the garden was littered with many crater like impacts. Perhaps he was two late and DeathEaters had already learned of the boy's existence and launched an attack. With an audible sigh of relief he watched as a beautiful young woman left the house carrying a load of wet laundry.
Kasumi smiled at the rather strangely dressed gentlemen standing in the yard. "May I help you sir?"
Dumbledore pulled off his hat and bowed "Yes I am looking for a Ranma Saotome please."
"Oh my, I'm afraid all challengers are supposed to make their way round the back door."
"Oh, your mistaken Miss, I'm not here to challenge young Ranma I am here about an invitation he received." Dumbledore chuckled slightly at the girls expression as the calm smile once again slipped onto her face
"Ahhh, we were expecting you Sir, My apologies would you like to come in, we were about to have break...."
She never finished as the cry HENTAI! Filled the air and the sound of breaking glass that showered onto the gravel as a
pig tailed martial artist that sailed perfectly into the koi pond from Akane's window.
Dumbledore stared as a face of raw magic triggered and what was a young man with black hair before he landed in the Koi pond was now a buxom young woman with flaming red hair climbed out. "Fascinating."
Kasumi sighed; they had made such progress last night. "Please forgive my little sister and her fiancé they are a little.... insanely violent sometimes, it's nothing, would you like some tea?"
Dumbledore facefaulted into the grass in surprise. Ranma looked at the newcomer then turned to Kasumi the mumbled words just audible, words like Tomboy and violent maniac that caused Kasumi peaceful expression to change to a slight frown. "Ranma Kun this gentleman is here to see you."
Ranma looked the old man up and down, the old ghoul and the letch had caused him to be very wary when dealing with older people. "Challenge?"
"No, no Ranma-kun this is the representative of the school you were talking about."
"Excuse me, but might I ask what just happened. You were male when you landed in the later you are female now you are out of it." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as he had come across something new and interesting, which at his age was always a welcome experience.
Ranma looked at the man his patented catch phrase rising to the occasion. "I'M A GUY!" He glowered and turned heading into the house and the kettle on the stove. Dumbledore just followed him and Kasumi in stunned silence what exactly had he walked into. He stared as Ranma poured the kettle over his head an amused half smile appearing as the buxom red head turned into the muscular young man.
"Would someone care to explain?"
Ranma shrugged. "Ancient Chinese curse, fell into cursed spring, now cold water turns me into a girl, hot water changes me back." A smile blossomed on Ranma's face. "Do you think your school could have a cure?
"I'm afraid I can't help you Ranma but we have several departments at Hogwarts dealing with curses, counter curses magical maladies. I'm sure in time we'll find a way to cure you, in the meantime you could use the time to learn magic and the mystical arts."
Ranma frowned hoping that he'd get his answer right away. "I guess slim chance is better than no chance." He settled down at the table waiting for breakfast talking quietly with Dumbledore about the school as the rest of the people in the house made their way to the table. Akane sat in her usual spot next to Ranma a slightly guilty expression on her as glanced at her fiancé. "So if you don't mind my asking Sensei where is this school of yours anyway, I've never heard of it before, because you don't exactly look Japanese."
Dumbledore chuckled as he pulled a small bag from inside his cloak. "Lemon Drop?" Ranma and Akane shook their heads in the negative. "I'm not surprised you've never heard of Hogwarts as its location is kept secret from the muggle world." He smiled at the two teens. There are several different magical schools in the world. There is even one here in Japan built into the heart of your own Mount Fuji."
Ranma blinked. "So why me, not that I don't appreciate the offer but I'm curious as to why you are giving it to me."
Dumbledore nodded. "Understandably Ranma, but before I contacted you I was in touch with my counterpart here in Japan and you should have received a formal invitation to attend Mount Fuji School of Sorcery and Spell casting, but all the letters were sent back in the negative."
Ranma shifted his gaze from Dumbledore to his father and glared. "Something to tell me pop?"
Genma glared at his son. "My mission was to train you to be a man amongst men and to be the greatest Martial artist in the world. We had no time for nambie pambie magic tricks." He folded his arms across his chest with an air of smugness on his face and glared at his ungrateful son.
"Still dun explain why you are here now though Dumbledore-San."
Dumbledore nodded. "My apologies Ranma, several weeks ago an event occurred, I am the, I suppose the right word would be owner of a special magical animal, a phoenix in fact, when this event occurred phoenix's all over the world broke into song. After several weeks investigation I found out that this magical event led to you." Dumbledore didn't fail to notice both teens stiffen and the mention of the word phoenix, nor did he fail to notice their hands sliding into each other's. Unfortunately Dumbledore wasn't the only one to notice and Genma leapt to his feet dancing and singing about how the schools would be joined. Soun soon joined his friend as the pair celebrated. Ranma glared at his father while Akane started to glow red with her battle aura.
"Quickly Tendo call the priest!"
"Hey I ain't getting married yet k!" Ranma jumped to his feet sliding into a ready position preparing to beat his pops into the ground. Dumbledore looked at the young teen and smiled briefly.
"Might I be of assistance here?" Dumbledore raised his wand and pointed it at the prancing fathers. "Stupefy!" A blast of blue/white light erupted from the tip of his wand and dropped the two Fathers cold were they stood. Akane stood still glowing with anger and walked over to the unconscious Genma. "PANDA NO BAKA!" Dumbledore watched in shock as the glowing Mallet of Akane's formed in her hands and she swung it like a golf club sending Genma into L.E.O*
Dusting her hands the mallet vanished and she looked at the shocked Dumbledore. "Sorry Sensei, but he was getting on my nerves."
"Think nothing of it my dear, but if you will allow me there is a test I would like to perform."
Akane glanced at Ranma a worried expression on her face. Ranma looked at Dumbledore and frowned. "It won't hurt her or nothing would it?"
Dumbledore shook his head. "No, just Ms Tendo's mallet intrigues me and I wish to check something."
Akane shrugged. "Ok I guess." Dumbledore smiled and stood crossing the distance between the two and gently tapped her on the head with his wand. There was a ringing sound like crystal being struck and it echoed around the house. Slowly a blue nimbus surrounded the startled girl and Dumbledore smiled brightly. "Well this is a surprise." He turned to Kasumi who sat there quietly watching everything and smiled. "Do you have some paper and a pen I may use. It seems I have a letter to write."
Kasumi smiled and stood vanishing into the kitchen whilst Akane and Dumbledore retook their seats at the table. "Sensei, what exactly was that you just did?" Dumbledore looked at Ranma and twinkled. "It was a magical resonance test, Ms Tendo's Mallet it appears is a form of Conjuration. It is a magical construct." Kasumi returned with the paper and pen and Dumbledore quickly wrote a short letter and whistled sharply. With a burst of flame and song there on the kitchen table Fawkes popped into view. But instead of turning to Dumbledore the Phoenix faced Ranma and warbled softly, spreading it's scarlet and gold wings it bowed to him before turning it's attention to Dumbledore.
Everyone in the room watched the bird with awed expression as Dumbledore attached the letter to its leg and it once more popped out of existence. "Dumbledore-San what do you mean magical construct?"
"One of the advanced courses taught at Hogwarts is called Conjuration, where with the right spell a person can create an object, but the life span of the object reflects the strength of the caster. It seems Ms Tendo has the ability to conjure up that Mallet of hers when she gets angry." There was a pop and Fawkes reappeared on the table. "Aha." Quickly Dumbledore plucked the letter from Fawkes leg and quickly scanned its contents. "It seems Mr Saotome you aren't the only one never received their school letter." Suddenly Soun cringed as every eye in the place was suddenly upon him. Suddenly he started bawling once more. "I didn't want my baby girl to go away!"
Ranma and Akane stared at each other in shock. This was what they had hoped for, a way to get away from all the rivals and fiancées. "I don't know what to say Dumbledore-San, I want to accept your offer, but I can't go and leave my fiancée behind. So the final decision hers I guess."
Dumbledore stared at the young woman his eyes twinkling. "Well Ms Tendo I'd like to formally extend to you an Invitation to attend Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry."
Akane looked at her family a slight blush on her face. "I would like to accept Dumbledore-San" Ranma whooped not caring who was at the table Ranma wrapped his arms around Akane's waist and kissed her.
Nodoka, Soun, and Nabiki all face faulted at the sight whilst Akane stiffened in his arms from shock and pushed him away "PERVERT!" Without thinking, her mallet formed in her hands and she started to swing but suddenly stopped when she saw the hurt and expectant expression on Ranma's face. "I...I'm sorry Ranma...old habits die hard..."
Ranma smiled when the mallet vanished again and slipped his arms around her again. "It's ok Ak-chan you
didn't hit me so that's a start."
TBC…
AN: There you go people yet another revised chapter and hopefully that fills some of the gaping plot holes I left in the original. The next chapter should hopefully plug all the remaining gaps. Till then
Yours truly,
The Evil Kai Lun Mau