Bound By Blood (Muggle Meets Magic #2)

FOUR - The Nine-Tailed Fox

When I reached the dining hall and sat down, I was still shaken up from what had happened, and I couldn't process it at all.

How had the Professor been in two places at once?

"Alyssa San," Setsuna said. She was seated across from me, her gazed fixated on me. "Are you okay?"

I forced a smile.

"I'm fine," I replied quickly.

Yes, I would ask her about how to get out of Mahoukotoro... our of Japan completely, and back to Hogwarts, but not right now. Not in this public place where it was likely we'd be overheard.

Besides, I knew Setsuna, but not well enough to trust her with every single detail. And right now, I needed to figure out what parts were safe to tell— as soon as I figured out what had happened, that is.

With a weary sigh, I filled my plate with natto, rice, a fried egg, and also grabbed a mandarin. Japanese breakfast food was so different to what I was accustomed to, but it didn't stop me eating it. I just didn't touch the raw foods that some Japanese people ate. I didn't think I could stomach it.

As I ate, I kept scanning the room for any sign of Professor Akura and Professor Plumble, but neither seemed to be in sight. I knew they could apperate, which was why I wasn't questioning how Professor Plumble had gotten here. Perhaps he'd already left?

Eventually, I gave up on looking, and prepared myself for a long day of lessons ahead.

***

Though the practice of magic was more or less the same between cultures and countries, the Japanese did have a number of different practices they studied, and I wasn't excused from learning them just because I wasn't from here. Not only did we study traditional spellcasting, but we learned about familiars (spirit animals), and studied the history of Onmyodo— which was another form of divination until it was prohibited under superstition in the 19th century. By the time dinner came around, my brain was worn out and my limbs ached from practice. But I had to figure out how to get out of here.

The futons in our accommodation were meant to be folded up and put away during the day, to make more space to move around. It was part of the Japanese culture. I'd been in such a rush to leave that morning that I hadn't bothered, but it seemed that the room had some kind of enchantment that caused my futon to pack itself away. So as Setsuna and I unpacked out beds again, I said (as casually as I could),

"Hey, how do mages usually travel overseas from Japan? Aside from apperating, of course."

Setsuna gave me a curious look.

"Why do you ask?"

I shrugged.

"I was just curious— I'm still learning about the wizarding way of life, after being raised as a muggle."

She hesitated, as if trying to figure out if I was lying. I held my breath, until finally, she seemed to loosen her tense shoulders.

"Well, underage mages usually use Portkeys— they're a seemingly normal object that is enchanted to transport you anywhere."

"How would you go about making one?" I asked. She shook her head.

"If you did, you'd get into serious trouble with the Ministry. Besides, upon making one, they're fixed to transport you at a certain time, and if you miss it, you'd have to make another one. It's too much hassle unless you're trying to travel in a large group."

"Well, can you think of anything else?" I asked. She'd definitely caught on now that I wasn't asking from curiosity— the urgency in my tone had betrayed me.

"What's going on? Are you trying to leave?"

I recoiled.

"Uh— no— I mean, there's a problem... it's hard to explain."

She pulled her lips into a thin line.

"I may be able to help you, but only if you tell me why you're leaving."

I grimaced. I didn't know if I could trust her, but at this point, the cards were in her hands. She had enough proof to warn the Professor of my intentions, so even if I kept my mouth shut, there's a chance he'd come along and pry it out of me with his magic tampering. At least if I confided in Setsuna, there was a chance she'd follow through and get me back to Hogwarts.

So I gave in.

"Professor Akura has been messing with my magic, causing it to fail when I'm actually doing everything right. He's in cahoots with the Hogwarts headmaster, and they're keeping me here— but I don't know why. And I met this lady yesterday who told me my friends were in danger and handed me this strange object."

"What object?" Setsuna asked? I pulled out the time turner and showed her. She gasped.

"You shouldn't have that!" she insisted, and I quickly hid it again, protecting it.

"She told me it would help me save my friends," I replied. Setsuna made a sour face, but then she sighed.

"Alright, fine. I'll help you get back to Hogwarts... but we need to be smart about this. And I want something in return."

I raised an eyebrow.

"What?" I asked.

"Yesterday, when I was wandering the village, I saw a nine-tailed fox— but it ran off before I could follow it. I want you to take me back in time so that I can find it again."

I blinked, unsure if I'd heard her right.

"Sorry— you said a nine-tailed fox?"

She wore a serious expression.

"Yes?"

I frowned. "And you want to find it?"

"Do you know about the nine-tailed fox?" she asked. I shook my head, and she cracked a smile.

"In Japanese culture, the nine-tailed fox is a spirit— a messenger. As they grow in age, their abilities adapt. At fifty old years, it can transform into a woman, and it will gain powers. But once it reaches a thousand years, it will die and ascend to heaven. I believe I saw the fox because it has a message for me."

I continued to blink and process her words. I mean, I guess it wasn't the craziest thing I'd ever heard, considering all that I'd been through in the past year and a half. She tilted her head, and I eventually snapped out of it.

"But how can I take you back in time?"

Now she was giving me a stupid look.

"Uh, duh— you use the time turner?"

My eyes widened, as it clicked into place.

Time turner.

Ohhhhhhh.

Wait a minute— that thing that happened this morning— was I turning time? Did I go back in time? Did that mean that Professor Plumble had been here yesterday, not today?

Of course! It made so much more sense! The way everything had seemed slightly off. The way the professor had been in two places at once! He hadn't been— I'd just been turning time!

I felt like a massive idiot.

"So, will you do it or not?" she asked, and I nodded.

"Yeah— it sounds easy enough. We turn back time, find the fox and hear its message, then you help me get back to Hogwarts undetected. Deal?"

She smiled, and said,

"You got it, Alyssa San."