Wasted: Chapter One
Title: Wasted
Fandom: Inuyasha and Harry Potter, Crossover
Rating: T
Pairings: Sesshoumaru/Harry, Kouga/Inuyasha, one-sided Kagome/Inuyasha, mentioned Miroku/Sango
Disclaimer: Do you really think Inuyasha and Harry would be straight if I owned the rights to them?
Summary: Harry Potter managed to defeat Voldemort. The only catch is that he has to go into the past - or, more precisely, Feudal Era Japan.
Prologue
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Wasted
Chapter One: The Hermit
Often the people that are most important in your life are the ones that you least expect to be. (Unknown)
The Western Lands
Inuyasha lifted his head, sniffing deeply. The air smelled normal - the scents of dozens of different animals reached his nose, as well as old scents from the day before. Nothing was out of place. And yet, Inuyasha could feel the hairs on the back of his neck raising, a warning of some approaching danger. His instincts were screaming at him - look out, look out! Something was off. What was frustrating was that Inuyasha couldn't tell what.
"Inuyasha? What is it?" Inuyasha turned his head to see Kagome watching him worriedly from her usual position on his back. "You look like something's wrong," she added when he didn't say anything, a furrow between her eyebrows. "Do you sense something?"
"Nah," he said, lying to her easily. Whatever his instincts said, his senses were telling a different story. This part of the forest was empty of anyone looking to hurt them, and it wouldn't do to worry Kagome because he was being paranoid. "Just thought I caught the scent of some deer, that's all." They all knew how much Inuyasha liked meat.
Kagome huffed. "You and your deer," she muttered. Inuyasha decided not to tell her that even if she muttered or whispered, he could still hear everything she said. The perks of being a hanyou. "I don't' see why you can't lay off of them," she added, more loudly.
Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Don't you always bring that food - what's it called, bumburgers or something?"
He could smell Kagome's embarrassment. "Hamburgers, Inuyasha," she corrected. "And besides," she added, "that's different!"
Inuyasha scoffed. "Yeah?" he asked. "How?"
Kagome fumbled. "Well-" she started, then tried again, "It just is, okay?" Inuyasha heard her impatient huff against his back.
Inuyasha smirked a little. "Lemme know when you come up with a better argument," he said teasingly. Kagome was fun to rile up - well, at least when she was on his back. She didn't usually use her command when she could end up in the dirt too.
They were silent for a while before Kagome asked, "Are the others still flying above us?" She knew that Inuyasha would be able to sense them.
Inuyasha reached out with his youkai, finding his packmates easily after a year and a half of exposure to each other. "Yeah, they're still there," he said. "Why'd you ask?"
"I'm sensing some shard pieces," Kagome said. "They're about . . . a mile up, maybe? I think there's four or five."
Inuyasha's body tensed. He wondered if it was a coincidence that Kagome should sense shards in a forest that was making him on edge. Inuyasha didn't believe in coincidence.
"We're supposed to stop in a half-hour for lunch," He said. "Can you point us towards the shards then?"
He felt Kagome's nod against his back. "Yeah, the closer we are, the better I can feel them," she assured him.
"Good," Inuyasha said. He could feel his blood thrumming, the prospect of a fight exciting him. They hadn't seen any action for a good week, and it made Inuyasha antsy. It was also surprising - usually Sesshoumaru came by every time this month. It was the anniversary of their father's death soon, something Inuyasha had learned from his mother when he'd asked her why she cried that day, every year.
Kagome and Inuyasha didn't talk again until they came to the proposed meeting spot - a clearing halfway through the forest that Sango knew because she'd travelled this way before. The clearing was surrounded by tulips, which was how they were to know where to stop. Usually, the group travelled together, but when it came to forests, it was sometimes easier for Inuyasha and Kagome to travel alone through the trees as Sango, Miroku and Shippou (all on Kirara) travelled in the air above.
Kirara and her riders were already on the ground when Inuyasha and Kagome arrived. Sango was squatting down, already trying to start a small fire, which Miroku leaned against Kirara's side and appreciated the view. Shippou, on Kirara's back, was fast asleep.
"Kagome sensed a shard," Inuyasha announced as he bent to let Kagome off of his back. Miroku straightened immediately, and Sango got back to her feet, the fire abandoned for the moment.
"Can you tell us where exactly it is?" Sango asked excitedly. She was just as anxious for some action as Inuyasha was. Inuyasha smiled a bit to himself -out of all of them, Sango was closest to him in spirit. She was as blunt as he was, and could be equally as bloodthirsty.
Kagome frowned and closed her eyes, concentrating. Finally, she said, "It feels like it's about a half-mile up that way," she waved her hand to the north. Her frown deepened. "Also," she said, "It's definitely in someone's body. The feelings - muffled, almost. It's the same kind of feeling I get from Kouga."
Inuyasha frowned, growling on instinct at the wolf's name, but the rest of his pack ignored him. "I suppose that means we'll have a fight on our hands," Miroku said, smiling pleasantly.
Inuyasha snorted. "Don't we always?" he asked, reaching over to Kirara to shake Shippou awake.
"Wha?" Shippou murmured, coming awake with a start. He rubbed at his eyes as he sat up. "Wha's going on?" he said, his words hazy.
"Kagome found a shard," Inuyasha told him. "You need to eat, because we're heading out as soon as we can."
Shippou yawned widely as he sat up and jumped off of Kirara's back. He sleepily made his way over to Sango, who gathered him into her side and placed food in front of his face, smiling when Shippou immediately grabbed it and stuffed it in his mouth. Inuyasha shared a smirk with Miroku as he sat down on the ground in front of the abandoned camp fire. They didn't have time to make one anymore, not if the shards were on the move.
Inuyasha decided to forgo better food, and instead satisfied his appetite with some bread and dried meat strips. That would keep him on his feet during the fight, if there was one, and if they had time afterwards he could indulge his stomach's needs. Until then, all he needed was enough substance to go on.
The rest of his pack ate equally as quickly, even Kagome, who, at first, hadn't understood the need to eat quickly the first time this kind of situation happened to them. Inuyasha had seen Sango take her quietly aside after that first time and explain the necessity of eating quickly and eating whatever they had if they were in a hurry to get shards. After that, it hadn't been a problem. Within ten minutes, they were all packed up again and ready to head out.
This time Kirara and her riders stayed close to Inuyasha as he darted through the trees, Kagome on his back. She whispered instructions in his ear, pointing when her words didn't suffice. Eventually, they stopped in another clearing, this one smaller and less distinct than the first. There was a small house in the very corner of it, but it looked old and abandoned. Otherwise, the clearing was empty. Inuyasha raised an eyebrow.
"It's in there," Kagome whispered in his ear, arm extending over his shoulder so that she could point at the small hut.
"You sure?" Inuyasha asked. "It looks abandoned."
He could feel Kagome's annoyance. "Of course I'm sure!" she snapped. "Have I been wrong yet?"
Inuyasha sighed. "Get down. I'll go in first and check it out."
"I'll come with you," Miroku said, slipping off of Kirara's shoulders. Inuyasha heard Kagome huff as she climbed off of his back, but she didn't protest not going in with him, to Inuyasha's relief. Miroku was more than enough help for him.
Miroku came up to his side. "I'll enter first, and you cover my back," Inuyasha instructed, stalking slowly up to the door of the hut. He saw Miroku nod out of the corner of his eye, his friend's hand already on the purple cloth covering his hand, tugging it in the way he always did before a battle or when he was nervous.
The hut seemed quiet. In fact, the entire clearing seemed quiet. Inuyasha frowned. He couldn't hear birds nearby, or the sounds of wildlife in the bushes. Everything was still - unnaturally so. His sense of unease sharpened.
The door to the hut was well-made, but unlocked. Inuyasha took a deep breath and slowly pushed it open, one hand on Tetsusaiga. Immediately, he jumped inside, drawing his sword. He felt Miroku behind him, covering his blind spots. For a moment, all he could see was darkness, and then his eyes adjusted to the darkness. In surprise, his sword dropped an inch.
In front of him, an unconscious man was tied to a chair. He was human, by the smell of him, and while he had grey in his hair, his body was well-kept and fit. Blood had dried on his face, where someone had probably knocked him on the head, causing his unconsciousness. Inuyasha stared.
He caught a movement out of the corner of his eye and was immediately on his guard, swinging his sword to a corner of the room where a figure he hadn't noticed was rising out of the darkness. Inuyasha took a deep sniff and his eyes widened. Hanyou, he thought, although he couldn't tell what kind. He could tell the hanyou was some kind of cat, but trying to pinpoint it . . . . He'd never met a hanyou he couldn't pinpoint the smell of.
"I suppose you must be Inuyasha," the hanyou said, stepping into the light.
For some reason, his face seemed familiar. Inuyasha searched his features intently, taking in the long, dark, unruly hair, the sharp features, the large, very bright green eyes, and the sharp, jagged, poisonous green marks across his cheekbones. The hanyou was dressed in tight-fitting dark clothing, which explained why Inuyasha hadn't seen him right away, and there was a sword strapped to his hip. He black cat-like ears that blended in well with his hair, and Inuyasha managed to catch a glimpse of a cat tail swishing gently behind the hanyou.
"Who are you?" he asked, Tetsusaiga in the air again. "How do you know who I am?"
"And this must be the infamous Miroku," the hanyou said, as if he hadn't heard Inuyasha. "I suppose your other friends must be outside, awaiting a verdict."
"What is your name?" Miroku asked, sounding genuinely curious. "How do you know about us?"
The hanyou smiled and, to Inuyasha's disgruntlement, he answered Miroku's questions. "I know about you because the entire Western Land has been whispering about your deeds for months. Even living away from the world, as I have been, I have heard some of the tales." He paused, and then said, "As for my name, you may call me Hari."
"Well then, Hari," Inuyasha said with annoyance, "why do you have a human tied to a chair?"
Bright green eyes met his. Inuyasha had the disconcerting feeling that this Hari character was looking through him. He shifted on his feet, feeling uncomfortable for some reason.
"The reason," Hari said evenly, "is because that man decided to attack me. I convinced him that it would be in his best interest not to."
"Why would he attack you?" Miroku asked, sounding as confused as Inuyasha felt.
Hari smiled a little. "I had a reputation, back in the day," he said, sounding much more cheerful. "They said no one was able to best me in a fight." Hari shook his head. "They were wrong, of course, but humans are always so eager to believe stories . . . . This man heard of where I was living now and decided to try and prove himself against me." Hari gave the unconscious body a disdainful look. "Of course, he felt it was in his best interest to try and even the playing field." He turned his gaze back to Inuyasha. "I suppose you're here for the shards?"
Inuyasha frowned at him. "How do you know about that?" he asked. "Surely the stories don't talk about the shards."
Hari smiled a little. "You all aren't very discreet, you know?" he said gently. "The humans have spread stories about how you ask about the shards, and the youkai you haven't killed have complained about how you stole the shards from them." Hari's smile fell. "Of course, I am a little more well-informed than the average ningen." He raised an eyebrow. "Would you like to ask your lady friends inside? I just put some tea on a few minutes ago."
Inuyasha gaped at him. "Tea?" he asked, completely flustered by how nonchalant this strange hanyou was acting.
He felt Miroku's hand on his elbow. "We'd be glad to," he said. "Kagome!" he called, raising his voice. "Sango! Shippou! Come inside."
"Shippou?" Inuyasha heard Hari mutter to himself. "Ah yes, the kit."
Inuyasha's hand tightened on Tetsusaiga. How did Hari know about them? Surely it couldn't all be from stories. He had mentioned that he was more "well-informed" than most. Inuyasha's eyes darted to the unconscious man. More than that, how had Hari defeated him? Kagome had said she'd sensed four or five shards, and they must have all been embedded in the human's body if he'd wanted to defeat a youkai. That many shards in his body must have put him on a nearly supernatural level. How powerful was Hari, to defeat him so easily?
He heard Kagome, Sango and Shippou enter behind him, and he heard Kagome's gasp of surprise.
"Inuyasha?" she said uncertainly. "What's going on?"
Hari spoke before Inuyasha could. "You must be Kagome," he said, his face thoughtful. "I've heard much about you." He looked at Inuyasha, who was edging protectively in front of Kagome. He smiled wryly. "Perhaps you should assure your overprotective pack leader that I don't have any shards in me."
Kagome pushed past Inuyasha, and Inuyasha nearly drew her back, wanting to keep as much distance between her and this strange, powerful hanyou as possible. Before he could, Kagome said, "He doesn't have any shards in him." She turned to look at the human, and her eyes widened. "Wow! This is even more than Kouga . . . He has two in every arm and leg, and one in his stomach." Her brow furrowed. "Why the stomach?" she added in confusion.
Hari was smiling. "His stomach felt like rock when I tried to punch him there," he said. "I assume he focused the other shards for speed, and that one for strength."
"How did you defeat him?" Sango asked suspiciously, coming up to Inuyasha's shoulder. Her eyes never left Hari. "That many shards would make him almost unbeatable."
Hari's smile didn't fade as he turned to face her. "I've had many years of experience, Miss Sango," he said. "And, more than that, I trained with the masters of my time. He was very good, that is true, but not good enough to beat me."
Kagome was at the unconscious man's side, drawing the shards out of his skin and purifying them. Hari didn't turn to watch the process, though he must have felt her doing it. Inuyasha could always feel it when Kagome purified the shards in his presence - the overwhelming evil in them drifted away, replaced by purity. Inuyasha was surprised Hari didn't watch - most people did when Kagome purified near them.
"Would you all like a cup of tea?" Hari asked, turning away from the group. Inuyasha resisted the instinct to pounce on the unprotected back.
"I'm afraid we must be going," Miroku said gently, his eyes on Inuyasha. Inuyasha knew that his pack mate was responding to his tension. "Now that we have what we have come for, we need to head back out again."
"Of course," Hari said, never looking away from his tea. "Well then, have a good journey. I wish you much luck in your endeavors."
"Thank you for your help," Sango said, still suspicious. Inuyasha noticed that her hands were tense, ready to go to her weapon.
"Yeah, thanks!" Kagome chirped as she carefully put the shards away, unaware of how tense her group mates were. Inuyasha had thought he'd instilled some common sense in her, but Kagome was still hopelessly naïve about some things. Even Shippou, perched on Kagome's shoulder, was quiet and tense.
The group turned to leave. Inuyasha stopped at Hari's voice. "Inuyasha," he said. For the first time since they'd entered the hut, he sounded something other than cheerful or neutral. He sounded sad. "Tell your brother hello from me."
Inuyasha whirled around on his heel, Tetsusaiga at the ready. How does he know Sesshoumaru? "What do you mean, tell him hello?" he demanded to know.
Hari hadn't turned around to face Inuyasha, though he must've heard Tetsusaiga being drawn. "It's been a long time since I've talked to Sesshoumaru," he said calmly. "He might even think I'm dead now. Next time you see him, tell him hello from me."
Inuyasha glared at Hari's back. "When do you want me to tell him?" he demanded, his hand tightening on Tetsusaiga. "Before or after he tries to kill me?"
Hari whirled around, almost too fast for the eye to see. "What?" he demanded, sounding angry. Inuyasha was startled by the emotion, and Tetsusaiga dropped an inch or so. "What do you mean, tries to kill you?"
Inuyasha knew that the rest of his pack must be as confused as he was. "That's what he always does," he said, puzzled. Then he remembered who he was talking to and added with a sneer, "I thought you'd know, you two being buddies and all."
Hari's eyes narrowed. "Of course I didn't know," he snapped, running a hand through his hair. "Sesshoumaru, you idiot," Hari muttered, startling a laugh out of Inuyasha. Hari's head snapped up at the sound of it, his eyes wide. "You really do sound just like him," he said, sounding sad. Then his face turned panicked, as if he hadn't meant to say that aloud.
"Like who?" Inuyasha asked, although he felt like some sort of revelation was going on in the back of his brain.
"It doesn't matter," Hari said carelessly. He watched Inuyasha closely, however, and Inuyasha figured that it did matter.
"Like who?" he asked again, raising Tetsusaiga.
Hari's face turned pained. "I really didn't want to let you know," he said. "It's not like it really matters anymore, now that he's gone."
"Now that who's gone?" Inuyasha questioned with exasperation. "Who are you talking about?"
"Inuyasha-" Kagome tried to break in.
"I'm talking about Kamin," Hari said forcefully. Inuyasha frowned at him and Hari laughed. The sound wasn't happy. "Great Merlin, Sesshoumaru never even told you that?"
"Told me what?" Inuyasha asked in a hard voice.
Hari met Inuyasha's eyes squarely. "Kamin is the real name of Inu no Taisho . . . . Although you may know him better as Father."
Tetsusaiga dropped completely to Inuyasha's side. "You knew my father?" he asked, feeling shocked.
There were so few people that knew his father still alive now. Sesshoumaru, of course, and Myouga, both of them shared very little about the youkai with Inuyasha. They hadn't even given him his father's name.
"Yeah, puppy, I did," Hari said, his eyes sympathetic. "Kamin was a good friend of mine."
"Why should we believe you?" Sango broke in, her hand resting protectively on Inuyasha's shoulder. "Maybe you're just making it up."
"Why would I lie?" Hari said, looking nonplussed.
"It's very suspicious, Hari-san, that we happen to run into you in the middle of an abandoned forest, after you've defeated someone who should be undefeatable, only to find out that you were good friends with Inuyasha's father and, apparently, his brother as well," Miroku said, stepping forward as well.
Hari surveyed the group closely - taking in Miroku and Sango standing at Inuyasha's shoulders like guards, as well as Kagome, standing off to the side, Shippou on her shoulder, both of them looking confused.
"You have a good pack, Inuyasha," he said warmly. "Your father would be happy."
Inuyasha tensed at the mention of his father. "Yeah, so?" he said carelessly. "The old man abandoned me and my mother - why would I care if he'd be happy for me?"
Hari's eyes turned sad. "I remember your mother," he said softly. "She was a good woman, and Kamin loved her dearly. I left before he died, but I don't think he would abandon her - or you, for that matter." Hari shook his head. "He was always a family man. He would be disappointed to learn how Sesshoumaru is treating you." Hari was silent for a long moment before he looked up, green eyes bright in the darkness. "How often do you meet up with Sesshoumaru, would you say?"
Inuyasha exchanged a cautious look with Miroku before deciding to answer truthfully. "It depends," he said. "Usually every month or so, though." He frowned. "Why?"
Hari sighed slowly. "Kamin would never forgive me for allowing his sons to fight each other," he said. "If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to accompany you for a while. If you see Sesshoumaru so often, I'll be much more likely to meet with him if I stay around you then if I tried to find him on my own."
Inuyasha huffed incredulously. "You want to try and get us to stop fighting?" he asked in disbelief. "Good luck, pal. Sesshoumaru won't listen to you."
Hari smiled, and Inuyasha was surprised by the sharpness in it. "I practically raised that puppy," he said, a little viciously. "If he knows what's good for him, he'll listen to me, or I'll beat it out of him."
Inuyasha stared. "Why do you care so much?" he asked, bewildered. Why do you care so much that Sesshoumaru wants to kill me? Why do you seem to care so much about me?
Hari smiled, viciousness dropping from his face like a discarded blanket. "You're Kamin's son," he said. "Kamin saved my life more than once - the least I can do is look after his son. Well, sons," Hari amended. "If Sesshoumaru sees reason, that is." He eyed the group closely. "I understand if you want to discuss it with your pack."
Inuyasha turned around (all the while trying to get rid of the feeling that he was exposing himself to the enemy) and looked at his pack members. They'd been together for a long time; communication no longer was required to be verbal for them to understand each other. Miroku looked relaxed - he trusted Hari, to a certain extent, and Inuyasha knew that Miroku would be glad to be rid of Sesshoumaru's attacks. Sango still looked tense, but that was likely because of Hari's abilities - she wouldn't have missed how easily he'd defeated the superhuman ningen either. Kagome, on the other hand, looked eager, as did Shippou. Inuyasha sighed. They were probably happy for a new companion. His pack was close, but sometimes new blood did some good.
Inuyasha turned back. Hari was smiling at him, as if he already knew the outcome. "Alright," Inuyasha said. "You can come with us. But you only stay until you've talked to Sesshoumaru, understood? And you don't get in our way."
Hari bowed deeply. "Of course," he said. Inuyasha heard the amusement in his voice and scowled. Hari straightened. "Let me gather my things and we can be off."
"We'll wait outside," Miroku said, taking Inuyasha by the elbow to lead him out of the door. "Hurry."
"Yes, I know," Hari said, already moving around his hut, presumably gathering his things.
Inuyasha blinked rapidly as they stepped into the bright daylight. He turned to see Miroku regarding him closely.
"Are you sure about him?" he asked, calm as ever. Inuyasha had rarely seen anything upset Miroku.
Inuyasha shrugged. "He's not gonna hurt us," he said simply. "I dunno how I know, but I don't think he will."
Miroku smiled. "That's the same impression I got," he said.
Sango was frowning at them. "I suppose," she said reluctantly. "But did you see how easily he took out that shards guy? I mean, with so many in him, he'd have to be on Sesshoumaru's level - even if he was a bad fighter to start with. He could take us out pretty easily if he decides to."
"We can't say that he will," Kagome pointed out. "I mean, he seemed pretty nice! For a hermit, anyways." She looked around the clearing. "I wonder how many people he's seen over the years. I mean, this isn't a popular forest to go through, is it?"
Inuyasha knew it wasn't. Sango had travelled that way because of necessity, and they had travelled it because it made it harder (even if only a little) for Naraku to find them. The main reason the forest was so deserted was that it only had one road going through it, and it was badly maintained and hard to travel on. Inuyasha doubted that Hari had seen someone that wasn't intentionally coming to his hut for years.
"I still think we should keep an eye on him, Inuyasha," Sango said. "He seems alright, but . . . ." She didn't have to finish. They all knew how deceiving appearances were, especially when dealing with something as special as the shards and someone as tricky as Naraku. Besides, he was Sesshoumaru's friend. That made him seem edgy at best.
"I know," Inuyasha said. "We'll keep an eye on him, Sango. If he tries anything, we'll stop him."
"Well, I'm pleased that you've come to a decision." Miroku was stifling laughter and Sango had turned bright red. Inuyasha turned to see Hari standing behind him, a smirk playing at the edge of his lips.
Inuyasha growled at him. "You'd do the same," he said.
Hari's smirk turned into a smile. "Of course," he said. "You have to learn how to take a joke, Inuyasha," he added.
Inuyasha huffed as Miroku laughed outright and Kagome and Shippou giggled in unison. Even Sango's blush faded and she smiled.
"Are we ready to leave then?" Hari asked.
Inuyasha examined him. "You don't have anything on you," he said suspiciously.
Hari smiled, fingering a pendant at his throat. "Appearances are deceiving," he said. "Trust me, I have everything I need."
Inuyasha eyed him. "Alright," he said slowly, "but if you suddenly remember something you gotta have when we're on the road, we're not coming back for it."
"Of course," Hari said, his grin widening. "I wouldn't dream of it."
Inuyasha rolled his eyes and turned back to his pack. "Hari can ride on Kirara?" he asked Sango. Sango looked down at the shrunken cat and then seemed to have a silent conversation for a moment before she nodded sharply. "Alright. We'll meet outside the forest to make camp."
Kirara grew and her four passengers climbed on. Inuyasha watched Hari closely to see if he'd try any tricks, but he seemed perfectly gentlemanly. He even let Shippou climb onto his lap and fall asleep without a word of complaint. Within minutes, Kirara was away, moving at a speed that Inuyasha knew matched his own.
Kagome sighed. "C'mon, Inuyasha, otherwise we won't catch up with them." She climbed onto his back.
Inuyasha sighed and started to race into the trees.
Unknown Location
"Master."
Red eyes looked up. Naraku leaned back in his throne-like chair, surveying the lowly minion in front of him.
"What is it?" he asked impatiently.
The minion bowed low. "Master, the hanyou is on the move."
Naraku frowned. "The dog hanyou?" he asked. If it was so, he'd have the minion punished. He already knew Inuyasha and his mangy pack's whereabouts.
The minion bowed again. "No, master. The cat hanyou, the one you asked to have watched at all times."
Naraku froze and leaned forward. "Where has he gone?" he asked urgently. "With whom?"
The minion fidgeted, obviously not wanting to tell his master the news. "He left with the dog hanyou, Inuyasha, and his pack," he said finally. "They left this afternoon." He added hastily, "I came as soon as I could to report."
Naraku leaned back in his chair, his mind running through the possibilities. So Hari had met Inuyasha! It was not an alliance that he would have wished - Hari was much too powerful, and if he trained Inuyasha . . . . Naraku growled, making the minion flinch. If Hari trained Inuyasha, then the hanyou could very well become as unbeatable as his older brother. More than that, with Hari with him, Inuyasha had a chance to mend fences with Sesshoumaru, which couldn't be allowed at any cost. The brothers were much easier to deal with apart and fighting than together and united.
He looked up at the minion. "Follow their trail," he instructed. "Watch what they do and bring me back whatever news you can, as soon as possible. Focus on the cat hanyou - Inuyasha already has his own spies." The minion bowed again and left the room.
Naraku sighed and stared at his wall. "Hari, my old friend," he murmured to himself. "What will you do next?" Whatever it was, he'd know about it somehow. And then, Naraku thought with a gleeful smile, perhaps I can finally put an end to Hari once and for all.
Interlude One
Fandom: Inuyasha and Harry Potter, Crossover
Rating: T
Pairings: Sesshoumaru/Harry, Kouga/Inuyasha, one-sided Kagome/Inuyasha, mentioned Miroku/Sango
Disclaimer: Do you really think Inuyasha and Harry would be straight if I owned the rights to them?
Summary: Harry Potter managed to defeat Voldemort. The only catch is that he has to go into the past - or, more precisely, Feudal Era Japan.
Prologue
-
Wasted
Chapter One: The Hermit
Often the people that are most important in your life are the ones that you least expect to be. (Unknown)
The Western Lands
Inuyasha lifted his head, sniffing deeply. The air smelled normal - the scents of dozens of different animals reached his nose, as well as old scents from the day before. Nothing was out of place. And yet, Inuyasha could feel the hairs on the back of his neck raising, a warning of some approaching danger. His instincts were screaming at him - look out, look out! Something was off. What was frustrating was that Inuyasha couldn't tell what.
"Inuyasha? What is it?" Inuyasha turned his head to see Kagome watching him worriedly from her usual position on his back. "You look like something's wrong," she added when he didn't say anything, a furrow between her eyebrows. "Do you sense something?"
"Nah," he said, lying to her easily. Whatever his instincts said, his senses were telling a different story. This part of the forest was empty of anyone looking to hurt them, and it wouldn't do to worry Kagome because he was being paranoid. "Just thought I caught the scent of some deer, that's all." They all knew how much Inuyasha liked meat.
Kagome huffed. "You and your deer," she muttered. Inuyasha decided not to tell her that even if she muttered or whispered, he could still hear everything she said. The perks of being a hanyou. "I don't' see why you can't lay off of them," she added, more loudly.
Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Don't you always bring that food - what's it called, bumburgers or something?"
He could smell Kagome's embarrassment. "Hamburgers, Inuyasha," she corrected. "And besides," she added, "that's different!"
Inuyasha scoffed. "Yeah?" he asked. "How?"
Kagome fumbled. "Well-" she started, then tried again, "It just is, okay?" Inuyasha heard her impatient huff against his back.
Inuyasha smirked a little. "Lemme know when you come up with a better argument," he said teasingly. Kagome was fun to rile up - well, at least when she was on his back. She didn't usually use her command when she could end up in the dirt too.
They were silent for a while before Kagome asked, "Are the others still flying above us?" She knew that Inuyasha would be able to sense them.
Inuyasha reached out with his youkai, finding his packmates easily after a year and a half of exposure to each other. "Yeah, they're still there," he said. "Why'd you ask?"
"I'm sensing some shard pieces," Kagome said. "They're about . . . a mile up, maybe? I think there's four or five."
Inuyasha's body tensed. He wondered if it was a coincidence that Kagome should sense shards in a forest that was making him on edge. Inuyasha didn't believe in coincidence.
"We're supposed to stop in a half-hour for lunch," He said. "Can you point us towards the shards then?"
He felt Kagome's nod against his back. "Yeah, the closer we are, the better I can feel them," she assured him.
"Good," Inuyasha said. He could feel his blood thrumming, the prospect of a fight exciting him. They hadn't seen any action for a good week, and it made Inuyasha antsy. It was also surprising - usually Sesshoumaru came by every time this month. It was the anniversary of their father's death soon, something Inuyasha had learned from his mother when he'd asked her why she cried that day, every year.
Kagome and Inuyasha didn't talk again until they came to the proposed meeting spot - a clearing halfway through the forest that Sango knew because she'd travelled this way before. The clearing was surrounded by tulips, which was how they were to know where to stop. Usually, the group travelled together, but when it came to forests, it was sometimes easier for Inuyasha and Kagome to travel alone through the trees as Sango, Miroku and Shippou (all on Kirara) travelled in the air above.
Kirara and her riders were already on the ground when Inuyasha and Kagome arrived. Sango was squatting down, already trying to start a small fire, which Miroku leaned against Kirara's side and appreciated the view. Shippou, on Kirara's back, was fast asleep.
"Kagome sensed a shard," Inuyasha announced as he bent to let Kagome off of his back. Miroku straightened immediately, and Sango got back to her feet, the fire abandoned for the moment.
"Can you tell us where exactly it is?" Sango asked excitedly. She was just as anxious for some action as Inuyasha was. Inuyasha smiled a bit to himself -out of all of them, Sango was closest to him in spirit. She was as blunt as he was, and could be equally as bloodthirsty.
Kagome frowned and closed her eyes, concentrating. Finally, she said, "It feels like it's about a half-mile up that way," she waved her hand to the north. Her frown deepened. "Also," she said, "It's definitely in someone's body. The feelings - muffled, almost. It's the same kind of feeling I get from Kouga."
Inuyasha frowned, growling on instinct at the wolf's name, but the rest of his pack ignored him. "I suppose that means we'll have a fight on our hands," Miroku said, smiling pleasantly.
Inuyasha snorted. "Don't we always?" he asked, reaching over to Kirara to shake Shippou awake.
"Wha?" Shippou murmured, coming awake with a start. He rubbed at his eyes as he sat up. "Wha's going on?" he said, his words hazy.
"Kagome found a shard," Inuyasha told him. "You need to eat, because we're heading out as soon as we can."
Shippou yawned widely as he sat up and jumped off of Kirara's back. He sleepily made his way over to Sango, who gathered him into her side and placed food in front of his face, smiling when Shippou immediately grabbed it and stuffed it in his mouth. Inuyasha shared a smirk with Miroku as he sat down on the ground in front of the abandoned camp fire. They didn't have time to make one anymore, not if the shards were on the move.
Inuyasha decided to forgo better food, and instead satisfied his appetite with some bread and dried meat strips. That would keep him on his feet during the fight, if there was one, and if they had time afterwards he could indulge his stomach's needs. Until then, all he needed was enough substance to go on.
The rest of his pack ate equally as quickly, even Kagome, who, at first, hadn't understood the need to eat quickly the first time this kind of situation happened to them. Inuyasha had seen Sango take her quietly aside after that first time and explain the necessity of eating quickly and eating whatever they had if they were in a hurry to get shards. After that, it hadn't been a problem. Within ten minutes, they were all packed up again and ready to head out.
This time Kirara and her riders stayed close to Inuyasha as he darted through the trees, Kagome on his back. She whispered instructions in his ear, pointing when her words didn't suffice. Eventually, they stopped in another clearing, this one smaller and less distinct than the first. There was a small house in the very corner of it, but it looked old and abandoned. Otherwise, the clearing was empty. Inuyasha raised an eyebrow.
"It's in there," Kagome whispered in his ear, arm extending over his shoulder so that she could point at the small hut.
"You sure?" Inuyasha asked. "It looks abandoned."
He could feel Kagome's annoyance. "Of course I'm sure!" she snapped. "Have I been wrong yet?"
Inuyasha sighed. "Get down. I'll go in first and check it out."
"I'll come with you," Miroku said, slipping off of Kirara's shoulders. Inuyasha heard Kagome huff as she climbed off of his back, but she didn't protest not going in with him, to Inuyasha's relief. Miroku was more than enough help for him.
Miroku came up to his side. "I'll enter first, and you cover my back," Inuyasha instructed, stalking slowly up to the door of the hut. He saw Miroku nod out of the corner of his eye, his friend's hand already on the purple cloth covering his hand, tugging it in the way he always did before a battle or when he was nervous.
The hut seemed quiet. In fact, the entire clearing seemed quiet. Inuyasha frowned. He couldn't hear birds nearby, or the sounds of wildlife in the bushes. Everything was still - unnaturally so. His sense of unease sharpened.
The door to the hut was well-made, but unlocked. Inuyasha took a deep breath and slowly pushed it open, one hand on Tetsusaiga. Immediately, he jumped inside, drawing his sword. He felt Miroku behind him, covering his blind spots. For a moment, all he could see was darkness, and then his eyes adjusted to the darkness. In surprise, his sword dropped an inch.
In front of him, an unconscious man was tied to a chair. He was human, by the smell of him, and while he had grey in his hair, his body was well-kept and fit. Blood had dried on his face, where someone had probably knocked him on the head, causing his unconsciousness. Inuyasha stared.
He caught a movement out of the corner of his eye and was immediately on his guard, swinging his sword to a corner of the room where a figure he hadn't noticed was rising out of the darkness. Inuyasha took a deep sniff and his eyes widened. Hanyou, he thought, although he couldn't tell what kind. He could tell the hanyou was some kind of cat, but trying to pinpoint it . . . . He'd never met a hanyou he couldn't pinpoint the smell of.
"I suppose you must be Inuyasha," the hanyou said, stepping into the light.
For some reason, his face seemed familiar. Inuyasha searched his features intently, taking in the long, dark, unruly hair, the sharp features, the large, very bright green eyes, and the sharp, jagged, poisonous green marks across his cheekbones. The hanyou was dressed in tight-fitting dark clothing, which explained why Inuyasha hadn't seen him right away, and there was a sword strapped to his hip. He black cat-like ears that blended in well with his hair, and Inuyasha managed to catch a glimpse of a cat tail swishing gently behind the hanyou.
"Who are you?" he asked, Tetsusaiga in the air again. "How do you know who I am?"
"And this must be the infamous Miroku," the hanyou said, as if he hadn't heard Inuyasha. "I suppose your other friends must be outside, awaiting a verdict."
"What is your name?" Miroku asked, sounding genuinely curious. "How do you know about us?"
The hanyou smiled and, to Inuyasha's disgruntlement, he answered Miroku's questions. "I know about you because the entire Western Land has been whispering about your deeds for months. Even living away from the world, as I have been, I have heard some of the tales." He paused, and then said, "As for my name, you may call me Hari."
"Well then, Hari," Inuyasha said with annoyance, "why do you have a human tied to a chair?"
Bright green eyes met his. Inuyasha had the disconcerting feeling that this Hari character was looking through him. He shifted on his feet, feeling uncomfortable for some reason.
"The reason," Hari said evenly, "is because that man decided to attack me. I convinced him that it would be in his best interest not to."
"Why would he attack you?" Miroku asked, sounding as confused as Inuyasha felt.
Hari smiled a little. "I had a reputation, back in the day," he said, sounding much more cheerful. "They said no one was able to best me in a fight." Hari shook his head. "They were wrong, of course, but humans are always so eager to believe stories . . . . This man heard of where I was living now and decided to try and prove himself against me." Hari gave the unconscious body a disdainful look. "Of course, he felt it was in his best interest to try and even the playing field." He turned his gaze back to Inuyasha. "I suppose you're here for the shards?"
Inuyasha frowned at him. "How do you know about that?" he asked. "Surely the stories don't talk about the shards."
Hari smiled a little. "You all aren't very discreet, you know?" he said gently. "The humans have spread stories about how you ask about the shards, and the youkai you haven't killed have complained about how you stole the shards from them." Hari's smile fell. "Of course, I am a little more well-informed than the average ningen." He raised an eyebrow. "Would you like to ask your lady friends inside? I just put some tea on a few minutes ago."
Inuyasha gaped at him. "Tea?" he asked, completely flustered by how nonchalant this strange hanyou was acting.
He felt Miroku's hand on his elbow. "We'd be glad to," he said. "Kagome!" he called, raising his voice. "Sango! Shippou! Come inside."
"Shippou?" Inuyasha heard Hari mutter to himself. "Ah yes, the kit."
Inuyasha's hand tightened on Tetsusaiga. How did Hari know about them? Surely it couldn't all be from stories. He had mentioned that he was more "well-informed" than most. Inuyasha's eyes darted to the unconscious man. More than that, how had Hari defeated him? Kagome had said she'd sensed four or five shards, and they must have all been embedded in the human's body if he'd wanted to defeat a youkai. That many shards in his body must have put him on a nearly supernatural level. How powerful was Hari, to defeat him so easily?
He heard Kagome, Sango and Shippou enter behind him, and he heard Kagome's gasp of surprise.
"Inuyasha?" she said uncertainly. "What's going on?"
Hari spoke before Inuyasha could. "You must be Kagome," he said, his face thoughtful. "I've heard much about you." He looked at Inuyasha, who was edging protectively in front of Kagome. He smiled wryly. "Perhaps you should assure your overprotective pack leader that I don't have any shards in me."
Kagome pushed past Inuyasha, and Inuyasha nearly drew her back, wanting to keep as much distance between her and this strange, powerful hanyou as possible. Before he could, Kagome said, "He doesn't have any shards in him." She turned to look at the human, and her eyes widened. "Wow! This is even more than Kouga . . . He has two in every arm and leg, and one in his stomach." Her brow furrowed. "Why the stomach?" she added in confusion.
Hari was smiling. "His stomach felt like rock when I tried to punch him there," he said. "I assume he focused the other shards for speed, and that one for strength."
"How did you defeat him?" Sango asked suspiciously, coming up to Inuyasha's shoulder. Her eyes never left Hari. "That many shards would make him almost unbeatable."
Hari's smile didn't fade as he turned to face her. "I've had many years of experience, Miss Sango," he said. "And, more than that, I trained with the masters of my time. He was very good, that is true, but not good enough to beat me."
Kagome was at the unconscious man's side, drawing the shards out of his skin and purifying them. Hari didn't turn to watch the process, though he must have felt her doing it. Inuyasha could always feel it when Kagome purified the shards in his presence - the overwhelming evil in them drifted away, replaced by purity. Inuyasha was surprised Hari didn't watch - most people did when Kagome purified near them.
"Would you all like a cup of tea?" Hari asked, turning away from the group. Inuyasha resisted the instinct to pounce on the unprotected back.
"I'm afraid we must be going," Miroku said gently, his eyes on Inuyasha. Inuyasha knew that his pack mate was responding to his tension. "Now that we have what we have come for, we need to head back out again."
"Of course," Hari said, never looking away from his tea. "Well then, have a good journey. I wish you much luck in your endeavors."
"Thank you for your help," Sango said, still suspicious. Inuyasha noticed that her hands were tense, ready to go to her weapon.
"Yeah, thanks!" Kagome chirped as she carefully put the shards away, unaware of how tense her group mates were. Inuyasha had thought he'd instilled some common sense in her, but Kagome was still hopelessly naïve about some things. Even Shippou, perched on Kagome's shoulder, was quiet and tense.
The group turned to leave. Inuyasha stopped at Hari's voice. "Inuyasha," he said. For the first time since they'd entered the hut, he sounded something other than cheerful or neutral. He sounded sad. "Tell your brother hello from me."
Inuyasha whirled around on his heel, Tetsusaiga at the ready. How does he know Sesshoumaru? "What do you mean, tell him hello?" he demanded to know.
Hari hadn't turned around to face Inuyasha, though he must've heard Tetsusaiga being drawn. "It's been a long time since I've talked to Sesshoumaru," he said calmly. "He might even think I'm dead now. Next time you see him, tell him hello from me."
Inuyasha glared at Hari's back. "When do you want me to tell him?" he demanded, his hand tightening on Tetsusaiga. "Before or after he tries to kill me?"
Hari whirled around, almost too fast for the eye to see. "What?" he demanded, sounding angry. Inuyasha was startled by the emotion, and Tetsusaiga dropped an inch or so. "What do you mean, tries to kill you?"
Inuyasha knew that the rest of his pack must be as confused as he was. "That's what he always does," he said, puzzled. Then he remembered who he was talking to and added with a sneer, "I thought you'd know, you two being buddies and all."
Hari's eyes narrowed. "Of course I didn't know," he snapped, running a hand through his hair. "Sesshoumaru, you idiot," Hari muttered, startling a laugh out of Inuyasha. Hari's head snapped up at the sound of it, his eyes wide. "You really do sound just like him," he said, sounding sad. Then his face turned panicked, as if he hadn't meant to say that aloud.
"Like who?" Inuyasha asked, although he felt like some sort of revelation was going on in the back of his brain.
"It doesn't matter," Hari said carelessly. He watched Inuyasha closely, however, and Inuyasha figured that it did matter.
"Like who?" he asked again, raising Tetsusaiga.
Hari's face turned pained. "I really didn't want to let you know," he said. "It's not like it really matters anymore, now that he's gone."
"Now that who's gone?" Inuyasha questioned with exasperation. "Who are you talking about?"
"Inuyasha-" Kagome tried to break in.
"I'm talking about Kamin," Hari said forcefully. Inuyasha frowned at him and Hari laughed. The sound wasn't happy. "Great Merlin, Sesshoumaru never even told you that?"
"Told me what?" Inuyasha asked in a hard voice.
Hari met Inuyasha's eyes squarely. "Kamin is the real name of Inu no Taisho . . . . Although you may know him better as Father."
Tetsusaiga dropped completely to Inuyasha's side. "You knew my father?" he asked, feeling shocked.
There were so few people that knew his father still alive now. Sesshoumaru, of course, and Myouga, both of them shared very little about the youkai with Inuyasha. They hadn't even given him his father's name.
"Yeah, puppy, I did," Hari said, his eyes sympathetic. "Kamin was a good friend of mine."
"Why should we believe you?" Sango broke in, her hand resting protectively on Inuyasha's shoulder. "Maybe you're just making it up."
"Why would I lie?" Hari said, looking nonplussed.
"It's very suspicious, Hari-san, that we happen to run into you in the middle of an abandoned forest, after you've defeated someone who should be undefeatable, only to find out that you were good friends with Inuyasha's father and, apparently, his brother as well," Miroku said, stepping forward as well.
Hari surveyed the group closely - taking in Miroku and Sango standing at Inuyasha's shoulders like guards, as well as Kagome, standing off to the side, Shippou on her shoulder, both of them looking confused.
"You have a good pack, Inuyasha," he said warmly. "Your father would be happy."
Inuyasha tensed at the mention of his father. "Yeah, so?" he said carelessly. "The old man abandoned me and my mother - why would I care if he'd be happy for me?"
Hari's eyes turned sad. "I remember your mother," he said softly. "She was a good woman, and Kamin loved her dearly. I left before he died, but I don't think he would abandon her - or you, for that matter." Hari shook his head. "He was always a family man. He would be disappointed to learn how Sesshoumaru is treating you." Hari was silent for a long moment before he looked up, green eyes bright in the darkness. "How often do you meet up with Sesshoumaru, would you say?"
Inuyasha exchanged a cautious look with Miroku before deciding to answer truthfully. "It depends," he said. "Usually every month or so, though." He frowned. "Why?"
Hari sighed slowly. "Kamin would never forgive me for allowing his sons to fight each other," he said. "If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to accompany you for a while. If you see Sesshoumaru so often, I'll be much more likely to meet with him if I stay around you then if I tried to find him on my own."
Inuyasha huffed incredulously. "You want to try and get us to stop fighting?" he asked in disbelief. "Good luck, pal. Sesshoumaru won't listen to you."
Hari smiled, and Inuyasha was surprised by the sharpness in it. "I practically raised that puppy," he said, a little viciously. "If he knows what's good for him, he'll listen to me, or I'll beat it out of him."
Inuyasha stared. "Why do you care so much?" he asked, bewildered. Why do you care so much that Sesshoumaru wants to kill me? Why do you seem to care so much about me?
Hari smiled, viciousness dropping from his face like a discarded blanket. "You're Kamin's son," he said. "Kamin saved my life more than once - the least I can do is look after his son. Well, sons," Hari amended. "If Sesshoumaru sees reason, that is." He eyed the group closely. "I understand if you want to discuss it with your pack."
Inuyasha turned around (all the while trying to get rid of the feeling that he was exposing himself to the enemy) and looked at his pack members. They'd been together for a long time; communication no longer was required to be verbal for them to understand each other. Miroku looked relaxed - he trusted Hari, to a certain extent, and Inuyasha knew that Miroku would be glad to be rid of Sesshoumaru's attacks. Sango still looked tense, but that was likely because of Hari's abilities - she wouldn't have missed how easily he'd defeated the superhuman ningen either. Kagome, on the other hand, looked eager, as did Shippou. Inuyasha sighed. They were probably happy for a new companion. His pack was close, but sometimes new blood did some good.
Inuyasha turned back. Hari was smiling at him, as if he already knew the outcome. "Alright," Inuyasha said. "You can come with us. But you only stay until you've talked to Sesshoumaru, understood? And you don't get in our way."
Hari bowed deeply. "Of course," he said. Inuyasha heard the amusement in his voice and scowled. Hari straightened. "Let me gather my things and we can be off."
"We'll wait outside," Miroku said, taking Inuyasha by the elbow to lead him out of the door. "Hurry."
"Yes, I know," Hari said, already moving around his hut, presumably gathering his things.
Inuyasha blinked rapidly as they stepped into the bright daylight. He turned to see Miroku regarding him closely.
"Are you sure about him?" he asked, calm as ever. Inuyasha had rarely seen anything upset Miroku.
Inuyasha shrugged. "He's not gonna hurt us," he said simply. "I dunno how I know, but I don't think he will."
Miroku smiled. "That's the same impression I got," he said.
Sango was frowning at them. "I suppose," she said reluctantly. "But did you see how easily he took out that shards guy? I mean, with so many in him, he'd have to be on Sesshoumaru's level - even if he was a bad fighter to start with. He could take us out pretty easily if he decides to."
"We can't say that he will," Kagome pointed out. "I mean, he seemed pretty nice! For a hermit, anyways." She looked around the clearing. "I wonder how many people he's seen over the years. I mean, this isn't a popular forest to go through, is it?"
Inuyasha knew it wasn't. Sango had travelled that way because of necessity, and they had travelled it because it made it harder (even if only a little) for Naraku to find them. The main reason the forest was so deserted was that it only had one road going through it, and it was badly maintained and hard to travel on. Inuyasha doubted that Hari had seen someone that wasn't intentionally coming to his hut for years.
"I still think we should keep an eye on him, Inuyasha," Sango said. "He seems alright, but . . . ." She didn't have to finish. They all knew how deceiving appearances were, especially when dealing with something as special as the shards and someone as tricky as Naraku. Besides, he was Sesshoumaru's friend. That made him seem edgy at best.
"I know," Inuyasha said. "We'll keep an eye on him, Sango. If he tries anything, we'll stop him."
"Well, I'm pleased that you've come to a decision." Miroku was stifling laughter and Sango had turned bright red. Inuyasha turned to see Hari standing behind him, a smirk playing at the edge of his lips.
Inuyasha growled at him. "You'd do the same," he said.
Hari's smirk turned into a smile. "Of course," he said. "You have to learn how to take a joke, Inuyasha," he added.
Inuyasha huffed as Miroku laughed outright and Kagome and Shippou giggled in unison. Even Sango's blush faded and she smiled.
"Are we ready to leave then?" Hari asked.
Inuyasha examined him. "You don't have anything on you," he said suspiciously.
Hari smiled, fingering a pendant at his throat. "Appearances are deceiving," he said. "Trust me, I have everything I need."
Inuyasha eyed him. "Alright," he said slowly, "but if you suddenly remember something you gotta have when we're on the road, we're not coming back for it."
"Of course," Hari said, his grin widening. "I wouldn't dream of it."
Inuyasha rolled his eyes and turned back to his pack. "Hari can ride on Kirara?" he asked Sango. Sango looked down at the shrunken cat and then seemed to have a silent conversation for a moment before she nodded sharply. "Alright. We'll meet outside the forest to make camp."
Kirara grew and her four passengers climbed on. Inuyasha watched Hari closely to see if he'd try any tricks, but he seemed perfectly gentlemanly. He even let Shippou climb onto his lap and fall asleep without a word of complaint. Within minutes, Kirara was away, moving at a speed that Inuyasha knew matched his own.
Kagome sighed. "C'mon, Inuyasha, otherwise we won't catch up with them." She climbed onto his back.
Inuyasha sighed and started to race into the trees.
Unknown Location
"Master."
Red eyes looked up. Naraku leaned back in his throne-like chair, surveying the lowly minion in front of him.
"What is it?" he asked impatiently.
The minion bowed low. "Master, the hanyou is on the move."
Naraku frowned. "The dog hanyou?" he asked. If it was so, he'd have the minion punished. He already knew Inuyasha and his mangy pack's whereabouts.
The minion bowed again. "No, master. The cat hanyou, the one you asked to have watched at all times."
Naraku froze and leaned forward. "Where has he gone?" he asked urgently. "With whom?"
The minion fidgeted, obviously not wanting to tell his master the news. "He left with the dog hanyou, Inuyasha, and his pack," he said finally. "They left this afternoon." He added hastily, "I came as soon as I could to report."
Naraku leaned back in his chair, his mind running through the possibilities. So Hari had met Inuyasha! It was not an alliance that he would have wished - Hari was much too powerful, and if he trained Inuyasha . . . . Naraku growled, making the minion flinch. If Hari trained Inuyasha, then the hanyou could very well become as unbeatable as his older brother. More than that, with Hari with him, Inuyasha had a chance to mend fences with Sesshoumaru, which couldn't be allowed at any cost. The brothers were much easier to deal with apart and fighting than together and united.
He looked up at the minion. "Follow their trail," he instructed. "Watch what they do and bring me back whatever news you can, as soon as possible. Focus on the cat hanyou - Inuyasha already has his own spies." The minion bowed again and left the room.
Naraku sighed and stared at his wall. "Hari, my old friend," he murmured to himself. "What will you do next?" Whatever it was, he'd know about it somehow. And then, Naraku thought with a gleeful smile, perhaps I can finally put an end to Hari once and for all.
Interlude One