In celebration of the upcoming release, and all the HP/Ranma stories 
showing up, I decided to dust off this old story, and see if I could 
progress it any.


-- Attached file included as plaintext by Ecartis --

This is not meant to be a serious work. I'm just having a bit of fun with
an idea that came to me some time ago. Hope the story intrigues and
entertains you. 



Chapter one, Anything goes magic. 
Or, Harry Potter, and the littlest Hero. 

Characters from Ranma � an Harry Potter belong to their respective
creators, and I have no rights in regards to them.


     A tall man with a long white beard, dressed in wizardly robes,
strode briskly down a narrow street. The residents and shoppers, busy
with the day's chores, nonetheless stopped what they were doing to stare
briefly at the strange figure. Expressions of surprise appeared on many
of the oriental faces. Despite their curiosity, however, they all went back
to their own affairs quickly, a few of the older ones giving respectful
bows before they did.

     As an everyday sort of thing Albus Dumbledore rather enjoyed
visiting Asian countries. Unlike their European counterparts the
Muggles there tended to take Wizards and associated things in stride.
More than a few potion Wizards even ran their shops in full public view,
though of course they didn't sell the really potent potions to the
Muggles. Today, however, he had no time to waste on being a tourist.
He was in Japan on important Hogwart's business. As soon as this task
was taken care of he had many other errands to accomplish before the
new school year started. The chaos created by the return of Lord
Voldemort meant much work for him.  More so, as the Ministry of
Magic, who's responsibility it should have been, refused to admit to that
return. As a result, he returned the small bows and gestures of respect
the various elderly Muggles directed his way in a polite, but perfunctory
way, as he hurried along the street toward his goal.

     Two blocks, and a right turn, brought him to his destination.
Dumbledore smiled in pleasure as he beheld the front of what looked
like a common Chinese restaurant. Written in large Japanese characters
over the entrance was the name. Neko Hanten, or, The Cat Caf�.
Dumbledore strode toward the entrance, his wand slipping into his
hands as he did. Without breaking stride, he cast a quick spell of
protection, and then slipped his wand away as he stepped into the dimly
lit restaurant. Blinking to accustom his eyes to the change in lighting he
surveyed the interior.

     The restaurant was decorated in the usual dark laquer finish
common with most Chinese restaurants. Simple square tables were
scattered around the dining room. At the back there was a waist high
counter between the dinning room and the kitchen. The neat clean
cooking area behind the counter was clearly visible from the door.
Strangely, despite it being near lunch, the restaurant was empty, except
for one person, a young, brown-haired woman dressed in fine Chinese
silks. The attractive girl was sitting at a table her head supported by a
hand on her forehead as she used her other hand to slowly leaf through a
massive and ancient book that fairly reeked of magic.

     Without looking up she said in Japanese, "We are closed. Please
come back when we are open." There was a tired quality to her voice
that hinted at the fact that she had not been to sleep in a very long time.

     "Excuse me," Dumbledore said in a polite voice. "I'm sorry to
intrude, but I wonder_"

     The Wizard's voice cut off as a small razor sharp dagger suddenly
appeared, quivering in the air a few inches in front of his face. It's tip
was imbedded an inch deep in Dumbledore's protective shield.
Something that should have been impossible for a purely Muggle
weapon.

     Inside the restaurant, the young brown-haired girl was now
standing, revealing herself to be tall and slim, with a very feminine
build. Her face was young and pretty, but the violet eyes that glared at
Dumbledore were tired and red. The weariness that was clear on her face
in no way diminished the anger in her gaze. One of her hands was
upraised, and held between two strong slim fingers was another dagger,
the twin to the one quivering in Dumbledore's shield. This dagger,
however, was glowing with a red aura that seemed be flowing up the
young girl's arm and pooling around the metal of the knife.

     "Tell me Wizard," she said, making a curse of the title. "Why
should I not kill you here and now!?"

     Dumbledore's eye twitched in surprise. Ignoring the threat implicit
in the knife, he spoke in a calm voice full of compassion and shared
sorrow, "Voldemort is back."
     
**********************************


     It was the start of Harry Potter's fifth year at Hogwarts, and for the
very first time he was not looking forward to the school year with utter
joy and anticipation. It was not that he didn't want to go to Hogwarts,
that was impossible. It was just that after the events of the previous year
he was a little frightened about what might happen this term.

     Of course the fact that he'd had to spend the entire break at the
Dursleys' could have had something to do with his slightly sour mood.
     
     The Dursleys were also why he had arrived at the station two hours
before schedule. After an entire summer break spent in that atmosphere,
he'd gotten out as soon as possible. He'd almost come the evening
before, but had decided that camping out on platform 9 3/4 was a poor
idea. Tempting, however.

     The fact that he had made the early morning trip through a raging
downpour hadn't helped his rather gloomy mood, either. Not a good
omen for starting a new term, he had thought, as he'd run from his cab
to the station. The train had arrived a half hour earlier, but Harry was
waiting for his friends to arrive before boarding.

       Despite all his various worries and grievances, however, Harry's
face broke into a broad grin as he spotted a gaggle of redheads
approaching from the entrance of the train station. As usual, Mrs
Weasley was behaving like a harried border collie, trying to keep her
wayward charges in some sort of order. Even as Harry watched, one of
the Weasley twin's reached toward his little sister's neck, something no
doubt disgusting cupped in the palm of his hand. Despite the fact that
the two children were behind her, Mrs Weasley snapped out, "George,
leave your sister alone!"

     "Ron!" Harry shouted out in joy, waving his hand with vigor in the
direction of the approaching family group of Weasleys. Directing his
attention at the tall gangly boy who was walking a few steps in front of
the group. 

     "Harry!" his best friend yelled back as he broke away from his
family and rushed over to meet Harry. His mother directed a harried
look after her departing offspring and apparently conceded that she'd
lost him from her flock. She turned toward the second twin and
demanded, "Fred, you stop that this instant." The Weasleys continued
on down the platform, leaving the two boys alone. 

     Ron and Harry stopped just short of each other and simply beamed
in pleasure for a second, and then Ron's face got serious. "I'm sorry we
couldn't have you over during the break this year. Dad said it would be
a bad idea. Something about You-Know-Who not being able to find you
at the Dreadful Dursleys. Was it too awful?"

     "About what you'd expect," Harry said with a shrug. I spent most
of it in my room, reading."

     "Hermione would be proud of you," Ron said with a grin.

     "And just what, would Hermione be proud about?" a female voice
asked in a quelling tone, with a hint of teasing underneath. Both Ron
and Harry turned their heads to grin at the attractive girl who had come
up to them while they were exchanging greetings. Hermione's great
bush of brown hair was somewhat neater than in other years, and her
front teeth of course were still perfect, as they had been ever since a
curse cure had shrunk them down from their former buck-toothed status.
There were noticeable changes, however. She was an inch or two taller,
and while they would never comment on it, both boys noticed that she'd
gained inches in other, more interesting places.

     "Lo, Hermione," Ron greeted her, blushing slightly as he did so.
His feelings for the third member of their group of friends had taken a
turn for the warmer the year before. "Harry was just telling me he spent
the entire summer reading."

     Hermione shrugged. "Sounds normal to me," she said. Turning to
Harry, she asked. "Was it too awful?"

     Harry gave a short laugh. "What, the reading?" he asked. When
Hermione only scowled at him, he relented and said, "Ron asked the
same thing. No worse, and no better than usual. I survived."

     "Yea, you always do," Ron said. They all got a bit somber as
thoughts of the events of the year before filled their heads.

     They were broken out of their reverie by Hermione, who made a
visible effort to shove the current topic aside. "I'm looking forward to
this year. We start doing some really advanced stuff."

     "Are you sure you should be looking forward to that?" a familiar,
and hateful, voice drawled from nearby.

     Ron didn't even turn around. "Did someone hear a sick lizard?" he
asked. "I could have sworn I heard something slimy and on its last leg.
Oh, hi Malfoy," Ron said, pretending to just now be noticing the pale-
haired boy standing near them. "Surprised to see you here. I thought
your father was going to send you to a better school this term?"

     Draco Malfoy scowled at Ron. He looked on the verge of saying
something, but instead, turned and directed a dark look at Hermione. "If
I were you, I'd not be looking forward to the advanced levels. Blood will
tell you know. There is only so much magic a mudblood can handle. It
would be a shame if something awful were to happen to you." Draco's
tone implied he'd rather enjoy that eventuality.  Behind the pale-haired
boy, in their usual spots, the lumpish Goyle and Crabbe snickered.

     Hermione merely rolled her eyes, and turned her back on the pale
boy.  Ron, on the other hand, flushed angrily, and balled his hands up in
anger. "Malfoy!" he snarled. He looked inches away from throwing
himself at the other student.
                         
     Draco smirked, and his hand slipped into the sleeve of his robe.
Behind him Crabbe and Goyle did the same. Harry and Ron reached for
the wands they carried in their own sleeves as well. Hermione already
had her wand out. She had started reaching for it the instant Ron had
snarled out Draco's name.

     Hate boiled between the two factions, and each member was posed
to take instant action the second someone else started something. The
two groups were not prepared, however, for what interrupted their
confrontation.  A long twisted staff of wood crashed down between the
two glowering boys, shocking them, and their friends, out of their focus.
"And what have we here," A feminine voice asked in a commanding
tone." 
     
     Instinctively all involved slipped their wands back up their sleeves,
and adopted an innocent appearance.

     All eyes turned toward the figure holding the staff, and widened in
surprise. They had all expected an adult, what was facing them was a
girl who looked no older than they. 

     She was a tall and shapely and of oriental ancestry. Long brown
hair, that was done up in a heavy braid, fell down her back and past her
waist. Her clothes were silk robes of a type they were not familiar with,
but which clung to her shapely body in a way that the five boys found
distracting, much to Hermione's disgust.

     The girl was accompanied by three children. All of whom looked
oriental as well. Standing slightly forward of the others was another
brown-haired girl holding a cat with long creamy pink-tinged fur. Her
hair was tied with a simple ribbon, and the ponytail it created was
scooped forward so it fell over her right shoulder. She looked at the
strangers with an expression of pleasure, mixed with curiosity.  A dark-
haired girl with a somewhat stocky build stepped up in front of the first
girl. She was looking at them with a rather belligerent expression, and
her hands were balled up into fists. Her hair was shorter than the other
girl's, and was somewhat shaggy. Her appearance fairly cried out
tomboy. On the opposite side of the oldest girl was a red-haired boy.
Compared to his companions he seemed very nervous. He kept darting
looks around their older companion at the two younger girls, and his
fingers were constantly picking and pulling at his robes. His hair was
tied in a short pigtail that curled up in the air slightly behind him. The
three children were dressed in standard Hogwarts robes and all looked to
be no older than 11 years of age, indeed the shaggy haired girl and the
red-headed boy looked no more than eight or nine. First years, was the
immediate impression of all the older students, and from that point they
ignored them, focusing all their attention on the girl who had addressed
them. The boys especially

     

     "This is a private matter," Draco said in a semi-polite voice
directed at the chest of the girl holding the staff. "You need not concern
yourself with it."

     "I think I may be the best judge of that, sonny boy," the girl said in
a sardonic voice. "And my eyes are up here, not down there. I see that
wizard boys are still every bit as rude and stupid as the Muggle variety."

     Draco face mottled with anger and his hand twitched toward the
sleeve of his robe. Harry reacted, wether he truly meant the girl harm, or
only hoped to scare her, he was not taking any chances with Draco.
Especially when a sideways glance showed him that Ron was paying no
attention at all to the pale-haired boy. His attention, instead, was
directed toward the attractive oriental girl.

     "Watch out, Ron!" Harry yelled, going for his own wand. Harry
and Hermione  moved backwards quickly, making sure they were not in
each other's line of fire, or in Ron's. They had learned the hard way to
be careful when casting multiple spells at a single target.
                    
     Harry's eyes widened suddenly as he saw that the red-headed boy
who had been cowering behind the tall girl was charging toward Draco,
a grim look on his face. Time seemed to move in slow motion as he
opened his mouth to yell a warning. The boy and Draco came together.
A fraction of a second later Draco was laying on his belly, his arm
twisted straight up in the air. The small boy straddling Draco's body, a
smirk on his face. Draco's wand lay on the ground several feet away.
The young boy's expression turned dark when he spotted it, and he
rattled off something in a foreign tongue at the older girl. 

     "Get off me you, you Mud-blood!" Draco swore, struggling in vain
to free himself from the much smaller boy. Crabbe and Goyle scowled
menacingly, and advanced on the tiny redhead, who couldn't have been
more than a third their size. 

     Ron raised his wand, an look of anticipation on his face, but he
was too slow. 

     "Kiyaaaaa!" the stocky black-haired girl screamed, as she jumped
from where she was standing and landed directly in front of Goyle. Her
hand, open palm forward, flashed out and struck the much larger boy in
the chest. Goyle went pale, and staggered backward, his mouth working
as his lungs tried futilely to draw air into his body. 

     "Why you, little mud-blood!" Crabbe snarled, lunging at the small
girl. Harry, Hermione and Ron had been stunned by her attack on Goyle,
and were a second late in raising their wands. By that time it was all
over. The black haired girl slid under Crabbe's outstretched hands. Her
own small hands reaching up to take hold of Crabbe's left wrist. A small
muscular leg rose and a foot was shoved into his soft belly. The girl
pulled with her arms while pushing hard with her leg.  Crabbe rose into
the air, turned over in mid-flight, and landed with a dust raising thump
that seemed to shake the platform. For a second all was silent. 

     "Wicked," Ron exclaimed in admiration, returning his wand to his
sleeve. His face fairly glowed with joy. The young girl rose to her feet
and casually dusted herself off as she walked back toward her
companions. The redheaded boy, still holding Draco said something to
her with a smile on his face. She responded by sticking her tongue out at
him. 

     "I believe Hogwarts policy is no magic casting by students off of
school property, sonny-boy," the tall girl said. "That will be ten demerits
from your house." She then spoke in a slow clear manner to the young
boy. "Release him Ranma." The boy seemed to puzzle over her words
for a minute, and then, either because he translated her speech, or
divined her request, he released Draco's arm.  He quickly moved back
beside the tall girl, putting her between him and the other two young
children. He darted several frightened looks toward the young brown-
haired girl as he did this. Hermione watched his behavior with
speculation. She wondered why he seemed so reluctant to go near that
girl.  Ranma, which seemed to be his name, had certainly showed no
fear in tackling Draco. Or of the dark-haired girl when he had spoken to
her in a teasing fashion. She decided that the young brown-haired girl
needed watching. There must be something about her that was not
obvious on the surface.                                     

     "You can't do that," Draco protested as he got to his feet. "Only
teachers and prefects can hand out points. Besides, those brats attacked
us. I'll have you on report. Assaulting a student."

     "Looked like self-defense to me," the girl said in an amused voice.
Not that you were much of a threat."

     Draco scowled, but before he could say anything else, a huge voice
boomed out. "Here now, here now, what's going on here, then?"

     "Hagrid," The three friends shouted out in pleasure as the burly,
black-bearded half-giant walked up to the group. Draco and his cronies
directed sour looks at the huge man, then exchanged glances with each
other. Together, they turned and stalked off. The expressions on their
faces as they glowered back at the people they were leaving promised
that this was not over as far as they were concerned.

     Ron and Harry exchanged quick looks, and a silent
communication passed between them. If possible, they'd have to make
sure the kids didn't run afoul of Malfoy. They had surprised him this
time, but that was not going to be the case the next time, and they were
only first term students after all. Fortunately, again, as they were first
years, they would have little reason to come into contact with Malfoy.
Unless they ended up in his house, which was laughable in the face of
their behavior. At that point, out of long practice, they put Draco and
Co. out of their minds, and turned to greet their huge friend properly.
          

     "Did you have a good summer, did your trip go well?" they asked
in a chorus of eager voices.

     "Lo, Harry, Ron, Hermione." Hagrid said with a broad grin on his
face. "You'll be finding out soon enough I'm thinking." Having
delivered this cryptic statement, he turned toward  to the tall oriental
girl. He tugged a twisted forelock with his right hand, and said, "You'd
be Mistress Cologne, The headmaster asked me to find you. Your car
has been hooked up to the express.  If you'd like to come along I'll show
you the way. You'll be met at the school when we arrive and shown the
way. Are these your students?" he asked in a questioning voice, looking
over at the three children who were gazing at the enormous man with
various degrees of awe. "Headmaster said you were bringing some, but I
thought it were only two?"

     "That one, and that one," Mistress Cologne said, using her staff to
indicate the red-headed boy and the stocky dark-haired girl. "Kasumi,"
she said, indicating the brown haired girl with the cat, "is a regular
student. If you could have someone help her get settled I'd appreciate it.
All her luggage is in my car, so there is no problem with that. Ranma
and Akane will be coming with me."

     "I'm sure Harry and the other's here will see to the lass," Hagrid
said, glancing at them. Harry, Ron and Hermione all nodded quick
assent. 

     Mistress Cologne turned to the two children she had indicated.
Speaking in the same slow clear voice as before, she said,  "Ranma,
Akane, we are almost ready to leave. We will go back to the car." 

     Akane frowned slightly as she worked out her companion's words,
but Ranma looked completely lost. He said something to Akane in his
own tongue, and received a clout on the head from Mistress Cologne's
staff. "None of that. You will speak only English," she said firmly. 
     
     Hagrid looked shocked. "Here now, no need to go hitting the little
nipper like that," the soft hearted giant protested. 

     Mistress Cologne laughed. "I'd have to hit him a lot harder than
that to hurt him. That was just to get his attention." 

     Hagrid looked uncertain, but it was true that Ranma didn't seem to
be in any distress from the blow. He rubbed his head and said something
Hermione was glad she could not understand. Akane wacked him on the
back of the head in response, and said. "Cologne right. Learn, quicker,
no talk Nihongo."  

     He scowled at her, and said in very clear English, "Tomboy!" 

     Akane turned red, and raised her fists. Only the intervention of
Mistress Cologne's staff prevented her from flying at Ranma. He
smirked at her over the twisted wood.  Mistress Cologne used her staff
to move each youngster to either side of her, and they started toward the
back of the train. Hagrid walking slowly along beside them. Each of his
steps equaling two of Mistress Colognes, and three of the children's. 

     The two children exchanging dirty looks, and made faces at each
other behind Mistress Cologne's back as the party moved off. They had
only gone a few steps, however, when Akane and Ranma both stopped
and looked back with worried eyes. This time they both spoke in their
own language, gesturing back at Kasumi, who was standing placidly
beside Hagrid. 

     "Is something wrong?" Hagrid asked, his expression worried.

     "Ranma and Akane do not wish to leave Kasumi in the care of
Wizards," Mistress Cologne said in a matter of fact voice.

     "What," Ron exclaimed in surprise, mirroring his friends reaction.
"Ain't you wizards as well."

     "You tell the little lass and lad that they don't have to worry. She'll
have the best care in the world. You can count on that. Harry here will
be happy to look after her, and keep her safe I mind. Ain't that so
Harry?"

     Harry looked a bit startled, but quickly said. "Sure, we'll make
sure she's safe on the train."
     
     Mistress Cologne directed a piercing look at Harry, and more
specifically, at the scar on his forehead. "You are Harry Potter?"

     "Course he is," Hagrid said. "Who else would he be but the
famous Harry Potter with that scar?"

     "I see," she said. For a minute she simply stared at Harry, as if
memorizing his face. Then she gave a firm nod, and turned to face
Hagrid. "I'm sure we can trust Kasumi with such a famous boy," she
said, humor in her voice.  She turned to the other two children. "Kasumi
will be fine. She has Shampoo." Harry, Ron, and Hermione all
exchanged puzzled looks at that. 

     What ever that curious statement meant, it seemed to satisfy
Ranma and Akane, they departed, with many worried looks behind
them. Hermione found this rather strange on the part of the boy named
Ranma. After all, as far as she could tell, he had been terrified of
Kasumi before. You would have thought he would have jumped at the
chance to get away from her.

     "What I want to know is how shampoo can protect anyone" Rom
asked in a questioning voice. "Is it some sort of shield potion?"

     "This, Shampoo," Kasumi said in a strongly accented voice,
surprising the three friends. She held up the cat with the long pink
tinged fur. The cat gave Harry an unfriendly look that was startling
intelligent.

     "You can speak English," Harry blurted out.

     "A little.  Not so good. Long time since I learn," Kasumi said. Her
tone was apologetic.

     "You speak it very well," Hermione reassured her. Much better
than I could your language. I could hardly understand anything your
friends said." Behind her Ron snickered. Typical of Hermione to not
admit total ignorance. 

     "Who is that Mistress Cologne?" Ron asked. Why does she have
students? She's too young to be a teacher surely."

     "Yes, besides, not even the teachers at Hogwarts have individual
students," Harry agreed.

     "Whatever she is, she must be loaded, and important. Private rail
car, private meeting with  Dumbledore. How about it," Ron said,
turning toward Kasumi. "Who is she?"

     Kasumi frowned slightly as she focused hard on Ron's words.
Then she spoke in a careful manner. "Grandmother Cologne has come
to teach at Hogwarts"
     "Grandmother?" Ron asked incredulously. "Her? When did she
have her kids? At six?" He gave a laugh.
 
     "Oh no, she much older. Grandmother Cologne is three hundred
year old," Kasumi said with perfect sincerity.

     The three friends looked at her in stunned surprise for a second.
"That can't be right," Ron protested, shaking his head. "You must have
your words mixed up."
     
     Kasumi looked worried. "Maybe so. I not speak English in long
time. I not as good as once was." The three 15 year olds smiled. A long
time for an 11 year old was likely a few months. 

     "Maybe she is three hundred," Hermione said in a joking tone,
looking at Ron. A bit old for you don't you think?" 

     "No way is she that old," Ron said with a stubborn tilt to his chin.

     Harry spoke up. "What I want to know is, what's with that boy
worrying the way he did about wizards? He's a wizard isn't he? Why
else would he be here?"

     Kasumi who had been looking at them with worried eyes suddenly
brightened up. "Oh no, Ranma no wizard. He hero,"

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