Chris McFadden wrote:

Hikari no Daija
(The Serpent of Light)
A Cabbit Patch Production
by Miriani and Andrew Norris

Characters are the properties of JK Rowling, Rumiko Takahashi, CLAMP, 
20th Century Fox, Paramount, AIC, Pioneer and the team at #Akane.

Chapter 3 � Week of Weirdness
-----

Most of the students in the classroom looked bored or irritated, as if 
being there was a waste of time. A scant handful, including most of the 
Americans and
Japanese students, were intently watching the tousel-haired man fiddling 
with a small device on his desk, every so often taking a look at a small 
pocket
watch. Ranko watched the manipulation of the device with a bit of 
confusion, but assumed there was a point to it, so waited with some 
small amount of
patience.

Finally after looking at his watch, the man stood, nodding. �About time, 
then,� he said with an American accent. �Alright everyone. I'm Angus 
MacGyver, and
this is beginner's Technomancy. Now, Technomancy is as much a science as 

	<Sound FX:  Mental Train Wreck>
	...you didn't.  You D... did.  Erm.  You know, actually, that explains 
a whole lot....

an art. And surprisingly, one of the ways that 'Danes actually have the 
edge over
us.�

�'Danes?� someone asked with a hint of scepticism from the back.

�Yes, Mundanes. The American term for those who do not access magic 
directly. You call them Muggles. Rather odd term, if you ask me, but 
hey.� The man
shrugged, and a few students actually looked offended at the concept of 
Muggles having an edge over wizards. �Now, can any of you tell me what 
Technomancy
is?�

	"Anyone?  Granger?  Granger?  Oh, yes, she's not in this class."

Sakura raised a hand, and as Angus pointed to her, she stated, 
�Technomancy is the melding of technology and magic.�

�Simple answer, but correct, for what you have. Now why would you want 
to meld magic and tech?� the professor asked.

Mitzi raised her hand, and said, �Well, there's two good reason I can 
think of. Efficiency and concealment. Technomancy can save you your own 
personal
energies or amplify them. You can also use them pass magical effects off 
as technological effects to those less aware Mundanes.�

Angus nodded with a smile. �Exactly. Very good. Now can any of you name 
a famous Technomancer? From any era.�

	Hm, lessee.  Archimedes leaps to mind ("Give me a lever long enough, 
and I shall move the world!" takes on new --and somewhat ominous-- 
meaning in this context).  As does Leonardo Da Vinci.  Aristosthenes... 
mmm, probably not.  Voltaire might qualify.  Babbage probably would. 
Watt and the Wright Brothers could probably qualify.  I know it's 
fashionable to dis Edison these days, but there's no denying the man was 
a "genius of hard work" (to steal a particularly apt phrase from Rock 
Lee).  Tesla... probably, yes, even after you throw out all the 
hyperinflated urban legends about him.
	And Arthur C Clarke deserves at least an honorable mention, if for no 
other reason than "Clarke's Law."
	So, let's see how I did....

Danny grinned and called out, �Samuel Colt.�

	Ooo!  Didn't think of that one.  But I'm sure there are several that I 
didn't.

�Interesting choice. Anyone else?� the professor asked.

Hermione hesitantly raised her hand and said, �If I recall right, Thomas 
Edison?�

	Oh.  Hermione IS in this class.  Hm.

�Very good choice, Ms. Granger. Anyone?�

Ranko paused, then raised a hand. �I think I heard somewhere that a guy 
named Fumori Taisei had done some work with...� she paused as she tried 
to translate
the technical term she had picked up somewhere.

�Magic Polarization Cells, a way to isolate a small room of outside 
magic in order to simplify magic research,� Professor MacGyver said, a 
bit startled.

	ITYM "Isolate from"

�Very good, Ms. Shidou. That was rather recent. Been reading TechnoWeekly?�

	"Technomancy Week and MagiTechnology"  :)  (to riff on AvWeek)

Ranko blushed in embarassment. �I uh... read it on the train.�

�I see. Well, on that note, can anyone tell me what you've noticed?�

Nobody spoke for a moment, before Neville raised a hand. �They're 
American and Japanese?� he said, almost immediately looking as if he was 
going to regret
saying it.

	Well, I can think of several strong British candidates.  Turing, for one.

Several people laughed, but MacGyver nodded. �Exactly. The American 
magical heritage is rather recent, and except for some regions, rather 
open to new ideas.
The spirit that led toward the 'Danes' 'Industrial Revolution' also 
helped inspire a Magical Revolution as well, in which people were 
willing to experiment
with concepts nobody else was either willing or able to think of. And 
the Japanese were very hidebound up until after World War II, when both the
technological and magical research took off with the rebuilding effort.�

�Now our first practical lesson will be an interesting one, and one of 
the things that inspired the Technomantic boom, actually. 
Improvisational repair, also
known in various places and fields as the Jury Rig, or sometimes 
pejoritively called kludge, is just what it seems. It's the act of 
putting something
together with whatever you have available at the time.�

	I dunno whether to cue up the "MacGyver" soundtrack or the "A-Team."
	In fact, there was a brain-bending oneshot SM/A-Team fusion (with B.A. 
as "Sailor Bad@$$") that used a similar theme....

Most of the students weren't able to do much. Ranko managed to repair an 
old metal detector which blew up after being tested on a coin, only to 
receive the
professor's approval, with the comment, �You must have just flipped a 
capacitor by mistake. Not bad though.�

	Ah, electrolytic capacitors, the bane of EE 130 -- it's so hard to keep 
the magic smoke *inside* those things....

Hermione's project, a radio, picked up a lot of static, but seemed to 
work. The biggest surprise, however, was Neville's project.

	Now, radios aren't supposed to work at Hogwarts, according to canon. 
Do Technomantically-kludged gadgets get some kind of immunity to the 
disruption of intense ambient magic fields due to their hybrid origin?

Angus grinned. �Nice job... it looks like you have the knack, Mr. 
Longbottom. You could go to any nuclear power plant and get this control 
rod mechanism
working as a backup in any of them. Very good.� Most of the class looked 
confused, though the Americans and one or two of the mundane-born were 
shocked at
the presence of nuclear control rods in the professor's stash.

	....<twitch>  I was too, though I probably shouldn't have been.  At 
least he didn't have any plutonium on ha-- wait, is that a DeLorean I 
see under that tarp over there?

----------------------

Ranko smiled as she slipped into the seat next to Sakura, relaxing as 
she began to eat her meal, mostly traditional japanese fare, though she 
did take
occasional tasting bites of British wizarding foodstuffs. When the crowd 
started to build, she asked, �So what happened with that tree in the 
courtyard?�

One of the third-year Ravenclaws replied, �You hadn't heard? Harry 
Potter and some other Gryffindor flew a flying muggle machine into the 
Whomping Willow.�

	<BLINK>  Oy VEY!  Arthur Weasley, Technomagus-in-potentia?  That could 
explain a few things....

�The Whomping Willow? How'd they survive?� Another student asked.

�Uh, who's this Harry Potter?� Ranko asked.

	"My broker is E.F. Hutton!!!"
	(and if ANYONE gets that joke, I'll be amazed)

The conversation stopped. So did several other conversations, as 
everyone who could hear Ranko turned toward her, stunned and confused. 
�Come on,� The first
girl asked. �You /don't/ know the Boy-Who-Lived?�

	"Nope, never met him."
	Sug:  "You've never *heard* of....?"

Ranko groaned. �If he's carrying a bokken, I'm going to hurl.� Everyone 
looked confused at that remark.

	...huh?  Maybe I need to re-read the older chapters.

Someone claimed, �You know, the one who killed You-Know-Who?�

�No, I don't know who,� Ranko said, just a bit testily.

	"Who's on First?"
	Oh, this is gonna be FUNNY.

A fourth-year looked at the redhead. �You know.. the Dark Lord?�

Ranko blinked. �Dracula? Isn't he a myth?�

	<snicker>

Half of the students who heard seemed to struggle against a sudden 
intensity of gravity and barely succeeded.

	ITYM "sudden intensification"

Melange sat down on Ranko's other side, and was about to talk to the 
redhead, but was interrupted by a rather irritable voice, that of Cho 
grumbling rather
loudly about redheaded twits interfering in training. Ranko rolled her 
eyes, then asked, �Ok, Chang, what's your beef with me? The snide 
comments got old
about a day and a half ago.�

	...Okay, what's with all the Cho-hatred?  Seriously, I've never seen 
anything in canon that warrants the kind of authorial bashing that I see 
in a *lot* of HP 'fics.

Cho sniffed and turned away from Ranko, to end up facing Professor 
Flitwick who was looking at her with a rather disappointed expression. 
�Ms. Chang, I'd
like to speak with you after lunch, please.� Cho paled a bit, but nodded.

Professor Snape followed Filius to the head table, murmering. �Out of 
curiousity, why are you so lenient? She did attempt to attack a fellow 
student, and a
first year at that?�

	That last line isn't a question, so I'd lose the "?"

Filius actually chuckled softly. �I don't know if she attempted to 
actually harm Ms. Shidou. Besides which, do you really think she could 
do anything to her
anyway?� His voice was just loud enough to be heard at Cho's end of the 
table, eliciting a flush of embarassment.

Ranko paused, then said, �Hey, C-Chan, want to try again tomorrow? I had 
fun.� This not only caused a sputter of fury from the embarassed Ms. 
Chang, but
stares of surprise from the other Ravenclaws that could hear her.

A moment later, Professor Lockhart stepped in, causing Ranko to roll her 
eyes. �I think I actually lost my appetite. I'm going to go for a jog.� 
She replied,
pushing away from the table and stepping out of the Great Hall. �And I 
thought Kunou was bad...�

	Replied to whom?  Also, should be "..jog," she...

�If this Kunou is anywhere as bad as Lockhart, I feel sorry for you,� a 
voice called from behind Ranko.

	...oh, where do I *begin*?

Ranko chuckled. �Let's just say I wouldn't be surprised if they're 
related, Shir,� Ranko replied as she turned around.

Shiriana chuckled as she rubbed beneath her eyepatch. �That sounds 
ominous, to be honest.� She said wryly.

�Not sure what that means, but let's just say I'm in a hurry to confirm 
that I've well and truly dropped Lockhart's class. He's... what do they 
call them
around here... a royal wanker?� Ranko asked.

Shiriana chuckled and nodded. �Appropriate... I've never seen anyone who 
got more pleasure from running his mouth.�

Ranko shrugged. �So what brings you by?� She asked.

�Just heading back to the tower, that's all,� Shir replied, then paused 
as a hawk flew in through a nearby window.

�Soratsume!� Ranko said with a smile, taking a letter from the falcon as 
she relaxed, beginning to read, her face going a bit pale.

Shir frowned softly. �What's wrong?� She moved to look over the letter, 
but before she could read it, Ranko put it back into her pocket.

�I... I'll catch up with you later,� Ranko replied as she walked off to 
the tower. Shiriana found herself wondering what could cause such a 
reaction in the
girl.

---

Ranko stood atop the Ravenclaw tower, looking at the letter she 
received. �Why do I feel like this...� She said, nibbling her lip, 
looking at the letter once
more.

�Dear Ranma-chan.� The letter began,

�I�m sorry to inform you, but Grandfather Happosai passed away the day I 
wrote this letter. He left a will, splitting up his assets into several 
trusts for
you, Akane, Natsumi, and Kurumi, and even some for Hinako-sensei. All 

	And, I assume, something for Kasumi, even though she'd never mention it.

contingent on you marrying of course to avoid the taxes. He left a 
message to give to
you, in which he specifically stated you are not to grieve over him, but 
be glad he had a full life, and at the end had all his goals reached. As 
he said,
it�s not bad to die, after all, it�s the next journey, and he had a 
fuller life than most, his art will continue, and he�ll be remembered, 
what more could he
ask for? All he asks, is on occasion you leave a panty or two at his 
shrine.�

	...ggkkkkk.  Even *dead,* he's a pervert.  Then again, he asked so 
nicely, it'd almost be a shame to deny this last req-- ARGH!  What am I 
SAYING!?!?!

�Also, Nabiki and Akane are out hunting for the mushrooms, for 
themselves. They feel� that they were denied their chance to learn 
Mother�s Art. Tofu-sensei
and a elder from the Amazons are helping them, so I feel that you do not 
have to worry on their account. Study hard in school, and bring honor to 
the families.�

�With love,�
�Tendou Kasumi.�

Ranko stared at the letter. �He was an annoying old pervert who caused 
me nothing but trouble,� she muttered to herself. �Sure he taught me a 
lot, but he
was...�

	Larger than life.  Love him or hate him, the old perv certainly made 
sure that life never got *boring.*  And as annoying as he was, Ranma 
just can't easily *dislike* someone who gives him a real challenge.

�Sometimes it's the people who cause us the most problems that we care 
for the most,� A somewhat spacy voice said from behind her.

Ranko turned to see the voice's source. �Oh... hi, Lovegood,� she said, 
rubbing her eyes a bit. �What brought you up here?� she said, sitting 
down on the
stone next to Soratsume who chirped a bit.

	Sug: comma after "Soratsume," maybe.

�I just needed to get a look around,� Luna said simply as she sat down, 
letting the wooden hatch close with a thump. �Bad news goes away better 
in fresh
air.�

	I *like* that one -- have to steal it.  It's also very Luna, which is 
all to the good.

Ranko blinked, then shrugged. �I never noticed that myself. Mostly 
because I seem to attract bad news too often.�

Luna nodded. �Perhaps you're having problems with Legurns.�

The redhead looked at her confusedly. �Legurns?�

Luna nodded softly. �Yes... Little insects that eat good luck.�

	Mmm, I'm not sure, but I don't think "little" needs to be capped after 
the elipsis, since it's still part of the same sentence.

Ranko blinked then shrugged. �Sounds like I've had those since I was a 
kid...� she says dryly.

	To quote a certain fanfic author (when confronted by one of his ACCs): 
  "Would you rather have been BORED?"
	Ranko's past certainly was never easy, but she's also seen and done 
things that most people will never even dream of.

Luna looked at her a bit closer. �I'd never heard of a colony lasting so 
long,� she murmered. �Try washing in lime juice. Legurns don't like limes.�

Ranko chuckled a bit bitterly. �I'll have to keep that in mind.�

Luna nodded. �Well, Professor Flitwick said that Charms class will be 
cancelled due to some problem.�

Ranko nodded. �Might as well get some more sleep... why waste a free 
period?�

The blond replied, �Why not study in the library instead? That's what 
I'm going to do. I wanted to find out who was the youngest person to 
ever perform an
animagus transformation.�

Ranko blinked, looking at the blonde confusedly. Those occasional 
comments that seemed to hit close to home made her wonder how much she 
actually knew, but
before she could ask, Luna was already re-closing the hatch above her.

	"how much she actually knew" is ambiguous -- is Ranko wondering how 
much she herself knows, or how much Luna knows?

---

The rest of her classes went well enough, and Ranko was able to calm 
down a bit by dinner time, though she tried to avoid answering 
questions, or even
talking much by the simple expedient of eating quickly and leaving just 
as quickly. After dinner, nobody saw where Ranko went.

	Sug:  "eating quickly and leaving early."

Meanwhile, a small kitten began to wander the halls of Hogwart's...

	
	Since it's the end of a sentence, I believe that elipsis should be a 
four-dot, not a three.

	<blink>  Definitely gotta dig up the earlier chapters.  I think I may 
be conflating this 'fic with another Ranko-at-Hogwarts story....

-

The two were on a mission. Not for good, nor for ill, but for chaos. One 
of them pulled out an old piece of parchment, before tapping it with his 
wand. �I
solemnly swear that I am up to no good,� he whispered, as black ink 
flowed over the paper, revealing a map. �Here we are. Ready to go, George?�

	I knew it was them, even before the name showed.

George nodded to his twin and co-conspirator as he looked around, then 
put on a pair of glasses, handing another pair to his brother. �Very 
nice, Fred.�

�Thank you,� Fred replied then looked down at the map. �Let's see.. the 
area's mostly clear... wait, what's this?� He looked confusedly at a 
small icon upon
the map, but garbage in place of the customary name.

George looked at the map, before moving to find a place to hide, yanking 
his brother over.

A siamese kitten walked near the twins, looking at them curiously. 
George blinked, then looked back at the map over Fred's shoulder. �Huh.. 
That's odd...�

	Whups.  Blown.

Fred looked at the map, and then the kitten. �Very odd indeed.�

George frowned. �I don't suppose it's broken, is it?�

Fred shook his head. �No... Maybe he belongs to one of the Asians?�

Suddenly a crash and a familiar cackle was heard. �Bugger!� George said 
as he grabbed Fred and dove toward a room.

Unfortunately, Peeves just set off one nasty little chain reaction at 
this point.

	Sug:  "had just" and drop the "at this point"

First George then Fred ended up stepping down on the kitten's tail. A 
pained yowl was heard, then the kitten ended up performing a phenominal 
(For a cat)

	Uncap "for"

leap. The following events will not be explained, to prevent turning the 
stomachs of the more squeamish.

	Sug:  "subsequent events... will not be narrated..."

--

Sakura looked curiously at Ranko as she emerged, rubbing on her 

	Drop "on"

tailbone, grumbling in Japanese. �Ranko!� she said, scandalized by some 
of the words the
redhead was using. And wondering what she meant by idiotic redheads who 
don't watch where they're stepping. She followed the croud out to the 

	Sug:  "...where they were stepping."

great hall and
to their table. A few minutes later, the Weasley twins arrived at their 
own table, to questions. Specifically what happened to their faces, as 

	Sug:  "...what had happened..."

it obviously
looked like, to the muggle-born, they were trying to french-kiss a 
blender, or to the wizard and witchborn, like they decided to stick 
their heads in an
exploding cauldron. Ranko glared at the twins as she fidgeted in her 

	Urgh.  Okay, that whole paragraph needs rebuilding.  Mmm, I'd suggest 
something like:
	"...as it appeared that they had either been trying to french-kiss a 
blender or holding their heads inside an exploding cauldron, depending 
on the observers' Muggle or Wizarding viewpoint..."

seat, trying in vain to get comfortable.

	
	<snerk>


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