She gasped out the password and stumbled into the common room. Without considering if anyone could see her, she reached into her kimono and pulled out the flask of Chishio draught. She drank the entire contents of it. She would refill it afterwards, during dinnertime, as she was certain she would not be joining the rest of the school in the Great Hall.

She could not keep up this isolation forever. She was getting more and more vulnerable at this foreign land, and she was starving herself. If she kept this up, she would die.

Dying. Dying...sounded like something peaceful. A state where she no longer had to worry about secrets and more secrets and what really was in her heart. If it still was there.

A sudden vision of gray eyes struck her.

/What do you know about me, heart?/ she asked herself.

/Have you ever even been there? I am a receptacle of mad power. You have never been a part of me./

Shinrei breathed deeply and sank into an armchair close by the fire. She drew up her feet, wrapped her cloak around her shivering body and closed her eyes.

/Kami-sama, help me become stronger./

Shinrei wanted to sleep, right there beside the common room fire, but there were more important things to accomplish before she could allow herself to get some rest.

She went upstairs to their dorm room and found none of her roommates there. Dinnertime, she thought, as she quickly changed back into her school robes, using her clean one. She stood before the mirror and undid the knot that held back all her black hair away from her face and into a tight pile on top of her head. The locks cascaded down to her hips. She brushed it clean, then tied all the hair back up. She slapped her cheeks to bring back colour, to assume the outward appearance that she was fairly well.

When all she wanted was to go back to Kossawa. She debated for a moment or so about writing to Akira-sensei, one of the Kossawa elders and teachers. Tell him about Hogwarts. Or maybe she could write to Hiroshi-kun, the young man who was the closest thing she had to a friend. She missed him and their endless sparring sessions and one-on-one Quidditch matches. But if she did, they would know something was wrong. They were very smart that way.

Or maybe, just maybe, she could just pack all her things back into her pack and disappear into the night. Go look for Kanjou-sama on her own. She really was better off with him in his mad quest for Lord Voldemort rather than stay here at Hogwarts watching her every move, always afraid of being caught.

There really was nothing for her at Hogwarts. She did not belong here. Not that she didn't like it--she did. The people were nice and much less strict and demanding...but this was not her world. Her world was elsewhere.

Fighting back tears, Shinrei swallowed very hard. She was always the best in obeying rules and orders. Now was no different.

She spun on her heel, left Gryffindor Tower, and began to make her way downstairs to the dungeons. She would get another flaskful of draught and try to get to the Great Hall before dinnertime ended to forage at least a slice or two of pie.

Sarah had been delaying going in to dinner out of sheer nervousness at the thought of seeing Piotr Rachinov again. She knew she was going to feel shy. She'd popped down to the dungeons to see if she could find Niki or Tish or one of the other Slytherin girls to walk in with. However, they'd gone to dinner and she didn't fancy waiting to see if Arcadia or Katia the Vile turned up.

Deciding to brave it anyway, as her tummy was starting to make some alarming noises, she started upstairs and saw Shinrei on her way down.

"Oh hi Shinrei - I'm glad you are feeling better. Looks like you gained your self two admirers today and maybe three as that boy Piotr was asking after you as well. You going into dinner? 'Cause the Great Hall is that-a-way."

Shinrei tried to ignore Sarah's statement about her "admirers"--but she couldn't stop the flush that raced up from her neck to her forehead. She felt very warm and embarrassed.

"I--no," she replied flustered, then quickly corrected herself. "I mean, yes, of course." She flung her mind around for a perfectly good excuse to be down at the dungeons. "However, I was planning on whiling away time because, well, I did not want to be at the Great Hall with so many people around." At least it wasn't an all-out lie. "I do not feel comfortable around many people, that is why."

Sarah smiled, "Yeah. I felt a little like that when I first got here. Most of the kids seemed to know each other already and the numbers can all get a little bit overwhelming especially in the Great Hall.

You'll get used to it eventually but the castle is also big enough that you can be on your own when you need to. Still it is nice to let people get to know you and vice versa. Your upbringing has been a bit different but I am sure you'll find it's actually quite cool to be among kids your own age."

Shinrei had smiled in response to Sarah's little confession. The other girl had obviously tried to make her feel better. For that, she was thankful, though it did little else to alleviate her doubts about her fitting in at Hogwarts.

Sarah's tummy rumbled, "Yeeps. I'd better go. Take care and maybe see you later in the Hall? It gets less crowded as people start drifting off to their Common Rooms." With that Sarah moved off in the direction of food!

Shinrei watched, smiling, as Sarah made her way up the steps, heading for the Great Hall and dinner. Her trained ninja's ears picked up the rumbling of the girl' stomach. She felt slightly amused.

**********

The halls were empty and quiet. So different from the streets that he had practically lived on for the past three years. Muggle cities were never kind to the wanderer.

Luis checked his watch and noted that it was time for dinner. That's why, he mused. Maybe be he should go to the Great Hall, join the Slytherin table as if he had never left, and make arrangements with the concerned persons afterwards. He really was hungry.

He shook his head in self-reprimand. It wasn't a very good idea to swagger around the place. He wasn't here for that kind of thing. He was no longer the rebellious kid who left Hogwarts three years ago. He was a man who needed a place safe enough in order to survive. Too much was at stake.

He was about to head back to the Great Hall when he saw a black-clad figure sweep quietly down another corridor, heading for the entrance to the dungeons. As quickly and as quietly, he followed, wondering who had the nerve to go sneaking around the school while everyone was upstairs.

The figure began to descend the steps. He was about to come out into the light and make his presence known when a cheerful female voice began to pipe up something that sounded juicy and inquiring at the same time. It sounded familiar. He peered through the shadows. Blond hair--Sarah Taverner. She was on her way up the stairs.

The black-clad figure turned slightly to the left before responding, obviously very uncomfortable. A thick pile of black hair on a roundish face, followed by a soft accented voice. Shinrei.

Without his knowing, he had ducked back into the shadows, listening to her muffled explanation to Sarah.

She should be "treasured," Jonathan Sinclair had told him earlier. Was he so damned right? Luis was very sure of Jon's feelings for the girl--it was written all over the poor sap's face. It didn't take a NEWT topnotcher to figure that one out.

Luis wondered if he looked the same way now. Damn. Damn. Damn. In his head, he kicked himself. Very painfully. He was going to wait for her out here, anyway. The little chiquita surely had something up her sleeve.

**********

Sarah proceeded up the steps and passed by where Luis was standing. She slowed down her pace but didn't stop.

She said quite definitely to him, "Oh, Luis when you're finished following Shinrei, Professor McGonagall is in the Great Hall if you need to talk about coming back here."

Sarah had no doubts that Shinrei could handle herself, but she did think that Luis was being a bit obvious!

As Shinrei turned to head for the secret chamber where she had the cauldronful of Chishio draught stored, she heard Sarah's voice again. From above the steps, at the corridor, almost inaudible through the thickness of the stone walls. But Shinrei Hikari did not have ordinary hearing capabilities.

"..Luis, if you're finished following Shinrei..."

Great gods, he was nearby. And not /him/ again.

Shinrei stood frozen on the dungeon floor for what seemed like the longest time, debating with herself.

If she went back upstairs, she would meet him up there. No way out of it. If she waited down here, he would most likely see her and Kami-sama knew how would he react if he did. If she ran to her secret chamber, there was the great possibility that she could be followed.

Kami-sama, she prayed, what am I do?

Then the ninja in her began, slowly but surely, to wrestle forth. If there is a problem, a direct and complete attack is best. Ensure that the problem would never return again. Stiffening with resolve, she turned and made her way up the steps, her pounding heart thundering in her ears.

Luis grinned and winked at Sarah. The girl knew more than she should, but he had no problem with that. He watched her continue on her way and finally disappear down a corridor.

He tightened the duffel over his shoulder and stepped back into the light and into the threshold of the doorway to the dungeon steps.

He barely had time to take another step forward when he found himself looking into a pair of brown eyes. Shinrei Hikari stood face to face with him.

Shinrei stared straight into Luis's gray eyes. Without blinking and wavering. Her neck began to throb, as she had to bend it upwards.

"Why are you following me?" she asked softly, dangerously. "Do not insult me by denying this. I heard Sarah-san speaking to you at the corridor."

Calmly, he stared back at her. He had never met someone so small who could radiate such a palpable sense of power. Shinrei apparently did.

"I was a Slytherin before I left, chiquita," Luis replied evenly. "You are a Gryffindor, much more one under the obvious care of Head Boy Sinclair himself. Why would you be down here--in our dungeons--when there are no classes?"

"I have to admit you are very stealthy," he added. "If I'm not mistaken, you obviously have training. Ninjutsu, if you may."

"It is not a secret that I was under the tutelage of Clan Kossawa, under Kanjou Hashimoto," Shinrei replied, glaring right back.

"As I have explained to Sarah-san, I was whiling away my time. I do not want to be at the Great Hall when there are so many people. Now, if you will kindly excuse me, I must go back upstairs."

She thought about her Chishio draught, of her now empty flask, and cursed herself for her carelessness. She wouldn't need the draught for another five hours or so. Later tonight she could go back. At present, it would be best for her to stay out of the dungeons with Luis in such a very inquisitive mood.

"Oyasumi," she said stiffly, then side-stepped him and began to go back up the steps.

Luis surprised himself by his response. One of his hands shot out and closed gently but firmly on her elbow. There was something about her very obvious lie that struck a nerve in him.

Something painful that she was trying desperately to hide behind the blank mask. He knew more than enough about being in that situation--because he was more often than not in that sort of fix, too.

Hiding. In more ways than one.

"Wait," he said. "Look. I'm sorry for sneaking after you like a creep, okay? Let's just go back to the Great Hall and get something to eat and maybe you'll think of something to let me make it up to you."

"Besides, you're the last person I would want to hate me." He did not let her go as he waited for a response.

He had touched her. Shinrei did not know how to make of Luis's actions. He was a very unpredictable person. She could not even think of what could he possibly do next. And he had touched her. Kami-sama. She slid her arm out of his grip and instinctively stepped backward, unable to look at him straight in the face.

"There is no reason for me to hate you. I am not in any position to pass judgement. As it is, there is nothing to apologise for." She breathed deeply and forced her eyes to meet his gray stare. "If you wish to go to the Great Hall, then I find no reason as well not to accompany you."

Shinrei turned and began her ascent once more.

He smiled. He was glad that Shinrei couldn't see him smiling behind her back.

The fact that she wasn't angry with him washed over Luis with a remarkable calming effect. He did not want this beautiful little creature thinking that he was a creep, a jerk or anything bad. Treasured. She really should be treasured. This unusual girl with a secret behind her brown eyes.

He half-ran up the steps to catch up with her and was soon at pace. He gave her a smile. "Muchas gracias anyway, chiquita."