Harry Potter and the Antithesis Reflector

by Naoko Miyamoto

* ... * Denotes something said in another language, other than English.

Chapter One - A New Student

The students of Hogwarts had returned to the school for the year, with news that a new student would soon be attending. There was an exchange happening between Hogwarts and a school from Japan. A Ravenclaw fifth year was going to Japan in exchange for the Japanese student.

The classes at the Japanese school were much different then how things in Hogwarts were handled. Dumbledore had explained some of the changes after introducing the Defense Against the Dark Art's teacher for the year (Lupin had returned by request of Dumbledore once all the parents had be reassured Lupin was safe). "The Japanese wizards and witches begin training at a much younger age," it had been explained. "What we consider to be our final year, the seventh year, is skilled at their third level with students aging only 10 to 12. Our Ravenclaw student, however, will be placed in their fifth year with students aged 15 to 17, and expected to catch up, which she should do quickly."

* * *

"What was her name again?" Ron interrupted.

Harry's thoughts of what Dumbledore had said about Japanese wizarding schools faded as he was brought back by Ron's question. Ron, Harry, and Hermione were currently in their fifth year at Hogwarts, and hadn't had much experience with other schools. The only chance they had really had was during the Triwizard Tournament with Beauxbatons and Durmstrang.

"Naoko Miyamoto." Hermione replied. It showed in her voice that she was annoyed with Ron having to ask again, only to forget later in the day.

"Right... Naoko." Ron nodded as if to say, "I won't forget this time."

Harry absently continued eating breakfast, the Great Hall fading away again as he drifted back into his own world. Today's the day she arrives... he thought idly to himself. Wonder if she'll look anything like Cho.. "- Ow!"

"Day dreaming again?" Ron asked, poking Harry's arm with his fork. "Look up front."

Harry peered over the heads seated at the Gryffindor table, stretching his neck as he looked. Then, he spotted what Ron had seen. A girl with strange robes and... BLUE hair? was standing up front with the teachers. There appeared to be introductions happening but Harry was unable to hear what was being said.

The room fell silent at the sound of Dumbledore speaking over everyone: "May I have everyone's attention?" He paused for a moment, allowing Professor McGonagall to take the sorting hat from the table where the teacher were seated, Harry hadn't even noticed it there. "Our new student, Naoko Miyamoto, has finally joined us. Since she missed the sorting ceremony where she was originally to be sorted into a house, we will now allow the sorting hat to pick where she'll be placed."

McGonagall placed the hat on the girl's head, with some difficulty (Naoko's hair was styled in a ponytail on top her head which fell into three different parts, each with a bow at the bottom). Everyone watched, waiting for the familiar cry from the hat. After a moment, a voice was heard, however, it wasn't that hat. Naoko appeared to be muttering something, in a language other than English.

"*You stupid hat! Learn Japanese!!*"

She appeared to be getting annoyed, causing the Slytherin table to laugh at how odd she seemed to be. Finally, the hat had decided: "SLY-"

Naoko ripped the hat from her head, stepping on it and grinding her foot down threateningly. "*What was that....*"

"Gr-Gryff- GRYFFINDOR!"

The bewildered students all cheered, Gryffindor moreso. Naoko removed her foot from the hat and bounced off to join the Gryffindor table. She sat between Fred and George who were both blushing. Harry had heard them mentioning the new girl being placed in their year while in Gryffindor Commons. Since seventh year was the highest Hogwarts had, Naoko was placed at that level. The reality was, she would be more advanced.

Further down the table, another seventh year student called to Naoko and waved. Apparently, Harry thought, she had been introduced to the seventh years since they seemed to know her somewhat. She waved back and smiled politely, a sudden change from the mood she was in while the sorting hat was placed on her.

"Now that we've completed that, er- interesting sorting, I hope you all welcome Naoko to Hogwarts and help her about the school as needed." Dumbledore continued his speech. "There may be some language barriers, Naoko isn't very fluent in English so please be considerate when speaking with her. That is all, now you're all excused and please head off to your first classes of the day."

Everyone rose, and began to leave the room. Harry had paused, glancing back at Naoko. She didn't even appear Asian, other then the odd forest green and pink robes she wore. They appeared to be like a kimono, something Hermione had ranted about one night when talking about Japanese fashions (Hermione thought she should learn all she could about Japan incase she was needed in helping Naoko out). Blue hair, that was the most unusual of all Harry thought. People of Japanese origin had black, or dark brown he'd been told. He suspected she didn't even have the eye colour, dark brown to black. Before he could approach to check, Hermione caught him by the arm, telling him they'd be late for herbology. He followed her off, glancing back again just in time to meet eyes with Naoko. Harry felt a sudden pain burning in his forehead as he stared into her eyes, one brown, one blue... The oddest sight he'd seen. But it wasn't the eyes which caused the pain, it was the look that was being dealt by them. A look of warning, like only one other person had managed to show so coldly before. Like... Like...

Before Harry could think of the name of the person, he fell the the floor, unconscious, his forehead burning worse then ever before.

* * *

As Harry awoke, he saw the faces of Professor Dumbledore and the school's nurse, Madam Pomfrey. Harry attempted to sit up, only to be told to lay back down and conserve his energy.

Dumbledore approached, a look of worry crossing his face. "What happened?" he merely asked. "Mr Weasley and Miss Granger had no idea what happened. They say they started to leave with you, then you suddenly collapsed."

Harry tried to remember himself what had happened. He hadn't even the faintest clue, he barely understood what Professor Dumbledore was asking him. Harry remembered being in the Great Hall for breakfast then there was the introduction of the new girl... "Naoko..." Harry murmured.

"Naoko?" Madam Pomfrey questioned, wrinkling her nose in disgust. "What about her? She was in here earlier asking what had happened. Smugly asked if this kind of thing happened often with you. She seemed to be implying you were unfit to use magic."

Harry sighed, he remembered now what had happened. He explained the look he'd been given when trying to get a glimpse of Naoko and the burning sensation that happened only when Voldemort was near. He didn't know why it had reacted to Naoko. she definitely did not seem to be Voldemort.

There was a knock on the door, Ron and Hermione peered in, checking up on Harry. Harry assumed it was lunch time by now, his stomach was crying out for something to eat. Despite Madam Pomfrey's protests, Harry's friends were permitted to visit, with the help of Dumbledore's persuasion.

"Don't be too long." Madam Pomfrey warned. "I'm keeping him here for another few hours to be sure he's alright."

"Seeing his friends should only quicken his recovery, Poppy." Dumbledore smiled. "Get some rest once you're finished talking, Harry. I'm sure you'll be fine, I'll have a word with Miss Miyamoto in private about this incident."

Harry nodded. Dumbledore left the room, allowing Harry and his friends some privacy.

"So, what happened?!" Ron quickly asked, before Dumbledore had even closed the door.

"Ron!" Hermione glared. "No need to be so blunt!"

"I was just asking..."

Harry smiled slightly. "Don't worry about it." He went on to explain things yet again, becoming bored of telling the tale, hoping no one else asked. "Maybe writing this down and handing it to people would be easier then retelling." He finished.

Hermione looked deep in thought, pondering all possibilities before saying anything, while Ron began making accusations.

"She's a Death Eater I bet!" Ron announced, a bit too loudly, causing Madam Pomfrey to look up. "Er, I mean, how else could she make your scar react like that?!"

"But, Ron." Hermione corrected. "It's never reacted to a Death Eater before. Only Voldemort."

"-And once Snape..." Harry added. "When I first came to Hogwarts, he gave me a look like that too. And here I thought only Volde-" Ron cringed. "-Sorry, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was the only one to cause that reaction. Maybe it's caused as a warning that someone has a lot of hate towards me..."

Hermione nodded. "True, but..." she raised her hand in front of Ron who was about to cut her off. "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was actually in the room, so it may have been that causing the reaction too."

The three of them stood in silence, thinking though all the information they had at hand. "Maybe we should follow Naoko and see if she's up to anything suspicious." Harry suggested. "Well, you two since I can't leave here for a while yet..." he looked towards Madam Pomfrey, then lowered his voice. "Take the cloak and try to find her. Dumbledore is looking for her too, to question her. If you can find her first then follow them and listen in on the questioning."

"I believe you've had quite enough time to talk." Madam Pomfrey interjected. "Time to go, Miss Granger, Mr Weasley. You can talk all you want after classes."

Harry waved to Ron and Hermione as they left the room and laid back down. And here I was hoping for a peaceful year for once...

* * *

After retrieving the invisibility cloak from Harry's trunk, Ron return to Gryffindor commons where Hermione was waiting for him. The cloak was stuffed under his robes, against his stomach. Which he was holding, looking as if he was in pain but not showing it on his face.

Hermione had spotted Naoko in to commons for a moment with her pets. There had been a crowd gather around to see the magical animals, three peacocks, one light blue, one fiery red, and the other green, like your average peacock. She had explained each represented an element and had other powers she didn't have time to explain. Dumbledore had arrived with Professor McGonagall and asked Naoko to go with them. Ron had come from the boy's dormitory only moment later, giving Hermione and himself enough time to have a gap between when they left and Naoko (so they didn't create suspicious), but still have enough time to catch up under the cloak.

The quickly climbed out the portrait hole, and scanned the hallways for teachers, students, ghosts, peeves, anything that would be able to see them go under the cloak. Down one of the corridors, they could see Naoko and Professor Dumbledore. Hermione and Ron waited for them to go out of sight before following. After being sure no one was around. They quickly covered themselves in the cloak and ran after Dumbledore and Naoko, trying to keep as quiet as they could but still run.

Once they began to catch up, they slowed down and tried hard to listen to the conversation. Naoko still had her birds with her. The blue one on her left shoulder, the green one on her right, and Dumbledore was holding the red one, which was perch on his arm, cooing with some fire escaping its beak it seemed. The topic at the moment had nothing to do with Harry, but was merely small talk about Naoko's messenger pets. That soon changed however.

"I am right in assume you want more than talking of Hi, Mizu, and Chi?" Naoko asked, her accent was thick and words out of order, but she spoke well enough so that people could understand what she was trying to say.

Hermione stopped grabbing Ron before he walked right out from under the cloak. Dumbledore turn to faced her. He smiled warily, passing her red peacock back to her. "You are right. I need to talk to you about what happened this morning with Harry Potter."

"Stupid boy with scratch on head, ne?" Naoko asked, her face showing dislike for Harry. "Very stupid boy. He has place in kuidichu group as my spot from home. I was hope being shiiku on Gryffindor group."

Hermione whispered to Ron that Naoko was trying to say she didn't like Harry for being Gryffindor's Seeker, the place she played on her team in Japan. Hermione had noticed Ron's blank stare as Naoko had been taking. Hermione smiled, proud of herself for brushing up on some Japanese terms she assumed a student from Japan wouldn't know.

"And you glared at him earlier," Dumbledore smiled. "out of jealousy?"

Hermione glared though the cloak at Naoko. She didn't believe it herself. Naoko was covering something up, she believed. Why would Harry's scar have reacted over a simple jealously? Was it possible to be that jealous of someone having a place on a quidditch team?

Naoko nodded a reply, then was pecked lightly by one of her peacocks. It cooed and fluttered its wings a bit, as if asking permission to leave. Naoko lifted the bird from her shoulder. "Go now, Chi." she told the green peacock, letting it loose.

"Damn, I think it sees us!" Ron panicked, in a forced whisper. "It's coming this way!"

"Non sense!" Hermione hushed him. "We're invisible, it can't... Oh my..."

The bird landed directly on Ron's head. Cooing and clawing lightly though the fabric of the cloak. "Go away, bird!" Ron batted at it though the cloak, but it didn't leave. It perched right back where it had been. Chi looked down, locking eyes with Hermione, it could see them. But how? It then dawned on Hermione. The other powers, this was one of the powers the peacock had. It could see invisible things. Hermione's suspicions about Naoko grew. Why would she need a bird who could see invisible things? Was it because she needed to be sure no one was following her, trying to find out her secrets?

Hermione caught herself. What secrets? she asked herself. You're jumping to conclusions again. She gave a perfectly good reason for glaring at Harry. And who knows, maybe it wasn't her that caused that burning sensation! Maybe something else did at the same time...

"Hermione! Help!" Ron was now fighting with the bird, trying to pull the cloak from its talons. "It's going to give us away!"

She quickly looked down to see their feet were showing already. "Don't hurt it, then they'll hear it cry out-!"

Ron gave one last tug at the cloak before losing his grip and tumbling back into Hermione. She fell backwards with him as the bird flew off, stealing Harry's cloak. Hermione ran for cover behind a suit of armor, Ron stumbling along behind her. Naoko had continued down the corridor with Dumbledore, her peacock taking the cloak to her.

"No!" Ron almost yelled, "If it takes it to her, then they'll know someone was following them! Dumbledore will think it was Harry!"

"But we can't go after it, or they'll know something's up!"

Hermione sighed, watching helplessly as the bird approached its owner.

"That's it, I'm going after it!" Ron decided, sprinting down the hall. As he began to catch up to the bird, a vine shot out from the stone floor and wrapped about his ankle. Hermione watched, worried, as Ron fell onto the ground with a thump. He tried to get free of the vine but it continued to grow, wrapping about him even more.

"Hermione! Help me!" he called back, trying to be quiet but loud enough for her to hear.

"Use your wand!" she replied, her voice a whisper but she exaggerated her mouth movements so that Ron could read her lips. "A fire spell will get rid of it!"

Ron searched about for his wand, the vines were entwined about both his legs but his wand wasn't anywhere in sight. "Damn, damn, damn...." he kept repeating. "Hermione!"

Hermione ran from her hiding place, pulling out her wand. She was about to use a spell but someone else had beaten her to it.

"Fiya Arrow!"

There was a low whistling, coming towards Hermione and Ron. As they both looked up, an arrow of fire shot past, burning the plants and setting Ron free without the fire catching him or Hermione.

"Chi! Bad peacock!"

Naoko came running back down the hall, no longer with Professor Dumbledore. She was scolding the green peacock which had taken the cloak. "He not is so bad like usual." Naoko offered her hand to Ron, helping him to his feet, Hermione made a loud "Hmpf" noise.

"Here, is yours?" she handed them the cloak. "Chi is liking to steal things... Sorry for trouble he has cause." Naoko tilted her head to one side as the blue peacock cooed. "Mizu must know why you were following..."

Hermione raised an eyebrow. It seemed Naoko could understand what the bird was asking, not to mention the three birds seemed intelligent, more so than any she'd seen. Here guess was if the second had an ability to talk in some way, the other would have hearing abilities. Making them each having a gift similar to the "See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil" saying.

"Thanks." Ron said, taking the cloak. "And, er, we weren't following you. We were... Trying to visit Harry! We're his friends and wanted to check up on him. Madam Pomfrey told us we weren't allowed to see him."

"And we should be going to see him, not talking..." Hermione prompted Ron to start walking away.

"We'll, um, see you later." Ron fumbled, being pushed away. "Hermione, I can walk myself!"

Hermione stopped pushing Ron along and looked back, Naoko was gone, apparently she'd continued along. "That was just weird." She said, once again trying to sort out the facts. "Nothing seems quite right. Why did that bird attack you?"

"Bird?" Ron asked, dumbly. "They were vines, Hermione, are you alright, Do you need to see Mada-"

"No, I don't. That bird has magical powers. You saw the red one breathing fire, didn't you? When Naoko was in Gryffindor Commons the birds were each doing small tricks. Chi, as she called it, was able to control and create plant life. Hi, was able to breathe fire, and Mizu was able to control water and ice. Understand?" Ron nodded, understanding very little in reality. "The plant bird, that stole the cloak, must have sensed you coming and stopped you long enough to get the cloak to Naoko, so she'd know someone was here. Thankfully Dumbledore left just before the bird got to her or he'd be suspicious..."

"Wait,"Ron interrupted. "Why would the bird care? Or Naoko? I don't get this. You're just reading too deeply into everything again!"

Hermione made yet another "Hmpf!" noise and turned to walk off. "Fine! don't listen to me! You'll see she's evil eventually and then it will be too late!" She stormed off, leaving Ron dumbfounded.

* * *

It was now late in the afternoon. Classes were finished for the day and Harry had been allowed to leave the hospital wing. However, he seemed bewildered as to why Ron and Hermione weren't talking to one another. He and Ron were in Gryffindor commons playing a game of wizard chess, he was attempting to get Ron to explain what happened. Ron had refused saying "She was being Hermione, what more reason is there." but Harry knew there was something more.

"Well, if you're not going to tell me what happened with her, can you tell me what happened with Naoko and Dumbledore?" Harry asked, happy to be winning the chess match.

"Nothing." Ron grunted. "Stupid Hermione thinks there's some whole plot where Naoko's out to kill you or something though."

"What made her think that...?"

"Something about Nao-" Ron stopped as Naoko entered the room. "I'll explain later tonight before bed." Ron's look darkened even more.

Harry looked back and noticed Fred and George were with her. Ron seemed to find it upsetting that his brothers were getting along with Naoko, but Harry didn't understand why. There was a lot he didn't understand now, he felt as if he was "out of the loop", no one sharing anything with him.

"Hey, Ron!" Fred said chipperly, sitting to Ron's right.

"Losing another match, eh?" George smirked, sitting on Ron's other side. "If you move-"

"I see it." Ron coldly replied.

The twins exchanged looks of raised eyebrows. "Something the matter with him?" George asked Harry. "And where's Hermione?"

"Off thinking up some new conspiracy." Ron muttered. "She's all worried about Harry. Thinks someone's going to try to kill him... Again..."

Fred laughed. "Again, eh Harry? No one's gotten to you yet... Who's the threat this time?"

"Naoko." Ron and Harry both replied.

The twins both smiled, the kind of smile which showed they knew something Harry and Ron didn't. Harry only became more annoyed, yet more people knew more about the situation than he did.

"You've no worry about her, Harry." George finally spoke up. "She's kind as a kitten."

"The kind of kitten which makes Snape's potions go bad." Fred chuckled. "She added an extra ingredient into something he was working on and the potion exploded! Filled the dungeons with so much smoke you couldn't see your hand before your face!"

"Snape made us all swear not to tell a soul though. Slytherin's bound to wage war on us after this one!" George added. "Professor McGonagall had better watch her back when she has transfiguration with that bunch!"

Harry couldn't help but laugh at the idea of Snape's potion exploding in his face. Of all the students, Harry seemed to be most hated by Snape, though that, Harry thought, may soon change if he found out Naoko was the one who caused the trouble this time.

"I'm... Going up to bed..." Ron said dully. Harry hadn't noticed he wasn't laughing. It seemed the fight with Hermione was bothering him more than he was letting on.

"I'll be up in a bit." Harry told Ron, before he left.

"Something is definitely not right with him." Fred sighed, the effects of their exciting potions tale was wearing off.

"I think it's Hermione. He had a fight with her earlier. I haven't had a chance to talk to her though. I think she went to her room as soon as she came in." Harry explained.

"He really does like her." George smiled slightly. "I bet they'll be together eventually. They already bicker like an old married couple!"

Before Harry could agree, a scream came from the girls dormitory area, followed by a few of the girls running into a common room. "Someone get Professor McGonagall!" one of them screamed. "Something's happened to Hermione!"