Into a new world we go

[captaincatblock]

[It had been exciting news at the start, to be invited into the exchange program his wizarding university had with the Hogwarts. Ever since Kuroo had discovered the strange world of wizarding, Hogwarts had been the school everyone this side of the world looked up to. He looked forward to the opportunity to learn Western magic, and to see how the foundation of their wizarding differed from what he knew.

The preparation leading up to the program, though... That was quite tedious, and Kuroo's excitement grew less and less after struggling through Nakano's secret alleyways to look for a bloody oversized cauldron.

Now, after landing in Britain and being in the train, all Kuroo wanted was to sleep. He had gotten there ahead of most other students, stored his baggage, and then just sat to sleep. It was cold, though, so he'd pulled off his jacket, transformed into a cat, and just curled up underneath it. With luck he'll stay asleep for most of the ride. He was sure that the other passengers would just mistake him for someone's pet and leave him alone, especially since his things were right there.]

Comments

[hellacene]

I'm aware of it.

[he's a bit annoyed that kuroo managed to put the pincushion back after he'd vanished it, but then he reminds himself that he's rather good with transfiguration spells, so it only stands to reason that he can be also good at some charms ....]

It's one of the riddles you have to answer to enter our house. [that is, where do vanished objects go?]

[captaincatblock]

What's the riddle, then?

The transfigurations approach to vanishing is easier than how charms deal with it, at least. And reappearing has a shorter equation. [he pulls out his phone to look at some of his files, and shows Tsukki a photographed copy of his old notes. It's a lot of numbers.] I'll copy this out on paper for you, it's all the transfiguration radicals in the West versus ours.

[hellacene]

.... thank you. This is really helpful.

[and he takes out parchment to do just that, painstakingly copying his notes in a neat script.]

What other subjects are you good at?

Back from the beach!

[captaincatblock]

[He'd like to say he was just being helpful, but he's really just showing off when he transfigures a stick into a small breakfast table for Tsukki to write on.]

Potions. Anything formulaic, I'll absorb like a sponge. What about you? [He leaves the phone on the table though.]

back from frankfurt ....

[hellacene]

[don't think he doesn't know you're showing off, kuroo >:( he totally notices these small gestures.

but hm, potions. that's not a bad subject at all. he keeps on writing his notes for a while before he answers,] Herbology. Care of magical creatures. Alchemy, to a degree.

I'm horrible at Transfiguration and the Dark Arts.

hahaha what a full weekend

[captaincatblock]

Dark Arts, hm. [He's changing the pincushion back and shushing the hedgehog when it pops back to existence in bewilderment.]

I could help you a little in the sense that I'm done with what you're taking, but I'm average at it. We could ask Bokuto. Or Akaashi could ask Bokuro for you. He ended up in Gryffindor.

[hellacene]

[there's a look in his face that tells kuroo what he thinks about gryffindors in general. tsukki is thinking that it might not be so bad if he's akaashi's friend. akaashi himself is pretty cool, after all.

he takes the hedgehog from him and then reaches into his pocket to feed it sunflower seeds.]

I'll mention it to him when I see him again.

.... how are you enjoying Hogwarts so far?

[captaincatblock]

[Kuroo looks amused.] You don't like Gryffindors? And I'm enjoying it well enough. It's very different from life in Tokyo, and I feel like I'm learning new things. They don't even have wifi, though.

[hellacene]

Gryffindors have a temperament I tend to dislike.

[he looks at him in confusion. he is not a muggle, even though he's from japan like the rest of them. he's familiar with some terms, but not all. he assumes that that has something to do with electronics, though, because there's only so few things that muggle students in hogwarts complain about, and electronics was always a big deal to them.]

There's too much magic in the air for electronics to be fully operational.

[captaincatblock]

Always gung-ho about things and breaking all the rules? [Amused. He knows the reputation of every house, as well. Kuroo's still not sure why the sorting hat decided to put him in Hufflepuff, but it might have had something to do with asking for a challenge.]

I know, I know. [Sadly.] I am going to miss so many shows this year, though.

[hellacene]

Shows, [he repeats, trying to place the word ... ] Oh. You mean, in the television.

[he may have meant plays, or the opera, or radio-shows, but he doubts that was what he meant.]

[captaincatblock]

Oh. [Blinks, tilts his head.] I didn't realize you're not muggle. Anyway, I can show you my shows if you're curious.

[hellacene]

No. I'm pure blood.

[not that it matters. if it really did, he wouldn't be in ravenclaw.]

I know ... quite a bit about muggles, but not a lot.

You're welcome to talk about your shows. [and, after copying his notes, he goes to take the hedgehog for another round, transfiguring it into a pin cushion.]

[captaincatblock]

Where did you study? Did they have quidditch there? I'm from Nekoma, in Tokyo. [glances at the hedgehog, nods in approval.]

[He flips through his phone, pulls out a file for some anime.] This one is a shoujo anime called Ore Monogatari. If's hilarious.

[hellacene]

I'm from Karasuno, in Miyagi. We have quidditch and our team used to be strong, from what I've heard.

[he glances at kuroo's phone for his anime and makes a rather amused face at the characters.]

Do you normally watch shoujo? Or is it just that this one is funny?

[captaincatblock]

This one is funny. [grin] I watch anything and everything, I suppose. Our coach told me it's good to widen my horizons, so to speak. [But he sits sort of closer to share the screen better.]

Karasuno, Karasuno... I feel that's pretty familiar. Would your old coach be some Ukai guy?

[hellacene]

Yeah, coach Ukai. But recently the team's been overtaken by his grandson, and they're doing a slow crawl up to the ranks again.

[he doesn't really care much about the rivalry, though.

after a bit of trial and error - he manages to transfigure the hedgehog into a decent pincushion, that doesn't react when he pokes it, or pets it. and tsukki beams.]

[captaincatblock]

Then we're rival teams! [He seems sort of excited by that.] When we're back in Japan, let's arrange for a meeting between our teams. Our coach is getting pretty old, so he'd appreciate the opportunity.

[He grins at the pincushion, though.] You pick things up fast.

[hellacene]

I guess? I don't really pay attention to that kind of thing.

[he's rather proud of it himself, and then he keeps it in a small bag so he can show it to his professor later on for evaluation.] Thanks for the help, Kuroo.

[captaincatblock]

Don't you care about the long tradition and rivalry? The excitement and the passion of teams? [He looks indignant, but it's obvious that Kuroo is just playing it up.] You'll break the old man's heart, Tsukki.

No problem. I'll knock on the Ravenclaw portrait and ask for help once I get homework that I really don't understand.

[hellacene]

[he looks surprised.] If you manage to get in.

I told you, I have no problems communicating with owls. And if you really want help that badly, we can always set up a time to meet.

[captaincatblock]

[Raises his eyebrows.] Is that a challenge? If I get in, you had better vouch for me when your prefect asks why I'm there.

[hellacene]

[he leans his chin on his hand, watching him.] Sure.

But I'm more interested in how you're going to get in. It's not like you can just walk in to the dorms .... and Ravenclaw is different in that you need to answer a different riddle every day.

[frowns at him, and then folds his hands over his chest.] Anyway, you should be thinking more of how to track the cat instead of trying to get into my dorm.

[captaincatblock]

That'll be your riddle to solve, I suppose. [lopsided grin back.] Since you seem to like them so much.

[Although of course his entire plan had been to trail a Ravenclaw around as a cat until he figured out where the painting is, and then getting a Ravenclaw student to take him in as a cat.]

[hellacene]

I suppose. I hope you make it interesting for me, Kuroo.

[he decides to keep all of his stuff then, and to make his way back to the castle, gesturing for him to follow.]