Time and Tide

Chapter Seven

Ichigo collapsed on his bed, quickly texting Harry. So his memory wasn't perfect, and he'd gotten his days wrong. Shiro found it hilarious while Ossan just suggested meditating on his memories. So much had happened when he had first become a Shinigami though and he honestly hadn't thought about it in years. He lifted the leather cord he now wore around his neck and fingered the charm n the end of it, smiling softly. They'd finally gotten it right and had barely had the chance to test them, but they worked.

Thankfully their soul forms matched their current bodies close enough it shouldn't raise any questions. The interesting thing was that their clothing had changed from what they had worn before. They still both wore black hakama though Harry now had lightweight boots instead of the traditional footwear which Ichigo still wore. Beside that though, the changes were more obvious. Hopefully the clothes would be explained away by his being human since Rukia wouldn't be giving him her powers.

~~

Harry grinned as he met up with Ichigo who rolled his eyes, but they said nothing as they met up with the others, walking the rest of the way to school. The day passed slowly, both anticipating the coming night. Harry hated that he wouldn't be there, but he never slept at the Kurosaki house and it would be strange for him to do so on this night. He couldn't even watch from a distance as they knew Urahara would be nearby, waiting, as well as those dumb camera flies Aizen used. Harry had warded his own apartment against surveillance as well as a few other key locations, but he couldn't ward the Kurosaki house and clinic beyond some basic protection wards.

After school they slipped away to a secluded section of the park closest to Harry's where he set up a quick ward before Ichigo was pulling him in close to kiss.

"You'll be careful," Harry whispered and Ichigo smirked, making him roll his eyes.

"I'll be fine, we have how many contingency plans?"

"I should have stayed over before now, then my being there tonight could be arranged."

"I know you; you'll be there in an instant if needed. Geta-boshi will be there and Aizen will be watching. We agreed the bastard can't know about Nejibana yet."

"I can't wait till I don't have to hide being able to see Hollows and then we can work with getting me knocked out of my body too. Besides, you're the one who looks like his twin, if anyone is assumed to be his reincarnation, it'll be you."

Ichigo nodded, it had happened the first time around. His appearance had shocked those who had known Kaien as they hadn't known he was a Shiba, not until his Dad had revealed himself in the battle against Aizen. This time Ukitake would get better closure, able to speak with Harry at length, unless Soul Society tried to turn on them quicker since Ichigo wouldn't be sacrificing his powers in the war.

"Go," Harry whispered, kissing him again before dropping the ward and apparating back to his apartment or more likely the training room to take his frustration out there.

~~

Kisuke looked at the information he had compiled thanks to some contacts amongst Tokyo's magical population. The newspaper articles and photos were very interesting indeed. Harry James Potter, Lord Gryffindor. A very interesting young man indeed. Legally an adult at age eleven because of magic. The boy had practically rebuilt the British Wizarding World single handily all while doing his best to avoid the press. The most recent headlines had been of his leaving Britain for foreign shores, ones not listed though guesses ranged from America to Russia. So what had brought the young man to Japan? With his magic it was less surprising he had ended up in Karakura once in Japan as he could likely sense something about the town as well as see the plus souls. Likely he would soon be able to see Hollows and even Shinigami, even without the daily exposure to Ichigo's uncontrolled power. And wasn't that an interesting friendship. He'd watched the boy from a distance his whole life, had cursed himself for being too slow to save Masaki, had seen the boy change from the bubbly, happy child into the always scowling teen. Friendship did not come easily to the eldest Kurosaki child and yet they had bonded so swiftly. Perhaps because they were similar, though neither knew it, both born to be weapons, both with tragedy in their pasts.