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Elemental Trinity

A Harry Potter/Pokémon Crossover

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Dec 5, 1994; 1:00 PM; Great Hall

"But why would you want—" Neville seemed confused at my request.

"It has to do with a project I'm working on." I whispered to him out of Hermione's earshot, trying not to annoy her as she was busy with some homework. "It's to do with my three little friends."

"Oh." Neville blinked. "All right. I'll speak to Professor Sprout about setting aside a bit of space in the Greenhouses."

"Brilliant!" I blurted. "Thanks, Neville—"

"On one condition." Neville cut me off.

I studied him for a moment, before nodding. "Name it."

"I want you to accompany me to Diagon Alley so I can get a wand." Neville made his condition known.

I was a bit taken aback at that. Hadn't he been the one to heavily oppose this?

"I've thought about what you've said, Harry." Neville seemed to read my confused face well. "About abandoning my parents and all. You're right."

I looked away, remembering the night I'd spoken to him, and the time I'd helped him in Transfiguration.

Like myself, he dealt with his suffering by worshipping his parents' memories and things they'd left behind.

"They would have wanted me to be myself." Neville's eyes burned with determination. "Nevermind what Gran says."

"Well said, Neville." Hermione piped up, smiling up at us before returning to her homework.

I raised a glass for him with a nod. The boy only blushed in response to the praise.

"You're on a roll, I have to say." I said after taking a sip. "First, you asked Ginny to accompany you to the Ball, and now this."

"Yes, well…" Neville looked away. "Have you asked anyone yet?"

Smooth. I thought with a snort.

"I haven't." I shrugged. The nervousness I would have felt at the idea of finding a date to the Yule Ball seemed to take a backseat to more frightening concepts like my impending death— either from the Tournament, or whatever Voldemort likely had planned for me.

This was all assuming that I was able to fix the Horcrux issue, in the first place.

"I'm sure something will turn up." I finally said.

"Harry, as a Champion, you have to—"

"Yes, I must attend the Ball and begin the ceremonies with a dance." I agreed, sighing. "I suppose I've been putting it off for long enough."

You could always skip the whole thing. A sly part of me spoke. Why attend their nonsensical events?

Because it may affect the Goblet of Fire's judgment process. I retorted. How do I know the Yule Ball isn't officially part of the Tournament? I could skip the gathering and lose my magic.

The voice did not talk back.

I turned to Hermione. "Can I ask you something?"

"'May I', Harry." Hermione automatically corrected. "And, if you're going to ask me to the—"

"No!" I cut her off quickly— too quickly, judging by her affronted glare. "I mean— not that I wouldn't ask you— it's just that, well, you're more like a sister to me."

She narrowed her eyes at me for a few seconds, before nodding in acceptance. "Good save. What's your question, then?"

"Who do you think I should approach?" I asked.

"Whoever you like." Hermione replied, a coy look on her face. "I seem to remember your eyes following a certain Ravenclaw Seeker last year."

She was talking about Cho. I hadn't looked in her direction in months.

"Though, I've also noticed you sneaking a few glances at someone else in Ravenclaw." She said, almost innocently.

Unbidden, my eyes moved towards Luna's form. She was in her usual strange get-up, reading the Quibbler upside down.

"Yes." Hermione caught my attention again. I turned to see the bushy haired girl looking at Luna, as well. "Maybe you should ask her to the Ball, Harry."

"I…" Words failed me for a few seconds. "I can't ask her."

There was no way she'd go out with me.

"Why not?" Hermione asked. I was about to answer, before I closed my mouth, a thoughtful look on my face.

Why not, indeed?

Luna was a sweet girl, and very passionate about magizoology, just like I was. The two of us had much in common, including less than pleasant childhoods.

I left the Great Hall in a bit of a daze, barely noticing the pandemonium that took place after Ron put his foot in his mouth in an attempt to ask Hermione to the Ball.

Some time later, I found myself in the Chamber, still considering Hermione's words as I watched my companions battle each other.

"You know." Red's synthesized voice cut through my thoughts. "You probably should ask Luna."

"You too?" I felt a little annoyed.

"She likes you." Red supplied.

"Well, yes, we're friends." I retorted. "I don't think she likes me well enough to want to come to the Ball with me."

"You won't know until you try." Red countered. "I've seen unlikelier relationships form over the years."

Here, he chuckled. "You should've seen Green and Sabrina, always at each other's throats. Now that was a match. I've displayed an image of them."

Interested, I opened the Pokédex and stared at the couple in question.

I blinked. "Why are they posing?"

Another chuckle. "Sabrina loved to pose, and made Green do so as well."

It was an image of the two. They stood back to back, turning their heads to the camera while pointing their palms toward it.

At their feet were a Jolteon and an Espeon, snarling at the camera. The Jolteon's spiky yellow fur sparked with electricity while the Espeon's smooth purple fur leaked Psychic energy.

Though Green looked a little uncomfortable, the smirk on his face seemed genuine.

"He looks happy." I smiled.

"Yes." Red agreed. "They were very happy together, but if you'd asked me years before they got together, I would have said it was impossible."

I nodded, understanding the lesson behind it.

"I guess, in this life, there's no way of telling what can happen." I acknowledged.

"Just give it a chance." Red nodded. "If it doesn't work out, then it doesn't work out. There's no point worrying about what-ifs."

"You're right." I said. "I mean, I haven't even asked her yet."

"Exactly."

I jumped a bit from the harsh impact Charmander made against the dead basilisk, crying out in pain.

I called for an end to the battle, watching as Charmander struggled to get back up, failing.

"You all right, buddy?"

Charmander did not reply, still struggling.

I approached him, now worried.

Charmander growled, a wave of energy coming off of him and sending me skidding slowly backwards.

The Pokédex beeped. "Already?"

Before I could ask what Red was talking about, a white light began to engulf Charmander.

"Evolution!" I realized in awe, watching with bated breath. My two other companions cried out in wonder and reverence.

The light began to die down, revealing… Charmander? He hadn't evolved.

What had happened?

"Almost, but not quite." Red explained after a few moments. "That impact must have jump started the process early, but Charmander isn't ready for greater power, yet."

"But he's been improving in leaps and bounds." I said as I checked the little guy over. "Poor thing's exhausted."

I grabbed some berries and placed them at his feet, watching as he lunged at them like it was his final meal.

"Yes, Charmander is reaching the higher limits of what that particular breed is capable of." Red explained. "But the transformation into Charmeleon will be like comparing a candle to a bonfire. It is a powerful line of Pokémon. Where the Squirtle line relies on defensive tactics and the Bulbasaur line relies on a mix of redirection and regeneration, the Charmander line is almost solely suited for power."

I absorbed the words with a nod, watching as Charmander loudly yawned and lied down for a well deserved nap.

I felt Bulby's whip nudge me, and turned to see my two remaining friends giving me expectant looks.

I smiled. "You're hungry, too?"

The two nodded.

I snorted and gave them some food as well, my thoughts slowly moving away from evolution and back to Luna.

I sat by Charmander and gently scratched the back of his head, watching as he relaxed further and fell asleep.

"I'm glad you're dealing with things better now." Red said quietly.

I gave a hum of acknowledgment. After Red and my Pokémon's show of faith and loyalty, I felt I had to rise up to the challenge.

"Have you figured anything out yet?" I asked.

There was a moment of silence, long enough to make me wonder if he was trying to spare me the pain of a negative answer.

"I think I'm on the right track." Red revealed slowly, to my surprise.

I said nothing, knowing he would elaborate.

And he did.

"Between Albus' knowledge and the available data on the soul anchors." I snorted at his use of the Headmaster's first name. "There are no real ways of destroying it without killing you in the process."

I frowned. "So? We know this."

"Be patient." Red chided. "I'm trying to explain it all to you."

I sighed and let him continue.

"I wasn't able to reach a percentage higher than 20% with any method involving destruction." Red continued. "But, what if I was going about this the wrong way?"

"Destruction is the only way." I dryly replied.

"Correction." Red disagreed. "It is the only known way."

That stopped me short. "What else is there?"

"Think about it." Red said, generating a familiar looking diary in his hands. "What was this trying to do?"

"It tried to possess Ginny." I replied. "It wanted to come back to life by…"

My eyes widened at the revelation.

"You understand, then?" Red's eyes gleamed with pride and approval. "The soul piece in the diary would have transferred into your friend Ginny's body. This means—"

"They can be moved into other mediums!" I finished, already feeling better with the revelation.

"Now, don't get too excited." Red raised his hands. "This idea is still very rough, and I'll have to do a lot of study on what needs to be done to accomplish a transference."

I understood what he was saying, but that still didn't stop the smile from reaching my face.

"Thank you for telling me this."

"Thank me by asking the wonderful Luna to the Ball." Red replied with.

"You know." I got up, recalling my companions and placing the Pokéballs on my belt. "Maybe I will."

oooo

According to the Map, Luna was currently in the Transfiguration classroom, so asking her right now was out of the question, lest I suffer my Head of House's displeasure.

Instead, I decided I'd wander around the school.

It had been a while since I'd simply enjoyed a nice walk.

Lately, my days were filled with studying Slytherin's works, training my Pokémon and researching the various creatures in the Great Lake.

Luna had been a godsend, in that regard, with her extensive knowledge on the zoology of Hogwarts and its surrounding lands.

The lake's creatures would prove to be a challenge, but I would definitely be able to deal with it.

By then, Squirtle will have evolved, and I'll have mastered the Bubblehead Charm.

It was a shame that we didn't have access to the Hidden Machine: Dive, but there was no going around it.

That was something that had surprised me. You could actually install knowledge into a Pokémon's brain using specially made discs.

According to Red, that had been a marvel of technology and Aura.

The ability to instantly teach your Pokémon moves which they are able to use effectively had been a game changer in the old days— or so Red said.

The man was fond of impromptu history lessons and neat little anecdotes.

To be honest, they were beginning to grow on me, as well.

The people of that time were just like us. They craved adventure and prized learning. They built communities and raised families to leave a legacy.

And now their only legacy was a few Pokéballs and a Pokédex. It was saddening, in a way, but it also meant that part of them still survived to this day.

I planned to keep that part of them alive, as long as I could— perhaps even continue the legacy.

Ambitious goal, there. My own voice said slyly. Almost like a Slytherin.

Since when does Slytherin have the monopoly on ambition? I shook my head as I turned a corner—

Only for something to slam into me and knock me down. This feels familiar.

I went down with a cry that was most definitely manly. Protecting my head as well as I could, I weathered the impact and quickly got to my feet, ready for anything.

I blinked, emerald green eyes meeting sky blue.

It was the Slytherin girl who'd asked me to train her. She looked a mix of mortified and satisfied— shock at the knockdown but elation that it was me?

"We need to stop meeting like this." I started with.

"Potter." She greeted stiffly.

"Greengrass." I replied, watching her eyes widen in surprise.

"Took the time to learn my name, then?" She schooled her features back into something resembling calm.

It would need some work.

"Well." I cleared my throat as I dusted myself off. "I suppose I had to, considering your sudden interest in learning from someone who's a member of a House you hate."

She didn't reply to that. Did she expect I would reject her out of hand? I frowned.

Perhaps I was letting my intense dislike of Malfoy and my recent tumultuous emotions get in the way.

"Do you still want to learn?" I stared into her eyes, fighting down the blush that normally comes with doing something like this. She was a beautiful girl, after all.

"..." She stared back, surprised but guarded. "I do."

As far as I could tell, she didn't seem like she was lying to me. Of course, there was only one way to tell.

"Meet me here, tomorrow, then." I decided, ignoring the light that sprang in those blue eyes and the satisfied curl of her lips. "Same time as now."

She nodded twice, before adjusting her robes and walking past me. I turned and watched her walk away for a few moments, before moving on.

"Do you think this could be a trick?" I asked quietly. "Maybe another prank by Malfoy?"

"Hard to say." Red replied just as quietly.

"She did wear that bloody badge." I noted with a sour note.

"It could have been peer pressure." Red said. "Worse things have been done for less."

I let out a frustrated huff, still struggling with that particular sore point. "I can understand others bullying you into doing something, but it reminds me too much of my early days with Dudley."

"I understand." Red replied. "I've had similar experiences on that front. Maybe this could be a chance to make a friend out of a Slytherin, or have one less possible enemy to worry about."

I opened my mouth to reply, but I didn't have anything to say. I knew, on some level, that not all Slytherins were bad people.

Just look at Pettigrew, he was a Gryffindor, but cowardly and opportunistic. Snape was a bully, especially to me, but at the same time, he'd kept me alive in First Year.

There were bad eggs in that House, to be sure, but damn if people like McLaggen didn't get on my nerves, too— an outspoken braggart in Gryffindor who just made you want to punch him in the face.

I let out a breath and resumed my walk, greeting a few classmates as I passed them by.

I was checking the Map every so often, seeing if Luna was finished with classes.

I had to admit to feeling a well of nervousness spring up at the thought of actually asking her.

I hoped our recent friendship wouldn't suffer for it. The thought made me stop for a moment, before shaking my head.

There was no way she'd terminate our friendship over something so trivial, but the nervousness over the remote possibility stubbornly remained.

My thoughts settled as I focused my attention on the many portraits lining the walls.

Watching them go about their daily routines was still just as strange as the first time I'd done it.

I wondered how similar these paintings were to Red's consciousness, or even the ghosts.

The general consensus of the wizarding world was that portraits of people didn't actually contain the essence of those who had passed.

It made sense. The process to create a Horcrux was a grisly one, to say the least.

Still, I couldn't help but wonder at the possibility of these paintings developing personalities and thoughts of their own over time.

Red's scan had once shown that they drew energy from Hogwarts castle, itself. My thoughts immediately focused on the moving staircases, which always seemed to have a mind of their own.

"Anything interesting on your mind?" Red interrupted my musing. "You've been still for a while."

"Oh." I felt a little sheepish as I stretched my legs. "I was only thinking about the portraits."

"Interesting works of Aura." Red agreed. "A person's… essence imparted in the painting, but not quite… the other thing."

My lips pursed at the thought of Horcruxes. "I don't think they teach the process at Hogwarts."

"I'm sure it's in the library, somewhere." Red seemed sure. "How else would the Creevey boy figure it out?"

"That's fair." I resumed my walk, still stretching the kinks out.

"They are definitely sentient, but I'm not sure if it's the product of the magic used in their creation, or if they slowly learned to be this way." Red continued his musings. "Your own photo album is a good example. They cannot speak and seem to be locked in a loop. Unlike the paintings, they don't respond to any outside stimulus."

I frowned. "Maybe it's something worth researching. Essence transference may not be exactly what we're looking for, but—"

"The method with which it's done could be repurposed." Red finished. "Good thinking, Harry. This could be the key."

I smiled to myself, checking the Map to see if Luna had finished her class yet.

I found her in one of the hallways near the Transfiguration classroom, trying to move while a few names stood around her.

Marietta Edgecombe. Cho Chang. A few others.

I frowned, unsure as to what that was about, but made my way to them, regardless.

It was a minute or so until I reached the scene in question.

"—give it back!" Luna's distressed voice hit my ears.

"How about you make me?" Another girl's voice replied, while the others laughed and giggled at Luna's predicament.

"It's special to me, give it back!" Luna tried.

"Oh, it's special?" The girl holding the butterbeer cap necklace, a thin girl with reddish-blonde, curly hair, had a wicked smile on her face. "It looks like it belongs in the trash, though. I shall save you the trouble and dispose of it, myself."

"No!" Luna cried out as the girl in question pointed her wand at the necklace.

I went into action as soon as she started implying that she was going to destroy the necklace.

In a moment, my Disarming Charm hit the bully with great force, both her wand and the necklace flying to my hand as she went flying back.

The group surrounding Luna turned to me with a look of shock.

Luna's eyes met mine, before flitting towards the necklace in my grasp. I gestured for her to come.

Poor girl was so scared and distressed, she almost bowled me over in her rush.

"It's okay, Luna." I said quietly. "I'm sorry I had to interfere."

She didn't say anything, but took the offered necklace and stood beside me, looking in every direction but the group ahead of her.

"Is this how Ravenclaw spends its free time?" I asked casually.

"Stay out of this, Potter." One of the Ravenclaws, one of the upper years, mouthed off.

"Or else, what?" I challenged, feeling a great swell of amusement at this idiot's threatening tone. "More powerful than a dragon, are you?"

He didn't answer, though the tightness of his posture spoke a great deal on its own.

I watched as Chang helped the girl I'd disarmed get back to her feet. "And what do you think about this, Chang?"

She stammered a few times, before shutting her mouth, not having expected me to behave in this way. She'd caught me staring at her a few times, the year before.

A quick glance at the Map confirmed the girl with reddish hair was the Edgecombe girl. With a nod, I took Luna with me, away from the group and towards the moving staircases, ignoring their cries to return Edgecombe's wand.

"Harry…" Luna seemed even more afraid than before.

"I know." I said quietly, dropping the girl's wand at the top of the staircase. "They'll escalate, for sure. I have a few ideas."

I scrawled the bullies' names onto a spare piece of parchment and checked over the Map until I'd found the two names I had been looking for, before dragging Luna along with me for the ride.

"Where are we going?" Luna asked nervously. I stopped for a moment to look at the frazzled girl.

"Don't worry." I smiled. "I know that going to the professors does absolutely nothing but make it worse."

She sagged at that, before her look turned curious. "Where, then?"

I smiled at her, a hint of vindictiveness lacing the expression. It seemed to shock her slightly.

"Well, the only real way to deal with a bully is by standing up to them." I said as we reached the Library, from which a certain pair of twins were exiting.

"If it isn't our dear friend, Harry!" Fred greeted.

"Dear, me, George; Harry does look a mite miffed." Oh, so it had been George who greeted me.

"Could it have anything to do with the lovely lass at his side?" George gave me a smirk, likely remembering what Hermione insinuated at the Great Hall. "Hello Luna."

"Fred, George." She addressed the two boys carefully. Eccentric she may have been, but even she knew not to mess with these particular lads.

Smart girl.

"I have a favor I need to ask you." I didn't beat around the bush, handing them my hastily scrawled list of names. "I want you to prank these people for as long as you can. I don't want you holding back at all."

The two twins regarded me carefully. I'd never asked them to do anything like this. As their gaze strayed to the obviously distraught looking girl, understanding slowly came to them.

"Very well." Fred took the list. "You may have to wait a bit for the showy stuff."

"That's fine." I nodded, reaching into one of my pockets and pulling a handful of Galleons, giving it to the surprised pair. "Hold nothing back."

"I knew there was a reason we liked you, Harry!" George grinned. Fred, on the other hand, caught my gaze and nodded suggestively towards Luna, urging me to stop wasting time and ask her to the Ball.

I stifled a snort, shook their hands, and away they went.

"Is this really a good idea, Harry?" Luna asked me as we watched them leave. "I know how bad they can get."

"I do, too." I agreed. "This should teach them to stay away from you, though."

"I hope so." Luna said, still unsure.

A quiet permeated the air as we both stood outside of the Library, quickly growing awkward.

"So…" Luna said.

Now or never.

"Youwanttogototheballwithme?" I asked quickly.

Luna blinked, looking up at me in surprise? "What?"

I swallowed, blushing. "Um… Do you want to go to the Ball with me?"

"Oh." She looked away. "Harry, I…"

Oh, no. I felt a nervous lump settle in my throat.

"Yes. I'll go with you." She turned back to me.

"Great! I mean." I cleared my throat. "That's great. Um… Are you done with classes?"

She nodded.

"Do you want to look for more creatures?"

Another nod.

"Oh." I smiled. This was easier than I thought. "Let's go, then!"

Now, if only I knew how to dance...