Summary: After losing for Too Academy Kiyoshi Teppei thinks they need someone a little different in their team to help them on their way to reach their dream. So he calls in his childhood friend Adeline Potter. Adeline thinks this is just what she and Teddy, her adopted son needs after the war and rough year that followed.
Rating: T
Word Count: 174,900
Status: Complete
Link: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13066999/28/Kuroko-no-basket-Potter-Edition
Chapter 1: The beginning
"Thank you, headmaster," Teppei grinned happily and bowed to the man who smiled and waved the second year out of his office. Teppei looked around the school once more and felt happy to be back in the actual building again, maybe that was a strange notion for a teenage boy at 17 but it was the truth. He had spent too much time away from the school being cooped up in that hospital room at the rehabilitation centre.
Just when he was passing the gym he thought he heard something and paused glancing toward the large double doors. He noticed that it was slightly open suggesting that someone was inside, or perhaps they forgot to close it after today's practice. Feeling nostalgic Teppei decided to take a look and get a feel for the gym again.
Approaching the door he heard the soft barking sound from inside and furrowed his brows in thought as he glanced inside. It looked empty. How strange. He pushed the door open a little more, for some reason careful not to make a sound. The gym looked empty, just when he was about to turn and leave again his attention was caught by the bouncing of a ball against the parquet floors and he looked to the hoop farthest away from him.
"Woah," Teppei mouthed shocked spotting the source of the sound a teal headed teen who was standing with the back to him and was staring at the hoop, at least it was what it looked like for Teppei.
The ball rolled toward him and landed in front of his feet and the small black and white husky that was moving toward him and the ball. He let out a chuckle and bent down to pat the dog.
"Come here," he said and sat down and grinned when the dog barked. So this was the dog Riko had talked about. It was cutely dressed in a Seirin jersey, Teppei noticed. He wished he had a camera. It lay back on his back and presented his stomach for Teppei so he took the hint and rubbed it as he chuckled. "Good boy, good boy!"
Teppei looked up to see the other teen having noticed him and had turned to look at him, he looked emotionless and his face didn't give away what he was thinking as he stared at Teppei.
"Don't you think he kind of looks like you?" Teppei asked, "Just like I heard, you're not much good at anything besides passing." He heard the silent sound from Kuroko and saw the slight tension of his face. Teppei looked up and grinned his goofiest grin, "but who cares? I like your basketball."
Teppei threw the ball to Kuroko Tetsuya who caught it with both his hands still not saying anything and his face back at being emotionless.
"You're not wrong," Teppei continued. "You're just inexperienced. That's all."
Teppei got back to his feet and moved so he was closer to Kuroko.
"Who are you?" Kuroko asked blankly.
"Kiyoshi Teppei," he said without his smile as he stared at Kuroko who met his eyes without flinching.
"Are you Kiyoshi-san?" Kuroko asked.
"Take the 'Ki' from 'this tree, what is it? What is this tree?'" Teppei started to sing, before changing his tone and declare, "plus the 'kichi' of 'good luck', and it's Kiyoshi."
"I see," was the only reaction he got and he pouted inwardly, having hoped on a bigger reaction.
"Um…" Kuroko said after another attempt to be funny, "do you want something?"
"You're interesting," Teppei declared and saw the surprise on Kuroko's face and his eyes widened a little.
"Eh?" he blinked.
"Basketball is about generalists," Teppei started. "It's a sport for guys who can do everything. Put loosely, you'll be okay with five scorers who can pass. That doesn't always work, which is why you have positions, and some teams keep a specialist as their sixth man." Teppei paused a little as he looked at the blank look in Kuroko's eyes, "but I have never seen a specialist as extreme as you. It's extraordinary to specialize so thoroughly in a single thing."
Teppei ran a few paces back and signalled that he wanted the ball and Kuroko immediately passed him the ball. He took a second the revel in the feeling of the rough ball in his hands again before he bounced the ball and started to dribble it.
"But aren't you the one," he said as he dribbled the ball and prepared to jump up to score, "assuming that's your limit?"
He frowned when the ball hit the hoop and bounced out missing the shot. He wasn't quite where he wanted to be just yet. He glanced over at Kuroko who hadn't moved and couldn't see what he was thinking.
"It's impressive you can view yourself so objectively and play in that way," Teppei said but he got a serious and concerned look in his eyes as he made sure to meet Kuroko's eyes. "But you may be taking it too far."
Teppei hesitated for a moment using the time to walk a few steps toward the door before he turned to look at Kuroko again.
"Believe in your potential a bit more, yeah?" Teppei said and saw the widening of eyes, revealing he had hit something in the other teen, he smiled. "I'm just talking to myself."
Teppei grinned pleased with himself and lifted a hand waving goodbye as he spoke again, "See you next week, Kuroko-kun!"
…
Walking back home Teppei thought about what he knew about Kuroko Tetsuya, the rumoured sixth man of the Generation of Miracles. He was a passing specialist and had been the shadow of Aomine Daiki of Too while at Teiko, now he was the shadow of their own Kagami Taiga, another first year. The two was a powerful duo, Teppei thought with a smile. Kuroko was different from what he imagined though, he was quiet and serious, but there was a heavy air around him and Teppei felt like he was suffocating under something he couldn't understand. He sighed.
"I'm home," Teppei yelled when he closed the door entering the hallway of his home. It was a traditional old Japanese house with a solid build. He heard the shuffling sounds from the room next to where he was standing taking off his shoes, and soon his grandmother, Aiko, was standing in the door with a warm welcoming smile.
"Welcome home," she greeted him. "How did it go?"
"It went fine," Teppei smiled. "The headmaster said I was ready to join the school next week and all my individual studies were passed with high marks making it a none existing problem to join the others as a second year."
"Good," Aiko said accepting the hug from her grandson. "Do you want something to eat?"
"I am rather hungry," Teppei accepted and followed her into the kitchen and sat down opposite his grandfather Haru who was reading the paper.
Teppei was the last one to join the practice and since he had been so excited to finally be able to practice again he hadn't been able to resist the urge to pull on his jersey. It had been so long since he had worn it last.
…
"Hey!" Teppei greeted the gym and saw Hyuga standing in front of Kagami and Riko was not far from their Captain. The silence filled the room as they all stared at him, and he grinned. "Let's practice!"
He noticed Riko get a resigned look over her and Koganei was sounding a little unsure as he greeted him before Hyuga marched straight up to him and grabbed his uniform.
"Why are you wearing your uniform?" Hyuga demanded.
"I got excited about coming to practice again," Teppei gushed with a goofy smile. He wasn't bothered by Hyuga's scolding and ruffling, or the silent snickers from the team.
Having changed and come back to the gym, Riko's orders, he introduced himself to the first years that he hadn't met yet. He explained how he had been in a hospital since last summer and had a surgery on his leg and therefore had taken a break.
…
"You enjoy confusing the others, don't you?" Riko sighed sitting down opposite from Teppei at Maji Burger after the practice was over.
"Eh?" Teppei asked innocently not bothered by the glare she sent him or the resigned huff she let out before taking a bit of her burger. The practice had gone mostly fine, he had kept an eye on Kuroko and Kagami and had been a little worried about the tension between them. He was however pretty sure they would work it out sooner rather than later.
Yet, there was something missing on their team. He did know what they needed, but he wasn't sure how to go about it or if it was even allowed. He had never heard it done before, so he did need to do some research before doing something about it.
He glanced at Riko and just one look told him that she was worried.
"You worried?" he asked even if he knew she was.
"Kuroko and Kagami are not talking," Riko grumbled and she fisted her hand dangerously and he eyed them warily, "idiots! If they don't talk the next practice I will hit them!"
Teppei smiled not bothered by her violent threats, knowing she would not hurt anyone and that threatening was her way of caring. She sighed.
"What do you think? "Riko asked.
"They'll be fine," Teppei answered. "They have some issues to work through when they do they will be stronger."
"Ok," Riko said her shoulders relaxing a little letting his confidence reassure her like it normally did.
"We do miss something on our team though," Teppei mused aloud his thought returning to his original observation. She looked at him and an annoyed look crossed her face when he didn't elaborate.
"What?" She asked.
"I will see if I can figure something out," Teppei said. "And get them to come to Japan again."
Riko raised a confused brow, but Teppei didn't say anything else just attacked his food again.
…
A couple of days later Teppei sat behind his desk at his room with his computer in front of himself and mail open ready to set his plan into action. He had talked to the school and asked about the rules and they had said there were no rules against women playing in the men's basketball league. They just normally didn't do so because of the physical differences.
Glancing over at the photo that was standing on his desk he smiled, it was of himself and Adeline or rather Adie as she wanted to be called. She was two years older than him, but he was still as tall as her. They had met in an empty basketball court near his house and he learned that she lived close by with her aunt, uncle and cousin.
They had gotten talking and soon became fast friends, even with the language problems since she didn't speak much Japanese yet. They played basketball together and it was all they needed to bond. Over the next three years, they spent as much time they could together, becoming best friends even with the age difference.
When she was 10, he was 8, she and her family moved back to England and it had been a tearful goodbye between the two children. She promised to keep in touch and had given him her address, or rather a neighbour's address. When asked why she said it was to make sure she got his letters and that Dudley didn't take them from her.
Looking at the picture now he could see the way she was smiling and having an arm thrown over his shoulder as he had his over hers, hugging sideways. They were both grinning at the camera, but he could see the slight surprise in her eyes and the wonder of having a friend. Teppei knew that her cousin chased away everyone who wanted to be her friend.
He smiled once more before he turned to his computer and started to write the mail and put his mission of getting Adie to Japan and to Seirin basketball team.
…
Adeline Lily Potter, also known as the Girl-Who-Lived or the Chosen-One, was walking quickly into the now familiar halls of the Ministry of Magic in London. She was walking with a purpose and a set goal in mind.
"Hi minister," Adie, as she was called by her friends, called out getting the tall black man's attention from where he was talking with Percy Weasley, probably scheduling a new meeting or something, Adie thought. She smiled at Percy before he walked away and leaving the two of them alone.
"Adie," Kingsley's deep baritone voice sounded.
"Here," Adie said holding out a stack of papers which Kingsley took with a small smile. "This is the last of it. I have sorted out those I think you should look closer at, and those I know was involved with the Death Eaters. I have notes on the interviews I have conducted with them and notes of the observations I have done."
Kingsley nodded at her explanation, having heard it before of course, but she always reminded him of her method when she handed over her findings.
"Thank you, Adie," Kingsley said placing the stack on his desk. "This will be very helpful as always. This was the final department, so we should have a better understanding of how to continue to clean out the ministry and get the Voldemort supporters out of office."
Adie nodded but didn't say anything. She had been helping with getting the information they needed about the employees in the different departments after the war. They knew that Voldemort had supporters, unmarked supporters, in the different departments and they needed to find them.
A few weeks after the war had ended Kingsley, appointed the new Minister of Magic, came to her and asked her to lead the investigation and rapport only to himself about her findings. She had thought about it for a while, especially since she had just taken over custody of her then two-year-old godson at the time. Talking it over with Hermione and Ron she had accepted the task, knowing she was the one who knew the other side best.
"You sure I can't talk you into taking your place in the Auror's academy, Adie?" Kingsley asked again giving her a look and gesturing for her to sit down in a chair in front of his desk.
Sitting down she looked up at him with a small knowing smile.
"I'm sure," Adie said. "Thank you for the offer, but I don't want to be an Auror."
"I thought it was your dream when you were at Hogwarts?" Kingsley asked.
"I didn't really know what to say then," Adie said after a pause, "and I guess I thought it would be easier to fight off Voldemort if I were an Auror. An Auror seemed like the right choice then, but now…" She trailed off and stared out over nothing for a moment and Kingsley let her. "I'm tired of fighting, Kingsley. I just want… some peace."
Kingsley sighed but he nodded in understanding.
"I can understand that," he said. "Well, you have a place if you should change your mind."
Adie looked up at him and nodded with a smile, "thank you, minister."
"Call me Kingsley like you just did, Adie," the man grumbled good-heartedly making Adie chuckle. She didn't notice the softening eyes from the older man who looked at her. She got up and bid him goodbye before leaving his office.
…
"Hi Percy," Adie said pausing in front of his desk. Percy looked up and smiled at his surrogate little sister.
"Adie," he smiled. "How are you?"
"I'm fine," she said automatically and noticed the narrowing eyes and rolled her eyes a little.
"Really?" Percy pressed. "You look a little pale."
"I'm really fine," Adie said patiently. "Just a little tired. Teddy decided that he didn't want to sleep tonight, so I didn't either."
Percy nodded sympathetically and watched her wave goodbye and walk away.
…
Adie apparated back to the small home she and Teddy lived in just outside of Godric's Hollow. She had decided to move to the village she had been born in after the war and after she had gained custody of Teddy.
Walking up the small path to the front door she glanced around to see the toys Teddy had let be outside. She sighed and made her way over and started to gather the toys together and putting them back where they belonged.
Finished she entered the house and glanced at the clock, it was almost two by now and she needed to finish some letters to the bank before starting dinner. Teddy would be home soon from his day spent with Bill and Fleur. They were all very helpful with watching Teddy for her when she needed it, but normally she had him home and worked from home.
Settling down behind the computer she turned it on and again wondered about Hermione's brilliance. She had found a way for the electricity and computers to work alongside magic, it was brilliant. It didn't work so well at Hogwarts yet, but they theorized that it was because it was such a high concentration of magic there. But here in private homes, it worked perfectly and she was able to work on a computer instead of on paper. Muggles really were brilliant in their own way, they made their way without magic and was a long way ahead of the wizarding community, Adie thought.
Shaking her head pushing the thoughts out of her mind she noticed that she had received a new mail and smiled when she saw the name 'Kiyoshi Teppei' as the sender. She saved it for later knowing that she would get distracted by his stories about his basketball team like she normally did, and start wanting to play basketball herself. And she did have business to attend to.
An hour and a half later she glanced at the clock and knew she had to start dinner. She yawned and got up stretching as she did so. She had just finished dinner when she heard the door open and a loud "Mum!" sounded.
"In the kitchen Teddy," Adie called back and soon she heard his little footsteps coming closer and finally hit her legs his arms circling them.
"Mum, you won't believe what I and Vicky did today," Teddy said excitedly staring up at her with wide eyes.
"Oh?" Adie asked with an amused smile on her lips. She glanced up to see Bill standing in the doorway with a fond look in his blue eyes. The scars from Greyback had faded even more now, but they were still visible and would always be so.
"We went to the park, uncle Bill took us, and then we played with a dog that was there," Teddy said. "He belonged to an old man, but he let us play with it. Wasn't that nice of him? The dog's name was Rufus, I like that name. Can we get a dog?"
Adie blinked as she tried to follow his rambling, but she had practice so she understood what he was saying.
"That was nice of him," Adie said ruffling Teddy's hair a little as he loosened his grip around her legs so she could move the dinner away from the stove. "And no, we can't get a dog."
"Why not?" Teddy pouted cutely and Adie almost felt herself cave.
"You better look out for his pout," Bill laughed amused and Adie sent him a glare only making him laugh more.
"I know," she sighed. "Did he behave?"
"Yes," Bill smiled. "He's been a real help in looking out for Victoire."
"I'm sure," Adie smiled. "How is she? Can't believe she's almost three months already."
"Me neither," Bill said with a happy grin on his face that made Adie smile. "She's good. Sleeping now much to Fleur's happiness. I said I would bring Teddy home s Fleur could get some sleep alongside Victoire."
…
Teddy was finally asleep, having demanded to listen to two bedtime stories before he fell asleep in the middle of the second one, Adie found herself in front of the computer again and clicking the mail from Teppei open.
Hi Adie!
That rimes, do you know that? Hi Adie! Hahaha… So how are you? Thank you for your last mail, I read it many times. I'm fine now, thanks. My injury is all healed again and I am finally allowed to play basketball. It's fun. I really missed it this past year. Do you get to play any? You talked a little about it in your last letter, but I didn't get the sense that you play a lot lately. That's a shame, Adie. You're really good. As good as any of us.
My team lost the Final league of the Inter-High preliminaries, it was a rough one. I think it was the first loss against Too Academy that was the cause behind it. They crushed us, but I'm proud that they stood tall and continued to play until the last minute. Unfortunately, the loss affected them a little too long, but we're working it out now.
Are you still tired, Adie? You sure you're not trying to do too much? I don't understand exactly what you're doing, something about correcting some papers from home? You need to take care of yourself too, Adie. Remember that. I worry about you.
Listen, I want to run an idea by you and I really hope you will consider this. After joining practices again and meeting the new players on our team I see that we are missing something in our team. We're missing someone who has a good eye for details and can read the game in a single look, someone who's fast and calm. Someone like you.
I know, I know… you're eyeing the mail with that confused and incredulous scowl of yours right now. Just listen, Adie. I talked to the school and they said there were no rules against women/girls playing on the men's basketball teams. No one just did because they would have a hard time keeping up physically. I am confident that you would be able to keep up.
You did talk about wanting to finish your schooling when Teddy was a little older. He's three now, isn't he? There are good day-cares around here, Adie. Come to Seirin and finish school here. It would be fun going to the same school again, wouldn't it? Please. (Input puppy-dog eyes).
At least think about it, Adie. I really do miss you. You're the closest thing I have to a sister and I wished you were here with me, with this team. They're a good team, Adie. You would like them, I'm sure.
Anyway, I should turn in. I have an early practice tomorrow and Riko will kill me if I oversleep.
Miss you,
Your brother,
Kiyoshi Teppei.
…
"Happy birthday!" Adie blinked and took a small step back in shock as people jumped out from behind whatever they had been hiding behind. She had Teddy in her arms so she was just happy she hadn't dropped him. Talking about Teddy she heard him giggle and glanced down to see his smile on his face.
"Trying to scare me to death?" Adie grumbled but smiled all the same and put Teddy down in time to be pulled into a bone-crushing hug by Molly.
"Happy birthday, Adie," Molly whispered in her ear and Adie hugged her back.
After finishing the hugging round as she jokingly called it she found herself sitting down next to Ron and Hermione. She looked over the gardens of the Burrow and saw that George and Angelina were sitting close and that George was looking a little better, he had a smile on his face but the lingering sadness was still present in his eyes even a year and two months after losing Fred.
Bill was talking with Charlie who apparently was home from Romania for her birthday, Fleur had slipped into the house to check on Victoire. While Ginny and Dean were chatting with Luna and Neville, who also had joined them.
Arthur was talking to Percy about something that had happened at the Ministry, leaving Molly to the kitchen like she wanted it. Adie could smell the delicious aroma of food coming from the kitchen and repressed the moan of longing.
…
"You had forgotten about your birthday, hadn't you?" Hermione asked and Adie rubbed the back of her neck feeling sheepish.
"Um… yeah," Adie admitted.
Hermione rolled her eyes and Adie smiled back at her best friend getting a smile back and an exasperated look.
"Food!" Ron suddenly exclaimed and jumped to his feet moving toward the set table with a cheerful grin. Adie and Hermione exchanged fond glances before getting up and joining the others.
The conversation around the table was light and cheerful, keeping away from everything that could bring the mood down. Teddy had run back to Adie and sat down next to her so she could help him with cutting up his food.
"So, do you want a dog for your birthday?" Teddy suddenly asked causing the others to laugh and Adie to repress a sigh. Teddy had asked for a dog every day the last three days.
"No," Adie said patiently and Teddy looked down on his plate.
"I blame you," Adie said looking over a much too amused Bill. Bill just smiled unrepentantly back at her.
…
"Are you and Teddy ready to move?" Molly asked later that night. Teddy was asleep on the couch inside while the adult were all sitting outside on the tables enjoying the clear and warm night.
"Yes, almost," Adie nodded. "The little that is left I can't take before tomorrow right before we leave."
"You're sure you want to move all the way to Japan?" Ron asked again and looked at her. She met his eyes and saw the concern in them and gave him a smile.
"We're going to miss you," Hermione added.
"I'm going to miss you too," Adie said with a soft smile before hugging her two best friends. "But I need this. I… didn't notice that I was feeling so trapped here, the press is on me all the time and everyone keeps asking what I'm going to do next… I just… I need to get away a little. Get some space from everything that happened here, and Teppei's offer came at the right time. It's what I need."
They had heard it before, but it was like they needed to hear it again. She had come to them when she had gotten the offer from Teppei and they had talked and she had been a little reluctant to let go and actually decide to move. Yet the more she thought about it the more she wanted to go. It felt right.
She looked over at her family again and smiled a wider smile this time.
"I do think Japan and Seirin is the right place for me and Teddy, yes, I really do."