On a peaceful Sunday morning, the sound of the doorbell rang through the Tomoeda residence.
"Coming!" Called a girl's voice from upstairs. There was the sound of running down the hall, then the stairs, then to the door.
Sakura opened the door, then said, "Ms Post-woman?" with a puzzled expression.
"Good morning Sakura-san," she replied. "Here's the mail."
Sakura took the pile of ordinary white envelopes from the post-woman. The post-woman then displayed a yellowed envelope to her. "And here's a special one for you. It's from England."
Sakura took it and opened it curiously. She took out the parchment, and said, "Hooee... It's all in English! I haven't learnt any of these words..."
"Really? Let me see..." said the post-woman. "It says something about a school … magic?" she dismissed the idea. "Sorry, I was very bad at English in school." She passed the letter back.
"Ah, that's okay. Thanks anyway," replied Sakura. She waved to the post-woman as she left, trying to stare the letter into making sense.
Sakura closed the door, and scanned the letter some more, before sighing and giving up. She put the rest of the letters down in her father and Touya's rooms respectively, then picked up the phone and dialled Tomoyo's number.
It rang three or four times before Tomoyo picked it up.
"Daidouji residence," she stated.
"Hi Tomoyo!" eyes glowed.
"Good morning, Sakura."
"I was wondering, have you gotten any weird mail lately?"
"I don't think so, I'll check now."
Sakura curled the telephone cord around her finger as she waited.
"Sorry Sakura, no luck."
"Oh."
"So what was strange about it?"
"Well, for one it's in English. I can't recognise any words, but you're really good at it, right, Tomoyo?"
"N-not really... But I'll check it out, can I come over now?"
"Can you!? Now's great. Oh, and no-one's home, so if I don't answer you can let yourself in. See you later."
"Bye, Sakura. Tell Kero I'm bringing snacks."
Sakura put down the phone, and happily ran upstairs to wake up Kero.
"Well, it's an invitation." Tomoyo said at last. "And it says something about a school for witches and wizards. Whoever sent this must know you're the Card Captor."
"Wow, Tomoyo, you're amazing..."
"Hmm? What's that you're reading?" Kero asked, taking a breather from pigging out on the sweets Tomoyo brought.
"It's a letter from England," Sakura said, "It came in the mail this morning, but I can't read it."
"I've had a bit of luck. Kero, can you read it?" Tomoyo asked. "I mean, you DID live there."
"Leave it to me!" Kero grabbed the letter, "'Dear Ms Tomoeda, as part of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry's concentration on international understanding and co-operation, I would like to invite you to teach the practical components of Eastern magic alongside Professor Hiiragizawa's teaching of history and great Eastern magic-users. You will, of course, be provided with teachers' lodgings at Hogwarts Castle. The envelope also includes your tickets to London (I have been told you travel with an escort), and your ticket for the Hogwarts Express, which leaves from Kings' Cross Station at precisely 11.00am on the 1st September. Sincerely,' yada yada yada …" Kero finished. "So whaddaya think?"
"Me? A teacher? Hoee…" Sakura whined.
"Well, it's just the practical you're teaching, so it's okay," Tomoyo assured.
"Yeah, but … And since when did they have magic schools?"
"Since they had wizards, in England. Hogwarts itself was founded by the four greatest wizards of their time, so it has a good reputation. It's an honour to be able to go." Kero informed.
"But me? Teach students? I was one only last year! What if they hate me, what if I go nuts because I can't speak English, what if–"
"You'll be fine! Eriol knows what he's doing, and he could also translate for you. It'll also be a good time to train, and I'm sure Yue would agree with me on that."
Sakura fell silent, and Tomoyo chirped in.
"Oh, I'd better start making clothes for you now! You only have a month before school, and your flight is in a week and a half!" She got a tape measure seemingly out of no-where and measured Sakura, who was still processing the information.
She dreaded telling her father and brother. She had never been overseas without them, and they had work, so they couldn't stay, especially since she would be working at a magic school. And she somehow doubted Touya would be very happy about Yukito going with her.
