Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Cardcaptors. Zero, zip, nadda, not mine. If they did belong to me I would have high speed internet, and a way better computer than the one I am currently using.
Chapter 1: Released
It was a beautiful day in Diagon Ally. All the shops were open and brimming with activity. Witches and wizards from all over Britain decided today was the day to shop. The most common people to see were students, Hogwarts students to be precise. It was only a week before term started and all the kids were doing last minute shopping, except one. Harry Potter had been staying at the Leaky Cauldron for the past month. He got all his shopping done once when he got his letter, so now he decided to do a little 'I want' shopping.
Harry walked to Flourish and Blots. Over the past few weeks he had come here often, and almost every time he went into the store he would come out with a book. The only problem was that once he got back to his room he would start reading what ever book he had just gotten and he would finish it by the next day. He had also read all his new course books, he couldn't wait to see the look on Hermione's face when she found out that he had spent his whole summer reading and doing research.
As usual Harry went to the back of the store were all the good books were. All the books in this section were very long and were probably only read by older wizards, not 5th year students. Harry doubted that even Hermione had read some of these books.
Harry picked out a book that looked like a good one, but put it back. He already had one on this subject and he didn't need another. He walked to a shelf he hadn't been to yet. All the books here looked really old and he could see a thin layer of dust covering all of them. He lost interest with most of them and was about to leave when a red one caught his eye. It was on the bottom shelf and looked like the oldest one there. He bent down and pulled it out.
It was a regular sized book with a red leather cover. The title said The Clow and below the title was a picture of some sort of winged lion. The thing that caught Harry's attention though was the clasp that held the book shut. He could see a small key hole on the golden metal. At seeing the key hole Harry would have just put the book back and left, considering the book a loss since he couldn't get it open, but for some reason Harry didn't want to part with the book. It felt so right in his hands like it had always belonged to him. After some thought Harry let his curiosity get the best of him. He went to the cash register and bought the book. Seeing that it was almost dark Harry went back to his room at the Leaky Cauldron.
Harry sat at his desk right when he entered the room and set The Clow in front of him. He thought he would have to wait to get to school so he could use magic to get it open, but to his surprise the clasp was already open. "Weird," he said out loud. He picked up the book and opened it. Cut into the pages was a rectangular hole. The hole was about four to five inches in height and two inches wide, and was as deep as the book. Lying in the hole was a deck of cards. Harry raised an eyebrow. Thinking he had nothing to lose Harry pulled out the first four cards. The one he saw first had a picture of a sword on it and below the picture, written in bold all capital letters, it read THE SWORD. The card after that had what looked like a shield on it, and just like the card before it its name, THE SHIELD, was below the picture.
Harry looked at the last two cards in his hand. The one on top had a picture of a long eared, winged rabbit the name below it said THE JUMP. The last card depicted a woman with angel wings and long hair that wrapped around her. The name of that card was THE WINDY.
Harry looked closer at the last card. For some reason he couldn't explain, he felt like he was being judged. After a minute the feeling passed and to Harry's surprise THE WINDY and the three other cards in his hand felt warm. Harry muttered out loud, "The Windy," and that's when the chaos started.
A sudden strong wind forced Harry to stand. His chair went flying and smashed into the wall behind him. On the floor under his feet a glowing circle appeared. Harry barely had time to register what was happening when the rest of the cards in the book came flying out of it and turned into specks of light and went through the walls as if they weren't there. The wind that was blowing around him seemed to try to pull the four cards he held right out of his hand. But something inside him told him to hold onto those cards no matter what.
The wind finally settled down and the glowing circle disappeared when it seemed that he wouldn't let go. Harry started to breathe very hard, trying to slow his fast pumping heart. 'What just happened,' he thought. He was surprised that no one had come to see what all the commotion was about, but he was very relieved that no one did. He was to shell shocked to make up a good lie.
Harry looked around his room; it was a mess. But before he could even start to clean up the book on his desk started to glow. 'Now what,' he thought. Out of the book a small figure began to rise. It looked like a small teddy bear; it had a small body covered with golden-yellow fur, a long tail with a ball of white fur at the end, and a head that looked to large for its body, and large rounded ears. It also had small white wings.
The book stopped glowing and the creature was floating about a foot above it; its small black eyes stared at Harry, than down at the book. A look of pure annoyance graced his bear like features.
"Great, just great, and I was having a wonderful nap to." He sighed. "Honestly, the cards couldn't wait another hundred years to wake up?" The small creature looked up at Harry, an intense, almost judging, look on his face. "You the one who let them out?" he asked. His voice calm.
True to his nature Harry answered, "Yes I did," than he added hastily, "But it was an accident I swear."
The creature sighed. "Oh well, it was bound to happen sooner or later." The creatures gaze became curious. "What's your name kid?"
"I'm 15." Harry said, somewhat insulted, being called a kid by a teddy bear.
"Yeah well I'm over a hundred, so compared to me you are a kid. Whose name I still don't know."
"Harry, Harry Potter."
"Well Harry Potter I am Keroberos, keeper of the Clow Cards, but you can call me Kero."
"Clow Cards?"
Kero looked closely at Harry and all curiosity in his eyes went away, quickly replaced by sympathy. "You better sit down this is going to be a long story," he paused. "You didn't by any chance manage to hold on to any of the cards did ya?"
Harry nodded, after the strange wind had stilled he had put the four cards he had held onto, in his pocket. He pulled them out and held them up so Kero could see them. "Yeah a few," he said.
Kero relaxed a little. "Well that's good. At least we don't have to start from scratch."
"What do you mean?"
"Sit down and I will explain."
Harry went over to his bed and sat at the end; Kero floating in front of him.
"Alright, let's start at the beginning okay." Harry nodded. "Okay, a long time ago, about a hundred years or so, a man named Clow Reed created the Clow Cards, 52 in all. You see in his time he was the most powerful wizard in the world. But of course a man that powerful will have enemies. So he made the cards to protect himself and mankind. Combined together, the cards are just as powerful as Clow himself." He paused. "Well Clow knew that he could never allow the forces of evil to get their hands on the cards. So he put in a safety mechanism. Only a person picked by the guardian of the book will have the chance to become the Master of the Clow Cards. Also this person has to be pure of heart and soul. They also have to know what it means to have a responsibility as important as the Clow Cards. Now last and most important; they have to be as powerful as Clow Reed or more powerful."
"Why?" Harry asked.
"Because the cards are so powerful that they will only obey and respect someone as strong as or stronger than their old master."
"Okay I follow."
"Now Harry this is going to come as a big shock to you but you have to accept this alright."
"Alright." Harry said slowly.
"See Harry the only way for someone to open the book is for the guardian to pick them as the Cardcaptor."
"Cardcaptor?"
"Yes Harry the release of the cards is a test so to speak, a test that the cards themselves have decide to put you through. To see if you are worthy to be the Master of the Clow Cards."
"Me, why me?"
"Because you are worthy Harry. The cards just want to make sure you are ready to handle the responsibility."
"How did you know I was worthy?"
"When you touched the book, I sorta scanned you, your character, and I was happy with what I saw. In fact you remind me a lot of Clow."
Harry looked down at the cards in his hand. 'Why do these things always happen to me,' he thought.
"Harry I chose you as Cardcaptor it is your duty to find the cards and seal them back to their card forms."
Harry looked back up at Kero. "How?" he asked.
"Oh right." Kero floated over to the book, again it glowed and something rose out of it but this time it was an orb of golden light. "Come over here Harry."
Harry got up, put the cards he had back in his pocket, and walked over to the desk. "What is it?"
"Take it." Kero said.
Harry looked at Kero a questioning look in his eyes. "Trust me on this Harry."
Harry didn't know how or why but he did trust Kero. He extended his hand and grabbed the orb of light. The light immediately vanished when he closed his fist around it, and than Harry could feel something in his hand. He opened his fist and in his hand was a key with a bird head shaped top. The key itself was made out of a copper like metal, but the bird head had a dark red beak and emerald green eyes. Coming from both sides of the head were black ear like wings. Protruding from two small slits in the top was a leather chain so he could wear it around his neck. He looked back at Kero to see an approving smile on the little bears face.
"What is this thing?" he asked.
"That is your sealing wand."
"It doesn't look like a wand."
"Well not yet it doesn't. This is its key form; you know to keep it hidden. You have to say an incantation in order to activate it."
"What's the incantation?"
"I don't know; only you can answer that Harry." When Harry raised an eyebrow; Kero decided to elaborate. "You already know what the incantation is you just have to find it inside yourself." He paused. "Just close your eyes Harry and let your instincts guide you."
Harry closed his eyes and let the key dangle from the leather chain that was grasped tightly in his hand. In all honesty he had no idea what he was doing, but as he relaxed words began to appear in his mind.
He opened his eyes and stared at the key. The same circle of light that surrounded him when the wind hit appeared again.
"Oh key of Clow power of magic power of light. Surrender the wand, the force ignite." By now the leather chain was gone and the key was floating between his outstretch hands. "Release."
The key grew two and a half feet long. The copper metal changed color to a dark red. The black wings on the head became fiercer, more rugged like a real birds wings. At the end of the wand was a round ruby stone surrounded by a web of golden metal that connected it to the wand. With the transformation complete the circle disappeared.
Harry held the wand in his hands. He got the same warm tingle he got when he first touched his wizard wand. He twirled it in his hand like an expert; it felt like he had this wand every day of his life. The balance he felt with this wand was far stronger than that of his wizard wand.
"Wow!" Harry whispered.
"Yep you're the Cardcaptor alright." Kero was smiling. "Try using one of the cards you have. I suggest you use The Sword card."
"Why The Sword?"
"Trust me."
Harry stood in the middle of the room. He took THE SWORD out of his pocket and held it before him, he didn't have to ask Kero what to do, somehow he already knew. The sealing wand was held tight in his right hand THE SWORD in his left. He threw the card in front of him; it spun, but didn't fall to the ground. Harry spun the wand in his hand, the circle appeared once again, "Sword card," he said. "Release and dispel." He brought the wand down on the card; when the wands beak hit the card it stopped spinning, glowed white, and turned into white mist. The mist surrounded the wand, and when it cleared, instead of a wand Harry was holding a long elegant sword.
"Bloody hell!"
"Told you." Kero said with a smug expression.
Harry inspected the sword he now held. Never in his life had he seen or held anything more elegant, not even the Sword of Gryffindor could compete with this blade. As Harry thought these praises he could feel waves of happiness and joy coming from THE SWORD. His jaw dropped, 'It's alive,' he thought.
"Yes Harry it's alive, all the cards are." Kero said seeing the shocked look on Harry's face. "Oh, and by the way in case you were wondering. Yes The Sword can read your mind, it has to be able to so it can help you properly in battle."
"In battle?"
"Of course, see Harry The Sword can actually give you the ability to fight like a master swordsmen, but there has to be a mental connection in order for you to receive the knowledge you need."
"Oh." Harry was still a bit shocked to find out that he was holding a living sword. 'My life just keeps getting weirder and weirder,' he thought.
"So Harry why don't you tell me a little about yourself."
Harry snapped out of his daze and focused on the small creature before him. He knew there was all ready a bond between them, but the truth was they knew practically nothing about the other.
"Are you sure you want to know, Kero? My life is pretty depressing."
Kero saw a flicker of sadness, and anger in Harry's eyes. 'The kid has obviously been through a lot.' Kero thought.
"Of course I'm sure. We are going to be working together for the rest of our lives believe it or not; we need to trust each other."
"Alright." Harry returned THE SWORD to its card form, and turned the wand back to its key form. The rest of the night Harry explained everything about his life and what he knew about the wizarding world. He talked about the day he got his Hogwarts letter, the Sorcerers Stone incident, his adventure in the Chamber of Secrets, the time he rescued his godfather from the dementors, and of course the Triwizard Tournament which included the return of Voldemort (which the Ministry still didn't believe), and everything in between. Kero's mouth was hanging wide open by the end.
"No wonder I picked you as Cardcaptor. You survived the Avada Kedavra that has never ever been accomplished. Not even the most powerful wizards in the world, in history, have figured out how to do it. It's supposed to be impossible."
Harry sighed, "Yeah so I've heard."
"Sorry, but it is strange. Do you have any idea how you managed to survive?"
"Apparently when my mom sacrificed herself to save me she gave me a shield that protected me from Voldemorts attack."
"Well that would contribute but it wouldn't have saved you completely."
"It wouldn't."
Kero shook his head. "Nope, see a love shield like that would only protect you to a certain degree. And if this Voldemort is as powerful as you say he is there is no way that a love shield would have saved you from all of the effects of the Avada Kedavra some of the effects would have still gotten to you."
"Some of the effects?"
"Yeah, by all accounts you should be brain dead. There must have been some other reason why you managed to survive." Kero looked thoughtful for a moment before he smiled and looked back at Harry. "But we'll figure that out later, because right now I'm too tired to worry about stuff like that. I'm going to bed." Kero flew over to Harry's bed and plopped down in the middle of one of the pillows, and in less then a second he was out.
Harry stared at Kero for a moment, an amused smile upon his lips, and then he looked at the clock on his bedside table. It read 12:49, 'Wow, me and Kero talked a long time, better go to bed,' he thought.
As Harry lay in bed he started thinking about everything that had happened to him in the last month. He was still shocked that Dumbledore had let him stay at the Leaky Cauldron, especially considering the fact that Voldemort was back. Harry knew that he was being watched though; he didn't know how he knew he just did. He also knew that the people watching him were good wizards. Sent, by Dumbledore no doubt, to make sure nothing happened to him. But why not tell him he was being followed, why keep him in the dark? These questions continued to race though Harry's mind for a good two hours before he finally fell asleep.