I just had the best idea for another HP/CCS crossover, in no way related to this one. It's inspired in part by MagicalFoci's story, Harry Potter and the Return of the True Sorcerers (it's great, so read it if you haven't) and by my question, 'What if Minerva were found injured in her Animagus form (you know, a cat) by a Muggle and nursed back to health with the Muggle thinking that she was an ordinary cat? Obviously, Sakura is not a Muggle, which shows you how I've developed my fic. It's still in my head, safe and sound. Sorry folks, but once this is over (there's only between 2 and 4 chapters left, plus an epilogue) there will be no continuation, no sequel. Once more, I am most humbly sorry. *squeals in fright at the threats* No really, I am. I'm not going to post my new story until I finish this one, which is why I warned you how many chapters there are to go. Thanks to all you reviewers! I so cannot believe I hit 100!! It's awesome! Thanks, once again, and remember: review, review, review.
P.S. I meant to get this out before I went to Atlanta, but it wasn't quite finished and I was scrambling to get everything together at the last minute, so I made this chapter extra long.
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Sakura silently reached for the salt, making sure not to look at the 10 pairs or so of eyes trying to catch her attention and attempting to use the noise of the Great Hall as an excuse for being unable to hear their use of her name. She suspected that they were getting suspicious though, when shouting and not-so-subtle kicking under the table elicited no response. When several of them were about to attempt several different spells and not all of them totally harmless, she pushed back her chair abruptly and smiled at a point above her companions' heads, still not making eye contact.
"Gotta go get the lesson plan ready. Bye," she said quickly before disappearing.
"Liar," muttered Tomoyo. Syaoran was the one with the lesson plan and, knowing Sakura, had it written out days ahead of time.
Syaoran sighed. "She's blocked herself off again."
"Oh well," Eriol said with a shrug as he examined what was left on his breakfast plate. "Gives us more time to plan how to torture - er - get the information out of her. Painlessly, of course," he added with an uncertain smile as a slew of people glared at him.
First thing that morning, Minerva and Severus had gone to the group to ask what was wrong with Sakura. She, of course, had expected that and was avoiding them, as her group had no idea what was going on.
Syaoran pushed back his chair. "I'll go look for her. I doubt I'll find her before class, but I don't have anything to do right now."
~*~
"You know what?" said Harry as he turned a corner and raced down the stairs with Draco at his heels.
"What?" gasped Draco as the two of them skidded around the corner, determined to make it to breakfast with enough time to eat at a sedate pace, even though they were still three floors and two corridors away.
"I have this strange feeling that someone's going to appear right in front of us," replied Harry. He had been having these feelings ever since he learned how to effectively sense auras in his dreams. They (the dreams, not the auras) had become more intense lately and Harry figured that was why he kept waking up late.
"Yes, yes," said Draco in mock exasperation. "We all know that you and your scar know all." He hadn't been around Harry as much as Ron and Hermione had this past year, so he hadn't learned to pay attention when Harry said stuff like that. Ah well, thought Harry. He'll learn.
So he did a quick sidestep so that he was a couple of feet away from Draco when a body appeared and Draco crashed into it - her, corrected Harry when he saw that it was Sakura.
"Sorry about that," said Sakura, the first of the two to recover her wits. She stood and then held out a hand to Draco who took it somewhat dumbfoundedly.
"You might want to slow down when you get to the Great Hall. By that time Argus will have just finished breakfast and be patrolling that hallways," Sakura informed them before walking off with a quick glance around her, as if checking to make sure no one was following her.
Draco stared at her retreating back and then Harry. When he showed no inclination to move, Harry jerked him into a run and they once more resumed their sprint to the Great Hall.
"Yes, yes," said Draco irritably. "No need to say 'I told you so.'"
"But I didn't say anything protested Harry, panting somewhat.
"I know you too well."
"Not well enough obviously."
"Shut up."
"Just pointing out the - "
"Shut up."
"But - "
"Shut up."
Harry gave up and focused on not tripping down their last flight of stairs.
~*~
"I'm fine!" shrieked Sakura for the umpteenth time that day. "Fine, fine, FINE!!"
"Actually," corrected the Headmaster with the usual twinkle in his eye, "I was just going to tell you that we have about 275 volunteers for the army and we caught 7 Deatheaters with a truth potion. You may review the army if you wish."
"Oh," said Sakura sheepishly, "er...okay. Thanks."
"You're welcome. Are you absolutely positive that you're all right?" asked Albus Dumbledore.
Sakura didn't know whether to laugh or throw something at him and he wisely took this time to depart. Quickly.
"I'll check the volunteers, if you want me to," suggested Syaoran, having heard the whole thing as he came around the corner.
"Go ahead," said Sakura wearily. "Take Meiling with you. She's been edgy lately and you'll get done faster with a partner."
She continued on down the hall until she heard voices. It sounded like Eriol, Minerva, and Severus. She paused when she heard her name and listened more carefully.
"The blackness could have been caused by either her aura flaring out of control and affecting anything nearby in the most basic form of communication, or it could have been a way of warning us that something was wrong," Eriol was telling them. "My guess would be a combination of both. She must have been suffering from depression for a while for it to react so dramatically."
"She asked me to make her a dreamless sleep potion a few weeks ago," remarked Severus.
Sakura growled under her breath. Damn it, that was a secret.
"Ah," said Eriol in a voice that gave nothing away. "So that's it."
Sakura could practically see Minerva arch an eyebrow in her mind's eye and stiffled an almost hysterical giggle.
"What, pray tell, is 'it'?" questioned the Transfigurations professor in a tone that bore no argument.
"Sakura sometimes has foretelling dreams, especially before a large event. She dreamt of both her final judgement and my coming before they happened."
"Hence the term, 'foretelling dream'," muttered Severus sarcastically.
"She must be seeing that battle whenever she sleeps," continued Eriol, ignoring him. "She seems better today, more cheerful. Possibly she has reconciled herself to an image of the future."
Sakura slunk away. You have no idea how close you are to the truth, she thought.
~*~
The last day of school drew closer and both the students and the army worked frantically, though for very different reasons. The students stayed oblivious to the soldiers with little difficulty, as they were concentrating on their exams. Aurors trained the volunteers with Mad Eye Moody at their head and occasionally one of the Cardcaptor group, Minerva, or Albus would pop in to help. At first the volunteers were surprised by them, but quickly grew used to, and even welcomed, the new routines they brought as their bodies adjusted to the quick thinking and constant alertness. A single quick flick of the wand could be the difference between life and death.
The Cardcaptor group trained apart from the army. Sakura, who had been a natural archer, practised at least an hour and a half each day to get back into shape and then spent her free time either honing her magic with whoever was free or swordfighting with Syaoran and Meiling. Guns and bombs hadn't been introduced into the wizarding world and, hopefully, never would be.
Finally, two days before the battle, Sakura, Syaoran, Tomoyo, Eriol, Meiling, and Kero approached three of the professors early in the morning before classes had started.
"Sorry I'm late," gasped Sakura as she rushed into the appointed room. And slammed the door behind her, leaning against it. "Sybil," she said the name as if it left a bad taste in her mouth, "insisted on telling me in front of Harry that this would be the final battle, the deciding factor between light and dark."
"And what did you do?" asked Tomoyo when it was clear that Sakura wasn't going to add anything.
"Told her that was exactly what was said about World War I, the war which subsequently led to World War II and the Cold War, and suggested she get her facts straight before fleeing and hoping that Harry was confused enough to keep quiet or forget it," replied Sakura airily. "What are the four of you doing here anyway? I only asked Syaoran to stand in as witness."
"Curiosity, I suppose," said Eriol with a shrug.
"Okay." She turned to the three professors to begin her explanation. "This is going to be a combination of a blessing and a protection spell to guard you during the fighting. Three is the maximum that can be made for any battle or they lose their potency."
From deep withing her robes she produced three squares of cloth, each covered in stitches.
"These," she said, nodding at the cloth, "are senninbari. Each has a thousand stitches, and each stitch represents the best wishes of someone. They will protect you from danger. I shrunk them a bit so they're easier to carry. As long as you keep it with you, you will be protected, but in no means invincible. You will bleed if cut, and respond normally to most curses except for the weakest ones, but you will rarely be subjected to such harm. It's like an extremely powerful good luck charm with bonuses."
"We just need to keep it on our person?" asked Minerva.
"Yes," confirmed Tomoyo. She knew all about cloth spells having used many herself.
"Just stand still and silent as I bless and tune these to you. It's fairly simple," said Sakura cheerfully.
She stood before Severus.
"Dark man, loyal to those who serve the Light , one who has returned from the Dark and sacrificed all. Fight for the your future."
Next, she turned to Minerva.
"Lioness, always ready to do battle for your children, fair to all, easy with none undeserving. Fight to protect your children, o fiery Scottish witch." (AN: I really don't want to ruin the mood, but I have to say that "o fiery Scottish witch" is not my own creation. I found it in someone else's fic, but I don't rememer whose. Gomen nasai)
Finally it was Albus' turn.
"Protector, an anchor, a light in the dark and enemy to the Darkness, as well as a trickster, and unwilling to risk putting true responsibility into clumsy hands. Fight for your world, honored among wizards."
The fey, otherwordly light that had entered Sakura's eyes at the beginning of her resonating blessings dimmed and she suddenly looked weary and tired.
She turned to look at everyone in the room.
"I do this of my own free will with full consent of my heart, mind, body, and soul. Remember."
Then the fey light fully died and Sakura blinked as if coming out of a trance.
"What did you mean?" demanded Syaoran, watching her suspiciously.
"I don't know," she replied, looking away, though she did know, knew only too well. "I don't know," she repeated.
She stayed only until the three had finished thanking her, and then left for her bedroom.
Sakura had just passed the Great Hall when she sensed something and her head snapped up. Tomoyo who had been running after her to catch up looked around suspiciously.
"What is it?" she asked.
"An intruder," growled Sakura, pulling her sword out of her invisible belt and scabbard. She had taken to carrying it around to get used to it once more. "I smell a rat." With these parting words she summoned the Sword card and with a blade in each hand she sprinted for the dungeons, Tomoyo close behind carrying (what else?), her camera.
Thankfully most students were still in bed. Sakura almost ran into two early birds, but managed to flip over them, making sure to keep the sharp edges out of the way without setting them down.
"Didn't anyone tell you it's dangerous to run around with sharp objects?!" cried out one of the two, shocked.
Tomoyo stiffled a giggle as she followed, nimbly sidestepping them.
Once they reached the dungeons, Sakura slowed to a brisk walk, touching he wall at odd intervals, and keeping her steps silent.
"Ah ha," she whispered and taking the Sword (AN: The card not the other sword. Confusing, ne?), she made a broad swing diagonally up and to the right. As the wall collapsed she crossed the two blades and they stuck together, merging where they touched and giving off a soft glow.
A short balding man, a little chunky with shifty eyes stood there like a deer in headlights.
"Was that really necessary?" murmured Tomoyo.
"I'll fix it later," muttered Sakura in reply as she flung that crossed swords at him like a frisbee. The tips sunk into the wall on either side of the man and trapped him in a V shape, the sharp edges a bare inch from his skin.
"I wouldn't suggest moving, Wormtail," said Sakura coldly, emerald eyes like ice.
"Translation: Touch the swords and they will slice through you like butter," added Tomoyo.
"Do you know who I am?" he asked, trying to look intimidating even as he quivered with fear.
Sakura rolled her eyes. " I called you Wormtail, did I not? Or do you prefer Peter? Perhaps you wish to be known as Voldemort's" - he flinched at the name - " boot licker? The same person who gave you that silver hand that can be just as easily cut through as the rest of your flesh with my blades."
"You boast overmuch, little girl. You are out of your league here," sneered Wormtail in an effort at bravery, which failed miserably.
Sakura twitched. "Little girl?" she hissed in a deadly tone. "This little girl could kill you without breaking a sweat. Watch your mouth, traitor."
Tomoyo was, of course, taping this with interest.
"Enough," snapped Sakura. "Become the rat you are."
Wormtail immediately shrank and became the rodent against his will.
"Mobilicorpus," said Tomoyo, levitating the rat over to where they stood.
Sakura smiled her thanks and retrieved her swords, returning one to her sheath where it became invisible once more, and the other to its Card form.
She cocked her head to one side. "Oh good," she said, striding through the hole in the wall. "Remus and 'Snuffles' are with Albus. We can go give them our little present."
"Ne, Sakura-chan?" called out Tomoyo, her wand still pointed carelessly at Wormtail. "You forgot something."
She turned to look at her friend blankly, and then, remembering the hole in the wall, blushed. With a wave of her hand it was fixed and she hurried away with Tomoyo skipping along behind.
They arrived in a room to find that Severus had joined the Headmaster, Remus, and a large black dog. The dog's hackles were raised and it bared its teeth, glaring at the Potions professor, who happened to be glaring back. It was so reminiscent of Syaoran and Touya that Sakura let out a giggle, startling them.
"Ah, and here come two of them now," greeted Albus, an all too familiar twinkle in his eye. Needless to say, Remus looked stunned, and if a dog could look it, 'Snuffles' would have too.
"You omitted our ages again, didn't you?" accused Tomoyo as the pair traipsed into the room.
"And I suppose this amuses you?" questioned Sakura sardonically, turning to look at Severus.
"Need I answer?" he replied, mouth twitching at the corners.
Remus looked surprised, and then seeing what was being held by Tomoyo, his surprise became that of intense fury.
Sakura watched him closely. "I found a rat in the dungeons, and contrary to popular student belief, it wasn't Severus."
Severus snorted.
"I'd recognize him anywhere," said Remus quietly in barely checked anger as Sirius' growls became even louder.
"You may become yourself if you wish, Sirius. Tomoyo warded this room," she informed him, nodding at the humming girl.
Abruptly the dog became a rather skinny, shaggy-haired man who watched her wearily.
"How did you know who I was?"
"It's a gift I have," replied Sakura with a shrug. "Now, down to business. What shall we do with him?" she asked Dumbledore, indicating the rat.
"I believe I shall take him to the Ministry, show them this bit of evidence, and advise Cornelius on what to do next," he said.
"But he won't listen to you," inerjected Sirius as Remus examined the mutual respect between the girl and the older man with interest, trying to understand who this girl and her friend were exactly.
"He will now," said Sakura with a knowing grin. "Has been for some time, although it's not that well-known. The wizards will need another Minister soon." She scruinized Remus thoughtfully, then nodded to herself, as if deciding on something.
"You sound like you aren't a wizard - witch, I mean," commented Remus.
"Damn," he heard her murmur under her breath. They were obviously not meant to hear it, and it made him suspicious, though Dumbledore trusted her.
This is gonna make things a bit harder to hide, but it's only for a couple of days, though Sakura as she replied, "I'm not. I'm a sorceress born and bred. Actually that's not exactly true. I've only been training for about half of my life. I was studying the druid's ways, especially ogham, when Albus informed me of your world's plight. I'll be forever grateful to him for saving me from the lessons, even if it's only for a year or so. Ogham is definitely not one of my best subjects."
Remus couldn't help but laugh, and Sirius with him, at such a perky young girl.
They chatted easily for a few minutes as Albus took his leave.
"Hello," said a voice from the doorway only moments after the Headmaster had departed.
Sirius looked up warily, but Tomoyo and Sakura grinned. "Hello, Eriol," they chorused.
"Remus, Sirius, this is Eriol. He's the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor," introduced Tomoyo politely.
Sakura turned to Remus, abruptly serious as she stood up. "May I speak with you for a moment?" she asked, motioning for him to follow.
He hesitated for a moment, glancing at Severus and Sirius, who happened to be in a glaring contest at the moment, wondering if it was safe to leave those two alone.
"Don't worry," reassured Sakura with a grin, as if reading his thoughts. "Tomoyo will stay until we return to keep those two from killing each other."
The two men in question looked up, mildly affronted, before resuming their glaring.
Somewhat reassured, he followed her, with Eriol bringing up the rear.
"I should go find Ruby Moon and Spinel Sun. They're not the most trustworthy beings when together," said Eriol, pausing at the door to watch Sakura and the werewolf leave, the man puzzling over this rather cryptic comment.
Yes, he liked to confuse and frustrate, possibly even annoy any acquaintances. Which reminded him.
"Don't break the bed!" he called out to Severus and Sirius before hurrying away.
The two shared very amusing identical looks of horror before Severus leapt for the door.
"First I'm a pedophile, and now I'm gay! Make up your damn filthy mind!" he roared.
The only response was for words to appear on the front of his robe. Very afraid of what they said, but not wanting Black, or anyone else for that matter, to see them, he read:
'PEDOPHILE: Go on, I'm not choosy.'
"You have one dirty, filthy little mind!" he muttered murderously, as the words hastily disappeared.
~*~
Remus followed Sakura down an empty hall. Suddenly she turned to him, eyes serious.
"You know that the wizarding world needs a new Minister of Magic?" she questioned.
"You told us that in the old Charms classroom," Remus affirmed.
"And you agree that this time it should be someone competent, who isn't afraid to ask for help when he needs, and who can think for himself?"
"Of course. It sounds like you have someone in mind."
"I do, and Albus agrees with me," replied Sakura with a secretive smile, eyes sparkling with laughter.
"Who is it?" asked Remus, curious.
Sakura just grinned at him.
"You're joking!" exclaimed Remus as it dawned on him. "I'm a werewolf. They'd never accept me," he said in a bitter tone.
Sakura cocked her head to one side, studying him. "I could make them, but there's an easier way. I could take away the curse and leave in its place a gift. Eriol can alter the memories of all but those who support you and Tomoyo will take care of any files. It will be as if you had never been a werewolf."
"But there's no cure for lycanthropy," he protested. "Who are you?"
"I cannot cure your condition, but I can alter it, change it, if you will. You will not be a wolf involuntarily. You will be more of a wolf Animagus, but you must become a wolf at least three times a month at any time. A gift, as I said. And who am I? I am only Kinomoto Sakura, nothing more or less than myself. That you will find out in two days' time when Voldemort and his army arrives. Go well. I'll try to give you the alteration spell before the actual fighting, but rest assured, you will get it."
She gave him a quick hug before teleporting herself to where the giants were hidden. Hagrid and Madam Maxime had arrived the day before with some reinforcements.
~*~
"Oh, Syaoran," murmured Sakura late that night. "I know I've been trained for battles such as this, but I don't know if I can stand to do it, to kill those people, no matter how evil they are."
Syaoran wrapped his arms around her and she rested her head against his chest, only slightly comforted.
"I'm sorry, Sakura. Sorry it had to be this way. You've never killed before, have you?"
She looked at him. What kind of question is that? her face said. Of course I haven't.
"You've always aimed to capture, convert, or change whoever or whatever opposed you," he continued. "Even with all of you training and experience I can't imagine you as a fighter."
He kissed her.
"And I feel so useless being unable to help you."
"You're never useless to me, Syaoran," replied Sakura. "I wish it didn't have to be this way."
"You have a choice," he reminded her. "You can still stay out of it."
Sakura shook her head. "That's no choice at all. I promised to help when they refused to ask for it, not thinking that I would want to help, and not wishing to ruin my supposed innocence. I've grown up. I've grown beyond my years since I let the Cards loose, and I can hide it, but you and I, Meiling and Eriol and Tomoyo, all of us know that it's there because it's in all of you as well. Some have yet to learn that what affects one world affects the rest."
They clung to one another, as if the other was their only anchor in the ocean of chaos.
"They can't do it so well without us. They'll be slaughtered before the Dark Lord falls and Harry would loose so much more than his family. It always comes down to him in this wizarding world, doesn't it? A boy against 'evil incarnate' as the newspapers like to call Voldemort."
Their lips met once more, lingeringly, as tears streamed helplessly down the Card Mistress' cheeks.
"Aishiteru, Li Syaoran," she whispered between kisses. "Aishiteru."
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*blinks* Ooooookaaaaayyyyyyy. I'm trying to decide whether to toss my cookies because of that last hopelessly sappy section or cry. *retches into a bowl* Well, that solved my problem. Incidentally, does anybody know any good Minerva saves Harry fics (aside from A Tabby and Her Kit, which is the best ever)?
At the moment I'm on my way home from Atlanta (Georgia) and I'm exhausted. I'm so glad to be going home and I want to be there NOW! Plus I have to wake up at 6:30 tomorrow morning to go to my driver's ed. class, because I've missed all I can without having to start over because I've been in Atlanta with my youth group the past week. Isn't that just fun, fun, fun!? (that was sarcasm, in case you didn't know).
Ja mata,
Mystical Magician