Disclaimer: I own nothing except for everything that isn't known. =D Such as the plot being mine… Too bad I can't own the characters. –sigh– Happy Reading!
T h e F o u r t h P o t t e r
By: Emerald May
Chapter 22
Sakura looked down at the marble ground before her.
"Where am I?" She wondered out loud. There was no respond. She looked down at her attire, which consisted of her nightclothes of pastel pink – one of her favorite colors. "Is this a dream?" For once, she couldn't tell whether it was real or a dream. Since her last occurrence with Voldemort, she wasn't too keen on foretelling dreams – or reality.
Her forest green oculars rose up to meet the gaze of a figure… a figure that was too far away to be identified. "Who…" She trailed off as she took a step forward, the hallway disappearing from beneath her feet.
A scream escaped the young Card Mistress' tiers as she fell into what seemed to be water. Sinking deeper into the depths of the liquidated moisture, Sakura passed a peculiar sea creature… a giant squid.
"A squid?" She thought as her brows furrowed up in confusion. And then realization. She was in Hogwarts, no doubt about that, but why? There wasn't a sign of Voldemort… Not yet at least.
Finally, her feet touched soft ground, almost mud-like, yet it was sand. Her bare toes wiggled a bit as she let them become hidden underneath. Sakura grasped the pendant that concealed the 'Sakura Staff's' true form and took a step forward, the figure had long disappeared.
Upon the cemented wall was an engraved inscription. But it wasn't in either Japanese or English, and it wasn't written in ink; but in a crimson liquid. Blood. She touched the bloodstained writing, but snatched her hand back in agony, the blood having burned through her pale flesh. She winced as she sucked on her burnt fingers, tasting her own blood, but oblivious to the unknown blood mingled in with hers… after all, blood tastes the same… doesn't it?
That question would have to be placed on hold as a cackle rang throughout the circular, cave like room, holograms of her friends and family began to form before her, above her, and around her. She shrieked as she covered her eyes from the gruesome sights.
All those she loved… all those she knew and cared about were severed off from their bodies in some form or another, but it all came down to them being dead. Sakura whimpered as she unshielded her eyes and stared at the images, horrified.
"O-oni-chan… Syaoran-kun…" She whispered, still baffled and in fear. "Harry… Lily, James…" She couldn't come forth to call her biological parents 'mom and dad'. "Otou-san…" And slowly, ever so slowly, the purging feelings of fear and unutterable terror slowly dissolved into emotions of anger, disgust, and pure hatred for the one that was, or should she say, would be responsible for the cause.
And in a flash did Sakura's feathery-light magic enfold her and the Clow Staff before her in her hands. Her naturally friendly emerald portals were narrowed down, portraying the emotions she felt. The evil that filled her ears still surrounded her, the cackle never faultering.
"Under the powers of Clow's Magic, I command thee to step forward and face me!" She shouted in no particular direction, the 'Sakura Staff', as it would be called, glowed slightly, yet Yue nor Keroberus emerged from the light, but she didn't notice, her every will focused upon forging out the laugh.
The laugh didn't stop, and she received no answer.
Angered, Sakura shouted once more, "I AM WAITING!" And she twirled around, the golden star purging out a flood of brilliant light, nearly blinding the Card Mistress herself.
"You will never find me." And all went black for Sakura Kinomoto.
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Slowly, her vision returned, and Sakura found herself standing outside by the lake's shores, the squid staring at her in fright, its tentacles rigid. Sakura looked around and then back at her hands where the Sakura Staff still rested. She shivered as she muttered an incantation that transformed the staff into its borrowed pendant form.
She slowly began to walk back towards the magical building, feet trudged behind her, her eyes and mind in a daze, still unsure of what had just happened. She had never slept-walked when having a precognitive dream; just woken up in her bed. But nothing she had ever faced resulted in the deaths of those she knew and loved. Sakura shivered again, not from the brisk fall wind, but from fear and apprehension of what fate had in store for the Clow Mistress. Pushing open the heavy wooden doors that marked the entrance of Hogwarts, Sakura walked into the main hall.
And that is when she realized the patterns upon the cemented ground was identical to the one she had seen in her dream. "So… it did take place at Hogwarts…" She said softly, unaware that she wasn't alone.
"What, do I presume, took place at Hogwarts, Miss Kinomoto? And what is your reason for being out at this time of night?" A voice sounded from above her, obviously from the direction of the staircase, from proximity of voice.
Severus Snape descended the stairs just before it decided to shift to another door opening. Sakura gulped as the Potions Master towered over her small figure and she stuttered a bit in responding.
"I… I thought I heard something from outside…" She muttered.
Severus quirked an ebony eyebrow, unconvinced, and took the liberty to question her further. "A pathetic excuse that is. How could a mere child hear from Gryffindor Tower towards the lake, nearly on the opposite side of the grounds?"
"… … … …" Was all she said. She couldn't say anything except that her dream had prodded her to sleep walk – something she was certain he wouldn't buy.
He sighed and then motioned his pupil towards the direction of the Hospital Wing. "Nevermind. Go to the infirmary and request a healing ointment from Madam Pomfrey."
Surprised, Sakura simply stared at him. "What… do you mean? For what?"
Yet another exasperated sigh escaped Severus' lips. "For your burnt fingers, dear God. Do you not even feel the pain from it?" He asked as he surveyed her, wondering if she had taken a blow to the cranium. "And however did you acquire it?"
She looked down at the fingers that had been burnt with the blood. "Oh…" She turned and as she ascended the staircase, she answered his last question. "From… a dream…" She said, her voice growing soft, as if she was a ghost gliding up the stairs.
Severus watched her walk off, leaving him confused. "A dream? The bloody hell…?" He had known Gryffindors to be queer, but being burnt from a dream? It was beyond what Severus could comprehend. He pondered on whether or not to inform Headmaster Dumbledore. He glanced out of the window, seeing the sun had yet to set its rays upon Great Britain and decided to hold it off until morning – which seemed to be a long way off.
And so, the Head of Slytherin departed to his quarters.
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As Severus walked down the dimly lit dungeons, he stopped short as the name 'clow' ran through his name. He could have sworn he had heard that name before… somewhere… but where? He could look through some of his books… but that would take ever so long.
He paused for a second as he looked at his magical watch and he frowned a bit. It was now nearly three o'clock and Peeves should've been making some commotion by now… but he wasn't anywhere to be seen. "Odd… and come to think of it… I haven't seen that ghost for quite awhile now…" He murmured as he made it to his personal dorms. As he muttered the password he thought he saw a silvery mist just behind a particular portrait of Hogwarts, with a strange figure standing there.
Severus blinked a couple of times as he stared at the portrait, as if to see through the oil colors – but to no avail. He walked towards that painting with the figure and he squinted, but couldn't identify the person as anyone he would know. The Potions Master felt an unusual uneasiness creep over him like a shadow, and he took a quick glance around him, but no one was there.
His black oculars turned back to the portrait… and the figure was gone. He cocked his head to the side as he let his fingers brush through the portrait. A bit of the paint came off onto his fingers as black soot. But nothing more happened. "Hm…" Was all he said before he turned and returned to his dorm and let the portrait swing behind him.
The corridor was now dark, empty, and dreary. What Severus Snape didn't know was that something indeed was taking place that involved the portrait… There where he had touched the portrait did the paint began to bleed – bleed blood that is. And it's crimson liquid dripped onto the ground, staining it. But strangely… the droplets did not form a puddle, but instead began to spell out letters… and then a word, a name to be precise.
There on the ground was the name as the final letter was spelt out… and the bleeding stopped. Sakura. And slowly… ever so slowly the blood began to seep through the cemented floor, dissolving into it, yet it left a faint mark of where the name still lingered. One would have had to bend down and inspect it carefully to make out the name, but the brightness of the blood would be sure to catch one's eyes.
But no one saw this occur… No one except the deformed ghosts and cruel figure who stood in a secluded room, hovering over a cauldron that overflowed with a forest green mist – which was located directly behind the portrait that Severus had left to bleed.
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The date scheduled for the Quidditch Tournament was coming up fast and Sakura had been practicing hard for it. Sweat beads were forming on her auburn brow as the Card Mistress streaked pass the opposing team members of Hufflepuff and after the golden snitch that desperately tried to escape her gaining speed.
Cheers could be heard from all around the field from all students except the Hufflepuffs and Slytherins who were shouting rude remarks to Sakura. But nevertheless, she simply blocked out their shouts, her focus and energy upon the snitch. She outstretched her hand, inching toward the snitch.
Sakura didn't realize the shouts of warning from her fellow classmates, or Harry's racing attempt to protect his sister from the ebony bludger that was aimed for Sakura.
"Sakura!"
The small hand made a sickening crack as the bludger made direct contact with Sakura, and she yelped out in pain, losing her balance as she plummeted towards the ground, nearly forty-five feet in the air.
Cries of panic were heard from all over, even from the Slytherin team, most from Draco as he watched her fall. But then, an extremely light silvery-gold aura began to surround Sakura as a card floated towards the ground, much slower than its mistress. He blinked a couple of times at the aura, but it disappeared as soon as it had appeared.
Time seemed to have slowed down as Sakura's speed of falling decreased and when she was merely five feet in the air, she fell with a thud. The professors and students surrounded her as she moaned in pain, tears brimming her eyes as her hand began to swell and darken to a shade of purple.
"Sakura!" Shouted Lily Potter as she fell to her knees, cradling her daughter in her hands, rocking her back and forth softly, whispering comforting words. James knelt down and lifted his daughter's chin upward as he questioned her gently. "Are you alright?"
Sakura shook her head slowly. "N-no… I think my hand is broken…" She whimpered, a bit sheepishly. James stroked his daughter's head as he lifted her from her mother's arms and carried her to the infirmary, Madam Pomfrey leading the way.
As the Quidditch Field began to clear out, the Sakura transformed Clow Card lay unattended on the ground, a soft glow emitting from it as the light began to fade away when the presence of evil was evident.
Out from the forest emerged a dark figure as it bent down to retrieve the card, clutching it in it's hands. The figure read the card's title, its voice sinister and raspy.
"The Firey." And the hooded figure smirked as it looked up at Hogwarts, a devilish plan slowly forming in it's mind. "This could become handy… I think you, little Card Mistress," He said, the voice proving that it was male. And then it disappeared beneath the safety of the cloak as it departed into the school building, going to a place that was far more forbidden and dangerous than that of the Third Corridor… but the only problem was: No one knew about it, therefore… No one could stop the evil dwelling in it.
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Author's Notes: KONBANWA!! (for me at least. XD) Here is the next "episode" of "The Fourth Potter"! Hope y'alls are happy. ^_^ Too bad it took me so long… teheh. Wasn't doing too good in school.. so yeah, I have reasons! And I was brushing up the final touches of my vocal repertoire for school. Tee hee. ^_^ And piano is evil too. =/ Ah well, I'll live, ne? Well, I wants reviews… REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW! ^_^; Gomen. _ But I do. ;-; Okalies, you know the drill… If you want to be added to "The Fourth Potter Mailing List", simply follow the instructions listed below:
If you have never been on the mailing list… include your e-mail address WITHIN your review. I don't want to have to bother with clicking on your penname and having to look it up. It just makes my life easier. =D! If you ARE on the mailing list, DO NOT include your e-mail address within your review. Don't want extras, now do we? =D And finally, if you have any comments or questions, feel free to e-mail me!And just for your notice, I have a tendency to make a billion e-mail addresses (But s/n's for my thinking). And I have yet another one which is merelyachild@aol.com No, I am not a "child", but my character for a role playing guild is. ^_^ For a note on the e-mail address that I currently have, please see them below:
kbi87@aol.com colourish@aol.com xcaiibur@aol.comI will e-mail updates on either of these e-mail addresses. =D If you want to e-mail me… you can send the e-mail to one or all of them. If you do all, and some are not listed as a member, try the others… One is bound to work. ^_^; -sweatdrop- Hehe. Well, enough of all this… And as always, ReAd AnD ReViEw!!