Daphne: "Well, this is the chapter that you have all been waiting for! Two
people that Sakura knows very well will come into the picture (don't get
your hopes up, they may not be who you think...), and the other students
will arrive at the school! I hope that you like it, and if you do, review
and tell me!
~*~*~*~
Hogwarts-Sakura Style
by: Daphne Li
Chapter 7.
"The other students are coming tonight, aren't they?" Tomoyo asked a month later, as she looked up from her schoolbook. She and her dorm-mates were sitting in the common room, either reading books or playing chess, in the boys case. It was surprising to see how quickly Neville and Draco had become friends after all had been explained. Eriol had decided that he would join his class mates in the Great Hall, while the others chose to eat one last time in the dorm. A sudden wail made Rika look up from her book.
"Rose is awake!" She announced, jumping up and going to retrieve the baby. When the girls had first heard of the baby's name, they had laughed at the fact that Rika's stage name was the same as Rose's.
"We is getting Rosie's bottle ready." Winky squealed, as she ran by them, with Dobby on her heals. The two house elves and Rose had moved in a few days before, and had taken their bedrooms in a special addition to the common room, that Dumbledore had created just for them.
"How is she?" Sakura asked, as Rika came back into the room, the baby in her arms. Draco looked up anxiously, as Rika carried the baby over to him.
"She is just fine, aren't you, Rose?" Rika cooed, placing the baby in Draco's arms. Rose's little fists swung at him, and grasped some of his hair, causing everyone to laugh. Ever since she had arrived, Rose had never ceased to give them a show, that is, while she was awake. Winky came back with the bottle, and Draco carefully fed it to Rose, while still keeping a close eye on the chess board. All of the girls went back to their books, except for Sakura, who was left gazing out the window into the dusk. The sun was setting soon, and Sakura wanted to watch it.
"I am going out for a walk." She announced, getting up and walking over to the portrait hole. Tomoyo stood up, intent on going with her, but Rika put out a hand, stopping her.
"She wants to be alone." Rika whispered. Tomoyo sighed, and nodded in understanding.
~*~*~*~
".And in closing, I would like to address the rumor of the 'Mortal Angels' attending Hogwarts. The truth is, that they *are* attending Hogwarts, and they are in fact, here right now." Dumbledore's words, several shrieks of happiness rang out, and many 'YES!'s'. "They have chosen not to join us tonight, but they assure me that they will be here for supper tomorrow."
More cheering and whispering. Only one person had not outwardly reacted to this news. Syaoran Li. He sat at his lonely corner of the table, numb with shock. Sakura was here! Right now, in this very school! Would she remember him? Would she still like him, after what he had written to her? Could he bare it if she were to refuse him?
As these thoughts raged though his head, Syaoran let out a growl of annoyance, got up, and stomped out of the room. All at once, the Great Hall fell silent, everyone watching as the boy left. That was the affect Syaoran had on people. As he went by, it was as if an icy wind had crept into the hall and twined around you. His cold, soul-less eyes made everyone shiver, but his looks made almost every girl swoon.
Still, all this Syaoran cared nothing about. The only thing he cared about was the fact that his cherry blossom was in the school at this very moment. With his head filled with thoughts, Syaoran made his way outside, and onto the grounds. He walked aimlessly, thinking about her. One other bit of information that Syaoran was thinking about, was the fact that Dumbledore had told him and Meiling when they had arrived, that they were being moved to new rooms in a more secure area of the castle, for safety reasons. Syaoran had not questioned his motives at the time, but now he did. Hadn't they been in just the same amount of trouble, before they were moved?
~*~*~*~
As the sorting finished up, Harry looked around eagerly for any sign of Ginny or the three singing diva's. He couldn't find them, but he did see that silent sixth year, sitting at his usual place at the end of the Gryffindor table, far from the other students. Syaoran Li was his name, and from what Harry had seen, he deserved to be in Slytherin. The boy was cruel and heartless, mindful of no one, not even himself. It was rumored that the boy got up very early every morning, disappeared for a few hours, and then returned, looking as if nothing was different. It was also rumored that he may even be in Voldemort's inner circle, and by Sakura's display at the Weasley home, Harry had no doubt that Syaoran Li had done something terrible to her.
There was one fact that all the students were sure of, though. When they were in their fifth year, Hermione had found a book that revealed that, not only was Syaoran the future ruler of Hong Kong, he was also said to be engaged to his own cousin! This had disgusted many of the students, and had made them even more weary of the cold-hearted boy. But this did not keep many of the girls from admiring the Chinese boy's looks from afar. In fact, there was one Ravenclaw sixth year, who was determined to win Syaoran for her own. Her name was Rudy Kanudeson, and she was one of the most popular girls in the school. She had shoulder-length, shiny blonde hair, and deep brown eyes. Since the very start, she had flirted with him, and never seemed to be far away whenever he walked into a room. Personally, Harry thought that her obsession was disgusting, considering who it was she was admiring.
"Hey, Harry! Wake up, you blockhead!" Ron called, jolting Harry out of his absorption.
"Sorry, what were you saying Ron?" Harry asked guiltily.
"Oh, nothing special. I was just pointing out that my sister is missing, and unless you haven't forgotten, she *never* misses a feast! And look! Even Neville isn't here!" Ron said, annoyed. Harry grinned.
"Don't worry. I am sure that she is fine. He probably is as well." He reassured his friend, as he dug into his food and began to eat.
When everyone was through, the plates cleared, and Dumbledore began to make his announcements. There was a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, named Professor Figg. Ron had snorted at the name, but when he had caught sight of the lovely woman, his mouth dropped open and he stopped laughing. Then, Dumbledore announced the news of the 'Mortal Angels' attending Hogwarts, and the whole of the Great Hall fell into uproar.
Suddenly, something made Harry look over just in time to see Syaoran Li standing up from his seat, and then stomping out of the room. The Great Hall fell silent as everyone watched him leave. There was another movement, and Harry looked over to see Meiling Li, one of the most popular Gryffindor sixth years stand up, her ruby colored eyes excited.
"Professor, you mean to tell me that the 'Mortal Angels', as in, Rika, Tomoyo, and Sakura.are the castle, at this very moment, and you didn't' tell me before?! Ugh! Where are they?! I have to talk to Tomoyo so we can start up some major matchmaking! Oh, and I need to get her new ideas of outfits for Sakura!" Meiling squealed, making everyone look at her as though she were crazy. Dumbledore, however, laughed and nodded.
"Mr. Hiiragizawa, would you kindly show Meiling to your common room? I believe you will find Tomoyo and Rika there. Sakura, I am afraid, has gone outside for a little walk, but she should be in soon." Dumbledore said. At once, a tall, handsome Gryffindor sixth year with black-blue hair and blue eyes, named Eriol Hiiragizawa stood up and walked over to Meiling. Eriol was another heartbreaker of the school, but he had never even gone out with anyone yet, as far as Harry could see.
"May I be so bold as to escort you, Miss Meiling?" Eriol flirted. Meiling grinned and took his arm.
"Quit being such a drip, Eriol!" She laughed, as they walked out of the Hall, still chatting back and forth, as if they had known each other forever.
"Now what was that all about?" Hermione said outloud. Dumbledore apparently heard her, and he smiled.
"I believe that I have some explaining to do. You see, Meiling and the three girls of 'Mortal Angels', are very close friends. When she was ten, Meiling went on an exchange program to Tomeda, Japan, and met Rika Sasaki, Tomoyo Daidouji, and Sakura Kinomoto. The girls became very close friends, along with Meiling's cousin. Soon, though, Meiling and her cousin were forced to return to Hong Kong, and they haven't seen each other since. They were even forbidden to write to each other, for fear of distracting Meiling and her cousin from their normal, everyday duties."
"But what does that have to do with the 'Mortal Angels'? And what is this about Meiling having a cousin?" Ron piped up.
"Well, Rika, Tomoyo and Sakura *are* the 'Mortal Angels'. Those are their real names. They use stage names when they are on the road. Rika is 'Rose', Tomoyo is 'Violet', and."
".Sakura is 'Cherry'!" Harry crowed, making his friends look at him in shock.
"Yes, Mr. Potter, she is. There is another thing that you should know. Meiling has a cousin named.Syaoran Li." Dumbledore finished. This caused the whole room to gasp and shouts of exclamations to nearly raise the roof; these were from Meiling's friends and admirers.
"Yes, Meiling and Syaoran are cousins, and yes, Mr. Li did go to Japan with her." The head-master affirmed.
"They probably made out the whole time!" A Slytherin boy yelled.
"Actually, no. Meiling called off the engagement soon after they arrived home the first time." Dumbledore admitted. Snickers filled the Hall.
"Why am I not surprised?" Hermione asked, making the rest of their table laugh. But someone didn't find this at all amusing.
"Stop laughing! You have no idea!" An angry voice rippled through the Great Hall, making everyone fall silent and turn towards the door. There, in the doorway, stood a livid Ginny Weasley. Her fists were clenched, and her face was a pale color.
"Don't judge people before you get to know them, Hermione! You have no idea why Meiling broke off the engagement, so don't just assume that it was because of Syaoran's attitude! Meiling loved him very much, probably wouldn't have given him up, if not for one other factor in the story." Ginny said loudly, her voice not quite a shout. Ron was looking at his sister in amazement. Ginny never usually got this mad, and she most certainly never yelled at Hermione!
"And what was that factor, Miss Weasley?" Dumbledore asked quietly. Instead of answering, Ginny simply turned her heal and stomped out of the room. Everyone looked after her in silence, and then turned back to Dumbledore. He looked quite thoughtful for a moment, and then his eyes lit up.
"Ah! Could it be? That would explain both of their behaviors." He mussed. Then he seemed to snap out of it, and he looked back at the students.
"You are excused. Prefects, please lead your houses back to their dorms." He instructed. The students rose, and began to file back to their common rooms, staying strangely silent. As Harry stood up, he caught sight of the new DADA teacher winking at him. For some reason, he got the feeling that he had met her somewhere before.
~*~*~*~
Sakura took a breath of the fresh air as she stepped outside onto the grounds. Then she quickly made her way to the edge of the forest, where the view of the setting sun was the best. She sat down on a tree stump, and watched as the sky turned from blue, to sakura pink, to amethyst purple, and then finally, to dark, mysterious blue. Sakura always loved this type of sunset, because it reminded her most of her friends and family. Even after the sky had gone dark and the stars had started to twinkle across the sky, Sakura sat, as if waiting for something. And finally, it came.
"Oh, hello again!" Sakura breathed, as a figure stepped out of the Forbidden Forest. It was a unicorn, but not just any unicorn.no, this one had fair sized wings sprouting from its back! The unicorn was a creamy white in color, but its horn was quite colorful, displaying every color of the rainbow. Despite its coloring it was obvious that this little thing was only a baby, because of how small and trusting it was. It only reached as high as Sakura's waist, so far. As Sakura moved closer to it, it gazed at her with warm ice-blue eyes, and then allowed her to pet its nose, as it whinnied in delight.
Sakura had first discovered this wondrous creature about three weeks ago, when she had used the Fly Card, to take a late night flight over the Forbidden Forest. She had been flying over a large clearing, when she had spotted something hiding in the bushes. She had swooped down to see what it was, and was shocked to see the unicorn cowering in the bushes. It's leg had been cut, and by the looks of the wound, it had been made by a sharp knife, perhaps by some poacher. Sakura had immediately pulled the creature into her lap, and used the Heal card (which she had created earlier that year), to heal the wound quickly and safely.
Ever since that night, she had checked on it every day, to make sure that it was all right. One night, though, it found its way to her, coming out of the forest just as she was about to visit it; and ever since then, they had met in this place almost every night.
"How are you doing?" Sakura cooed, as the little creature nuzzled against her. Sakura gave a laugh and then threw her arms around its neck and hugged it.
~*~*~*~
Syaoran sighed and collapsed onto the ground. He tucked his hands underneath his head, and gazed up at the star-filled sky.
'Will she remember me? Will she still consider me a friend? Has fame changed her? I wonder what she looks like now. What will I say if I see her? What will I do? Damn! Can't I control anything anymore?! First, my feelings go, and then my conscious! How is it possible for a person to turn against himself?!' Syaoran's mind raged, these thoughts and a whole lot more racing through his brain. His eyes now held all the tortured emotion that he was normally able to hide from the world, and his face was relaxed, although, still nothing close to a smile appeared on is lips.
Suddenly, something wet snuffled against his arm, and he looked up to a tiny little wolf pup gazing at him with intelligent brown eyes.
"Hello Kuro." Syaoran said. The wolf pup was his new pet, that he had found in Diagon Alley. Kuro had been standing in a cage that was too small for him, and whining pitifully. Syaoran had immediately been taken with the pup, bought him, and named him after his fur color, black. Then he had written Dumbledore, to ask permission for the pup to come to Hogwarts. Intrigued, the Professor had given the affirmative, and now here they were.
Kuro gave a yelp, and then gave his master a look that clearly said, 'take me on a walk'. Syaoran obediently got up, and walked down closer to the Forbidden Forest, with the happy wolf pup trotting by his side. Syaoran didn't know why, but something was drawing him in a certain direction, closer to the dark forest. Suddenly, there came a soft voice, a Syaoran turned to see a shocking sight.
Not thirty feet away stood a lovely young woman with long auburn hair, standing over what looked to be a tiny, winged unicorn. The girl was dressed in a long pink skirt, that reached to her ankles, and a pink peasant top. She was also emitting a weak pink aura, that seemed strangely familiar. Syaoran caught his breath, and his body began to tremble. Could it be her? Was it possible, that this beautiful creature that stood before him was really his Cherry Blossom? Well, there was only one way to find out. Slowly, Syaoran allowed his green aura to merge with her pink one. Only if she was his cherry blossom, would she be able to feel it.
With a soft gasp, the girl straightened and turned to look at him, her emerald eyes wide with a mixture of fear, shock, and disbelief.
"Syaoran-kun?"
~*~*~*~
Sakura was so focused on the unicorn, that she did not hear anyone approaching, but after a moment, she did feel that aura! Warm, green, like a comforting blanket. Sakura turned around in shock, and faced the tall, handsome young man with messy chestnut colored hair and mesmerizing amber eyes. Eyes that she had dreamed about ever since he had left.
"Syaoran-kun?" She breathed in a shaky voice. The boy stepped closer to her, his eyes never leaving her's.
"Sakura." His words were not a question, but a statement. With a tortured cry, Sakura flung herself into his arms and sobbed hysterically. His arms closed around her tightly, and he slowly sank to the ground with her in his arms. As soon as he was seated, with his back to the tree-stump, he closed his eyes in a desperate attempt to prevent his own tears from falling, but to no avail. His angel was back in his arms again, where she belonged.
Syaoran gently stroked her back, and rocked her back and forth, as his tears joined hers on her cheeks. Her arms were locked around his waist, as though she were afraid that if she let go, he would disappear again.
"It's all right, Sakura. You don't have to cry anymore. I am here." He whispered, still rocking her. She sniffled and then looked up at him, her emerald eyes shinning with happy tears and the tears of pain now long gone.
"Syaoran, you're crying." She breathed, reaching up and gently wiping his cheeks. He smiled down tenderly at her.
"Only for you, my Ying-fa. Only for you." He answered benevolently, making a trembling smile come to her lips.
"I am sorry. This is all my fault. I tried to tell you when you came the second time.but I couldn't. I was so afraid that." Her words were stopped as his finger covered her lips.
"I understand." He soothed. Slowly, his face moved closer, and his lips brushed over her's. Rapture! Sakura eagerly returned the kiss, her heart jumping into her throat and skipping for joy. They pulled away for breath, and then she pulled his head back down, her sweet lips caressing his eyelids, cheeks, and finally, his mouth. His arms slipped around her waist, and her fingers tangled in his hair, as they fell backwards onto the lawn, their lips still locked together in a seemingly never-ending dance. It was pure heaven for both of them.
With a laugh, Syaoran pulled away, as something nudged him in the leg. They looked down to see Kuro looking at them with laughing eyes. Behind him, the winged-unicorn watched them, its head nodding with delight. Sakura giggled at the sight, and Syaoran helped her to her feet, his arm twining around her slim waist.
"We should probably go inside." He whispered into her ear, sending delicious shivers down her spine.
"But I don't want this to end." She breathed, burying her head against his chest. He smiled.
"It won't, my Ying-fa. From now, until forever." He assured her, laughingly picking her up and cradling her in his arms, as he spun her around. She giggled and kissed him again.
"You know, Dumbledore moved Meiling and I into a new room, with a picture of Clow Reed guarding the entrance." He began, as Sakura beamed.
"That is my dorm too!" She informed him with a laugh. He grinned, and then started to slowly make his way back to the castle, with her still in his arms. Kuro and the unicorn baby followed closely, not wanting to be left behind.
"Syaoran, put me down! I am much too heavy for you to carry up all those steps!" She protested, as he carried her into the castle. He simply smiled and shook his head.
"No you're not. You are light.lighter than you should be, I should point out." He said, gazing accusingly at her. She smiled.
"I eat and eat and eat, and still I gain nothing. It is both a blessing, and a curse." She murmured, burying her face into his chest.
~*~*~*~
Professor McGonagle slowly made her way down to the dungeons, where she was to meet the other members of the Order of the Phoenix to discuss the latest developments of Voldemort's rise back to power.
"Hello, Minnie." Dumbledore said as he came up beside her. McGonagle winced at the nickname.
"Hello Albus. Any news?" She asked. Dumbledore smiled.
"I have finally discovered the mystery surrounding our Mr. Syaoran Li." He commented, making her jump. Syaoran Li was one of her best students, and his grades rivaled Miss Hermione Granger's, but his coldness and silence unnerved her.
"Oh?" She said simply, refusing to show her eagerness; But Dumbledore knew her better than that.
"It seems that our Mr. Li made quite a few friends when he went on that exchange program to Japan. But only one of them was enough to toss him into this deep depression when he left. And that just happened to be the same person who he was madly in love with." Dumbledore explained, causing McGonagle to gasp, and stop at the top of a flight of stairs.
"Heavens, Albus! He was only eleven, for goodness sake!" She protested. He nodded.
"This was a very different situation, Minnie. You see.they are soul-mates. And being away from the one who is part of you, can be quite anguishing. This explains Mr. Li's behavior. It also took a toll on his beloved, Miss Sakura Kinomoto." At these last words, McGonagle nearly fell down the stairs in shock.
"What? The Sakura Kinomoto? That sweet, happy little creature that runs around the castle every day with her friends, creating havoc for the teachers and then smoothing it over with that innocent little smile of hers? That same girl? Why, Albus, she seems perfectly happy!" McGonagle insisted. Dumbledore smiled sadly.
"She *seems* happy, but inside, she is dying. When they were hiding at the Burrow, I even had to send a letter, via apparation, just to stop her from throwing herself into hysterics. Would you like to know why she was so unhappy? Because she had heard the mention of his name, and it brought back too many memories for her to handle. *ONE* mention of his name was all it took, Minnie." Dumbledore stated, as the other professor clutched her chest in horror and pity. Suddenly, a small giggle rippled through the air, and both professors turned to see a tall young man making his way up another flight of stairs, with something in his arms.
"Dumbledore, students out of bed! And at this time of night!" McGonagle hissed. Dumbledore put his hand out and smiled.
"Look at them, Minnie. They are finally back together, and they are happy. Let them be." He whispered. It was then that McGonagle realized that the two figures were Syaoran Li and Sakura Kinomoto. Sakura was cradled in Syaoran's arms, and her face was buried in his chest. He said something, and then a big, bright smile appeared on his lips. This was the first time either professor had seen him smile, let alone as happy as this.
"Oh, Albus. He smiled! And his eyes!" She breathed, referring to Syaoran's sparkling amber orbs. Professor Dumbledore smiled again, and nodded.
"Come Minnie, they are waiting for us." He whispered, taking her arm and leading her down to the dungeons.
~*~*~*~
When Sakura, Syaoran, Kuro, and the unicorn reached the dorm, everyone else had gone to bed; it was no wonder! The clock over the mantle read, 'Too late for midnight snack'. Carefully and silently, Syaoran carried Sakura up to her room, and then shut the door behind them. When he was finished, he climbed up onto her bed and then reclined against the pillows. She was still wrapped in his arms, with her head on his chest. Kuro and the unicorn quickly settled down on the floor, cuddled up against each other. Sakura's phoenix, Goldenrod, flew down from her usual perch and settled down on the unicorn's back, falling asleep almost instantly.
"You won't leave me.will you?" She asked fearfully, clutching the front of his shirt, her wide green eyes pleading. He smiled gently and kissed her forehead.
"No. I couldn't if I wanted to.and I don't want to." Syaoran informed her with a slight laugh. Her sweet smile bloomed out, and she pulled his head down to kiss him. When they came up for air, she snuggled closer to him, and closed her eyes.
"I love you, my Xiaolang." She whispered, just before her dark lashes brushed her pale cheeks in sleep. Syaoran looked down at his beloved Cherry Blossom, and smiled slightly, his eyes gleaming with love.
"And I love you, my Ying-fa. Now and forever." He breathed, kissing her forehead, and then falling into a blissful sleep.
~*~*~*~
~*~*~*~
Hogwarts-Sakura Style
by: Daphne Li
Chapter 7.
"The other students are coming tonight, aren't they?" Tomoyo asked a month later, as she looked up from her schoolbook. She and her dorm-mates were sitting in the common room, either reading books or playing chess, in the boys case. It was surprising to see how quickly Neville and Draco had become friends after all had been explained. Eriol had decided that he would join his class mates in the Great Hall, while the others chose to eat one last time in the dorm. A sudden wail made Rika look up from her book.
"Rose is awake!" She announced, jumping up and going to retrieve the baby. When the girls had first heard of the baby's name, they had laughed at the fact that Rika's stage name was the same as Rose's.
"We is getting Rosie's bottle ready." Winky squealed, as she ran by them, with Dobby on her heals. The two house elves and Rose had moved in a few days before, and had taken their bedrooms in a special addition to the common room, that Dumbledore had created just for them.
"How is she?" Sakura asked, as Rika came back into the room, the baby in her arms. Draco looked up anxiously, as Rika carried the baby over to him.
"She is just fine, aren't you, Rose?" Rika cooed, placing the baby in Draco's arms. Rose's little fists swung at him, and grasped some of his hair, causing everyone to laugh. Ever since she had arrived, Rose had never ceased to give them a show, that is, while she was awake. Winky came back with the bottle, and Draco carefully fed it to Rose, while still keeping a close eye on the chess board. All of the girls went back to their books, except for Sakura, who was left gazing out the window into the dusk. The sun was setting soon, and Sakura wanted to watch it.
"I am going out for a walk." She announced, getting up and walking over to the portrait hole. Tomoyo stood up, intent on going with her, but Rika put out a hand, stopping her.
"She wants to be alone." Rika whispered. Tomoyo sighed, and nodded in understanding.
~*~*~*~
".And in closing, I would like to address the rumor of the 'Mortal Angels' attending Hogwarts. The truth is, that they *are* attending Hogwarts, and they are in fact, here right now." Dumbledore's words, several shrieks of happiness rang out, and many 'YES!'s'. "They have chosen not to join us tonight, but they assure me that they will be here for supper tomorrow."
More cheering and whispering. Only one person had not outwardly reacted to this news. Syaoran Li. He sat at his lonely corner of the table, numb with shock. Sakura was here! Right now, in this very school! Would she remember him? Would she still like him, after what he had written to her? Could he bare it if she were to refuse him?
As these thoughts raged though his head, Syaoran let out a growl of annoyance, got up, and stomped out of the room. All at once, the Great Hall fell silent, everyone watching as the boy left. That was the affect Syaoran had on people. As he went by, it was as if an icy wind had crept into the hall and twined around you. His cold, soul-less eyes made everyone shiver, but his looks made almost every girl swoon.
Still, all this Syaoran cared nothing about. The only thing he cared about was the fact that his cherry blossom was in the school at this very moment. With his head filled with thoughts, Syaoran made his way outside, and onto the grounds. He walked aimlessly, thinking about her. One other bit of information that Syaoran was thinking about, was the fact that Dumbledore had told him and Meiling when they had arrived, that they were being moved to new rooms in a more secure area of the castle, for safety reasons. Syaoran had not questioned his motives at the time, but now he did. Hadn't they been in just the same amount of trouble, before they were moved?
~*~*~*~
As the sorting finished up, Harry looked around eagerly for any sign of Ginny or the three singing diva's. He couldn't find them, but he did see that silent sixth year, sitting at his usual place at the end of the Gryffindor table, far from the other students. Syaoran Li was his name, and from what Harry had seen, he deserved to be in Slytherin. The boy was cruel and heartless, mindful of no one, not even himself. It was rumored that the boy got up very early every morning, disappeared for a few hours, and then returned, looking as if nothing was different. It was also rumored that he may even be in Voldemort's inner circle, and by Sakura's display at the Weasley home, Harry had no doubt that Syaoran Li had done something terrible to her.
There was one fact that all the students were sure of, though. When they were in their fifth year, Hermione had found a book that revealed that, not only was Syaoran the future ruler of Hong Kong, he was also said to be engaged to his own cousin! This had disgusted many of the students, and had made them even more weary of the cold-hearted boy. But this did not keep many of the girls from admiring the Chinese boy's looks from afar. In fact, there was one Ravenclaw sixth year, who was determined to win Syaoran for her own. Her name was Rudy Kanudeson, and she was one of the most popular girls in the school. She had shoulder-length, shiny blonde hair, and deep brown eyes. Since the very start, she had flirted with him, and never seemed to be far away whenever he walked into a room. Personally, Harry thought that her obsession was disgusting, considering who it was she was admiring.
"Hey, Harry! Wake up, you blockhead!" Ron called, jolting Harry out of his absorption.
"Sorry, what were you saying Ron?" Harry asked guiltily.
"Oh, nothing special. I was just pointing out that my sister is missing, and unless you haven't forgotten, she *never* misses a feast! And look! Even Neville isn't here!" Ron said, annoyed. Harry grinned.
"Don't worry. I am sure that she is fine. He probably is as well." He reassured his friend, as he dug into his food and began to eat.
When everyone was through, the plates cleared, and Dumbledore began to make his announcements. There was a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, named Professor Figg. Ron had snorted at the name, but when he had caught sight of the lovely woman, his mouth dropped open and he stopped laughing. Then, Dumbledore announced the news of the 'Mortal Angels' attending Hogwarts, and the whole of the Great Hall fell into uproar.
Suddenly, something made Harry look over just in time to see Syaoran Li standing up from his seat, and then stomping out of the room. The Great Hall fell silent as everyone watched him leave. There was another movement, and Harry looked over to see Meiling Li, one of the most popular Gryffindor sixth years stand up, her ruby colored eyes excited.
"Professor, you mean to tell me that the 'Mortal Angels', as in, Rika, Tomoyo, and Sakura.are the castle, at this very moment, and you didn't' tell me before?! Ugh! Where are they?! I have to talk to Tomoyo so we can start up some major matchmaking! Oh, and I need to get her new ideas of outfits for Sakura!" Meiling squealed, making everyone look at her as though she were crazy. Dumbledore, however, laughed and nodded.
"Mr. Hiiragizawa, would you kindly show Meiling to your common room? I believe you will find Tomoyo and Rika there. Sakura, I am afraid, has gone outside for a little walk, but she should be in soon." Dumbledore said. At once, a tall, handsome Gryffindor sixth year with black-blue hair and blue eyes, named Eriol Hiiragizawa stood up and walked over to Meiling. Eriol was another heartbreaker of the school, but he had never even gone out with anyone yet, as far as Harry could see.
"May I be so bold as to escort you, Miss Meiling?" Eriol flirted. Meiling grinned and took his arm.
"Quit being such a drip, Eriol!" She laughed, as they walked out of the Hall, still chatting back and forth, as if they had known each other forever.
"Now what was that all about?" Hermione said outloud. Dumbledore apparently heard her, and he smiled.
"I believe that I have some explaining to do. You see, Meiling and the three girls of 'Mortal Angels', are very close friends. When she was ten, Meiling went on an exchange program to Tomeda, Japan, and met Rika Sasaki, Tomoyo Daidouji, and Sakura Kinomoto. The girls became very close friends, along with Meiling's cousin. Soon, though, Meiling and her cousin were forced to return to Hong Kong, and they haven't seen each other since. They were even forbidden to write to each other, for fear of distracting Meiling and her cousin from their normal, everyday duties."
"But what does that have to do with the 'Mortal Angels'? And what is this about Meiling having a cousin?" Ron piped up.
"Well, Rika, Tomoyo and Sakura *are* the 'Mortal Angels'. Those are their real names. They use stage names when they are on the road. Rika is 'Rose', Tomoyo is 'Violet', and."
".Sakura is 'Cherry'!" Harry crowed, making his friends look at him in shock.
"Yes, Mr. Potter, she is. There is another thing that you should know. Meiling has a cousin named.Syaoran Li." Dumbledore finished. This caused the whole room to gasp and shouts of exclamations to nearly raise the roof; these were from Meiling's friends and admirers.
"Yes, Meiling and Syaoran are cousins, and yes, Mr. Li did go to Japan with her." The head-master affirmed.
"They probably made out the whole time!" A Slytherin boy yelled.
"Actually, no. Meiling called off the engagement soon after they arrived home the first time." Dumbledore admitted. Snickers filled the Hall.
"Why am I not surprised?" Hermione asked, making the rest of their table laugh. But someone didn't find this at all amusing.
"Stop laughing! You have no idea!" An angry voice rippled through the Great Hall, making everyone fall silent and turn towards the door. There, in the doorway, stood a livid Ginny Weasley. Her fists were clenched, and her face was a pale color.
"Don't judge people before you get to know them, Hermione! You have no idea why Meiling broke off the engagement, so don't just assume that it was because of Syaoran's attitude! Meiling loved him very much, probably wouldn't have given him up, if not for one other factor in the story." Ginny said loudly, her voice not quite a shout. Ron was looking at his sister in amazement. Ginny never usually got this mad, and she most certainly never yelled at Hermione!
"And what was that factor, Miss Weasley?" Dumbledore asked quietly. Instead of answering, Ginny simply turned her heal and stomped out of the room. Everyone looked after her in silence, and then turned back to Dumbledore. He looked quite thoughtful for a moment, and then his eyes lit up.
"Ah! Could it be? That would explain both of their behaviors." He mussed. Then he seemed to snap out of it, and he looked back at the students.
"You are excused. Prefects, please lead your houses back to their dorms." He instructed. The students rose, and began to file back to their common rooms, staying strangely silent. As Harry stood up, he caught sight of the new DADA teacher winking at him. For some reason, he got the feeling that he had met her somewhere before.
~*~*~*~
Sakura took a breath of the fresh air as she stepped outside onto the grounds. Then she quickly made her way to the edge of the forest, where the view of the setting sun was the best. She sat down on a tree stump, and watched as the sky turned from blue, to sakura pink, to amethyst purple, and then finally, to dark, mysterious blue. Sakura always loved this type of sunset, because it reminded her most of her friends and family. Even after the sky had gone dark and the stars had started to twinkle across the sky, Sakura sat, as if waiting for something. And finally, it came.
"Oh, hello again!" Sakura breathed, as a figure stepped out of the Forbidden Forest. It was a unicorn, but not just any unicorn.no, this one had fair sized wings sprouting from its back! The unicorn was a creamy white in color, but its horn was quite colorful, displaying every color of the rainbow. Despite its coloring it was obvious that this little thing was only a baby, because of how small and trusting it was. It only reached as high as Sakura's waist, so far. As Sakura moved closer to it, it gazed at her with warm ice-blue eyes, and then allowed her to pet its nose, as it whinnied in delight.
Sakura had first discovered this wondrous creature about three weeks ago, when she had used the Fly Card, to take a late night flight over the Forbidden Forest. She had been flying over a large clearing, when she had spotted something hiding in the bushes. She had swooped down to see what it was, and was shocked to see the unicorn cowering in the bushes. It's leg had been cut, and by the looks of the wound, it had been made by a sharp knife, perhaps by some poacher. Sakura had immediately pulled the creature into her lap, and used the Heal card (which she had created earlier that year), to heal the wound quickly and safely.
Ever since that night, she had checked on it every day, to make sure that it was all right. One night, though, it found its way to her, coming out of the forest just as she was about to visit it; and ever since then, they had met in this place almost every night.
"How are you doing?" Sakura cooed, as the little creature nuzzled against her. Sakura gave a laugh and then threw her arms around its neck and hugged it.
~*~*~*~
Syaoran sighed and collapsed onto the ground. He tucked his hands underneath his head, and gazed up at the star-filled sky.
'Will she remember me? Will she still consider me a friend? Has fame changed her? I wonder what she looks like now. What will I say if I see her? What will I do? Damn! Can't I control anything anymore?! First, my feelings go, and then my conscious! How is it possible for a person to turn against himself?!' Syaoran's mind raged, these thoughts and a whole lot more racing through his brain. His eyes now held all the tortured emotion that he was normally able to hide from the world, and his face was relaxed, although, still nothing close to a smile appeared on is lips.
Suddenly, something wet snuffled against his arm, and he looked up to a tiny little wolf pup gazing at him with intelligent brown eyes.
"Hello Kuro." Syaoran said. The wolf pup was his new pet, that he had found in Diagon Alley. Kuro had been standing in a cage that was too small for him, and whining pitifully. Syaoran had immediately been taken with the pup, bought him, and named him after his fur color, black. Then he had written Dumbledore, to ask permission for the pup to come to Hogwarts. Intrigued, the Professor had given the affirmative, and now here they were.
Kuro gave a yelp, and then gave his master a look that clearly said, 'take me on a walk'. Syaoran obediently got up, and walked down closer to the Forbidden Forest, with the happy wolf pup trotting by his side. Syaoran didn't know why, but something was drawing him in a certain direction, closer to the dark forest. Suddenly, there came a soft voice, a Syaoran turned to see a shocking sight.
Not thirty feet away stood a lovely young woman with long auburn hair, standing over what looked to be a tiny, winged unicorn. The girl was dressed in a long pink skirt, that reached to her ankles, and a pink peasant top. She was also emitting a weak pink aura, that seemed strangely familiar. Syaoran caught his breath, and his body began to tremble. Could it be her? Was it possible, that this beautiful creature that stood before him was really his Cherry Blossom? Well, there was only one way to find out. Slowly, Syaoran allowed his green aura to merge with her pink one. Only if she was his cherry blossom, would she be able to feel it.
With a soft gasp, the girl straightened and turned to look at him, her emerald eyes wide with a mixture of fear, shock, and disbelief.
"Syaoran-kun?"
~*~*~*~
Sakura was so focused on the unicorn, that she did not hear anyone approaching, but after a moment, she did feel that aura! Warm, green, like a comforting blanket. Sakura turned around in shock, and faced the tall, handsome young man with messy chestnut colored hair and mesmerizing amber eyes. Eyes that she had dreamed about ever since he had left.
"Syaoran-kun?" She breathed in a shaky voice. The boy stepped closer to her, his eyes never leaving her's.
"Sakura." His words were not a question, but a statement. With a tortured cry, Sakura flung herself into his arms and sobbed hysterically. His arms closed around her tightly, and he slowly sank to the ground with her in his arms. As soon as he was seated, with his back to the tree-stump, he closed his eyes in a desperate attempt to prevent his own tears from falling, but to no avail. His angel was back in his arms again, where she belonged.
Syaoran gently stroked her back, and rocked her back and forth, as his tears joined hers on her cheeks. Her arms were locked around his waist, as though she were afraid that if she let go, he would disappear again.
"It's all right, Sakura. You don't have to cry anymore. I am here." He whispered, still rocking her. She sniffled and then looked up at him, her emerald eyes shinning with happy tears and the tears of pain now long gone.
"Syaoran, you're crying." She breathed, reaching up and gently wiping his cheeks. He smiled down tenderly at her.
"Only for you, my Ying-fa. Only for you." He answered benevolently, making a trembling smile come to her lips.
"I am sorry. This is all my fault. I tried to tell you when you came the second time.but I couldn't. I was so afraid that." Her words were stopped as his finger covered her lips.
"I understand." He soothed. Slowly, his face moved closer, and his lips brushed over her's. Rapture! Sakura eagerly returned the kiss, her heart jumping into her throat and skipping for joy. They pulled away for breath, and then she pulled his head back down, her sweet lips caressing his eyelids, cheeks, and finally, his mouth. His arms slipped around her waist, and her fingers tangled in his hair, as they fell backwards onto the lawn, their lips still locked together in a seemingly never-ending dance. It was pure heaven for both of them.
With a laugh, Syaoran pulled away, as something nudged him in the leg. They looked down to see Kuro looking at them with laughing eyes. Behind him, the winged-unicorn watched them, its head nodding with delight. Sakura giggled at the sight, and Syaoran helped her to her feet, his arm twining around her slim waist.
"We should probably go inside." He whispered into her ear, sending delicious shivers down her spine.
"But I don't want this to end." She breathed, burying her head against his chest. He smiled.
"It won't, my Ying-fa. From now, until forever." He assured her, laughingly picking her up and cradling her in his arms, as he spun her around. She giggled and kissed him again.
"You know, Dumbledore moved Meiling and I into a new room, with a picture of Clow Reed guarding the entrance." He began, as Sakura beamed.
"That is my dorm too!" She informed him with a laugh. He grinned, and then started to slowly make his way back to the castle, with her still in his arms. Kuro and the unicorn baby followed closely, not wanting to be left behind.
"Syaoran, put me down! I am much too heavy for you to carry up all those steps!" She protested, as he carried her into the castle. He simply smiled and shook his head.
"No you're not. You are light.lighter than you should be, I should point out." He said, gazing accusingly at her. She smiled.
"I eat and eat and eat, and still I gain nothing. It is both a blessing, and a curse." She murmured, burying her face into his chest.
~*~*~*~
Professor McGonagle slowly made her way down to the dungeons, where she was to meet the other members of the Order of the Phoenix to discuss the latest developments of Voldemort's rise back to power.
"Hello, Minnie." Dumbledore said as he came up beside her. McGonagle winced at the nickname.
"Hello Albus. Any news?" She asked. Dumbledore smiled.
"I have finally discovered the mystery surrounding our Mr. Syaoran Li." He commented, making her jump. Syaoran Li was one of her best students, and his grades rivaled Miss Hermione Granger's, but his coldness and silence unnerved her.
"Oh?" She said simply, refusing to show her eagerness; But Dumbledore knew her better than that.
"It seems that our Mr. Li made quite a few friends when he went on that exchange program to Japan. But only one of them was enough to toss him into this deep depression when he left. And that just happened to be the same person who he was madly in love with." Dumbledore explained, causing McGonagle to gasp, and stop at the top of a flight of stairs.
"Heavens, Albus! He was only eleven, for goodness sake!" She protested. He nodded.
"This was a very different situation, Minnie. You see.they are soul-mates. And being away from the one who is part of you, can be quite anguishing. This explains Mr. Li's behavior. It also took a toll on his beloved, Miss Sakura Kinomoto." At these last words, McGonagle nearly fell down the stairs in shock.
"What? The Sakura Kinomoto? That sweet, happy little creature that runs around the castle every day with her friends, creating havoc for the teachers and then smoothing it over with that innocent little smile of hers? That same girl? Why, Albus, she seems perfectly happy!" McGonagle insisted. Dumbledore smiled sadly.
"She *seems* happy, but inside, she is dying. When they were hiding at the Burrow, I even had to send a letter, via apparation, just to stop her from throwing herself into hysterics. Would you like to know why she was so unhappy? Because she had heard the mention of his name, and it brought back too many memories for her to handle. *ONE* mention of his name was all it took, Minnie." Dumbledore stated, as the other professor clutched her chest in horror and pity. Suddenly, a small giggle rippled through the air, and both professors turned to see a tall young man making his way up another flight of stairs, with something in his arms.
"Dumbledore, students out of bed! And at this time of night!" McGonagle hissed. Dumbledore put his hand out and smiled.
"Look at them, Minnie. They are finally back together, and they are happy. Let them be." He whispered. It was then that McGonagle realized that the two figures were Syaoran Li and Sakura Kinomoto. Sakura was cradled in Syaoran's arms, and her face was buried in his chest. He said something, and then a big, bright smile appeared on his lips. This was the first time either professor had seen him smile, let alone as happy as this.
"Oh, Albus. He smiled! And his eyes!" She breathed, referring to Syaoran's sparkling amber orbs. Professor Dumbledore smiled again, and nodded.
"Come Minnie, they are waiting for us." He whispered, taking her arm and leading her down to the dungeons.
~*~*~*~
When Sakura, Syaoran, Kuro, and the unicorn reached the dorm, everyone else had gone to bed; it was no wonder! The clock over the mantle read, 'Too late for midnight snack'. Carefully and silently, Syaoran carried Sakura up to her room, and then shut the door behind them. When he was finished, he climbed up onto her bed and then reclined against the pillows. She was still wrapped in his arms, with her head on his chest. Kuro and the unicorn quickly settled down on the floor, cuddled up against each other. Sakura's phoenix, Goldenrod, flew down from her usual perch and settled down on the unicorn's back, falling asleep almost instantly.
"You won't leave me.will you?" She asked fearfully, clutching the front of his shirt, her wide green eyes pleading. He smiled gently and kissed her forehead.
"No. I couldn't if I wanted to.and I don't want to." Syaoran informed her with a slight laugh. Her sweet smile bloomed out, and she pulled his head down to kiss him. When they came up for air, she snuggled closer to him, and closed her eyes.
"I love you, my Xiaolang." She whispered, just before her dark lashes brushed her pale cheeks in sleep. Syaoran looked down at his beloved Cherry Blossom, and smiled slightly, his eyes gleaming with love.
"And I love you, my Ying-fa. Now and forever." He breathed, kissing her forehead, and then falling into a blissful sleep.
~*~*~*~
