A/N: Firstly a real quick note to CCSLOVER29 – Sugoi doesn't mean pretty.
It can mean terrible, dreadful, terrific, amazing, or great. Secondly,
thank you very much Eden's Echo for the review. ^_^; I feel so special.
People are actually liking my fic! Hehe! Alrighty, now down to business.
Chapter six, eh? I believe it's shorter than chapter five is. Oh, and
chapter seven is half done... It'll also probably be a pretty short chapter.
Time is going to start moving a lot faster after chapter seven. After I
post 6, it'll probably take me to the weekend to finish 7. And I won't post
7 until I've started writing 8. I'm hoping to be able to post a chapter a
week, but I'm not going to make any promises. I am in college right now,
and I've got many other things to do. Alrighty. I'll shut up now so you can
read chapter 6! Enjoy!
A/N2: Hokai. So. I attempted to upload this chapter with some HTML in it, and FFN hates me, thus it did not work. So I'm re-uploading with the tags taken out. Just let everyone know, stuff in asterisks is supposed to be italicized. Please forgive my lack of being able to get FFN to like me. Quickly, I'd like to thank the latest reviewers! To Kyra Lady: Arigatou Gozaimasu, Kyra-sama. To heheangel kisses: Thanks! I'm glad you like it! I'll probably keep the honorifics in. . . Cause I like them. And finally, to Kizzy: This will probably be an S+S fic, but it probably won't heavily emphasize their relationship. Don't worry, I'm not going to put Harry and Sakura together. ^_^ Gomen for my ramblings.
Shameless plug: Go read Mikazukino Hikari's stuff. It's all good. Her CCS fic "Daughter of the Stars, Son of the Moon" is almost done. And she's writing a wonderful HP/CCS crossover. Go read it! | | |
Disclaimer: I am not JK Rowling, nor do I work for CLAMP – thus, I own none of this.
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Chapter 6: Secrets
"That's odd."
"What's odd, Hermione?"
Hermione looked up at the teacher's table, "Dumbledore isn't here for dinner tonight, Ron."
The Weasley boy shrugged, "He's probably busy. It's not that odd, really."
Sakura glanced up at the empty headmaster's seat. She let her gaze wander along the teacher's table, and saw that Snape and Jade seemed to be having a decent conversation (for once). The honey haired girl smiled – she knew that Snape-sensei had been trying to keep Jade-sensei away, but now it seemed that the two teachers were getting along better. "He doesn't hate her anymore."
She smiled at Syaoran, "I know. It's a good thing."
"Their auras are so similar. . . I've never seen anything like it." He turned his amber eyes to Sakura, and smiled.
Harry watched Sakura and Li whispering to each other, and he only caught something Li said about seeing auras. He made a mental note to tell Hermione later about it. . . but for now Harry could feel himself growing hot, and he couldn't exactly explain why. "Harry-kun? Are you alright?"
He forced a smile and nodded, "Yes, Sakura. I'm fine, thanks." The Japanese girl didn't look convinced, but she didn't push the issue.
Hermione stood, gathering her things, "Come on Ron, Harry. Let's go to the library." She smiled as the two boys stood grudgingly, and turned to Sakura and Li, "We'll see you in the common room a bit later."
"Ja, Hermione-chan." Sakura smiled. Li simply nodded before returning his attention to Sakura. The Gryffindor trio left the Great Hall and headed for the library.
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Hermione pulled out a sheet of parchment with some writing on it. "So you heard Snape call Li a 'what'?" She took note of that on the parchment.
"Yeah. It's a bit odd, isn't it? Shouldn't Snape have said 'I know *who* you are'?" Harry sat across from Hermione.
"Maybe Snape's just gone mental." Ron sank down next to Harry.
"I doubt it," Hermione stood and disappeared into the rows of books. A few moments later she returned with several large books. "Start reading." She handed Ron and Harry each a book ("Great Wizards of the East" and "Wizarding Families Through the Ages"). The two boys sighed and began leafing through the pages of their books.
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Li sat in front of the fire, reading a book, while Sakura worked on her Divination homework. She looked up as Harry, Ron, and Hermione entered. Hermione sat in the chair next to Li while Ron and Harry sank down across from Sakura on the floor. "Did you get a lot of work done in the library Harry-kun? Ron-san?"
Ron sighed, "Not really. Actually, I can't stand the library. I think I spend way too much time there."
Hermione glared down at him, but Ron missed the evil look directed at him because he was busy pulling out his Potions notes. Harry paused for a moment before grabbing his Potions things as well. "Hermione, you've already finished the Potions essay, right?"
"Yes, Harry, I have. . . but if you think that I'm going to let you look at my essay, you're wrong."
"But Hermione!" Ron whined, "Just let us see it for five minutes! Please?" Hermione shook her head and opened a very large book, signaling the end of the conversation.
"Ano. . . Syaoran-kun, you finished your Potions essay, ne?"
Harry and Ron looked over at Sakura, then up at Li. The Chinese boy nodded and continued reading his book.
"Er. . . I don't suppose you could help us out a bit mate, could you?"
Li looked down at Ron, and appeared as if he were about to say 'no'. Instead, the amber-eyed boy turned to his bag and rummaged through it for a moment before pulling out a scroll and tossing it at Ron. "That should help," he said before returning to his book.
Harry unrolled the scroll and blanched. It wasn't Li's Potions essay – it was, rather, nearly five feet of notes on moonstones, much of it detailing its use in potions. "Bloody hell. . . did you lift this from Snape?"
"Hoe? Lift? Oh!" Sakura giggled (which was music to the boys' ears), "Syaoran-kun didn't steal that. He wrote it."
Ron looked up at the Chinese boy, "You. . . you wrote this?"
Li nodded. "The Elders basically beat taking good notes into me. . . Even if they hadn't, I would've picked up the habit anyways with the kind of grades my mother expects from me."
Ron and Harry said nothing in response to that statement. Rather, they just let it sink in. After an hour and half or so, Sakura retired to bed. Another two hours passed before it was time for the fifth years to go to Astronomy. The night was calm and rather uneventful for the Gryffindors.
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After dinner Jade had returned to her office to finish up her lesson plans for the rest of the week. She hadn't been working long before there was a knock at her door. "Come in," she called absentmindedly.
"I hope I'm not disturbing you. . ."
She smiled and turned to Snape as he moved to take a seat in front of her desk. "Of course not, Severus." Jade closed her lesson plans and folded her hands on her desk, "Is there something you need?"
He sighed and leaned back in the chair, "Well, I could use a cup of tea." Jade nodded and went into a small room that connected to her office. A few moments later she returned with two cups of tea, and she gave one to Snape. "Thank you," he said before sipping the tea.
"You look like you have something on your mind, Severus. . ." The DADA teacher sat down in her chair and leaned back, "Feel like talking?"
Snape took another sip of Jade's wonderful tea. "Do you think we'll survive all this?"
She gazed into his midnight black eyes, "Do you think we deserve to?" Jade sighed, "I mean. . . I became a Death Eater solely to spy on Voldemort. . . that doesn't excuse the things I've had to do to convince him of my loyalty." She shook her head and set her teacup down. "I doubt that I'll survive this school year."
The potions master set the teacup on the desk in front of him, looking away from Jade. "I know what you mean."
"But," she smiled sadly, "it's not really our lives that are important. We have to do whatever we can to keep Harry and Sakura safe. They are our last line of defense."
Snape nodded, "Yes. . . we have to do all that is possible."
"And if they survive, then everything will surely be alright."
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Hermione stood, "We've got some research to do in the library this morning. We'll see you at lunch time, Li, Sakura." Sakura smiled and nodded as Harry, Ron, and Hermione gathered their things.
Harry led the way out of the Great Hall, and just as he was leaving he glanced back at Sakura, only to find Li watching the three leave suspiciously. "I think Li is onto us, Hermione," he whispered to her as they made their way to the library.
"Let him be. If he and Sakura don't want to tell us what's going on, then we've just got to find out on our own."
"But Hermione," Ron began, "what if its not that they don't want to tell us, but that they're not supposed to. I've seen Dumbledore stop Sakura and Li in the hall between classes and speak with them."
"Either way," she said as they entered the library, "we're still going to find out." They sat at one of the tables in the back and Hermione went to go grab some more books to look through. She returned more quickly than she had during their previous trips to the library, and with fewer books. "I think I have a better idea of what we need to look for."
Harry started looking through the books that Hermione had set on the table. "What are these, Hermione? 'Sorcerers and Wizards Today', 'Sorcerers from the Far East', 'Influential Eastern Clans', 'The Greatest Sorcerers in History'?"
"Look," Hermione said as she sat down, "do you know what the difference between a sorcerer and a wizard is?" Harry and Ron shook their heads. "Well," Hermione began, "a sorcerer is basically a more powerful wizard. They can do magic without the use of wands."
"Really? Magic without a wand?" Ron leaned forward in his seat.
Hermione nodded. "We've seen, or have heard, that at least Sakura has done magic without a wand before, which leads me to believe that at least Sakura is a sorcerer."
"Okay, I get the sorcerer books then. . . what about 'Influential Eastern Clans'?" Harry held up the book.
"Well, we heard Li talking about 'the Elders' last night, right? It makes me think that maybe he's from a clan of sorcerers. . ."
Harry sighed, "Alright. Let's just start already." The three each grabbed a book and began leafing through them, looking for leads.
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"I found something!" Ron was immediately given a dirty look from the librarian, so he sat down and whispered to Hermione and Harry, "Look, I found the Li clan." He began to read a passage from 'Influential Eastern Clans', "Here it is – 'The Li clan of Hong Kong, China, has been a powerful family of sorcerers for hundreds of years. The most notable sorcerer to come from the Li clan was Clow Reed, the most powerful sorcerer in the history of the world until just recently. The Li clan is currently without a leader, and is being ruled by a Council of Elders. The next leader of the Li clan is rumored to be Xiao Lang Li, the son of the former leader'."
As Ron read, Hermione flipped through 'The Greatest Sorcerers in History'. "Aha! Clow Reed!" She grinned triumphantly, "It says: 'Clow Reed was the most powerful sorcerer ever to have lived. His greatest achievement was the invention of the Clow Cards, and the two guardians he created to protect them (see Cerberus, Yue). After his death, the Book of Clow (the book containing the Clow Cards) was said to be lost. It is rumored that the book can only be found by the person that Reed destined to be the new master of his Cards'."
Harry sat back in the chair, "Does it have a picture of one of these Clow Cards?"
Hermione shook her head, "But it does have a sketch of Clow Reed's magic circle. . . A magic circle appears underneath only the most powerful of sorcerers because it symbolizes the fact that the sorcerer has invented his own kind of magic." She handed the book to Harry.
He stared at the magic circle for a moment, "This looks a lot like the design that was on the back of Sakura's cards. . . except there was a star in the middle, and the moon and the sun were off to either side."
"It could be her own magic circle. . ." Hermione said, rather awed. "I think we've almost figured this puzzle out."
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After lunch, Ginny and Sakura headed to Charms with Professor Flitwick. The class period passed rather uneventfully for both girls. Sakura had an unusually easy time, as was becoming standard, and Ginny really didn't observe anything too unusual to report to Hermione.
Herbology also went by very quickly. Tomoyo was happy to see Sakura, as usual, and Ginny enjoyed the class period quite thoroughly. Tomoyo was very good at Herbology, and she was more than happy to help Ginny and Sakura out.
Ginny genuinely liked both the Japanese girls, and felt kind of bad for investigating Sakura. But there was something extremely odd about the emerald-eyed girl, and Ginny just wanted to know the truth.
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"We still need a bit more concrete evidence before we talk to Li and Sakura about all this," Hermione muttered to Harry and Ron as they approached the Great Hall for dinner.
"I think we should just ask them," Harry said quietly. "Sakura is a nice person, and I really don't feel right about investigating her behind her back."
Hermione shushed him as they entered the Great Hall. They found where Ginny, Li, and Sakura were at the Gryffindor table and joined them (sitting down across from them). "Konban-wa Harry-kun, Ron-san, Hermione-chan." Sakura smiled brilliantly at the three fifth years across from herself.
Harry smiled across the table at Sakura, but his thoughts were still on the discoveries the trio had made that morning. If Sakura really was a sorcerer, why was she trying to hide that fact? Was she in danger? Perhaps she was a very powerful sorcerer and maybe Voldemort had heard of her. . . It would make sense that Dumbledore would know about her and her power, and would do all that he could to keep her safe. . . Harry shook his head, and pushed all the thoughts away. He would tell Hermione his theories after dinner.
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Snape sat down next to Jade at dinner, smiling briefly to his colleague as he settled in his seat. "You seem to be in a better mood today, Severus."
"Only slightly, Professor Jade."
She smiled, her silver eyes flashing mischievously, "What in the world do I have to do to get you to call me by my first name?" She chuckled and shook her head, "At the very least you could drop the 'professor' part. Severus, we grew up together. There's no need for formalities."
The potions master sighed and leaned back in his chair. He picked up the goblet in front of him and took a sip, pondering. "Alright. If you really want me to call you by your first name, you'll just have to tell me the secret to your tea."
Jade thought it over for a moment, "There's no secret really. I grow all the herbs myself, and blend it together in the right proportions. If you really want to know how to make it, just come by my room later and I'll give you a list of everything I use and how much." She smiled and stood, "For now, I've really got some grading to do."
"Alright, Lani, I will see you later then."
Jade felt her cheeks turning a bit red, and she nodded. "See you later, Severus." She made her way out of the Great Hall and to her office.
Jade was more than happy to sit down and begin grading papers. The work took her mind off the potions master. She didn't know why, but Severus had always sort of made her heart flutter. That fact had always made her angry, because Jade knew that Severus wasn't the type to return those sorts of feelings, and so she had always suppressed them.
Time went by rather quickly as she graded the quizzes she had given her classes that day. She was so into her work that she jumped slightly when there was a soft knock on her door. "Come in," she called as she set the quill down.
"Good evening, Alanni." The headmaster smiled kindly as he entered Jade's office.
"Good evening, Albus. Please, have a seat. What can I do for you?"
"Well," the old wizard began, "I really came to see if there was anything I could do for you."
Jade stared at him for a moment, then leaned back in her chair. "Severus and I talked last night. He was wondering if we would survive all this. . . And I asked him if he thought we deserved to survive."
Dumbledore nodded, "I see. I thought something might have been troubling the two of you."
"What do you think, Albus? Do you think we even deserve to live through all this?"
The headmaster paused for a moment, choosing his words carefully. "I think that each of you will have to decide your own fate. It is not up to me, or to *anyone* else, to decide if the both of you are worthy to live."
Jade nodded, taking the words in. She was silent for a moment before she looked up into the twinkling blue eyes of the old professor, "Albus? Do you think it was right to bring *her* into all of this?"
He smiled kindly at Jade, "Alanni. We didn't bring her into this. She would've found her way here eventually. The important thing is not to question her presence, but to do all we can to help protect her."
She nodded and smiled sadly, "I know. Thank you, Albus."
Dumbledore stood and walked to the door. He opened the door, then paused. "Oh, and Alanni? Give him time. He has had a difficult time. . . just as difficult as yours, I might even say." The headmaster disappeared from the DADA teacher's office, leaving Jade to ponder his final statement.
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Snape headed down to his office after he had finished eating dinner. He was passing an empty classroom when he heard something crash in it. "Peeves. . ." he muttered as he stopped and turned around, heading towards the classroom where the sound had just come from.
The potions master opened the door to the classroom and saw Li righting a desk. "Mr. Li. . . just what are you doing?"
Li bowed to the potions master, "Excuse me, Snape-sensei. I was training, and I did not mean to make a mess."
"You really shouldn't be here. . . Students are generally discouraged from being in classrooms after dinner unless they are with a teacher."
"Hoe! Syaoran-kun!" Sakura burst into the classroom. "Oh! Gomen, Snape- sensei," she bowed, "I just came to get Syaoran-kun." She walked over to Li and grabbed onto his sleeve, "I hope he is not giving you trouble, Snape- sensei." She smiled.
Snape couldn't help but smile kindly at the honey-haired girl. "No, Miss Kinomoto, he's not. It's almost time for curfew, so I suggest that you both get back to Gryffindor Tower before Mr. Filch starts patrolling the hallways."
Sakura bowed once more to Snape, "Arigatou, Snape-sensei. Good night." Snape bowed slightly to Sakura and gave her another kind smile. Li also bowed to his potions master before the two Gryffindors left the classroom. Snape glanced around the room to make sure that everything was in its proper place before exiting the room himself. He headed down the halls towards his office, in a much better mood than he had been in all day.
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When Sakura and Li finally made it back to the Gryffindor common room, they found that it was empty, except for three figures in front of the fireplace. Sakura sat down on the floor in front of the fire where all her schoolwork was laid out.
Li yawned, "I'm going to bed. Good night Sakura."
"Oyasumi nasai, Syaoran-kun," she called, not even looking up from her work. Li disappeared up the stairs without another word. "I wonder why he's so grumpy tonight," Sakura muttered as she continued her work.
"Tonight?" Ron looked up from his homework, "He's always like that."
Sakura giggled softly, then sobered herself a bit, "Syaoran-kun has not had an easy life. . . He has to act much older than he is, because childishness is not tolerated for someone in his position." She paused for a moment, "I admire him. . . I really do."
There was silence for a moment (except for the crackling of the fire). Hermione was the one to speak up finally. "What kind of position is he in that he has to act so mature?"
"Oh," Sakura sat up, "I guess he hasn't mentioned it to you all. . . Which isn't surprising, really. Syaoran-kun doesn't like to talk about himself that much." She looked at the three fifth years in front of her. "Syaoran. . . well, he comes from a very powerful clan in China, the Li's. He is to be the next leader of the clan. Syaoran's father was the leader, until he died. . . Syaoran was very young when it happened. So he has been trained from a very young age in martial arts, and in leadership, and. . ." she trailed off. "Yes, so that's why Syaoran-kun is the way he is."
Harry began to understand that he wasn't the only one who hadn't had a very easy life. There was silence as everyone slowly began going back to their work. It wasn't long before Ron gave up on his work and headed upstairs to bed. Hermione retired soon after Ron did, leaving Harry and Sakura alone.
"Sakura?"
"Hai, Harry-kun?"
He got out of the chair and sat on the floor in front of her. Harry paused for a moment, trying to get his words together. "Have you. . . always known about your magic?"
The emerald-eyed girl smiled, "Iie. . . I learned that I had magic about four years ago."
"How'd you find out?"
"Uhm. . ." She looked away, her smile fading.
"I found out I had magic because I accidentally set a python on my cousin once," Harry offered, trying to get her to talk. "It was really quite funny. And then, of course, I knew for sure when Hagrid came and brought me my Hogwart's letter." He leaned back against the chair he had been sitting in, "Did something similar happen to you?"
Sakura shook her head, her hand automatically going up to the Star Key pendant. "Hoe," she said under her breath. "It wasn't like that, it uh. . . I found a book. . ."
Harry made a mental note of that before smiling, "It's not important anyways. I'm just glad you've come to Hogwart's."
Sakura smiled and blushed slightly as she turned back to Harry. "Arigatou, Harry-kun." She let her pendant go and started gathering her homework into a pile. "I am glad to be here. The students and teachers are all so very nice."
Harry stood and gathered his school stuff as well. "Oh, Sakura, I was just wondering. . . what is that pendant you wear? It looks like a key to a diary or something. . ."
The card mistress giggled nervously, "Something like that. It goes to a book that was left to me by a great man. . ." She stood. "Now I think it's time to go to bed. Oyasumi nasai, Harry-kun."
"Good night, Sakura." He watched the slip of a girl disappear up the stairs. The boy who lived took his school bag and trudged up to his room, changed quickly, and collapsed onto his four-poster bed. His thoughts lingered on his conversation with Sakura as he drifted off to sleep.
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"Good morning, everyone. We're going to start off this class with a survey and a quiz." The fourth years groaned as Professor Jade began handing out papers. "Come now, its not that bad, really. The sooner you start on this, the sooner you'll finish. Then I'll lecture for just a very little bit. . . and then? After the break we'll have some hands on experience with counter- curses." Sakura sighed as she began filling out the survey that was being passed out. She could tell it was going to be a very long time until lunch.
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Li grumbled under his breath as he gathered his things and moved next to Draco Malfoy. He wondered what had put the potions master in such a foul mood as to take his anger out on Li. He sank down next to Malfoy and the Slytherin sneered, mumbling something about filthy mudbloods. Li fumed. . . if only Malfoy knew that Li was the second most powerful sorcerer in the world. . . that would certainly shut Malfoy up. Li sighed as he resumed taking notes on the lecture that Snape was giving about the potion they would be making after the break. Li decided it was going to be a very long morning.
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During the break, Jade retired to her office for a cup of tea. She was a bit nervous about letting the class actually practice counter-curses. Fortunately, she had informed Madam Pomfrey of her lesson plans for the day, and the good nurse was on stand-by in the hospital wing in case of any miss-haps.
There was a knock on her office door, "Come in." Sakura entered the office, quietly shutting the door behind her. "Ah, konnichi-wa, Sakura- san. What can I do for you?"
Sakura bowed slightly, "Konnichi-wa, Jade-sensei. Ano. . ." The girl hesitated for a moment before continuing, "I did not want to disturb Professor Dumbledore, and I am in need of some advice."
Jade smiled kindly at the young girl, "Please, sit. I am honored you have come to me." Sakura sat across the desk from Jade. "I will do the best I can to help."
The card mistress paused for a moment, "The headmaster asked all of us when we first arrived to keep my powers a secret. But Professor Dumbledore also brought me here, I think, to become Harry-kun's friend, because he needs all the friends he can get. The problem now is that Harry-kun, Ron-san, and Hermione-chan are becoming suspicious of Syaoran-kun and myself because we have been keeping secrets from them." She sighed, "I don't know what to do about it."
Jade leaned back in her chair, contemplating. "I have known Professor Dumbledore for a very long time, and he is a very good friend to me. I have found that there is usually some sort of purpose, which is not always obvious, in everything he says." She smiled comfortingly at Sakura, "I have also found that sometimes he means what he says, but," the teacher paused, trying to put her words together in the right meaning, "what he asks may not apply to everyone."
"So perhaps he meant for me to tell Harry-kun?"
The DADA teacher nodded, "Perhaps. I have heard that Harry, Hermione, and Ron are rather good at keeping secrets, and I don't think Albus would be particularly upset if you told those three the truth." Jade stood, "Now, shall we get back to class?"
Sakura smiled brightly, "Hai." She bowed again, "Arigatou gozaimasu, Jade- sensei."
Jade bowed to Sakura, "Iie, doumo arigatou gozaimasu, Sakura-sama." Sakura turned bright red as the teacher spoke, but said nothing in response. Jade led the way back into the classroom. "Alright everyone, let's start practicing those counter-curses."
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"Now that we have finished the lecture, you will begin working with your partner on the potion. Directions are on the board. You'll have forty- five minutes to complete the potion. At the end of the class period you will label a single vial for the two of you and turn it into me at my desk." Snape surveyed the class, "Begin."
He sat at his desk and began to read the essays the fifth years had turned in at the beginning of class. Occasionally he glanced up from grading to watch the interaction between Li and Malfoy, which was rather amusing. Snape wondered if their potion would turn out alright since it seemed that they were not speaking to each other, and it looked as if they weren't even checking the directions on the board.
Snape continued grading up until the end of the period when students began bringing up samples of their potion. "Alright. Time is up. Turn in a sample of your potion, which, incidentally, if you have done it right should be clear." Potter brought up his and Weasley's sample, which was only the tiniest bit milky. Longbottom and Finnegan's was a deep crimson (which did not surprise Snape). Li brought up his and Malfoy's sample – it was perfect. "I hope you did not have any trouble with making the potion today, Mr. Li."
"No, Professor Snape, I did not."
Snape watched the Chinese boy stalk off to join the Gryffindor trio, who were waiting at the door for him. The only student who lingered behind was Malfoy. "Yes, Draco? Is there something I can help you with?"
"I just wanted to let you know that father is going to be here this evening, Professor Snape."
Snape's blood turned to ice, but he managed to retain his composure in front of the boy. "Thank you, Draco, for telling me. Now, off to lunch." He ushered the boy out and went to his office. "Why is he coming?" Snape wondered aloud as he sat behind his desk.
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"But Syaoran-kun! I want him to trust us!"
"No, Sakura. Dumbledore told us to keep our powers a secret. I think we should listen to the old man." Syaoran folded his arms over his chest, "I trust Dumbledore."
Sakura sighed, "I trust him, too, but I also trust Harry-kun." She leaned back against the wall of the empty hallway. "Xiao Lang." Li looked up at the sound of his proper name. "I don't think that Harry will trust us unless we tell him. They're all very suspicious of us. I think they've been researching us in the library every day."
"I think they have been investigating us, yes. They aren't likely to find much, though, so I don't really see it being a problem."
"But **I** do, Syaoran."
The Chinese boy sighed, "Fine. Do as you wish. Just remember that I don't agree with it."
Sakura nodded, "I know." She gave him a sweet smile, "Arigatou, Syaoran- kun." The emerald-eyed girl took a step towards him, then flung her arms around him and held him tight.
Li stiffened for a moment before relaxing and returning her embrace. "I'm just trying to protect you, Sakura. . ." She nodded and gave him a small peck on the cheek. He turned bright red for a moment, and then smiled. "Let's go to dinner."
"Hai!" The two foreign exchange students made their way out of the empty hallway and up to the Great Hall. A few moments after they left, Draco Malfoy stepped out from an empty classroom just off the hallway. He stored the conversation in his memory, and would relate the details of it to his father later.
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Sakura was waiting for the right moment to talk to Harry. She kept uncharacteristically silent through dinner, putting together in her head exactly what she wanted to say to her Gryffindor senpai.
In the common room after dinner, Sakura couldn't seem to find a moment alone with Harry. First the room was quite full of other Gryffindors, and then Hermione and Ron insisted on playing chess for a while in front of the fire. About an hour before curfew, Harry and Sakura were finally left alone in the room. He was busily working on assignments for various classes, and Sakura didn't know if she wanted to interrupt him.
"Ano. . . Harry-kun?"
The green-eyed boy straightened his glasses as he looked up from his work, "Yeah, Sakura?"
Sakura bit her lip and looked down at her work on the floor, "I. . . Well, you see. . . I wanted to tell you something about Syaoran-kun and I. . ."
Harry set his quill down, "Go ahead, Sakura, I'm listening."
She looked up at him again. "Hoe. . . You see, the thing about Syaoran and I. . ."
"Oy, Harry! Angelina's just sent me down to tell you that we're going to have practice tomorrow."
Harry sighed, "Yeah, thanks Ron." Sakura grabbed her bag, stood, and left the common room quickly, "Sakura! Wait! Where are you going?"
"Hoe. . ." he heard her say as she left the tower. Ron came down the stairs, "What was that all about, mate?"
Harry looked up at his best friend, "She was about to tell me what she and Li really are. . . then you came down and startled her."
"Oh," Ron paused, thinking, "sorry. I didn't know what was going on. . . Bloody hell!" He balled up his fist, "I'm an idiot! She almost told you their secret, and I ruined it!"
"It's okay, Ron," Harry leaned back in the chair, "cause if she really wants us to know she'll try to talk to me again."
Ron nodded and started heading up the stairs again. He paused midway up, "Hey, wait a minute. How come she's telling you and not me or Hermione or Ginny?" The redheaded boy ducked as Harry chunked his potions textbook straight at Ron's head.
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Sakura sat at a small table in the farthest corner of the library, out of view (even though the library was nearly empty). "Hoe. . ." She took out some schoolwork and tried to focus on it instead of what had just happened with Harry. She was unsure as to exactly why she'd run off, but it was difficult for Sakura to tell Harry about all this since Dumbledore and Syaoran had both said not to say anything.
"Well, if it isn't everyone's new favorite Gryffindor."
She looked up from her DADA text and straight into Malfoy's cold grey eyes, "What do you want, Malfoy-san"
"Want?" He slid into a seat opposite Sakura the table. "What could I want from a filthy little mudblood like you?"
Sakura could feel hurt and anger rising in her, "I am not a mudblood, Malfoy."
"Really, I could've sworn you were. You've never been to a wizarding school before this, and you're past the age that you should've been invited, which makes me think that you didn't grow up around wizards. And that, of course, would make you a filthy mudblood."
She looked down at her schoolwork, then back up at Malfoy. "My father has magic, so does my brother. Just because I didn't go to a wizarding school before I was invited to Hogwart's doesn't mean that I didn't know about my own magic."
Malfoy smirked, standing slowly, "I know, Kinomoto." He turned to walk away, but paused and looked back at her, "And I know your secret."
Sakura's blood turned to ice as she watched the blonde Slytherin prefect leave. "Hoe," she murmured worriedly as she began gathering her things. She needed to get back to the common room and see if Syaoran was awake – he was going to flip when he found out. Sakura grabbed her things and rushed out of the library.
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There was a knock at the door. "Come in." He didn't look up from his work as he heard the door open and shut once more. "I'm rather busy at the moment, so what can I help you. . ." Snape looked up from what he was doing and lost his words.
"It's good to see you too, Severus."
"Lucius," Snape stood and motioned to a chair in front of his desk, "yes. Please, sit." Lucius Malfoy smiled coldly and sat down across from Snape. "How can I help you, Lucius?"
Malfoy smiled viciously, "Severus, please. There's no need for formalities. You know why I've come."
"Actually, I don't, Lucius."
"Well, besides coming to check in on Dumbledore, I've come to see the girl with my own eyes."
Snape stiffened slightly, but not noticeably. "It's almost curfew now. She'd be in her house tower, and since she is not in my house, I doubt I could get you in to see her."
"I'm sure you can find a way."
The potions master's composure was beginning to falter. He had to think of a good excuse, and quickly. "Lucius, you should have come to see me earlier. What you're asking would've been possible then. I'm afraid that there's no good way to go about seeing her right now."
Malfoy narrowed his eyes at Snape, and Snape dared not even to breathe under the blonde man's gaze. "Alright, Severus. I will not see her tonight." He stood and walked to the door, "I will be back, however. And the next time I come, I expect to see Sakura Kinomoto."
Snape watched the door close slowly behind Lucius Malfoy as he left. He breathed a sigh of relief as he leaned back in his chair. "I'm getting too old for this," he muttered as he returned to grading essays.
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((Quick A/N: Hehehe! I just love Snape! Just so you all know.. But you've probably already figured that out.. Oh, and I'm also Jade. Jade is me. Hehe. I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter! I promise to get 7 up as quickly as I can! Oh yes, to those who may be wondering why Sakura keeps using the honorifics for names (-kun, -san, etc.) it's because she really hasn't been speaking English constantly for that long. It's only been a week in the story! So she still is in the habit of adding the honorifics to people's names. That's all for now! Thanks again! Ja mata, minna-san!))
A/N2: Hokai. So. I attempted to upload this chapter with some HTML in it, and FFN hates me, thus it did not work. So I'm re-uploading with the tags taken out. Just let everyone know, stuff in asterisks is supposed to be italicized. Please forgive my lack of being able to get FFN to like me. Quickly, I'd like to thank the latest reviewers! To Kyra Lady: Arigatou Gozaimasu, Kyra-sama. To heheangel kisses: Thanks! I'm glad you like it! I'll probably keep the honorifics in. . . Cause I like them. And finally, to Kizzy: This will probably be an S+S fic, but it probably won't heavily emphasize their relationship. Don't worry, I'm not going to put Harry and Sakura together. ^_^ Gomen for my ramblings.
Shameless plug: Go read Mikazukino Hikari's stuff. It's all good. Her CCS fic "Daughter of the Stars, Son of the Moon" is almost done. And she's writing a wonderful HP/CCS crossover. Go read it! | | |
Disclaimer: I am not JK Rowling, nor do I work for CLAMP – thus, I own none of this.
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Chapter 6: Secrets
"That's odd."
"What's odd, Hermione?"
Hermione looked up at the teacher's table, "Dumbledore isn't here for dinner tonight, Ron."
The Weasley boy shrugged, "He's probably busy. It's not that odd, really."
Sakura glanced up at the empty headmaster's seat. She let her gaze wander along the teacher's table, and saw that Snape and Jade seemed to be having a decent conversation (for once). The honey haired girl smiled – she knew that Snape-sensei had been trying to keep Jade-sensei away, but now it seemed that the two teachers were getting along better. "He doesn't hate her anymore."
She smiled at Syaoran, "I know. It's a good thing."
"Their auras are so similar. . . I've never seen anything like it." He turned his amber eyes to Sakura, and smiled.
Harry watched Sakura and Li whispering to each other, and he only caught something Li said about seeing auras. He made a mental note to tell Hermione later about it. . . but for now Harry could feel himself growing hot, and he couldn't exactly explain why. "Harry-kun? Are you alright?"
He forced a smile and nodded, "Yes, Sakura. I'm fine, thanks." The Japanese girl didn't look convinced, but she didn't push the issue.
Hermione stood, gathering her things, "Come on Ron, Harry. Let's go to the library." She smiled as the two boys stood grudgingly, and turned to Sakura and Li, "We'll see you in the common room a bit later."
"Ja, Hermione-chan." Sakura smiled. Li simply nodded before returning his attention to Sakura. The Gryffindor trio left the Great Hall and headed for the library.
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Hermione pulled out a sheet of parchment with some writing on it. "So you heard Snape call Li a 'what'?" She took note of that on the parchment.
"Yeah. It's a bit odd, isn't it? Shouldn't Snape have said 'I know *who* you are'?" Harry sat across from Hermione.
"Maybe Snape's just gone mental." Ron sank down next to Harry.
"I doubt it," Hermione stood and disappeared into the rows of books. A few moments later she returned with several large books. "Start reading." She handed Ron and Harry each a book ("Great Wizards of the East" and "Wizarding Families Through the Ages"). The two boys sighed and began leafing through the pages of their books.
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Li sat in front of the fire, reading a book, while Sakura worked on her Divination homework. She looked up as Harry, Ron, and Hermione entered. Hermione sat in the chair next to Li while Ron and Harry sank down across from Sakura on the floor. "Did you get a lot of work done in the library Harry-kun? Ron-san?"
Ron sighed, "Not really. Actually, I can't stand the library. I think I spend way too much time there."
Hermione glared down at him, but Ron missed the evil look directed at him because he was busy pulling out his Potions notes. Harry paused for a moment before grabbing his Potions things as well. "Hermione, you've already finished the Potions essay, right?"
"Yes, Harry, I have. . . but if you think that I'm going to let you look at my essay, you're wrong."
"But Hermione!" Ron whined, "Just let us see it for five minutes! Please?" Hermione shook her head and opened a very large book, signaling the end of the conversation.
"Ano. . . Syaoran-kun, you finished your Potions essay, ne?"
Harry and Ron looked over at Sakura, then up at Li. The Chinese boy nodded and continued reading his book.
"Er. . . I don't suppose you could help us out a bit mate, could you?"
Li looked down at Ron, and appeared as if he were about to say 'no'. Instead, the amber-eyed boy turned to his bag and rummaged through it for a moment before pulling out a scroll and tossing it at Ron. "That should help," he said before returning to his book.
Harry unrolled the scroll and blanched. It wasn't Li's Potions essay – it was, rather, nearly five feet of notes on moonstones, much of it detailing its use in potions. "Bloody hell. . . did you lift this from Snape?"
"Hoe? Lift? Oh!" Sakura giggled (which was music to the boys' ears), "Syaoran-kun didn't steal that. He wrote it."
Ron looked up at the Chinese boy, "You. . . you wrote this?"
Li nodded. "The Elders basically beat taking good notes into me. . . Even if they hadn't, I would've picked up the habit anyways with the kind of grades my mother expects from me."
Ron and Harry said nothing in response to that statement. Rather, they just let it sink in. After an hour and half or so, Sakura retired to bed. Another two hours passed before it was time for the fifth years to go to Astronomy. The night was calm and rather uneventful for the Gryffindors.
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After dinner Jade had returned to her office to finish up her lesson plans for the rest of the week. She hadn't been working long before there was a knock at her door. "Come in," she called absentmindedly.
"I hope I'm not disturbing you. . ."
She smiled and turned to Snape as he moved to take a seat in front of her desk. "Of course not, Severus." Jade closed her lesson plans and folded her hands on her desk, "Is there something you need?"
He sighed and leaned back in the chair, "Well, I could use a cup of tea." Jade nodded and went into a small room that connected to her office. A few moments later she returned with two cups of tea, and she gave one to Snape. "Thank you," he said before sipping the tea.
"You look like you have something on your mind, Severus. . ." The DADA teacher sat down in her chair and leaned back, "Feel like talking?"
Snape took another sip of Jade's wonderful tea. "Do you think we'll survive all this?"
She gazed into his midnight black eyes, "Do you think we deserve to?" Jade sighed, "I mean. . . I became a Death Eater solely to spy on Voldemort. . . that doesn't excuse the things I've had to do to convince him of my loyalty." She shook her head and set her teacup down. "I doubt that I'll survive this school year."
The potions master set the teacup on the desk in front of him, looking away from Jade. "I know what you mean."
"But," she smiled sadly, "it's not really our lives that are important. We have to do whatever we can to keep Harry and Sakura safe. They are our last line of defense."
Snape nodded, "Yes. . . we have to do all that is possible."
"And if they survive, then everything will surely be alright."
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Hermione stood, "We've got some research to do in the library this morning. We'll see you at lunch time, Li, Sakura." Sakura smiled and nodded as Harry, Ron, and Hermione gathered their things.
Harry led the way out of the Great Hall, and just as he was leaving he glanced back at Sakura, only to find Li watching the three leave suspiciously. "I think Li is onto us, Hermione," he whispered to her as they made their way to the library.
"Let him be. If he and Sakura don't want to tell us what's going on, then we've just got to find out on our own."
"But Hermione," Ron began, "what if its not that they don't want to tell us, but that they're not supposed to. I've seen Dumbledore stop Sakura and Li in the hall between classes and speak with them."
"Either way," she said as they entered the library, "we're still going to find out." They sat at one of the tables in the back and Hermione went to go grab some more books to look through. She returned more quickly than she had during their previous trips to the library, and with fewer books. "I think I have a better idea of what we need to look for."
Harry started looking through the books that Hermione had set on the table. "What are these, Hermione? 'Sorcerers and Wizards Today', 'Sorcerers from the Far East', 'Influential Eastern Clans', 'The Greatest Sorcerers in History'?"
"Look," Hermione said as she sat down, "do you know what the difference between a sorcerer and a wizard is?" Harry and Ron shook their heads. "Well," Hermione began, "a sorcerer is basically a more powerful wizard. They can do magic without the use of wands."
"Really? Magic without a wand?" Ron leaned forward in his seat.
Hermione nodded. "We've seen, or have heard, that at least Sakura has done magic without a wand before, which leads me to believe that at least Sakura is a sorcerer."
"Okay, I get the sorcerer books then. . . what about 'Influential Eastern Clans'?" Harry held up the book.
"Well, we heard Li talking about 'the Elders' last night, right? It makes me think that maybe he's from a clan of sorcerers. . ."
Harry sighed, "Alright. Let's just start already." The three each grabbed a book and began leafing through them, looking for leads.
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"I found something!" Ron was immediately given a dirty look from the librarian, so he sat down and whispered to Hermione and Harry, "Look, I found the Li clan." He began to read a passage from 'Influential Eastern Clans', "Here it is – 'The Li clan of Hong Kong, China, has been a powerful family of sorcerers for hundreds of years. The most notable sorcerer to come from the Li clan was Clow Reed, the most powerful sorcerer in the history of the world until just recently. The Li clan is currently without a leader, and is being ruled by a Council of Elders. The next leader of the Li clan is rumored to be Xiao Lang Li, the son of the former leader'."
As Ron read, Hermione flipped through 'The Greatest Sorcerers in History'. "Aha! Clow Reed!" She grinned triumphantly, "It says: 'Clow Reed was the most powerful sorcerer ever to have lived. His greatest achievement was the invention of the Clow Cards, and the two guardians he created to protect them (see Cerberus, Yue). After his death, the Book of Clow (the book containing the Clow Cards) was said to be lost. It is rumored that the book can only be found by the person that Reed destined to be the new master of his Cards'."
Harry sat back in the chair, "Does it have a picture of one of these Clow Cards?"
Hermione shook her head, "But it does have a sketch of Clow Reed's magic circle. . . A magic circle appears underneath only the most powerful of sorcerers because it symbolizes the fact that the sorcerer has invented his own kind of magic." She handed the book to Harry.
He stared at the magic circle for a moment, "This looks a lot like the design that was on the back of Sakura's cards. . . except there was a star in the middle, and the moon and the sun were off to either side."
"It could be her own magic circle. . ." Hermione said, rather awed. "I think we've almost figured this puzzle out."
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After lunch, Ginny and Sakura headed to Charms with Professor Flitwick. The class period passed rather uneventfully for both girls. Sakura had an unusually easy time, as was becoming standard, and Ginny really didn't observe anything too unusual to report to Hermione.
Herbology also went by very quickly. Tomoyo was happy to see Sakura, as usual, and Ginny enjoyed the class period quite thoroughly. Tomoyo was very good at Herbology, and she was more than happy to help Ginny and Sakura out.
Ginny genuinely liked both the Japanese girls, and felt kind of bad for investigating Sakura. But there was something extremely odd about the emerald-eyed girl, and Ginny just wanted to know the truth.
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"We still need a bit more concrete evidence before we talk to Li and Sakura about all this," Hermione muttered to Harry and Ron as they approached the Great Hall for dinner.
"I think we should just ask them," Harry said quietly. "Sakura is a nice person, and I really don't feel right about investigating her behind her back."
Hermione shushed him as they entered the Great Hall. They found where Ginny, Li, and Sakura were at the Gryffindor table and joined them (sitting down across from them). "Konban-wa Harry-kun, Ron-san, Hermione-chan." Sakura smiled brilliantly at the three fifth years across from herself.
Harry smiled across the table at Sakura, but his thoughts were still on the discoveries the trio had made that morning. If Sakura really was a sorcerer, why was she trying to hide that fact? Was she in danger? Perhaps she was a very powerful sorcerer and maybe Voldemort had heard of her. . . It would make sense that Dumbledore would know about her and her power, and would do all that he could to keep her safe. . . Harry shook his head, and pushed all the thoughts away. He would tell Hermione his theories after dinner.
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Snape sat down next to Jade at dinner, smiling briefly to his colleague as he settled in his seat. "You seem to be in a better mood today, Severus."
"Only slightly, Professor Jade."
She smiled, her silver eyes flashing mischievously, "What in the world do I have to do to get you to call me by my first name?" She chuckled and shook her head, "At the very least you could drop the 'professor' part. Severus, we grew up together. There's no need for formalities."
The potions master sighed and leaned back in his chair. He picked up the goblet in front of him and took a sip, pondering. "Alright. If you really want me to call you by your first name, you'll just have to tell me the secret to your tea."
Jade thought it over for a moment, "There's no secret really. I grow all the herbs myself, and blend it together in the right proportions. If you really want to know how to make it, just come by my room later and I'll give you a list of everything I use and how much." She smiled and stood, "For now, I've really got some grading to do."
"Alright, Lani, I will see you later then."
Jade felt her cheeks turning a bit red, and she nodded. "See you later, Severus." She made her way out of the Great Hall and to her office.
Jade was more than happy to sit down and begin grading papers. The work took her mind off the potions master. She didn't know why, but Severus had always sort of made her heart flutter. That fact had always made her angry, because Jade knew that Severus wasn't the type to return those sorts of feelings, and so she had always suppressed them.
Time went by rather quickly as she graded the quizzes she had given her classes that day. She was so into her work that she jumped slightly when there was a soft knock on her door. "Come in," she called as she set the quill down.
"Good evening, Alanni." The headmaster smiled kindly as he entered Jade's office.
"Good evening, Albus. Please, have a seat. What can I do for you?"
"Well," the old wizard began, "I really came to see if there was anything I could do for you."
Jade stared at him for a moment, then leaned back in her chair. "Severus and I talked last night. He was wondering if we would survive all this. . . And I asked him if he thought we deserved to survive."
Dumbledore nodded, "I see. I thought something might have been troubling the two of you."
"What do you think, Albus? Do you think we even deserve to live through all this?"
The headmaster paused for a moment, choosing his words carefully. "I think that each of you will have to decide your own fate. It is not up to me, or to *anyone* else, to decide if the both of you are worthy to live."
Jade nodded, taking the words in. She was silent for a moment before she looked up into the twinkling blue eyes of the old professor, "Albus? Do you think it was right to bring *her* into all of this?"
He smiled kindly at Jade, "Alanni. We didn't bring her into this. She would've found her way here eventually. The important thing is not to question her presence, but to do all we can to help protect her."
She nodded and smiled sadly, "I know. Thank you, Albus."
Dumbledore stood and walked to the door. He opened the door, then paused. "Oh, and Alanni? Give him time. He has had a difficult time. . . just as difficult as yours, I might even say." The headmaster disappeared from the DADA teacher's office, leaving Jade to ponder his final statement.
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Snape headed down to his office after he had finished eating dinner. He was passing an empty classroom when he heard something crash in it. "Peeves. . ." he muttered as he stopped and turned around, heading towards the classroom where the sound had just come from.
The potions master opened the door to the classroom and saw Li righting a desk. "Mr. Li. . . just what are you doing?"
Li bowed to the potions master, "Excuse me, Snape-sensei. I was training, and I did not mean to make a mess."
"You really shouldn't be here. . . Students are generally discouraged from being in classrooms after dinner unless they are with a teacher."
"Hoe! Syaoran-kun!" Sakura burst into the classroom. "Oh! Gomen, Snape- sensei," she bowed, "I just came to get Syaoran-kun." She walked over to Li and grabbed onto his sleeve, "I hope he is not giving you trouble, Snape- sensei." She smiled.
Snape couldn't help but smile kindly at the honey-haired girl. "No, Miss Kinomoto, he's not. It's almost time for curfew, so I suggest that you both get back to Gryffindor Tower before Mr. Filch starts patrolling the hallways."
Sakura bowed once more to Snape, "Arigatou, Snape-sensei. Good night." Snape bowed slightly to Sakura and gave her another kind smile. Li also bowed to his potions master before the two Gryffindors left the classroom. Snape glanced around the room to make sure that everything was in its proper place before exiting the room himself. He headed down the halls towards his office, in a much better mood than he had been in all day.
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When Sakura and Li finally made it back to the Gryffindor common room, they found that it was empty, except for three figures in front of the fireplace. Sakura sat down on the floor in front of the fire where all her schoolwork was laid out.
Li yawned, "I'm going to bed. Good night Sakura."
"Oyasumi nasai, Syaoran-kun," she called, not even looking up from her work. Li disappeared up the stairs without another word. "I wonder why he's so grumpy tonight," Sakura muttered as she continued her work.
"Tonight?" Ron looked up from his homework, "He's always like that."
Sakura giggled softly, then sobered herself a bit, "Syaoran-kun has not had an easy life. . . He has to act much older than he is, because childishness is not tolerated for someone in his position." She paused for a moment, "I admire him. . . I really do."
There was silence for a moment (except for the crackling of the fire). Hermione was the one to speak up finally. "What kind of position is he in that he has to act so mature?"
"Oh," Sakura sat up, "I guess he hasn't mentioned it to you all. . . Which isn't surprising, really. Syaoran-kun doesn't like to talk about himself that much." She looked at the three fifth years in front of her. "Syaoran. . . well, he comes from a very powerful clan in China, the Li's. He is to be the next leader of the clan. Syaoran's father was the leader, until he died. . . Syaoran was very young when it happened. So he has been trained from a very young age in martial arts, and in leadership, and. . ." she trailed off. "Yes, so that's why Syaoran-kun is the way he is."
Harry began to understand that he wasn't the only one who hadn't had a very easy life. There was silence as everyone slowly began going back to their work. It wasn't long before Ron gave up on his work and headed upstairs to bed. Hermione retired soon after Ron did, leaving Harry and Sakura alone.
"Sakura?"
"Hai, Harry-kun?"
He got out of the chair and sat on the floor in front of her. Harry paused for a moment, trying to get his words together. "Have you. . . always known about your magic?"
The emerald-eyed girl smiled, "Iie. . . I learned that I had magic about four years ago."
"How'd you find out?"
"Uhm. . ." She looked away, her smile fading.
"I found out I had magic because I accidentally set a python on my cousin once," Harry offered, trying to get her to talk. "It was really quite funny. And then, of course, I knew for sure when Hagrid came and brought me my Hogwart's letter." He leaned back against the chair he had been sitting in, "Did something similar happen to you?"
Sakura shook her head, her hand automatically going up to the Star Key pendant. "Hoe," she said under her breath. "It wasn't like that, it uh. . . I found a book. . ."
Harry made a mental note of that before smiling, "It's not important anyways. I'm just glad you've come to Hogwart's."
Sakura smiled and blushed slightly as she turned back to Harry. "Arigatou, Harry-kun." She let her pendant go and started gathering her homework into a pile. "I am glad to be here. The students and teachers are all so very nice."
Harry stood and gathered his school stuff as well. "Oh, Sakura, I was just wondering. . . what is that pendant you wear? It looks like a key to a diary or something. . ."
The card mistress giggled nervously, "Something like that. It goes to a book that was left to me by a great man. . ." She stood. "Now I think it's time to go to bed. Oyasumi nasai, Harry-kun."
"Good night, Sakura." He watched the slip of a girl disappear up the stairs. The boy who lived took his school bag and trudged up to his room, changed quickly, and collapsed onto his four-poster bed. His thoughts lingered on his conversation with Sakura as he drifted off to sleep.
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"Good morning, everyone. We're going to start off this class with a survey and a quiz." The fourth years groaned as Professor Jade began handing out papers. "Come now, its not that bad, really. The sooner you start on this, the sooner you'll finish. Then I'll lecture for just a very little bit. . . and then? After the break we'll have some hands on experience with counter- curses." Sakura sighed as she began filling out the survey that was being passed out. She could tell it was going to be a very long time until lunch.
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Li grumbled under his breath as he gathered his things and moved next to Draco Malfoy. He wondered what had put the potions master in such a foul mood as to take his anger out on Li. He sank down next to Malfoy and the Slytherin sneered, mumbling something about filthy mudbloods. Li fumed. . . if only Malfoy knew that Li was the second most powerful sorcerer in the world. . . that would certainly shut Malfoy up. Li sighed as he resumed taking notes on the lecture that Snape was giving about the potion they would be making after the break. Li decided it was going to be a very long morning.
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During the break, Jade retired to her office for a cup of tea. She was a bit nervous about letting the class actually practice counter-curses. Fortunately, she had informed Madam Pomfrey of her lesson plans for the day, and the good nurse was on stand-by in the hospital wing in case of any miss-haps.
There was a knock on her office door, "Come in." Sakura entered the office, quietly shutting the door behind her. "Ah, konnichi-wa, Sakura- san. What can I do for you?"
Sakura bowed slightly, "Konnichi-wa, Jade-sensei. Ano. . ." The girl hesitated for a moment before continuing, "I did not want to disturb Professor Dumbledore, and I am in need of some advice."
Jade smiled kindly at the young girl, "Please, sit. I am honored you have come to me." Sakura sat across the desk from Jade. "I will do the best I can to help."
The card mistress paused for a moment, "The headmaster asked all of us when we first arrived to keep my powers a secret. But Professor Dumbledore also brought me here, I think, to become Harry-kun's friend, because he needs all the friends he can get. The problem now is that Harry-kun, Ron-san, and Hermione-chan are becoming suspicious of Syaoran-kun and myself because we have been keeping secrets from them." She sighed, "I don't know what to do about it."
Jade leaned back in her chair, contemplating. "I have known Professor Dumbledore for a very long time, and he is a very good friend to me. I have found that there is usually some sort of purpose, which is not always obvious, in everything he says." She smiled comfortingly at Sakura, "I have also found that sometimes he means what he says, but," the teacher paused, trying to put her words together in the right meaning, "what he asks may not apply to everyone."
"So perhaps he meant for me to tell Harry-kun?"
The DADA teacher nodded, "Perhaps. I have heard that Harry, Hermione, and Ron are rather good at keeping secrets, and I don't think Albus would be particularly upset if you told those three the truth." Jade stood, "Now, shall we get back to class?"
Sakura smiled brightly, "Hai." She bowed again, "Arigatou gozaimasu, Jade- sensei."
Jade bowed to Sakura, "Iie, doumo arigatou gozaimasu, Sakura-sama." Sakura turned bright red as the teacher spoke, but said nothing in response. Jade led the way back into the classroom. "Alright everyone, let's start practicing those counter-curses."
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"Now that we have finished the lecture, you will begin working with your partner on the potion. Directions are on the board. You'll have forty- five minutes to complete the potion. At the end of the class period you will label a single vial for the two of you and turn it into me at my desk." Snape surveyed the class, "Begin."
He sat at his desk and began to read the essays the fifth years had turned in at the beginning of class. Occasionally he glanced up from grading to watch the interaction between Li and Malfoy, which was rather amusing. Snape wondered if their potion would turn out alright since it seemed that they were not speaking to each other, and it looked as if they weren't even checking the directions on the board.
Snape continued grading up until the end of the period when students began bringing up samples of their potion. "Alright. Time is up. Turn in a sample of your potion, which, incidentally, if you have done it right should be clear." Potter brought up his and Weasley's sample, which was only the tiniest bit milky. Longbottom and Finnegan's was a deep crimson (which did not surprise Snape). Li brought up his and Malfoy's sample – it was perfect. "I hope you did not have any trouble with making the potion today, Mr. Li."
"No, Professor Snape, I did not."
Snape watched the Chinese boy stalk off to join the Gryffindor trio, who were waiting at the door for him. The only student who lingered behind was Malfoy. "Yes, Draco? Is there something I can help you with?"
"I just wanted to let you know that father is going to be here this evening, Professor Snape."
Snape's blood turned to ice, but he managed to retain his composure in front of the boy. "Thank you, Draco, for telling me. Now, off to lunch." He ushered the boy out and went to his office. "Why is he coming?" Snape wondered aloud as he sat behind his desk.
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"But Syaoran-kun! I want him to trust us!"
"No, Sakura. Dumbledore told us to keep our powers a secret. I think we should listen to the old man." Syaoran folded his arms over his chest, "I trust Dumbledore."
Sakura sighed, "I trust him, too, but I also trust Harry-kun." She leaned back against the wall of the empty hallway. "Xiao Lang." Li looked up at the sound of his proper name. "I don't think that Harry will trust us unless we tell him. They're all very suspicious of us. I think they've been researching us in the library every day."
"I think they have been investigating us, yes. They aren't likely to find much, though, so I don't really see it being a problem."
"But **I** do, Syaoran."
The Chinese boy sighed, "Fine. Do as you wish. Just remember that I don't agree with it."
Sakura nodded, "I know." She gave him a sweet smile, "Arigatou, Syaoran- kun." The emerald-eyed girl took a step towards him, then flung her arms around him and held him tight.
Li stiffened for a moment before relaxing and returning her embrace. "I'm just trying to protect you, Sakura. . ." She nodded and gave him a small peck on the cheek. He turned bright red for a moment, and then smiled. "Let's go to dinner."
"Hai!" The two foreign exchange students made their way out of the empty hallway and up to the Great Hall. A few moments after they left, Draco Malfoy stepped out from an empty classroom just off the hallway. He stored the conversation in his memory, and would relate the details of it to his father later.
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Sakura was waiting for the right moment to talk to Harry. She kept uncharacteristically silent through dinner, putting together in her head exactly what she wanted to say to her Gryffindor senpai.
In the common room after dinner, Sakura couldn't seem to find a moment alone with Harry. First the room was quite full of other Gryffindors, and then Hermione and Ron insisted on playing chess for a while in front of the fire. About an hour before curfew, Harry and Sakura were finally left alone in the room. He was busily working on assignments for various classes, and Sakura didn't know if she wanted to interrupt him.
"Ano. . . Harry-kun?"
The green-eyed boy straightened his glasses as he looked up from his work, "Yeah, Sakura?"
Sakura bit her lip and looked down at her work on the floor, "I. . . Well, you see. . . I wanted to tell you something about Syaoran-kun and I. . ."
Harry set his quill down, "Go ahead, Sakura, I'm listening."
She looked up at him again. "Hoe. . . You see, the thing about Syaoran and I. . ."
"Oy, Harry! Angelina's just sent me down to tell you that we're going to have practice tomorrow."
Harry sighed, "Yeah, thanks Ron." Sakura grabbed her bag, stood, and left the common room quickly, "Sakura! Wait! Where are you going?"
"Hoe. . ." he heard her say as she left the tower. Ron came down the stairs, "What was that all about, mate?"
Harry looked up at his best friend, "She was about to tell me what she and Li really are. . . then you came down and startled her."
"Oh," Ron paused, thinking, "sorry. I didn't know what was going on. . . Bloody hell!" He balled up his fist, "I'm an idiot! She almost told you their secret, and I ruined it!"
"It's okay, Ron," Harry leaned back in the chair, "cause if she really wants us to know she'll try to talk to me again."
Ron nodded and started heading up the stairs again. He paused midway up, "Hey, wait a minute. How come she's telling you and not me or Hermione or Ginny?" The redheaded boy ducked as Harry chunked his potions textbook straight at Ron's head.
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Sakura sat at a small table in the farthest corner of the library, out of view (even though the library was nearly empty). "Hoe. . ." She took out some schoolwork and tried to focus on it instead of what had just happened with Harry. She was unsure as to exactly why she'd run off, but it was difficult for Sakura to tell Harry about all this since Dumbledore and Syaoran had both said not to say anything.
"Well, if it isn't everyone's new favorite Gryffindor."
She looked up from her DADA text and straight into Malfoy's cold grey eyes, "What do you want, Malfoy-san"
"Want?" He slid into a seat opposite Sakura the table. "What could I want from a filthy little mudblood like you?"
Sakura could feel hurt and anger rising in her, "I am not a mudblood, Malfoy."
"Really, I could've sworn you were. You've never been to a wizarding school before this, and you're past the age that you should've been invited, which makes me think that you didn't grow up around wizards. And that, of course, would make you a filthy mudblood."
She looked down at her schoolwork, then back up at Malfoy. "My father has magic, so does my brother. Just because I didn't go to a wizarding school before I was invited to Hogwart's doesn't mean that I didn't know about my own magic."
Malfoy smirked, standing slowly, "I know, Kinomoto." He turned to walk away, but paused and looked back at her, "And I know your secret."
Sakura's blood turned to ice as she watched the blonde Slytherin prefect leave. "Hoe," she murmured worriedly as she began gathering her things. She needed to get back to the common room and see if Syaoran was awake – he was going to flip when he found out. Sakura grabbed her things and rushed out of the library.
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There was a knock at the door. "Come in." He didn't look up from his work as he heard the door open and shut once more. "I'm rather busy at the moment, so what can I help you. . ." Snape looked up from what he was doing and lost his words.
"It's good to see you too, Severus."
"Lucius," Snape stood and motioned to a chair in front of his desk, "yes. Please, sit." Lucius Malfoy smiled coldly and sat down across from Snape. "How can I help you, Lucius?"
Malfoy smiled viciously, "Severus, please. There's no need for formalities. You know why I've come."
"Actually, I don't, Lucius."
"Well, besides coming to check in on Dumbledore, I've come to see the girl with my own eyes."
Snape stiffened slightly, but not noticeably. "It's almost curfew now. She'd be in her house tower, and since she is not in my house, I doubt I could get you in to see her."
"I'm sure you can find a way."
The potions master's composure was beginning to falter. He had to think of a good excuse, and quickly. "Lucius, you should have come to see me earlier. What you're asking would've been possible then. I'm afraid that there's no good way to go about seeing her right now."
Malfoy narrowed his eyes at Snape, and Snape dared not even to breathe under the blonde man's gaze. "Alright, Severus. I will not see her tonight." He stood and walked to the door, "I will be back, however. And the next time I come, I expect to see Sakura Kinomoto."
Snape watched the door close slowly behind Lucius Malfoy as he left. He breathed a sigh of relief as he leaned back in his chair. "I'm getting too old for this," he muttered as he returned to grading essays.
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((Quick A/N: Hehehe! I just love Snape! Just so you all know.. But you've probably already figured that out.. Oh, and I'm also Jade. Jade is me. Hehe. I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter! I promise to get 7 up as quickly as I can! Oh yes, to those who may be wondering why Sakura keeps using the honorifics for names (-kun, -san, etc.) it's because she really hasn't been speaking English constantly for that long. It's only been a week in the story! So she still is in the habit of adding the honorifics to people's names. That's all for now! Thanks again! Ja mata, minna-san!))