An update! Took me longer than expected, but that's because I was separated
from my computer for a few days. I hope it wasn't too long a wait. In this
chapter you get to see them use more magic and sorts. There will be more
inter-character development so enjoy!
Reviews: Hikari Mizu: That's kinda freaky. Though I suppose there are worse things. Tell me if that happens again! Maybe you'll help with writers block tee hee. Umm, Kero WILL show up, I just don't know how much of him there will be. I am a Kero fan as well, but I don't think I write him very well and would prefer to neglect him than take away from his goodness. Also it will not be until later on. YAY for liking the Card reading. I put a lot of work into it. I thought I should also note, if I didn't already, that all meanings of the Cards in a fortune telling manner are guessed or reasoned out if not already stated in Manga/Anime. I'm glad people like the Syaoran/Harry interaction as it will be a main theme through the story. Lastly, questions I was hoping people would ask (Thank you Anais!) The Dream Card: while in the series Dream Card was used exclusively to see what would happen in the future, they never say that it can't be used to state the past. It was just described as giving true dreams. I figured you could dream the past as well as the future. The thestrals: While I wanted her to see them because it would create an immediate bond between her and Harry, there is reasoning behind her being able to see thestrals. First, while they always come back, Sakura has more than once seen the disappearance of her loved ones and those around her ie. Erase, Void etc. Also, in the manga series she actually watches the death of Clow Reed in a dream that Eriol gives her. That is why she can witness them. And it was never said whether or not she saw her mother die but it is assumed she did not.
Anyway, continue asking questions. There are some parts I write just to see if someone will notice ( I did that a lot in Daughter of the Stars etc.) and when I see that someone notices and asks it makes me all happy. Also when people ask me questions it helps me write better.
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or CCS. Well actually I DO own all the Harry Potter books and movies and all the CCS Manga/Movies/Show....but I don't think that's what they mean.
Keeper Tryouts
As the Gryffindors were let out of Charms, Harry couldn't help but sigh in aggravation. Professor Flitwick had assigned more homework than ever before after spending an hour reviewing summoning charms and giving a long lecture about the importance of doing well on one's O.W.Ls. Really Harry should have been expecting it from the way the day had started, rain pouring over the castle with dark clouds blackening out the sky. The world felt dreary and Hogwarts' professors were striving to match up.
As he sat in Transfiguration, listening to Professor McGonagall give much the same lecture he wondered how he was ever going to get all the homework done. Perhaps he should buddy up with Li since Hermione still wasn't speaking to Ron and had put a stop in general on letting them copy her work. As his thoughts meandered to the boy sitting in front of him he realized something that he hadn't before. They had been reviewing summoning spells so it wasn't odd that most people got it on the first try. But Li wasn't here last year. How come he managed it so easily too?
With a mental shrug Harry figured that Li and the others must have gotten a list of things they needed to review before coming to Hogwarts so they could be promoted as they had been. With a sigh, he finally returned his attention to the professor who was discussing their current assignment. She told them that Vanishing spells would be among one of the most difficult spells on their O.W.L. before explaining the technique and letting the class start.
Harry had to agree with her on the difficulty when on his third attempt he still got nothing aside of a slight headache. Looking around he realized that most people weren't doing much better except Hermione who managed on her third try to completely vanish her snail. Next to her, though, Li was sitting without moving, staring at his snail for a minute.
"10 points to Gryffindor, Miss Granger for your efforts. Mr. Li is there some reason why you are staring at your snail instead of doing what I instructed you. You will never get it right if you don't at least try." She sat there and watched him expectantly, finally forcing the Chinese boy into action.
Li picked up his wand and pointed at the snail. After taking a deep breath he gave his first attempt and successfully made the snail disappear completely. Everyone in the room had been watching and gasped when they saw him complete the difficult spell in only one try.
"Very impressive, Mr. Li. Fifteen points to Gryffindor. It would have been twenty but you decided to wander into your own world before doing what you were told."
Li nodded, without saying anything. Harry couldn't help but be amazed and more than a little envious. Sure, Hermione doing something quickly was expected, she was the head of the class and probably more than one class at that. But Li was an unknown. Harry watched the boy for the rest of the class, giving up hope on trying to vanish his snail from his growing headache. And Li just sat there, looking into the Transfiguration book and taking notes on different things, occasionally replying to Hermione's questions in an undertone.
When class was dismissed he fled, obviously not wanting further attention from the class. Hermione, Ron and Harry looked at each other as they packed up their belongings and unanimously heading towards the library instead of the Great Hall. "I'm quite sure he is going to take my place as number one in the class. I don't think I mind so much since he is so capable," Hermione said, speaking to Ron for the first time all day.
"There is something not quite right about him getting everything so easily though," Harry muttered. In his own way he was more irritated by the obvious comparisons that kept being made between the two. Harry was once the brilliant one that everyone admired then he became the insane fame seeker. And to replace him, came this good looking prince of Asia who beat out everyone quickly and was good friends with three beautiful girls.
"I know what you mean. But I think I know where we can start looking for information. I'm sure there I something in the library that will answer some questions. Why don't we just start at what we know so far?"
Harry and Ron nodded, putting their bags down on a table before the three of them set out looking for books with helpful information. Ron found a book named, "Famous Wizards throughout Asia since 400bc" and began looking through that while Harry leafed through a book about magical playing cards. Hermione spent most of her time wandering through the shelves, hopeful to stumble across something that sparked her more than adequate woman's intuition. Nothing came though through the lunch hour and they left for Care of Magical Creatures as clueless as they had entered.
As Harry and his companions made their way to Herbology they passed the fourth years leaving. Ginny waved and said "hi" brightly before passing them up. She was quickly followed by Sakura and Tomoyo, deep in conversation in their native language, before they realized the others were there and stopped to say hi. Before either party could exchange words though, Luna Lovegood marched up to Harry and took a deep breath.
"I believe He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is back, and I believe you fought him and escaped from him," she quickly said without even bothering to lead up to it. Harry desperately tried to come of with some response as he heard Lavender and Parvati begin to giggle. Again, before he could speak though he was interrupted.
"Oh, so do we," Tomoyo said with Sakura nodding in agreement as she looked back and forth between Luna and Harry. Harry looked at the raven haired girl with genuine gratitude. While he was grateful for anyone's support, especially so openly said, Luna wasn't exactly taken seriously in this school, especially judging from the way she dressed.
But when Tomoyo had made her simple statement his fellow fifth years had stop giggling and looked at the three girls seriously. Tomoyo's obvious intelligence and Sakura's innocence both caught attention and gave believability to the situation. "Thanks, all of you," Harry finally stuttered. "I'm glad someone believes me."
"They aren't the only ones," someone said stepping from the back of the crowd. Harry turned to see Ernie Macmillan. "I want you to know that I don't think you are crazy and that my family has always stood behind Dumbledore." His voice was loud enough that everyone could here and Harry felt a little surprised but pleased.
"You should get to class, everyone," Sakura finally said, breaking the silence that followed this statement. Waving goodbye, she and Tomoyo started down the path until they fell even with Syaoran where Sakura paused long enough to glare at him. "And I'm still mad at you, Li Syaoran!" With a sniff she turned away and marched from the group with her best friend giggling madly at her side.
"What did you do to her?" Dean Thomas asked the blushing boy.
"I didn't warn her that Professor Binns was a ghost," he muttered in reply, realizing that he was going to have to apologize again. "She's terrified of them. Nearly didn't enter the class room at all until Weasley's sister dragged her."
Dean pat him on the back with a grin. "I suggest that if you are going to keep secrets like that, at least be there to take pictures of it when it happens."
Li turned and smirked at the other boy before nodding. "I think I heard her screams from Charms," he laughed before going into the greenhouse. Harry wondered again just what kind of relationship the two had. Li obviously didn't really mind teasing her or insulting her, something common to friendships. But he did mind when she was mad at him, even in a small way. However, those thoughts were wiped away when Professor Sprout started the class on a familiar theme: O.W.L.s.
"Look, I'm sorry Sakura. But hey, maybe this way you'll be able to get over your fear of ghosts. There are so many here I'm surprised Professor Binns is the first one you've run into."
"Oh, that's because the only ghosts she'd really run into are the ones who have learned to tell which students would be afraid of them. They are usually nice enough to avoid them," Hermione said, glancing up from her Herbology essay.
"Still, you could have warned me, Syaoran," Sakura sighed, finally giving in. "But fine, I forgive you. But only if you help me with my Potions homework."
"Done, you slacker." They both set to work, Sakura writing most of it while Syaoran pointed out things here and there. It was almost finished when everyone was startled from their work by a loud voice.
"Oy, Potter," Angelina Johnson yelled as she approached the busy group. "Keeper tryouts are on Friday. I want you to be there so we can see how the group works together. Understood?"
Harry nodded curtly. "As long as you don't go as insane as Wood I'm fine, Angelina."
The older girl grinned, "I think I'm beginning to understand what made him so loopy. Just be there."
They all watched her leave before returning to their assignments. About five minutes passed before Sakura finally looked up and asked, "What's a keeper?"
Harry and Ron looked up at her in amazement while Hermione groaned and sunk lower into her seat. "You mean you don't know about qudditch?" Ron gasped.
Sakura exchanged looks with Syaoran before shaking her head. "No, we came from muggle schools remember?"
"Qudditch is the best of all things," Ron started. They spent the next thirty minutes explaining the various aspects of the games to the two transfer students. Often they would go off on side tangents about he different games they had played and Ron would quip about how awesome Harry was. Harry kept rolling his eyes but was obviously pleased with the praise. Sakura accurately guessed that it was most likely his favourite aspect of Hogwarts.
"It's too bad you don't fly yet," Harry sighed. "I'm sure both of you would enjoy the game."
Sakura blinked. "I fly all the time," she said before quickly stopping and biting her lip.
"Really? That's great," Ron smiled. "Why don't you try out then? I'm sure that if you waited to try out until last you could catch on to what it takes to be keeper pretty quickly. What do you say?"
Syaoran shrugged. "She's the flyer around here. I'm just usually on for the ride." He smiled as he remembered watching her soar through the sky, even before she grew wings to do so.
"I'm probably not good enough to do it," Sakura said with a blush. "I usually only fly when I have to."
Syaoran rolled his eyes. "Don't listen to her, Potter, Weasley. She's a natural. She'll try out."
Harry grinned at her encouragingly. Sakura smiled back, determination to make the team building. If she and Harry were together during practice and games it would be a good way to become better friends. And she saw that he really did need friends that didn't remind him of what he had experienced before.
"Now that you are done with that, why don't you get back to work on your homework, Ron, Harry, before you find yourself in deep trouble. And I'm not going to let you copy from me this time so don't even ask."
Ron flashed a grin as Harry held up another one of Li's scrolls. "No, thanks Hermione. We got ourselves someone else to help us who is less stingy."
Hermione frowned and looked at the scroll then at the two boys who were grinning at her with mischief. "Who?" Instantly they both pointed to Syaoran who shrugged his shoulders. "Why are you encouraging them, Li? They will never learn anything if they don't do work on their own."
"Hey, leave Li alone," Ron objected. "He just gave us his notes. It reads easier than these stupid books." Turning to Syaoran he grinned. "You should go into writing text books, mate. You'd make millions."
Sakura giggled. "I can just see that. I'm sure the Elders would love it."
Syaoran sighed. "I'd be dead before I could get past, 'I'm going to.'" He pulled out another scroll and began to write a letter, signaling the end of the conversation from his part. Sakura sighed, angry at herself for upsetting him. As everyone else continued to do their homework she reluctantly pulled out her History of Magic homework and settled in to write.
"Now, watch out for Professor Snape, Sakura," Ginny warned her new friend again. "He really doesn't like Gryffindors and he acts really biased. He won't hesitate to be mean to you or to take away points if you mess up at all."
Sakura nodded, taking all of this in as they headed towards the dungeons. She wasn't too sure that she completely believed her friend. No one could really be that bad and be a teacher could they? Following her friend she took a seat beside Ginny and glanced around nervously at the Slytherins, who were all staring at her with a sick sort of smile that made her nervous.
Professor Snape entered the room with a loud noise and looked around until he found Sakura. With quick purpose he strode to her and stopped in front of her desk. The Slytherins began to chuckle in anticipation and the Gryffindors looked at her sympathetically. Sakura on the other hand, looked up at the professor she recognized from Dumbledore's office and smiled at him.
With a reputation that far proceeded him, Snape was not used to having any of his students look at him with such welcome and ease. To see this slight girl look at him so almost made him frown in confusion but he recovered quickly. "Perhaps, Kinomoto, you feel that you are special since you have been promoted up so far without any effort. Perhaps you feel that you should go through life easily. Is that why you smile at me like that, Kinomoto?"
The green eyed girl shook her head and continued to smile. "I am nothing special at all, professor. And nothing should be gotten without work. If you don't work for it, if you don't earn it, you shouldn't have it." Really Sakura was just reciting what her teachers had often said to her and what her own life had proved to her since she learned of her magic. However, to the room of anxious students it was awing to see her talk back to Snape in a way that made her seem she agreed with him.
He narrowed his eyes at her before turning around and heading to the front of the class. "Very well. I shall assume, Miss Kinomoto that you will complete today's assignment without a single mistake. If you do not, I will be sure to take away five points from Gryffindor." With a flick of his wands instructions appeared on the blackboard. "The instructions are here, you may begin."
"Hoee," Sakura whimpered, looking at Ginny. The red haired girl smiled sympathetically at her new friend with a tint of respect covering her eyes. The class passed quietly and Sakura gave silent thanks to her home-economics teacher. Cooking and potion brewing seem to follow similar lines as to how much skill and patience you had. Near the end of class, Sakura was startled when she heard Snape speak.
"If you have managed to hold of incompetence for the duration of this class you should be seeing a fine mist rise above your cauldrons now." Sakura sighed in relief when she saw that was exactly what was happening. Grinning she took a sample and labeled it carefully before handing it in to Snape. She smiled at him again before returning to her work space to clean up.
"Kinomoto, do you always grin so idiotically at everyone?" Snape sighed at her as she began to leave.
Sakura turned to look back at the tired, cold looking man. "People ask me that a lot, and Syaoran makes fun of me for it too. But yes, I always smile at people. There is no one who has wronged me enough not to deserve a smile. And perhaps if I smile at them they will feel as good as I do when someone smiles at me." With a small bow, she turned to leave the room.
Snape pondered the girl's words for a few minutes. She was totally innocent and untouched by the world despite everything that she had seen and done. He wondered if she would be able to remain so once she had been dragged fully into the harsh world that the rise of the Dark Lord had brought. As he thought, Snape felt more tired and world weary than he had in a long time and couldn't explain why.
Yawning, Sakura couldn't help but wish she had gotten more sleep the night before. Instead she had waited until Syaoran, returned from Astronomy to ask him to read over her homework. While she was glad he approved, he got to sleep late if he wanted to since his first class was after morning break. Trying to wake up she strained to listen to Professor McGonagall, who was explaining about the spell she wanted them to perform. When the professor was done, Sakura couldn't help but sigh.
Staring at her hedgehog that she was supposed to be turning into a pincushion, Sakura wished she could be anywhere but where she was. Glancing around, she watched as everyone tried to perform the spell and failed. Ginny, sitting beside her, was the only one who seemed to be making progress. With a faint giggle, Sakura put that down to hanging out with Hermione so much.
"Miss Kinomoto is there some reason you are gazing off into space?" Professor McGonagall asked sharply, distracting Sakura from her thoughts at last.
"Um, I just don't think that this spell is right, ma'am."
"Good heavens, why not?" the professor asked stunned that she was arguing about something that everyone considered almost common place.
"I was always taught that we shouldn't tamper with the flow of life energy. A hedgehog has more life to it than a pincushion, professor. Wouldn't that be causing it a lot of pain and scare it?"
McGonagall stared down into the questioning jade eyes and felt a little remorse. "I assure you Miss Kinomoto that when it is reverted back to a hedgehog it remembers no pain, if it ever feels it. Now, will you please try the spell? Your three friends managed to impress me, let's see you do the same."
Sakura nodded with a smile and quickly, effortlessly, turned the unsuspecting hedgehog into a beautiful pincushion. The rest of the class, who had been paying attention to the quiet conversation gasped. Ginny couldn't help but stare at her new friend in awe. Hermione and Harry had told her yesterday about how easily Li had performed the vanishing spell and now she almost wanted to see if Sakura could do the same.
"Very good, Miss Kinomoto, I award Gryffindor twenty points."
Sakura smiled and quickly reversed the spell. The rest of the class she spent playing with the small creature, uncaring of the sharp points which frequently stuck into her hands. When class had ended she gathered her things to head to lunch. As they walked, Ginny asked her, "How do you and your friends do things like that so easily?"
Sakura grinned. "I'll explain as best as I can when we get to lunch. I'm starved!" Ginny nodded and they sat down at the Gryffindor table. The red haired girl suggested that they wait until the others met with them, since undoubtedly Ron and Harry needed to hear. They both made relatively good marks but only after a great deal of practice. A few minutes passed before the four Fifth Years joined them at the table, muttering about Snape in ways that didn't bear repetition.
"Sakura promised to tell me how she and the others manage to use magic so well," Ginny told them excitedly.
"Oh are Meiling and Daidouji having an easy time of it?" Li asked as he began to eat and write at the same time.
"Professor McGonagall told me that she was impressed by them so I'm assuming as much," Sakura replied before turning to face the others. "Now, as you already guessed probably, I already learned how to control some of my magic before I came. When I was learning everyone, including Syaoran- actually mostly Syaoran, told me the most important thing to do is concentrate. I'm assuming it still applies."
"See, I told you, Harry, Ron, all you really needed to do was concentrate. However, I must ask how all of you learned to concentrate so well. You are much better at it than I am."
Sakura shrugged. "I had to learn. But I'm guessing that Syaoran and Meiling learned it from their Martial Arts training. Tomoyo...well Tomoyo is a very single minded kind of person," she said, nervously remembering the many, MANY tapes that Tomoyo had of her in her room.
Hermione and Ginny nodded, not asking further but Ron began to stare at Syaoran with his jaw hanging. "You know Martial Arts? Those things the Asian wizards do sometimes while they do their spells? Really?" Syaoran glared at Sakura for a moment, causing her to cringe a little, before nodding. "Would you teach me?"
Syaoran glared at him and said, "No" very firmly before returning to his Potions work. Sakura rolled her eyes and grinned at Ron, causing the red haired boy to blush a little under the full power of her charm. "He's touchy about it. However, he is very good and I decided to learn because of him."
Syaoran looked up again, staring at Sakura incredulously. "I really can't imagine you being violent without good cause. Actually, I don't even think I can imagine you being violent period. Why on earth did you learn something like that?"
Sakura blushed, carefully avoiding everyone's gazes which were fixed on her. "There were times when it was necessary to fight back and I thought it would be best that I could do it myself the next time something came up."
Syaoran instantly comprehended, remembering the Fight Card and the Twin Card. Nodding, he dropped the subject. "You have Hiiragizawa next don't you?"
She nodded. "You four have already had him, haven't you? Is he a good teacher?" Hermione carefully noted that she sounded more like someone asking about how their friend did rather than if they should be worried. It was true that everyone knew that the two knew each other, but why would she be such good friends with someone so much older?
"He was pretty good. We only had the one class with him though so perhaps we had him on a better day," Harry commented. Sakura sighed in relief. "He has a sense of humour, which is kind of weird at this school. Usually, the professors are so stiff."
"He's just like that," she observed as she finished her lunch. "I need to tell him something so I think I'll head to class early. Bye everyone, see you at dinner!" With a small wave she quickly left, worried about something she had seen the night before while waiting for her friends.
"I'm going to the library," Syaoran added, quickly rising. He didn't feel comfortable with them yet and knew well enough that they probably preferred he wasn't around. With a nod he left and only stopped to talk to Meiling for a moment before disappearing from the room completely.
Harry watched as the two left so quickly. He got the distinct impression that Li didn't like any of them too well but didn't ask anyone if they agreed. Perhaps it was just a mutual thing on his part. "What do you think she needs to tell Professor Hiiragizawa?" he finally asked.
"I don't know, but I'd love to. She seems oddly close to him considering that she's so much younger than he is."
"We're all good friend with Hagrid," Ron observed to Hermione.
"This is different. We're friends with Hagrid from being here at school and, almost, through Harry at first. She knows him from somewhere else."
"Well, then why don't I head to class early myself," Ginny suggested with a grin. "I'm sure that they can't fault me for being early."
"Good idea, Ginny," Harry said with a smile at her. She grinned back at him, and not for the first time did he feel glad that she was acting more normal around him. As he watched her go, his thoughts returned to the jade eyed girl who had left a few minutes before. There was just something about her that he couldn't ignore. With a mental shrug he sighed as Ron and Hermione broke into yet another fight.
"I just think that someone is coming. I only saw that she would disrupt things here at Hogwarts but I don't know how. However, I do think that she will target you and your class a lot. That's why I'm warning you now."
Eriol nodded. "Sometimes I regret asking you for that favour. It certainly helped me prepare for things if it also didn't let me be the happiest of people. Anyway, I'm sure I'll manage. Thank you for the warning."
Sakura smiled. "I think Ginny is coming so I'll go ahead and sit down."
"Are you fitting in well with people here, Sakura?" he asked, concernedly.
"Sometimes I miss Touya and all my friends from school. And I miss the fact that I can't see Tomoyo as often as I used to. But I really like Ginny, Hermione, Ron and Harry. And I get to have Syaoran with me all the time now, which is nice."
"I imagine," he replied, his lips twitching. Sakura stuck her tongue out at him when Ginny came through the classroom door, with a smile. "Good afternoon, Miss Weasley. I hope you are less of a trouble maker than your two elder brothers. I caught them selling some sort of food that turned people into canaries."
Ginny grinned. "Fred and George tried to get me to eat one. However, they learned their lesson I think."
"I'm glad to hear it. I also hear that you are helping my young friend out, leading her through the school. This place is rather hard to manage," he sighed.
"It's fun leading her around. It reminds me of when I didn't know my way around here at all. Besides, she helps me out on my homework so it's even."
Sakura blushed. "I'm not the best at school work so I don't know why you need my help. However, it is fun hanging around you and your friends, Ginny."
"Now, why don't you two girls sit down? Class will begin soon." The girls nodded, continuing to chat about different things until the room filled and Eriol signaled the start of class. "Good afternoon, fourth years. Mr. Creevey, please put the camera away, yes under your desk will do. Now, I was informed that Professor...Moody, taught forth years about curses and things one might expect to see directly sent at you if ever you are in a sticky situation. Since no one objected to last years agenda, I thought I'd teach along similar lines."
The whole class began to whisper excitedly at getting to have the cool lessons that they had heard about the year before. "Now shall we begin?"
Harry spent most of the day with Hermione and Ron in the library attempting to find out their new friends' secrets. There had been clues laid here and there but nothing much to give them any sufficient leads. All and all it was beginning to irritate Harry immensely. He had a feeling that the teachers knew everything they were trying to find, most likely the whole Order did. More people were keeping secrets from him and it was ridiculous. Hadn't he done enough to gain people's trust? Hadn't he experienced enough that they could make him count for an adult in these stupid meetings of theirs?
When lunch came and went without any more knowledge gained, Harry left the researching to Ron and Hermione, who were beginning to bicker, straining his last nerve. Leaving the library, he strolled out into the courtyard where he immediately laid eyes on Li, studiously working over a book. After watching for a few minutes, Harry saw that he was taking notes rather than doing homework. Even though those notes had helped Ron and him out numerous times, he still felt a little bitter that the Chinese boy could manage to get so much done so quickly when Harry was barely managing to hang on.
"Are you just going to stand there and watch me for a few hours, Potter, or did you have something in mind?" Li asked, not bothering to look up.
For a moment, Harry wondered how the other boy even knew he was there, but then he remembered that Li often seemed to know when people were coming, even from a long way away. Shrugging, Harry walked out into the courtyard. "What are you taking notes on?"
"Arithmancy," Li replied, still keeping his eyes trained to the books.
"Hermione seems to love that class. Is it fun?"
Li shrugged. "If you like math and numbers. Sakura and Meiling would probably hate it. I think Daidouji is taking it too. She's better at descriptions, so you might ask her instead."
It was the first time Li had ever offered more information than was needed to Harry. He usually stayed close to silent whenever Sakura wasn't around. There had never been much time when Harry saw Li interacting with any of the other transfer students so he couldn't see if that was just the way he was.
"It's probably better than Divination," Harry sighed, sitting beside the other boy and pulling out his Divination homework. Since the incident with Sakura's weird cards, Trelawney had moved onto dream interpretation, something Harry found himself dreading.
"It takes a lot of magic to be able to predict the future so I can't imagine the class would do much good. Specially since Meiling told me the rumour is that the teacher is a quack."
"What did Sakura say about it?" Harry asked, despite himself.
Li finally glanced up at Harry with an unreadable look. Harry felt distinctly uncomfortable but tried not to show it. Finally, Li looked back down at his work and replied, "Sakura is not the type to talk bad about a teacher. Nor does she think badly about people in general."
Harry nodded, sighing internally. She was definitely the type who liked everyone and was generally affectionate. While that probably meant all those times he had seen her hug Li it was probably a friendly thing, it also meant that those times she had given him that breathtaking smile of hers, it was for the same reason. "So, Li, the question of the week seems to be how you can do all your homework, be so good at magic and still have time to take notes. How do you do it? Seriously, this is the year for O.W.L.s and you seem as if it were first year."
Li shrugged. "I'm used to having nothing to do but work. Once that sort of thing is engrained in you I guess it never stops. Besides, transferring into a new school is no excuse to let my grades slip in my mother's eyes."
"Tough on you?" Harry asked. He really couldn't imagine someone having it harder than he did. Well perhaps Neville had his troubles since his own parents didn't recognize him. But getting yelled at a little for having bad grades didn't seem like much.
Li paused in his writing, drawing Harry's attention further. "Last time I had middle range marks I had to train with the Elders for two months instead of with Wei. I'm still surprised I lived through that." After a moment he went back to writing again.
'Live through?' Harry thought. Li was probably exaggerating but still, the tone of voice he had used seemed serious. Without further conversation, Harry began to work on his homework. Still, in the back of Harry's head, he wondered just what this boy had been through to make him so serious. Something told Harry he wasn't sure he really wanted to know.
"It will be weird flying on something again. I think Fly spoiled me, Syaoran," Sakura giggled as she and Syaoran made their way to the Qudditch Pitch where tryouts were being held.
"You are still going to out fly everyone else. Stop being so nervous," he replied, nudging towards where she could sit down and watch the rest as they went through the motions. Sakura was looking around, wide eyed, at everything around her and missed Harry coming up to her until he was standing only a foot away.
"Sakura, sign up over there where Ron is. The git didn't even tell me he was trying out," Harry muttered, pointing in the direction of where the signup sheet was.
"Ron's trying out for Keeper?" she asked.
"Yeah, but don't worry. If you manage to make the team he won't hold it against you." Harry smiled at her reassuringly before waving and heading back towards where the rest of the team waited.
Sakura watched him leave and looked over at Ron again. "I'm going to wait to sign up, Syaoran. I want to make sure I can do this beforehand."
Syaoran looked at her for a moment before shrugging. "Your choice. Why don't we go sit over there?" he said, motioning to where Madame Hooch was sitting, carefully watching over the students.
Sakura nodded and followed him up the steps. When they reached the seats, the teacher looked over at them. "Aren't you two of the transfer students?" she asked. When they nodded she did as well. "Yes, Dumbledore wanted me to give you a brief lesson along with the other two, make sure you knew your bearings. I've already had a session with Miss Daidouji and Miss Li. Are you two planning to try out today?"
"No, ma'am," Sakura instantly replied. Syaoran looked at her a little funny but didn't object, much to her relief.
"Well then," Madame Hooch said with a small smile. "After they find their Keeper why don't we go through that session? Dumbledore gave me the impression that you already knew how to fly, just needed a refresher course, so I'm sure it won't take that long."
"Thank you, Madame Hooch. That would be very nice," Sakura said, smiling in her trademark fashion. Then she turned to watch the tryouts without looking around her again. She was fascinated truly at how quickly they were all moving and reacted with each other. Sakura easily recognized the different positions that Harry and Ron had described to her a few nights before. She also recognized the different balls, excepting for the Golden Snitch which she understood they hadn't been using yet.
Tryouts lasted well into the evening, ending finally with a meeting between players. At this time Madame Hooch signaled that they should return to the ground so they could start class as soon as everyone left the field. Sakura and Syaoran followed behind, more slowly since Syaoran tugged on her robes to indicate he wanted her to slow down.
"Why didn't you try out, Sakura? I thought you really wanted to," Syaoran asked with obvious confusion.
"You'll see," she answered with a smile. Skipping the rest of the way down the stairs she was almost immediately tackled in an enormous hug from Fred and George.
"Ickle Ron made the team!" Fred exclaimed.
"Heard you were going to try out though, Sakura. What gives?" George asked.
She laughed when they finally let go of her. "Didn't think I'd be good enough," she smiled.
"Too bad. It'd be nice to have another pretty girl on the team. Though don't let Angelina hear I said that," Fred whispered, glancing warily towards the captain.
"Suppose we should get stuff for a celebration feast later, wouldn't you say, Fred?"
"Right-o, George."
The two left only moments before Ron and Harry came up to them. Ron was on Cloud Nine and was talking extremely fast about how excited he was and that he wasn't going to let the team down. Harry rolled his eyes at Sakura and Syaoran before interrupting his babbling.
"Decide not to tryout after all, Sakura?"
She shook her head. "No, but maybe next year. I didn't think I'd be able to do it this year, you know not with being new to the sport and all."
Ron grinned at her. "Good thing too. Knowing my luck you would have made it and I'd have been left out while Fred and George took the mickey out of me for the rest of the year."
Sakura was about to reply when Madame Hooch approached them again. "Ready for your lesson, Kinomoto, Li?" They both nodded and the teacher turned to Ron. "Weasley, would you mind lending them your broom for a few minutes? I understand that they know how to fly a little already so I'm sure no harm will come to it."
"Oh, sure," he replied, happy to have a broom to be borrowed. "Li's helped me out enough already, glad to return the favour."
Syaoran nodded his head in thanks as he took the broom from Ron. Quickly he turned to follow Madame Hooch onto the pitch. Sakura yelled, "Ganbatte, Syaoran-kun!" then proceeded to chew on her lip. He had never flown without her before and she was a little worried.
"What's that mean?" Ron asked.
"Oh, it's sort of like good luck," she replied, turning to smile at him briefly.
"I don't think Li needs luck. Look at him, so proud! He doesn't look nervous at all," Ron observed.
"That's just how he is. I don't think if you held him over a precipice he'd look nervous." As she spoke, Syaoran took flight and Sakura let out a breath of relief. He wasn't amazing but he was still pretty good. He went around the pitch a few times before returning to where Madame Hooch was standing.
"He's pretty good," Harry said, unable to hide how impressed he was. "Has he flown much before?"
"Never by himself," Sakura replied without thinking causing the other two to look at each other in confusion. A few minutes later, Syaoran came up to her and smiled a little.
"Go shock her socks off, Sakura," he muttered and winked at her.
She laughed before running off to where the teacher was waiting. Madame Hooch instructed her to fly around for a minute or two and then come back to her. If there was anything wrong with her technique she'd be informed and Sakura could try again with it fixed.
Mounting the broom, Sakura giggled a little as she took off into the sky. It had been so long since she had flown, a couple months at least, and it felt wonderful. Without thinking, she performed a few tricks, zigzagging between the goal posts, doing a quick flip, before she realized that she was taking too long. Quickly she hurried back to the teacher.
Harry watched in awe as the green eyed slip of a girl flew as if she had been doing it her whole life. At the end she made a sixty foot dive before landing flawlessly beside an amazed looking Madame Hooch. If she had tried out earlier, Sakura would definitely have made the team. Even more, people had called Harry a natural but he wasn't sure that even he could do some of the things he had seen her do.
"I didn't know my broom could do that. Sure you didn't give her yours, Harry?" Ron breathed.
Harry nodded silently, before glancing at Li. There was no surprise on the Chinese boy's face. Instead he was just smiling with amused pride at how well his friend flew. "She always been that good, Li?"
The other boy shrugged. "As long as I have known her, she has. But she'd already been flying by then. You'd have to ask Daidouji, she has the first time Sakura ever flew on video."
Harry nodded, turning back to the subject under discussion as she skipped back to them, carefully holding Ron's Cleansweep Eleven. When she finally reached them, Sakura handed it back to Ron with a gracious thank you, causing the red-haired boy to blush furiously.
"It's been so long since I've flown! That felt wonderful!" she exclaimed with childish glee.
"How long have you been flying?" Harry asked, curious to see if she had, like most wizards he knew, been flying since birth practically.
"Oh, I first flew when I was ten. After that it seems like I was always flying," she giggled, glancing at Li with a significant look. Harry realized then that there was something unusual to how she learned to fly, but didn't press the matter.
"Come on, Ron," he said, changing subjects. "I think Fred and George are preparing a celebration that we should get to."
"I just hope they don't pass out any of those things they've created. I'm going to end up like Neville." Night had fallen as they crossed the grounds to get back to the entrance. When they were in sight of the doors, they stopped to watch a group of people walk up the steps. One figure stood out among the rest, a shorter figure walking a little in front of the rest.
When Harry saw them, he felt a horrible pain from his scar and in his stomach. Wincing, he grabbed his forehead and waited until it subsided. When they passed into the hall, the pain slowly faded away and he finally heard Ron talking to him.
"Harry, what's wrong mate?"
"You okay, Potter?" Li asked, a little bit of worry in his voice, surprising Harry a little.
"Nothing out of the usual," Harry muttered before continuing to walk.
"Your scar is hurting again? Shouldn't we tell Dumbledore then Harry?"
"No. It's been happening a lot lately. I'm sure it's something he already expected. We don't need to bother him." Harry really just didn't want to talk to him, sure that it would be brushed aside.
"What is the matter with his scar hurting?" he heard Sakura ask a little bewilderedly.
"That means-"Ron started before Harry interrupted.
"There isn't a big deal. It just happens sometimes so don't worry," he smiled at her. The last thing in the world he wanted was to appear weak in front of this beautiful and amazing girl. "Come on, we're late."
(A/N: I hope to be updating again soon. There is only one more chapter prewritten left, I think. After that the updates will be MUCH farther apart due to length of chapters and lack of free time. Also I hope to finish DotS, SotM before I work on this more seriously. SO yeah...REVIEW! Ja)
Reviews: Hikari Mizu: That's kinda freaky. Though I suppose there are worse things. Tell me if that happens again! Maybe you'll help with writers block tee hee. Umm, Kero WILL show up, I just don't know how much of him there will be. I am a Kero fan as well, but I don't think I write him very well and would prefer to neglect him than take away from his goodness. Also it will not be until later on. YAY for liking the Card reading. I put a lot of work into it. I thought I should also note, if I didn't already, that all meanings of the Cards in a fortune telling manner are guessed or reasoned out if not already stated in Manga/Anime. I'm glad people like the Syaoran/Harry interaction as it will be a main theme through the story. Lastly, questions I was hoping people would ask (Thank you Anais!) The Dream Card: while in the series Dream Card was used exclusively to see what would happen in the future, they never say that it can't be used to state the past. It was just described as giving true dreams. I figured you could dream the past as well as the future. The thestrals: While I wanted her to see them because it would create an immediate bond between her and Harry, there is reasoning behind her being able to see thestrals. First, while they always come back, Sakura has more than once seen the disappearance of her loved ones and those around her ie. Erase, Void etc. Also, in the manga series she actually watches the death of Clow Reed in a dream that Eriol gives her. That is why she can witness them. And it was never said whether or not she saw her mother die but it is assumed she did not.
Anyway, continue asking questions. There are some parts I write just to see if someone will notice ( I did that a lot in Daughter of the Stars etc.) and when I see that someone notices and asks it makes me all happy. Also when people ask me questions it helps me write better.
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or CCS. Well actually I DO own all the Harry Potter books and movies and all the CCS Manga/Movies/Show....but I don't think that's what they mean.
Keeper Tryouts
As the Gryffindors were let out of Charms, Harry couldn't help but sigh in aggravation. Professor Flitwick had assigned more homework than ever before after spending an hour reviewing summoning charms and giving a long lecture about the importance of doing well on one's O.W.Ls. Really Harry should have been expecting it from the way the day had started, rain pouring over the castle with dark clouds blackening out the sky. The world felt dreary and Hogwarts' professors were striving to match up.
As he sat in Transfiguration, listening to Professor McGonagall give much the same lecture he wondered how he was ever going to get all the homework done. Perhaps he should buddy up with Li since Hermione still wasn't speaking to Ron and had put a stop in general on letting them copy her work. As his thoughts meandered to the boy sitting in front of him he realized something that he hadn't before. They had been reviewing summoning spells so it wasn't odd that most people got it on the first try. But Li wasn't here last year. How come he managed it so easily too?
With a mental shrug Harry figured that Li and the others must have gotten a list of things they needed to review before coming to Hogwarts so they could be promoted as they had been. With a sigh, he finally returned his attention to the professor who was discussing their current assignment. She told them that Vanishing spells would be among one of the most difficult spells on their O.W.L. before explaining the technique and letting the class start.
Harry had to agree with her on the difficulty when on his third attempt he still got nothing aside of a slight headache. Looking around he realized that most people weren't doing much better except Hermione who managed on her third try to completely vanish her snail. Next to her, though, Li was sitting without moving, staring at his snail for a minute.
"10 points to Gryffindor, Miss Granger for your efforts. Mr. Li is there some reason why you are staring at your snail instead of doing what I instructed you. You will never get it right if you don't at least try." She sat there and watched him expectantly, finally forcing the Chinese boy into action.
Li picked up his wand and pointed at the snail. After taking a deep breath he gave his first attempt and successfully made the snail disappear completely. Everyone in the room had been watching and gasped when they saw him complete the difficult spell in only one try.
"Very impressive, Mr. Li. Fifteen points to Gryffindor. It would have been twenty but you decided to wander into your own world before doing what you were told."
Li nodded, without saying anything. Harry couldn't help but be amazed and more than a little envious. Sure, Hermione doing something quickly was expected, she was the head of the class and probably more than one class at that. But Li was an unknown. Harry watched the boy for the rest of the class, giving up hope on trying to vanish his snail from his growing headache. And Li just sat there, looking into the Transfiguration book and taking notes on different things, occasionally replying to Hermione's questions in an undertone.
When class was dismissed he fled, obviously not wanting further attention from the class. Hermione, Ron and Harry looked at each other as they packed up their belongings and unanimously heading towards the library instead of the Great Hall. "I'm quite sure he is going to take my place as number one in the class. I don't think I mind so much since he is so capable," Hermione said, speaking to Ron for the first time all day.
"There is something not quite right about him getting everything so easily though," Harry muttered. In his own way he was more irritated by the obvious comparisons that kept being made between the two. Harry was once the brilliant one that everyone admired then he became the insane fame seeker. And to replace him, came this good looking prince of Asia who beat out everyone quickly and was good friends with three beautiful girls.
"I know what you mean. But I think I know where we can start looking for information. I'm sure there I something in the library that will answer some questions. Why don't we just start at what we know so far?"
Harry and Ron nodded, putting their bags down on a table before the three of them set out looking for books with helpful information. Ron found a book named, "Famous Wizards throughout Asia since 400bc" and began looking through that while Harry leafed through a book about magical playing cards. Hermione spent most of her time wandering through the shelves, hopeful to stumble across something that sparked her more than adequate woman's intuition. Nothing came though through the lunch hour and they left for Care of Magical Creatures as clueless as they had entered.
As Harry and his companions made their way to Herbology they passed the fourth years leaving. Ginny waved and said "hi" brightly before passing them up. She was quickly followed by Sakura and Tomoyo, deep in conversation in their native language, before they realized the others were there and stopped to say hi. Before either party could exchange words though, Luna Lovegood marched up to Harry and took a deep breath.
"I believe He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is back, and I believe you fought him and escaped from him," she quickly said without even bothering to lead up to it. Harry desperately tried to come of with some response as he heard Lavender and Parvati begin to giggle. Again, before he could speak though he was interrupted.
"Oh, so do we," Tomoyo said with Sakura nodding in agreement as she looked back and forth between Luna and Harry. Harry looked at the raven haired girl with genuine gratitude. While he was grateful for anyone's support, especially so openly said, Luna wasn't exactly taken seriously in this school, especially judging from the way she dressed.
But when Tomoyo had made her simple statement his fellow fifth years had stop giggling and looked at the three girls seriously. Tomoyo's obvious intelligence and Sakura's innocence both caught attention and gave believability to the situation. "Thanks, all of you," Harry finally stuttered. "I'm glad someone believes me."
"They aren't the only ones," someone said stepping from the back of the crowd. Harry turned to see Ernie Macmillan. "I want you to know that I don't think you are crazy and that my family has always stood behind Dumbledore." His voice was loud enough that everyone could here and Harry felt a little surprised but pleased.
"You should get to class, everyone," Sakura finally said, breaking the silence that followed this statement. Waving goodbye, she and Tomoyo started down the path until they fell even with Syaoran where Sakura paused long enough to glare at him. "And I'm still mad at you, Li Syaoran!" With a sniff she turned away and marched from the group with her best friend giggling madly at her side.
"What did you do to her?" Dean Thomas asked the blushing boy.
"I didn't warn her that Professor Binns was a ghost," he muttered in reply, realizing that he was going to have to apologize again. "She's terrified of them. Nearly didn't enter the class room at all until Weasley's sister dragged her."
Dean pat him on the back with a grin. "I suggest that if you are going to keep secrets like that, at least be there to take pictures of it when it happens."
Li turned and smirked at the other boy before nodding. "I think I heard her screams from Charms," he laughed before going into the greenhouse. Harry wondered again just what kind of relationship the two had. Li obviously didn't really mind teasing her or insulting her, something common to friendships. But he did mind when she was mad at him, even in a small way. However, those thoughts were wiped away when Professor Sprout started the class on a familiar theme: O.W.L.s.
"Look, I'm sorry Sakura. But hey, maybe this way you'll be able to get over your fear of ghosts. There are so many here I'm surprised Professor Binns is the first one you've run into."
"Oh, that's because the only ghosts she'd really run into are the ones who have learned to tell which students would be afraid of them. They are usually nice enough to avoid them," Hermione said, glancing up from her Herbology essay.
"Still, you could have warned me, Syaoran," Sakura sighed, finally giving in. "But fine, I forgive you. But only if you help me with my Potions homework."
"Done, you slacker." They both set to work, Sakura writing most of it while Syaoran pointed out things here and there. It was almost finished when everyone was startled from their work by a loud voice.
"Oy, Potter," Angelina Johnson yelled as she approached the busy group. "Keeper tryouts are on Friday. I want you to be there so we can see how the group works together. Understood?"
Harry nodded curtly. "As long as you don't go as insane as Wood I'm fine, Angelina."
The older girl grinned, "I think I'm beginning to understand what made him so loopy. Just be there."
They all watched her leave before returning to their assignments. About five minutes passed before Sakura finally looked up and asked, "What's a keeper?"
Harry and Ron looked up at her in amazement while Hermione groaned and sunk lower into her seat. "You mean you don't know about qudditch?" Ron gasped.
Sakura exchanged looks with Syaoran before shaking her head. "No, we came from muggle schools remember?"
"Qudditch is the best of all things," Ron started. They spent the next thirty minutes explaining the various aspects of the games to the two transfer students. Often they would go off on side tangents about he different games they had played and Ron would quip about how awesome Harry was. Harry kept rolling his eyes but was obviously pleased with the praise. Sakura accurately guessed that it was most likely his favourite aspect of Hogwarts.
"It's too bad you don't fly yet," Harry sighed. "I'm sure both of you would enjoy the game."
Sakura blinked. "I fly all the time," she said before quickly stopping and biting her lip.
"Really? That's great," Ron smiled. "Why don't you try out then? I'm sure that if you waited to try out until last you could catch on to what it takes to be keeper pretty quickly. What do you say?"
Syaoran shrugged. "She's the flyer around here. I'm just usually on for the ride." He smiled as he remembered watching her soar through the sky, even before she grew wings to do so.
"I'm probably not good enough to do it," Sakura said with a blush. "I usually only fly when I have to."
Syaoran rolled his eyes. "Don't listen to her, Potter, Weasley. She's a natural. She'll try out."
Harry grinned at her encouragingly. Sakura smiled back, determination to make the team building. If she and Harry were together during practice and games it would be a good way to become better friends. And she saw that he really did need friends that didn't remind him of what he had experienced before.
"Now that you are done with that, why don't you get back to work on your homework, Ron, Harry, before you find yourself in deep trouble. And I'm not going to let you copy from me this time so don't even ask."
Ron flashed a grin as Harry held up another one of Li's scrolls. "No, thanks Hermione. We got ourselves someone else to help us who is less stingy."
Hermione frowned and looked at the scroll then at the two boys who were grinning at her with mischief. "Who?" Instantly they both pointed to Syaoran who shrugged his shoulders. "Why are you encouraging them, Li? They will never learn anything if they don't do work on their own."
"Hey, leave Li alone," Ron objected. "He just gave us his notes. It reads easier than these stupid books." Turning to Syaoran he grinned. "You should go into writing text books, mate. You'd make millions."
Sakura giggled. "I can just see that. I'm sure the Elders would love it."
Syaoran sighed. "I'd be dead before I could get past, 'I'm going to.'" He pulled out another scroll and began to write a letter, signaling the end of the conversation from his part. Sakura sighed, angry at herself for upsetting him. As everyone else continued to do their homework she reluctantly pulled out her History of Magic homework and settled in to write.
"Now, watch out for Professor Snape, Sakura," Ginny warned her new friend again. "He really doesn't like Gryffindors and he acts really biased. He won't hesitate to be mean to you or to take away points if you mess up at all."
Sakura nodded, taking all of this in as they headed towards the dungeons. She wasn't too sure that she completely believed her friend. No one could really be that bad and be a teacher could they? Following her friend she took a seat beside Ginny and glanced around nervously at the Slytherins, who were all staring at her with a sick sort of smile that made her nervous.
Professor Snape entered the room with a loud noise and looked around until he found Sakura. With quick purpose he strode to her and stopped in front of her desk. The Slytherins began to chuckle in anticipation and the Gryffindors looked at her sympathetically. Sakura on the other hand, looked up at the professor she recognized from Dumbledore's office and smiled at him.
With a reputation that far proceeded him, Snape was not used to having any of his students look at him with such welcome and ease. To see this slight girl look at him so almost made him frown in confusion but he recovered quickly. "Perhaps, Kinomoto, you feel that you are special since you have been promoted up so far without any effort. Perhaps you feel that you should go through life easily. Is that why you smile at me like that, Kinomoto?"
The green eyed girl shook her head and continued to smile. "I am nothing special at all, professor. And nothing should be gotten without work. If you don't work for it, if you don't earn it, you shouldn't have it." Really Sakura was just reciting what her teachers had often said to her and what her own life had proved to her since she learned of her magic. However, to the room of anxious students it was awing to see her talk back to Snape in a way that made her seem she agreed with him.
He narrowed his eyes at her before turning around and heading to the front of the class. "Very well. I shall assume, Miss Kinomoto that you will complete today's assignment without a single mistake. If you do not, I will be sure to take away five points from Gryffindor." With a flick of his wands instructions appeared on the blackboard. "The instructions are here, you may begin."
"Hoee," Sakura whimpered, looking at Ginny. The red haired girl smiled sympathetically at her new friend with a tint of respect covering her eyes. The class passed quietly and Sakura gave silent thanks to her home-economics teacher. Cooking and potion brewing seem to follow similar lines as to how much skill and patience you had. Near the end of class, Sakura was startled when she heard Snape speak.
"If you have managed to hold of incompetence for the duration of this class you should be seeing a fine mist rise above your cauldrons now." Sakura sighed in relief when she saw that was exactly what was happening. Grinning she took a sample and labeled it carefully before handing it in to Snape. She smiled at him again before returning to her work space to clean up.
"Kinomoto, do you always grin so idiotically at everyone?" Snape sighed at her as she began to leave.
Sakura turned to look back at the tired, cold looking man. "People ask me that a lot, and Syaoran makes fun of me for it too. But yes, I always smile at people. There is no one who has wronged me enough not to deserve a smile. And perhaps if I smile at them they will feel as good as I do when someone smiles at me." With a small bow, she turned to leave the room.
Snape pondered the girl's words for a few minutes. She was totally innocent and untouched by the world despite everything that she had seen and done. He wondered if she would be able to remain so once she had been dragged fully into the harsh world that the rise of the Dark Lord had brought. As he thought, Snape felt more tired and world weary than he had in a long time and couldn't explain why.
Yawning, Sakura couldn't help but wish she had gotten more sleep the night before. Instead she had waited until Syaoran, returned from Astronomy to ask him to read over her homework. While she was glad he approved, he got to sleep late if he wanted to since his first class was after morning break. Trying to wake up she strained to listen to Professor McGonagall, who was explaining about the spell she wanted them to perform. When the professor was done, Sakura couldn't help but sigh.
Staring at her hedgehog that she was supposed to be turning into a pincushion, Sakura wished she could be anywhere but where she was. Glancing around, she watched as everyone tried to perform the spell and failed. Ginny, sitting beside her, was the only one who seemed to be making progress. With a faint giggle, Sakura put that down to hanging out with Hermione so much.
"Miss Kinomoto is there some reason you are gazing off into space?" Professor McGonagall asked sharply, distracting Sakura from her thoughts at last.
"Um, I just don't think that this spell is right, ma'am."
"Good heavens, why not?" the professor asked stunned that she was arguing about something that everyone considered almost common place.
"I was always taught that we shouldn't tamper with the flow of life energy. A hedgehog has more life to it than a pincushion, professor. Wouldn't that be causing it a lot of pain and scare it?"
McGonagall stared down into the questioning jade eyes and felt a little remorse. "I assure you Miss Kinomoto that when it is reverted back to a hedgehog it remembers no pain, if it ever feels it. Now, will you please try the spell? Your three friends managed to impress me, let's see you do the same."
Sakura nodded with a smile and quickly, effortlessly, turned the unsuspecting hedgehog into a beautiful pincushion. The rest of the class, who had been paying attention to the quiet conversation gasped. Ginny couldn't help but stare at her new friend in awe. Hermione and Harry had told her yesterday about how easily Li had performed the vanishing spell and now she almost wanted to see if Sakura could do the same.
"Very good, Miss Kinomoto, I award Gryffindor twenty points."
Sakura smiled and quickly reversed the spell. The rest of the class she spent playing with the small creature, uncaring of the sharp points which frequently stuck into her hands. When class had ended she gathered her things to head to lunch. As they walked, Ginny asked her, "How do you and your friends do things like that so easily?"
Sakura grinned. "I'll explain as best as I can when we get to lunch. I'm starved!" Ginny nodded and they sat down at the Gryffindor table. The red haired girl suggested that they wait until the others met with them, since undoubtedly Ron and Harry needed to hear. They both made relatively good marks but only after a great deal of practice. A few minutes passed before the four Fifth Years joined them at the table, muttering about Snape in ways that didn't bear repetition.
"Sakura promised to tell me how she and the others manage to use magic so well," Ginny told them excitedly.
"Oh are Meiling and Daidouji having an easy time of it?" Li asked as he began to eat and write at the same time.
"Professor McGonagall told me that she was impressed by them so I'm assuming as much," Sakura replied before turning to face the others. "Now, as you already guessed probably, I already learned how to control some of my magic before I came. When I was learning everyone, including Syaoran- actually mostly Syaoran, told me the most important thing to do is concentrate. I'm assuming it still applies."
"See, I told you, Harry, Ron, all you really needed to do was concentrate. However, I must ask how all of you learned to concentrate so well. You are much better at it than I am."
Sakura shrugged. "I had to learn. But I'm guessing that Syaoran and Meiling learned it from their Martial Arts training. Tomoyo...well Tomoyo is a very single minded kind of person," she said, nervously remembering the many, MANY tapes that Tomoyo had of her in her room.
Hermione and Ginny nodded, not asking further but Ron began to stare at Syaoran with his jaw hanging. "You know Martial Arts? Those things the Asian wizards do sometimes while they do their spells? Really?" Syaoran glared at Sakura for a moment, causing her to cringe a little, before nodding. "Would you teach me?"
Syaoran glared at him and said, "No" very firmly before returning to his Potions work. Sakura rolled her eyes and grinned at Ron, causing the red haired boy to blush a little under the full power of her charm. "He's touchy about it. However, he is very good and I decided to learn because of him."
Syaoran looked up again, staring at Sakura incredulously. "I really can't imagine you being violent without good cause. Actually, I don't even think I can imagine you being violent period. Why on earth did you learn something like that?"
Sakura blushed, carefully avoiding everyone's gazes which were fixed on her. "There were times when it was necessary to fight back and I thought it would be best that I could do it myself the next time something came up."
Syaoran instantly comprehended, remembering the Fight Card and the Twin Card. Nodding, he dropped the subject. "You have Hiiragizawa next don't you?"
She nodded. "You four have already had him, haven't you? Is he a good teacher?" Hermione carefully noted that she sounded more like someone asking about how their friend did rather than if they should be worried. It was true that everyone knew that the two knew each other, but why would she be such good friends with someone so much older?
"He was pretty good. We only had the one class with him though so perhaps we had him on a better day," Harry commented. Sakura sighed in relief. "He has a sense of humour, which is kind of weird at this school. Usually, the professors are so stiff."
"He's just like that," she observed as she finished her lunch. "I need to tell him something so I think I'll head to class early. Bye everyone, see you at dinner!" With a small wave she quickly left, worried about something she had seen the night before while waiting for her friends.
"I'm going to the library," Syaoran added, quickly rising. He didn't feel comfortable with them yet and knew well enough that they probably preferred he wasn't around. With a nod he left and only stopped to talk to Meiling for a moment before disappearing from the room completely.
Harry watched as the two left so quickly. He got the distinct impression that Li didn't like any of them too well but didn't ask anyone if they agreed. Perhaps it was just a mutual thing on his part. "What do you think she needs to tell Professor Hiiragizawa?" he finally asked.
"I don't know, but I'd love to. She seems oddly close to him considering that she's so much younger than he is."
"We're all good friend with Hagrid," Ron observed to Hermione.
"This is different. We're friends with Hagrid from being here at school and, almost, through Harry at first. She knows him from somewhere else."
"Well, then why don't I head to class early myself," Ginny suggested with a grin. "I'm sure that they can't fault me for being early."
"Good idea, Ginny," Harry said with a smile at her. She grinned back at him, and not for the first time did he feel glad that she was acting more normal around him. As he watched her go, his thoughts returned to the jade eyed girl who had left a few minutes before. There was just something about her that he couldn't ignore. With a mental shrug he sighed as Ron and Hermione broke into yet another fight.
"I just think that someone is coming. I only saw that she would disrupt things here at Hogwarts but I don't know how. However, I do think that she will target you and your class a lot. That's why I'm warning you now."
Eriol nodded. "Sometimes I regret asking you for that favour. It certainly helped me prepare for things if it also didn't let me be the happiest of people. Anyway, I'm sure I'll manage. Thank you for the warning."
Sakura smiled. "I think Ginny is coming so I'll go ahead and sit down."
"Are you fitting in well with people here, Sakura?" he asked, concernedly.
"Sometimes I miss Touya and all my friends from school. And I miss the fact that I can't see Tomoyo as often as I used to. But I really like Ginny, Hermione, Ron and Harry. And I get to have Syaoran with me all the time now, which is nice."
"I imagine," he replied, his lips twitching. Sakura stuck her tongue out at him when Ginny came through the classroom door, with a smile. "Good afternoon, Miss Weasley. I hope you are less of a trouble maker than your two elder brothers. I caught them selling some sort of food that turned people into canaries."
Ginny grinned. "Fred and George tried to get me to eat one. However, they learned their lesson I think."
"I'm glad to hear it. I also hear that you are helping my young friend out, leading her through the school. This place is rather hard to manage," he sighed.
"It's fun leading her around. It reminds me of when I didn't know my way around here at all. Besides, she helps me out on my homework so it's even."
Sakura blushed. "I'm not the best at school work so I don't know why you need my help. However, it is fun hanging around you and your friends, Ginny."
"Now, why don't you two girls sit down? Class will begin soon." The girls nodded, continuing to chat about different things until the room filled and Eriol signaled the start of class. "Good afternoon, fourth years. Mr. Creevey, please put the camera away, yes under your desk will do. Now, I was informed that Professor...Moody, taught forth years about curses and things one might expect to see directly sent at you if ever you are in a sticky situation. Since no one objected to last years agenda, I thought I'd teach along similar lines."
The whole class began to whisper excitedly at getting to have the cool lessons that they had heard about the year before. "Now shall we begin?"
Harry spent most of the day with Hermione and Ron in the library attempting to find out their new friends' secrets. There had been clues laid here and there but nothing much to give them any sufficient leads. All and all it was beginning to irritate Harry immensely. He had a feeling that the teachers knew everything they were trying to find, most likely the whole Order did. More people were keeping secrets from him and it was ridiculous. Hadn't he done enough to gain people's trust? Hadn't he experienced enough that they could make him count for an adult in these stupid meetings of theirs?
When lunch came and went without any more knowledge gained, Harry left the researching to Ron and Hermione, who were beginning to bicker, straining his last nerve. Leaving the library, he strolled out into the courtyard where he immediately laid eyes on Li, studiously working over a book. After watching for a few minutes, Harry saw that he was taking notes rather than doing homework. Even though those notes had helped Ron and him out numerous times, he still felt a little bitter that the Chinese boy could manage to get so much done so quickly when Harry was barely managing to hang on.
"Are you just going to stand there and watch me for a few hours, Potter, or did you have something in mind?" Li asked, not bothering to look up.
For a moment, Harry wondered how the other boy even knew he was there, but then he remembered that Li often seemed to know when people were coming, even from a long way away. Shrugging, Harry walked out into the courtyard. "What are you taking notes on?"
"Arithmancy," Li replied, still keeping his eyes trained to the books.
"Hermione seems to love that class. Is it fun?"
Li shrugged. "If you like math and numbers. Sakura and Meiling would probably hate it. I think Daidouji is taking it too. She's better at descriptions, so you might ask her instead."
It was the first time Li had ever offered more information than was needed to Harry. He usually stayed close to silent whenever Sakura wasn't around. There had never been much time when Harry saw Li interacting with any of the other transfer students so he couldn't see if that was just the way he was.
"It's probably better than Divination," Harry sighed, sitting beside the other boy and pulling out his Divination homework. Since the incident with Sakura's weird cards, Trelawney had moved onto dream interpretation, something Harry found himself dreading.
"It takes a lot of magic to be able to predict the future so I can't imagine the class would do much good. Specially since Meiling told me the rumour is that the teacher is a quack."
"What did Sakura say about it?" Harry asked, despite himself.
Li finally glanced up at Harry with an unreadable look. Harry felt distinctly uncomfortable but tried not to show it. Finally, Li looked back down at his work and replied, "Sakura is not the type to talk bad about a teacher. Nor does she think badly about people in general."
Harry nodded, sighing internally. She was definitely the type who liked everyone and was generally affectionate. While that probably meant all those times he had seen her hug Li it was probably a friendly thing, it also meant that those times she had given him that breathtaking smile of hers, it was for the same reason. "So, Li, the question of the week seems to be how you can do all your homework, be so good at magic and still have time to take notes. How do you do it? Seriously, this is the year for O.W.L.s and you seem as if it were first year."
Li shrugged. "I'm used to having nothing to do but work. Once that sort of thing is engrained in you I guess it never stops. Besides, transferring into a new school is no excuse to let my grades slip in my mother's eyes."
"Tough on you?" Harry asked. He really couldn't imagine someone having it harder than he did. Well perhaps Neville had his troubles since his own parents didn't recognize him. But getting yelled at a little for having bad grades didn't seem like much.
Li paused in his writing, drawing Harry's attention further. "Last time I had middle range marks I had to train with the Elders for two months instead of with Wei. I'm still surprised I lived through that." After a moment he went back to writing again.
'Live through?' Harry thought. Li was probably exaggerating but still, the tone of voice he had used seemed serious. Without further conversation, Harry began to work on his homework. Still, in the back of Harry's head, he wondered just what this boy had been through to make him so serious. Something told Harry he wasn't sure he really wanted to know.
"It will be weird flying on something again. I think Fly spoiled me, Syaoran," Sakura giggled as she and Syaoran made their way to the Qudditch Pitch where tryouts were being held.
"You are still going to out fly everyone else. Stop being so nervous," he replied, nudging towards where she could sit down and watch the rest as they went through the motions. Sakura was looking around, wide eyed, at everything around her and missed Harry coming up to her until he was standing only a foot away.
"Sakura, sign up over there where Ron is. The git didn't even tell me he was trying out," Harry muttered, pointing in the direction of where the signup sheet was.
"Ron's trying out for Keeper?" she asked.
"Yeah, but don't worry. If you manage to make the team he won't hold it against you." Harry smiled at her reassuringly before waving and heading back towards where the rest of the team waited.
Sakura watched him leave and looked over at Ron again. "I'm going to wait to sign up, Syaoran. I want to make sure I can do this beforehand."
Syaoran looked at her for a moment before shrugging. "Your choice. Why don't we go sit over there?" he said, motioning to where Madame Hooch was sitting, carefully watching over the students.
Sakura nodded and followed him up the steps. When they reached the seats, the teacher looked over at them. "Aren't you two of the transfer students?" she asked. When they nodded she did as well. "Yes, Dumbledore wanted me to give you a brief lesson along with the other two, make sure you knew your bearings. I've already had a session with Miss Daidouji and Miss Li. Are you two planning to try out today?"
"No, ma'am," Sakura instantly replied. Syaoran looked at her a little funny but didn't object, much to her relief.
"Well then," Madame Hooch said with a small smile. "After they find their Keeper why don't we go through that session? Dumbledore gave me the impression that you already knew how to fly, just needed a refresher course, so I'm sure it won't take that long."
"Thank you, Madame Hooch. That would be very nice," Sakura said, smiling in her trademark fashion. Then she turned to watch the tryouts without looking around her again. She was fascinated truly at how quickly they were all moving and reacted with each other. Sakura easily recognized the different positions that Harry and Ron had described to her a few nights before. She also recognized the different balls, excepting for the Golden Snitch which she understood they hadn't been using yet.
Tryouts lasted well into the evening, ending finally with a meeting between players. At this time Madame Hooch signaled that they should return to the ground so they could start class as soon as everyone left the field. Sakura and Syaoran followed behind, more slowly since Syaoran tugged on her robes to indicate he wanted her to slow down.
"Why didn't you try out, Sakura? I thought you really wanted to," Syaoran asked with obvious confusion.
"You'll see," she answered with a smile. Skipping the rest of the way down the stairs she was almost immediately tackled in an enormous hug from Fred and George.
"Ickle Ron made the team!" Fred exclaimed.
"Heard you were going to try out though, Sakura. What gives?" George asked.
She laughed when they finally let go of her. "Didn't think I'd be good enough," she smiled.
"Too bad. It'd be nice to have another pretty girl on the team. Though don't let Angelina hear I said that," Fred whispered, glancing warily towards the captain.
"Suppose we should get stuff for a celebration feast later, wouldn't you say, Fred?"
"Right-o, George."
The two left only moments before Ron and Harry came up to them. Ron was on Cloud Nine and was talking extremely fast about how excited he was and that he wasn't going to let the team down. Harry rolled his eyes at Sakura and Syaoran before interrupting his babbling.
"Decide not to tryout after all, Sakura?"
She shook her head. "No, but maybe next year. I didn't think I'd be able to do it this year, you know not with being new to the sport and all."
Ron grinned at her. "Good thing too. Knowing my luck you would have made it and I'd have been left out while Fred and George took the mickey out of me for the rest of the year."
Sakura was about to reply when Madame Hooch approached them again. "Ready for your lesson, Kinomoto, Li?" They both nodded and the teacher turned to Ron. "Weasley, would you mind lending them your broom for a few minutes? I understand that they know how to fly a little already so I'm sure no harm will come to it."
"Oh, sure," he replied, happy to have a broom to be borrowed. "Li's helped me out enough already, glad to return the favour."
Syaoran nodded his head in thanks as he took the broom from Ron. Quickly he turned to follow Madame Hooch onto the pitch. Sakura yelled, "Ganbatte, Syaoran-kun!" then proceeded to chew on her lip. He had never flown without her before and she was a little worried.
"What's that mean?" Ron asked.
"Oh, it's sort of like good luck," she replied, turning to smile at him briefly.
"I don't think Li needs luck. Look at him, so proud! He doesn't look nervous at all," Ron observed.
"That's just how he is. I don't think if you held him over a precipice he'd look nervous." As she spoke, Syaoran took flight and Sakura let out a breath of relief. He wasn't amazing but he was still pretty good. He went around the pitch a few times before returning to where Madame Hooch was standing.
"He's pretty good," Harry said, unable to hide how impressed he was. "Has he flown much before?"
"Never by himself," Sakura replied without thinking causing the other two to look at each other in confusion. A few minutes later, Syaoran came up to her and smiled a little.
"Go shock her socks off, Sakura," he muttered and winked at her.
She laughed before running off to where the teacher was waiting. Madame Hooch instructed her to fly around for a minute or two and then come back to her. If there was anything wrong with her technique she'd be informed and Sakura could try again with it fixed.
Mounting the broom, Sakura giggled a little as she took off into the sky. It had been so long since she had flown, a couple months at least, and it felt wonderful. Without thinking, she performed a few tricks, zigzagging between the goal posts, doing a quick flip, before she realized that she was taking too long. Quickly she hurried back to the teacher.
Harry watched in awe as the green eyed slip of a girl flew as if she had been doing it her whole life. At the end she made a sixty foot dive before landing flawlessly beside an amazed looking Madame Hooch. If she had tried out earlier, Sakura would definitely have made the team. Even more, people had called Harry a natural but he wasn't sure that even he could do some of the things he had seen her do.
"I didn't know my broom could do that. Sure you didn't give her yours, Harry?" Ron breathed.
Harry nodded silently, before glancing at Li. There was no surprise on the Chinese boy's face. Instead he was just smiling with amused pride at how well his friend flew. "She always been that good, Li?"
The other boy shrugged. "As long as I have known her, she has. But she'd already been flying by then. You'd have to ask Daidouji, she has the first time Sakura ever flew on video."
Harry nodded, turning back to the subject under discussion as she skipped back to them, carefully holding Ron's Cleansweep Eleven. When she finally reached them, Sakura handed it back to Ron with a gracious thank you, causing the red-haired boy to blush furiously.
"It's been so long since I've flown! That felt wonderful!" she exclaimed with childish glee.
"How long have you been flying?" Harry asked, curious to see if she had, like most wizards he knew, been flying since birth practically.
"Oh, I first flew when I was ten. After that it seems like I was always flying," she giggled, glancing at Li with a significant look. Harry realized then that there was something unusual to how she learned to fly, but didn't press the matter.
"Come on, Ron," he said, changing subjects. "I think Fred and George are preparing a celebration that we should get to."
"I just hope they don't pass out any of those things they've created. I'm going to end up like Neville." Night had fallen as they crossed the grounds to get back to the entrance. When they were in sight of the doors, they stopped to watch a group of people walk up the steps. One figure stood out among the rest, a shorter figure walking a little in front of the rest.
When Harry saw them, he felt a horrible pain from his scar and in his stomach. Wincing, he grabbed his forehead and waited until it subsided. When they passed into the hall, the pain slowly faded away and he finally heard Ron talking to him.
"Harry, what's wrong mate?"
"You okay, Potter?" Li asked, a little bit of worry in his voice, surprising Harry a little.
"Nothing out of the usual," Harry muttered before continuing to walk.
"Your scar is hurting again? Shouldn't we tell Dumbledore then Harry?"
"No. It's been happening a lot lately. I'm sure it's something he already expected. We don't need to bother him." Harry really just didn't want to talk to him, sure that it would be brushed aside.
"What is the matter with his scar hurting?" he heard Sakura ask a little bewilderedly.
"That means-"Ron started before Harry interrupted.
"There isn't a big deal. It just happens sometimes so don't worry," he smiled at her. The last thing in the world he wanted was to appear weak in front of this beautiful and amazing girl. "Come on, we're late."
(A/N: I hope to be updating again soon. There is only one more chapter prewritten left, I think. After that the updates will be MUCH farther apart due to length of chapters and lack of free time. Also I hope to finish DotS, SotM before I work on this more seriously. SO yeah...REVIEW! Ja)