Alchemy: Hey guys! Thanks for reading. You're review really mean a lot. Time to answer them!
smarsala- Hey, glad you like it. I'm working on chapter 3 right now while sun-obsessed is working on chapter 4. We should be updating every week. As for evil cliffhangers, that is something that I cannot avoid. Sorry.
monkey love- Like I said before. I'll try to update every week. We're working on our sections as soon as possible.
artgirl150- I know, I know. I forgot to set my account to let anonymous. It's fixed now. Sorry bout that guys.
Molly lavender- I'm glad you like it. Same thing I said with smarsala and monkey love. I'll try to update every week. We're working on the chapters as fast as we can right now.
nunofyorbiz- This story shall go on longer. I promise. We have a lot of the basic sketch of the story laid out and will be working on it in our free time. We spend a lot of our free time writing because of fans like you guys. You like to read it, so we write it.
Sun-Obsessed- Yes, it did come out well.
Alchemy: Wait a minute! You're a grammar freak!
Sun: You betcha!
Alchemy: Get away from me you grammar-loving person!
Sun: We have to write the story now.
Alchemy: What!
Disclaimer guy: We do not own anything except for Maaya.
"Ow." Syaoran sat up groggily, massaging his shoulder. He tried to shut the pain out by analyzing his surroundings. He was laying, no sitting on a feather bed swathed in white blankets. A curtain was drawn around his bed, but by looking up, he saw that the ceiling was very high and hewn of gray stone. Despite the pain stabbing in his hand, he drew the curtains back from behind him. The sunlight streaming through the window nearly blinded him.
Turning away, he tried to think back. They had caught the culprit in his kidnapping, then left. Then, they had taken Mokona and arrived…
Where was this place anyway?
Apparently this was where they had ended up, but Syaoran didn't remember arriving at this place.
Oh! That was right. They had fallen on ice, and then, everything had gone black on him.
'So, I guess I fainted along with the others, and was brought here,' he thought.
His thought drifted back to his last thought.
'Others…fainted…'
"Sakura!" he cried aloud. He ripped back the curtains but before he could spring out of bed, a hand roughly pushed him back.
"STAY IN BED!" A plump, stern woman dressed in robes of black obscured Syaoran's vision.
"But-" he sputtered.
"But nothing!" the woman exclaimed holding a bottle in her hand. "You are sustaining a serious injury, you aren't well, and you need all the rest you can get."
Syaoran slumped back into his bed. The woman watched him carefully. "Very well then," she sighed. "I'll heal your shoulder fully, but you must NOT leave this room!" she said, a scolding tone etched in her voice.
Syaoran nodded, feeling slightly better. The woman put down the bottled liquid and bustled around the room, grabbing different things here and there.
"Um, I don't mean to sound rude, but where am I?" he asked. The woman paused mid-stride, another bottle in hand, and drew herself up proudly.
"You are currently sitting in one of the beds in the Hospital Wing of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the greatest magical school in all of Europe," she said majestically. She seemed to be expecting some sort of response from him.
"C-come again?"
The lay visibly drooped like a deflating balloon. "You mean you've never heard of this school before?" she insisted.
"Well, no," Syaoran said weakly. "I-I don't come from around here," he explained.
"Oh, well, that's why,"" she said. "You don't know, that is," she added. "As you can already tell, this is a school for magic-"
"What kind of magic is taught here?" Syaoran interrupted.
"Spells, charms, potions, wands, and spell books just list a few," she said trailing off.
"Wands?" Syaoran asked politely, yet at the same time confused.
"Yes, yes," the woman said as she pulled out a long, thin stick of wood. "They are like this one. You can do spells, curses, and other things like that with this wand."
"Spells?" Syaoran asked once again. He bowed his head slightly. "Sorry,-"
"Madam Pomphrey," the woman answered with a smile as Syaoran looked up at her. She waved her wand around dismissively. "Hold out your shoulder," she commanded. In a few minutes Madam Pomphrey poured a drop of smoking liquid onto his injured shoulder. Syaoran bit his lip and waited for the sting to go away. She then tapped the bruise that had formed with her wand and miraculously, it healed.
"That was a type of healing charm I used, and the blue liquid is a potion that is used to help heal bruises," the nurse said. "Charms, spells, curses, jinxes, and all of those other things are used with wands. Usually, you say an incantation for the spell to have it work, but once you get better at it, you don't need to." She was explaining all of this to the boy while putting bottles back here and there. She suddenly stopped.
"What's your name boy?" she asked, her hand holding her chin.
"Syaoran," he said hesitantly. Madam Pomphrey nodded slowly.
"Syaoran," she repeated. "That's quite and interesting name."
"Thank you," he said not certain if it was praise.
"Anyway," the nurse continued, "besides spells, there are potions. They are created by using lots of different magical ingredients and throwing them in a pot." She picked up the bottle of blue liquid. "This potion is for healing cuts. Drinking different potions will trigger different results."
"S-syaoran-kun?" a voice came from another bed.
Syaoran whipped his head around. His heart thumped painfully when he saw Sakura half-sitting up, rubbing one eye in a tired fashion. Before anyone could stop him, Syaoran leapt off of his bed and onto the floor next to Sakura's cot.
"Your highness. Are you feeling well?" he asked. She just nodded sleepily.
"I just feel really tired," she answered sleepily, suppressing a yawn. Madam Pomphrey bustled over and nearly threw Syaoran out of her way.
"Back to bed boy!" she scolded. Sakura smiled weakly, mumbling a little apology. He smiled back.
"Smooth move there. That was quite a leap!"
Syaoran turned to see Fai sitting up in his bed and grinning at him.
"I, um, well…" Syaoran felt the heat creep up in his cheeks.
"Don't worry about it." Fai grinned again.
"Where the hell am I?" someone else groaned. Syaoran didn't need to look twice to know who had spoken that last line.
"You're awake Kuro-chan!" Fai exclaimed gleefully.
"Cut it with the stupid names," the man growled.
"But I think they suit you perfectly Kuro-pippi! Don't you Mokona?"
"Get away from me you manju bun!"
Syaoran watched the "stuffed animal" bop Kurogane with mild interest, occasionally glancing over at Sakura. Madam Pomphrey glared at Mokona, finally yelling, "Stop bothering my patients!"
The white stuffed animal hopped morosely off a rather relieved Kurogane's head, seeking refuge under Fai's cape.
No sooner had peace settled in the chamber, the doors to the room opened. Madam Pomphrey slammed her wand down on the closest table. "Who in Merlin's name is here now?"
As if in response, a tall man with a sweeping silver beard and oddly shaped glasses strode in through the door. Madam Pomphrey's expression changed to horrification. "Oh! My. Headmaster Dumbledore, I didn't realize – I was just angry and-"
"It's quite alright Poppy," the man said with a dismissive wave of his hand. He turned to look at the travelers and found them all staring at him.
"Ahem." The bearded man turned around.
"Oh, Minerva. You've arrived," he said cheerfully.
"And it's a good thing I did. The students in Gryffindor Tower were holding bets on who they thought these people were!" she snarled. Following this was a whispered conversation between the two adults, Syaoran catching the words, "betting", "tramps", and "students". He fancied hearing the word "Galleons," but waved the thought away.
Finally, the man and woman finished talking. Syaoran noted that both people wore pointed hats on their heads. "I think some introductions are in order," the man said. "I am Professor Dumbledore, the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. This-" he motioned to the woman beside him "- is Professor McGonagall, Head of Gryffindor House and Deputy Headmistress."
Fai decided this would be a good place to jump into the conversation.
"Syaoran-kun," he said as he pointed to each person as they were mentioned, "Sakura-chan, Fai D. Flowright," he paused beaming, "and Kuro-nya!"
Before Kurogane could strangle Fai, or even think about strangling Fai, Mokona popped out of the Headmaster's hat, sending the poor piece of clothing toppling to the ground.
"And Mokona Madoki's here too. At your service!" the marshmallow-like thing said bowing. Fai grinned while Professor McGonagall's face turned a palish-green.
"Now," the old wizard said, his expression grave. "I need you to explain why you are here, and how you arrived here."
The Adventures of theFellowship Through Time
"So you're saying that the Yuuko Ichihara has given you the power to travel through worlds to look for pieces of this girl's fractured memory?"
Syaoran nodded. Professor McGonagall looked remotely impressed.
'In all this time, professor Dumbledore hasn't seemed surprised at all,' Fai noted. In fact, the man seemed to be taking this quite well.
"And now it is time for our part of the story," Dumbledore said suddenly. "Poppy has already told me about Syaoran knows most of what is going on, but the rest of you don't." He regarded each of the solemnly.
"This castle is a school for people with magical abilities. Now, before I go any further, I have one question to ask, and that is-"
BANG.
"Allow me," Madam Pomfrey said, excusing herself to answer the door. Several seconds later, she trotted back in.
"Professor McGonagall, Miss Lily Evans to see you."
The professor nodded curtly to everyone and exited out the door. Fai caught sight of a flash of red hair before returning his attention to Dumbledore.
"Now, the question I meant to ask before we were interrupted was, do you wish to stay here and search for one of Miss Sakura's feathers?" he asked gravely.
The four travelers looked at Mokona.
"Mokona, do you sense anything?" Syaoran asked. Mokona's face scrunched up in concentration. After a minute, he sighed and hung his head. "There's too much magic in the castle. Even if Mokona sensed something, it would be hard to tell whether it was one of the feathers or just from a student."
"But it wouldn't hurt to stay, would it?" Fai said. "After all, you'd never know unless you tried to find out." He looked at the rest of them, anticipating an answer.
"I'll stay," Syaoran said immediately. Sakura hesitated, then spoke.
"I-if Syaoran-kun and Fai-san are staying, then I will, too. After all, it is my memory," she added. Kurogane stared around him
"I suppose I haven't got a choice, do I?" he said dully.
"Yay! Kurogane is staying!"
"Don't you jump on me, you oversized fur ball!"
"Aw! Kurogane is so mean!"
Dumbledore chuckled briefly at their antics, then stopped.
"Well, seeing as you have all decided to stay," and here Kurogane grunted, brushing Mokona off his head, " I need to place you as students. Miss Sakura and Mister Syaoran can easily be enrolled. Fifteen, I'd say?" He asked, regarding the two teens solemnly. Sakura looked at Syaoran, who nodded.
"However, for you two," he addressed Fai and Kurogane, "it might not be so easy." Dumbledore stared at them thoughtfully. "Poppy, you wouldn't happen to have a bottle of Reverse-Aging Potion on hand, would you?" he asked suddenly.
"You're in luck, Albus. I just brewed some a week ago."
"And bring two cups, will you, Poppy?"
"Certainly." Madam Pomphrey whisked a vial of icy-translucent liquid off a nearby shelf, then took out her wand and flicked it. Sakura gasped as two cups fell with a clatter onto her bedside table.
"This is a Reverse-Aging Potion," explained Dumbledore. "Upon drinking, it will do exactly what its name suggests: age in reverse." He turned to Madam Pomphrey. "Poppy, will half a glass apiece suffice?"
"Quite so Albus," Madam Pomphrey assured.
"Very well, then," Dumbledore said. He carefully poured some of the potion into each cup, then handed them to Fai and Kurogane. Fai immediately grabbed his share and examined it. Kurogane, however made no motion to touch his.
"You said that this will make you age backwards?" he asked, eyeing the glass dubiously. Dumbledore nodded. Fai whooped.
"Alright!" he crowed, snatching up his glass. "Come on, Kuro-pin! It'll be fun!"
Kurogane ignored Fai's comment.
"Isn't there an alternative?" he asked.
Dumbledore shook his head.
"Unless you have another method, I'm afraid I can't allow you to roam my school if you are not student or staff." Kurogane paled slightly.
"And if we happen to drink this, will we be able to age back?"
Dumbledore rested his chin on one hand.
"Possibly."
"Possibly!" Kurogane shouted, his face fading into a whitish color. "What's that supposed to mean!"
"Mr. Kurogane, sir! Could you please keep your voice down! This is a Hospital Wing, not a Quidditch stadium!" Madam Pomphrey said in a scolding way. Fai cocked his head at the word Quidditch, but said nothing.
"There isn't really a time limit to how long you will stay like that," Dumbledore said. "But if not, we can always use an Aging Potion, which is brewed quite easily." He motioned towards the two glasses, one in Fai's hand, the other on the table.
"Now, if you'll drink those."
Fai looked at his curiously for a second before gulping the lot down. However, Kurogane took more time than necessary in lifting the glass to his lips.
First, nothing, then- CRACK, and a bright white light, then-
Sakura and Syaoran gasped. Fai and Kurogane's figures were morphing, shrinking, changing, and then-
As quick as it had come, it ended, and Sakura and Syaoran found themselves looking at their traveling partners, teenage style.
Both of them, for the most part, looked the same, but Kurogane, if possible, seemed less surly. Fai's eyes twinkled more, and his smile was a little brighter.
"Wheet-whoo!" Fai said appreciatively, craning his neck to look in the mirror that Dumbledore had just handed him. "Not bad, if I do say so myself." Kurogane grumbled.
Not to mention the fact that both of them were at least a foot shorter.
Fai grinned at Syaoran. "I almost as short as you now! Not saying that you're short," he added quickly. Syaoran smiled, shrugging.
"I never would have guessed, but it actually worked quite well," he said. Sakura nodded, smiling.
"As students, you will be learning many things. Doubtless, you will find some of them strange, however, in time they will all come naturally to you, with just a bit of practice." Dumbledore beamed around him.
"Now, you will be needing various supplies for your stay here. One of them is shelter. I will be required to sort you into Houses, but I will provide you with a separate suite of rooms."
"Houses, sir?" Syaoran asked, confused. Dumbledore nodded.
"There are four houses: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Once you are sorted into a particular House, you will eat your meals and take your classes with that House. However, you will not stay in the House dormitories, as students regularly would, but instead will be provided with four rooms of your own, connected by a Common Room." They nodded in understanding.
"You will be needing supplies, and I can easily secure some money for you to buy them; the question is, how will you buy the supplies?" Dumbledore murmured, half to himself.
KNOCK
"Coming!" Madam Pomphrey called, tearing herself away from the mini-celebration Fai was now holding. She pulled open the door, and Professor McGonagall strode in, six students trailing behind her. Fai noted that the first one had the same short red hair he had seen when Professor McGonagall had left earlier.
"Sorry to disturb you Albus, but apparently, these four boys were the ones that charmed a breeze into sweeping everyone's hats off and into the lake today." Two of the boys, each with black hair, grinned wickedly. One of them wore round glasses over hazel eyes, and his hair stood up in every direction possible. The other had gray, fathomless eyes, currently twinkling with mirth, and sleek, neat hair as opposed to his fellow. Fai's eyes swept the four students flanking them. Two of them were girls, the redhead, and a girl with dark, shoulder length hair and ocean-blue eyes. The redhead had shockingly emerald eyes, eyes that seemed almost identical to Sakura. No, she seemed like Sakura's sister, maybe. They could have easily passed off as that.
The two boys that were left didn't seem to be enjoying the fact that they had apparently gotten in trouble. One had light brown hair and eyes, and he seemed quite bored, if a little annoyed, at the situation. The other had blond hair, watery blue eyes, and a plump physique. He kept shifting from one foot to the other, and his eyes darted nervously to and fro.
"And the Marauders strike again," Dumbledore said. He seemed strangely pleasant, considering the fact that four of his students had just done such a thing.
"Doubtless they would've received detention in the past for such a thing; it just so happens that this would've been the forty-second detention they would be serving this year, and seeing as how it doesn't seem to have any impression on them, I came to consult you." Professor McGonagall's nostrils flared. The dark-haired girl stepped out of the line.
"Professor Dumbledore, sir! I swear I didn't do anything! I just happened to be standing by them when they were planning this and they got me involved and-"
"I know you wouldn't ever think of doing something like this on your own, Maaya," the dark, neat-haired boy snorted, "but I'm afraid that I don't have any evidence that you were not involved in this scheme, so I'm afraid you'll have to serve your term just the same."
Maaya sent a Death Glare at the boy and walked back into line next to him. His expression instantly changed into an uncomfortable one. Maaya took out a thin stick of wood, and as soon as Fai realized it was her wand, she waved it, and a newspaper flew into her hand. The boy seemed distinctly at unease.
Through this scenario, the Headmaster had been silent, but at this, he glanced up.
"Ah! I've the solution." He smiled at the students. Maaya frowned.
"As your punishment, you will accompany these four students to Diagon Alley on a shopping trip for school supplies tomorrow," he said, beaming at them.
"What four students?" the messy-haired boy asked. They finally noticed the four figures sitting quietly on the hospital beds. Dumbledore stood up.
"Lily Evans, James Potter, Sirius Black, Maaya Sakamoto, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew", he said, pointing to them in turn, "meet Misters Kurogane, Fai, Syaoran, and Miss Sakura. They are the new exchange students, and you will be accompanying them to Diagon Alley tomorrow. You too, Lily," he added. "As Prefect."
As the new students names were announced, the crowd of six nodded.
Then the four boys caught sight of Sakura.
Their mouths fell open.
The Adventures of the Fellowship Through Time
The first transfer seemed slightly menacing, James thought to himself. The second, however, Fai, looked very friendly, and waved as he was introduced. The third waved as well, Syaoran-something-or-other. He seemed pretty cool.
And then he looked at Sakura, and his jaw practically hit the ground in one second flat. Because she was beautiful.
Her eyes were a deep emerald, soft but with a hidden spark, reminding him forcibly of Lily. Her messy auburn hair shone with gold highlights in the fading winter sun. Her skin was a milky, creamy-white complexion, sprinkled with a few freckles. She smiled uncertainly, and her beauty grew even more noticeable.
He was dimly aware of Maaya picking up her newspaper. She inched over to her right, towards Sirius and James, who were too busy gaping at Sakura to notice.
THWACK!
"OW!" Sirius shouted. "What in Merlin's name was that for?" James furiously massaged the spot on his forehead that she had whacked him at.
"Nothing in particular," she replied loftily, waving her wand and making the paper disappear. Sakura giggled. James forgot his pain momentarily.
Out of nowhere, a white object popped up and bounced onto Sirius's head.
"Mokona wasn't introduced, so he will introduce himself now!" The thing jumped off his head and swept into a bow.
"Mokona Modoki, but you can just call me Mokona!"
Complete and utter silence roared.
Maaya gingerly picked "it" up.
"Are you a stuffed toy enchanted to walk and talk? Where's your switch? What spell did you use?" she grasped Mokona's ears and swung him, inspecting his back for sign of a switch.
"It's complicated, but he's not a toy." Fai grinned. Maaya gaped at him.
"Really?" she squeaked. "But why would you carry around a thing like this?" She pointed at it, her face incredulous.
"Well, you seem to be getting along quite nicely," the Headmaster smiled around him. "I will be heading back to my office. The four of you seem well enough," he said to the transfers, "to make it out of bed. Professor McGonagall, I trust, will provide you with a missed dinner and show you to your rooms." The stern witch nodded. "In the meantime, you may socialize, get to know people, or do anything you wish as long as it is not wandering the halls aimlessly, and that you are back in you rooms at nine. Tomorrow, you will set out for Diagon Alley at ten. Be in the Great Hall at quarter to ten and you will assuredly be on time. I bid you Good Night!" And with that, he swept out of the Hospital Wing, leaving ten bewildered students, a professor, and a nurse behind him, and Mokona bouncing at his heels.
Alchemy: That chapter took forever to type.
Sun: I know, but look at it this way, we got it done!
Alchemy: I know.
Sun: See you next time! Don't forget to read and review!
Alchemy: As for earlier, I don't mean anything about being a grammar freak. We just felt like using that for this chapter. It's not there to offend anyone.