Just Coincidental
Reviews:
SOENergtic: Yes, the ministry is stoopid, very stoopid. And Syaoran? You'll have to wait and find out, heehee.
caliecookie1991: Thank you. Here's your update and your welcome smiles
Jade: Different, eh? You're not the only one to think so, honestly I thought it was different too. Normally I suck at writing…I still sort of do
Kella4: Of course! It's Dumbledore to the rescue! Here's the update, enjoy!
dani: I did write more! Here it is! I'm glad you enjoy it!
Killing'me'softly29: Hi! Glad you still love it! Annnd here's the update!
Unknown: Here you go!
dani: AGAIN Hi! I did write more, it's just…taking a while…
A/N: Wow that's like….6 reviews if you don't include dani twice, I don't really have the greatest excuse, but here goes, I got exams….EVIL EXAMS….and the teachers are loading it on for god knows what reason, luckily I've got through, I've got a exam tomorrow though….cries….I hate exams, don't you Yam? You do, I know you do, anyways, that's why I was also spending time playing with Windows Movie Maker and subtitling option, heehee, with this mighty thing I can make a solemn sad anime clip into something full of corny jokes, from interior designer to housewife in the blink of an eye! Uh, ignore me, I'm being crazy, I'm hooked Black Cat, anime and manga. It's really really good if you're look for a manga or anime to read or watch! Heehee, right, Yam? Agree with me now.
"I…Please let me go! My friend, she's-"
"Be quiet little missy, you are obviously trespassing," said the tall, hawk like man who had grabbed her by the shoulder and dragged her to the golden lifts upstairs.
"Please, I have to-"
"What is your business here at the Ministry?" Tomoyo huffed indignantly.
"I'm here to search for a friend who I have just found, but you dragged me away from her!" The man eyed her closely, as if trying to examine her like a strange misplaced object.
"You look much too young to be in the ministry, but you don't have a visitor's badge..."
"I was accompanied by someone who got me here using something called Floo Powder and we are here to search for our friend, that is all."
"You….you don't know how to perform magic do you…..."
"Of Course I can't."
"Are you admitting," he said in a careful and slow voice. "that you, a muggle, was taken here, the ministry of magic, and left unsupervised?"
"Yes, what difference would that mak-"The lift dinged softly, and the female voice announced that they had reached the Atrium.
"Muggles aren't allowed in the ministry! Especially unsupervised!" the man shoved her out of the lift and into the rather empty atrium, pulling his wand from his sleeve. "I'm going to have to modify your memory right now…" He pointed the wand towards her as she backed into a wall.
"Obliv-"
"There you are, Miss Daidouji."
Tomoyo jerked her head to the right and saw Dumbledore walking towards them in slow long strides. The tall hawk like man opened his mouth to say something but unable to make a sound, he made quite an imitation of a goldfish.
"Mr. Dumbledore!"
The man stepped back as Dumbledore approached them. Albus nodded politely and turned to look at Tomoyo once again.
"Sir, I've seen Sakura-chan in the ministry!"
"Oh, really? That's quite a discovery you made on your own."
"Um, uh, excuse me for interrupting," the man finally spoke up. "But muggles aren't allowed in the ministry."
Dumbledore smiled, with a twinkle in his eyes, and said "She has special permission to enter the ministry."
"B-but she was down in the dungeons, it's restricted there…"
"Oh? Were you, Miss Daidouji?"
"Yes sir, I didn't know it was restricted but that's where I saw Sakura-chan!"
"You've seen Sakura-san?"
Out from, seemly behind Dumbledore, came Eriol, his dark navy jacket rumpled slightly. Nakuru, now hugging Kero and Suppi to her chest, pouted and stopped to complain to Eriol when he tossed her a piece of candy which he fished out from his jacket pocket.
"Yes, down the stairs of the last level…"
"But that's where the dungeon cells and the courtrooms are, aren't they?" Eriol asked, a note of worry coated his words.
"I-I saw them dragging Sakura-chan down the hall and then I was pulled out of here by that man," Tomoyo answered, gesturing to the man before her, who was attempting to look as insignificant as possible, edging away ever so slowly.
"Well, I must say that I've made quite an interesting discovery as well."
Dumbledore stepped back a little and unraveled his cloak to show a little black haired boy huddling there, his small hands clutching the cloth of his robes.
"Harry!"
The boy detached himself from the tangle of cloth and latched onto her knee.
"I suppose I can safely assume that you've met?"
"Yes, Sakura found him in an alleyway-"
"Miss Sakura is in trouble!" sobbed Harry, finally lifting his face. His pale cheeks were slightly blotchy and tear stained.
"We should go to the courtroom," Eriol said. He withdrew a white handkerchief which he handed to Tomoyo. The purple haired girl crouched down to wipe the child's face dry.
With the haste of busy office workers, they descended to the dark and dank dungeons, the few torches burned low, casting distorted shadows across every surface. Each step echoed down the corridor colliding with the occasional distant dripping sounds. At the end of the hall and around the corner, they came to an old wooden double door where two wizards stood in front of it, slacking off rather than doing their job, which should be guarding the room. Both were sitting in rickety wooden chairs, cards held in hand, and a discarded package of Exploding Snap. Dumbledore smiled broadly at the two when they looked up.
"No one is to enter the courtroom, state your name and business."
"Albus Dumbledore. I believe there's a wrongly convicted lady in there who is a friend of my friends here." He gestured to the others behind. One paled and the other bent down quickly, gathering up the tattered cards from where they lay.
"Um, sir, please…." One murmured. The path was cleared and the bolt to the door was lifted. Eriol stepped forwards with Dumbledore and pushed the doors open. They all stepped in. Tomoyo gave a silent gasp.
There, in the center of the room, was Sakura, chained to a chair surrounded by benches that spiraled upwards. A stern looking woman was holding a dropper above Sakura's mouth which was wretched open by a hardened looking man in purple robes.
"MISS SAKURA!" yelled Harry. He bolted from the entrance and sprinted headlong towards her.
"H-Harry." Harry was now clutching her arm tightly. Tomoyo let out a deep breath she didn't know she was holding.
"I found the little one locked in your office, Millicent; I had dropped my bag of sherbet lemons in there," Dumbledore explained. To emphasize the point, he fished out one of the said sherbet lemons from the yellow bag in his pockets and popped it in his mouth.
"Administering the Veritaserum finally? I believe you have made a better decision on court judging, but this isn't really the right person to test it on" Dumbledore smiled imploringly. He took a moment to gaze over at the minister.
"Dumbledore!"
Dumbledore continued to smile, taking sweeping strides towards to the centre of the room. Eriol, Nakuru, and Tomoyo followed.
"Now listen here, we're in the middle of a case here-"
"Held with a wrongfully accused suspect?" Millicent's face reddened somewhat though still speaking in a calm tone.
"She was found in the alleyway cornered by our aurors who were chasing a death eater. She also had possession of Harry James Potter at the time! Surely that's enough to hold a court."
"I do believe that Harry James Potter was found by this young lady in an alleyway two days before. He was brought back to Mr. Hiiragizawa's manor where he had stayed the night and was scheduled to be shipped off to the police station the next morning," Dumbledore said, pacing around Sakura's seat. "However due to an unfortunate mishap, they wound up becoming lost, and coming to even more misfortune to be in the same alleyway as that your pursued death eater had escaped to and therefore was captured in that person's place."
"However she understands the existence of magic and the practical usages of it yet she is not listed in our records."
"That is because she is from the regions of Japan, I do believe you don't list magic users of foreign countries."
"I-uh……" Millicent seemed to be at a loss for words. She regained her passive expression a moment and ordered for Sakura to be unchained. The golden chains clinked as they receded to curl around the legs of the chair.
Sakura rubbed her wrists, gingerly. Whispered conversations had broken out from the crowd.
"Sakura-chan!" Sakura stood up and accepted the embrace from her friend.
Millicent narrowed her eyes at the man beside who smiled sheepishly and ordered for the court to exit. Soon the room echoed with the shuffling of cloth and feet heading none too quickly towards the door, some stood for a moment when they got closer to stare at them. Eriol would catch their eyes and smile before they hurried along.
"We were so worried, Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo whispered, her long purple hair seemed to flop dully in front of her slightly inclined head. Sakura patted her on the back comfortingly when Eriol stepped forward.
"So…care to share your adventure?"
They all sat down on the bleachers in the empty courtroom and Sakura dove into a full-blown explanation, stopping only occasionally to glance at their faces.
"I see…well that's quite a time you had, Sakura-san, I believe you should be tired and long for a rest at home," the blue haired boy prompted moments after. Sakura nodded. They exited the courtroom, yet a gut wrenching feeling continued to follow the clow mistress as the thick heavy wooden doors closed with a deep thud behind them.
The tension in the dining room of Reed Manor was unsettling. Nervous glances were exchanged between the soft clinking of utensils moving across plates. The current seven occupants ate in silence.
'I guess having a meal after such an incident is rather nerve wrecking,' Tomoyo thought as she watched Sakura prod and pushing around her meal, sometimes shoveling a small spoon full into her mouth or a piece of that and some of this. The teen glanced towards Eriol, hoping to catch his eye, but there were staring leisurely at his mostly empty plate. Nakuru ignored everything and continued to shovel food into her mouth but it was obvious she was affected by the atmosphere. The two miniature guardians were nibbling on the dessert. Suppi, of course, was eating tea biscuits; he needed to be kept clear of sugar.
"Miss Sakura…" Harry said timidly as he placed the fork and knife he was using on the side. Sakura jerked her head towards him attempting to smile, faltering.
"Don't worry, I'm really okay." The doorbell rang twice and Eriol left to answer it. Moments later, they were graced with a certain wise old man's presence.
"Good Afternoon," he greeted, friendly. Everyone greeted him back. Eriol smiled and introduced Dumbledore to Sakura as the headmaster of Hogwarts.
"It's a pleasure to meet you sir."
"Likewise, Miss Kinomoto."
Nakuru graciously stood up and gathered the emptied plate including Sakura's half eaten one. Suppi sat upon her shoulder and rode to the kitchen with her. They settled around the table as Dumbledore's face grew dreary and serious.
"As much as it is troubling for you, we must bring Harry back to the Dursley household today." Harry paled at the mention of this 'Dursley".
"Harry is being protected by an ancient blood protection therefore he must return to his home...I know you wish you were to stay here or somewhere else, Harry." He added when Harry pouted slightly. "We cannot risk you out here. Miss Kinomoto and Eriol are powerful sorcerers, but we can't overlook anything. If Miss Kinomoto and her friends agree, they are to assist in taking you home."
Harry looked over at Sakura, expectantly. The auburn haired girl smiled, nodding curtly to Dumbledore after surveying everyone else's expressions.
"We will help deliver Harry home."
Sakura, in a fresh change of clothes, strode uncomfortably down Magnolia Crescent; she tugged on the hem of her navy vest unzipped over her light blue shirt. Harry looked solemn holding her hand, pacing a little faster to catch up to her longer strides.
Tomoyo checked the GPS again, looking at the plain houses that sat row on row next to each other. There was almost no difference between them except the difference in maybe the species of flowers growing in the front and the occasional vehicle.
They walked onwards. Eriol was tagging along behind them glancing here and there and also keeping Nakuru in check who was getting exceeding bored from the surroundings and began to stare upwards at the sky, occasionally pointing out a cloud that reminded her of a delicious treat or animal. They had finally reached the street, Privet Drive. It was easy to spot which house was the Dursley's despite the ordinary cloned look that the street had. In front of the brick house of Number 4 stood Dumbledore, wearing a strange dark green striped suit. This, however, did not hide his oddness for his long white beard and hair were present. He appeared very out of place from the looks of it.
Dumbledore greeted them with a warm smile, beckoning them over.
"You've made it here without distractions I see," he said as they stopped in front of the house. Sakura was confused by why they were not accompanied here by Dumbledore himself as he was present himself, and she felt that she was not alone in thinking this.
"Now let us finish what we came here for." Sakura took a hesitant step down the front driveway only to find that no one else had. She raised an eyebrow at this before Eriol followed her.
Upon reaching the door with everyone present, Nakuru prodded the small rectangular button that rang a seemly flat doorbell. This was followed by heavy footsteps. The door was pulled opened halfway and they caught sight of an enormous beefy man in a dark brown checkered button down shirt. His large brush like moustache seemed to twitch as his face turned slightly red when he caught sight of the small crowd in front of his house.
Without bothering to open the door all the way, he said in a gruff voice, "What do you want?" rather rudely.
Sakura opened her mouth to see something when a shrill woman's voice came from a room in the back.
"Who is it, dear?" This was followed by the appearance of a thin woman with a horse like face, her spotless white apron was covered into only the smallest amount of some sort of foaming cleaning agent. The yellow rubber gloves she was wearing meant she was doing some cleaning before they came. Her eyes darted side to side to survey the face she could see.
"I'm sorry to interrupt, sir and madam, but-"Sakura tried again.
"We don't want to sponsor anything or buy anything," the beefy man cut in, his eyes fixed on the odd attire that Dumbledore was wearing.
"Please sir, we are just trying to return to you, your nephew," Sakura said again. Tomoyo and Nakuru nudged forwards Harry who was trying desperately to hide behind Sakura's legs. He whimpered a bit when he looked up at his foreboding uncle.
"We would advise you not to lose him again, as we need to be assured of his safety," Dumbledore added, his eyes twinkling behind his half-moon glasses. The woman's face paled far beyond white if it was possible. The beefy man, instead of paling like his wife, seemed to swell, his face red.
"Y-you're one, one of them, aren't you?" he said staring straight at Dumbledore now; the door had swung open all the way now. He then pointed an accusing stubby finger at each of them. "You all are from their lot, aren't you?"
'Their lot? Does he mean magical?' Sakura frowned. The man was breathing a little heavily. The woman was clutching her rubber clad hands to her chest, her eyes darting left to right as if trying to escape.
"Vernon!" she hissed, darkly. Vernon Dursley had had it; he was not going to take this.
"Stay away from my family! You are putting my wife and son in danger by associating with us; I don't even know why we accepted him in the first place, that curse of a boy…"
An angry bubbling started to well in Sakura's stomach. Eriol's face was very serious, his eyes set. Dumbledore did not seem phased on the contrary. Instead he smiled like he always did and continued on as if the man in front of him had not threatened him at all.
"I do strongly advise you keep a more careful hold on Harry. We were lucky to have some trustworthy people find him and although I would be pleased to stay and continue conversing, I have some duties to attend to and will have to leave very soon." Dumbledore gave Harry a cleverly masked smile. "It is here we will part, young Harry, we will meet again, but until then we should say our goodbyes." He indicated to us that we should say our farewells and leave.
Nakuru reached forwards and glomped Harry around the shoulders, bouncing back on her feet and moved back. Eriol knelt down and clapped a hand on his shoulder, telling him a firm goodbye promising that they will meet again. Tomoyo gave him a hug, rubbing his hair affectionately.
Sakura stood there in front of him, a strange sadness washed over her. She had only known him for about two days yet she felt connected to him already. She knelt down also and pulled the small boy into a hug. Harry hugged back fiercely; she could feel hot tears sinking through the two layers of clothing that covered her shoulder.
"Bye, Harry…" she said, mumbling into his hair. She released him and pulled out a light pink handkerchief towards him which he accepted, wiping the steadily stabling tears off of his thin face.
"Good Bye, Miss Sakura…" The door swung slowly to a close as she watched the last of him disappear.
She stood there motionless, staring at her white sneakers. Night had fallen surprisingly fast. She didn't even move until her best friend placed her hand on her shoulder.
"Sakura-chan…"
"Let's go, Tomoyo-chan, Eriol-kun, Mr. Dumbledore."
"Ah yes, Miss Kinomoto, Minister Bagnold is most deeply sorry for her misunderstanding; she would like to apologize first hand, if you're willing to take up this task right now…"
"…..sure," Sakura replied in a soft voice. "Let's go." She was about to start walking when she realize she had no idea how they were getting there.
"We will be traveling by apparition, side along apparition for you and your friend's sake...it's risky business but still permitted," he said. "Apparating is to appear in another place. Disapparating is the opposite; disappearing from one place. Therefore one must disapparate from one place to apparate in another. 17 year olds may take the test and be certified to apparate."
At this point, he had offered his arm, which Sakura grabbed hold of hesitantly.
"Hold on tightly and close your eyes." Over to the side, Tomoyo had both hands firmly clutched around Eriol's arm, a light red blush on her face. Eriol scolded Nakuru as she began to cheer happily when he told her she was permitted to apparate this time. It may not be her favourite of traveling but it was definitely fun the first few times and those after that when she caught her master and others off guard more than one.
"Now, 1…..2…..3" Sakura squeezed her eyes closed, her grip tightened instinctively. It was the most curious sensation; it felt as if she was being squeezed into a very small tube while spinning around, almost as if going down a drain. It was over in a bit when the naturally warm air of Privet Drive was replaced with the cool ventilated air of the Ministry.
The strange bubbling in her stomach started again as she turned to look at Nakuru and others. Tomoyo was a little flustered by the sensation as well. The auburn haired girl bowled over as a sharp pain pricked her in every direction.
A searing hot white pain racked through her body.
Make……make it stop……this pain…stop it…stop…it…STOP IT!
The yelling in the background was tuned, the loud thumping of her heartbeat in her ear. She clutched her forearms, pressing her forehead to the marble floor. The pain only seemed to get worse, growing hotter and hotter. She opened her mouth to scream, to yell, to…something. She wasn't even sure if she had managed to even do that. All she knew was that in a moment the pain numbed a bit, but the searing hotness in her chest was bursting, and all turned black…
To Be Continued…
Oooooo Cliffy! XD Oh no, what happened to Sakura? Don't worry; Harry won't be gone for a long time that would be terrible. I hope this will satiate your hunger for uhh HPCSS crossoverness for now. It might take some time till the next chapter, I've been in procrastinator mode for three weeks.
Editor's Note: Yes indeed, exams suck. I also think your subbing was so funny :p hehehe. Oh yeah, and my sister does too. Moohaha, we have to make the voice thing soon...Anyway, my review on your chapter: WE WANT MORE HARRY. We meaning me. He's too cute, yo. Oh, and just so everyone can see the most comfuzzling thing you have written ever (not including on msn), and I had to edit... here it is:
"Apparating is to appear in another place, disapparating is the opposite, disappearing from one place, therefore one must disapparate from one place to apparate in another, 17 year old may take the test and be certified to apparate."
I am not lying, you actually wrote that. I'm did not make this up. I'm not allowed to make this up. She actually said that. YAY, I sound like a Liberal T.V. Ad. Ok, that's enough. –Yam
(HAHAHA Yam, I had to correct your editor's note XD hehehehe, Episode 15 came out, w00t!)
Thanks for reading Just Coincidental, See you next time and review if you want me to be happy! Not that any of you want me to be…