Disclaimer: I do not own CCS or Harry Potter. Better people than me have that right.

Also, I'm really sorry that this has taken so long. I'm a pretty slow writer, and since my beta is busy preparing to leave the country, I'm even slower at editing my own stuff.

Explaining Kero had taken awhile but eventually the Hufflepuffs had accepted him. It would have been easier if they hadn't heard him speak; then she could have explained him away as a normal Japanese magical pet. Maybe it was for the best anyway, since Kero would have hated not being able to speak in front of other people. Sakura never liked lying either–even if it would have meant fewer prying questions from her house-mates.

As it was, she didn't tell them everything. Just that Kero was an intelligent guardian beast that she inherited, along with some spells, from a powerful wizard. She even managed to restrain some of Tomoyo's raptures over the Card Mistress. Sakura didn't want her new friends to think she was stuck-up; she also didn't want her teachers to think she should do better in class or anything because she had more experience.

After dinner, the prefects led each House to their respective dorm. One of the Hufflepuff prefects, Marline O'Donnell, led them to a flight of stairs just a little way outside the Great Hall. A tall blonde turned to Sakura and Tomoyo and gestured at the staircase

"These stairs aren't like the ones upstairs or in the towers. You can't trust those ones to stay still." She sniffed haughtily. "Our stairs are nicer. They always go the same place."

"Oh." Sakura blinked, slightly confused. Had she missed something? Her English was fairly good but something seemed wrong with that last sentence. Stairs didn't usually go different places–did they?

Tomoyo smiled sweetly. "My name is Tomoyo Daidouji, and this is my friend Sakura Kinomoto."

"Cecila. Nice to meet you. How do you like everything so far?"

"Everything is so big! The castle, and the Hall, and there was so much dinner!" Sakura paused for breath, her eyes wide and shining.

Cecila grinned knowingly. "Yeah, they feed us pretty good here."

"Would it be possible to learn how to make some of the desserts?" Tomoyo asked. "I enjoy making sweets for my friends sometimes."

Sakura nodded, turning expectantly to Cecila.

"Well, the house-elves make all the food anyone could want, but if you really want to cook, you can get permission from Professor Sprout to go down to the kitchens. You'll see a few Ravenclaws done there sometimes too."

"Not the other houses?" A first-year had been listening in on the conversation. His red hair was untidy and he had a faintly awestruck expression.

"Well, the Gryffindors and Slytherins never get permission. Some of them sneak down, but it's usually after curfew or some time when no one else goes down there."

"Why?"

"Well, the Slytherins like to be sneaky, that's all. And the Gryffindors . . . well, I don't think any of them ever think to ask."

Sonomi took them shopping in the middle of the summer. School was on break and so Touya insisted on coming as well, Yukito gamely striding along beside him. Kero spent most of the trip in Sakura's backpack, napping after the large lunch he had pigged out on.

The first stop was a bookshop in downtown Tomoeda. Sakura was surprised to find that she had visited this shop before; they had a nice selection of shojo manga. She hadn't known they sold magic books as well. After a brief conversation between Sonomi and the manager, the group trooped into a back room. It seemed like a typical storage room, a bit dusty and full of boxes, with a small door opposite them which opened to a set of stairs.

At first glance, the upper story seemed like a fairly normal bookshop, until Sakura realized that some of the books were glowing. In the corner, she noticed a young woman standing on a stool, trying to grab a few books that were floating near the ceiling. Beside the woman was a table with similar books tied in place.

Sonomi placed an order for the necessary school books while the rest of them browsed. The books had to be special-ordered but they wanted to get them early instead of waiting until they got to Britain, so that they could start reading and preparing ahead of time. Most of the books did not have Japanese translations, so the girls would need to spend longer studying then their year-mates because of the language barrier. Sakura wasn't sure how much she would get done, it was so much nicer to go on picnics and have fun in the summer instead of studying all the time. She was already so busy with her English classes, and Kero and Yue were insisting she continued training with the Clow cards so that she could use them effectively and not get tired as quickly. She didn't mind, really, it was a lot of fun spending time with Tomoyo and the Guardians playing–practicing–with the Cards. If only Li-kun and Meiling-chan were still around Sakura was sure it would be even more fun.

Browsing the shelves, Sakura was intrigued by the title Harmless Hexes to Perform on Older Siblings and Obnoxious Cousins. She snuck a glance over at Touya, who was leaning against a set of shelves watching Yukito. As if feeling her eyes on him, he turned his head toward Sakura, arching one eyebrow with curiosity. She smiled and put the book back on the shelf.

Yukito ended up with a few books on Eastern and Western magics and a history of the European wizarding world. They were mostly for Yue, he explained, although he was sure others would want to read them too. It would help them understand more about where Sakura and Tomoyo were going he said, shooting a glance at Touya who grunted and looked away. Tomoyo giggled and Yukito smiled brightly.

Tomoyo bought a book on sewing charms and another that had patterns. She had insisted that she would make the uniforms for herself and Sakura as well as any other clothes they might need. When she looked through the patterns, she had pouted at how plain the uniforms themselves were but had brightened considerably when she had gotten to the section on dress robes. A speculative gleam entered her eye as she looked up at Sakura.

After the bookshop, they went to buy wands for the girls. Sakura had thought she would use the Clow Key but Sonomi and Yue had both said that wouldn't work.

"I do not believe it would be suitable for the kind of magic you will learn in Britain," Sonomi said, looking the staff over before returning it to Sakura.

"The Key is attuned to the Cards." Yukito had explained for Yue. Sakura wasn't sure she entirely understood, but she went along with it anyway. If Yue said it wouldn't work, then it wouldn't work.

Rather than going to a store, they went to a private workshop in one of the older districts of Tomoeda. Touya had to leave for work but he asked Yukito to stay and "keep the monster out of trouble." Sakura had fumed for a few minutes but Yukito quickly charmed her into a happier mood.

Wand-maker Ito Hiroshi was a well-dressed man with grey hair and a face that looked like it had been carved from wood. Laugh lines spun a web of wrinkles in the corners of his eyes and across his cheeks. After a polite greeting, Ito pulled a tape measure out of his pocket and took various measurements of the two girls which he then noted down in a small red book.

When he was done, he pointed toward an open door in the back. "Please, go and look through the wood samples. Come let me know when you find the right one."

"But how will we know when we find the right one?" Asked Sakura.

His lips curled into a mysterious smile. "Now, don't worry. You'll know."

Sakura exchanged a confused look with Tomoyo and then they walked through the door. The room was filled with shelves and tables and every available space was covered with small round balls of smooth wood. Hesitantly, Sakura picked one up. It fit perfectly in her small hand.

Meanwhile, the wand-maker turned back to Sonomi and Yukito. "Now then, Daidouji-san, Tsukishiro-san, please tell me how the girls' magic has been manifesting."

Sonomi tapped her ring finger on her cheek in thought. "Well, Tomoyo-chan has been sewing small charms into the clothes she makes. It took me a while to notice them. They're very subtle." She looked proud.

Ito looked thoughtful. "Hmmmm. A feather from a crane-woman's cloak? Or perhaps acromantula spider silk? Feathers are good for transfiguration and many charms but the silk is better for more subtle workings." He peered through the doorway at the tranquil and dignified girl as she gracefully picked through the round wood samples. "Well, perhaps we shall see what she finds first. The other child, what has she been up to?"

"Sakura-chan has been training in a different type of magic. You have heard of the sorcerer Clow Reed?"

"Clow Reed? Hmmmm. Ah, yes! He infused a great deal of magic into . . . what was it? A book? A pack of cards? Hmmm. It would be best then to use a core that is tied to the magic she knows. It will help her focus better. Perhaps you might tell me more about this?"

Sonomi frowned slightly. She hadn't had much time to study how Sakura's magic worked. Suddenly Yukito stepped forward, surprising both adults. He had somehow faded into the background during the conversation and they had barely remembered he was even there. "Yue-san believes he might be of some help." He said with a gentle smile.

Sonomi and the wand-maker blinked in unison. "Yue-san?"

Yukito closed his eyes as shining wings erupted into the air and wrapped around him forming a feathery cocoon. Kero, who had been napping, popped his head out of Sakura's bag. The girls were too absorbed in their tasks to notice, but his brother/partner's magic called to Kero.

Yue looked stern and immaculate as always, his long hair draped over one shoulder and his wings mantled behind him. "The Card Mistress focuses her magic through a Key and uses it to control the magic within the Cards."

The wand-maker nodded slowly, studying Yue carefully. "I see. And might I ask how you are tied to this, sir?"

"I am the Moon Guardian of the Clow, Yue the Judge. Together with the Sun Guardian Cerberus, I protect and guide the Cards and our Mistress."

"Hmmm. You are linked to the magic she uses, you and this Cerberus, yes? Are you then also linked to her personal magic?"

Before Yue could answer, a rough voice interrupted. "Yes, we are." Sonomi, who had been standing quietly in background working to recover herself from her first meeting with Yue, felt a little better. She had met Kero before. The small creature had floated into the room and was hovering near Yue's shoulder.

Yue's jaw may have tightened slightly, although it would have only been noticeable to someone who knew him very well. "Cerberus, as you are representing Clow-sama and the Card Mistress, perhaps you should return to your true form."

Kero cocked his head to the side, then shrugged and floated down to the ground. His wings grew, covering him, and then opened to reveal a large, golden lion. He preened slightly at the look of surprise and appreciation on Sonomi's face.

"You look very nice Cerberus-chan. Hello, Yue-san." The group turned to look at the gently smiling Tomoyo. She lifted her hand and opened her curled fingers, offering a small bit of wood to the wand-maker.

Ito picked it up, examining it carefully. "Well then, is this the right one?"

"Yes sir. When I picked it up, it felt very warm and I heard singing."

"Ah. You like singing?"

–

Sakura looked over at the group. She blinked in surprise at seeing Yue and Cerberus, then glanced at Tomoyo who was talking animatedly with the wand-maker. Sakura bit her lip and turned back to the wood samples. She still hadn't found one for herself; there were so many there. She reached over to pick up another one and her fingers just barely brushed the ball next to it.

A cold wind. Ice and fire. White snow under a black sky.

Sakura yanked her hand back, her eyes round with shock. Then, cautiously, she reached over toward the ball that had triggered the strange vision. She hesitated slightly, her hand hovering just over the wood, then resolutely picked it up. At first she relaxed, feeling nothing strange. Then her mouth fell open as she felt a small heartbeat deep within the wooden core.

She walked out of the room and toward the wand-maker, cradling the wooden ball carefully in her hand. Her smile was wide and delighted as she held it up. "I think this one is right."

"Good, good." He pulled out the book in which he had earlier written their measurements. "Now, let us see. Daidouji Tomoyo, acromantula silk and cherry wood." Tomoyo beamed with delight as he made some calculations. "Core and wood together with your measurements puts your wand at . . . 9 and ½ inches."

He finished jotting everything down and handed a receipt to Sonomi. Then he turned back to his ledger book, muttering, "On to Kinomoto Sakura. Ash wood and here are your measurements . . . hmmm, the closest referents to your core would be . . . there we are. That fixes the length at 9 and 1/4 inches."

"But what is my core?" Burst out Sakura.

Ito grinned and his eyes gleamed madly. "Why, nothing else but a hair each from both of your Guardians, Card Mistress."

Cerberus's head snapped up and he whuffed in surprise. Yue arched an eyebrow.

–

That was the end of the magical shopping for the day, although Tomoyo insisted on going to a fabric store. Sonomi was planning on buying Tomoyo a cat to take to Hogwarts but felt it would be better to get one in London and avoid trying to transport the poor thing too far. Sakura would be taking Kero instead of a normal pet; it had taken quite a bit of transcontinental paperwork to pull it off.

That night Sakura and Kero had dinner at the Daidouji house, since both Touya and Fujitaka were working late. They were driven home by a tall woman in a black dress and sunglasses where they collapsed into bed almost immediately. It had been an exciting day.

The Hufflepuff common room was decorated in muted browns and yellows and felt vaguely like a cellar, or perhaps a burrow. It was lit by a roaring fire which cast flickering shadows over scattered chairs and couches. In one corner, there was a small table piled with what looked like game boxes. Beside it was a low bookshelf with books shoved haphazardly on it. Mostly paperbacks, some of the books were standing up while others were leaning oddly or lying on their sides.

Sakura yawned. It was early for bed, but it had been a long day. Gratefully, she headed for the first year girls' dorm. It was up a flight of stairs, putting it on the main floor of the building. Sakura was glad to see windows lining the walls; she had been worried that she wouldn't be able to see the stars from the room.