Haruno Sakura and the War of Two Worlds
by Inner Self
Hey, 'sup, 'sup! I just want you to know that I have written forty PLUS pages for this story in my composition book and I am loving it right now. This is the only story I'm writing. All my others (and my dropped crossovers) are still around if you want to take a looksie! Thank you for the reviews. I'm glad I got as many as I did with only one chapter. It gives me hope and the warm fuzzy feelings in my chest cavity. And all that. I'm pissed at crossovers right now. I won't read fanfiction. I had to write one of my own. One last time (unless, you know, I rock this one AND wish to make another). I hope you guys will be able to tolerate...oops! That would be telling, now, wouldn't it?
I changed it to past tense but I'm doing ch3 right now. I hope (I'm almost certain) that ch4 doesn't need tense-switching.
THIS CHAPTER SHOULD NOT BE A DECIDING FACTOR ON WHETHER OR NOT YOU READ THIS STORY. i HATE THIS CHAPTER. TRANSITION CHAPTERS are BORING.
Chapter 2:
A New World
A sneer. "Get up," he growled.
-x
Get up. A barely audible murmur in a fading dream. Sakura stirred and blinked rapidly to regain consciousness. "Wha...?" She groaned. She brought a hand to her forhead again, and tried to speak but groaned and started to heal through the glaring light of the early afternoon.
"Miss...um...," said a sharply-dressed man, "I am a physician's assistant. If I may-" he gasped, detecting the slight contrast of midday sun and the viridian glow between her forehead and the cupped palm of her hand. The others were alarmed by the gasp. Suddenly, the crowd gained insight to what caused the physician's assistant's startled disposition: The pink-haired girl, who had fallen out. of. the. SKY. was healing her head injury! (Out of the sky equated to a rapid descent that started from 3m above the ground.)
The urgent whispers, concerned for her health no matter how Dr. Who her appearance was, began to chatter amongst themselves about her fall unto the Millenium Bridge, her healing abilities, and how her presence was a good omen for the century to come. A boy about the age of four unknowingly appealed to the crowd's positive take on the situation when he called out from behind his mother and pointed furiously at Sakura. "An angel! Look, look, mum! It is an angel!"
Sakura, done dealing with her migraine and observing details of her environment, turned to the direction of the young boy's voice. The boy was still staring at her from his his mother's side in wide-eyed fascination. The same trust he greeted her with was forming on the faces of the confunded men and women. For all the religious worship they may practice, the people stood flabbergasted at such a rare happening. An old woman brought over her umbrella and gave it to Sakura. "Please, take this," she said. She meekly turned back to join the crowd.
"Um...thank-you, madam," Sakura remembered to say. "That is kind of you."
Another of the crowd-members knelt down in front of Sakura and gave her a few bills. "For the ill of health. Please, take this contribution and use it as you see fit." A dozen or so more of the crowd-members follow his lead. Phones were dialed left-and-right. More people gathered on the bridge and sought audience from Sakura. All she could do in her daze was shake hands, kiss babies, and accept contributions to the Church. Wherever that was. When Sakura is asked to to heal a broken arm, she complies without a second thought. Before anyone realized, a camera crew had pushed through the crowd, and they began to interview her. Sakura looked around at the audience, which was increasing in bulk on the Millenium Bridge (a famous commuters' walkway in London), and she realized just how much of a disruption to normal, everyday life her presence was. Not only were kunoichi rare sights among the people of this place, this foreign land, they were non-existent!
Sakura knew it was be too late to lower her profile, so she doesn't bother to try to look any less awe-inspiring and abnormal. She jumped and grabbed one of the outermost support beams. In an arcing motion, she swung to the underside of the beam and let go. Sakura infused chakra into the soles of her feet mid-flip and planted herself on the underside of the bridge, completely out of view to those above it. Her position did not feel safe enough. The people on the land on either side might spot her (tiny) form. Conjuring tiny threads of chakra to her dorsal side, Sakura managed to "lie" on the underside of the bridge, defeating all logic that applied to Newton's theory of gravity.
-x
Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge was not pleased in the least with the report of Haruno Sakura's activity in the muggle world. "I want every auror on inactive duty to take care of this MESS this this this-CATASTROPHE-this instant! Bring her in!" With a wave of his wand, he slammed the door shut in the Auror Kingsley's face. He 'harumph'ed. "And we thought the Potter boy's breach of the Statute of Secrecy to be an incredible nuisance!"
"Sir," broached Auror Dawlish, "Approximately every muggle in the London area will have heard of her within the hour. Rather than obliviate, I think it best we charm the news reporters; have them believe her magic a childish prank or the deluded preaching of a young religious zealot."
"Auror Dawlish, this will turn into damage control on a massive scale only if we cannot obliviate the minds of the muggles at the Millenium Bridge within the hour! I have never seen such blatant disregard of the safety of the Wizarding World! And what is worse, that Potter boy has a trial coming up and a scapegoat to lessen or relieve him of any blame or punishment. Concentrate your energy and your men there. Go back to the scene and start obliviating immediately, Dawlish. Sabotage or tamper the reporter's equipment, whichever your men can do quicker. And take Tonks and Kingsley with you."
And so the aurors apparated over to the muggle site where they proceeded for a good fifteen minutes to provide the people of London an hour's span of false memories. Then they began to scout the structure with the use of the Homenum revelio spell, for the missing pink-haired girl.
-x
Sakura desperately wanted to curl up and take a nap-which she could-using her exceptional chakra control to spot herself. When she finally decided to give it a try, she found the notion easier said than done. Her last mission, self-selected and enforced, still plagued her mind. Sakura reached into her medpack, careful not to drop any of her precious supplies, and took out an anti-PTSD pill to calm her mind. It would help the memories of the past hour dull and allow her to sleep wherever she would attempt to later at night. It would have been to her advantage to take it before her bounty hunt. She would instead have to take the pill for three more days at the expense of a good chunk of her chakra. Excessive use was the better option compared to reliving that day for the rest of her life.
Sakura started healing her neck, which would soon have formed black bruises otherwise, and she almost lost focus on this task when she heard a sharp, cracking pop in the atmosphere. Sakura resumed the healing, finished, and waited out the unusual noise. She knew it came from the bridge above. The crowd did not notice from what her senses could deduct. Narrowing her eyes, Sakura listened intently while calming herself. She waited for another popping noise for a good ten minutes.
Her attention then directed back to the not so distant past. Sasuke's assassination still seemed unforgivable, albeit not as raw as before. There was still pain, but the duty she carried out was not so heart-wrenchingly painful. Sadly enough, her self-medicated treatment would only be able to bury the pain so much more. Time would have to treat the rest.
A dozen or more pops of some sort of rapid depressurization brought her abruptly out of her reverie with a startled yelp. It was quite loud. Luckily for her, the aurors went to work immediately and were too caught up in their job to take note of it...all but one astute auror...
"Tonks, I have the feeling that the delinquent has not yet run off," said Kingsley after the warm-fuzzies sparklers had been applied and took effect. Tonks nodded, not about to mention another word on the subject. The pink-haired auror (for the week) believed Sakura, the juvenille delinquent, had taken her prank a little too far, no matter her intentions. Tonks was certain the other pink witch was somewhere on the bridge. No matter how well she was hiding. A simple Homenum revelio spell would take care of any low to medium level protective spells.
Tonks saw Dawlish finish the last obliviation. Arm bent upwards with hand unfolded, she signaled the trainees to apparate out quickly and quietly. Mission complete for them. Dawlish saw Tonks signal him and stays behind with Kingsley and her. She went through the wand movements and murmured the incantation to allow the spell a greater effect radius.
"Homenum revelio," A light, not visible to non-magical creatures, shot out of her wand and drifted around her head like a cloud. The spell picked up her intent of usage and floated off towards the center of the great walkway. The aurors' eyes followed the light victoriously. The light color changed into a deeper and deeper blue. The three aurors followed it while putting up non-verbal Forget-Me charms against the muggles, who had now taken on their original commuting patterns.
After the third pop, the second of the massive pops, Sakura realized a portion of her new predicament. 'The depressurization is being caused by people up there. It must be some sort of jutsu similar to Kakashi-sensei's Flash run technique,' She thought. 'If not a little more obvious. Whoever these new people are, they need a lesson on stealth.' Feeling confident of the ease of escaping the commotion after so many distractions, Sakura cast a low-level concealing genjutsu and ran along the underside of the bridge. At the end of the suspended walkway, she jumped off to land on the rocky riverbank. After scaling the concrete flood wall(?), Sakura traveled a few hundred yards away from her point of arrival on high alert. Once she felt safe, Sakura let down her concealment jutsu. amidst a group of punk kids and misfits. When they stopped at a "red light", one of the dudes with a green, spiked mohawk and a fashion sense best left in the eighties commented on her combat boots. Sakura just smiled and nodded. She ditched the delinquents and headed up the road again. She started scouting out her permanent home, or at least what she assumed it to be, until out of seemingly nowhere, she gets jumped.
A short woman about her early thirties in a royal blue cloak and a black middle-aged man in a professional black one as well. And their weapons of choice were pointed at her on both sides. Despite how laughable many unseasoned shinobi would find the two, Sakura chose to apply caution by the fact that none of the passersby care about her predicament, let alone notice.
Another one is behind her. He stepped in front where she could see him. He was white and middle-aged. His stick was pointed at her, but she suspected it is only protocol. Lazily, he spoke, "We do not mean to startle you. We know you meant no harm, but you have been charged with breaching the Statute of Secrecy and must come with us."
Sakura felt shame washing over her. Tonks and Kingsley lowered their wands. Kingsley said, "We are sorry, but you know the rules. I'm afraid, Miss, that you are under arrest."
Head bowwed, Sakura was willing to comply, but to clear up the aurors' assumptions, she told them, "I'm sorry. I had no idea. I swear I have never heard of such a law." She allowed Tonks to take hold of her wrist and adds, "I'm not from here. I really did not know."
Tonks looked at her peculiarly. 'The muggles had been ranting about how she'd fallen from the sky. The girl should have flown away a long time before we arrived if she is too young to apparate out,' Tonks thought. 'And just where is her wand?' "Look, kid, just tell us what we need to know and we might be able to help you out." Tonks apparated out with Sakura. Dawlish and Kingsley trailed after her.
Before the aurors' interrogation, Dawlish had sent an updated report via the Patronus charm directly to Minister Cornelius Fudge. The minister's response was waiting at the auror headquarters when they arrive. "Yes, yes," he quipped in the message, relayed by the minister's own patronus. "Bring her to my office immediately. The secretaries did not find her in the International European Wizard Registry. This case must be handled carefully."
Since the 1800s, the Statute of Secrecy had remained firm and consistent with the punishments given to those who breach the code. Sakura, no matter how odd her situation, would have been put on trial if the Minister of Magic was not so keen on interrogating her personally. And how convenient for the politician that the trial of the Boy-Who-Lived was soon to start in the Wizengamot judicial chamber within the hour. The minister only saw the council as a nuisance, but he would rather not be at the beck-and-call of lobbyists and the legislative and judicial affairs when he could load off some of his work unto colleagues.
-x
Sakura founds her new acquaintances quite odd, for law enforcement officers, that is. They walked on either side of her and one behind her. Auror Dawlish bound her wrists behind her with a magical vine, to Sakura's audible surprise-a humorous thing to witness. Sakura gathered her kunoichi composure, but curiously cast stealthy glances to the aurors on either side. They stiffly guided her farther down the hall, never responding.
The group took an elevator to the nineth floor. Sakura jumped when a voice from above her head announced, "Door are now closing." Tonks and Kingsley exchanged a quirked eyebrow. Up a few dozen floors, most likely to a concealed office floor above ground, they reached the Minister's level. Sakura jumped again, yet not so much, when a female voice announced from a small box up on the wall: "Doors now opening."When the doors open, Sakura was greeted with yet another peculiar sight, quite alarming really, but she managed to save face. 'There are no walls. And I can see the lively city below, its buildings at eye level or so.'
'It is an illusion,' Sakura realized. 'These people are so secure and wealthy that they can expend their chakra so self-indulgently! Quite the epicurean society. Their land has the means to contemplate a life of luxury.'
They walked down the hall of the ninth floor. Sakura, silently 'ooh'd and 'ahh'd the aesthetic appeal. But she could not see any offices. Turning the corner, she saw a door, but the group continued down the hall. 'The rooms are invisible, but these doors remain to mark the entrances. This city is so developed, to have rooms designed so unbelievably open-spaced. I can see the city's advanced machinery running in lines on the street level... This is fantastic!' Her heartrate picked up in excitement. They arrived at two large, heavily furnished double-doors. The female auror knocked, and immediately the four of them recieved a call to come in from the Minister of Magic. They entered and the tall, black auror magicked the door closed with a flick of his wand.
Minister Fudge saw Sakura and gestured for her to sit. She complied and kept eye contact with the minister. Minister Fudge cleared his throat with a drink from his goblet and began the reprimand he gave every now and then to exceptions among the witch and wizard minors.
"How old are you, Miss?" Asked Minister Fudge.
'Fifteen is a good answer,' she thought quickly. 'I can pass for fifteen here. No doubt they have a set age for their minors. I can pass as fifteen.' Sakura cleared her throat. 'I am fifteen, sir. I will be sixteen in March." Actually, she will be seventeen. The punks on the street looked not too high in their teenage years. The boys were working on their second growth spurt. It was likely that sixteen was the age of adulthood.
"Is that so?" asked the minister rhetorically, albeit not critically. "There are no records of your schooling at Hogwarts. The same goes for Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, the headmasters of which I have floo'd. You are not really a muggle, let alone a prophet, now are you?"
Sakura believed the question to be rhetorical, but she answers anyway, "No. I have no idea what a muggle is either, unless you mean humans with disfunctional chakra, like my friend Lee-kun."
"You don't say. Well, there is a term I have never heard for a squib!" Exclaimed the minister lightly.
Auror Kingsley cleared his throat. THe minister looked up. Sakura turned around curiously. "I have heard mention of chakra before, Mister," he says, "during a trip to India. The girl protests that she is not from here. Judging by her terminology for magic, I infer that here implies the whole of Europe. She also looks Eastern to me." The minister was pleased with Auror Kingsley's deduction. Pondering the logic, the minister even makes a 'hmm' sound.
"I am terribly sorry, Miss. What did you say your name was?"
"Haruno Sakura," she offered. "My surname is Haruno. It means field of flowers."
"Yes, yes, well, Miss Haruno, you are facing a dilemma that the aurors and myself have literally only twenty minutes to correct. We have a law, the International Statute of Secrecy, that keeps our society and all the other Wizarding societies in Europe hidden from Muggle society. Our society is so isolated form the muggles that it is practically another world altogether, and it is referred to as such: the Wizarding World. We use our magic-if you will-by manipulating it through a magical device, a wand." The minister took out his wand and points it at his now empty water goblet. With a few flicks and swishes, the minister turned his teacup into a rat and back into a teacup again. (Boy would Professor McGonagal be proud!) "We like to refer to our chakra as magic. The difference between our Muggles and your Muggles and/or Squibs is that ours have no magic. None at all in fact. You will need a wand during your stay here, of course."
"I broke one of your laws, but I am sitting here in your office, not under interrogation. You are the leader of your Wizarding World, I presume? Why take time out of your schedule to talk to me?"
"I take time every now and then for exceptional young magic folk. And you are. Why, you feel out of the sky!-without a broom or wand to cause the event. You are also a foreigner, and that helps when it comes to getting into my books, in being an exception. The report says that you deceived our muggles into calling you an angel, but you also healed a boy's arm-tough time obliviating that one," the minister chuckled. "We could use a good foreign relations contact in the Far East. None of the last eight ministers has managed to gain the appeal of one of their magical worlds-"
Sakura interrupted his spiel and contradicted him, "-but I am not from the Far East, I am from Konohagakure."
The minister paused, only to shrug moments later. "Foreign relations is foreign relations, I say." You can never have too many friends, Miss Haruno. I would like you to be an ambassador for your country. I would truly be delighted. The job detail would not be too much trouble at all, a passive experience really. You could take back some of our knowledge of magic and leave some of your own. We have the most briliiant academy in all of Europe, if I do says so. Until you return home, feel free to look into our educational system and provide insight into any magic you find lacking." The minister remembers the aurors and waves them out.
"Ambassadors cannot be jailed by the council?" Sakura asked, considering the proposal.
"Absolutely not. Certainly not after a photo shoot. I shall call up the best photographers and news reporters. I am not going to lie to you, dear. You are benefiting my career so much. I will not forget this. You will have an enjoyable stay here and broaden your horizons through a solid wizarding education as well." He clapped a hand on one of her shoulders and guided her back to the elevator. When they left the Ministry of Magic, the press was ready to shake hands and get a quote or two out of the Minister Fudge's eager to please mouth. He greeted the press at his podium in front of the ministry and motions for them to settle down. Minister Cornelius Fudge introduced Sakura to the crowd as the ambassador of foreign educational relations in the Far East.
The reporters flashed cameras every other second. The minister droned on a while longer, then he shook Sakura's hand furiously. With the crowd watching, he bestowed her with maps of the Wizarding London area, money for purchasing a wand, and a little something extra. He announced that the newly accepted ambassador of the Far East will be dining with him at the Silver Crescent at two o'clock that afternoon. The news would spread by word of mouth faster than the papers could get the news back to their headquarters. The restaurant sounded luxurious to Sakura. She looked down at her clothes. They were most likely not befitting of the occasion.
The reporters hurried off to their cubicles and other assignments. The minister says to Sakura, "Well, if you will excuse me, I have a hearing to lead. Do enjoy your browse of our fine shops. I will be seeing you soon." He nodded to her and went back into the Ministry. Sakura walked at a brisk pace down the steps. When she did, she felt a wisp of chakra-charged wind blow over her. Looking behind, Sakura noticed the Ministry of Magic was protected from the vision of muggles by a powerful genjutsu. It now appeared to be a construction site. "No tresspassing" signs lined the gated premises.
Following the map, Sakura crossed the street at the corner. She saw a boy about her age with messy, dark hair and her heart lurched forward, almost out of her rib cage. 'Oh, no,' she thought. She was thinking about him again. The boy was standing next to a phone booth, waiting as and a man with fading red hair stepped into it. The crowd began to thicken. A group crossed onto her street and Sakura was pushed into the boy's direction. Sakura nearly smacked into him. She twisted at the last second. "Oops! Terribly sorry about that!" She said to him. He glared at her. Sakura noticed his irritated eyes, a more brilliant green than even hers, before he gets into the phone booth as well. The other began dialing a number. The boy shut the door and ignored her. She shrugged off his impoliteness and continued walking towards the "Leaky Cauldron" not far from the "Kings Cross Station".
"Well, that's good," Sakura mumbled to herself. "He's not Sasuke. Nope. Not him. Sasuke's dead." Sakura faltered, cursed herself, and then began walking again. She made a 'tsk'ing sound. "Of course he's not Sasuke. Why do I have to bother talking about it. To myself. Besides," she mumbled, frowning, "Not even Sasuke's hair was that messy.'
Fifteen minutes later, Sakura arrived at King's Cross. Her map footnotes pointed out that the street running perpendicular to King's Cross, Witches' Way, could not be seen by muggles. Thus, it led farther away from the muggle society and probably to an enclosed magical community. She trecked down this street. It led to another street, narrow enough to be an alley, with a sign directing her to the leaky cauldron. She arrived at the Leaky Cauldron pub and inn. The bartender, Tom, put down the drinking glass he was drying and led her through the back door and into a back alley. He instructed her on a combination to perform every time she entered or left through the brick walled entrance to the Wizarding world. She could apply the appropriate chakra with out a wand, but it took a little extra effort. Tom looked impressed, either way. He returned back to the pub. Sakura was left admiring the brick wall as its stones slid individually and rotated to clear a path. She entered and took in the lively activity of shoppers, getting ready for the new schoolyear.
Sakura was actually more prepared to see the venue, nothing but busy shops and streets, than she was for the speeding metal contraptions of the muggle world. Alas, every time Sakura saw a novel use for magic, she got startled, and then she laughed immediately after the experience. The Wizarding world was a wonderful place! Slowly, Sakura's knowledge of the magical world built up and desensitized her outrageous expressions. She learned to manage it into a normal wide-eyed curiosity.
Sakura spotted Ollivander's wand shop (since 382 B.C.) a while later into her detailed browsing. Double-checking her map, assuring herself that she has found the wand recommended wand shop, Sakura stepped inside. The bells on the door handle clinked together. Ollivander called out from the back of the store, "Be right with you!" He was assisting her within minutes. After only five more minutes, two wands, and six galleons later, Sakura was the proud new owner of a wand: holly, twelve inches, exceptionally springy with unicorn tail hair. The door bells clinked in an off-key chime again when Sakura left Ollivander's shop in search of warmer, finer dress. She entered Madam Malkin's Robes for Every Occasion a ways down the bustling lane.
Sakura spent a good half-hour browsing through dozens of sets of fine robe. Whenever Madam Malkin passed by, Sakura assured the plump, elder witch that she was content with looking through standard sizes. The standard ones cost only half of what the custom made robes did. Alas, none of the robes on any of the racks matched her petite build. Hmm. Maybe that was why Madam Malkin was so eager to assist her.
Previously visiting with some of the patrons of her shop, Madam Malkin excused herself to take Sakura's measurements. "Just step up on that platform there, dearie, so that I can have a good look at you." Sakura complied. A blond boy about her age, tall and lean, occupied the fitting platform next to hers, the mother speculating silently over the color opions, the father reading a newspaper, the Daily Prophet it read on the front page.
"Oh, Merlin...! Is that really your hair color?" The blond boy mildly sneered, (and I bet you can guess who it was) not quite sure yet what to think (or say he thinks) of it quite yet.
Sakura pouted and her eyebrows tugged inward a fraction. She answered defensively, "Yes. Yes it is. What of it?"
The boy's sneer waned and was replaced with slight intrigue, "You do not glamor it? It really is roseate?"
Sakura nodded guardedly.
"Oh, well, lucky you its pink and not some hideous muddied or seaweed green," he said, allowing a partially apparant face of disgust. He decided, "I not believe the soft pink to be too outrageous to grow accustomed to."
sakura shrugged gracefully, a gentle roll of her shoulders. "Mere exposure effect, I suppose. The more you see something, the more familiar and comfortable one can become of its presence."
"Like those muggles, would you say?" he probed.
"Not so in that case. I am not certain I could ever be comfortable being myself in their world. I'm sure they feel the same. Especially after today."
"What happened to you today?" Draco queried.
Madam Malkin asked what color Sakura wanted for her robes. Draco was quick to suggest for her a medium emerald with light silver trim. He explained that he has been dragged into the shop enough to know what was good on who. His parents, one eyebrow raised apiece, notice the non-sequitur but do not bother summoning the energy to pry.
"Oh, I had a little," Sakura mentally adjusted the story on the spot, "business to take care of at the Ministry. The Minister of Magic wants me to act as an ambassador to educational relations with your Wizarding World."
Draco's eyes widened marginally, in part to encourage the conversation further. "Really? Interesting. Just how old are you? You look fourteen." Madam Malkin charmed the cloth to take shape and started on Draco's measurements, now that his mother has decided on one French gray and one sapphire blue.
Sakura pouted. "I'm sixteen," She says. "I will be seventeen in March."
"Of course. You must be a foreigner. That explains why I have never seen you in the halls of Hogwarts, an awfully limited magical academy, it is."
"I have heard nothing but great things of Hogwarts so far. Then again, your minister was the one who insisted on its wealth of knowledge."
"The only respectable staff member of the establishment is the Head of Slytherin and Potions Master, Severus Snape. He is hard on students at times, but only when necessary, which is often when he is in the presence of the more academically challenged students."
Sakura perked up at the thought of attending Hogwarts. "Potions...does it require a wand?"
"Not at all. You have one though?"
"I got mine just today," Sakura pulled her wand out of her pack to show him, holding it gingerly. "Holly, twelve inches, exceptionally springy, unicorn tail hair."
Draco made a non-committal sound, not wanting to divulge that their cores are of the same magical material. "Unicorn hair is for the innocent of heart."
Sakura's eyes darkened. She looked away. She did not feel innocent at all. Madam Malkin finished with her robe and recorded her size in a customer log, summoned from a high shelf. "Imagine that," said Sakura. She stepped off the fitting platform.
Sakura grabbed her purchase from Madam Malkin. "Actually, I would like to wear it out. Do you have any shoes to go with it?"
Madam Malkin pointed with her wand. "Along the back wall, dearie, and the dressing room is straight on back."
"Thank-you," said Sakura. She turned to go but a lightbulb, often used, flicked on. She remembered proper courtesy. "Oh! Where are my manners? My name is Haruno Sakura. Family name: Haruno. It means 'Field of Flowers'." Sakura sticks out her hand. "It was a pleasure meeting you."
"Draco Malfoy," the blond boy offered. He shook her hand, and Sakura went on her way. She returned to the cashier with her old clothes in a cloth bag in one hand, money in the other, and wand stowed away in robe pocket.
"How many more robes will I need for Hogwarts?"
Madam Malkin paused. "Hmm. Three sets of the standard black should do. Afterall, the house elves are quite efficient at maintaining and getting them back to the students. The standard is far more economical than the dress robes you are wearing, isn't that good to know?" Madam Malkin smiled jovially. "The dress robes are by far more elegant, thus the price, but they look so beautiful on you! Quite the treat for a young lady. For thirty sickles more, I can have the school robes made and owled to the school for you. You will get them in a day or two, right in time for classes." Sakura smiled cheerfully, loving the compliment and pleased with the bargain. She paid Madam Malkin two galleons and twenty sickles. She gave the Malfoys, whom were now behind her at the cashier, another farewell and left the shop to meet with the Minister.
-x
I'm loving this story so much. Not so much my typing mind you. It is taking me longer than I expected to type. My fingers feel clumsy today. Thank-you once again for reviewing the first chapter. It gives me great confidence. I'm such a fraidy cat when it comes to writing. I'm so inspired. I have the next chapter ready, but I really need to hold off and knock some more out in my composition notebook. I get chronic addictions, I think. I have been doing not much aside from going to school (no more! hooray for summer break!) and plotting/drafting this story. Thank-you for reading. Please review.