Haruno Sakura and the War of Two Worlds

By Inner Self

I feel horrible (bummed out) right now. I don't know if it's the Accutane or the fact that I'm not going to art school and all my best friend is. With the "other" best friend. It's not a trio anymore. I just feel like a third wheel. I could really do with some reviews. This is my favorite chapter so far. I don't like the second, but it was so long i kinda just threw it out there. And this one's longer. It is taking forever to type out-almost ten thousand words!

jun 1st: oh, I was typing this up? well, i edited it as did. it was good. now it's a little better.

Oh yeah. A book in the Wizarding World is really a tome.

Chapter 3:

Express Trip to Hogwarts

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Sakura found the restaurant and was led to the table. The minister was not alone. An old man with long flowing, silver-white hair and beard, the beard tied securely, was talking amicably with the minister. Or so he sounded to be. Yet, the minister was not having the best of late lunches. There was also a man with a fairly masculine nose and shoulder-length, unattended black hair. He sat with his arms folded over his torso, half-brooding, leaning into his chair, but his eyes were alight with enthusiasm...for the minister's spectacular display of vexation. Was the eldest man putting on a play? A man wearing a mask at gatherings was a common occurrance in the shinobi world. None of the other customers would guess something was amiss with the eldest wizards disposition. Why else would the minister be reigning in (well, trying to reign in) his irritation towards his company?

When Sakura arrived, the Minister seemed utterly defeated in his attempt at having a lunch meeting. "Miss Haruno, it is delightful to meet you again,"-he really was delighted to meet her, since she is the center of one of his political maneuvers-"but I really must be going. I have a laundry list of tedious yet important tasks to handle at the Ministry." Minister Fudge shook her hand and gave her a "campaign" smile. He asked of her, "Do forgive me. It truly is important that I leave this instant. This man is Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the school you will be attending until further notice." And with that, the Minister Fudge slipped out of the Silver Crescent. Sakura felt eyes on her. She turned around.

The waiter seated her across from Dumbledore on the dour man's left. Professor Dumbledore said, "I do not believe we have been properly introduced. Minister Fudge really must have been in a hurry." That's right. He told Sakura who the Headmaster was without introducing herself. Professor had the gall to smile, eyes light and twinkling, after his meddling rid Sakura of the minister's presence. Not that Sakura missed Fudge and his political games. "This is Professor Snape, Potions Master at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As you already know, I am the headmaster, Albus Dumbledore."

"Pleased to meet you," She said. "Haruno Sakura. It means 'Field of Flowers'. Family name: Haruno." Sakura unrolled her napkin and placed it in her lap as the other two did. Sakura looked at Professor Snape and said, "I have heard of you, Professor Snape." 'Mr. Malfoy, Jr. believes that you are the only professor at Hogwarts who is not utter trash,' said Inner Sakura, stirred from sleep to spout mischievous internal dialogue. Sakura mentally shoo'd her Id back to sleep. Draco Malfoy was quite the conceited brat, but he'd sure to come in handy as a friend at Hogwarts, uniquely humorous and entertaining in his eccentricities as he was. She edited her comment and added, "I heard of you from one of your pupils, a Mr. Draco Malfoy. He praises you highly."

Professor Snape said, "I do believe you are learning to play school politics before stepping into the Halls of Hogwarts, Miss Haruno. Mr. Malfoy is quite the social contact. His name will get you far with the Slytherins, if you do end up in Slytherin."

Sakura allowed a polite smile. "Yes, he struck up a conversation in Madam Malkins. Either he enjoys shopping for fancy clothes or his mother has a fixation on dolls dating back to her childhood."

The elder professor chuckled. Professor Snape smirked. Professor Dumbledore asked, "Did you purchase that robe set today?"

"Yes. Draco Malfoy suggested them. They complement my color, I guess. I am not very adept at girly things, what with all my studies... and duties to my community back home." Sakura managed to skate the truth. How much should she tell people about her world?

"But Draco Malfoy is?" To this, Professor Snape smirked.

Sakura took a sip from her water goblet. She smiled, willing herself not to laugh at her peer's expense. "I suppose his mother drags him around far more than I venture on my own shopping sprees."

The headmaster asked, "How long have you been in London, Miss Haruno?"

Sakura took another drink. She's just then realized how thirsty she was. Running all day, fighting, running some more, stress, and everything else, she assumed, was finally catching up with her when she took the time to relax. "Today," she answered. Her water goblet was empty. Sakura took a deep breath. Her voice was low enough so that only her two associates could hear her. "I know this might sound insane, but... well... you already know I fell out of the sky, do you not?" She saw confirmation in their eyes. They were quite proficient in gathering information as well. Still, they faked awe, discreet awe in Professor Snape's case, at her novel arrival in their country.

Professor Dumbledore, without room to steeple his hands together, leaned in conspiratorily. "And you had no idea where you would end up once you departed?"

"No. But I have to tell you: For a minute during the descent, I thought I was one of the Departed. Waking up was bizzare. I expected more flowers in the afterlife. I only saw concrete and metalwork. So I learned that I was still alive, and that paradise awaited another day."

"You are an extremely lucky girl, Miss Haruno: To safely reach our world, to run into Minister Fudge, and to be of age for a transfer into our academy. You can learn much of this world safely within the walls of Hogwarts."

"I have not been to academy for four years, professors. Some of my peers and I graduated early," Sakura said.

"Back to the falling out of the sky," said Professor Snape, one eyebrow arched. "No broom? No parachute? Were you using a portkey of some type? Our portkeys are cautioned for being a nausea-inducing form of travel."

Sakura actually found this plausable. Why would Uchiha Madara waste his energy using Sharingan on her? "Hmm, not that I know of."

"Is this other world like our world or the muggle world?" The headmaster inquired softly, with eyes twinkling of intrigued curiosity. "I am quite partial to stories."

Sakura chuckled. "I guess I should get used to being an anomaly in this world. I don't know why I'm being so hush-hush about this topic.

"Quite true, Miss Haruno," agreed Professor Dumbledore.

Professor Snape added, brow quirked knowingly, "No doubt some aurors dropped details, especially the ones that are more curious and less dedicated. There are always types that spread job gossip amongst themselves. Eventually, news reaches the friends and family members."

She continued, "I was in another world. I guess you could compare this scenario to the one involving the muggle world and the wizarding world, but I have no clue how reliable that comparison is. One can easily reach the muggle world. Anyways, instead of walking in through the muggle world, I sort of fell in from a...a vortex in my world instead. Illogical, but that's all I can gather. I do not know exactly what happened." Sakura shrugged. Her recap was not technically a lie. The most reasonable assumption, however, she believed that Madara used his advanced form of the Sharingan to transport her after taking his daily dose of sadistic pleasure by making her squeal. He said she was prey, but she was not his prey. Something else, possibly (dare she contemplate it?) worse, awaited her. So Madara brought her to this world. Madara brought her here and was somehow passively killing her; assuring her death. He was sending a hunter. He was bargaining with vengeful missing-nin. 'Ack-! This is all turning into wild speculation!' She growled internally. Oh, well. The point was, Sakura saw his Sharingan form the pinwheels of the Mangekyou. If her Kakashi-sensei could manipulate dimensions with his, surely Madara could.

Sakura snapped out of her contemplation. Professor Snape's eyebrow was still raised. "Eloquent."

Sakura daintily snorted. The soup arrived. They began eating. The entrees kept coming at proper intervals. 'Minister Fudge must have ordered ahead for me,' Sakura observed. Sakura ate quietly, pondering what she should be ignoring for her own sake. Her face turned solemn as she learned to work the utensils. Every now and then, the headmaster would bring her out of her gloom while explaining the dining etiquette. They talked about chopsticks. ("Ah, yes, and there is a spare stick to spear the meal with, in case one rolls off the table. Pure genius!")

Professor Dumbledore returned to serious inquiry during dessert. "Are you alright, Miss Haruno?"

Sakura almost responded with a blatant lie. Looking up, she believed that telling the wizened old wizard some and omitting the rest might be therapeutic. "Before I fell into this world, I ended my relationship with a boy. Friendship, romantic inklings, everything." She looked up with glossy eyes. Dumbledore, projecting compassion, gave a nod for her to continue. Professor Snape snorted. To think he was ever a blubbering youth. Sakura proceeded. "I loved him very much. I will always, to some extent, but he was not good for me. He would not change. So I ended it."

Professor Snape was not, contrary to popular belief, tuning her out. "Miss Haruno," he began lecturing, arms crossed, "if you believe you can do better then you can. So do better and learn from this experience. If you get sorted into my care, I will not allow you to repeat a foolish mistake like that again."

Professor Dumbledore took the last bite of his lemon sorbet, took his cloth, and wiped his mouth. "I agree with Professor Snape, to some degree about you learning experience. You must learn from everything you do, I'm afraid, or be prepared to meet misfortunes," side-tracked with lecture, he tried again, "What I mean is, true love comes in due time, Miss Haruno. For now, we must pick up the check and move along to our next destination, your indefinite place of residence and formal education." Professor Dumbledore conjured a dozen galleons and pickd up the tab. The waiter helped Sakura out of her chair, and they left the Silver Crescent for Hogwarts.

Professor Dumbledore decided against side-along apparition and introduced Sakura to floo travel when they ventured to the Leaky Cauldron. He linked the Floo Network to his office at Hogwarts and traveled there ahead of the party. Sakura was instructed by Professor Snape to follow his example. Professor Snape stepped in a while after, allowing her time to evacuate the fireplace on the other side. When he was through the Floo Network, Dumbledore swiftly took down the connection. Sakura vigorously tackled the soot stains on her robes until Professor Dumbledore scorgified them off, chuckling as he did it. Sakura stopped her cleaning antics mid pat.

"Not to fear, Miss Haruno," said Professor Dumbledore, "if the cleaning spell does not clean them to your satisfaction, the house elves certainly will." He walked over to the wing-backed chair at his desk and sat. He offered Sakura the visitor's chair in front of the desk and went into the foundation of Hogwarts, its principles, houses, and its traits; basically, everything a muggleborn witch or wizard would know by picking up Hogwarts, A History and skimming through it before the first day of class. "I have a temporary dormitory set up for you in the professors' wing on the Fifth Floor," Professor Dumbledore explained once he finishes the riveting (take it as you will) history lecture. "The minister's secretary has already owled your necessities. Be mindful of the stairs. They tend to be inactive during the summer holidays, but you never can be too careful."

"Your stairs move? Awesome." She said, grinning enthusiastically. A girl could get used to living like a lady in a castle.

The professors exchanged a glance that Sakura did not think too much of. "Professor Snape will show you to the library on the Fourth Floor. He will leave you with this," he procured a piece of parchment, folded into the shape of a phoenix, from his pocket, "list of books I suggest you read." Professor Dumbledore swished his wand, and the paper origami bird flew into the palm of her hand. "Professor Snape can teach you a simple 'accio' spell that will find the books for you. He will leave you there until 'lights out', when he will escort you to your dormitory. The house elves will deliver your meal at seven." Jovial grin and twinkling eyes, the headmaster said good-bye. He pulled his reading spectacles out of a side drawer and turned his attention (in part) to his paperwork.

Professor Snape led Sakura to the library in comfortable silence. Noticing his introverted reflections, Sakura did not find the silence awkward at all. When they entered the library, he asked her to untuck the flapping bird in her pocket. She got it out and tried to unfold it. Supposedly an easy task, Sakura learns to admit defeat. The origami phoenix just would not unravel. Professor Snape made a noise of irritation. "Point your wand at it, girl." Sakura could already tell that he put on his 'positive attitude' mask in the presence of the headmaster. She poured a drop of her nearly depleted chakra-er-magic into her wand. She manipulated it easily and it flew consistently from tip to handle at a constant rate. Sakura placed the tip of her wand on the birds spine. The bird instantly opened up. Sakura gasped while the professor struggleed to not roll his eyes.

The professor brought out his own wand to instructed her. "What are the books on your list?"

Sakura read aloud down the parchment:

"Hogwarts, A History

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

Moste Potente Potions

An Anthology of Eighteenth Century Charms

The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection

The Dream Oracle

One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi

Ancient Runes Made Easy

Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration

and Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century."

Professor Snape waited for her to finish. He continued his impromptu lecture and practical. "You shall begin with the latter. Keeping up to date with current events is as important, if not more so, than academics. Only a fool disregards the happenings around himself." He flared out his dark inky black cloak to free his left arm. Professor Snape instructed, "Take your wand by the handle like so and swish it in an inside-down-and-outside arc. Flick it up while saying 'accio', followed by the proper name of the object being summoned. It will not work, however, if you try to summon multiple objects at once," He cautioned. Professor Snape followed up the lecture with a demonstration of proper use. He went through the motions once more. With the flick, he said, making sure to enunciate properly, "Accio Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century." A 'whoosh' was heard from the far corner of the library. Within seconds, the book was in his hand. He set it on the nearest study table. The professor then motioned for Sakura to do the same on the next book on the list.

Sakura charged her wand with a bit more chakra, and it glowed. As with tree climbing and her medical ninjutsu, Sakura kept the flow of chakra smooth and consistent. Confidently, Sakura arced her wand and flicked when she said, "Accio Hogwarts, A History!" Without delay, the book soared through the back of the library and into Sakura's awaiting hand. A smile mirroring her accomplishment broke over her face. 'This is alright,' Sakura thought, 'the basics are all about chakra control, my forte.'

Professor Snape's face was expressionless. "Well," he drawled, "I think you have it. I am leaving now." He added abruptly. "I have better things to do than teach overtime without pay." He left gracefully, robes billowing in his wake. 'Quite a feat,' Sakura admited.

He left Sakura, and Sakura summoned all the other books to her table. She stacked them into neat piles and opened Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century. The book was published in 1984, Sakura noted automatically. Sakura skimmed through the book, looking only at references to 'dark wizards'. Sakura opened the herbology text and put a good dent in it before a house elf popped in at seven o'clock sharp with an assortment of sample foods for her dinner. As she ate, the house elf, Dobby, explained each food item in detail. When she picked up the goblet, Dobby explained that it contained pumpkin juice. Juice of a pumpkin, in other words. Hmm. Sakura put the goblet back down, doing her best not to offend, confident she did not want to drink it.

After the meal, Sakura skimmed the descriptions in the herbology and potions books. Professor Snape arrived at ten o'clock. She hardly heard him enter. Strange, that, and his billowing robes that trailed after his strides in hot pursuit. He had all the stealth that Sakura found lacking in many of the new world's inhabitants. "I will take up to your temporary dormitory. It is yours until we know where to sort you. One of the four Houses will be your permanent residence at Hogwarts." Sakura acknowledged that she heard him with a nod. She wondered if his relationship with the headmaster was merely colleague to colleague and if the headmaster was really just a headmaster. And there was something else bothering Sakura that could denounce or reaffirm her curiosity as the connection Professor Snape has to the headmaster. "Professor, where are all the other professors? Surely the professors do not live at Hogwarts when school is not in session."

He raised an eyebrow. "I assure you the professors have lives outside of the Hogwarts academia. Houses as well."

'You really thought that question was going to uncover some invisible puzzle piece?' Sakura reprimanded herself. Sakura accepted 'defeat'-If the conversation even was a battle-and changed topic. "Who was He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named?" Inner Sakura growled, 'And what the hell is his name?'

The professor paused in his step, then continued guiding Sakura up the Grand Staircase. The stairs were all aligned conveniently, leading directly to the Fifth Floor (one floor up). "The Dark Lord, his other alias, was a threat to the Ministry for a time. He was feared far and wide; throughout Europe. He died in a freak accident... He tried to kill an infant with one of the Killing Curse. The curse bounced off the infant, rebounded, and killed him instead."

"Sounds... original. Seems to me that every villain makes one last attempt at legacy by going out with a bang," Sakura commented, smirking wryly.

The professor drawled, "Indeed."

Sakura asked, "Why is his name never mentioned?"

"No one who has any sense speaks his name. Words hold power in this world, Miss Haruno."

Sakura considered that. Stubbornly, she commented, "I just do not see what can be in a name to be afraid of-especially when the terror known by the name is dead. I believe fear of a name causes fear of the object. It brings down morale, sir."

Professor Snape did not reply. "Do not mention this, Miss Haruno...," he warned her a minute later. Sakura agreed to keep his words private. The professor decided to let her in on something underlying the peace in the Wizarding World. "Some believe the Dark Lord to be indestructible, that he is biding his time until he rises to power once more."

'You would not be telling me this if you were not one of them,' Sakura deduced.

"I know something is going on, professor, something that everyone is tip-toeing around," she said intuitively. "The minister is trying to deflect attention away from a problem, a problem most likely related to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. The minister is putting all the attention on me at present to get the media off the darker issues. For this scheme of his, the Minister of Magic pardoned me for breaching the Statute of Secrecy. The headmaster dabbles in politics-quite good at it, I assume, from what the Minister's body language told me during their interaction."

Again, the dour professor remained silent.

Minutes passed. Sakura contemplated her idea over and over. They reached the Fifth Floor. They turned the corner. Professor Snape stopped; they had reached the professors' dormitories and her temporary room. The professor fished out a silver key from his pocket. He opened the door to allow Sakura access. She thanked the professor for his tireless assistance. He met her gaze intensely, searching. Sakura looked quickly but smoothly to a spot over his shoulder. He pulled out his wand and flooded the room with candlelight. He turned to leave, but Sakura had one last question.

"Why does the general public not believe He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is still alive? Why are the speculators not taken seriously?" Sakura did not doubt the professor's opinion to be the correct one. In her world, he would qualify as shinobi material. 'That one hardly makes a peep and is probably full of shady, top-secret business and information,' Sakura mused.

The professor turned for the door. Palm on the handle, he turned back and said, "Miss Haruno, you are full of secrets. I am as well. We may be able to trade a few of them if you were to be at the Headmaster's office tomorrow morning at seven o'clock sharp." Side of the mouth quirked, he departed, closing the door quietly behind him.

Sakura feels irritated. Never mind that man being left in the dark about her problems. Sakura wondered where some easy school gossip was when she needed it.

"Goodnight," she muttered, but he was long gone.

... ... ... ... ...

Pools of blood. They rose into a flood. A body floated to the top, a boy, the red water coating his ebony hair. Dead black eyes. Sasuke. Not Sasuke. An innocent. Not a monster.

The body sank. The water diluted of its angry color and washed away. Dry, solid ground. A man with an umbrella. Tall and obscure. Long dark hair tied back. Dark eyes on fire. He offered his umbrella to her. She took it. She had a feeling like she had been there before. He got closer. Warm...Warmth? Suddenly, she felt pain in her neck. So fast it is already gone. He tells her to open her eyes. Some latch released and a door opend in her mind.

Stay there. Stay safe. Waking...waking...forgetting...

Sakura awoke and stretched as if trying to reach the foot of the large bed with her toes and the headboard with her fingers. She groaned softly and opened her eyes. There was a noise humming non-stop on her left. She looked toward it. A toy hummingbird was making bee-lines around a lake. A scaled model castle loomed majestically above the lake. 'Wake-up' was spelled into the water of the lake by a luminescent fluid. Sakura must reminded herself that everything in the Wizarding World was beautiful and, well, magical. She had just enough time to dress, groom, and stroll down to the headmasters office for the meeting.

... ... ... ... ...

"Good morning, Headmaster Dumbledore," said Sakura cheerfully. "And good morning to you, sir." Sakura said to Professor Snape, who occupied a visitor's chair. He took his eyes off the Daily Prophet to acknowledge the greeting and then turned his gaze back to the text.

"Good morning, Miss Haruno. I hope you are familiarizing yourself well with the school? Term starts tomorrow, afterall."

"What day is tomorrow?" Sakura wondered why out of all her questions, this one did not pop up first.

"Forgive me, Miss Haruno. Today is the 31 of August, 1995."

"Good to know. That is the last question about Wizarding World general knowledge that was bothering me. I can tell time if I visit the Entrance Hall, but I have not seen a calendar as of yet."

"Ah, well, the grandfather clock in the Entrance Hall was a gift given to the school in the nineteenth century. Wizards use a tempus charm to keep track of time. That spell is easy to learn and is found in the charms textbook I picked out for you." Professor Dumbledore picked up a ceramic jar, took off the lid, and held the jar out for her. "Before we go any further, would you like a lemon drop?"

"No thank-you."

"Well, let us get down to business, shall we?" Sakura solemnly nodded. Dumbledore continued. "Why are you here, Miss Haruno? Do you really wish to go home more than anything? That is, is something stopping you?"

Sakura rested her hands on her knees. "Look, I know you are suspicious of me. My arrival upon this world was totally illogical and unprecedented. Some type of guerilla war is going on and you are the only ones who wish to acknowledge it, but I'm telling the truth." Sakura had slowly realized that despite their severity, she could trust the professors. Their world, until recently, was nothing like her shifty-eyed world, outside the protective environment of Konohagakure. Still, they had something fragile, a slow-growing clandestine operation, that needed their protection. "I am stuck," she telled her cautious cohorts, "and I do not like the thought of being so immeasurably far from my country, my loved ones, but I cannot help that. This is a strange, somewhat lucky coincidence. Strange in its novelty, lucky that I ended up somewhere I can put my feet on solid ground. I have taken jobs that required a spy, I have acted as a double-agent, but I am not a spying for any clients currently," she strongly assured them.

Professor Snape rubbed his chin. Thoughts calculating, smirk present, he retorted, "You sucessfully completed the 'accio' spell in one try. How can we be sure you are a foreigner?"

"Ah, really?" Sakura lit up as if it were a compliment. She blushed. "Well-I mean...Magic flows like chakra. Just like chakra. They are so similar. When I pressed my chakra into the wand and followed your directions, I bent reality in a way that was more than fancy illusion. This power came naturally. Magic does not discriminate its users. I can use my chakra so I can perform magic."

"Even so," Professor Snape voiced sternly, "Wizards and Witches do not learn how to weld it with precise control until usually their Third Year. And even then, I still witness mishaps."

"Please, Severus, I believe you are making her blush."

Sakura was indeed blushing, and she was speechless. All the things Professor Snape had said during his interrogation could be spinned into compliments. A flashback came to mind, the day Kakashi-sensei taught her team to climb by applying chakra to the soles of their feet. She was the only member to accomplish the feat and reach the top of her tree on the first try.

"My professor, Kakashi, thought I was a natural at chakra control. He was not the only one. The leader of my village, Lady Tsunade, allowed me to be her apprentice because of my aptitude for her chakra controlling techniques. She taught me all the healing techniques she knows, but I still have much to learn through application."

Professor Snape said abruptly, "You must join us."

Sakura's eyes almost popped out. "Excuse me?"

"Or don't," he corrected himself, "but if you are a healer of merit, I would like to place you in the House of Slytherin. My actions are bound to pick up in importance and haste. I cannot be seen by the student body going to Madam Pomfrey every fornight, and I will not resort to the excessive use of my private potion stores."

"Professor, I am a mercenary for hire-" She started.

Professor Snape interrupted, "I would gladly pay a fair sum. Besides, I hardly believe the headmaster would let me go uncompensated, given the circumstances that will underlie my injuries."

"Sir, I was going to say: I am a mercenary for hire, but I am a healer by oath. I suppose helping your side this much is the least I can do, and it will make my mentor proud." Sakura sealed the deal with a handshake to each of them.

"Severus will be your Head of House during your stay here. you must have had some inclination of the outcome. We had an idea of your abilities from the incident in Muggle London. Eyes and ears watching over the ministry and all that," said Professor Dumbledore with a knowing twinkle in his eye. "Would you like to have a mock sorting? Every student here is sorted into their house. We are making you an exception." He held up an old, worn out hat with a rip running half-way along the brim.

She stared curiously. "What does it do?"

The Sorting Hat split open at the brim. "Why, girl, I sing and I dance. Sometimes, when I find the fancy, I enjoy a good harmonica-playing. Let me sing to you a little number to you!"

The door slammed. Severus Snape was gone. Professor Dumbledore chuckled to himself. Sakura, bless her open-mindedness, stared wide-eyed at the magical, singing Sorting Hat. He began his tune. When finished, the Sorting Hat explained, "Now that was the rhyme I blessed last year's celebration with, of course. This year's is a surprise." Sakura clapped politely, adding a compliment or two.

"Well, try me on, girl." She did. Her fluffy hair kept the hat from falling into her eyes. "Hmm, hmm...I see. Very well-rounded in house traits. Not unique in that department. Many of the students I have sorted were suitable for three, even four houses. A unique mind all the same. Clever, loyal, strong, a little timid...but you have had years to grow courageous...Ah, there is ambition. I suppose you needed it-for acceptance, survival, and progressing in your healing abilities. You would fit well enoughin Slytherin!" Sakura winced. For some reason, the hat felt the need to should the last word for emphasis. A ringing noise remained persistently in Sakura's ears as she handed the hat back to the headmaster. Sakura placed chakra-infused palms on her ears to repair any possible nerve or mechanical damage.

Once she placed the hat back on its pedastool, the headmaster asked, "Shall I show you to the Great Hall? You would have seen it had we come through the main door."

... ... ... ... ...

The next morning, Professor Dumbledore joined Sakura at a table conjured to the middle of the Great Hall for a full English breafast. They chatted about nothing of importance. Sakura once again avoided the pumpkin juice-yuck! When finished, Dumbledore informed Sakura that she was to go to King's Cross and take the Hogwarts Express with the rest of the student body. "Many students meet their first friends on the train. It is important, for you especially, to make your friends and explain your role as ambassador before the feast, before the sorting. The students may not like you based on your affiliations-to the ministry-after Day 1."

"What reason do the students have to hate the ministry?"

"Not the ministry, per se. The new Defense teacher, appointed by the Ministry itself, is bound to give a fraction of them plenty of reason. They will connect you to her unless you disillusion them of your ambassador title. Remind them that you are here for your country and that you are a student, not a toady." He said 'toady' jokingly. Did Sakura detect a hint of irony?

The next day, Sakura revisited London for the train ride. Sakura did not get a good look at the Leaky Cauldron on her first visit. She was too busy just finding a way into the Wizarding World the first time, through the correct alleys and into the correct big-wig restaurant. Now that she had a rudimentary cognitive map, Sakura could pay some attention to the scenery.

Everything was packed so tightly. The place was full of life. Sakura wondered how she escaped the effects of claustrophobia. Probably magic. Not really, though, to Sakura, magic seemed to be involved everywhere and in everything. To think a place this beautiful faced a rebellion any minute...

Sakura hopped down from her beautiful view at the top step of the Leaky Cauldron entrance. She tapped the magical sequence to the barrier wall and entered the Muggle London area once more. She thrust her wand inconspicuously into her robe pocket (like the robes are any more normal in the muggle world) and stepped out of the alley. The wall sealed right up behind her. She waited to cross the street (with good reason!) like all the other muggles. Sakura saw more and more "incognito" wizards and witches (she quotes mentally) as she neared the King's Cross.

Sakura entered King's Cross Station and heared a whistle blow. She jumped an inch and rushed towards the high-pitched noise, thinking it could be the Hogwarts Express. Sakura had thought thirty minutes would be enough time to find the stupid train, but she was getting more and more anxious the closer time got to eleven o'clock in the morning. Overlooking the train on an elevated walkway, she saw a group of wizards and witches rushing down the way. Sakura's vision got blocked off by another train. She rushed down the walkway and tailed them. Sakura looked up at a placard. It read Platform No. 5, Northbound. She pulled out her ticket. It said she was to go to Platform Nine-and-three-quarters. She was getting closer.

Sakura walked briskly down the platforms. She walked past Platforms Six, Seven, and Eight. She Stopped between Platforms Nine and Ten, perplexed. The magical folk had all disappeared as well. 'Shoot! A genjutsu. It is a strong one, too. I cannot crack chakra like this with all these muggles hanging about.' Sakura fumed inside her head. Calmed down, when no one was looking, Sakura backed up, pretending nonchalance, to lean back into the brick wall with the Placard for Platform Nine hanging above it. She stealthily felt around for a door or an opening of some sort. No such luck. The wall gave no indication that it could budge under ideal conditions.

Sakura knew that this trick was nothing like the one with the alleyway leading to the Wizarding London area. The wall that blocked off the alleyway was obvious. There was nothing behind the arch bases of Platforms Nine and Ten. The train was hidden by a far subtler illusion, possibly a transformation of a space within reality. Sakura leaned back against the Platform Nine wall and fished out the ticket again, as if staring at it would help. Like a mantra, she repeated the words 'Nine-and-three-quarters' over and over mentally. She sighed irritatedly. 'The barrier has to be here at Nine!' She stamped her emerald suede slippered foot, doing a perfect impression of her mentor's short-temper and complimentary glare. She managed to scare off a traveling family: A mother pulled her child along while glaring right back at the pink-headed kunoichi. Sakura rubbed her temples with one hand. That was when she had her epiphany. 'Oh for the love of pumpkin juice! I'm so stressed that I cannot round properly! Platform-Nine-and-Three-Quarters is accessed from Ten!'

Sakura could feel the magic now. Without doubt, she ran straight through the wall opposite her. Thankfully, none of the muggles were there to witness her breach in the laws of physics. Her earlier stint may have had a part in that. Just as expected, Sakura ended up on the other side of the genjutsu barrier. She heard the whistle blowing. The train was no more than ten meters away, but it was starting to emit steam (in all the proper places). All the passengers, save one, had boarded. The parents were waving tearfully good-bye to their darlings. Sakura mentally slapped herself. 'No time for capturing the sentimentality!'

Sakura dashed for the train, which had begun to roll out of the station. She nearly got bowled over by a monstrous, exhuberant, furry, black dog. Sakura leaped over him-to which he ducked, cowering and emitting a nervous whine, and covered his eyes with his forepaws. She reached the train just as it switched gears to pick up speed. Sakura found a doorway (magically swung open just for the straggler) and leaped onto the train. She gripped the safety bar an the side of the door for support and found her footing.

... ... ...

"Blimey, Harry, Hermione! Did you see that? Why could we not do that in our Second Year? That could not have been more dangerous than taking the Ford Anglia!" Exclaimed Ron, the lovable, be-freckled red-head.

"She nearly bowled over Sirius!" Harry complained.

"What?" Hermoine asked half-heartedly, already entranced with one of the Fifth Year textbooks.

"Hermione, I will never understand how you can walk and read that large tome at the same time," Ron said.

To which statement, Hermione replied, "Practice."

... ... ...

Back at the station, Mad-Eye Moody was trying and failing to keep back growls pertaining to his dissatisfaction with Nymphadora Tonks. "How could you let a potential threat aboard that train, woman? What were you thinking?" Poor Mrs. Weasley is playing mediator for Tonks's sake.

"I told you, I know that girl-sort of. Alastor, not every man, woman, and child has to be viewed as a potential threat, especially when so many Deatheaters' children are aboard that train. Harry told me that they ignore him for the most part. He's a good wizard. He can take care of himself from now until Hogwarts. The threats are the parents, none of which boarded the train."

Mad-Eye grumbled a bit, still not satisfied with security, but he returned to the barrier anyway.

"You do not suppose Alastor is going home?" Mrs. Weasley asked Tonks.

Tonks shook her head. "That man is never satisfied with mission security, Molly. That is one of the only definite things I know about him." She sighed. "Remus and I are going to apparate out now-Are we not, Remus? We have quite the catching up to do. Take care Molly, Padfoot!" Tonks hugged Molly. Sirius gave a whine and she embraced the dog before leaving, Padfoot's tail wagging on the floor of the station joyously. Until Molly informed him that he was to go straight home.

... ... ...

DELETED SCENE:

Ron: I think she made it. [Nods his head, sounding almost confidant.]

Harry: I get the feeling I've met her. [He says, dragging his sentence in his confusion.]

Hermione: Are you two going to fight to the death for her hand? [She complains, annoyed, and for fear of a cliche.]

ANSWER: NO!

... ... ...

"Haruno-Miss Haruno." Called a boy in a baritone-tenor ranged voice from half-way down the carriage. Sakura turned to see who it was: Draco. "Look, Haruno," he stated firmly, "If Professor McGonagal ever makes me your errand boy again, I will see to it that you do not make any friends in Slytherin for a month."

Sakura pushed her initial irritation aside (and Inner Sakura fumes, always ready for a fight-this boy brings up the worst parts of her!) and quirked a naturally delicate eyebrow. "Oh, really? Just a month?"

"I am being generous, Miss Haruno," he assured her. With a sharp ear, Sakura could detect the dramatic flair in the statement. She found it humorous. He reminded her of her ex-best friend-then-rival-turned-best friend-again back home, Yamanaka Ino. Draco Malfoy smirked, humored. "I guess you cannot help making a dramatic entrance. It was a great way to get yourself noticed."

He gestured coolly to the front of the train, whence he came. "You are required to attend the prefect meeting as Slytherin's Fifth Year female prefect. I am certain the attendees are all so ever thrilled that you did not have to reschedule. Especially the ever punctual, thorn-in-the-side, nag Granger." He flashed back what she assumed to be a mock sneer and led the way. Sakura was starting to understand the reason why Slytherins were infamous for being so generally disliked. Luckily, Body language and facial expressions 101 was a prerequisite for graduation back at the ninja academy.

... ... ...

When the two Slytherins arrived, they were met by glares, most of impatience, some of general dislike, and one of loathing. Draco brushed them off and returnd to his seat by the window. Sakura followed him, mimicking his nonchalance. The student in the seat next to Draco conveniently moved over. Sakura, wearing the dress robes she bought not long ago, fixed them neatly and sat down gracefully next to her new housemate. "The cabin is magicked to fit all of us," Draco explained in a stage whisper, "and when this meeting ends, we will have to return to the dismal and cramped compartments lining the sides of the rickety old Hogwarts Express." There were Thirteen seats on each side of the Prefect meeting's compartment. Professor McGonagal stood in the middle at the podium. She adjusted her glasses and cleared her throat. The professor then called the meeting to order.

"Good morning, Prefects, Head Boy, Head Girl," she began properly. "So good of you to make it." She looked at Sakura knowingly. "We have a new student this year. If you have read the papers recently, you would know that Miss Sakura Haruno is a transfer student from the Far East and the ambassador of educational affairs to the Ministry of Magic in the United Kingdom. She has been abruptly assigned as the Female Fifth Year Slytherin Prefect. For her sake, I will be explaining a few basics, starting with punctuality and responsibility and ending with the house colors."

"That is Professor McGonagal, the Deputy Headmistress and the Head of Griffendor House. She is a terror to the younger Slytherins." Sakura could tell from the glint in Draco's stormy eyes that he wanted to say more, but he smoothly drifted off when the proffessor took a pause in her speech.

The Deputy Headmistress took half an hour to explain the basics, including the point system and anything a first year would already know. Sakura forwent pulling out ink and paper, but she listened attentively. The professor finished, "The Griffendors wear red and gold on their uniforms, usually in their tie. Blue and silver for Ravenclaw, gold and black for Hufflepuff, and green and silver for Slytherin. The house elves shall stitch house crests into all your robes." Professor McGonagal also explained the traits associated with each house, in case Sakura did not know. Sakura wondered if her presence over the summer was known to anyone aside from Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor Snape.

A brief five minute conclusion left the other house prefects dozing, miraculously with eyes half-open, and one Griffendor glaring at Draco Malfoy. The Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts handed over the meeting to the Head Boy and Girl. Professor McGonagal departed to organize her curriculum in her private compartment. The Head Boy went over the successes and failures of the previoius year. He complimented the prefects on individual accomplishments, pulling them out of their sleepy states. The Head Girl then pulled out a couple of charts from her organizer and instructs the Fifth Year prefects on what it meant to be a prefect and what their duties were. She turned the meeting over to the Head Boy, who eagerly picked up his speech again to promote the benefits of their service to the school, and started to pass out the charts.

"I bet that the new Slytherin prefect gets enough benefits already from that ministry title," Ron whispered vehemently to Hermione.

"She's a scapegoat for the ministry. Of course they would pick a Slytherin. Slytherins can keep their mouths shut when it suits them. If she is up to something, the professors would be none the wiser. Her position means nothing. Still, she's acting as the eyes and ears of Minister Fudge," Hermione responded in a calculating whisper, wary of the pink-haired girl. Hermione could see Draco sneering at them, and she looked away, crossing her arms over her chest.

"She makes friends in high places awefully quick. Hermione, I bet you she is snogging that git Malfoy already," Ron said, Malfoy already looking away and listening to the Head Boy and Girl. Hermione's eyes bulged out a fraction.

"Ron!" She mildly scolded. The so-called Prince of Slytherin had earned his reputation at the Yule Ball, so they learned after the fact. He had gone with Romilda Vane, the prettiest, most manipulative Slytherin girl in their year. He did not pursue a relationship with her though. He went on to tango with two lovely Beaubaxtons, a brunette and a myserious rendezvous, supposedly not at once (but then why the rendezvous, hmm?). He made sure to give details to all the other inexperienced Slytherin blokes and word spread to the other houses. He grew tired of flings by his fifteenth birthday, possibly long before then. So now Pansy and he were supposedly going steady and he was ever the chivalrous Slytherin gentleman for once. For what that was worth, the Griffindors mused collectively.

Across the compartment, Draco nudged Sakura gently. "How much do you want to bet they are talking about us?" He asked Sakura.

Sakura could not help the smirk that formed. "Well, this is a bet I could win. Draco Malfoy, are you not a Slytherin?" She tilted her head, mischievous smile still in place. "Learn to lip-read would you? I will not be used as your personal translator, especially if you do not consent to being my secretary." Sakura dropped the smirk and became her genial self. She answered complacently, "They are talking about us, as individuals, as an "us", but I know that you are with a girl named Pansy."

Draco contained his pleased laughter. He really knew how to pick friends (sometimes). He settled for a pleased sort of smirk. "I am afraid anything else you heard, you heard correctly. I am a healthy young man, Miss Haruno; anything I did that year was understandable and excusable. What is there to forgive?" He shrugged gracefully.

Sakura sighed, "I hope you had some feelings for those girls at least."

"I did," He insisted confidently, not even raising his voice. In his drawl, he said, "Just not in that way. They will one day understand. Commitment is best saved for marriage, when it matters most."

Sakura detected a double entendre. She nodded anyway and returned her attention to the Head Boy and Girl, who were now passing around he time tables for the prefect night patrol duties. The Head Girl handed off the last ones to the Slytherin prefects, all of whom, Sakura discovered, were sitting in the same section as Draco and she. She handed the last one to Draco. Draco, terribly bored, drawled, "Are we done?" Sakura wondered how he got away with such interruptions. Well, the Head Boy and Girl were basically done and now seemed to be looking for somethings final to say. The Head Girl sighed, slightly showing her vexation, "The meeting next week will be on Tuesday at four o'clock. You are all dismissed. Have fun reacquainting yourselves with your friends!"

Draco smirked. 'He would make a fine, despotic Head Boy,' Sakura mused, neither really amused nor worried. She got up to leave. At the door, she heard Draco say, obviously sneering, "Taking an interest in my love life, Weasley?" The taunt struck a nerve in the red-headed boy, who silently fumed. Sakura saw the Weasley almost give into the taunt. His conservatively dressed female housemate cleared her throat, trying to get his attention. He sputtered and defended, "Yeah, like anyone would give two knuts about what you do on a daily basis-aside from following your daddy around on Deatheater business!" He ended his accusation with a growl. Sakura shifted her gaze from one and then the other. She took note of hand positioning. Sakura saw Draco's hand twitch. Draco's eyes clouded over. Ron had struck a nerve, but Draco was controlling himself quite well.

'Is he going to make a move?' Sakura wondered. She really did not think Draco had the guts to do so with only herself as backup. Afterall, he did not know how capable (or willing) she was to aid him. Sakura rushed to his side, just in case, and pressed her hand against his hand, which was closed around his wand in his inner robe pocket. Finally, the other prefect girl said justly, "He's not worth it, Ron."

Draco turned his sneer on her for a second. He turned his attention to Ron and retorted, "Weasley, that comeback is faulty. In that case, you and your precious Potter would be giving your two knuts for details about my business."

Sakura's hand was tossed aside when Draco drew his wand. Ron does as well. They stood locked in dueling position, staring each other down. Hermione gasped and looked hesitant about drawing her wand. Sakura kept hers sheathed (for what could she do with it?)

As great as she could bluff, Sakura could use the angle of a peace-loving transfer student. "He's not worth it. This is pointless," Sakura persuaded. She received an odd look from the Griffendor girl. "Besides, you said he was merely the sidekick." The mildly appraising look she received from the Griffindor girl vanished and was replaced with one of annoyance.

Hermione practically dragged the red-headed boy in the direction of the sliding cabin door. "Come on, Ron," she said, "let's go make Harry company."

Draco laughed, a laugh somewhere between merriment, triumph, and mischievousness. Sakura found his amusement growing on her. She smiled wryly.

"Well," Draco drawled with a hint of satisfaction, "we have this compartment all to ourselves." With that he gracefully flopped unto one side of the compartment, taking up five seats easily and folding his hands behind his head. "Never thought I would be in this compartment-well, I did-but never had I thought Fifth Year would come so fast. I am finally prefect. That Head Boy badge is closer than I realized. It seems like yesterday I was riding this rust bin for the first time, making my first enemy, ecetera."

Sakura pondered that lightly. "Do you suppose that is because today is my first time on this train, going to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry?"

Draco, staring at the ceiling, seemed to consider the thought. "It could be in part."

Sakura sat down next to the window and watched as the plains, towns, and rivers passed on their route to Hogwarts. Draco did not offer to stimulate any further conversation or even get up and go introduce her to the other Slytherins, his friends. Sakura got the silent request and kept to herself.. 'Perhaps he wants some time alone? Does he want me to leave?' She wondered. 'Why am I here? Why does he not go to his friends? Send me to them?' Sakura glanced subtly from the ever-changing scenery to her travel companion and fellow prefect. She saw him examining his right hand, palm towards his face. 'He's acting a little strange. Okay, more than a little.' Still, Sakura gave Draco privacy and returned her gaze to the window.

The Hogwarts Express passed into a tunnel. They were traveling under mountainous terrain. Sakura glimpsed Draco waving his wand around in the air. Fast swishes, then gently rolling arcs. 'Quite the academic one, getting a head start.' Sakura shifted in her chair, turning her attention to his amusing nonsense. His movements stopped. Wand still in air, he blinked, eyes returning to a cool gray. Sakura thought she saw a warmth in them before he noticed her watching emerald eyes. She could swear they were warm like a summer day before a good thunderstorm. He pretended nothing had happened or even gone understood between them. Like he did not have a secret worth hiding. 'But everybody has secrets, Draco Malfoy,' she reasoned, eyes cool and nonchalant, wishing she could tell him. Draco turned his cool gaze away, feigning indifference to her curiosity. She thought, 'It just so happens that your secret is an innocent one.'

She blinked, a friendly gleam returning along with an amiable disposition. Draco swung his legs over the seats and unto the floor. With a cool smile and a spark adding light to his eyes, he stood up and did a few lazy stretches, all for show. He pocketed his wand. Sakura followed his lead, standing as well. Draco went to the door and slid it open. "Well, that was refreshing," he said conversationally.

Sakura nodded and replied, "It certainly was. The landscape is beautiful on route to Hogwarts. Is that what helps you get through the ride on the rusty old bin, as you say? With its tiny, cramped compartments?" She grinned. His lip quirked up at one side.

"Haruno," said Draco casually.

"Malfoy," said Sakura in response, to which Draco automatically sneered.

He dropped the sneer and rolled his eyes instead. "Do not call me that, Haruno. You sound like," he paused. His eyes get a little foggy. "Nevermind. Let us drop the formalities though. Slytherin will be even more pleasant to a newcomer like yourself if you are a friend of the Prince of Slytherin."

Sakura, picking up on his facial expressions, quirked an eyebrow oh-so-nefariously, hoping she was doing it right and grinning on the inside. "Alright, Draco."

"Sakura," he said back. "Follow me. I want to introduce you to someone."

She grinned jovially, as to her nature, when she asked, "Your friends?"

Draco paused. A smirk spread over his lips. "No-my enemy." Then he drawled, "Traditions are traditions. I practice my traditions religiously."

He started walking until he noticed the absence of the sound of footsteps behind him. With a raised brow, he asked, "Are you coming?"

Sakura had her arms crossed. She shot him a glare of suspicion. Head partially tilted, she inquired, "Is it that Ron fellow again? Are you even allowed to spar on the train?"

He laughed. "Merlin, no, not him. I am hoping that Weasel-breath will not be there, but, well, father says sometimes that I cannot always get what I want."

"I am not going if you are going to initiate a fight," said Draco's newly officiated friend defiantly. He sighed in mock exasperation.

"It's just a little laugh," he argued lightly.

"Just a little? Verbal sparring only?" She continued the inquiry.

He nodded curtly. "Does that include spells if it gets a heavily verbal?" He asked, smirking with suppressed glee.

Sakura's eyes narrowed. Her hands had not yet to uncross from over her chest. He smoothed his hair back with a hand and held in a mock sigh. "Oh, well, I am defeated. Okay, alright, prefects do not do expulsion. Let's go say hello. This train ride will not last all day." And on his word, Sakura and Draco headed to the very end of the train, discreetly glancing at the cabin occupants.

... ... ... ... ...

Please do not forget to critique. Please Read and Review.

Thank-you to everyone who reviewed: Alieness, Fallen Sakura, Elemental Fox Spirit, yuchi 1994, Anon., Akatsuki Sakura Uchiha, Black Mirror, Angel897, kittychic0895, and Ithnan. (I hope I didn't leave anybody out!)

I forgot what else I was going to say... Oh, yeah, I was reading the fanfiction Captivation (for the 3rd time). Oops...

R+R=happiness.