Chapter 8

Sakura spent the next day visiting Jasmine and Ron in the hospital. They went over what happened to each of them.

Apparently, Voldemort had been possessing Quirrell and had spoken to Jasmine quite a bit while trying to get the stone from her. Sakura did feel a bit vindicated in having her suspicions about Quirrell proved right. Ron had gone deathly pale at hearing Voldemort truly was still alive.

After Jasmine told her story about seeing the stone in the mirror and somehow burning the professor to death, Sakura couldn't help but wonder how Voldemort was still alive. He seemed stronger than a poltergeist and had bragged to Jasmine about returning to life eventually. The man was giving Sakura major Orochimaru vibes. Perhaps, like Orochimaru's curse marks, Voldemort too found a way to anchor his soul to this plane? She'd need to research.

When they finally got out of the infirmary the rest of the school was in the middle of the leaving feast. A few Gryffindors asked them where they'd been but they brushed off the questions. At least, they'd been able to brush them off before Dumbledore made his announcement.

The Headmaster stood at his podium and the hall fell silent. "I hope you all have had a wonderful year and are excited to empty your heads once again this summer," Dumbledore began with a chuckle before continuing. "But before we go, we have a house cup to award."

At this, the Slytherins cheered while the rest of the houses despaired. Slytherin had won five years in a row and as the green banners strewn across the Great Hall indicated, they had won again this year.

Dumbledore raised his hand and the students quieted down again. "In fourth place with 330 points, we have Gryffindor. In Third place with 369 points we have Hufflepuff. In second place with 420 points, we have Ravenclaw. And with 488 points we have Slytherin!"

More applause from the table of green and silver. Applause that soon died out as the headmaster continued.

"However, recent events must be considered. And I have a few last-minute points to award. To Miss Hermione Granger, for the cool use of intellect and impeccable aim while others were in grave danger, I award 50 points. Secondly, to Mr. Ronald Weasley, for the best game of chess Hogwarts has ever seen I award 50 points. Third, to Mr. Potter for pure love and outstanding courage, I award 60 points."

By now the din in the Great Hall was steadily rising. As the headmaster announced the need for redecoration, everyone but the Slytherins went wild. The green and silver banners rolled themselves up to make way for the red and gold ones that unfurled along the walls.

Jasmine and Ron were as excited as the rest of Gryffindor. Plenty of backslaps and congratulations were being given to the trio along with questions on how they earned so many points.

Sakura, however, noticed Dumbledore watching Jasmine closely with an unreadable gleam in his eye. He turned to look at Sakura and she quickly looked away.

o0o

The summer holidays were going great. In theory. Without the everyday distractions Hogwarts provided Sakura found herself with too much time to think. Think about the past and her mistakes. She'd never done well with excess free time.

Back in Konoha, she'd been one of the busiest and most needed people in the entire village. Taking time off meant patients could die. She'd saved enough shinobi that no one but Shizune, Tsunade-shishou, or herself could save to know that. She'd checked; mortality rates increased when none of them were on shift. How could she justify a lazy day with statistics like that rolling around in her head?

Since the troll and recalling recalled her past life as Sakura she's been working full throttle as well. First to blend in, then to discover the links between chakra, mental energy, and magic. And finally, she's been training like mad to gain strength.

She's still determined as ever to grow more powerful in this life, if only for her reassurance. Especially after their adventure against Voldemort. She'd already encountered him twice. He's also likely to go after Jasmine and anyone she's close with. Of course, she'd be targeted anyway as a muggle-born. But there is a difference between facing indiscriminate discrimination and targeted elimination. He may even go after her parents.

But beyond power for the sake of survival for herself and her precious people, what did she want to do with her life? In Konoha, there would always be missions, conflict, and the threat of war. In the span of four generations, Konoha weathered four shinobi world wars. In the same amount of time, Britain had dealt with Grindelwald and Voldemort. Grindelwald's war appeared comparable to the Shinobi World Wars in devastation, but Voldemort's rebellion was a relatively small Civil War.

Once she was safe from Voldemort, what did she want to do? Could she work a quiet job as a healer, safely tucked away? She wasn't sure. No, that was a lie. She knew she couldn't do it. So what would fill that itch? Auror? Hitwitch? Cursebreaker? She needed to fight and she needed to heal. The rest she could figure out in time.

Being home and unable to practice magic or exercise rigorously around her parents left Sakura with little to do but read. She'd already perfected weaving her magic and mental energy for every spell she knew how to cast and only the first month of summer had gone by. Hermione would have been satisfied to do nothing except read but Hermione was no longer only Hermione.

Sakura had been waiting for Hedwig since summer started and she had yet to appear. Jasmine had promised she'd write and hadn't given Sakura her address so the bushy-haired witch was left waiting for an owl that never came. For the first three weeks, Sakura had thought maybe her friend was waiting until she returned from France with her parents. Now she suspected less innocent reasons.

Suspicions that proved somewhat correct. The first week of August brought with it Errol. The old bird crashed into their dining room one morning during breakfast, with him a letter from Jasmine.

In this letter Jasmine explained she had indeed tried to write to Sakura but every time Hedwig returned with empty talons. At first, Jasmine had been hurt by Ron and Sakura ignoring her but eventually discovered a house elf was responsible for taking all her letters. That same house elf had gotten Jasmine in trouble with both her guardians and the ministry but the Weasley twins had come to the rescue. Finally, she informed Sakura of when she and the Weasleys would be doing their school shopping next week.

After a quick confirmation with her parents and a long week's wait, Sakura was back in Diagon Alley with her parents on either side. As the bricks moved aside one by one she grinned at the magic and liveliness of the alley. School children were flitting to and fro, catching up with friends and dragging grinning parents.

"Jasmine and the Weasleys should be in Flourish and Blot's, come on," Sakura urged her parents.

Weaving their way through the crowd, as they entered the bookshop they were assaulted with a riot of noise and colours. A banner announcing Gilderoy Lockheart's book signing hung from the ceiling along with a multitude of animated streamers.

On stage stood perhaps the most polished man Sakura had ever seen. Not the prettiest- that honor went to Haku- but his hair was perfectly coiffed and his teeth gleamed when he smiled. And smile he did.

Her mother pointed towards him and spoke, "Hon, didn't he write your Defense textbooks? Did you want him to sign them?"

Sakura looked at the line filled with squealing teen girls and women trying too hard to appear unaffected, turned to her mother, and said, "I'd rather be stabbed." In the most deadpan voice she could manage.

That set her father off, his chuckles making her grin wryly. Before her mother could retort though, Lockheart shouted.

"Is that Jasmine Potter? The Girl-Who-Lived, here to get an autograph from little-ol'-Gilderoy." He strode up to Jasmine and slung an arm around her shoulders, tucking her into his side. Even from the back of the crowd, Sakura could see how uncomfortable her friend was, both at being the center of attention and at being touched.

Cupping her hands, Sakura channeled her inner Naruto and screamed "Pervert! Let her go you pedophile!" Before promptly hiding behind a nearly bookshelf, gasps following her words.

From between the rows, Sakura saw Lockheart shoot away from Jasmine, a look of fear flashing on his face before adopting a serious countenance. "Sorry about that folks, some people can't handle their jealousy very well, can they? Now, how about that autograph Miss Potter, we can even exchange if you'd like," he finished saying with a charming wink.

Even from the back of the crowd Sakura heard Jasmine's next words and couldn't be more proud. "Never. Touch me. Again." Her friend bit out before storming off stage.

When Jasmine disappeared into the shelves of books to escape the crowd Sakura followed. Catching up, she coughed to alert her friend to her presence, Sakura stood there with a pleased smile while Jasmine whirled around to confront whoever tailed her.

Only to stop short when she saw it was Sakura. Then the two girls were fiercely hugging. "I knew it was you who called him a pedo," Jasmine said with a laugh.

Just then, to their horror, they heard Lockheart announce he would be joining Hogwarts as this year's Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. Deciding to get their book later and leave now, the two girls started making their way to the main entranceway when they heard a fight break out. Rounding a corner, they were shocked to see Arthur Weasley and what looked like an adult Draco Malfoy scuffling.

It only lasted for a few seconds before the two men broke apart.

"How undignified," Malfoy spat. He reached down and picked up a book before thrusting it into a red-headed girl's cauldron. "Take your secondhand books and leave before you disgrace the rest of us wizards even more."

Arthur grit out, "We have very different options on disgrace, Malfoy."

The ponce and his father scoffed, turned up their noses, and walked away.

Jasmine and Sakura joined the Weasleys after that. Sakura's parents found them and everyone did a round of introductions. Sakura learned the youngest Weasley's name was Ginerva, Ginny for short. The young witch kept watching Jasmine and blushing, much to Sakura's amusement.

Turns out Sakura's parents had gotten her schoolbooks and Mrs. Weasley had collected Jasmine's for her. The only thing left to do was pay so they finished up, chatting about their summers. Jasmine complained about the house elf, Dobby, getting her in trouble. Ron shared his summer of flying on his broom and dodging chores. Sakura expounded on the magical community in France that she and her parents had popped into during their vacation. Arthur was enthusiastically questioning Hermione's parents about everything, from their jobs (Teeth healers! Really?!) to 'elektri-city'.

By the time they got out of the bookstore and picked up a few odds and ends, it was nearly dinnertime. The Weasleys invited Hermione to stay with them sometime, either this summer or the next.

Getting home felt more like coming home from a mission than a small shopping trip. Sakura's mother put it best when she flopped on the couch and said "Home, sweet home."

o0o

Sakura was sitting at the Gryffindor table, watching the firsties get sorted, when she realized she was right to be worried about Jasmine and Ron. She, along with everyone else, stared at the ceiling after a car had flown across the mimicked sky above them. A few seconds later they heard a crash coming from the grounds.

What a way to start the year.