Here's some changes you should know:

Fujitaka is not the other half of Clow Reed's reincarnation in this story.

Li Syaoran returned to Hong Kong after the Hope Card (Movie 2) and did not yet return.

And I kind of took everyone's powers to an advance in this story, but not that much of a big deal.

One more thing, I sorely messed up with the plotline of Harry Potter and a bit of the CCS series. This is also an Alternate Universe of the Fifth Book. I can't promise that anything that happens in the Order of the Phoenix (I read it, though) will happen here. I will definitely take wizarding world details and characters though.

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Special thanks to Jen for she's the one who lent an ear when I was first plotting this story before I ever began it.

Disclaimer: Harry Potter respectfully belongs to J.K. Rowling, and Cardcaptor Sakura belongs to CLAMP and other companies I don't know of! I thank them for letting me borrow them.

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Harry Potter and the Return of the True Sorcerers

By Magicalfoci

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Chapter 1

The Dreams of the Sleepless

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From high above, a small town emerges into view filled with trees decorating the borders of streets and sidewalks; parks and woods are located at the perimeters of large buildings only about two-stories high. Large, cleared-out spaces are cement-paved school yards where children have abandoned for the summer. The hot, scorching sun is striking the grass, the flowers, and small animals going about their survival life. Flying by the chirping birds annoying one another in the clear afternoon and the adults going about their businesses, we enter a scene by the lake.

From children to teenagers to adults were the people at the sandy shore in their swimming suits diving in the sparkling clear blue water or sculpting magnificent shapes from the sand. We head out into the waters that are along the side of a tall cliff. Splashing alone far out in the lake was a girl where you can only catch her legs sticking out of the water as she swam.

Sakura tore through the welcoming cool water with her feet paddling and her arms propelling. Running out of oxygen, she swam back up to the surface; she gasped in a deep breath of air. She heard the lifeguard's whistle scream into her water-drenched ears. She twirled smoothly around in the water to see the commotion. The sunlight streamed onto her glistening wet face and blinded her eyes. Lifting slender hands to shield the scorching brilliance, she peered at the lifeguard who was waving her back.

Oops, she thought she went a bit too far!

Diving back in the water, Sakura began swimming back. She was at the lakeside, the one where she had caught The Erase card way back when. With expert strokes of an experienced swimmer, she swept past the fishes and felt her feet graze some weird feeling coral. When she popped her head back up, she righted herself onto the sandy floor. She walked out of the water and onto the dryer sand where some of her friends were molding sand castles. Tomoyo, being far by the best artist around, modeled a perfect figure of Sakura swimming in the ocean water- so only half her figure was seen.

Sakura, noticing the model, reddened. But she didn't say anything. She couldn't say anything to Tomoyo. Tomoyo, smiling hopefully, asked, "So what do you think?" Sakura forced a smile. Then Naoko turned around after adding water to the sand in the bucket. She asked, "Oh yes, Tomoyo-chan, how was boarding school anyway?"

Tomoyo had this enigmatic expression write across her face that no one could really tell but Sakura. Tomoyo replied, "It was lots of fun! Like a magical dream come true, but overall, learning was really difficult. They are so complicated in their subjects, like sewing for instance! They make you think about different cultures, superstitions, and even how to use light red thread in between colors for healing luck!"

Tomoyo talked a little more about the school. By the end, Naoko exclaimed, "I am so jealous of you Tomoyo for… (One year… two… three…) for almost five years now! I've been trying to find this school of yours forever! Can't you just tell me their name yet?"

Tomoyo shook her head with a frown. "If I told you, I'd have to lie about the name. It's a private boarding school, and they're really into secrecy. But I really do wish you and Sakura-chan could go with me! It's not as much fun without you two!"

Naoko rolled her eyes at Sakura who grinned back as she began adding horns on her sand-modeled head. "Yeah, you should speak to your school principal about us." Then to let on that she was only joking, she said, "I don't know how you survive without us."

Tomoyo laughed. Then something caught her eye, and she suddenly stood up and pointed. "Chiharu-chan and Yamazaki-kun are racing! Let's go see who'll win!"

Tomoyo grabbed Naoko's arm and led her over. Sakura stayed behind watching them go. Usually it would be Tomoyo grabbing Sakura's arm or vice versa, but things had changed drastically. With quiet resignation, Sakura looked at Tomoyo whose long, purple-highlighted hair now fell in beautiful waves down her back much like Nadeshiko's hair, Sakura's mother.

They were all now fifteen years old, or at least around that age since their birthdays all varied. And Sakura of the yester-years was much different from the Sakura of the now. Practicing by day and night with Keroberos and Yue, she learned to control her power in time that she could call upon the cards without her staff, sense the littlest of things like non-living objects, understand, and know more than what she is told, has seen, or felt.

Her discreet gaze on Tomoyo was not without a motive. She was looking at the other girl's aura. That strange aura whose tendrils had flapped wildly around her body when she was just eleven, but she noticed the once fiery aura had been controlled better over five years into a wavering sheen on her body. Wherever Tomoyo went at the end of break, it was not just about knitting and fixing broken things.

Finally Sakura focused her attention on Chiharu and Yamazaki; she cheered wildly for Chiharu with the other girls. The guys cheered for Yamazaki. Chiharu lost though, but Yamazaki acted like she won by telling a story about how swimming racers won by being second to the first and etc. Chiharu didn't buy it and threatened to tear his head off. Everyone crowded around the two and chattered excitedly, and the next thing they knew, another race was being started but between Naoko and her boyfriend this time. Meanwhile, Sakura dried herself off, threw on a tee shirt, and pulled on her shorts.

Tomoyo's sad, sweet voice suddenly sounded from behind. "Sakura-chan..." She froze in mid-action. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for leaving you every year. I'm sorry for not being more forthright in explaining myself." Sakura forced her limbs to move- to put her sun tan lotion and comb into her bag. "I'm so sorry, Sakura-chan," Tomoyo's voice broke. And it took all of Sakura's willpower not to crush the landscape around her and break into tears as well.

"Please, can't you talk to me at least? You can get mad at me, yell, scream, or anything! Just talk to me… Sakura-chan…" Sakura, though listening very hard and blinking her stinging eyes rapidly, slung her towel over one shoulder and carried her bag over the other. She left the beach.

When she got home, she went to the bathroom and showered. The warm water trickling down her back and half of it wasn't even from the faucet. Her tears fell and fell endlessly. Sakura wiped her burning eyes and began washing her face and the rest of her body.

After she had showered, she went back to her room and began cleaning up. Kero watched her. He had watched her run into the bathroom crying, listened to her sobs and muffled words, and now watched her try to keep her cool. It was becoming common for her. Finally, Sakura looked at that little guardian beast sitting among other stuffed animals.

"Alright, I give, what you want from me?" she asked angrily. That was becoming quite common too.

Kero said quietly, "How was it at the beach with Tomoyo-chan?" Kero didn't sneak along with her because of Tomoyo. When Sakura heard him ask the obvious, she nearly exploded into fits of hysterical laughter and tears. She lied down and began breathing heavily until she got in control of herself. Then she looked at Kero expectantly. I'll tell him, she thought. It's about time I asked. Sighing deeply, she prepared herself and then looked at him.

"Kero-chan, I can't stand it! There has to be a reason for all of this! Why am I destroying all those tapes and pictures of our cardcaptoring days? Why am I unable to talk to her? Why am I hiding from her!" she cried, frustrated, and sat down on the edge of her bed. Kero flew from his spot and sat next to her. "I thought it would go away," she whispered. "I thought it was just the influx of magic from growing up and everything that these strange habits are taking over me. But it's more than that.

"It's like I don't want her to know anything about me... because now she's mostly forgotten about the Cards and Clow Reed. I think she's forgotten everything, in fact. Hiiragizawa Eriol, Li Syaoran, Li Meiling, all of them. Maybe not the person, but the other things they can do." She narrowed her eyes. "The magic."

Kero's expression changed to one of concern. So she finally noticed. Sakura said, "Her magic's changed." And the fact that she had magic at all was a surprise to them five years ago. Alone, they grew to accept the strange phenomenon, but Tomoyo never said anything about it. "I remember feeling her aura, messy and weak, all those years ago when we turned eleven. It was vague though, because I wasn't that good at seeing these things. Then she just left Tomoeda all the way to this boarding school somewhere and each year she returns with her magic a little bit more trained. Refined. It's so different." She pensively looked down at her guardian beast. "It's so different from mine. Her aura is... solely hers, almost. It's not tied to anything."

Kero quietly offered, "That dream of yours, a long time ago, you said you saw her using strange magic but you never explained."

"Oh, right, do you think that was a vision? It didn't feel like one. It felt like a crazy dream." Sakura's eyes took on a distant, faraway sheen. "She was wearing a robe... and a hat. A witch's hat." She frowned. "And she had a stick. She was waving it and saying something and things changed when she did."

Kero darted up to fly in front of Sakura's face. "That's it! I remember something about this! If you'd told me sooner, I probably could have told you earlier."

Sakura's gaze transformed into a glare. "It didn't feel important."

Kero sighed, exasperatedly. "She is a witch, Sakura, but no! Not those evil witches in Naoko's tales! All I know is that these witches and wizards are the ones who say weird things in another language and magic comes out of their wand. Unlike us, they don't summon spirits or talk to gods. Though that may be because they've more of a community- you know, like organizations, schools, governments, and laws for their people since they have a much greater population than us."

"Ano… Kero-chan, do they know about us?" Sakura was intrigued.

"I don't know."

"Well… then how come I can't talk to Tomoyo-chan?"

"I don't know… Maybe Clow Reed knows… there was an age a long time ago where sorcerers, wizards, and nonmagical people lived together, but Clow Reed's long gone by now."

"Kero-chan," Sakura gave a small smile while shaking her head. "I'm going to call Eriol-kun."

"Huh? Why him?"

Sakura left the room already when Kero cried, "Oh right! He's-" Kero flew after her, but by the time he reached downstairs, Sakura was already on the phone and saying, "Been waiting for me to call, haven't you?"

She half-smiled but then lowered her voice, "I had my own dreams that I will be asking for your help too, yet until now I didn't know why... Then you'd also know why I wanted to call you… ano, I prefer to speak to you in person too, but- Hoe! You need… help? Hiiragizawa Eriol, the almighty reincarnation of Clow Reed- I mean half reincarnation, well anyways, you need help! HOE! I...guess...I'll ask Otou-san for permission. Ano...Sayanora..."

She hung up and leaned back in the chair. There was confusion on her face, and for the moment, she was rendered speechless.

"What'd he say?"

"He said he needs some help and wants me to come over to England."

Kero looked at her, stunned. "Why the hell does he want you all the way over there?"

"We'll find out, probably something to do with Nakuru since last time I heard, she put a girl in the hospital, but at least I'd also be able to talk to him in person about Tomoyo-chan." She sounded hopeful, but her heart belied that tone of voice. She didn't dare cling too closely to that hope.

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It was a boy, tall and handsome with his black robes flaying to the sides like a long, dark, billowing cape. He looked proud, malicious, and evil. Dark eyes set on a pale, full face skirting the perimeter of the forest. His black hair was whipped to the back by the unmerciful wind, but it didn't faze him. The boy turned around and gave a swift glance at a tall, looming castle filled with shadows of the wicked night. The howls of werewolves were about far away in the depths of the forest due to the bright full moon. The boy finally moved; he walked into the forest, and after a few minutes deep inside, he cried out, "Spirit of the Air! Heed my call!"

A wind passed but nothing happened out of the usual. He looked most foolish with his arms flung out into the open space above. He repeated it, "Spirit of the Air! I demand you to heed my call and rise me into the air!", but nothing happened. The boy became wide-eyed with fear and he turned every which way wondering what has happened. He whispered to himself, "H-Has my magic grown weak by living among… among the wizards?" He then shouted another incantation and another. Next he resorted to other languages.

But nothing happened.

Thoroughly shocked with agitation and fear, he pulled out his wand and lifted it, "Allevio!" Immediately, he began rising a foot above the ground. He spoke the counter spell and he fell back to the soft earth. "NO!" he cried out in anguish. He looked as if he would break his wand in half and mound it into dust. "This is not true! This cannot- DAMN YOU RIDDLE BOY!"

He ran deeper into the woods. "He took my magic… he took it…"

Fury and hate rushed into his face. He crushed a plant, and kicked down a small tree. A bush went down to his anger. Then, panting and exhausted, he resolved with determination, "If I, Voldemort, must be a mere wizard, then… then…" He inhaled deeply and said more quietly and darkly, "Then I will be a powerful one." And he turned back to the castle.

His bright jade eyes opened forcefully out of his dream. Harry sat up in bed putting a hand on his forehead. The scar was steadily burning, but getting used to it, he didn't cry out in agony or anything. Instead, bemusement forced its way through the bottle of packed emotions. Wondering about the bizarrely clear dream, he stood up and looked out the window onto the lamp-lit Pivet Drive. Harry turned around then, seeing nothing of interest out his window, to watch Hedwig's sleeping form on top of the old desk. Her eyes suddenly fluttered open as if sensing his stare and met his eyes from behind the cage bars. Her wings flapped a little to gain a nobler stance. Then she looked at him expectantly. Harry smiled apologetically.

"Sorry, Hedwig for waking you, but I didn't mean to. Go back to sleep now. I only woke up to a bad dream."

Hedwig made a noise and tilted her head to show her compassion for him. Harry suddenly felt shame burn his cheeks. I'm so pathetic that even Hedwig is feeling sorry for me! I swear it's not like I'm disturbed or anything. Forgetting Rita Skeeter's article was a hard thing no doubt, especially after what it did to Cornelius Fudge's attitude towards him. "No, really, just go to sleep! I, ah, need you to deliver something for me in the morning!"

Hedwig didn't believe him since he had already written replies to Ron and Hermione when their own owls came, Pigwidgeon and a borrowed one, yesterday for his birthday. He also already used Hedwig to contact Sirius a week ago and was told in reply not to send too many letters for sake of safety.

However, the snowy white owl buried her head under her wing and closed her eyes again. Harry sighed and sat down on his bed. Unable to return to sleep, he pulled out a book and a piece of parchment. Digging out a quill from beneath the loose floorboard, he began his homework.

He did not pull on his glasses, nor did he need them now. With the reply telling him not sending too many letters, Sirius also had given wizard's eye contacts, a recent invention said Sirius, to Harry for his birthday but also because Harry had a small complaint that Dudley managed to break his glasses pretty bad when he took them off to wipe his eyes. He had asked for some magical scotch tape or a spell that would keep his glasses intact eternally, but instead he received those contacts.

They were magical ones too that they seemed as if they could magically correct his eyes so he won't need glasses or anything for the rest of his life. It was mostly since when he tried them on, they fixed themselves onto the eyes and suddenly he felt as if they were no longer there. Sirius told him that these contacts were permanent and becomes part of his eyes once on. A much better achievement than normal Muggle contacts, Harry had thought. He couldn't even feel it there, but it was strange for him because he was in habit of wearing glasses too much that he occasionally and accidentally reached up with his hand trying to push back a pair of glasses that wasn't there or when he woke up, he'd usually look for his glasses until he remembered he didn't need them.

He had received his first letters from Ron, Hermione, and Hagrid regarding his birthday yesterday also- Harry figured that they, too, were limiting their mails to him just in case. Ron, however, had gotten him a very interesting set of a Quidditch field where you can knob through different strategies and watch them play- a few of which Harry had already mastered and the rest he never knew. Ron also bitterly told him that they weren't allowed to bring him over to the Burrow considering the situation and that their father and half the family was off somewhere.

Hermione, for his birthday had given him a sweater and jeans, and to Harry's amazement, they fitted him well, though a bit loose. Hagrid sent over an empty journal, saying it'd be good to let thoughts lose itself on paper instead of staying in your head. Can't afford to buy Pensieve, but this good enough, right? Was what he scribbled. He still hadn't gotten the hang of writing anything in it yet. So far, the best he could write was his disturbing dreams just in case he couldn't remember them later on when they could just be proven useful.

Harry switched on the lamplight next to his bed. His hand ran through his messy, dark hair as he thought of the question in the textbook. After a few more hours of empty sleep and lots of concentration on his homework, Harry began to see the darkness around him lift. He glanced out the window and saw the sky begin to lighten. He walked to the window to watch the sunrise as he have been doing for the past weeks. Short hours of sleep became a common thing with him, but it at least helped him finish much of his homework that had piled in loads before the end of the school year closed. With his scar burning, he gazed at the sun rising from behind.

Streaks of light shot across the sky and streamed through the clouds. The darkness became purple, then light blue, red, and next a radiating golden. Bathing in the warm sunlight, Harry breathed deeply, hardly ready for another day; yet there it was.

He went to his bed and put away the textbook, quill, ink bottle, and parchment. He snuggled into the covers and pulled it around him. He shut his eyes in hope of sleep, and certainly, his exhaustion took over his wild night frights and within moments, sleep came upon him like a tidal wave. Wherever and whatever Lord Voldemort may be doing now, he's not going to kill Harry Potter through exhaustion.

---

"What do you have in mind this time, Hiiragizawa-kun?" Syaoran looked at the boy monotonously. He put down his large black duffel bag and watched Eriol who was appraising him. Eriol then remarked at last, "You've changed, Syaoran-kun, more than I had expected."

"They don't actually let you relax and look in the mirror in the Li Clan once you've turned twelve so I won't know much of a difference nor care."

Eriol shrugged. "Well let us have it your way then. How've you been?"

"I'm better now that I know that I'm not the only one being tricked in your plan."

"How- ah, yes, you have heightened your power limits. I should've remembered," said Eriol. "Clow Reed did start those excessive training."

"Can't blame him for wanting sorcerers to keep intact, but I blame you for taking away my one summer of freedom and rest."

"Why can't you rest in England? It is a wonderful place…"

"It is a wonderful place when you're not here," he answered and added, "But unfortunately for all of England and especially me and the sake of my vacation, you are here."

"Oh, such harsh words, how it pains me to hear them…" Eriol mocked pain in his chest and then smiled after the stage passed. "Why, I am blessed by your words, Li-kun."

"So where's my partner in death? I know I'm not going through your torments alone."

"Your partner is here." Eriol pointed at the plane that was just parking outside the window. They went over to the entrance and many people passed through including families, businessmen and women, and even…

"Dammit… I should've known," muttered Eriol. He threw out his blue aura and cloaked him and Syaoran from people's sight.

Tomoyo walked out of the entrance and into the airport. She looked as though she felt the sudden change in the air around her. Cautiously, she walked away to her waiting maiden at the baggage place.

"What was that for… oh, it was Daidouji-chan," stated Syaoran. He felt that he didn't need to ask the question and that hiding from his friend whom he hasn't seen in a while was a reasonable idea. After almost everyone came out and the attendants were checking inside the walkway, a girl warily came out. Eriol slowly smiled at her in faint recognition.

"Sakura-san! I didn't know you had to take the same plane Daidouji-san was taking!" he exclaimed. Sakura slowly smiled at them. Her face was pale. She ran up to Syaoran and hugged him tight, tears spilling out of her eyes and trailing down her face. The Li Clan leader was shocked for he could barely remember this girl's face with only a few decent photos of her as a child. But, he remembered her though, Sakura Kinomoto, his childhood's crush.

But that was all past now; he hugged her back as a close friend. She pulled away and hugged Eriol with a few more tears. He gently patted her. She whispered, "I missed you both so much… and… and… I'm glad I can still talk to you."

"As… am I," said Eriol, suddenly very quiet. His eyes lingered on the steps Tomoyo had taken when she left as if he could see a replay of her sudden appearance at the entrance and walking away.

Syaoran smiled as she embraced him again longing for comfort in her friends. He has grown considerably taller now that he was a head higher than her. One who would have seen them hugging would have perceived them as a couple, but in truth, the two were just longing for some comfort in one another as friends.

He asked her, "So how've you been?" They broke apart and the three of them started leaving the airport. Syaoran had his arm protectively around Sakura.

"Better. I've gotten more control of my powers… but being around Tomoyo is hard when she comes home from that boarding school."

"Oh, Kinomoto-chan, I'm sorry for not being able to answer any of your letters except the first ones… my elders wouldn't allow me, but I've talked to Eriol and he told me what's been happening. Tomoyo's a witch, ne?"

Sakura nodded. Kero suddenly popped his small head out of the bag and whispered, "A darn good one from what I've seen too. Oh hi, gaki."

"How do you know? Hello to you too, stuffed animal." asked Syaoran.

"Saw her aura. It's perfectly in control now… except for a few lapses. Wish you death, fat Chinese gaki." Kero swiftly hid back in the bag. Sakura sighed.

"Sorry, Li-kun… Kero-chan's…"

Syaoran answered, "Being his usual stuffy self." Sakura herself glared for Kero.

He smiled and walked to catch up with Eriol who turned around and was waiting for them. He said, "I hope I gave you enough time to get reacquainted. Now let's go." Eriol pulled out car keys. Sakura and Syaoran went a gape at the keys.

"What the- you're too young, Hiiragizawa-kun," hissed Syaoran.

Sakura muttered, "What did you do to get your license, huh? Manipulate the people to see you older than fifteen?"

Eriol laughed cheerfully. He answered, "You two have forgotten that I am much older than that! Well, of course, the people had to be convinced also. Anyhow, I've the car, the keys, and the license to support it. Now stop worrying!"

As they walked to the car, Syaoran muttered, "What about the skill?"

Well, it seemed as if Eriol really did have the skill for they made it alive to his large dwelling. Let's move inside where they are all walking around in the living room…

"I intercepted an owl carrying a letter in broad daylight- highly peculiar yet comprehensible once you've seen the magic around it. What was really significant though was the content of the letter. Here, read it."

Syaoran snatched the paper and raised an eyebrow. Sakura, curious, peered over and saw the brightly colored headline that really almost took half the page and was difficult to miss:

Urgent Call to the Members of the OOTP

"O-O-T-P?" wondered Sakura. "Just keep reading," Syaoran whispered, his eyes scanning the page. She looked back at the paper. Kero flew over the two heads and perched on Sakura's to look down and see.

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Member 239:

The Dark Lord has returned more powerful than before. The witness, the evidence, and clues are all supporting the theory, now fact.

Please do not panic, although this letter has been powdered with the Peace Dust (powder that makes you calm). But it has been advised that you keep this matter confidential until it is insistent that we must tell the public. The story and evidence of this event will be provided once you and other members of the Order of the Phoenix meet Albus Dumbledore, the Head, at a meeting on the tenth of August at Hogwarts: School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It is advised that you'd take the Magical British Express Train to Hogwarts for it provides faster transportation. Be prepared for states of trauma, shock, and disbelief for the Dark Lord's return is true.

Professor McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

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Kero asked, "You took out the Peace Dust, didn't you?" Eriol nodded.

"Somebody had to because Nakuru found himself allergic to it. Suppi has it now… oh wait, he wasted it on Nakuru."

"Then what was the point of taking it out when Suppi-chan's still throwing it all over Nakuru!"

"That was my intention really. Suppi-chan does need revenge after what Nakuru put him through, you know, sweets. I didn't want to become the peacemaker after all."

"Order of the Phoenix?" asked Syaoran, cutting in between the chitchat between Kero and Eriol about the revenge of the guardians.

Eriol looked abruptly at him, slightly confused. Then he smiled as his mind went back into correct order. "Oh yes, Order of the Phoenix! What about it?"

Syaoran glared, annoyed. "What is it?"

"Oh, right… I have no idea, dear descendant, but I bet it is an organization against the Dark Lord- whoever that may be."

"Clever you've become, Hiiragizawa-kun," Syaoran snapped. Eriol smiled and replied calmly but with an air of dignity, "You yourself have not shown a trace of cunning, let alone wisdom."

The boy sharply looked at him but said nothing as he returned to the contents of the letter. Suddenly, Eriol instantly looked at Sakura who had yet nothing to say of the letter, but in the midst of it all, her power was glowing frightfully soft pink whose tendrils of magic began to seep through the house.

Eriol asked quietly, "Sakura-san, what are you doing?"

"These words are spellbound, Eriol-kun. I can feel the one who wrote this and the thoughts… This Dark Lord… the person's scared of him, and this Order of the Phoenix… Guys, I think it is like an organization of police or federal agents like the U.S.'s CIA or FBI. What do you believe?"

Syaoran watched her with unconcealed astonishment at her ability; he raised his eyebrows to show it. Eriol felt an inevitable smile turn up his mouth. He said to him, "I told you she's changed and have gotten better."

Sakura blushed a deep red hue, and she fought heavily to regain her normal colored complexion. Syaoran, trying to make her feel comfortable again, changed the subject back to the problem at hand, "Okay, this is great, Eriol-kun. You've intervened into this weird affair, but so what! What has this to do with us?"

"Li-kun, I think… I think… hoe… I really have this feeling that this letter has something… to do with Tomoyo-chan, but I don't know how…"

Eriol nodded his head and looked at her. "I had that same feeling of foreboding, Sakura-san."

Syaoran concluded, "Therefore you believe this entire problem has something to do with witches and wizards, right?"

"Hoe?" Witches… I forgot, Tomoyo-chan is… a witch.

"Ah…"

Eriol and Sakura looked at each other, alarmed. It was obvious that they were so deeply into the connection between the letter and Tomoyo that they overlooked the facts. Syaoran looked at them strangely after noticing their reaction. Kero spoke up, "I believe the gaki's right, you two."

"My gratitude for your support, Stuffed Mouse." Syaoran nodded at Kero curtly while suppressing a wicked grin. Kero, most disappointingly, pretended to not have heard. He only made himself all the more formal with the boy.

"Am I not right that wizards like law and order?" the sun guardian of Sakura asked. Sakura shrugged. "I wouldn't know," she replied. "I never seen wizards… nor heard of them until a few days ago. Wait! I forgot to ask you, Eriol-kun. Do you remember a time where wizards, sorcerers, and normal people lived together?"

Eriol thoughtfully gazed into a place nobody knew about. He then said, "I would not know… I cannot remember, but it might come by later on. Anyhow, you two might as well be right… Well, strange things have been going on… and I believe my inferences might be correct…"

Syaoran stated, "You think that the society of wizards is in a frenzy with one another. That this… dark lord is throwing them out of law and order and Sakura's idea of a wizard police force is trying to put a stop to this."

"You really topped our ideas on one another, fine descendant," commented Eriol.

Sakura asked out of partial suspicion, "How do you know all of this?"

Syaoran heaved a deep, wavering sigh. "In the Li Clan, I had to sit down to learn all the species, magical and non-magical, on Earth. When I came across wizards, I was lectured on how vital it must be to avoid wizards- yet when I asked why, the Elder said, 'Since they are still here today.' I asked again but I found out they really didn't know why we have to hide from the wizards… And you know what? I think this is why we avoid Daidouji-chan."

Sakura and Kero looked at each other. Eriol looked faintly surprised. "So you've learned all the skills required for a Leader already? You're going to become the leader soon?"

"Ah, I've three more years to go." Syaoran looked at the dark haired boy who smiled suddenly, and his skin began to glow with glee.

"Wonderful! So close to the top, Li-kun! Do not worry! You'll be leader in no time once we're through!"

Syaoran was taken aback and he regarded Eriol with deep mistrust. Sakura, bewildered and lost in the conversation, looked from one boy to the other then she went to look for comfort in Kero who was also as perplexed as she was. Finally she clapped her hands to bring them back to the present.

"Anyhow, about the letter, we can head off to this Hogwarts school, the place where they're going to this meeting! What about it?"

"How will we find it?" asked Syaoran. Sakura shrugged.

"I don't know. I guess we might as well rely on foresight, but until then, Eriol-kun, you think you can intervene on a few more letters? I know it's a horrible thing to do but… if it has to do with Tomoyo-chan, I'd almost do anything…"

Eriol nodded. "Of course I can and will, although when I tried to extract this letter from the owl, it fought like a madman. I had to knock it out cold with magic- since it was covered with this shielding spell, though weak, it was still somewhat effective that I couldn't break the envelope's seal."

Syaoran questioned out of curiosity, "Who was it addressed to?"

"Unfortunately, the envelope was void of any address or even a name. The owl seemed intelligent enough to know the whereabouts and even understand human speech, I guess."

"So what the hell are we doing again!"

"Ah, I suggest, on the behalf of Sakura-san's idea of foresight, that we'd do a reading. Sakura-san?"

Sakura perked up at the thought of reading. Suddenly everyone's attention was drawn to her dark, green duffel bag. The zipper opened, and the cards flew out of her luggage and laid themselves orderly on the palm of her hand. She looked up, still surprised at Eriol's suggestion, and asked, "This kind of reading you mean?"

"No, no, those are too mysterious and can mean many things. I'm thinking of a more direct reading, although it will involve your cards, Sakura-san."

"What kind is that?" asked Syaoran.

"Calling upon the God of Dreams."

---

"Potter! Wake up, you damned boy!" The man rapped on the door. Hard. Harry tiredly forced his eyes to open to the blinding light of the noonday sun.

"Wake up, Potter! You're becoming too spoiled, you fat boy!" At this, Harry snorted. Was he the one trying to lose hundreds of pounds? And who was the one that weeded the garden, ran shopping errands, and scrubbed the house daily? Shaking his head, he sat up in bed. Uncle Vernon's pounding and shouts worsened, until Harry shouted back, "I'm awake! I'm awake! I'm coming down now!" So shut up! He added mentally.

What would he want with him now? It was usually Aunt Petunia who would wake him for breakfast. Then again, it was much past breakfast hours. His stomach growled with insatiable hunger. He scratched his head and sighed. He gathered his clothes and went to the bathroom and cleaned himself. After he was properly dressed to sit in front of the Dursleys, he went downstairs to meet the family all seated at the table. He, a lowly servant trying to fit in, took the plate Aunt Petunia offered him stiffly.

Dudley peered at him darkly. He has lost a tremendous amount of weight, but sadly, was still overweight by a fair amount. Harry couldn't help but wonder sometimes if there really was a human inside his cousin, and not a robot whose soul intent was on ruining other people's lives. Harry chomped up his lettuce and carrot and went to the sink to clean his plate. Suddenly he felt the absences of Aunt Petunia and Dudley when they both loudly strode out of the room. Uncle Vernon was still in the kitchen.

Uncle Vernon looked at him frostily, a scowl of disgust tugging at his lips. He spat, "You were supposed to stay with Ms. Figg, but unfortunately, she was away." Harry waited, and then Uncle Vernon added, "And we are not going to let dangerous vermin like you stay alone in this respectable house!" Harry couldn't help himself but raise his eyebrows at the predictable comment. And Ms. Figg wouldn't be home, and after a week of reminiscent, Harry figured out that Ms. Figg, the woman with the house full of cat smells, was really a witch watching over him that Professor Dumbledore had said was in the old crowd of Dark Lord-fighters. It was a pretty amazing revelation, but he got used to it soon.

Uncle Vernon growled at Harry's daring. He sharply said, "You're an ungrateful brat of a rebellious teenager, you know. You're lucky I'm not throwing you out onto the streets like other smart parents do!" Harry snorted disdainfully. Sure he's not; it was just the help of Sirius Black that he was still in the house.

Harry said, "Maybe you could drop me off on the street. While you're gone, I'll just be wandering around and I'll come back to where you dropped me off for you to pick me up. Good idea, eh?" Uncle Vernon shot a poisonous glare at Harry's taunting. Uncle Vernon was highly aware of Sirius Black still. Harry then caught on to a plan that was connected with his taunting. He looked at his uncle bright-eyed.

"I mean it, I won't send any Sirius Black on your tail, you can just let me go on a bus and you won't have to see me again for the rest of the summer. I can manage fine by myself."

"Sure you could." This reply surprised Harry greatly. He looked straight on into Uncle Vernon's eyes and saw tiredness and aging that weighed his heart. His uncle looked out the window and sighed deeply. "I've enough in dealing with you all these years. Once you walk out of this house, you had better not come back till next summer."

"Erm… I'll see to it." Harry had noticed Uncle Vernon's less and less tirades with him and it had seemed that when there was a chance to get rid of him, he'd make the most out of it. And only now, Harry could only grasp some understanding of Uncle Vernon's hatred for him that ran deep within. It was almost like what might happen if Harry had to be stuck with Draco Malfoy, only that there was a more of a verbal combat usually consisting of the meanest insult you can possibly muster at each other. Here it was like an adult hating a child and the child had no choice but to hate him back and yet try to respect him. A difficult feat, Harry believed.

Uncle Vernon broke the tense silence between them by snapping, "Well, pack up! Tomorrow you're proving to me that you'll take care of yourself! Get the hell out of my kitchen! Oh and take the damn sandwich! The real family already ate their share."

Harry whirled around to catch the flying sandwich. He grinned and thanked Uncle Vernon before speeding out the door and up the stairs to flee his uncle's fury. He was a gruff man who thought being thanked by someone as low and abnormal as him was humiliating.

It was only him who has been considerably nicer concerning he was usually as nasty as can be with Harry, but now being as tired as he was of yelling at the boy, he just gave harsh insults about him from time to time.

It was only Dudley from now on that Harry had to take into concern. The boy's as reckless as a wild animal. Even Aunt Petunia can't keep her own child in control. Dudley ran at him now yelling for the sandwich. Harry twirled around, threw a dreadful look at the boy, and took a nice large bite out of the sandwich. Dudley stared for a very long time even after Harry had darted up the stairs into his room.

Then he heard Dudley's whining about Harry making fun of him. He was going to hear about it all day from Aunt Petunia soon. He quickly stuffed the rest of the food down his throat. His hunger was partly satisfied. He thought long and hard about Uncle Vernon while he was folding things neatly into his suitcase. You know, the way Uncle Vernon began to keep things up nowadays, Harry just might come to like him in a way probably as a distant relative who tried to keep him alive and yet still managed to curse the living hell out of him.

Finally he stood when he packed the necessities. He had only two suitcases: one filled with clothing and the other with materials. He stretched his limbs and felt his muscles ripple. He has certainly grown, he noticed with dissatisfaction for it will prove a disadvantage during Quidditch games as a Seeker. Also wrestling with Dudley many times this month proved just nicely for the broadened shoulders and hardened chest. Of course, now he has quite an amount of bruises he's been nursing; he cursed himself out for ruining his chance of being a better Seeker.

He thought of the troubles of the wizarding world. The Dark Lord's rising and destruction of the world was heading from a big panic to total war. Harry thought of what he'll do to get away tomorrow. He could just take the Knight Bus to Diagon Alley, and he'd be fine there… he hoped. Remembering brightly of what he learned that he was protected by ancient magic with his family, Harry's stomach turned yet at the thought of staying with them another day. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia had enough on their hands without him concerning Dudley

He pulled his hair back and closed his eyes when he heard Aunt Petunia scream for him. Sure, he can face another day with the Dursleys, considering it is his last for the summer. He ran down the stairs and saluted Aunt Petunia with his back straightened. She looked at him suspiciously. Harry explained, "You won't be seeing me anymore after this, right?" She then threw a list at him.

"Buy all these and return in thirty minutes! I got to knock some sense in you before you go on insulting Dudley again!" She tossed him the money and forced him outside. Harry ran to the corner stores and supermarkets. He'll have to face the dread of scrubbing the floor next.

---

"Windy! Watery! Firey! Earthy! Enter the pool!" Sakura tossed out all four cards over the small pond Eriol had in his garden. Tree branches curled themselves over the night sky so it was fairly secluded.

The clear water glowed a soft pink when the cards dissolved into the water; then the aura faded away leaving the water a changed fluid. Eriol dipped his golden staff into the liquid and his sun ornament was dripping slowly with thick, silver substance. He held up his hand to stop the wind around them.

Then Eriol nodded and looked at Syaoran. The Chinese warrior pulled out his sword and began slowly trailing it in the water… The water particles stayed to the side and so the line was still there. He made another line… then another… He made so many lines that stayed for several moments until they smoothed out into the surface. Then he stopped and all the lines, that just disappeared, glowed a bright green in the moonlight. They formed the characters: God of Dreams.

Kero then flew into the secluded area of grass, trees, bushes, and that pond. He carried a bucket of sand. He said, "I had to call them from the roads since there was sand on the pavement." By calling, he meant using magic to magnetically attract the sand.

Sakura nodded and took the pail. Eriol took the pail and held his hand over the sand. They all shone a light blue as he purified them. He handed it back to her. She looked at Syaoran and Eriol. "You guys ready? For the first question and all?"

The two boys nodded. Syaoran murmured, "Let's hurry. I can feel the clouds thickening up there, and if I'm to lose my focus so I can shield the pond from the rain, then we might as well abandon this."

"Fine, I'll ask first," Sakura said. She took a small amount of sand and stood over the silver pond. Eriol advised, "Remember to address him first." She sprinkled the sand and at the same time, she whispered loudly, "King of Revelations, Kinomoto Sakura, the Card Mistress, asks of you to tell us who are the wizards?"

The sand caused small tiny ripples in the pond that grew and spread and soon enough they were no longer looking at their reflections in the silver of the pond. It glowed slightly in the shadows of their huddled forms and then faces began to emerge. They saw men, women, and children wearing long robes of a variety of colors. Some wore hats and some didn't. They saw some stirring bubbly chemicals in a cauldron and some waving wands with sparks flying out. They watched children sitting at desks and learning. They watched wizard men in offices sorting papers and conjuring up supplies. They saw children riding on broomsticks in the forests and mothers using their wands to cook. Finally the images faded away to the silver.

Syaoran, Eriol, Sakura, and Kero looked at one another. "They are what we expected… yet not," said Kero finally.

Sakura whispered, "I'd thought they'd be more modern myself… but it seems as if some individual families can be modern, but they have castles for schools! They're like normal people with their governing, too."

Eriol agreed, "Yes, it's amazing how all this can be kept from normal people… but more extraordinary how we are kept from all this. Their progress in life is stunning."

"But they do not know how to live in normal lives because there are so many of them. I see the difference between us and them. We have power and everything but we learn to strengthen our power in secret and yet still live a normal life. These wizards all live a completely different life from normal people. Also, I wonder why they always use wands… Is that the only form of magic they are accustomed to?"

Eriol looked up at the two. "These people cannot communicate with elemental and divine spirits. They use wands to draw or borrow power from spirits. Remember the one we saw conjuring up quills and ink bottles? It's like your Move Card, Sakura-san. They're just using it in a more… simplified way."

The girl raised an eyebrow. Kero nodded. "Ah, makes lots of sense! Wizards just use a different and more indirect form of magic… I guess that's why it makes them weaker. They haven't much for ancient magic. They develop more simple spells as generations wear on. How weak!"

Sakura shot Kero a glare at the insult. He pouted and defended, "It's the truth though!" Shaking her head at the guardian, she gestured toward Eriol to take the next pinch of sand. He did and shook the sand out into the water.

"Oh Divine King of Revelations, I, Hiiragizawa Eriol, the half reincarnation of Clow Reed, asks: What is the Order of the Phoenix?"

The ripples burst from the sand and changed the view of the liquid surface. The pond glowed to show better in the shade. Hazy shadows came into focus and their outlines darkened until the picture became clear.

They saw an old man with a long, silver white beard and flashing blue eyes behind the framing of half moon spectacles. He had a wizard's hat and was brandishing his wand before a group of people. He spoke and it seems as if with much authority and influence. The scene rippled into this view of a man thrusting his wand forward and cords sprang out of nowhere and wrapped itself around a hooded person in a mask. They watched another scene where a man killed another when green sparks flew out of his wand and hit him. Another scene was where a man dropped to the floor twitching and bending in most horrific ways in pain. People came in each of these scenes and all chained the people in masks.

They saw the old man again and also a large, beautiful, red, and gold bird besides him. Sakura whispered in awe, "It's a phoenix." The images went blank.

Kero said, "We are right again. The Order of the Phoenix is like a police force. That old man we keep on seeing is most likely Albus Dumbledore, the head, and I guess that phoenix we saw was the title's inspiration?"

Syaoran asked, "Did you notice that they mostly were after men and women in cloaks and a dark mask? I remember only seeing once or twice where they caught someone without those accessories."

"Yes, who are they?" wondered Sakura frowning. Eriol spoke, "I have a feeling we might find out in the next question." He looked meaningfully at Syaoran. Understanding, Syaoran grabbed a small portion of sand in his hand and scattered it into the liquid. He spoke quietly yet lucidly, "Li Syaoran, the heir of the Li Clan leader's throne, asks of the King of Revelations:

"Who is the Dark Lord?"

In response, the water began to make small waves and soon it twirled into a cyclone. The water lifted and they felt wind breaking Eriol's barrier and rushing all around them. Leaves and water spit into their faces. Finally the cyclone gave way and splashed all around wetting their garments and making puddles in the thick grass. Sakura cried out in surprise at the sudden turn of events. The pond was no longer as full, but Eriol called them, "You three, he'll still show it to us here." They gathered around the half empty pond where little organisms crawled away or slithered in the silver liquid.

They saw the men in masks again who were everywhere traveling in packs. They saw homes being destroyed and normal people tortured in fires and those curses they saw before. They saw these hooded beings swoop down on people and lowering their hoods for a brief second and the person went lifeless. They watched some cavemen-like beasts with clubs beating at children, and humongous and ugly giants tromp on livestock and grab men and women. Sakura and Kero grimaced and missed the tearing of flesh; Eriol's and Syaoran's faces were stony and empty of feeling.

Then a great smoke heaved into the sky of the scene and a great greenish white skull shone in the darkness with a green snake protruding out of its mouth. Sakura felt her blood pounding in her heart as she could almost hear the ear-splitting screams that sliced through those nights of terror.

Then they saw the one true Dark Lord. Out of the darkness this pale face materialized, and with so much detail did this puddle show, they could see the scales on his neck and around his face. His nose flattened so tightly that the nostrils were slits like a reptile, and his eyes narrowed a dark, cold abyss that showed nothing but malice. The thin, purple lips curled into a smile showing his fangs and other sharp teeth, and suddenly the man began to laugh. The Dark Lord began to laugh high and cruel. Behind him they saw a snake sliding up and curling around his feet. He laughed long and cold as he watched the fiery persecution.

And although the pond did not give away sound, Sakura fell to her knees covering her ears. Tears broke and she tugged at Syaoran's shirt. Sakura yelled in sorrow and fear, "Stop him, Syaoran-kun! Stop him! Make him stop laughing!" She felt the tears pour through the corners of her eyes, and her heart crack and break.

The stunned boy didn't know what to do but was desperate to end the silent laughter, and so he thrust his hand into the pond. The picture broke apart into pieces and faded away. Next the silver liquid began to thin and lessen, and soon enough it was back to normal again- the green-blue water. They began to feel raindrops on their bare skins and the pond was more distorted by the rain. It started to come down harder and everyone was soaked immediately, but no one moved. Syaoran closed his eyes and thought, Why is it vital that we know the true cruelty of this Dark Lord- a wizard- whom we should have nothing to do with? He began to wonder why they were asking anyhow. Why have they become so curious in the affairs of wizards when they haven't anything to do with them? Then he remembered, Daidouji Tomoyo, but… why does it seem as if the God of Dreams had a different idea?

Unexpectedly, the answer came. "It is your fate to salvage the inferior when you know they are in need. You shall be the god to the young as we are to you." The beautiful, soft, and divine voice entered their hearts and minds, and it pained them to hear and feel it. The God of Dreams had spoken to them.

Sakura choked out through her tears and the pouring rain. "We know the wizarding world needs us… and now we have to help them even though we hide from them?" No great voice answered anymore for the air changed back to norma, and everyone was knocked into full consciousness. "That's pretty scary for a wizard," remarked Kero mournfully.

She wiped her tears away and blearily looked at everyone. She was surprised to see that Eriol's and Syaoran's cheeks were wet and flushed and they were sweating, but then she remembered the cold, icy rain that had made her numb. Kero had hidden into her pocket. Syaoran questioned gravely, "How are we to help them?"

Eriol retorted as he wiped the dampness off his face, "Easy, become their god."

Tiny, half-hearted smiles broke onto their faces at the small yet serious joke.

---

Harry waited in bed for everyone to go to sleep and for the sounds of snoring that was frequent in the night. Hedwig hooted excitedly and he quickly shushed her. The middle of the night flew by quickly and soon his watch was speaking two o' clock ante meridian. Finally he felt safe among Dudley's snoring, Uncle Vernon's distant grumbling, and Aunt Petunia's wheezing to leave the room. Wishing he could use magic, he picked up his trunks and tried to bring them down the stairs as quietly as he could with Hedwig's cage tucked under his other arm. He put his belongings next to the front door and reassembled himself. Dusting himself off, Harry pulled on a loose and worn out jacket that was once Dudley's when he was just thirteen. Harry took the keys from the hook and unlocked the door. Then remembering, he pulled out a note he wrote to tell the Dursleys.

"I-Is that for us?" asked a shaking voice. Surprised, Harry looked up at Aunt Petunia who was descending the stairs as quiet as a cat. She bit her lower lip at the sight of Hedwig and all the other things he carried. "Yes…" he replied. He handed the note to her and said, "I might as well leave when nobody will see me, right Aunt Petunia? So no one knows you have an abnormal nephew…" He felt bitter when he said that.

"O-Of course…" Aunt Petunia gripped the railing hard. Harry looked at her curiously and without watching himself, he blurted, "Why are you down here?"

She narrowed her eyes and her fearful face changed to one of nastiness. "I come and go as I like in my own house! I've just happened to hear the ruckus you caused to get down here so I had to see what you were up to." Great, when she hears something strange, she assumes it's me and not a burglar.

Harry warned her, "But… you had better not watch, because it's going to be… different, Aunt Petunia."

Suddenly she went rigid and tight. "I understand that, boy! But you're not telling me, your own aunt, what to do, are you!" Shuddering, Harry shook his head rapidly. He edged back toward the door.

"No, you are!" she hissed. "And don't you lie and talk to your aunt like that again, you hear?"

He nodded. This was really not what he expected during the earliest of mornings.

"Now leave! Go, for goodness' sake and don't head back! I'll lock the door after!" Harry pushed open the door and lugged his two suitcases out. He picked up Hedwig's cage next and brought her to the sidewalk. Suddenly, he heard Aunt Petunia call him, "Harry…"

Turning around abruptly at the sound of his name, he saw Aunt Petunia suddenly looking softer. "For all those years since we had to take care of you… we taught you obedience and how to face reality… I-I know something is up in your little abnormal world, and that something is bad, and I just want you to know confidence. You need to learn confidence and faith. Well, good bye, boy."

Harry was staring at her in disbelief. Is this Aunt Petunia? Then he thought of Uncle Vernon and he realized that… just maybe… just maybe those two were actually getting tired of him. She closed the door, and he faintly heard her footsteps go up the stairs.

Then he turned around and looked at the row of houses of the dark neighborhood. He pulled out his wand and waved it in the air. He waited for a few moments but nothing came blasting down. He sighed, thinking he was too deep in the neighborhood and the Knight Bus couldn't see him. He decided to bring the two trunks and the cage away from the neighborhood; it was such an arduous journey that Harry let Hedwig out of her cage. He tied the cage to the handle of one of the suitcases, and the next thing he was carrying the two suitcases by two hands and walking pretty stiffly down the sidewalks.

When he reached the outskirts of the neighborhood, he put the trunks down and the cage. Hedwig flew low and perched on one of the trunks, looking at him impatiently. Harry slumped to the ground fatigued. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his wand. He waved it into the air to flag the bus down. He waited.

But still no bus came banging down. Frowning, Harry stuffed his wand back into his pocket and began waving his arms around. What did he do to get that bus down when he was thirteen? All he remembered, though, was holding up his wand, saying "Lumos!" when he heard Sirius creeping in the shadows, and then this big BANG hit. But of course, he wasn't going into the trouble of using magic… especially when he was underage. But he didn't think flagging down the Knight Bus would mean using light. Stan Shunpike, that conductor Harry met on the Knight Bus two years ago, said that when he was merely sticking out his wand flagged them down. Harry waved his wand around and began thrusting it forward. He felt his cheeks reddened at the stupidity of this. He must be doing it all wrong! I can't remember what happened two years ago! Ah, I heard Sirius creeping around. I decided to use magic… Then I-

An arm reached out and grabbed him. What the hell! Harry tried to struggle and said, "Let go-"

The hand clamped over his mouth and forced his jaw shut. He felt air wheezing through his throat. Trying to calm down to get the air he was lacking, Harry stopped fidgeting and watched with furious eyes. His heart pounded in his throat.

"Is this Harry Potter?" a voice sneered. Harry tried to look over to see who it was, but couldn't. Suddenly he saw figures emerge from behind the trees. They were all in dark cloaks and they wore these masks that covered the face but had holes for the eyes. Harry didn't need to hear their soft, triumphant laughing to know who they were. He's seen them before.

They were Death Eaters.

"What is Harry Potter doing out all alone tonight?" asked one of them.

"Away from protection?" jeered another. Harry became delusional and began to see a swirl of masked faces that were more than how many Death Eaters were there. The arm on him gripped tighter, and they all began conversing among themselves.

"What do you think we should do with him?" said one.

"Bring him to our master," replied a second Death Eater.

"But what about some fun?" slurred a third. Some are drunk, thought Harry disgustedly.

"Master won't be pleased if he heard we decided to play with him first."

Suddenly one turned around and scowled at the woods. "Boy, get over here! What good is a Death Eater if he is to be so goddamn late at every scene?"

Another cloaked figure rushed out of the woods and doubled over panting. "I-I'm sorry, but I got lost a-and- Potter?"

The figure with the light blue eyes stared at Harry through the shadows of the hood. The Death Eaters began laughing. "Then you know the boy also! Stun him! Go on, you weakling!" They thumped the shorter Death Eater on the back. He stumbled and stared at Harry. Harry felt something familiar about the Death Eater but he really couldn't put a name on him.

The Death Eater staggered forward and held up his wand, but he didn't say anything. He was frozen in place. Harry couldn't help but wonder why. Then the others began getting annoyed and they yelled at the boy, "Just say the damned word! Did you forget! God, this boy is going to number the death toll!" Sarcasm dripped in their every word, and they laughed.

Harry finally kicked out of the man's hold and yelled, "Stupefy!" at him. He didn't stand to watch the Death Eater drop for he heard a number of curses streaming at him. Hence he dropped to the floor and rolled away luckily avoiding the curses. He got up and backed away from the furious Death Eaters. The boy was standing aghast behind them all. Suddenly that boy tore off his mask and pulled down the hood. Harry's jaws dropped. Draco Malfoy!

All of the sudden, Harry doubled over and fell onto the ground. A Cruciatus curse had hit him because of his distraction. Harry screamed out in agony and felt pain ripple through every fiber of his body. His arms began to bend at odd angles and agony beyond any other streaked through his whole. It was so terrible that he didn't know if he could feel anymore. He looked up shaking at the Death Eaters: some were laughing, others were grim.

A whole new blast of pain sheared through and he screamed until tears popped out from his eyes. Then he saw something out the corner of his view. He tried to turn over but the curse made him do twice as much. He felt his stomach burn and felt as if it was being torn out of his body. But he saw them still.

Two teenagers, a girl and a boy, walking down the street with no care in the world and suddenly they were running towards him. Harry strained himself to yell at the foolish Muggles, "RUN! GET OUT OF HERE!" Harry noticed the two stop a few feet away from him and the others.

Suddenly the pain stopped and mad relief relaxed all the tension in his body that he felt he would drop from exhaustion and respite. But remembering the Muggles, Harry twirled to the two teenagers and hollered, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING STANDING THERE! RUN!"

But as stupid as one can be, they looked at him disorientated and then at the Death Eaters. They didn't move from their spot. Finally a Death Eater pointed his wand threateningly at Harry again, "You shut the hell up, Potter boy! You're worse than an amplifying spell!"

However, Harry didn't care if he woke up the whole town and brought the police over even if it might make the Death Eaters recede… or worse, attack. Harry looked for his wand and saw it on the ground. He saw another Death Eater hold up his wand and shout, "Stupefy!"

Harry dodged the spell, fell to the ground, and grabbed his wand. The other cloaked enemies began shouting stunning spells at the Muggles, but being quicker than Harry thought, they dodged them. The boy stayed kneeling, but the girl stood with one leg behind her for support; they're frozen like two dummies. Completely agitated with the obviously sluggish Muggles and that he wanted to save them, Harry bellowed rashly over the Death Eater's rush of curses, "IF YOU WON'T RUN, THEN HELP ME!" Please don't be slow in the mind also! Please don't be stupid enough to actually help! He was struck again except with the Disarming spell. He was pushed roughly to the ground.

Yet in a flash, to Harry's utter disbelief, the Muggle boy and girl rushed in at the Death Eaters. Harry stared on helplessly thinking how he had underestimated the stupidity and insanity of Muggles. Harry thought suddenly, Inall of bloody hell, what is going on! Because when he peered harder into the darkness, he saw the Death Eaters falling…

Flashes of lightning was a sword swooping down on the Death Eaters; pale figures weaved in and out of the fight like ghosts, and soon enough, all the Death Eaters were piled up on the ground in a mangled mess of powerful tree roots confining them that Harry didn't see there before. The girl ran over to him and pulled him up. Harry whirled around when he heard a strangled cry, "Help me! I'm not one of them! They forced me into this! Let me out!" It was Draco. Harry watched the Muggle/something boy pull the blondish white-haired Draco Malfoy out of the rubble. He gratefully followed that male stranger.

Finally the boy asked, "Are those yours?" He pointed at Harry's trunks and cage. Harry nodded feebly and jumped when the girl instantly cried, "Float!" and tossed a card into the air. A pink bubble encircled Harry's things and soon they were floating above ground a few feet. Draco and Harry exchanged bewildered looks despite their hatred for one another (though Harry was not so sure now).

"KEROBEROS!" she then shouted. Out of the Death Eaters and wood mess, a mane-less lion leaped out from behind. He spat out some wands from his mouth and then reported, "They're all unconscious, Mistress." She nodded, and the lion trampled on the wands effectively.

The Mistress then looked at Harry. "Ride on his back with Syaoran." The boy with golden-brown eyes that reflected luminously in the darkness, Syaoran, looked at the girl hesitantly, and she stared expectantly back at him. Reluctantly, he swung his leg round the lion's back, and they looked at Harry. Nervously, he walked up to the lion that was shuffling agitatedly. Then Keroberos gave a low rumble, "I'm not going to take you anywhere if the brat's only on, so get on!" He complied trustingly.

The teenage Mistress then whipped out a staff out from a beam of light and the wings next to the star began to grow when she said, "Fly Card!" A card appeared at the tip of the staff, and soon enough, the staff grew longer and the wings enlarged. She sat on it like a broomstick and ordered Draco Malfoy to sit behind. He did and then she, the Keroberos lion, and the pink bubble around the trunks lifted off into the air; she hoarsely called upon, "Illusion! Conceal us into the night!" Harry felt something sweep past his shoulder and under his arms. The wind swept through the Mistress and Draco also, and then the pink bubble. Then the Mistress circled round the Death Eaters and then called to Harry, "Do you know how to call for the Order of the Phoenix?"

Harry, brightly confused, called back, "Who!" They were soon off twenty feet in the air. Then suddenly a wave of panic rushed at Harry, he asked, "Where's Hedwig! Where's my owl!" And much to his relief and surprise, Draco exclaimed, "She's here!" Draco, with one hand, pulled out a ruffled and feathery mess of an owl from under his cloak. "I caught her before she could've stupidly attacked the Death Eaters." He pushed Hedwig off into flight. Harry noticed Syaoran and that Mistress exchanged expressions. The snowy and faithful owl settled on Harry's shoulder. Suddenly he heard Syaoran's gruff voice directed at him. "You think you can write to your people's government about those Dark Lord servants- that's what they are, right?"

Harry, astonished, stammered out, "Er… I think so… Maybe I'll just write to the Ministry of Magic… erm… Hedwig?" Hedwig hooted in response.

He asked, "You know where to contact the Aurors… or something like that?" Hedwig hooted and nipped his finger. Harry heard Syaoran snort at this display, but he ignored him. "Yeah, I can write to them, and Hedwig's fast also. I just need some parchment and a quill…"

He noticed a smile tug on the Mistress' lips. "You're really a wizard?"

"Yes," he answered defiantly.

"Well, why don't you use magic to conjure up your paper- or parchment?" asked Syaoran. Harry looked at Draco who seemed pretty relieved that he wasn't in this sort of embarrassing mess.

"You don't know that students aren't allowed to use magic out of school?" Harry teased them back. A grin burst on the Mistress' face and it seemed as if she approved of him and liked him. He heard Syaoran chuckle, and the whole ride became bumpy when Keroberos laughed. She said, "Oh fine, you said you need parchment? Have any in your trunks?" Harry nodded.

Keroberos swept close to the pink bubble. "Jump inside," said Syaoran. Harry stared incredulously at the boy with the messy brown hair that rivaled his. "I mean it," confirmed Syaoran. "Just jump into the bubble or step into it. You won't fall."

Harry looked at the long way down to the ground where the pile of Death Eaters laid. Everyone from that Mistress to the pink bubble and Keroberos were waiting for him so they only circled the area and barely went anywhere. Harry shuffled in his seat to get both legs onto one side where the bubble was. Keroberos grumbled in discomfort. Then Harry reached over with one leg and placed a foot inside the bubble. He felt good, solid ground. Smiling, the Mistress encouraged him on.

"Hey!" Harry felt someone push him in and he fell into the bubble.

He recovered, and surprisingly found himself standing with the other things in the bubble. Sakura called out to him, "Hurry! I can't hold too much in there!" He didn't need anymore than the warning to get him prying open the suitcase and pulling out the parchment and quill. Dipping hastily into the bottle of ink, he began scribbling onto the letter:

To whom it must concern:

There are about a half a dozen unconscious Death Eaters down Pivet Drive. Hurry and get them before the Dark Lord or others do! The Muggles are in the town. You'll see how they were all knocked out once you arrive, and please, this is no joke.

Harry found it best to not sign his name. He scrawled down the specific address and then rolled up the parchment. He jumped out of the bubble and onto Keroberos' back with more trust. He nearly lost balance but Syaoran grabbed his arm and heaved him over. He handed the parchment to Hedwig and ordered, "Hurry to the Ministry, Hedwig! Make this the fastest journey you can!"

Hedwig hooted reassuringly and flew away swiftly. "You have a good owl," noted Keroberos. Harry jumped at the trembling growl the lion had to make to have the words come out. He stuttered, "Y-Yeah."

"Okay, where do you wizards need to go? In fact, shouldn't you be at home?" Syaoran looked at the two boys.

Draco shuddered and shook his head. "With You-Know-Who and everything, dad won't just let me stay home. He was trying to prepare me for a You-Know-Who Death Eater test… like I want to be one," he added sullenly.

"Test?" asked Harry. Draco nodded meekly. His arms around the Mistress went loose and limp as his mind wandered to something Harry didn't try and pry into.

"We'll talk about everything once we've decided a good place to go!" snapped Syaoran.

Harry suggested, "How about Diagon Alley?"

Syaoran, Keroberos, and that Mistress glanced at each other and then shot him confused looks. Catching on to their bewilderment, Draco said, "Just go that way- to your left! Not this left, I mean there! Stop spinning or you won't know sky from ground!" So she stopped circling the place. "Now I'll show you the way. To the left!"

They followed Draco's lead. Then after a few minutes of peaceful silence with the wind breezing through their hair and clothing, Syaoran suddenly asked Harry, "Why aren't you at home?"

"Ah, me? Well my uncle, aunt, and cousin were going on a trip, and my babysitter wasn't home so I told them I'd take the bus- or Knight Bus to Diagon Alley where I could stay for the rest of the summer vacation."

Syaoran shot him a look. Harry realized Syaoran clearly was hard to fool for some reason. "Why couldn't you go with them or find another babysitter?"

"They er… didn't want the Muggles to know that I'm… erm… abnormal. And they don't like me and I don't like them either, so I'd thought it'd be best to just get away by staying with other wizards."

Syaoran looked back to stare at him long and hard. Then he asked, "Wizards?"

"Yeah, Diagon Alley is where lots of famous wizards' stores are. Why?" Then he said, "Er… I have a question, what is all this you two are doing? That pink bubble, winged stave, and this… lion beast?"

"We'll tell you later," Syaoran said flatly. The Mistress was shooting worried looks at Syaoran who returned them discreetly. All was silent again among them five including Keroberos. Harry found himself surprised at the speed in which they were traveling at. Pretty fast for a bubble filled with trunks, an animal with two humans on its back, and a stick holding two more people was what Harry thought because he could soon see the city of London blossoming up before him. Then a question popped into his mind and Harry called to Draco, "Malfoy!"

His blue-grey eyes looked at him questioningly. There was no hint of malice or jealousy in them for Harry anymore. That whole fight just an hour ago changed them both. Harry queried, "How do you flag a Knight Bus? I tried to get one down but none came."

Draco looked at him surprised. "The Knight Bus Company is under construction with remodeling so its closed, but why'd you take that bus anyway? I'd say you should take the Moonlit Bus next time. They're the better and smoother ones that the Knight Buses are trying to beat."

"Oh… where'd you hear it from? Daily Prophet?"

"Well, really from my dad, but I think there's a small part about the Knight Bus Company closing for the year in the Daily Prophet." Suddenly, Draco changed his attention to that Mistress who was nudging him. He said, "Turn to your right and follow those… light thingies."

Then turning his attention back to Harry, he called out, "Hey, Potter, what happened to your glasses anyway?"

"Sirius gave me Wizard's Eye Contacts! My glasses broke too much by now that I couldn't use magical scotch tape."

Draco nodded in understanding and his attention averted back to the girl driving the staff. He said, "Over there! You see that pub?"

They all did, though it took the strangers a longer time to spot it than Harry and Draco. Finally they circled down to the empty street in front of the Leaky Cauldron. Keroberos landed lightly on his forelegs first and then his hind legs making the drop light. Harry and Syaoran jumped off with the help of Keroberos pushing them. Harry watched the Mistress make the wings magically disappear when her feet touched ground, and the staff shortened after Draco got off. Finally the staff with the star on top turned into this tiny pendant on a chain. She threw it on her neck and began helping Harry gather his luggage. Harry was about to comment on the lion because he wasn't sure if he was a common pet to have… especially when it could speak good English and that Draco himself was baffled by the creature, but when he looked over he no longer saw a lion but a flying teddy bear with large ears and tiny eyes. He dived into the Mistress' pocket. Harry noticed Draco also staring. Finally Syaoran, holding one of Harry's trunks, looked at him and Draco anxiously. The girl, carrying the cage, held her hand up to let the snowy white owl, miraculously flying down from the lightening sky, perch herself. And to Harry's utmost shock, Hedwig did not show any contempt for the girl.

"Your owl's fast," she complimented. Harry gave a slight grin.

"Well, should we go in or not? It's getting light out and we'll look conspicuous to the early birds," said Syaoran impatiently. Draco and Harry strode forward and they entered the Leaky Cauldron.

What came next was really not what Harry would've expected…

"HARRY, WHERE WERE YOU!" Mr. Weasley rushed toward him and shook him by the shoulders. Harry, dazed and blinking, said, "Er… hi, Mr. Weasley…"

"Did you know that you had the Ministry in an uproar when they found out you were away from the protection of your family! What happened! We got your letter about the Death Eaters- already chained them up, thank goodness, and we've forgiven for your use of the Stunning spell, but how…?" Mr. Weasley then let go of Harry and began heaving deep breaths. He then said hoarsely, "Well, as long as you are alright… what happened about the Death Eaters? Did you just happen to see them piled on top of one another and stuck in this wooden cage when you were out trying to flag a Knight Bus or did you use that stunning spell that hit all of them!"

"Erm… not really… you see, they-"

Harry was about to gesture toward the Mistress and Syaoran behind them, but then he heard a small voice near his ear, "Shut up and tell him you did!" So he did. "Well, really, I did just walked by seeing them like that… I shot the Stunning Spell at him but missed." Harry meant Draco.

Mr. Weasley looked thoughtful then. "Oh I wonder who did that… powerful magic… extremely powerful… could be an advancement of Binding Charms or maybe the tree was just there and it must be their plant… Anyhow, who's this? Oh… Malfoy." Mr. Weasley's eyes settled upon Draco Malfoy whose looks were uncanny with his father. Mr. Weasley strained himself to say, "Hello Malfoy… glad to see you as well. Were you at this fortunate scene also?"

Not knowing what to say, Draco tried to look away, but Harry said, "Well, I- um… saw him with my other two friends here… Syaoran and… and…"

Harry made Mr. Weasley look at the Mistress and Syaoran. Harry, since he knew he couldn't call that Mistress 'Mistress', looked at her for help. She opened her mouth, noticing his plead, but nothing came out. She looked back at him helplessly. She was back to looking like that Muggle fool Harry thought of her as a few hours ago. Suddenly he heard a voice near his ear again say, "Sakura, dammit! She's Sakura Kinomoto!"

"Sakura… umm… Kimo-!"

The voice repeated itself, and Harry began again, "She's Sakura Kinomoto, and he's Syaoran…"

"Li!" hissed the voice.

"…Li!"

"Oh hello Sakura Kinomoto and Syaoran Li!" Mr. Weasley extended a hand out towards Syaoran Li. The boy looked at the hand, next at Mr. Weasley, and then back at the hand. Suddenly, Syaoran Li backed away a step and bowed instead of accepting the handshake. Mr. Weasley laughed uneasily. He said, "Oh yes, you're Asian, and they bow to greet each other, right? Well, allow me…" Mr. Weasley balled his right hand into a fist and put his left hand over it. He held it out before him and bowed his head. A smile flickered on Syaoran's face, but he was quick to clear it.

"And you, Sakura Kinomoto!" Mr. Weasley did the same with the girl. However, instead of bowing the Chinese-style, she bowed a traditional Japanese-custom. Mr. Weasley grinned and declared, "I guess we have a Japanese one over here!"

"Ah, a mix of cultures in this little party!" said a new voice. Harry turned around to meet the welcoming face of Tom, the landlord of the Leaky Cauldron who apparently had not too many teeth. "And Arthur, you're thinking they'd stay here, right?"

Mr. Weasley nodded and said, "Yeah, but um, about young Malfoy here… you'd be wanting to get back to your father right?"

Harry knew why Mr. Weasley looked so erect and stony at the mention of 'Malfoy'. It was only because of the fact that Mr. Weasley and Lucius Malfoy, Draco's dad, were never on very good terms with one another.

"Er…" Draco was just as dumbstruck as Sakura and Syaoran. The red-haired man looked at him expectantly. Then Draco finally gave in and said, "Mr. Weasley, I was really part of that Death Eaters group, but I'm not a real Death Eater! My father, one of the Death Eaters at Pivet Drive, brought me along. He wanted me to become one… but I don't really… I just… I ran along with Potter, Kinomoto, and Li."

Mr. Weasley, softening slightly but still very wary, said, "Oh, I see now. Well, I guess you could stay with Harry here? Harry, do you mind?"

Harry shook his head surprising Draco. Mr. Weasley nodded stiffly and said, "Now do you two foreigners have a good excuse of being away from your families?"

Sakura let out a soft, "Hoe…" to herself but she nodded. Syaoran didn't do anything. "Well, let's hear it, Sakura," said Mr. Weasley.

Frightened again, she looked at Harry pleading for help. Harry, not knowing what to say, blurted out the first things that came to mind that he guessed about them, "She um… is taking a vacation here in England and was out on a late night stroll with Syaoran who's also on vacation- don't ask me what they were doing." Syaoran and Sakura glared at him furiously but Harry tried his best to ignore them. He continued, "And they saw me standing next to the rubble of Death Eaters… and then Malfoy came running out the woods late in his Death Eater's mask and all- that was when I tried to stun him. Well, these two helped me and they flagged down a Moonlit Bus and we stopped out here… and… and, you guys want to go back to your Muggle hotel rooms?"

The two vigorously shook their heads like mute people. Harry gave a bright, sheepish smile to Mr. Weasley. He hoped that they won't check to see if he went on a Moonlit Bus or not. Mr. Weasley was nodding at the two interestedly. "Okay! I see, well, you better write to your parents, though, to let them know where you're staying." The two nodded again.

"I see everything is wrapped up. I'm off then to calm the Ministry down!" With a swish of his robe, Mr. Weasley Disapparated into thin air. Sakura and Syaoran jumped in surprise. Tom suddenly stepped in among them and took a hold of Harry's shoulders. "Nice to see you again, Harry! Everyone follow me! I've already taken your things up."

He led them to the door with a brass number 27 on it. He opened it up and found two pairs of bunk beds next to each other. There was a table at one corner, a wardrobe, a large mirror, and a warm fire across from everything. Harry saw his trunks and cage sitting next to one of the bunk beds. Hedwig was hooting comfortably on tope of a large wardrobe. Harry didn't realize that his owl left Sakura once they entered the pub.

"Get warm and comfortable… and keep safe all of you! I've been hearing strange rumors about You-Know-Who's return…" Then on a lighter note, he generously offered, "Anyhow, if you need anything, just yell for me." Tom left them. Harry pushed Draco, Sakura, and Syaoran in. He closed the door softly and clicked the lock. He then swerved around to face Sakura and Syaoran.

"Look I'm very grateful for you saving us, but I really need explanations now. I may be too tired and it may be four in the morning, but don't start acting like fools! Why can't you guys talk right to the adults and what is all this? And who is whispering into my ear-"

"Kero-chan is…" interrupted Sakura in a lowly voice. She was certainly feeling ashamed of herself. Suddenly from right behind, that other form of Keroberos popped out his small yellow head. Harry staggered back in surprise. He heard Draco murmur, "I wonder what animals you cross-bred to make this."

Kero, not hearing, said to Harry, "Sorry, man, they can't talk so I had to tell you." Kero flew down and sat next to Hedwig who looked at him with curiosity. Kero stonily said to the owl, "Don't you dare peck me, poke me, kick me, thump me with your wing, or even touch me!"

Hedwig, offended, turned her tail on him. Sakura scolded, "Kero-chan, that's harsh! Apologize to her!"

Kero threw death glares at the bird. "I'm sorry that birds always do these kinds of things to me!"

The snowy white owl walked away two steps from him in disgust. Sakura glared at Kero, and he shrugged helplessly. "I apologized!"

"Kero-chan…"

"Fine! I'll really mean it this time!" He walked over to Hedwig and tried to get her attention. Meanwhile, Harry snapped his fingers in front of Sakura's and Syaoran's faces so that they'd look at him. He said, "Now we'll stop wandering off subject! Who are you guys? I don't know if real wizards have staffs or swords and all, but I'm sure that a normal wizard could talk, since you could talk to me and Malfoy!"

Sakura sighed and leaned onto the wall. Syaoran's eyes flashed dangerously, but nothing could falter Harry's agitation with them.

Finally Sakura tiredly said, "Stop laughing, Eriol-kun, and show yourself."

Immediately a boy of fifteen appeared in the room and turned around, and Harry stared at the newcomer. He stammered, "H-How long have you been there? And where did you come from?"

Eriol, a boy of neatly trimmed and combed blue hair, smiled at him, his midnight blue eyes flashing lightheartedly. He didn't say anything though. "Well?" asked Harry again. Eriol remained quiet. Draco's attention from watching Kero trying to sway the bird turned to Eriol.

He asked, "Who are you?" But Eriol just stood, smiling wholeheartedly.

Draco said, "You can't talk?" Finally desperate, Harry cried, "Stop acting like an idiot! You're not mute! Didn't Sakura just say you were laughing! Come on, I need you to tell me who the hell you are! Speak up!"

"I apologize for getting you stressed, Harry Potter, which is your name, am I right?" Eriol politely held out his hand. Harry, too shocked to speak, nodded meekly and shook his hand. He dropped it quickly. He was suddenly aware of how tired he was.

Eriol continued, "Forgive me for I didn't know what came over me. I guess this must be the reason why Sakura and Syaoran could not speak to your grown wizard friends. Maybe there is some word or emotion that you used or had that broke the spell cast over us, sorcerers."

Draco raised an eyebrow. "You can't be sorcerers unless you're over eighteen and had contributed something great for the benefit of the wizarding world."

Eriol glanced meaningfully at Sakura and Syaoran who stared back. Finally Sakura walked up and said, "Look, let's get some good rest for today first. And maybe after we're regenerated, we can tell you the full story- and no, Malfoy, we are not those kinds of sorcerers."

Harry couldn't fight back anymore because he knew more truthfully that they were right. He wouldn't want to fall asleep in the middle of an explanation, and they seemed too tired to continue themselves. He sighed and said, "Fine, let's go to sleep."

Sakura, Syaoran, and Eriol let out a great breath of relief. Sakura suddenly looked at Eriol and asked, "Where are you going to sleep?"

Eriol laughed and said, "I'm returning back home of course! I wouldn't leave Nakuru and Suppi-chan alone in my house for a minute! Sayanora, Sakura-san, cute descendant, Potter, and Malfoy!" He disappeared.

Draco's mouth dropped open. "He's too young to start Apparating!" Yet Harry couldn't care less until tomorrow about that as he pulled the bed covers over him. He did hear Sakura and Syaoran groan, and Syaoran snap, "After five or more hours I might tell you in full detail that he is not Apparating, whatever the hell that's supposed to be!"

The Chinese boy crossed his legs on the bed and closed his eyes with his back straight. Sakura warned Draco not to bother him when he's in meditation, and soon Draco climbed the bunk to the second level where he went to sleep. Sakura yawned loudly on the top level above Syaoran. She called while yawning again, "Kero-chan, go to sleep now. It's enough that your apology to Hedwig has turned into an annoyance." The boys, whom were all half-awake, snorted.

Hedwig hooted in agreement and kicked Kero off the wardrobe that he fluttered madly over to Sakura where he laid on her pillow glaring at the owl. Finally Harry heard complete quiet except for the cackling of the fire burning brightly in the corner of his thin eyelids. He turned around and pulled the blanket over his head. He'll learn everything about those three strangers tomorrow, and he's going to learn them good.

No secrets.

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TO BE CONTINUED…