FH Chapter 16

FH Chapter 16: A different Master

New chapter! Enjoy!

The friends found that, even with Snape there, they weren't able to gather the information they needed. Sakura had abandoned the technique:hide, and decided that strength in numbers also helped. Fai had returned, so they didn't have to worry about Snape teaching DADA . The second quarter students in Hufflepuff and Gryffindor had potions class substituted by Herbology.

With Professor Sprout gone , Hagrid took her place. Hagrid resembled how Kyo had envisioned a giant would be. Despite being a tall man, Hagrid was a gentle man, with a ridiculous obsession for dangerous magical creatures. So far, all they hd learned from him what you should do if: You wanted your plants to die, your flowers to wilt, or a man-eating plant to eat less people.

Since Ami was in Ravenclaw, she still had to suffer through Snape's harsh potions classes. But, she could also spy on him in person. Everyone rejoyced when they saw Fai, but he looked terribly distant and weak. Kyo overheard other hufflepuffs say that Fai was afraid that whatever had happened to Kurogane, would soon happen to him. Sakura thought Fai was concerned for Kurogane's well-being, and Sakura reminded him that Fai depended on Kurogane for blood. Of course, they decided it would be better not to reveal to Kyo that Fai was a vampire. Despite his weakness, Fai continued increasing his students' skill in defensive magic until he was sure they could handle anything from a tall cliff to a three headed dragon. " You will need your magic in tough situations." He told them, and Kyo couldn't agree more.

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Fai smiled. "What's on your mind, Syaoran."

Syaoran grinned. "You could tell, huh? Oh, I was just thinking about what Kurogane once asked. 'I wonder where the real Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher is.' Now other teachers are vanishing too. Maybe we can add this as clue? There could be a connection."

Fai nodded. "You have a point, but won't it confuse your new friends if you tell them I'm not really their teacher?"

Syaoran chuckled. " I don't believe there's anything that could surprise them now."

Fai continued to nod and took it under consideration. Perhaps they were onto something. The teacher disappearances may be the key.

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"Happy Valentine's Day!!!" Sakura woke up with a start. People were talking very loudly downstairs. Sleepily, she slipped into her robes and glanced at the magical calendar on her wall. The page said, "February 14- Valentine's day." Sakura couldn't believe that she'd forgotten. Sakura took out a paper and quill and wrote, " Dear Syaoran.... I am thankful for all youv'e done for me. For you, I promise that I will one day remember everything about you... and myself. You're so caring and always know how I feel, nd I cherish every moment we spend together. Your BFF, Sakura." And of course, there was Kyo's letter to write. " Dear Kyo, I'm so happy that you wanted to be my friend at the beginning of the year. I felt so lost and alone when Syaoran was placed in Gryffindor, and I don't think I could have pulled through without you. So when's the next Quidditch match? Do you know? I sure don't. I practice with the team after school everyday, but I can never remember the skirmish dates.Yours Truly, Sakura.

She laughed at herself, realizing how much she enjoyed signing her name. It also never occured to her how important names were. Suddenly, images and voices grew loud in her mind, swirling around in a dizzying fashion.Then, she was in a familiar scene. The prefect and Snape were talking about her. " The girls name," the prefect was saying, "that is all you need, right?"

Snape nodded, " Once I have her name, I can make that potion you need." Sakura's eyes widened.
The prefect smiled a smile one wears when he is enjoying an execution. " The girl's name... It's Sakura." Sakura watched in horror as Snape bowed low before him. Kabuto told him to rise and Snape left the room. Slowly she was drawn out of the memory and felt herself fall back into her own feet, that still rested upon the ground of the hufflepuff dormitory. Syaoran had told her once before that she had unawakened powers. Had what she seen possibly have been real? If it had, that meant Snape worked for the prefect, not the other way around. Sakura remembered seeing herself and Kyo leaving the room when the playback had begun, which suggested it was not a true memory. Talk about De ja vu, Sakura thought. It was as though she saw what had transpired in the Great Hall after she went to try out for Quidditch. Collecting the notes she had written, Sakura hastily left the common room.

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Dumbledore sat at the front of the Great Hall, Sakura at a long table therein. The very same table had been part of the background of her daymare.

"Happy Valentine's day," Dumbledore said cheerfully. He couldn't have known of the dark cloud over Sakura's sunny thoughts, but his bright voice still seemed misplaced to her. "The cupids Hagrid hired will deliver all of your notes to that special someone. On a darker note...I'm sorry to inform you that as long as the teachers are missing, you cannot go anywhere unplanned off campus or through the halls without a prefect. This is for your own safety."

Sakura saw Syaoran frown, but she knew he couldn't understand how terrible this news really was.. After seeing what she had, Sakura had to warn him about the ever-increasingly-disturbing Gryffindor prefect.

" House points have been calculated once more. First place: Gryffindor. Second place: Ravenclaw. Third place is a tie between Hufflepuff and Slytherin."

Sakura dashed o the Gryffindor table. Syaoran was blushing. " Sakura--"

She interrupted him. "I have to tell everyone something VERY important. This cannot wait!" Together, they snuck out of the dining hll as the cupids began their deliveries. Kyo followed.

"What's up?" Syaoran asked when somehow the whole group had managed to meet in Fai's office. Sakura wasn't sure how to say what was on her mind. " The prefect, Kabuto, he's different than we thought."

"Innocent?"

Sakura stood on top of on of the chairs. "No! Not innocent... More guilty. We had it wrong though, he doesn't work for Snape. Snape works for him."

"Are you sure," Syaoran asked, feeling no need at the moment to question how she had gotten the new information. Sakura nodded. The rest watched as Syaoran pondered in his mind what this meant. " All of you, from Gryffindor, act like nothing is different. Snape only knows that Sakura, Kyo and I are friends. No one else knows that you girls even interact with us, do they?"

Ami spoke, "We never really speak about them, do we?" The other girls, all of whom were in Gryffindor, not Ravenclaw with Ami, agreed.

Syaoran relaxed. "Good. If anything, this can work to our advantage. If Kabuto heads somewhere, tell him you are going the same direction, and he'll have to accompany you there, with that new "never alone" rule. See where he goes."

The rest nodded and headed back to breakfast in the chaos of gifts and letters before they were missed. "Sakura-chan," Syaoran said, " I don't want you to spy. Keep safe.Oh!" Sakura watched him pull out a box of chocolates. "Only for you, Valentine," He said.

Sakura hugged him happily. " Thank you!." He opened that cupid shoved into his hand. When he was done reading it, it looked like tears were in his eyes. Not of joy, of despair.

"What's wrong?" Sakura asked, fearing the worst. Maybe I shouldn't have included the part about remembering him, she thought. But, Syaoran wasn't upset about that. His tears were for how much she had lost.

"It's okay, Syaoran-kun. Whatever it is will turn out fine in the end. I'm sure we'll be alright."

Syaoran dried his eyes. Of course she was right, like always.