Another chapter!

Disclaimer: Don’t own HP or CCS, but I have already said it. I do own this fic! Don’t steal!

Started 1/30/05

Chapter 20 – Syaoran

Nothing.

I’m sure there are traps protecting the Sorcerer’s stone, but I can’t find out anything! I tried using the Key card, but it wouldn’t show me anything.

Then, when I tried to use Return to send myself to the past so I’d see which traps they were setting up here, it backfired! I wound up lying on the floor of the common room, knocked out for a few hours. It was lucky that everyone had been sleeping late that day. So what is going on?

I know my magic is stronger then this! So what is wrong?

Why can’t I access anything really important?

I look at Yue as he takes on angel form instead of the bunny. “Yue, what happened back in Tomoeda?”

“Nothing.” He said. Mirror has been telling him all the interesting bits, but nothing really interesting happened.

“What about the cards?” Nothing had happened to them?

“Watery… and Time… there aren’t many of them left.”

“I see.”

“No.”

“Yue?”

“Are you all right?”

“Am I all right? I’m fine!” really, I am…

“No, you’re not.” He says abruptly. “Return never fails. It should have at least shown you something interesting. The clow cards are stronger than that.”

“Then was something blocking my magic?” If there is, it’s important! I may have trouble adjusting to different magic levels…

“Not that either, Syaoran.”

“Then what is it?”

“Perhaps… no, I shouldn’t say this, but perhaps there are magics out there stronger than Master Clow’s…” Yue lowers his voice… it’s almost as if it’s a crime he spoke that aloud.

I nod.

“Don’t worry, Yue. I won’t punish you for saying that. The wizards do have some impressive magic of their own.”

True, true… spelled so I can’t spy. I know my magic’s not that good, and I don’t even have the entire ‘Clow’ set yet, but still!

I’m not a Squib either.

Plus, my magic is much stronger than a normal wizard’s. But in either case it doesn’t hurt to skip ahead… and so I’m reading plenty of books that I’m probably not supposed to in the library but knowledge is power, and power is something you need to, if you want to control cards. Power and control…

I have both of them.

I won’t give up! I can do this! I am not a failure. No, I’m a magician… and perhaps a wizard. I am heir to the Li Clan, but no one knows. I don’t care about that.

I will create my own cards.

I will succeed.

Nothing will stop me; this Stone here is not mine in any case. I doubt it would do any good for me to attempt to steal it, so I will wait.

If someone else tries to steal it though, they’ll have to get through Lock first. I’ll know the minute it’s broken.

What else can I do but wait?

Nothing special has really happened in the classes, so I suppose I’ll just wait. Who knows? Maybe the stone really is safe here… in any case; it’s not my job to guard it. I’m yawning, now.

Bed waits.

Yue reluctantly resumes rabbit form and then the two of us fall fast asleep…

It’s early in the morning when I wake up and find that Lock is waiting for me by the bed. This is not a good sign.

“So they broke in?”

Lock pulses in agreement.

“Who?”

Of course, this card can’t talk, but maybe an image will help… I concentrate and try to feel the aura. All I can sense is black.

That doesn’t help everyone here at this school wears black robes, including me! But it’s a male presence, so I know it’s not a girl.

Snape must have gotten in then.

Well, maybe he is working for their Dark Lord. I wonder if Harry and Ron know? Should I tell? It’s quite dangerous…

What am I supposed to do?

There are traps between the stone and the entrance, but how many are there? I’ve never been able to tell, and I hope they hold…

Why did whomever it is wait so long? School will be out in a month and a half. Well, no matter. It’s time to go through the trapdoor.

No matter what, I won’t let this defeat me.

No. I will be fine. I just have to believe that.

Everything will be just fine…

“Harry, wake up.”

Harry yawns. “Hmm?”

“The stone. It’s in danger!”

That wakes him up all right, regardless of the fact that it’s five A.M. “What? Now? How? Never mind, tell me later!” He shakes Ron awake, and then the three of us huddle under his invisibility cloak and take off for the corridor.

It’s dark, certainly, but that isn’t the problem. The trapdoor is ajar, and the three-headed dog is quite dead looking. There’s a great big gaping wound on its chest.

Ron pales. “Hagrid’s not going to like this.”

‘We have more to worry about then Hagrid’s feelings right now…”

Cruel, but true. At least we won’t have to get past the dog. Well, that’s one trap down, who knows what’s left?

“Harry?”

Ron is asking the question on my mind. “Harry, how many teachers cast spells here?” Harry looks befuddled.

I guess he doesn’t know either…

You know, maybe this isn’t such a good idea, but in any case, Harry and Ron both jump down the trapdoor. We land on something… soft?

Did someone kindly put pillows here?

Harry casts Lumos, and we see… it looks like a plant. We’ve landed on a plant. This must be Sprout’s spell… but what kind of plant is it?

Ron suddenly shrieks. It sounds really high, and Harry runs over to him. Great! It’s a man-eating rose-thorn!

The rest of the plant comes alive, grabbing at use with thorny vines. Oh, this is going to be bad. What’s it weak to?

Fire? Water? Can’t be water! What to do, what to do? I can’t reach my wand! I didn’t let Yue come with me to keep his identity a secret!

Suddenly, heat flashes by my head. I turn…

Sakura?

No, it’s not her… what’s going on – oh….

Mirror winks at me, before she vanishes with Firey. I sigh in relief. I completely forgot I had Firey…

Well, we’re out now, right? Onwards we walk…

End Chapter

Completed 2/3/05