Harry Potter 1. Pandora Malfoy: Squib Extraordinaire

**Cardcaptor Pandora  
**Prologue  
****Pandora Malfoy: Squib Extraordinaire  
By Kira Ashkelon

Pandora Malfoy sat in her boarding room brushing out her long, silky silvery blonde hair. Her three other roommates had already gone home for the summer holidays that morning, and eagerly at that, anxious to see their families again. Pandora sympathized with them to a certain extent. She wanted to see her mother more than anything, and knew she felt the same. They needed eachother, especially since they lived with someone as horrible as Lucius Malfoy.  


Pandora's father hated her. True, she was a Squib (which in itself was a lie. She, for some reason, just had never been invited to Hogwarts thus it was assumed she was but a mere Squib), but usually parents tend to love their children regardless of their God-given faults. Not her father. She wouldn't be the least bit surprised to find that he never even sighed mournfully if he were to receive a letter telling him that she had died in some freak cafeteria accident. Hey, it could happen. Those Smeltings lunch ladies could be ruthless at times.  


Though each of her parents sat at complete opposite ends of the scale, there was still her twin brother, Draco. He was stuck somewhere in the middle, as brothers tend to be. Right half between good and evil. He was a perfect brother.

  
Unfortunately, Draco didn't get out of school until a week after her, and Pandora hated being at home without him. When their father didn't have Draco to spoil, he kept making up faults of Pandora's and accused her of all sorts of things. She had already made arrangements with the head of Smeltings to stay an extra week, but she hated that too. Of course it was better than the first option.

  
A few students were going to take a later train home, but all of her friends had left. So she decided to do what she usually did when she was bored: go practice colorguard.

  
She stepped outside with her blue and orange practice flag and flipped it around a few times, but it was absolutely no fun without others there to practice with (and show off to, she had to admit. She was pretty good, after all, she was the captain of the guard). She put the flag away and resorted to Plan B: the school library.

  
When she got there, it was almost empty, unless there were people hiding behind the many bookshelves. She really had no reason to be there or a specific book to find, so she picked up her usual default: a book of Greek mythology. She wasn't crazy about the Greeks or anything, but it was fun for her to read her name in a book. Besides the story of Pandora's Box, her other favorite was the myth of how the four seasons came about. She always thought that Persephone character was rather dumb, or just did it to be cruel. She was so close to leaving, but she just had to eat that stupid food! Ugh. Some people... Otherwise it would be summer all the time. There's a nice thought. No school forever!

  
Anyhow, Pandora was flipping through this book when a chair scraped the wooden floor next to her. She turned to see who it was, and couldn't say she was overjoyed with the result. It was Dudley Dursley. He had been following her around since the first day of school. Pandora had no interest in him at all, but remained polite. He always seemed to catch her in the library, especially on weekends. He'd missed very few, anyway. She was quick to note, however, that he had lost a lot of weight since the beginning of school. He almost looked normal. Maybe she was a good influence.  
"Good afternoon, Pandora!" he greeted. He was never polite to anybody but her. Go figure.

  
"Hello, Dudley. Are you taking an evening train home?"

  
"Yes, what about you?"

  
"Oh... well... you see..." she began uneasily, "I don't want to go home until my brother gets home, and he doesn't get out of school for another week. So I'm going to stay at Smeltings until then."

  
"That's horrible! Why doesn't your brother go to Smeltings too?"

  
"He goes to a special school... um... for the performing arts! Yes, he's quite a good dancer, especially ballet," she lied, smiling inwardly as she tried to imagine what Draco would look like dressed in a pink tutu with laced-up pink ballet shoes on point.

  
"That makes sense then." Dudley got quieter suddenly and averted his eyes. "You know, it's really a shame for a pretty girl like you to have to stay here by herself for so long. Especially when people like me live in a house with multiple spare rooms..."

  
"I can take care of myself."

  
"I have no doubt that you could! But... would you consider... just maybe... you could stay at my house for a week!"

  
Pandora stared at him blankly, thinking things over. Sure, a house would be much better than Smeltings, but with Dudley? She sighed and shrugged. "If you're sure your parents won't mind, sure. Why not."

  
"That's great!" he cheered, his pudgy cheeks puffing out in a wide grin. "Get your stuff ready, and I'll meet you in front of Smeltings at five!"

  
The plans were made and followed through. By six they were on the train home, and just before seven they arrived at the Dursley home. Dudley's parents were more than accommodating. The house was neat and Mrs. Dursley gave Pandora a room upstairs.

  
Dudley said, "My cousin will stay here when he gets home from school in a week," as he helped Pandora carry her things upstairs, "but you are much more welcome to it than he is."

  
"Oh, I'll be gone before then, anyway. Who's your cousin?" she asked, trying to make polite conversation.

  
"He's a loser, you'll be glad you're gone. His name's Harry Potter."

  
Pandora froze but tried to look casual. She couldn't believe it. Imagine if Dray knew...

  
"Anyway, since we were on the train so long, Mum made a late dinner for us. Would you like to come with me?"

  
"I'm... not so hungry..." she said. It was true. She felt a bit sick.

  
"Oh, okay," he sighed, disappointed. "I'll see you later, then! Bye!"

*******************************************************

It had been a week, and Pandora still hadn't gone home. She'd written her mother when she'd gotten to the Dursley's, and Mrs. Malfoy had written back suggesting that she stay a few days into the next week because Narcissa would be leaving for a little while and didn't want Pandora at home alone without her. The Dursleys were more than willing to let her stay longer.

  
But the next problem came when Dudley had to leave for a three-day camp... the same day Harry Potter would be coming home from Hogwarts. Besides the problem of him needing his room back, there was also that of great enmity between him and her brother, Dray. Once he found out her name was Malfoy... if the silvery blonde hair didn't give it away first... who knew what horrible things might happen? If he told the Dursleys that she was from a wizarding family, they would surely kick her out, forcing her to go home and stay with her father and brother alone.

  
But perhaps he wouldn't be as terrible as all that... as long as she didn't try to pick a fight (which she most certainly would not, it wasn't in her nature).

  
She sat in the living room waiting for a Mrs. Dursley to return. Mr. Dursley was at work. Pandora wore one of her favorite casual Muggle outfits: a pair of flare blue jeans and a fairly tight pink-sleeved white shirt with a panda bear on it. She'd gotten it on a school outing and was wanting to show it to Draco. He'd taken to the habit of calling her the endearing nickname of "Panda." Brothers...

  
The front door opened and Pandora heard Mrs. Dursley saying, "Don't forget Dudley's guest! I don't want you to scare her off with any of your nonsensical talking about..." but she stopped abruptly and smiled when she saw Pandora seated there. "Pandora! Hello!" She nudged Harry as if to hurry him away, but as soon as he'd stepped onto the first stair the phone rang. "Oh, I suppose I should get that. Harry, why don't you keep our guest company?"

  
Harry walked slowly over as Mrs. Dursley ran to the kitchen to answer the phone. "Um... hi," he said. "I'm Harry Potter. What's your name again?"

  
She noticed how his eyes ran over her hair. He saw the resemblance. At least she looked more like her mother than father, unlike Draco. And her eyes were amber instead of that horrid grey color. But still, there was little else to do but press on, come what may. She stood up, smiling cheerily as she offered her hand for a handshake, saying, "Hello! My name's Pandora Malfoy."

  
He didn't look surprised or angry, just satisfied in a way as if an earlier thought had been confirmed. He glanced towards the kitchen then said in a lower voice, "Any relation to a Draco Malfoy?"

  
She laughed and said, "What do you think?" tossing her hair for emphasis. "I'm his twin sister."

  
"But... but then why haven't you been at Hogwarts these past four years?"

  
She blushed. "I...was hoping you wouldn't ask. I was never invited..."

  
"Are you... a Squib?"

  
"Yes and no. I have magical abilities, I've just never been invited. But I know I'm good enough. I can do all the spells up through the intermediate level, and that's with only my mother teaching me."

  
He opened his mouth to say more, but Mrs. Dursley came back. "I'm really sorry," she said, "but it looks like I'm going to have to leave. I won't be back until tomorrow probably, and Vernon will have to come, too." She glared at Harry. "There'd better be no trouble while I'm gone, understand?"  
"I understand!" he said, a hint of bitterness in his voice.

  
Reluctantly, Mrs. Dursley left to her bedroom to gather her things. Pandora looked at Harry curiously and asked, "What's going on?"

  
Harry shrugged. "Ickle Duddikins probably got kicked out of camp early this year."

  
Pandora held a hand over her mouth to suppress a burst of laughter as Mrs. Dursley walked back in with her suitcase. "I'll be back in at most three days. Pandora, I'm glad you could stay, and you are more than welcome to visit us any time... in case you leave before we get back." Now her voice and expression became much harder. "Harry, be sure to clean the basement before we get back. That's where you'll be staying this summer." Before he could protest she left.

  
Pandora became exceedingly uncomfortable as the door closed. Such an awkward silence filled the room, until a hoot from the first stair broke it. She looked over to see a beautiful white owl in a cage. She gasped delightedly. "Is this yours, Harry? She's wonderful!"

  
He smiled proudly as he went to her cage and let her out. "Her name's Hedwig."

  
Hedwig flew directly to Pandora and perched on her shoulder. Pandora lightly traced a finger down the owl's front as Harry stared. "She's... usually not quite so friendly with strangers."

  
Pandora beamed at Hedwig. "Really? That's very special... I've never had a pet of my own, not even a little owl."

  
"You should see Pig, my best friend's owl..."

  
"Ron Weasley, by chance? I met his father once, Arthur, is it? My father doesn't like the Weasleys much, but I thought Mr. Weasley was very nice."

  
Harry laughed. "You're nothing like Draco."

  
"No, he's the evil twin."

  
"I believe it." He sighed forlornly and gazed down a corridor. "I guess I should start on the basement. I almost forgot we had one! It'll take forever for me to-"  


"I'll help you!"  


This really shocked him. "Help me? You will?"  


"Of course! Why not? It's the least I can do to repay you for letting me use your room!"  


He smiled even bigger. "Then let's get to it!"  


As they both began for the end of the hall, the phone rang again. "Oh, who could it be this time? I'll be right back, Pandora." A few minutes later Harry returned, and he wasn't alone.  


"Malfoy!" Ron Weasley gawked, "You've turned into a girl!"  


Pandora rolled her eyes. "I've always been a girl, you pinheaded git! Draco's my twin brother! I'm Pandora Malfoy, Squib Extraordinaire..." she added with a moan.  


"Is that why we didn't meet you at the Quidditch World Cup? Your father too ashamed of you to be seen in public?"  


"Ron!" Harry scolded. "You don't have to be mean to her! She's a very nice Malfoy!"  


"Nice and Malfoy don't mix."  


Pandora shook her head. "Look, I'm not offended. I know my father and brother have been disrespectful towards the Weasleys for a long time. I don't blame you for being angry, Ron. But really, we should get to work. That basement won't clean itself, especially since the two of you aren't allowed to use magic!"  


The three managed to find the basement, but once inside it was nearly impossible to maneuver in. It was so cluttered with just about everything imaginable.  


They managed to get a sort of path going here and there, and found some half-filled boxes on one wall that they could use to put things away in. Unfortunately, once they removed the last one, an entire section of bricking fell out.  


"Oh no..." Harry groaned, "Aunt Petunia's going to kill me! We've got to fix it. I'll go to a store and get some supplies."  


"I'll go with you," Ron said.  


"No, you stay here with Pandora."  


She smiled. "I'll be alright, I promise. You two can go while I just continue filling these boxes. Hurry back, though, okay?"  


Ron blinked. "You really are a nice Malfoy... how odd..."  


The two boys left, and Pandora turned back to the wall to inspect exactly how much damage had been down. Imagine her surprise when she found a door, still half covered by bricks. She touched it, very curious, but also remembering the fate of another very curious Pandora.  


She was about to forget all about it and get back to work when another strange and frightening thing happened. From the other side of the door came a steady thud... thud... thud... and suddenly the rest of the bricks fell away, revealing the entire door.  


Pandora was terrified. All she could think about were the horrible stories Dray used to tell her when they were little about trolls who liked to eat blonde little girls. Yet something sparked her curiosity more, drawing her closer. She shrugged and said aloud, "I'll try the door. If it's locked, then I won't pursue it further."  


She prayed that it was locked as she placed her hand delicately on the knob, turned it, and easily pushed the door open, greeted by just the slightest protest from the creaky hinges. The pathway was dark, but seemed empty. She mustered as much courage as she could, and pressed onward into the blackness. 


	2. Episode I: Pandoras Box

**Cardcaptor Pandora  
**Episode I  
**Pandora's Box  
**By Kira Ashkelon

Pandora hurriedly finished her hair as the door chimed downstairs. She stood away from the mirror to be sure she looked perfect. Her long silvery blonde hair was down except for two little buns on the top of her head. She wore a beautiful white robe with a pinkish pearlescence about it.

She had to be sure she looked perfect. She'd never had friends in the wizarding world to invite over until now. But even these weren't any two wizards. They were Harry Potter and Ron Weasley! She grinned as she imagined the look on Draco's face when he'd found out that they were coming over. If only she'd had a camera...

She rushed downstairs where her mother had already let the boys in. Her father was off on some business trip or something (so he claimed), and Dray had gone off with Crabbe and Goyle somewhere.

Harry smiled and waved as she came down. "Hey, Panda! How's it going?"

She knew she was probably blushing madly, especially when Ron sort of snickered and winked at her from behind Harry. She quickly tried to shake it, and said, "I'm glad you two could come over. I've got something to show you! Come on!"

She led them into her room. They stood next to her vanity as she began digging through the drawer of her night stand. Ron glanced across the things on the vanity: makeup, a white brush, white roses in a white vase trimmed with gold, and a most curious rectangular object covered by a thin white piece of silk (just about everything in the room was white). He fingered the material and was about to pull it off when Pandora ran over and snatched up the whole thing. "Don't touch that!"

Ron glared at her. "What is it, a box full of clippings from Teen Witch Weekly of Harry?"

She stayed remarkably calm, but noticeably blushed again. "No... I'm not entirely sure what it is. I'll ask Dumbledore about it at Hogwarts," she added with a grin.

Both boys gawked at her. "You mean you got a letter?" Harry asked.

She nodded and held the invitation up, after laying the box down on her vanity again. "I got it this morning! That's why I told you to come over with some money! I was hoping you two would go with me to Diagon Alley so I could get my supplies. I don't even have a robe yet!"

So it was decided, and the three friends went to Diagon Alley. Pandora got everything she did and didn't need, but they had lots of fun. The only thing she didn't get was an animal, but she figured she could find one next year, and she could make Dray share his owl.

Speaking of Draco...

Crabbe and Goyle suddenly started over from another shop, but Draco wasn't with them. Harry and Ron immediately started groaning, but Pandora ran behind them as if to hide.

Unfortunately, they saw her. "Hey, Babe!" Goyle said, walking around the two boys as if they weren't there. He grabbed her arm and pulled her over to him while Crabbe laughed stupidly. "What are you hanging around with these losers for?"

"Please... let me go..." she said meekly, struggling against him.

"What's wrong, Beautiful?"

Harry shoved Goyle angrily. "Leave her alone!"

Goyle laughed and pulled Pandora closer. "Go get the little creep, Crabbe. I'll have fun with Miss Malfoy."

Crabbe walked over rubbing his fists as Pandora continued protesting to Goyle. Suddenly Draco burst out from one of the stores, ran straight to Goyle, and pointed his wand at him. "Let go of her! How many times do I have to tell you to leave my sister alone?"

Goyle quickly let go, and Pandora flew at Draco and threw her arms around his neck, crying. "I was just playin' with her..." Goyle said.

"Go away!" demanded Draco.

"But Draco..."

"Now! We'll talk later."

Crabbe and Goyle finally went away. Draco pried Pandora off of him and held her at arms' length. "You okay?"

Both Ron and Harry had never seen such concerned sincerity from Draco before. Perhaps she wasn't lying when she'd said he was a good brother.

"I'm alright," Pandora answered. "Just a little scared."

"You having fun with Potter and Weasley? Don't want big brother around?" he said, grinning.

"We're twins, Dray."

"Yeah... well... I was born first. Besides, someone's got to keep you out of trouble. But I'll check up on you later. See ya, Panda!" he said as he ran of after Crabbe and Goyle.

Pandora looked to Harry and Ron. "See? He's very nice. Once you get to know him."

"I'll bet he is," Harry said, rolling his eyes. Ron and Pandora laughed. "Would you two like to get a drink?" They nodded then all went into one of the cafes.  
***********************************************************  
  
It felt like eternity before summer break finally ended, and the trip on the Hogwarts Express felt even longer. But finally they arrived, and Hagrid called out, "First years, get in the boats!" Pandora followed them, even though she would be going into the fifth year classes. She had to be sorted.

Not long afterwards the first years stood in line awaiting their turn. Pandora was going to be last, after two other students who had moved from America to England. The girl, Lauren Phillips, was going to be a second year, and the boy, Christopher Phillips, a fourth. Pandora figured she'd probably be Slytherin, at least that's what Dray was. She kept glancing at him nervously as the line trudged on.

Finally, McGonagall said, "And lastly, to join the fifth years, Malfoy, Pandora." Both Christopher and Lauren had been sorted into Gryffindor.

Draco caught her eye and gave her an encouraging smile as she sat on the stool, put the Sorting Hat on, and closed her eyes.

"This... is most interesting..." it was saying.

"How so?" she thought at it.

"Well, you see, I can't find a place... it's usually fairly obvious, or at least narrowed down to two. I hate to say it, but I'm stuck! I mean you're smart, loyal, clever, and courageous equally..."

"That... that's not really possible is it? You've got to sort me, right?"

But the Sorting Hat remained silent.

After about twenty minutes this way, McGonagall, who stood nearby, clearly looked troubled as Pandora opened her amber eyes and looked up at the professor questioningly as she took off the hat. "It didn't know where to put me."

McGonagall held the hat and exchanged a look with Dumbledore. Then she put the hat on her own head. A few minutes later she took it off and sighed. "This is most unusual," she said. "Until Professor Dumbledore and I figure something out, you may sit wherever you'd like."

Pandora sat with Harry, Ron, and their other friend, Hermione. She was too afraid to face Draco. She didn't think he'd be mad or anything, but she felt too ashamed.

The night pressed on, and Dumbledore gave his welcoming speech, and introduced this year's Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, one Tamarah Black. Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked at eachother and giggled, and Pandora felt even more isolated. But then the food came out and everyone ate to full capacity. Her troubles were almost forgotten as she talked with her friends.

That night, as the students split off to join their own houses, Dumbledore himself approached Pandora. "Hello, Headmaster," she said uncomfortably. "Perhaps this is the reason you didn't invite me."

He shook his head and smiled. "It most certainly is not! This happened for other reasons, though I'm not entirely sure what."

Filch waked over to them carrying her two bags. "If you're too tired," Dumbledore continued, "we can get you a separate room for tonight. If you can stay awake for a few more hours, we might be able to figure out what to do with you."

Pandora shrugged as she relieved Filch of the light luggage. "I might as well stay up. I won't be able to sleep until something's figured out anyway."

"Then feel free to look around the castle!" Dumbledore said. "But stay out of trouble."

She shifted uneasily. "I really would just like to stay in the library, is that okay?"

"Hm... I don't think there are any teachers watching in there yet. Oh, but you'll be fine. Just stay out of the Restricted Area." He told her how to get to the library, and she was off.

True enough, there wasn't a soul dead or living in the library, but there were so many books! Pandora sat at one of the tables as she looked around at all of them. It was so overwhelming. She was almost afraid to get up and pick one. Perhaps all the oddities of the day had worn on her nerves more than she knew...

She opened one of her bags an pulled out the box covered in white silk, laying it before her on the table. She glanced around quickly to be sure she was alone before unmasking it.

It was a scarlet box, which opened like a book. Pandora ran her pale, slender fingers over the fiery sun above the lion, all made from gold, but she pulled back before touching the seal, a piece of scarlet which reached from back to front to keep the book closed by a hook. The strange thing was, she'd never been able to open it, which is why she hesitated then. Ever since she'd found it in Harry's basement (unknown to Harry) she had tried, but always failed.

With one more quick glance around the room, she gingerly reached her hand forward to once again try the seal, trying to ignore the fate of the Greek Pandora's curiosity of boxes. But just as her finger barely brushed the surface, the seal unlatched itself, and the cover flew open, a radiant light bursting forth from inside the box. Pandora saw shapes rising from inside, soaring off like wraiths.

"No, you shouldn't go! You shouldn't!" came a distinctly mature female voice from inside. "If you leave, she has no hope of recapturing the others! She needs you!"

"They're not gonna listen," came a lower voice, maybe male, but hard to tell for certain... and with a cockney accent...

Pandora closed her eyes. "I'm hearing things... that's all... a woman's voice and a... a... something with a cockney accent...?" It didn't add up.

As her eyes opened again and focused to the dimming light, a most bizarre creature flew up in her face and said, "Hey-hey-hoo!"

She yelled and fell out of her seat. The thing she had seen had eyes and a tail like a snake, a lion's head, a badger's body and forelegs, and an eagle's wings and hind legs.

A plump woman with a kind expression wearing yellow robes glided over to Pandora, now sprawled on the floor. The woman was really very small, less than a meter tall, and transparent like a ghost, but much more colorful than the ghosts in the castle. "Rangi!" she scolded. "You should learn to be more subtle. Poor dear, are you okay?"

Pandora blinked at her. "Who... who are you?"

She laughed and stood taller. "I am Helga Hufflepuff in the handy petite size!"

"Hufflepuff?!"

The little creature, about the size of a bean-bag stuffed animal, flew over and perched on Pandora's shoulder. "She's not really, she's the little Card-Copy."

"Card-Copy?"

Rangi's jaw dropped and he looked at Helga. "Are you sure we've got the right person? She seems a little clueless..."

Helga stiffened and grumbled, "I'd say, 'Ask Gryffindor, he made the seal,' but he seems to have deserted us, hasn't he?"

"Well, Helga, you're just a card anyway. You should go back, I'll explain things to... what's your name, kid?"

"Pandora Malfoy."

"To Pandora. Go on."

Helga sighed grumpily, disappeared with a pop, and left in her place a tall, narrow card with a still sketch of her on one side and a ornate yellow design on the back.

Rangi laughed as he watched Pandora reach for it cautiously, as if it were going to blow. "Don't worry! She won't bite or anything." He fluttered to the card, picked it up as best he could, and gave it to her. "So you're the new cardcaptor, huh? It's been centuries... Glad to see ya!"

"Um... what's a cardcaptor?"

Rangi looked almost hurt as he heaved a weary sigh. "I guess they really were able to erase every memory of us. I'll tell you the story, though. You'll have to know it anyway. First of all, I would like to introduce you to your very own unique special priceless nothing-else-like-it-in-the-world set of Hogwarts Cards! Better yet, you are probably the only one capable of using them! But there is one problem... Can you tell me how many cards are generally in a deck?"

"Fifty-two."

"And how many cards do you see in the box?"

Pandora looked into the box where only one card lay face-down with the same design as Hufflepuff's card but in blue. "One in the box, and one in my hand. I have two."

"Exactly! And as a cardcaptor it is your duty to get the cards before others find ways of using their power for their own evil schemes."

"Uh... I'm really confused. Exactly what are these Hogwarts Cards?"

Rangi heaved another disappointed sigh and said, "Well, we gotta start somewhere. Might as well be the entire history. Okay, let's go with what you should already know. Who started Hogwarts?"

"Godric Gryffindor, Salazar Slytherin, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Helga Hufflepuff. Everyone knows that!"

Rangi nodded and a mumbled, "Who names their kid Salazar? No wonder he turned out bad, I mean come on! Anyway... yes, well, what is fifty-two divided by four?"

"Thirteen."

"Exactly again! So you see, in the first few years of Hogwarts' existence, each of them chose ten different powers relative to them, and the other three were for their Card-Copy, element, and animal. They were also created by the four directions, but that will come in later. When these cards were created, anyone one of The Four allowed could use their powers. But as time went on and Slytherin's dark nature became more apparent, Ravenclaw made it so that only four people in the entire world could ever use the cards: the youngest heir of each of The Four. Unfortunately, Slytherin hated this idea, took all of his cards, and released them into the world. Eventually some came back and were able to bribe a few weaker cards into fleeing as well. It eventually became apparent that they needed to be sealed away, but there was no one to capture them. It was finally decided that if anyone were to ever find the cards that was a perfect balance of The Four, also know as the Center, then they would be able to do it. Until then, the remaining cards would be sealed away. Each of The Four, even Slytherin, set forth gifts for the Center or contributed in other ways. Gryffindor was in charge of the box, which is why it is scarlet with a lion and fire. Hufflepuff created all sorts of the strangest outfits for the cardcaptor to wear which would prove beneficial in the recapturing. Slytherin put forth a remarkable gift: three crystal pieces, one for the forehead and one for each wrist, that could store the cards, costumes, and staff. Oh! I almost forgot the staff! Yes, Ravenclaw gave probably the most valuable gift. It was a black and blue staff with the head of a raven, designed with magic that could be used to control the cards.

"Though all of this had been done, the three good ones still believed it best to keep the remaining cards out of Slytherin's grasp. They finally threw the gems, costumes, and staff into the book with the cards, and hid them in an underground passage far from Hogwarts. Then they began to erase every record of the cards ever taken, so that their existence would be completely forgotten. All was accomplished, but they knew that when the Center came, the balance of North (Ravenclaw), South (Hufflepuff), East (Gryffindor), and West (Slytherin), the cards would be found. You, Pandora Malfoy, are the Center. You are the cardcaptor."

Pandora was silent for a moment, questions racing through her mind. "But if many cards were still sealed away, why do I only have two now?"

"Because while the cards were sealed, Gryffindor's anger grew towards the rebelled Slytherin and his followers, and he persuaded the other cards to chase after them. Ravenclaw left to try and stop him and the others, ordering her element, Wind, to stay with you. As far as Helga's concerned, you can always rely on a Hufflepuff to be loyal, yes?"

Pandora smiled. "Okay, so supposedly I'm this 'Center' and the cardcaptor? What does a cardcaptor do?"

"Get the cards back, of course! What have I been saying?"

"But how?"

Rangi stopped venting and blinked. "Oh! Right! You don't know how to use the crystals!" He pulled The Wind card out of the box and dived in, seeming to disappear in an abyss. He reappeared seconds later with three crystal pieces in his arms, and fluttered up into her face. "This may burn a little, but it's worth it!" He pulled one of the crystals from the pile, the largest one, and pressed it to her forehead. It was true, it burned, but not very harshly. It was almost comfortable after a little while.

When she managed to open her eyes, he had backed away and was smiling at her. "It's a nice touch!" She ran her finger over it. "Two more! Hold your hands out, wrists up. That's where these two go." She did as told, and he pressed a crystal to each.

Once all three were in place, she felt a new sort of power coursing through her. It made her feel warm and comfortable. "How... do I use these?"

Rangi put both of the cards back in the box and said, "Put one hand on either said of the book and face the crystals to it. Then say, 'Return!'"

She did this, and the box evaporated into the crystals. "Next," Rangi said, "I'll teach you how to call upon the staff."

But her lesson in cardcaptoring was interrupted as the distant door opened and Dumbledore, McGonagall, and a paler than usual Snape entered. "Quick!" Pandora whispered urgently to Rangi. "Get in my bag!"

Rangi whispered, "Whatever you do, don't tell anyone!" as he was shoved away.

The three teachers looked down at her curiously as they walked up. It was then that she remembered the crystal now permanently melded to her forehead. Dumbledore smiled gently. "Is this forehead fashioning popular now?"

"Um... well..."

He waved it off. "No, it's pretty, really. But none of us knew where to put you. When we looked it up in our books, the page was always ripped out of the book that dealt with non-sortable students. This is very curious, but in any case, we had to sort you in a more random way."

"Oh? How?"

"We picked a piece of colored paper out of the Sorting Hat," Snape said, sounding very tired.

"Welcome to Gryffindor!" McGonagall said cheerily. "Come with me and I'll take you to the tower."

It wasn't long before Pandora was settled in to her Gryffindor home. After McGonagall left, Ron and Harry met her and Hermione in the Common Room. Soon enough the entire tower was a big 'welcome back' party. She was able to get a moment alone with Rangi, who reiterated once again the importance of keeping the Hogwarts Cards a secret. She agreed and went back to partying. Pandora kept her secret though, and couldn't help but wonder what adventures awaited her as Cardcaptor Pandora.

((For a picture of Pandora in her usual Muggle attire, visit: elfwood.lysator.liu.se/loth/c/a/carolg/pandora.jpg.html))  



	3. Episode II: A Secret Shared

**Cardcaptor Pandora  
**Episode II  
**A Secret Shared**

Monday:  
9:00 Herbology  
Lunch  
1:00 History of Magic  
3:00 Transfiguration

Tuesday:  
9:00 Potions  
Lunch  
1:00 Defense Against the Dark Arts  
3:00 Care of Magical Creatures

Wednesday:  
9:00 Charms  
Lunch  
1:00 Transfiguration  
3:00 Arithmancy

Thursday:  
9:00 Herbology  
Lunch  
1:00 Care of Magical Creatures  
3:00 Potions

Friday:  
9:00Divination  
Lunch  
1:00 Charms  
3:00 Defense Against the Dark Arts

It was a relief to Pandora as she compared her schedule to Harry's that she had all the same classes with him except for one. Hermione would be in her Arithmancy class with her though, so it was alright. The other choice classes seemed interesting, but Divination seemed very amusing. Besides, she certainly didn't need to take Muggle Studies, and Ancient Runes just didn't strike her fancy too much. The only other one that she really would have liked to take was new this year, Incantation, but it was only open to seventh years due to the level of difficulty.

Harry laughed and said, "You'll love Divination, you'll probably die about ten times a week."

"Consider yourself lucky, though," Ron interrupted. "Harry dies about ten times a day!"

Pandora giggled at both of them and checked her watch. "We'd better be off to Herbology soon. We're meeting outside supposedly. I need to run back to my room really fast and get something."

"Want me to go with you?" Hermione asked.

Pandora bit her lip nervously. "No... really... I'll be right back..." She ran off before Hermione could start asking questions, which is what she did best until she knew absolutely everything.

When Pandora entered her room, a very strange creature was lying limp on her bed. All of her roommates thought it was a stuffed animal, but she knew better. Luckily at that moment no one else was in the room, because as soon as it saw her walk in, the creature fluttered off of her bed and into her face, saying, "Hey-hey-hoo!" in its rather annoying Cockney accent.

Pandora snatched it out of thin air and looked around frantically, just to be sure. "Rangi, if you really want this to be kept a secret, you have to stop hopping about like that! Someone will surely see you!"

Rangi folded his eagle wings back over his badger body, tilting his lion head curiously. "It's really your first day of magic school? We do have a long way to go..."

"Hey, I know what I'm doing! Besides, I don't know if I'm going to be able to do this Cardcaptor stuff anyway..."

"You have to! No one else in the entire world is capable of it!"

She rolled her eyes as she pulled a biscuit out from one of her pockets and handed it to him. His eyes got big as saucers as he dashed over and ate the whole thing in one bite, an amazing feat for a creature the size of a bean-bag toy. "Next time put more sugar on it."

"Sure. Well, I really ought to be on my way!" Pandora turned to the mirror and quickly fluffed her silvery blonde hair before grabbing her bag and running out of Gryffindor Tower out to the grounds where she was to have her Herbology class.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione beat her there, but they didn't have ancient Hogwarts' Beasts to feed. A few of the Hufflepuffs, the house that had Herbology with the Gryffindors, lowered their voices to whispers as she passed by. It made her feel a little self-concious, but she wasn't upset. After the oddities of the night before, she didn't blame them.

Herbology went on with few challenges, though Harry did have to help Pandora out with the names of some plants. Since she had missed the first four years of education that everyone else had, she needed a little extra help. The History of Magic was as boring as everyone promised it would be, but Transfiguration at the end of the day was a bit more entertaining. Pandora managed to turn her book into a quill pen and back again. It was a very nice first day of school.

She prayed that the next day would prove to be as fulfilling as the first, but unfortunatly it started off with Potions. She had hoped that Snape might be nice to her because he was always nice to her brother, but she was still a Gryffindor, and that ended up being what Snape picked up on quicker. He asked her everything on the first day back, and if there was one thing that Narcissa Malfoy had neglected to teach Pandora at home, it was Potions. She single-handedly managed to get Gryffindor house -20 points to start the year off. 

After the class was over and they headed to the Great Hall for lunch, Harry told her not to worry much about it. "He used to do that to me all the time, it was kind of nice today to have someone else around that he likes to pick on!" he said, none to encouraging for her.

After they had eaten a full meal, but still a while before she had to go to her next class, Defense Against the Dark Arts, she grabbed one of the sweets off of the table and hurried to the Tower before any of her friends noticed her absence. 

Rangi was waiting impatiently as always, floating around and upside down, very bored. "You really should be more careful," Pandora scolded. "People could walk in at any time, you know." She sat down on her bed as he fluttered over, looking eager for his new treat. 

As Rangi began munching on the dessert, he watched Pandora sigh heavily, seeming none too happy. "Something happen? You're not nearly as happy as you were yesterday at this time."

"That's because I started this day off with Potions and Professor Snape hates me."

"Why? You do something wrong?"

"Not really, I just couldn't answer any of his questions. Because of that, he took twenty points from Gryffindor, before we even earned any."

Rangi's wings fluttered irritably and his snake eyes flashed. "That's not fair at all! He can't do that to you, you don't know anything about Potions yet! He knows that! I'm gonna go right down there this instant and talk to him...."

"Rangi, no!" Pandora yelled after him as he flew to the door... but he was far ahead of her.  
*************************************************************************************

Pandora wandered in to Defense Against the Dark Art ten minutes late. After following Rangi all the way to the Potions room, then into Snape's office where she finally caught him, she too got caught. She also managed to catch Gryffindor another -20 points and a detention for herself for Friday night. Snape promised her that she'd probably get the wonderful privelege of doing some chore or another in the Forbidden Forest. Apparently some sort of bird had been sighted there, and Hagrid needed some extra help catching it.

She took a seat next to Harry, who looked at her, puzzled. "Now that everyone is here," Professor Tamarah Black said, eyeing Pandora with a slight smirk on her lips, "we can continue with our lesson."

The rest of that day was uneventful, as well as Wednesday. Her biggest problem was getting Rangi to stop whining when she refused to feed him lunch the rest of the week for getting her in trouble. Thursday was almost as good, except somehow Harry managed to get himself in trouble with Snape as well (probably just by being himself and breathing the same air as Snape) and would be serving a Friday detention with her. At least something good would come of it, she thought.

Friday at lunch Pandora sat with Harry, Ron, and Hermione as always. Harry was relating to her one of his previous detention adventures from his first year when he had to go out into the Forbidden Forest to search for unicorns. Then Hermione said something about another adventure of the year when the three of them had defeated a troll together. 

"Troll?" Pandora asked shakily.

"Yeah," Ron said, grinning. "Trolls are all over the Forbidden Forest, didn't you know that?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Don't listen to him, Pandora. They're out there, sure, but you'll smell them long before you'll be in any danger. Besides, Hagrid will be with you, and he won't let anything bad happen."

"I'll be with you, too!" Harry said.

"That's reassuring," Pandora grumbled playfully.

Suddenly the Weasley twins ran in from who knows where, talking loudly and quickly back and forth as they came over. "You're obviously not scheming, or you'd be acting a little more suspicious, so what's up?" Ron asked.

Fred... or maybe it was George... Pandora never could tell the difference... said, "We just got out of Incantations, with Professor Eva Everest. Our first lesson started out by her confiscating our wands and putting them somewhere out of reach."

"Next we have to learn how to chant or sing or something of that nature," the other said, "but that's not what we're talking about! As soon as class was dismissed, we started out and saw that Snape was heading for the Incantations room."

"So we ducked into one of our little... um... hiding places... and sort of spied for a few minutes."

"To make a long story short, we think Snapey's got a little crush on someone."

The other four made disgusted faces. "Poor woman," Ron said, shaking his head mournfully.

"You might not be so wrong," Hermione said suddenly, staring past Ron and Harry to the table where the professors sat. "Look who just walked in."

They all turned to see Professor Snape walking up to his usual spot... Professor Everest smiling and blushing on his arm. 

Ron turned slightly green and Harry shivered. Pandora smiled and said, "Oh, how cute! Now maybe he'll be nicer!" That made everyone cheer up a notch.

Of course watching the happy couple together every lunch from then on became a bit nauseating...

Anyway, that evening finally rolled around, and they met Hagrid at his home at seven. It was then that he told them of their mission. Apparently a very large bird had just recently been seen flying around the castle, but mostly sticking to the shelter of the forest. It was long and black with blue eyes, but that's the most Hagrid could tell them of it. He didn't even know what kind of bird it was, which was surprising because Hagrid usually knew everything about any animal.

So Hagrid and Fang led Harry and Pandora into the forest, careful to pay attention to all signs of life, not just those that flew. It hadn't been very long before Pandora felt some strange sense about her, and stopped. Hagrid looked back at her curiously. "Yeh doin' a'righ' Li'l Malfoy?" he asked.

She nodded but looked around carefully, sniffing the air for any troll stench. "I think I'm alright, thanks. I just... thought I heard something... I guess..."

Hagrid nodded and turned to continue on the trail when suddenly a cry sounded from the sky, and the biggest bird they had ever seen swooped down on Hagrid and pecked him on the head. Hagrid was out before he realized what was going on, and Fang quickly ran away. The coward.

Harry ran over to Hagrid, making sure he was going to be okay. "Pandora! What do we do now?"

But she was hardly paying attention to him. The feeling had come back, and was much stronger this time. It grew stronger as the bird came closer. "A Card... It must be..." 

"What are you talking about? What cards?" Harry asked, very confused. "This is no time to be thinking about games, Pandora! We've got to help Hagrid."

She looked into his eyes, not quite sure what to do next. "Harry, can you keep a secret?"

He nodded. "You act as if we're about to die or something..."

"No, not yet. Not if... if I can help it... Just... stay out of the way for a minute and don't ask questions until I'm finished."

Pandora stood clear of any trees or foliage, hoping to get the bird's attention completely on her. "Rangi..." she whispered, "I hope I can do this right..." She closed her eyes and crossed her arms in front of her, then began speaking as if in prayer. "Hear me and find me, spirits and guardians of the North, South, East, and West...." The green gem on her forehead lit up, which immediately grabbed the bird's attention. "Here I am, your Center. See me.... Hear me...." She opened her arms wide, and a dim blue misty light stretched from one hand to the other. "Fill me with your magic and power..." The light burst into her body, creating a haze around her, which seemed to surprise her as her body jerked, but she kept her concentration. The bird turned and prepared to dive on her. "Create your central point of wisdom, loyalty, courage, and cunning in my outstretched hand.... the staff... Release!"

The blue light that had surrounded her now became blinding, until finally it dimmed once more. There stood Pandora where the light had been, but instead of her Hogwarts uniform, she wore a black and blue robe and a very long pointed hat that folded and hung down her back, a silver jingle bell at the tip. In her hands was a long black and blue staff, with the head of a raven. This she raised as the bird came closer, but when the bird saw what she now wielded, it flew back into the sky with a loud cry. It turned once more, looking for a new, more vulnerable target... Harry.

Harry jumped to his feet and yelled some spell or another as he waved his wand at the bird, but the spell bounced harmlessly off of it and continued its dive. Pandora's heart jumped, so afraid of what it might do to him. She wasn't exactly sure what to do, but had to figure something out, or Harry could be gone forever. 

As the bird came ever closer, she stood back from it, and as it reached a certain height she dashed over to it as quickly as she could and lept on its back. This distracted it from its current destination towards Harry, and it quickly returned to the air, rolling and flapping its large wings violently in hopes of shaking Pandora off. But she clung to its feathers with all of her strength, trying to think quickly. "Okay... so now I'm supposed to use a card that can somehow capture this one... I don't know what in the world Hufflepuff could do with this thing... But what about Wind? Birds need the wind to fly, and if I can control it..." She closed her eyes with a determined nod, trying to ignore the fact that she was kilometers away from the ground by now and that one wrong move could kill her. She lifted her left hand and touched the green gem on that wrist to the one on her forehead, whispering, "Wind... With your power... Bind this creature's wings so that it may not fly... and gently return us to the ground... Release!" 

A pale blue woman appeared out of the wrist's gem, and soared gracefully about the bird, leaving strands of some sort of magic behind her as she passed, which reached around the bird and began dragging it slowly back down. Pandora was more than relieved when she was once again on the ground. As soon as she was close enough, she lept off of the bird's back, turned back to it, and raised her staff in front of it, shouting, "Come back to the Center, your master awaits. Hogwarts Card! Return!"

The bird cried loudly once more, but was beyond the point of escape as it slowly dissolved down to its card form, and Wind quickly returned to the gem. Pandora walked over to it and picked the card up carefully. "Fly... And it's a Ravenclaw...." 

"What are you talking about? What just happened? Panda!!" Harry whined, clearly having been just a bit unnerved by the past half-hour.

Somewhat reluctantly, Pandora told him the whole story of the Hogwarts Cards and a bit about Rangi. "I'll introduce you later, he'll be really mad when he finds out someone else knows. But if you bring him something sweet from lunch, he'll like you a lot more, I promise."

Harry nodded. "I know this was probably a big secret... And I would have died if you hadn't been willing to share it.... So I've got a secret for you. It's about my god-father that... well... likes to visit me every now and then.... and his wife, who happens to be our Defense Against the Dark Arts professor..."

"Tamarah Black?"

"Yes... My god-father is Sirius Black..."

Harry and Pandora talked for a few more minutes about their secrets until Hagrid finally woke up. "Where did i' go?" he asked, blinking about him.

Pandora smiled and said, "I don't know really, it just up and flew away a few minutes ago. Maybe it won't be back."

"Tha's good, now maybe i' won' go divin' after people for food." Hagrid called Fang and the four returned to his home. 

After nearly another hour there, it was rather late, about eleven. No one was out on the grounds as Pandora and Harry slowly began their trek back to the castle. Harry looked at her curiously and said, "So what do you think that card does?"

Pandora shrugged. "Wanna try it out? I don't know if I'll do it right, I've just had a little bit of talking-through from Rangi, but we can try." She called upon the staff and the Fly Card, which appeared on the ground before her, still in its card form. "Fly Card, bestow upon my staff your power... Release!" 

Large black wings grew from the side of the raven's head, and suddenly the staff was lifting off... Pandora and Harry riding on it and flying ever higher. True, it postponed their return to the castle another hour or so, but it was the best time Pandora ever remembered having her entire life.

((Kira commentary: I had no idea what to do with the schedule, and that was the best I could come up with ^_^; If you have any better ideas, please tell me! Email: kiraashkelon@hotmail.com))


	4. Episode III: The Little Rival

**Cardcaptor Pandora**  
Episode III  
**The Little Rival**

"That American Christopher boy is getting so annoying!" Ginny Weasley groaned as she stormed into the Gryffindor Common Room.

Pandora looked up from her first Divination assignment which Ron and Harry were helping to make completely bogus. "But I thought you liked him?" Ron asked, very confused once again at the way the female mind worked.

Fred and George were coming in at this same time. "Of course she likes the Yank! That's why she's mad. The Yank was flirting with some other girl!" George said.

Ginny's face turned bright red with anger. "I don't like him at all! And why are you following me around? Go away! Leave me alone! I'm going upstairs! Hmph!" She stomped upstairs.

The twins sniggered and then started speaking in conspiratory voices in a corner as usual. Pandora tried to return to her work, but felt all too distracted. She leaned back in the chair as Harry grinned over at her. "I guess you don't get as much amusement as we do out of this."

"No, I'm just tired," she answered, smiling and blushing just a bit.

Hermione was in the middle of lecturing Ron on how horrible it was to completely make up information for you homework when Chris Phillips, the American boy, walked in looking very upset about something. Pandora watched as he scanned around the room, then asked a second year girl that had just walked down from her room, "Have you seen my sister Lauren anywhere?" The little girl shook her head, grabbed a book from where she had forgotten it earlier, and scampered back upstairs. 

"She's not in yet?" Pandora asked.

"No, and I'm getting worried... It's nearly ten. I hope she's not in some sort of trouble. She would have told me if she'd gotten a detention or something that she had to take care of."

"Don't worry, she'll probably be in later."

"I hope so," he sighed. "We... kind of got in a fight earlier..." He rubbed a hand nervously through his light brown hair. "She told me that she'd been having some sort of dream about two men fighting with swords, but it was too dark to be able to see who they were. Then suddenly the two men turned into her and another girl. That's where she says she always wakes up."

"Oh? So how did that make you two get in a fight?"

"Because... she was asking me what I thought it meant... if I was hiding something from her. And I told her a secret that my parents will kill me for if they find out I've told her."

"Can you tell us?" Ron asked.

Chris blinked at them and said, "I really shouldn't be spreading this around, it will embarrass her." He sighed and continued, "Just don't tell her I told you this... When I was very young, about seven years old, I was an only child, living in America. One night my parents were out, and they came home with this little girl in their arms. She was probably about five, had wild black hair, and beautiful brown eyes with a slight tint of fiery red. When she woke up she didn't remember much of anything, and my parents told her that she had run into some bad people that had messed with her memory, and then told her that she was their daughter. They did a few little tests to see if she had magic, which she did, and they called her Lauren. I was never supposed to tell her the truth, even though it is a bit obvious since no one in my family has black hair except for her. And when she had that dream... and asked me about it... I felt like she had a right to know. Anyhow, she got really upset and ran off somewhere. I had hoped she'd be here, but no..." He sighed again, staring around him as if in hopes to see something he hadn't before. "Do you think I did the right thing?"

Pandora nodded. "She needed to know. So do your parents have any idea who her real family is?"

"No, they...." the painting swung aside and he turned around, disappointed to only see Colin crawl in. He shook his head. "I'm going on upstairs." He turned to Harry and Ron and said, "If she comes in before you two go to bed, would you mind coming and telling me?"

They nodded and he went away.

"Poor girl," Pandora sighed. "Probably feels very out-of-place now. I wish I could do something."

Harry glanced over at Ron who had once again begun a debate with Hermione, then whispered to Pandora, "Do you want to go look for her?"

"How can we? If we're caught out this late we're bound to get a detention!"

"I'll be right back," Harry said, hopping up and running upstairs, leaving Pandora to stare behind him, very confused. A few minutes later he returned carrying something very strange looking with him. "This is an invisibility cloak. We can wear it together and go look for her, so that way no one will know we're out."

Pandora took it in her hands and inspected it. "That's so cool! Let's go!"

Harry and Pandora left the Common Room, unknown to anyone, underneath the cloak. Little did they know they had another guest under it with them. 

"Hey-hey-hoo! This'll be fun!" Rangi squealed. 

"SSHHHHHHH!" Pandora and Harry both commanded in unison.

"Gee... sorry... Lookin' for a Hogwarts Card, Cardcaptor?"

"No, I'm looking for a lost little girl."

Rangi looked confused. "You mean you don't feel it out there? It's really strong right now..."

Pandora stopped, and Harry with her. "You feel one?"

"Yes. And so should you."

She closed her eyes, the gem on her forehead shimmering slightly. "Yes... I think I sense something... It feels dark... and cold..."

"A Slytherin, most likely."

"How do I follow it? It seems far away... but still very strong."

"Just follow your senses, that's all you can do."

Pandora nodded and began forward, turning down so many different corridors they didn't know where they would end up. They were sure they passed the same places multiple times, some familiar and some not. Eventually they made it down to one of the dungeons not used for a classroom. They stood just outside of the door, because inside they swore they heard the voice of a young girl... mixed with a male voice. The three peeked around the corner and were relieved to find little Lauren curled up in a corner unharmed.... but a little shocked when they saw a little man on her knee dressed in a scarlet robe with black hair.

Rangi nearly shouted out then and there, but contained himself enough to simply whisper, "That's Gryffindor's Card-Copy! I couldn't sense that at all... Which must mean the other card here is capable of hiding it from us, because it didn't want us to find the Gryffindor Card... But that could be a few of them, most of them being Slytherin..."

"I just want to find my way back..." Lauren whimpered with a sniff, shaking her head as she rubbed her eyes, her tight, long braid shaking like a striking snake.

"That's what I'm telling you how to do! You've got to get rid of the card possessing you! And you're capable of it! You're the Heir of Gryffindor!" the card told her.

"I don't know how..."

Pandora took a determined step forward, coming out from underneath the Invisibility Cloak. Both Lauren and Gryffindor looked up surprised, but Gryffindor immediately jumped to the floor and did a rather elegant bow. "The Center! Hello, Master..."

Helga Hufflepuff suddenly burst out of the wrist gem of her own accord and said, "Don't start any of that! You left us! Now I suggest you get back here right now and help Pandora catch the rest of the cards."

"Can you help me get rid of it?" Lauren asked hopefully.

"But you should do it yourself! You're a cardcaptor too!" Gryffindor snapped.

Helga bustled over indignantly and thwapped him on the head. "Don't listen to this fool, Lauren. You may be a cardcaptor, yes. But for this immediate problem you need someone a little more experienced than yourself. Besides, it's always hardest to get a card that has already taken over your own self."

Lauren walked over to Pandora trembling, her reddish brown eyes large and frightened looking. "Will you help me?"

Pandora nodded and closed her eyes as she said, "Hear me and find me, spirits and guardians of the North, South, East, and West.... Here I am, your Center. See me.... Hear me.... Fill me with your magic and power... Create your central point of wisdom, loyalty, courage, and cunning in my outstretched hand.... the staff... Release!" 

Pandora grasped the staff in her hand, now donning a flashy outfit of scarlet with a sort of compass hanging from a chain around her neck. "What in the world..."

Rangi nearly fell out of his flight laughing. "I can't believe I didn't see it sooner! It's The Lost! It took over Lauren, thus making it impossible for her to find her way home!" He smiled and fluttered about Lauren. "Have you ever felt this way before?"

"Yes...." she said softly, her eyes filling with tears. "My entire life... for as long as I can remember, which is nothing before my foster parents... who didn't even tell me they weren't my real parents... my brother... or not-brother... told me...."

Rangi perched on her shoulder and rubbed his head against her cheek. "The Lost card is a Slytherin card. Because you are the Heir of Gryffindor she had to do whatever she could to keep you from finding out, so she made you lose your real family. But you still found out, and have great potential. Who knows? Maybe you'll even get a card or two before Pandora by the time it's all over. But for now, stand still and let her do her thing, alright?"

Lauren smiled and nodded, then turned her anxious eyes to Pandora, who stared at Rangi with a confused expression. "Um... I hate to be her only hope... but how exactly do you get a card out of a person?"

Rangi fell to the floor and thwacked his head against it a few times before flying back over. "Okay... first you have to get it to come out by ordering it back to its original form. You have to call it by name, which means you have to identify it first. You already know that this one is The Lost, so just hold your staff in front of Lauren, say some fancy phrase or another to call it out, and then you should be able to capture it. The Lost isn't too aggressive once she is in her own form. She is completely at the mercy of her master, whom right now she recognizes as Slytherin. Once she sees you for herself, she should be quick to obey you."

Pandora nodded, held the staff before her, the beak of the raven resting lightly on Lauren's forehead. "I am your master, the Center.... I demand that you return to the form you were meant to be... Lost Card!"

Lauren fell back onto the floor as a greyish light surrounded her, and a pale woman slowly appeared in midair over her. She soared forward gracefully, tilted her head curiously at Pandora, then landed on her knees before her new master. 

Pandora smiled at The Lost. She didn't seem so bad... "Come back to the Center, your master awaits. Hogwarts Card! Return!"

The staff landed gently upon The Lost's bowed head, and she quickly turned into her card form, face down with a green design on her back. Pandora picked it up and turned it over.

Lauren came over and inspected it. "Can I tear it up?"

"No," Pandora said. "It wasn't her fault..." She smiled down at Lauren. "Are you alright now?"

She nodded enthusiastically. "I can't wait to tell Chris I'm a Cardcaptor!" 

Rangi looked like he was going to have a heart attack. "NO! It's a secret!!" He gave her a quick rundown of the rules.

She sighed reluctantly but agreed to it. "Whatever you say." She smirked at Pandora. "The next one's mine."

Rangi once again took offense at this. "Who's gonna teach ya, huh Kid?"

She blinked. "I dunno." She looked hopefully over at the mini-Gryffindor, but he was getting a lecture from Hufflepuff still. "I'll figure something out."

Pandora laughed. "I look forward to it!"

Gryffindor was dragged before her by his ear. "Hit him with all you've got to get him back in that card, Pandora. He deserves it," Hufflepuff said.

"Be gentle!" Gryffindor whined.

"You call yourself brave..."

"You're supposed to be the sweet little Hufflepuff! You know, the cute one!"

Hufflepuff grinned up at Pandora. "Make sure you leave a bump."


	5. Episode IV: A Toy for the Little Rival

**Cardcaptor Pandora  
**Episode IV  
**A Toy for the Little Rival**

"Have you talked to your brother yet?" Pandora asked Lauren in a low voice. "You two really should have made up by now."

"He lied to me for seven years of my life!" she snapped back bitterly. "I can't just forget that..."

Lauren had just recently found out that she was the Heir of Gryffindor, as well as a cardcaptor, but was unable to use any of those powers because she had no one to teach her. Rangi could, but he refused. He seemed to favor Pandora a bit much.

Pandora sighed and said, "I have to go to Charms now.... Please talk to your brother." 

"I have no brother," she said as she skipped off to her own class.

Charms was painless enough. She got to sit next to Harry, which made everything that much better. Last on her Fridays was Defense Against the Dark Arts with Professor Tamarah Black, who happened to be Sirius Black's wife. Only Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Pandora knew this. Pandora knew it because when Harry found out her secret of being a cardcaptor, he felt he should return the favor with his dearest secret. Anyhow, that lesson also went well, and as she left to head back towards the Common Room, Christopher Phillips, Lauren's brother, came up behind her and tapped her shoulder. "Can I talk to you a minute?"

"Um... Sure!" She smiled at Harry and said, "I'll meet you back in the Common Room in a few minutes!"

Chris waited until they left before asking, "I know you've been talking to Lauren a lot lately... and I'm very grateful to you for finding her. I was wondering if... if you could tell me anything about her. I just want to know if she's okay, you know?"

"I think she'll be fine, she's just very disappointed in you and your parents. She'll get over it, though."

"Well..." he began, breaking off in a nervous laugh. "I found something I thought she might like, if she doesn't think it's too elementary for her..." He pulled out from his robes a little stuffed lion with white wings. "Do you think she'd like it? She always liked stuffed animals before, but I don't want to put her down or something."

Pandora grinned as she reached out for the toy and held it. "It's so cute! I wish I had one! Rangi would be so jealous!"

"Who?"

"Uh... nothing."

"Okay... So should I give it to her?"

She nodded as she handed the toy back. "Most definitely! She'll love it! Where did you find it, anyway?"

"That Incantations teacher, Professor Everest, was carrying it down the hall with her. She passed me and smiled, then asked if I knew who it might belong to. I told her I didn't, and then she asked if I'd like it for my sister. It was really weird, like she knew exactly what was going on, you know? But anyway, I took it."

"That seems like a sure sign that you were meant to give it to her. I should know. I had Divination this morning," she said with a wink.

Chris laughed. "Don't you feel tuned in to the universe?"

"Of course..." she said as she rolled her eyes.

"Okay, well thanks, Panda! I'll talk to you later. If she mentions anything about it to you, tell me, okay?"

"Sure! Bye!" she said, as he ran down the hall to meet up with a few of his friends that were passing.

Pandora turned to start back for the Common Room... and ran smack into Ginny Weasley. 

"Oh... hi Ginny. What were you doing standing there?"

She looked kind of nervous, as if she got caught doing something bad. "No reason really! Eh heh... so! What did you and Chris talk about?"

Pandora smiled gently. "Don't worry about anything, we were only talking because he wanted to see if I knew anything about his sister, Lauren. You really ought to get to know her if you want to get to know Chris, he loves her a lot."

Ginny huffed indignantly. "Whoever said I wanted to get to know him?!" she shouted, then turned and stormed away. Pandora shrugged after her and went on to her room.

That Friday night was really rather boring. She would have almost preferred an adventure like last Friday's, even if it did nearly kill her. One thing made it all better, though, and that was Harry. He rarely had left her side for the past week. She figured it was probably more because he didn't want to miss out on any of the card captures, but she could pretend it was because he actually liked her....

It was around eight, and just about everyone was down in the Gryffindor Common Room. It would be a good time for Pandora to go check on Rangi, in any case, so she told Harry quietly and walked upstairs.

He was sulking on her pillow when she walked in. "You didn't feed me any dinner!" he griped in his annoying Cockney accent.

She smiled as she unwrapped a piece of chocolate and held it out to him. It was gone in a second. "I'm sorry, I was talking to my friends and I was preoccupied..."

He fluttered back down and looked a little more satisfied, but seemed as if something was troubling him. "You act a bit preoccupied yourself, Rangi. Something up?"

He shrugged. "I'm probably just imagining things. I just feel some sort of presence.... a familiar presence... but I don't know how to explain it."

"Is it a Hogwarts Card?"

"No, I don't think so." He yawned and curled up. "It's nothing, I guess." He opened an eye for just a moment and turned it casually up to her as he added, "And just because a Hogwarts Card wasn't what I was talking about just then doesn't mean there's not one out there. Maybe I'm just giving you another shot at it."

"You talk as if I didn't do The Fly all by myself."

"There are so many things you have to learn, Pandora. Hogwarts Cards are all around, but you seem not to be able to sense them until they're right on you, and that's not good. It just takes some getting used to, I guess. Why don't you go around the castle a while tonight? You're bound to find something, even if it's not a card. I'm sure your boyfriend would love to..."

"He's not my boyfriend."

"You want him to be though!" Rangi chirped with a giggle.

Pandora made some sort of annoyed and exasperated noise as she turned and hurried back downstairs before Rangi could further perturb her.

She was rather surprised as she emerged once again into the Common Room to find Lauren hugging her brother and acting incredibly happy to be with him. But as soon as she realized Pandora was in the room, she waved goodbye to Chris quickly and hurried upstairs.

"I take it you two have made up," Pandora said as she walked over to Chris.

"Yeah, I guess so. It was really weird, though. When I first gave it to her, she took it reluctantly and walked off, still mad. But then about half an hour later she ran down, hugged me, and pretended like nothing bad had ever happened. I guess it took her a while to get used to it. Oh well, everything's fine now, so I should be thankful. Except I still have to tell Mom and Dad that she knows..." He sighed and ran his hand through his hair as Ginny walked into the Common Room. "Well I'm going to go on upstairs, I've got a lot of essays to do by Monday and it will be less painful if I do one tonight." 

Pandora had never known anyone so eager to do essays, but she shrugged it off and considered it one of the many American oddities. Harry waved her over from where he sat with Ron and Hermione. The two of them seemed to be having it out once again over who knows what, but Pandora didn't mind. That just meant that Harry would pay more attention to her.

"Hey, Panda!" he said, taking her a little distance away. "I wanted to ask you how your cardcaptoring is going. Anything new?"

"No, not really.... but Rangi says that he thinks something's up, but I don't..." She stopped because Harry yawned really big and suddenly looked very tired. Not only was she a bit concerned for him, but she also thought it was rather rude... and, of course, very unlike Harry. "Are you okay?"

"Uh... yeah, I think so. I dunno, I just got really ti... tir... tired...." Harry laid his head on his knees and fell asleep.

Pandora blinked at him, not exactly knowing what to do. She turned around to get some help, only to discover that everyone else in the Common Room had fallen asleep as well. "This... can't be good...." She ran upstairs, checking all the girls' rooms as she went, each room repeating the one before, all present inhabitants sleeping soundly. A few of the rooms didn't have anyone in them, like the Second Years' room, but it didn't really matter.

Finally she reached her own room, where Rangi was also fast asleep. At first, this concerned her, but then she recalled his usual sleeping habits after eating a piece of chocolate that was three times his size and figured nothing was out of the ordinary as far as he was concerned. "Rangi!" she whispered at the curled up creature on her pillow.

He opened one eye with a snort, then closed it again. "Five more decades, Helga... Just five more decades..."

Pandora grabbed her wand out of her pocket and thwacked him over the head with it. "OW!" he shouted... not even causing the two other girls in the room to stir in their perfectly peaceful sleep. "What?!"

"Something's up, Rangi. I think it might be a Card. I... I sort of sense something, and besides that, everyone in the Common Room is asleep!"

Rangi opened his mouth to say something, but as soon as he did, the other two girls woke up and began talking to each other as if they were picking up on the exact same conversation they left off on. They blinked curiously at Pandora, who nervously laughed and waved at them, and rushed downstairs.

Everything was much the same as it was before the great sleeping epidemic. Harry was looking around for her, as if he didn't understand exactly where she could have got off to. She walked up behind him and playfully patted his unruly hair. "You look baffled about something, any reason?"

"Pandora, I swear... you were just here... and we were just talking... and then you just sort of disappeared... Where did you learn that?"

She bent closer and whispered in his ear, "It's a Card."

His eyes brightened and he nodded. "Which one?"

She shrugged and sat down on her knees in front of him. "Judging by what it makes everyone do, and also judging by the creativity generally put forth in the naming of these cards, I would think it would be called something like The Sleep."

"You mean I just fell asleep?"

"You and everyone else in the Common Room."

"I wonder why we just woke up suddenly though."

"Maybe it's playing with us. Rangi said that some cards really just like to have fun, but are perfectly harmless left to their own devices."  
"We'll just have to keep a lookout for it then, huh?"

"Yes, we will."  
****************************************************************************************

There were no more sleeping sessions through the entire weekend, and even Monday went uneventful. But when Pandora woke up Tuesday morning, she knew something was going to go wrong. It was almost a good feeling, being so sure that there was a card. It meant that her cardcaptoring powers were getting stronger. But still, she really hoped that this card only was a bit mischievous and not all that dangerous. 

Harry waited for her downstairs in the Common Room, then escorted her to the Great Hall for breakfast. "Ron and Hermione are already there," he explained. 

Pandora nodded and walked a little closer. "I brought a certain someone along... I think he may come in useful..." She lifter her arm just-so until Rangi's bright yellow snake-eyes peered out from within the baggy sleeve.

Harry smiled and whispered, "Hey, Rangi! I'll make sure to slip you some sugar."

"Alright!" Rangi cheered, a little too loudly.

"Shhh! Be careful!" Pandora scolded, suddenly noticing three very familiar people walking closer. It was Draco and his two friends, Crabbe and Goyle. 

Draco walked closer, waving Crabbe and Goyle very forcefully away. He knew Pandora hated them, and was always kind enough to get rid of them for her. He gave Harry a look of most sincere hatred before he hugged Pandora. "How have you been, Panda? Haven't been able to talk to you much being how you're a... a... Gryffindor and all..."

"I'm not really, you know."

"I know, but still. Father sent a long letter to me saying how it was simply not right having a Gryffindor in this family."

"Oh, so he'd rather me be the Squib he once believed me to be?"

Draco laughed. "Oh, don't be that way. He doesn't want you to be a Squib either."

"Sure he doesn't. I don't think he really cares _what_ I am. He's never liked me much... Anyway, it doesn't matter, we need to be getting to Potions, which includes you, Dray, so either you can destroy your reputation and walk with us, or you can run along ahead and catch up with your henchmen."

Draco shook his head with a grin. "No, I would hate to be seen with Harry Potter, so I'll go on. See you in class!"

Harry didn't say a word until Draco was far away. "I really don't like him. I don't see how you two are related."

"I take after my mother."

"Obviously."

Potions started out as horribly as it always did. Snape asked Pandora questions that there was no way she'd know the answers to. Finally they started in on their lab, and Harry was her partner. She hated the way Snape seemed to linger by their table, as if waiting for them to do something wrong. Apparently they did, because he hurried over there and said in a very loud voice specifically to draw attention to them and embarrass them, "You can't put that much into it! It could kill someone. Perhaps you'll work a little harder if you will have to test it once your finished.... Don't fall asleep while I'm lecturing you, Harry Potter!"

But it wasn't just Harry... Everyone in the entire room was falling asleep, until Pandora and Snape remained, seeming completely unaffected. Pandora didn't know what to do. She needed to talk to Rangi....

The door to the dungeon burst open and the Incantations professor (who often seemed to be in the company of Severus Snape... and enjoying it....), Eva Everest, walked in. "Severus... Everyone in the entire school... all of the professors... Dumbledore... McGonagall.... and the students...." She stopped and looked curiously at Pandora. "I take it back. We seem to be the only three, that I know of, anyway, still awake. That's an odd combination." 

Pandora tried to act casual and asked, "What should we do, Professor Everest?"

"I want you to go directly back to your Common Room and wait for further instructions. I don't know what's going on, and it would be safer for now." Something in the way she said it made Pandora wonder if that's what she really meant....

"Yes, ma'am." 

Pandora hurried out, but turned a few corners wrong just to be sure Everest and Snape couldn't catch up to her any time soon. "Psst! Rangi!"

He fluttered out of her sleeve. "I know what it is! I do I do I do!"

"You do? What is it?"

"It's Tu!"

"Me? Whatever did I do to you...?"

"Not 'You,' Pandora, Tu!"

"Tu? That's a funny name for a card...."

"No, not the card, Pandora, the other thing that was bothering me. It's Tu!" He seemed quite disappointed in Pandora's most vacant of expressions. "Oh, just follow me, I'll show you."

Rangi flew around until they came into the Great Hall.... Face to face with Lauren Phillips and a most interesting little lion with white wings floating up by her head. "See? Tu."

The lion turned around and growled. "Oh, it's you, Rangi. The oh-so-perfect Hogwarts Beast. Well, I'll show you! My cardcaptor will be much better than that pitiful excuse will ever be!"

Lauren sort of blushed and turned away. In her hands she carried her own staff, which was red with a lion's head on the top. Come to mention it, her entire outfit was scarlet.

Rangi bristled angrily. "My cardcaptor is THE Cardcaptor! There is nothing better than her!" His Cockey accent came out just a bit more than usual. It tended to do so when he was angry about something.

Rangi and Tu continued to have it out, while Pandora and Lauren just sort of stared across at each other. Finally, Pandora said to Lauren, "I think we need to catch ourselves a card."

Lauren smiled and gave a determined nod. "Um... exactly how do you get it to come to you?"

Pandora twirled the tip of her long, silvery blonde hair around a finger. "Well... to be quite honest... I don't know if it will always work that way or not.... We might just have to find..."

But before Pandora could finish her sentence, a quiet, small, pale figure floated down from one of the high chandeliers. She sprinkled some sort of sparkling dust upon them, but it had little affect. She stopped before them and stood idly, as if waiting for something.

Lauren looked on in awe as Pandora called upon her own staff. It was a bit difficult to capture cards without it. "Return to the Center, your Master awaits... Sleep Card!" The small woman disappeared, and in her place left a blue-backed card.

As Pandora picked her new Ravenclaw card up and examined it, Tu fluttered over to Lauren and immediately began babbling, "You didn't even try for it! What were you thinking?"

"I... I didn't know how... and you were so busy arguing with that other stuffed animal that I couldn't ask you...."

"I'm not a stuffed animal!" Rangi and Tu both growled in unison.

Pandora shrugged and said aside to Lauren, "At least they agree on _something_."

A few doors opened from other corridors, and Pandora could hear the sounds of people coming out of rooms. "They're awake. We need to go back to our classes. Hopefully they won't realize we were gone. Otherwise we'll have a little bit of explaining to do." Pandora hid the card and headed back to Potions.

"Pandora, wait!" Lauren called after her. Lauren crossed her arms and grinned as Pandora turned back to her. "Just because you got this one doesn't mean you'll get the next!"

"I know, Lauren... That's what you said last time."

"But... but I mean it this time!"

"Sure you do."

The two friends... or rivals... continued on, little knowing what new obstacles waited in their paths.


	6. Episode V: The Loyal Rival

The Loyal Rival

**Cardcaptor Pandora  
**Episode V  
****The Loyal Rival  
  


Finally, school was beginning to make some sense to Pandora. Magic wasn't too difficult, once you got the hang of it.

And yet, for some people, nothing was ever simple....  
  
"Tu... I'm trying as hard as I can! Maybe I just don't have what it takes to be a Cardcaptor..." Lauren Phillips cried.

The little winged lion floated before her and growled. "You do! You have to! You are the Heir of Gryffindor! You just need to be taught, that's all, which is what I'm trying to do, but you refuse to cooperate!"

Lauren leaned back in her bed and sighed as she gazed around the empty room. Perhaps she was a little too distracted. After all, she had just moved to England from America, and besides all that, only a week before found out she was adopted, and really the heir of some guy called Gryffindor whom the house she was sorted in was named after. She didn't know what was so special about that, and really didn't care, either. "I've been cooperating... the best I know how..."

"No, you have not! Now if you will just do as I tell you to... Lauren? Where are you going? Lauren! Get back here!"

But she had had quite enough from Tu for one morning, especially on a Saturday. She hurried downstairs where he couldn't go for fear of being seen. She was very relieved to see her brother (or adopted brother), Chris, there.

"Hey, Chris!" she greeted cheerily as she trotted over and hugged him around the waist.

Chris smiled down at her and patted her shoulder, glad that they truly had made up from their previous arguments. "Hey, Kid! What are you going to do today?"  
  
Lauren shrugged and looked around the Common Room until her eyes landed on Pandora, her newest friend, yet supposedly her greatest rival. "I... probably will talk to Pandora a while."  
  
"I didn't know you two were such good friends."

"Well you talk to her all the time too!" Lauren said with a wink.

Chris blushed as he said, "It's not because of that, Lauren... Honestly, I really like someone else..."

Lauren tilted her head and said in a sing-song, teasing tone, "Is it just maybe Ginny Weasley?"

"Eh... heh heh... Well, you and Panda have fun today, alright? I'll talk to you later!" he said as he hurried out of the Common Room without another word.

Lauren grinned after him before walking over to where Pandora was sitting alone in a chair, studying some book. "Whatcha readin'?" Lauren asked, bending around Pandora's shoulder to look on.

Pandora jumped slightly before smiling and closing the book. "It's none of your business, little Miss Gryffindor."

Lauren giggled and grabbed at it, but unfortunatly for her, Pandora was much taller. "No, really. What is it?"

"Nothing, really. Just something I picked up in the library because I was bored. It's a book of mythology, Greek. It used to be what I'd always read when I went to Smeltings and was bored, so I thought I'd see if a version in a magical library was any different. So far, it's much the same."

Lauren nodded. "Where's Harry? He's usually always hanging around you and all."

Pandora sighed and ran a hand through her silvery blonde hair. "He went somewhere with Ron and Hermione, they wanted to go check something out together."

"Why didn't you go?"

"Because I wasn't invited, and it would be rude to invite myself." 

Lauren smirked and crossed her arms. "Poor little Panda."

Pandora punched her playfully on the arm. "What makes you say that? It's not that big of a deal, really..." But she stopped in mid-sentence as Chris entered into the Common Room once again, his face red as if he was trying not to laugh out loud. But as soon as the portrait swung shut, he let it all out.

Lauren walked over to him and knelt down on her knees next to where he had collapsed on the floor. "What in the world is so funny?"

"It's... it's Sydney..."

"Sydney?"

"Yeah... this crazy Australian Hufflepuff I'm in Herbology with... She's throwing some sort of tantrum about something, but I can't tell what. She's so funny when she throws tantrums, that's all..."

Pandora cocked her head. "A Hufflepuff throwing a tantrum? I thought they were typically very subdued..." Immediately she corrected herself in that assumption, recalling Mini-Helga's reaction to much of what Mini-Godric did.

Lauren smirked and walked back over to Pandora mischievously. "Maybe we should go see what she's going on about. Who knows? Maybe some rabid Hogwarts Card has a hold on her!"

"Shhh!" Pandora hissed, glancing back at Chris to make sure his attention had been averted sufficiently elsewhere. "You have to be quieter with that! No one can know, remember?"

"Sorry!" She held her hands behind her and tried to look a little more innocent as she continued, "But it could be some fun, you know? I mean, it's a boring Saturday, your boyfriend's not here, and...."

"He's not my boyfriend!"

"Much to your dismay," Lauren teased. "So what do you say?"

"If it will make you stop antagonizing me, I think I'll do anything! Com on!" Pandora headed towards the painting with Lauren on her heels. "Who knows, maybe you're right. Maybe we will run in to a Hogwarts Card while we're out."

"Yeah! And I'll catch it so that Tu will stop whining at me for being a failure!"

"Think again," Pandora grinned as the painting swung open.

They wandered down the almost deserted halls, trying to find where everyone might be. "We should have asked Chris where she was," Lauren said with a sigh. "Now we'll be wandering aimlessly."

"Best way to run across a Hogwarts Card, though, isn't it?" Pandora pointed out optimistically.  
  
Lauren smiled. "You take everything so lightly! I can't see how you're related to that!"

"Related to what?" Pandora asked, but didn't have to think much longer as her brother's familiar, dull voice came up over her left shoulder.

"Good morning, Panda. Glad to see you're in somewhat better company than usual. Of course it is still a Gryffindor..."

"Be nice to my friends, Dray," Pandora scolded with a playful shove. "Have you met Lauren Phillips?"

"Not really. I just know she's the American girl." He smirked his usual annoying smirk, but for some reason Pandora thought there was something different about him. He was hiding something, something very important. He needed to tell her something....

Lauren crossed her arms and stood up to her full length (which only reached the bottom of Draco's pointed chin) and said, "For your information, I am not an American! I am the Heir of Gr...."

Pandora slapped a hand over her mouth, blushing as she told Draco, "She's also a little crazy. Gryffindors. Go figure, ay?"

Draco raised an eyebrow at her as he turned to go. "I'll say. No wonder you're one. I'll talk to you later." And he left Pandora behind to wonder what he really had to say.

"Do you not understand that you've got to keep that a secret? We could get in big trouble if anyone found out! That sort of magic is bordering on the line between legal and illegal magic! We can't go telling everyone!"

"I know..." Lauren said mournfully with a very guilty look. 

They continued walking and ended up going outside, to see that that was where most of the rest of the school was.... except for Harry and his other friends. Pandora knew. She checked thoroughly.

Suddenly Pandora stopped walking and turned abruptly, feeling some sort of strong presence. All she ended up facing, though, was a tree with a girl sitting in its shade, a girl probably a year younger than Pandora.

"That's the Sydney girl!" Lauren said happily.

Pandora watched her. She was very pretty, with long, light brown hair that played in the wind. She sat very elegantly under the tree, yet she had an upset expression on her face. "I'm... going to go talk to her..." Pandora said.

"Okay! Me too!" Lauren said.

"No, I think you should stay here."

Despite her protests, Lauren did stay where she was as Pandora walked over to the solitary figure. Sydney's head was bent and her brow furrowed, yet her head snapped up as Pandora neared her. "What do you want?" she demanded.

Pandora blushed, surprised at such a greeting. "I... just thought you looked a little upset, is all. I wanted to see if you were alright."

Sydney stared coldly at Pandora, as if not wanting to believe what she was saying, wanting to find some sort of hidden motive. "Aren't you that Malfoy boy's sister?"

"Well... yes.... I'm his twin."

"You weren't here last year," Sydney said matter-of-factly, facing front again as if she had stated something profound.

"No... I wasn't... I was only invited in this year."

"That's really odd. I didn't come until the end of last year because my family moved. I have a brother who is a seventh year, but he'll be gone next year... I wish he wasn't..."

Pandora sat next to her under the tree and smiled comfortingly, seeing the tears threatening to leak down Sydney's cheeks. "It must have been a hard move for you to make you this upset, even after so long."

"It was!" she cried, dropping her face into her hands. "I was so popular and everyone liked me back at home, but ever since I've been here I haven't been able to make even one real friend! I hate it!"

Pandora, not knowing much else to do, wanted to try to know Sydney better. Apparently all she thought she needed was a friend, and Pandora was a very friendly person. Besides, there was something else about the girl...

"Would you like to go for a walk? It's such a pretty day to just be sitting here...."

Sydney threw a side-glance at her, then straightened up as she answered, "Sure, as long as it doesn't start raining. It rains so much in this stupid country..."

Pandora smiled and sprung to her feet. "Yes, it does! It gets very old, too. It'll start raining more and more around this time of year, so we ought to take advantage of the good weather while we can!"

Sydney looked up into Pandora's face and smiled. "Are you always so optimistic about everything?"

"I try to be. Especially when someone's upset."

Sydney smiled and the two began to walk around. Lauren had long before given up on Pandora and had gone to visit some of her second-year friends. As the two talked, Sydney opened up much more, and seemed much happier. Finally she said, "Something really strange is happening... I didn't think I should tell anyone because I was afraid of people thinking I was even stranger than they already think I am, but... but you aren't like other people. You're really nice, and I think you'd understand..."

Pandora blinked at Sydney in a very confused way, as she stopped and faced Pandora. "I think that... that I have some strange power... I don't know how to describe it... But something... a little bird, we'll say," she added, rolling her eyes, "told me that I was... was...." She stopped and turned away. "Never mind... It sounds... absolutely ridiculous..."

Pandora was beginning to understand. The feeling she had earlier, Sydney's own confusion, a secret... "You are the Heir of Hufflepuff, aren't you."

Sydney's eyes widened. "How... how did you know?"

"Did a small beast that looks like a stuffed animal tell you?"

"Y... Yes..."

"Well, then he probably also told you that you were a Cardcaptor."

"It's a she, not a he, and her name is Tane. She's a small tiger with dragonfly wings."

"Tane? That's an odd name...."

"Yeah, that's what I said, but then she said, 'Well what kind of a name is Sydney Lachlan?' and I didn't have an answer for that."

"They can be a little strange that way."

"So does that mean that you are also a Cardcaptor? The Heir of Gryffindor maybe?"

Pandora spent about half an hour explaining to Sydney about her and Lauren, and also telling her about the cards and everything that Rangi had told her. "You are lucky to have such close friends," Sydney said as Pandora mentioned Harry. "I have no one to confide in...." 

Pandora smiled and said, "You have me and Lauren! We're all Cardcaptors together, we're a team, even if we are rivals at the same time."

This certainly seemed to cheer Sydney up. She looked into the cloudless, beautiful blue sky and said, "I'm glad I finally have some friends around here...."  
  
And then a drop of rain fell.

They both looked up, realizing that they were now in the cover of a good many trees. But what sky they could see above was still perfectly blue. "Maybe it was just a drop off of a leaf," Sydney said with a nervous smile.

Pandora nodded, just as another drop, then another, and another, began to fall. "Sydney... I think I might get to show you how to catch a Hogwarts Card today after all. Right now."

Pandora whirled around and in an instant her staff had appeared from within the crystal on her forehead. "Show yourself now! I, the Center, command it! Hogwarts Card!" She struck a faint fog which the rain seemed to be coming from, which quickly turned into a small cloud.

Sydney blinked at it. "Is that... a Hogwarts Card?"

Pandora, also confused, said, "Yeah... I think so.... My guess would be the Rain Card, maybe?"

"Creative name."

"They all are."

Pandora once again raised her staff at the small cloud and said, "Return to your Center, your Master awa-"

Suddenly a small elf-like creature popped out from on top of the cloud and threw what looked like a bolt of lightening at a branch over Pandora's head... which broke away from its tree and landed on Pandora.

She fell to the ground with a cry of pain, holding on to her right shoulder as she rocked back and forth. "Pandora!" Sydney cried, rushing next to her. "Are you alright?"

"I... I will be..." She looked up at the grinning mischievous elf. "It has to be sealed. You've got to get rid of it, Sydney. I can't right now. It hurts too much... Please. Do you have a staff?"

Sydney nodded, nervously biting her lip. 

Pandora smiled encouragingly. "Don't be scared. If I can do it, anyone can. All you do is hit the card with it and tell it to return. This one seems rather weak except for its lightening strikes, which you will have to be on the guard for. Don't worry," she said gently, "I trust in you."

Sydney stood up and turned to the Rain Card, a determined look on her face. "You think you can get away with hurting my best friend, Rain Card? I'll teach you a lesson you'll never forget... Spirit of the South, the staff.... Release!"

A long, golden staff formed in the air in Sydney's outstretched hand. She whirled it around and headed for the Rain Card. Though it tried many times to hit her with its lightening, Sydney was quick to dodge every attack. Finally, backed into a tight cluster of trees with no way out, the card gave up as Sydney raised the staff and shouted, "Come to me now, the Master of the South awaits! Rain Card!" In a flash of green light, the elf and cloud turned into a small Hogwarts Card, the design on the back a Slytherin green.

Sydney walked slowly over to where Pandora waited and knelt next to her. "You should sign your name to it," Pandora explained. "Rangi, my little beast, told me that since there is now more than one Cardcaptor, it will help to ensure that it will obey you."

Sydney shook her head and held the card out to Pandora. "I don't want it."

Pandora looked at her, not understanding. "What do you mean you don't want it? You caught it! It's yours."

"Yes, and since it is mine, I also have every right to give it away. Thus I give it to you."

Pandora opened her mouth to further protest, but was interrupted by a familiar voice saying, "There's no point in arguing, Pandora. Hufflepuffs are very determined people, especially when it comes to those they are going to be loyal friends to."

Pandora turned to see Mini-Helga standing next to her. "But she caught the card..."

Mini-Helga ignored the last remark and floated over to Sydney, up into her face. "Aww! You look just like your great-great-great-great-give-it-a-few-more-centuries-great-grandmother, Helga!"

Sydney quickly exchanged a glance with Pandora to be sure that statement was not true.

"I am very proud of you, Sydney Lachlan. Pandora is the one who is meant to be the Keeper of the Cards, and you have made the right decision to help her collect them."

Sydney smiled, and once again held the card out to Pandora. "See? Now you have to take it."

Pandora grinned back and accepted the gift. "If only Lauren would listen to you, Helga."

"Don't worry," Mini-Helga said with a wink, "she's nothing to worry about." 


	7. Episode VI: The Littlest Rival

The Loyal Rival

**Cardcaptor Pandora  
**Episode VI  
****The Littlest Rival  


"Turn to page 32 in your books," Professor Black instructed. Pandora exchanged a bored look with Harry, who sat between her and Ron. Hermione was on the other side of Ron, and seemed quite eager to continue learning.

Ron jotted a note in the corner of Harry's book, and they both sniggered quietly. Pandora attempted a snatch at the book, but Harry stopped her ahead of time. She slouched back in her own seat, hating being left out, but not wanting to make too much of an issue out of it... just yet.

Professor Tamarah Black started a sentence, but was interrupted when the door creaked open, and a very young girl with auburn hair, green eyes, and glasses that were five times too big for her walked in, led by Professor McGonagall. "Hello, Professor McGonagall! Is there something I can do for you?"

"Yes. This is Holly Daimen, and she will be joining the Fifth Year Gryffindors for this class only. She's... a little advanced, so we're having to put her in different classes to make sure she's at the level she needs to be at."

"Hello, Holly!" Professor Black greeted, having to bend down almost half way to meet her at eye-level. "What house are you in?"

"I'm in Ravenclaw."

"You must be to be so intelligent! To be in a Fifth Year's class at your age.... How old are you?"

"Nine."

The whole class was very quiet for a moment until Professor Black cleared her throat and stood up. "Well, you are rather young! How impressive! Let's see.... There's a seat next to Pandora! You can sit there, okay?"

The little girl nodded and headed to the empty seat next to Pandora. Pandora felt a slight shiver as the girl neared, a familiar feeling taking over. Much the same feeling she felt when she first met Lauren and Sydney....

"It's not fair!" she heard Hermione complaining to Ron. "They aren't allowed to enter school until they're eleven anyway, she shouldn't be able to get ahead! Or I'd be a graduate by now!"

Holly blinked past Pandora through her huge glasses. Professor Black had gone back to teaching, but being that they were all in the back of the room, they could get away with a little bit of chatter. "Can I ask you a bit of an odd question?" Pandora asked the little girl.

"Yes, I am the Heir of Ravenclaw," the little girl answered without even looking at Pandora. "And you are the main Cardcaptor." She glanced sideways at Pandora without even the slightest of grins. She was the most serious child Pandora had ever met. "Tawhiri told me..."

"Is that... your beast?"

"Yes, she's a pretty white leopard with black raven wings. And we should stop talking, it's very rude to talk during lessons."  
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Pandora thought Tuesday was never going to end. She had hardly had a chance to talk to Harry, mostly because he had been so busy with Ron and Hermione for the past few days, and she had so much to tell him.

As Ron and Hermione headed for the tables in the Great Hall for dinner, Pandora finally managed to steal a few minutes with Harry alone. "I have so much to tell you!"

He smiled uneasily. "Really? Yeah... I guess we haven't had much of a chance to talk lately..."

"It's... it's okay. You've had to be with them, and they don't like me very much, me being a Malfoy and all..."

"That's not really it. We've just been through a lot together."

"Yeah... I know..." She shook her head, her heart skipping a beat as she looked into his green eyes. "Well, anyway! Might as well not waste the time I have now! So much has happened!"

Pandora was in the midst of telling him about Holly when Dumbledore stood up to make an announcement. "I know that we hadn't made much of a habit out of school-wide parties in the past," he began, "but last year's dance seemed to be quite a success. Thus, this year, the other professors and I are going to throw a Halloween masquerade party for you, our wonderful students. It will begin at seven o'clock with dinner and will end whenever Snape and McGonagall finally manage to get everyone back to their towers on Halloween night. I hope you enjoy it!"

"There, Ron. Halloween's two weeks away, he gave you plenty of time to get the guts up to ask Hermione!" one of the Weasley twins said in passing as Pandora and Harry joined Ron and Hermione at the Gryffindor table.

Ron's ears turned a bright red as Hermione resisted a grin, succeeding only in tightening the dimples on the side of her face. "Will... will you go with me, Hermione?"

She crossed her arms and smiled a bit more openly as she answered, "Well, I suppose so, unless something better comes along. So did it not take you quite as long to remember that I was a girl this year?"

The young couple continued back and forth for a while with Harry laughing at them, Pandora at his side, picking at her food. Ron finally looked over at Harry and said, "It's not like you had any better luck last year! You gonna ask Cho?"

Pandora thought she was about to choke on the minute bite of bread she had just taken. She wanted to cry, but there was no point in it. It wasn't like he was her boyfriend. No. That could never happen....

Harry's ears turned a few shades pinker, and she could have sworn that he glanced over at her. "I'll probably ask her, yeah... I don't know... She might want to stay out of it entirely, considering everything that happened with Cedric and... and everything..."

"Oh, come on! It's not like they were getting married! Sure, she probably misses him, but I don't think she's going to sit around mourning his loss forever."

"I guess you're right," Harry said, a little more confidence behind his voice. "So when should I...."

Pandora stood up quickly and walked away. She didn't know why, and she knew it was probably awkward for him, but she couldn't listen anymore. She walked away from the Gryffindor table straight for the Slytherin, where Draco seemed to be engaged in a deep conversation with Pansy, which Pandora promptly interrupted. She was his sister, after all. That's what sisters do. "Hey, Dray. Hi, Pansy."

Pansy nodded silently, looking a little put-out at the interruption. Draco was a bit more welcoming, but not much. "Any reason you're over here, Gryffindor?"

"That's not fair, Dray. I'm not really, and we've been over this hundreds of times!"

"Father thinks you are."

"I really don't care what he thinks."

"Of course you don't. So what do you want?"

She glanced uneasily at Pansy and said to Draco, "I really need to talk to you... alone..."

"Can't it wait?"

"Please, Dray?"

He started to protest again, but that pathetic look from her big pitiful amber eyes immediately stopped him. "Fine." He threw a look at Pansy which she took directly to mean 'get out,' and went to find her little gang of girls. "What is it? Potter not asked you to the dance yet?"

She thought she was going to kill him, but she restrained herself.... barely. "He's going to ask Cho, don't you know?"

"I could have figured as much." He looked away a little uneasily. "Are you okay with that?"

"I don't really have another choice but to be." She noticed the distant expression and placed a hand gently on his arm. "Dray, something's been bothering you... What is it...?"

But he turned away and took a few steps forward. "Maybe he'll come around, Panda. You're much better than that Ravenclaw, anyway."

"Speaking of Ravenclaws, have you met Holly Daimen?"

"The nine-year-old with the huge glasses that's in my Transfiguration class?"

"Yeah, that one. She's in fifth-year Transfiguration?!"

"Yes. Crazy, isn't it? Well, nice talking to you, but I need to spend some time with Pansy...."

"You on a leash now, or something?"

"NO! We're not even going out! She's just... my date and all so I thought I'd try to be nice to her for the next two weeks."

"Dray, if you meet any strange Slytherins, will you tell me?"

This caught him off guard. "Strange Slytherins? The house is full of them! Anything in particular?"

"No... not really... Never mind..." And she walked upstairs to her room in the Gryffindor Tower, not having eaten much of anything, and remembering just in time to grab a sweet roll for Rangi.

He flittered over to her anxiously. "You're here early! Not that I'm complaining, I was starving!" he said in his Cockney accent.

"I'm sorry," she said, a little down.

"Hey, what's up?" he asked, his mouth full. "It's not like you to be depressed! Not like you at all!"

"I've got another rival, for one thing."

"Oh?" He swallowed his food and fluttered up into her face. "Is it... is it Slytherin...?"

"No..." she said uneasily. "She's the Ravenclaw.... But I was going to ask you about that..."

"Oh, don't worry! Never mind!" he said cheerily. "A Ravenclaw? That's nice! She'll be a great help! A lot like Sydney!"

"She's nine years old and in Fifth Year classes!"

"You'd expect any less?"

"I guess not..." She stopped and looked away. "So if there's a Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw.... That means there has to be a Slytherin too, right?"

Rangi sat next to her uncomfortably. "Well, yes... Naturally...."

"Do you know who that is?"

"You seem to have some sort of theory."

"I do." Pandora looked around nervously, as if someone else were listening, but she was quite sure the room was empty. "You-Know-Who is the Heir of Slytherin, right?"

"True, but it's the youngest heir at the time of the discovery of the Center which becomes the Cardcaptor."

"Okay... so what you're saying is that he is not the youngest heir..."

"Yes."

"Do you know who that is?"

"No."

"You're not very helpful."

"I'm sorry!"

"Hey, Pandora?" a voice said behind a slowly opening door. Rangi fell to the bed as a stuffed animal, and Pandora whirled around anxiously as Hermione walked in. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay..."

Hermione was rarely nice to Pandora. They didn't always get along very well, but sometimes they could. "Sure I am!" she lied. "What would make you think differently?"

"You just left so quickly... right when Ron and Harry were talking about the dance and Cho and everything..."

"Yeah, well...." she blushed.

"You like him, don't you?"

"Is it that obvious?"

Hermione smiled and patted Pandora's shoulder. "It's not a bad thing that you like him, it's just a bad thing that you happen to be a Malfoy and he happens to be a Potter and he happens to be obsessed with Cho Chang."

"I know. I could never live up to that, could I? I don't even know why... why I like him so much..."

"It's okay," Hermione said comfortingly. "You'll get over it and find someone much better, I'm sure. It can't be all that hard, after all..."

They both laughed for a minute, then Hermione said, "Can you believe that Ravenclaw girl? It really isn't fair! They're not even supposed to be admitted until they're eleven. She's probably just from some rich ancient wizarding family that paid her way in..."

"Probably," Pandora responded, smiling inwardly.

They talked a bit more before Hermione walked back downstairs to the Common Room to meet Ron. "You're so lucky..." Pandora murmured as she walked out the door.

Rangi immediately came to life again. "It's just Harry Potter! What's the big deal about that?"

"I don't know!" Pandora said, a little more forcefully than she intended. "I... I really don't know," she repeated, calmly.

"Pandora!"

This particular voice didn't frighten Rangi to his limp form, because it was very familiar. Pandora turned and smiled as Lauren Phillips walked in. "Hi, Lauren. I'm sure you've heard by now."

"She's the Heir of Ravenclaw, did you know that?"

"Yes, Love. I did."

"Oh...."

There was an awkward silence, which Pandora felt obliged to fill after slapping down little Lauren's hopes so fast. "So do you have any idea who you're going to the dance with?"

She shrugged and smiled. "It's not really that big of a deal for me, but I'll probably figure something out! But guess what! Chris is going with Ginny!"

"You mean he actually had the nerve to ask her?"

"Yes! And she accepted!"

"That's... great..." Pandora was highly considering rolling over and dying. "Um... I think I'm going to go for a little walk around the castle..."

She was very happy to get out of the Gryffindor Tower. Too many people to see that might have something to say...

Not that what wanted to talk to her now was much better...

"Hello, Pandora..."

She rarely heard Crabbe talk. Usually Goyle did all the talking if Draco wasn't around, and Crabbe just did whatever he was told, but at this particular moment, neither Dray or Goyle was there. Only Crabbe. "What do you want?"

"Aren't you.... friends... with that pretty Hufflepuff girl, Sydney?"

Pandora blinked at him for a few seconds, for it was the first time she had ever heard him speak a complete intelligent sentence. "Uh... yeah... why?"

"Because.... I was wondering if you knew what she liked."

"Why do you want to know that?"

"Because I want her to go to the dance with me."

She thought she was going to lose her jaw somewhere around her ankles, but somehow she managed to keep it attached. "That's... that's nice... Well... I think she likes chocolate a lot... or at least most girls do."

"Anything else?"

"I just met her a few days ago, Crabbe. I don't know very much."

"Well what would you like if you were her."

"I don't know, give her flowers or something and leave me alone!" she yelled and stormed off, leaving behind a very baffled Vincent Crabbe.  
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It was only three days before the dance, and Pandora was sick of hearing about it. Harry had asked Cho, and (to Pandora's deep regret) she accepted. Everyone seemed to have dates, even Crabbe with Sydney, and Lauren with some random Gryffindor Second Year. The only person she knew who didn't was the little Ravenclaw, Holly.

"I don't see what all the fuss is about," Holly said one evening, while the four Cardcaptors sat together outside beneath a tree. They tried to get to know one another, and really were becoming the best of friends.

"You'll understand when you're older," Sydney said with a wink.

"She's not old enough to understand anything," Lauren said, with just the slightest of attitudes.

"Yes, that is why I am nine years old and in classes much higher than yours."

Sydney and Pandora laughed as Lauren chased Holly around, trying to kill her. "Gryffindors," Sydney sighed with a shrug. 

Pandora nodded, her thoughts returning to Harry. She sighed and gazed ahead of her, her mind clouded.

"Hey Panda!" cried Rangi's voice. She looked up to see him flying at her with Tu, Tane, and Tawhiri following. She liked all of them pretty well, except for Tu. Probably only because she felt like he was too hard on Lauren.

"What's up, Rangi?"

"I think you may have a mission," he said in a low, confidential voice, though no one else was about or he wouldn't even be flying around in the open. "Have you heard?"

"No, I can't say that I..."

"Red alert!" Lauren whispered suddenly, taking the opportunity to bash Tu on the head to make him fall down (and probably, too, because it made her feel a lot better).

The four girls turned to see Professor Everest walking hand-in-hand with Professor Snape down one of the pathways. Lauren wanted to take a blackmail picture, Sydney was caught somewhere between blushing and barfing, and Holly shielded her little innocent eyes (though her glasses were far to big to fit behind her hands). Pandora, for her part, could not keep her eyes off of them. It wasn't really the couple that kept her so interested, but mostly Professor Everest. She was one of the strangest people Pandora had ever met. Sometimes it was like there was something else there, like she had felt with the other three Cardcaptors. 

Then it hit her, hit her so hard she was afraid Eva Everest might sense it. Perhaps _she_ was the Heir of Slytherin! It would make perfect sense. She could easily be Voldemort's daughter, for he was plenty old enough and she was plenty young enough. Not to mention Snape's constant admiration of her, and even what she taught could be considered part of the Dark Arts. Incanting was often used for special curses, and people had to be very careful when they used the more advanced spells simply because they were so powerful.

Pandora suddenly felt Everest's eyes upon her, and she began walking closer, Snape at her heels. Pandora felt her cheeks flush, afraid that Everest was on to her, and even more afraid of what she was capable of doing to the other four Cardcaptors...

"How are you girls doing?" she asked, smiling.

"We're great!" Lauren piped in, obviously not sensing anything out of the ordinary. "How are you, professors?"

"Fine, thank you," Everest answered, Snape grunting in agreement. "I was just about to tell Sev... Professor Snape.... about my promotion!"

He eyed her as if he were shocked that she would inform the students of such affairs. "Are you sure Dumbledore would approve of you telling everyone just yet? What is this promotion, anyway?"

"I'm almost afraid to tell you," she said, playfully tugging at his hands while the girls exchanged disgusted glances. "I'm going to be the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor!"

Pandora's heart sank. What a wonderful position for the Heir of Slytherin... "What is happening to Professor Black?"

"It's going to be announced at the Halloween party, but I'll go ahead and tell you all about it anyway, as long as you promise not to tell." All four nodded. "Well, Tamarah is moving away to live with her husband. They have been married for... well... a few months, anyway... and she's only been able to see him on weekends. The stress I'm sure has gotten to her. But not only that, she found out a few weeks ago that she's going to have a baby!"

The girls awed and cooed as girls generally do after hearing such news, and Pandora figured that must have been what Ron, Harry, and Hermione had been going on about in class a while back. She was still upset that Harry hadn't told her...

Snape, as if to break the happy mood which is usually his style, interrupted saying, "There might not even be a party if things keep up as they have."

"What things?" asked Sydney. She rarely spoke up so quickly to professors, but her dearest party was at stake.

"It's none of your business, you are a student."

"Now, Severus..." Everest said, with a smile. "I'm surprised they hadn't heard about it already." She looked back at the students and continued, "Something strange has been happening the past few days. Things have been going missing all over, right next to people! For example, Professor McGonagall put one of her books down next to her in the teacher's lounge the other day, with at least seven other professors in the same room, and as soon as she turned around, it was gone! No one saw anyone come in, or heard the door open. And the strangest thing is, it doesn't seem to have any pattern in what it is stealing. Just whatever is around."

"That's really strange..." Pandora commented softly, her thoughts trailing. She threw a glance at the other girls, who seemed to be thinking the same thing she was.

"Oh well, hopefully something will turn up, or we'll be breaking a lot of people's hopes, I'm sure. But we should be getting along. Goodbye, children!" And the couple walked off together.

"Rangi, did you hear that...?" Pandora said, turning to where Rangi had been lying limp on the ground...

... but nothing was there.  
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((commercial break, ha ha ha!))  
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"Well do you have any better ideas?"

Holly rarely seemed cocky, but she was also getting very annoyed about not having her idea accepted.

"You've been Cardcaptoring the least amount of time, therefore you should just leave it to us experienced ones! You don't even know if there is an Invisibility Card!"

"Lauren," Pandora said, calmly, "Holly might be on to something. Maybe we should listen."

"Thank you, Pandora," Holly said, adjusting her huge glasses on her nose. "Whoever the culprit is seems to only steal things while the person is nearby, but distracted. You obviously cannot see them while they are there. They also cannot be someone who can only move things from where they are to another place, or people would surely notice whatever it is flying through the air. But if this person is invisible, then all they have to do is snatch it and hide it, thus making the object invisible as well. Does that make sense?"

"No, it's stupid," Lauren said, sticking her tongue out, though Sydney and Pandora both nodded in agreement.

"So you think that the best way to catch it is to set a trap? Leave something out that they would want?" Pandora suggested.

"Yes, but the only problem left is what _do_ they want?"

"See, you're not nearly as smart as you think you are!" Lauren said.

"So what I was thinking," Holly continued with an irritated glance at Lauren, "was that the culprit seems to be taking things that it would think are important to people, that they see them with all the time. Professor McGonagall always carries her books around, and we always have our Guardian Beasts. I don't think it's probably the smartest of cards, or it would know better as to what to waste its time on."

"What do we have though that it would consider important?"

"I have my glasses with me all the time," Holly suggested. "If I lay those down, and we pretend not to care and do something else, then our only problem left is to know how to capture it since we won't be able to see it. It will be invisible, after all."

"You think way too far ahead," Sydney laughed.

Holly ignored the comment and asked Pandora, "What cards do you already have?" Holly didn't seem very interested until Pandora got to the Rain Card. "That's perfect! Get the Rain Card to rain over the Invisibility Card, and you'll be able to see the space it is in!"

The other three blinked at her. "That's the stupidest thing I ever heard!" Lauren said.

"Funny, I thought it was ingenious."  
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The capturing of the Invisibility Card turned out incredibly successful. The yellow-backed Hufflepuff Card became Pandora's, and everything that it had taken appeared in a pile at her feet as the card was sealed. After everything had sort of been taken back to its owner (by use of the wonderful card), Pandora tried desperately to have Holly take it.

"Are you kidding?" she said. "I don't want to be a Cardcaptor! I just like figuring out how to do it!"

It was now only two days before the Halloween party, but instead of worrying about a date, Pandora couldn't stop thinking about the Heir of Slytherin, whose coming seemed to be just around the corner.  



	8. Episode VII: The Labyrinth

The Labyrinth

**Cardcaptor Pandora  
**Episode VII  
****The Labyrinth  


The day before the dance, and it would just figure that Pandora still wouldn't have a date. Now she sat in her bed, Rangi on her knee. He looked up and said, "Are you just going to sit around pouting for the next few days? It can't possibly be that bad!"

"That's not all I'm upset about, Rangi," she answered. "What do you think of Professor Everest?"

He bit his lip and suddenly fluttered around the rest of the room. "So maybe you could help decorate for the party or something, ay?"

"Rangi!"

The door opened and Rangi fell limp onto the bed as Padma Patil walked in. "Oh, sorry, Pandora. I was just looking for my sister. Have you seen her anywhere?"

"No..." Pandora answered uneasily. "I'll tell her you're looking for her if I do!"

"That's great, thanks!" she said with a smile, and left.

"That was close!" Rangi said, immediately coming back to life.

"Yes, you do rather enjoy cutting it close, don't you?"

"I didn't do it on purpose! Now are you going to sit here and sulk all day long, or are you going to go out there and find yourself a date?"

"It's a little late for that.... but I've nothing better to do. Maybe Harry actually has time for me today," she said, rolling her eyes and trying to ignore the lump in her throat. "And if all else fails I can talk to Draco."

Unfortunately for her, all else did fail. She found Harry holding Cho's hand and talking to her in one of the corridors, and nearly fell over. She hurried away quickly, wanting never to see Harry Potter again... though she knew she'd get over that phase quickly. After a little bit of searching, she found Draco outside, Pansy, Goyle, and Crabbe with him.

"Hello, Panda," Draco greeted dully as she neared them. "What do you want this time?"

"I just haven't talked to you in a few days, that's all."

"Did Potter ever come around?" This comment made the rest of the Slytherins snigger at her.

"N... No..."

"Poor little Panda! So you don't have a date at all?"

Pansy crossed her arms and leaned against the trunk of the tree they were all beneath. "I don't think Goyle here has a date, and I'm sure he'd love to go with you..."

Goyle exchanged an almost nervous glance with her, but then he grinned that grin that Pandora had grown to hate. "That's true, I don't. You would like to come with me, wouldn't you, Pandora?"

"Actually," Pandora quickly said, with a somewhat biting tone as she sidestepped him, "I would rather not, but thank you, anyway."

"Are you sure?" he asked, reaching out for one of her hands which she promptly withdrew, his hand catching nothing but air.

"Leave her alone, Goyle," Draco warned. "Panda, if you just want to go, you can! There's no rule that says you can only go to a party if you have a date. Who knows? Maybe you'll meet someone there."

"It'd be nice to at least walk in with someone though..." she said, her big amber eyes peering into his grey ones.

"Is that a hint...?" he asked with a sigh. "Fine. You can go there with me and Pansy, but once we're there, you're on your own. Got it?"

"Got it!"

"It's almost time to eat," Draco said, standing up straight and taking Pansy's hand. "We should be getting to the Great Hall. You know, Panda, since Harry has to eat with the Gryffindors, maybe you'll get a chance to corner him and talk to him then."

"Shut up, Dray!" she said, and followed the Slytherins into the Great Hall. There, she left the group to join Harry, Ron, and Hermione at the Gryffindor table. She was very glad to see that Cho was nowhere nearby.

"Hello, Pandora!" Harry greeted happily. "How have you been today?"

"Alright," she lied. "I've really... well..." She stopped her sentence and looked away, blushing.

"You've really what?"

"I've really... um... had a lot of homework lately!"

The other three blinked at her, then just sort of nodded. "Yeah, I know..." Harry said, not exactly knowing what to make of it. "I've noticed you've been hanging out with Lauren, Sydney, and Holly a lot lately..."

"Just like you've been hanging out with Cho a lot lately..." she shot back, a little more bitterly than she meant for it to be. Ron noticed it and covered his mouth to keep from laughing out loud. Pandora had to admit she appreciated the effort.

"Um... right..." Harry said, again not knowing quite what to say or do. "So... do you have a costume for tomorrow night?"

"A costume?"

"Yes," Hermione said. "A costume. It is a masquerade, after all."

"Oh my gosh, I completely forgot about that!"

"Oh well," Ron said. "What's it matter to you? You don't even have a date, do you!"

She narrowed her eyes at him and stood up, saying, "And you think Malfoys are horrible people..." and turned to walk off, accidentally running directly into another member of the Weasley clan.

"Oh, sorry, Pandora!" George... or Fred... said.

"It's... it's alright..." Pandora looked around and was startled not to see the other nearby. "Where's your clone?"

"I don't know... I was just about to ask if any of you had seen Fred around."

"Oh, so you're George... Well, no, I can't say that I have."

None of the others had seen him either.

George sighed, looking very down for his usual attitude. "Well... if you see him... tell him to find me." And he walked off.

"Funny," Pandora commented as he walked away, "Padma was looking for Parvati earlier, too." 

"I guess all the twins have lost their clones!" Ron joked.

"Yeah..." Pandora said with a faint smile, before a thought struck her. She stood up and looked across the room at the Slytherin table. Yes... she could see Pansy... Crabbe and Goyle....

...But where was Dray?

"Excuse me," she said quickly, and left the Gryffindor table, heading for the Slytherin. Pansy saw her as she neared and looked rather annoyed at having "little sister" tag along all the time. "Where did Dray go?" Pandora asked.

"He said he had to go do something," Pansy answered shortly.

"Yeah, well that's not very specific."

"He wasn't very specific either. He seemed to be looking at something, then said he needed to go, and left before we could get any more details out of him. So if you can do any better, than more power to you. You _are_ his twin."

"Yes... I know..." she said absently, looking around the rest of the Great Hall for any sign of silvery blond hair. "How long has he been gone?"

"I guess about fifteen minutes."

Pandora turned and left without asking anything else. They certainly weren't being very helpful. She walked past the Gryffindor table and headed towards Gryffindor Tower, and was quite surprised to discover that Harry was following her. "Is something up?"

She stopped and looked at him for a moment before answering in a very timid voice, "Isn't something always up?"

He smiled and walked next to her as they continued. "It's a Card, then?"

"I don't know. All I know is that two sets of twins are missing their double, and now I've lost track of Dray... I don't know what kind of card would want to steal twins, though. That sounds quite odd to me. I'm going upstairs to ask Rangi if he knows anything."

"I'll wait in the Common Room, then I'll help you any way I can."

Pandora smiled at Harry and said, "What? You actually want me to find Draco?"

"It's not that I mind if he's missing, except I know you would miss him. Otherwise, if I ever saw him again it would be too soon."

They laughed as they went through the Fat Lady into Gryffindor Tower, then Pandora hurried up to her room.

"What? Forget the sweet rolls again?"

"Sorry, Rangi! I was preoccupied... I think there might be a Hogwarts Card around..."

"Oh?" Rangi said, becoming a bit more serious.

"Remember this morning when Padma came in looking for her sister? Now George is missing Fred. And... and Draco left the Great Hall during dinner and no one's seen him since..."

"Twins are being separated then?"

"Yes! But what card would care anything for separating twins?"

"I'm sorry... I didn't mean to hurt anyone..." a voice said, a body materializing shortly after it. The image of a short little boy dressed in yellow robes appeared before them, a few trails of tears on his cheeks.

"You're the Twin Card!" Rangi said. "Except... except..."

"I'm missing my twin!" the little boy wailed. "I had to capture one of every set of twins here because the spirit of the Labyrinth Card took my twin and is holding him in the centre! Unfortunately, only very powerful people can enter there, and I am only a card... I have no incredibly magical powers... The Spirit of the Labyrinth, Jareth, said that if I could capture the twins and give them to him, then maybe I would get my twin back...."

"But you haven't yet, have you?" Pandora asked gently, feeling very sorry for the sweet little boy, whom she took to be a Hufflepuff by his yellow robes and his ever-loyal nature. "Can you take me to this Labyrinth? Perhaps I can get the twins back."

"Oh, I do hope so! I feel horrible. I never wanted to hurt anyone..." He broke off in another fit of tears before he was able to continue again. "May I go with you? It's the least I can do... for causing so much trouble... I can help you watch your back, maybe..."

"But I thought you said that you couldn't go in?"

"Not by myself, no. But as long as I am with you, I can!"

"In that case, it won't be necessary. Rangi and Harry can come with me, so..."

"No! Only the twins can go, no one else. And obviously you can't ask any of the other sets of twins to escort you because they can't know your secret. That would leave you with me."

"Why are there so many unwritten rules with these things!" Pandora whined. "Is that true, Rangi?"

"Yes, if he says it. Jareth makes his own rules for his own purposes..." He fluttered onto her shoulder and whispered, "I want you to be very careful. There's something very strange about this... I'm afraid you may be in a significant amount of danger... Don't worry about the Twin Card, though. He only wants his brother back. I've never known Jareth to be this demanding... I have no idea why he would want to destroy you..."

"Who said anything about destroying me?!"

"That's what usually happens to people who enter the Labyrinth. They get so lost that they never can return, and they die in there." Pandora opened her mouth to speak, but Rangi quickly continued, "I suppose he's wanting to dispose of you so that he can remain free from any sort of a master, but that is not like him at all! I suppose his Slytherin background is getting the best of him..."

"It's a Slytherin Card?" Pandora asked, looking a little ill.

"Yes, but Jareth's usually not very bad." Rangi sighed and looked back and forth from Pandora to the little Twin, until finally saying, "I suppose you had better get on with it... You will only have three days."

"What? Who said anything about a time limit!"

"You're just supposed to know these things, Pandora! Whenever there is something in the centre of the Labyrinth, you have three days to retrieve it before it becomes the eternal slave of the Spirit! And if you do not make it to the centre nor make it back out in the three days, you will die."  
********************************************************************************************

Pandora and Twin stood outside the gate of the Labyrinth. It had been set up a little ways into the Forbidden Forest, which meant she could encounter anything once inside. Twin tried to reassure her, saying that the walls were very high and protected, so nothing could possibly get in, but Pandora had this amazingly irrational fear of trolls which Draco had been sure to nurture ever since they were two....

Harry had been very unwilling to let her go alone at first. She was very happy to see that he actually cared, but at the same time she didn't want him to worry... No. He could worry. He could worry the whole while he was at the dance with Cho. He could worry so much it could make him sick and he could throw up all over her.

Pandora opened the gate with ease, and Twin followed her closely. As the gate slammed shut behind her, she found herself faced with only two choices: left or right. Considering how one looked exactly like the other, she chose right, and walked on.

It felt like hours passed, and there hadn't been so much as even a bend. She looked down at Twin and asked, "Does it just go on forever? There's got to be some other way..."

"I was just about to suggest that... well... you know how it is with Hogwarts Cards! Nothing is ever as it seems!" he said, walking over to a wall and standing in front of it.

"Whatever do you...?" Pandora began, approaching the wall and going to place a hand on the stones... where they fell through air to reveal an opening into more passages. "Oh my! These passages have been here the whole time! You just can't tell from looking at them..." And the two stepped through.

They passed on and on, Pandora feeling like they would never find anything except for more passages. Eventually they came to a swamp where the walls of the Labyrinth reached so far into the sky that she could not see them, and where huge insects that Pandora had never seen before (and was not exactly glad to see now) lived everywhere. And what a horrible stench...!

...the host of which she saw wrapped in the clinging vines of a possessed tree...

The troll howled and struggled, but could not free itself from the vines. Pandora and Twin watched a good distance away, not wanting to further arouse its anger. "I think we should go this way..." Pandora suggested nervously, heading towards the path farthest from the creature.

"And leave the poor creature there?" Twin said, holding his ground.

"Poor creature?! That's a troll!"

"Yes. And I'm a Card and you're a Cardcaptor. Now that we've got that straight, shouldn't we help him?"

Pandora wanted to protest, but could tell by Twin's determined stare that he would not let her continue on her quest without helping the troll. "I suppose I could try to confuse the branches by using the Fly Card, and that would also help us with a quick escape from the troll.... Fly Card!" she called, "Your Master calls! Release!"

Her staff appeared beneath her, two long black wings coming out of the sides. She flew to the tree, and touched the vines which immediately followed her. She flew so quickly it began to make her dizzy, but it didn't take long for the vines to lose interest in the troll and free him. She flew out of their reach, but was so dizzy she fell off of her staff onto the damp grass.

She looked up at the spinning world, and saw the troll (or what looked like three) coming towards her. She stood up to run, but fell again. "Twin, help me!"

But he was too far away, now that the troll was only feet from her. She curled up and held her hands over her head as one would do with a bear. The troll stopped in front of her, gently prodding her with his club and grumbling under his breath. Pandora looked timidly up at him, a dull and completely harmless expression on his face. She almost wasn't afraid of him, until he moved again, but this time he went past her. She tried to get to her feet, but he came back before she could have much success. His giant hand came towards her, and she thought he was about to pick her up and eat her. But instead, in his hand was a beautiful flower colored purple, blue and yellow, which he laid on her lap. "Bludo give flower say thank you," he said in his deep voice.

Pandora blinked at the troll in surprise. "You... you talk? Your name is Bludo?" The troll nodded and smiled (or Pandora took whatever he did with his face to be a smile). "Uh... well then! My name is Pandora!"

"Pandora..." the troll repeated, then picked her up and threw her over his shoulder.

"Hey! Put me down! TWIN!!!"

Twin hopped onto the other shoulder and said with a smile, "Tell him that you need to reach the centre of the Labyrinth! He's not a servant of Jareth, and seems quite grateful to you... Perhaps he will help!"

"Bludo..." she whispered, her voice trembling, "I need to get to the centre of the Labyrinth to save my brother, but I'll never get there in time on my own. Can you please help me?"

"Bludo know centre!" he said, jumping up and down happily, not realizing that he was plunging Pandora's head into a tree with very thick branches. Finally he threw her down (he obviously didn't realize that throwing her around was painful) and continued.

She thought the twists and turns would never end. It had to at least have been one day since she had entered, and probably more. A few times she had wanted to give up, feeling like they were passing the same things over and over again, but Twin told her that they were not, and she felt that she could trust him. She wished so much that Rangi could be here....

Finally, they reached a tall, black castle in the centre of the Labyrinth. Twin stood next to her and Bludo behind her. "Jareth probably has them somewhere in there," Twin said. "Shall we go?"

"No," Pandora said, determined but anxious. "I... I'll go alone. If I cannot save them then you will not be able to either, right?"

"True enough, except that you will be able to seal my brother and I if we are both there."

"I suppose you're right," Pandora said with a sigh. "Then let's go."

"Pandora...?" Bludo whimpered as she took a few steps towards the castle. 

"No, Bludo, you have to stay here..." she said with a smile. "You watch out for yourself, and if I get into any real trouble, I'll give you a yell, okay?"

Bludo nodded reluctantly and watched her and Twin go.

Pandora was surprised to see that there were no guards outside of the castle, and even more surprised to find that the door wasn't even locked. But as she entered and the door closed behind her, she could see why. Now that she was inside, she had more of a maze to solve than before. Not only were there passages in front of, behind, and to the sides of her, but they also ran sideways and upside-down! She didn't think she would ever be able to find a way...

"You have ten minutes left," an eerie voice said from somewhere above her head.

She looked up to see a man dressed all in black with pointed ears and long spiky hair. "You must be Jareth..." she whispered. "Please... give me my brother back... and return the others... Why do you want them?"

"I care nothing for them, I am only following orders," he said, a strange blank stare in his eyes, as if he were under a spell.

"Are you being controlled by someone? I am the Cardcaptor, you should obey me!"

"Pandora!"

She knew that voice. "Draco! Keep talking! Just talk, count, something! I'll find you!" She called on the Fly Card and flew after the sound of Draco's voice with Twin hanging on for dear life, while Jareth watched them, his arms crossed.

With only two minutes to spare, she found Draco and the other twins of the castle. "Twin Card! Come back to the Centre, your Master awaits! Return!" And the yellow-backed Twin Card appeared before her, while the twins stared on in astonishment. 

"And now for you, Labyrinth Card!" she shouted turning to where Jareth now stood not very far away. "I have solved the puzzle, and now you will free all of us from your curse! Labyrinth Card! Come back to the Centre, your Master awaits! Return!"

Jareth stared at her, a small smirk playing on his lips as he slowly began to transfigure back to his Card form. "Perhaps you have solved it, and perhaps you can seal me, but you are not my master...."

Everything around them began to change, almost melt into a pool of mush at their feet, until it all seeped into the green-backed Labyrinth Card. Pandora went to pick it up, just as Draco neared her and said, "What was that all about?"

Her secret was out... What could she do now? She thought about her cards, and finally picked one. "Sleep Card... Send these people into a dreamless sleep, so that when they awaken their experience will be nothing more than a nightmare..."

With a flash of light, the Sleep Card flew from her crystal and touched each person until they all lay asleep in the forest. Pandora turned back to the Labyrinth Card and picked it up. Underneath the picture of Jareth was written a name: Persephone Avaran.

The card disappeared, leaving Pandora with nothing else but the Twin Card.

((For a pretty picture of Pandora and Rangi, go to:  
http://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/loth/c/a/carolg/pandarangi.jpg.html)) 


	9. Episode IIX: The Real Rival

The Real Rival

**Cardcaptor Pandora  
**Episode IIX  
****The Real Rival  
  
  
Pandora was quite relieved when everything that went wrong with the Labyrinth Card finally settled down. Indeed, though she had spent what she believed was three days in the Labyrinth, only five minutes passed outside. She didn't understand why, but why ask why? Harry helped her get all of the twins to the Hospital Wing, where they woke up not remembering anything that happened. Except for Draco. He remembered everything exactly as it happened, but fortunately for Pandora he accepted that it was only a dream... reluctantly. She knew she would have to be more careful around him now, because if he told their father.... She didn't even want to think about it.  
  
And then it was finally the day of the Halloween Masquerade. Everyone was excited, putting the finishing touches on their costumes, flirting with whoever their date was, and so on. Poor Pandora though, she still didn't have a date.

She met Draco at 6:50 as planned, where he waited with Pansy, a dateless Goyle, and Crabbe with Sydney. Sydney was the only one who seemed remotely happy to see her, though Dray was at least being civil. He and Pansy seemed to be in the midst of a little spat of some sorts, Pandora couldn't imagine what except for the fact that it was Dray and Pansy and could really be just about anything.  
  
"There, we're here now," Draco said gruffly as they entered the Great Hall, where the tables were scattered every which way, obviously not set up for the usual dining-by-House. "Go find somewhere else to sit and leave me alone."

"But Draco! I don't have anyone..."  
  
"Pandora, go away!" Pansy shouted.

Draco gave her a disapproving glare then turned his attention back on his sister. "Look... there's that Lauren girl, she probably won't mind it if you break her date a bit. He looks kind of boring."

"Fine," Pandora said with a reluctant sigh as she walked to where Lauren sat with her date.

Lauren looked up, a dull expression on her face which lit up when she saw her friend. "Pandora! What a nice surprise!" She stood up and hugged Pandora across the table. "This is my date, Danny. Danny, this is Pandora, my bestest friend!"

Danny smiled in a completely unimpressed fashion and waved. "Are you sitting here?" he asked in a voice dull enough to remind her of Draco's.  
  
"Well, I didn't know a second ago, but after such a warm welcome, who could resist!" Pandora said, only a little sarcastic. She caught an amused look from Lauren and they sat across from each other.

Her group was not much for conversation, at least not with Danny around. Pandora gave up on trying to start one and looked around at everyone coming in. There were so many costumes, and they all were quite interesting (though there was also a wealth of people dressed as wizards and witches...). One of the most realistic costumes she saw was McGonagall's cat costume. A person never would have known she wasn't a cat... But the couple that caught her eye the most had to be Snape and Everest. Everest wore a costume of all white which almost seemed to glow, a golden circle charmed to float above her head as a halo. She was the angel. Snape on the other hand could hardly be considered in costume because it fit him so perfectly. He was a demon, and wore a costume of blacks and reds with two red horns coming off the top of his head. Pandora had a feeling Everest probably made him wear that.  
  
It was finally time for the dinner to begin, and Dumbledore stood before them in his seventies disco man costume and announced, "I know you are all ready for your feast, but before we get to that, we have a special surprise for all of you. We usually don't get new students this time of year, but she has only recently moved to England and will be joining the Fifth Years. I would like for all of you to meet Persephone Avaran."

Persephone Avaran... Pandora knew that name... It was the name written on the Labyrinth Card! Which meant... Persephone was the master of the card... which also meant that Persephone was a Cardcaptor.... and that could mean only one thing. Professor Everest was not the Heir of Slytherin... Persephone Avaran was. And now she was at Hogwarts and would be in her Slytherin classes (for surely she would be sorted into Slytherin) which meant... Pandora really needed to talk to Draco.

McGonagall took the Sorting Hat back the second after it was put on. "SLYTHERIN!" had been announced as if it pained the poor ripped up piece of junk to sit on Persephone's head at all.

Now it was time for the Princess of Darkness to find a seat... and exactly what Pandora was afraid would happen did happen. As soon as people began talking again while the food was coming, Draco walked over to Persephone after leaving a very upset Pansy with Goyle, and held his hand out to her. "Hello. I'm Draco Malfoy," he said, turning on as much charm as he possibly possessed.

"I know who you are," she said in a low, alto voice. Draco seemed to like her voice very much, for his grey eyes seemed to get a bit more light in them for a moment. He also rather liked the fact that she knew him.  
  
"Would you like to come sit with me?"  
  
"Is that your date?" she asked, pointing to Pansy.

"Not anymore."

Persephone seemed to rather like this answer and followed Draco. They did not go back to the table he had been at before. Instead they found a darkened corner....

"Dray!" Pandora whispered angrily under her breath.

Lauren had also seen everything that had happened and patted Pandora's hand. "Maybe she's not that bad..."  
  
"Not that bad? She's the...!" But Pandora caught herself just in time before saying too much... though Danny wouldn't have noticed anyway. He didn't seem like the brightest of characters...

"Do we need to talk?" Pandora nodded, very glad that Lauren wasn't really the idiot everyone tried to make her out to be. To be honest, she was probably very smart, just a little clumsy...

They walked to a less crowded area, and after making sure no one was really paying any attention to them, Pandora said, "She is the Heir of Slytherin!"

"What! Why do you think that?"  
  
"Because when I sealed the Labyrinth Card, it already had a name on it, and the name was Persephone Avaran. Then it disappeared to go back to its master. There is only one Cardcaptor left to be found after all, and it must be her!"

Lauren suddenly looked very nervous. "I... I don't feel very well... I'm gonna go upstairs..."

"But what about your date? The dance hasn't even started yet!"

"I feel like I'm going to pass out..." she murmured, taking a few steps back unsteadily.

"Here, I'll help you," Pandora said, taking one of her arms to try and steady her. "Lean against me."

"Thanks Pandora..."  
*********************************************************************************************

Pandora stayed with Lauren for a few minutes until she drifted off into a restless sleep. It made her feel very worried for her little friend, but there was nothing more she could do for her. She walked back down to the Great Hall, where the dance had been going on for probably about ten minutes. She looked around the room in search of the two things she most detested to see. Harry and Cho were the first to meet her eyes, except they didn't seem quite as enthralled in each other as Pandora's overimaginative mind had made them. To be quite honest, she seemed almost disinterested and kept looking away. Pandora shrugged and looked over the crowd for any signs of silvery blond hair. It was a blessing when you were trying to find someone...

Curse her overimaginative mind, it wasn't nearly imaginative enough for those two... She looked away, her heart pounding. She didn't know what to do, but she had to get Draco away from Persephone. She ran her hand nervously through her hair, then across her forehead, her hand stopping right over her crystal. "That's it... if she sees that she'll know who I am... and maybe I can talk to her..."

She walked to the area Draco and Persephone were and stood behind her brother where Persephone would see her. Indeed, her eyes lit up and she stared at Pandora as if she thought she just might know her. Then Pandora pushed her hair aside to show the crystal, and Persephone's eyes seemed to blaze with a hateful fire. "Excuse me..." she said and left Draco, who turned around very curious to find his new date walking angrily towards his twin sister.

"Hello, Persephone," Pandora said shakily as she walked off of the dance floor, Persephone following her silently.

"So you are the Center?" Persephone said sharply, looking at her closely. "I would have expected something better..."

"And you are V... Voldemort's daughter..."

The girl looked away and said, "Yes, I am. That would be a logical conclusion, I would expect something a little more profound from you."

Pandora didn't really know what to make of the girl. She seemed so bitter and dark... but there was something else that she didn't understand.

Draco walked over and draped an arm around Persephone's waist. "Do you want something, Pandora? Because if you don't mind, I would like my date back."

Persephone grinned at him darkly. "I will talk to you more later, Center...." she said, then walked away to a darker corner with Draco.

"No...." Pandora whispered, not wanting to leave Draco along with her. "Please..." But she only watched. She did not move from there until a hand touched her shoulder gently.

"Pandora...?"

"Harry!" she cried, a little more excitedly than she would have preferred. "Um... hi! Where... where's Cho?"  
  
"Oh... she wanted to go say hi to some friends." She could tell by the tone of his voice that he wasn't telling the entire truth. "So what was all that about? I saw you and her talking. You don't look very happy, and that's not like you. It worries me..."

She blushed at his sudden show of concern, but had to admit she was rather pleased to hear he was. "She's the Slytherin Cardcaptor, thus..."

"Thus the Heir of Slytherin and Voldemort's daughter," Harry finished. "Wonderful." Then he reached out and took both of Pandora's hands in his own. "Are you alright?"  
  
It took her a while to get over the blushing fit and to answer, "I suppose so... I will take it up with Rangi. Maybe he knows something. The only thing at present I really don't like is Draco's interest in her..."

Harry nodded, but seemed not to really be listening. Instead he was staring into her eyes, and she was moments away from hugging or something when he asked, "Would you like to dance?"

She didn't know quite what hit her, but she decided there was no harm in... eh heh... "rolling with the punches" so to speak.... He escorted her to the dance floor, where he timidly put his hands on her waist as she draped her hands over his shoulders, knowing she probably looked incredibly nervous. "Cho probably won't like this much."  
  
"I... don't really care. Draco won't either."

"I don't really care."

She wanted the song to go on forever, but it seemed to end in seconds. She felt as if she were flying on a cloud where all dreams could come true, and this certainly was not a dream she wanted to awaken from any time soon.  
  
Leave it to a Weasley.

"Oh my gosh! You and Pandora, Harry?" Ron shouted, Hermione staring on disapprovingly. "That's crazy! This party's getting boring, too many people. Besides, I have to watch Snape and Everest flirt anymore I think I am going to die."

Pandora and Harry followed the other two out, hand-in-hand. This relationship seemed to begin so suddenly, but why complain? Who knew, maybe it was nothing. Maybe they would be back to being nothing more than friends the next day. But for now, Pandora could imagine. It helped her get her mind off of other matters...

********************************************************************************************  
~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ Leave it to Rangi! ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Rangi: Hey-hey-hoo!! It's time for the first (but certainly not the last) "Leave it to Rangi!" where I, your favorite Guardian Beast in all the world, answer questions that have been asked about Cardcaptor Pandora. Miss Ashkelon believes I am most suited for this task in comparison to the other Beasts because of my immense knowledge, unsurpassable magical powers, and rugged good looks!

Kira: Rangi! Shut up and get on with it!

Rangi: Huh? Oh! Sorry! Yes ma'am! _(regains his composure)_ Anyway, as I was saying, I am going to answer some questions about this fanfic.

Question #1: Why is Draco called Dray when in Latin his real name would be pronounced "Drah-co?"

Rangi's answer!   
It's true that in the original Latin, that is how you would say his name. But, being that this is a book and as of this moment reading names is up to personal interpretation, Miss Ashkelon has chosen to pronounce the name "Dray-co." The reason is because when one language (such as English) adopts something from another language (such as Latin), it may change some as it is used throughout the centuries, thus possible ending up with a completely different pronunciation in that language. And besides, if you had an annoying twin sister who insisted on giving you a stupid nickname, would you like to be called "Drah?"

Question #2: Why isn't there a male Cardcaptor?

Rangi's answer!  
Though not as obvious a parallel as the Cardcaptor theme, this is also somewhat related to other Animes, mainly Magic Knight Rayearth, another of Miss Ashkelon's favorites. If you are unfamiliar with this ingenious CLAMP creation (CLAMP also created Cardcaptor Sakura), get in touch! The "group" in that one is a group of three girls, thus Miss Ashkelon's group of Cardcaptors is a group of five girls. It is not meant to offend anyone in any way, it's just Miss Ashkelon's CLAMPish obsession.

Question #3: Is Draco only a side figure?

Rangi's answer!  
Draco is supposed to somewhat be the parallel of Toya from CCS, Sakura's older brother. But for those of you are Draco-obsessed, never fear! He will serve more of a purpose, but I cannot expose all of the secrets or I shall be fired...

Question #4: Why didn't Snape fall asleep?

Rangi's answer!  
Wouldn't you like to know, heh heh heh.... I suppose you'll just have to keep looking for those next episodes! ~_^

Question #5: You like myths, don't you?

Rangi's answer!  
That could not be stated any better! Miss Ashkelon loves myths, beyond the usual Greek, though you have probably noticed the connections between the names Pandora and Persephone already.... As far as the significance of naming them that, Pandora opened the box, Persephone is... well... a bit dark, to put it mildly.... But there's more! The first person to email Miss Ashkelon and tell her what mythology the Guardian Beasts' names are taken from will get a prize! What prize, you ask? It's a surprise! _(honestly has no clue, but he would never admit it)._

I hope you have enjoyed this little discussion! If you have more questions, ask in the review or you can email Miss Ashkelon with them and the answer to the question at:

kiraashkelon@hotmail.com

Come again! 


	10. Episode IX: A Bit Cold For November

A Bit Cold For November

**Cardcaptor Pandora  
**Episode IX  
****A Bit Cold For November  
  
  


"Dear Mum,

I'm getting along at Hogwarts much better than I thought I would be! Strange things have been happening, though, but I guess that just comes with moving out of the Muggle world and into... well... this one. But I'm enjoying it! I was really wanting to tell you about me and Harry! It's nothing that big, I guess, except that I like him a lot, as you know. The other night at the dance he danced with me, then held my hand! He's so sweet, and so easy to talk to. Oh, and in case you didn't hear, Dray seems to have his eyes on a girl, too. Maybe you should write him a subtle note or something, but don't tell him I told you! I just don't like her much. Her name's Persephone Avaran. Maybe it will sound familiar, if not to you, to Father. 

Something else really strange about this place is that it's getting really cold! Maybe it's just because I'm inside a castle, and they tend to be a bit drafty, but still! That's the main reason I was writing though. It will only be another month or so before the lake outside the school will freeze, and I was wondering if you could send down my ice skates. Hey, living as a Squib and going to a Muggle school for the first few years of my education gives me a few advantages! Please send them as soon as you can! I love you!

Love always,  
Panda"

Pandora hurried out of Gryffindor Tower and to the Great Hall, in hopes of finding Draco still at breakfast. She did find him easily enough, right next to Persephone Avaran...

"Hey, Dray?" she asked meekly, receiving an annoyed look from him and a look which sent curses of death upon her head from Persephone. "I was wondering if you were sending your owl back home today, because I have a note for Mum I wanted to send."

He rolled his eyes and leaned forward. "Just give me the note, I'll see that it gets to her."

"No," she protested with a playful grin, "You'll forget."

"Just.... write something for me and I'll sign my name on it, then you can send that home with it and Father will be happy."

"I don't know why he won't just let me use the owl without you using it at the same time..."

"Because he doesn't like you."

"Yeah, we all know that," she said, feeling a little hurt by Draco's tone. Sure, he was a brat to most everyone, but he had rarely had that attitude towards her. He had usually been so sweet to her, in his annoying sort of way. But ever since he had gotten involved with Persephone.... "I'll just find you tomorrow..."

"Panda... wait..." He sighed and pulled a piece of parchment from somewhere. "Do you have a quill on you?"

"Here," Persephone said, handing it to him and receiving a baffled expression from Pandora. "Anything to make you go away faster," she said in explanation.

Draco wrote something quickly and handed it to Pandora. "Send them both, that way you'll be able to send Mum your note. What's so important anyway?"  
  
"You'll see!" she said happily, and skipped off to the owlery.  
*********************************************************************************************

The skates arrived only three days later during breakfast. Harry was sitting next to her and across from Ron and Hermione as she opened the package anxiously. "I didn't know you skated," Harry said with a pleasant smile, "though it's very believable."  
  
"What's that supposed to mean, Potter?" she asked playfully, intentionally letting a Draco-ish tone slip into her voice.

Harry's eyes widened as he said, "Panda, don't ever do that again. That was absolutely the most horrifying thing I have ever experienced."

"Just wait until I do it while you're holding my hand."

Ron laughed at them while Pandora examined the skates to make sure they were still in working order. "It's cold, Pandora, but not that cold yet," Ron said.

"It won't be long! It seems like everything's blowing in early this year, it certainly has been cold."

"They were expecting it later this year, actually," Hermione, the goddess of unending knowledge, said. "In fact, the area around Hogwarts is the only area which is this cold. I checked. Everything around us is much warmer."

Pandora sighed. "Oh well, that means the lake will freeze sooner, and that I can have fun!"

"It's not nearly _that_ cold," Hermione said, rolling her eyes.

Pandora and Hermione didn't always get along, especially after Pandora pulled a higher average in Arithmancy than Hermione.

"Yeah, well, it'll come. Anyway, I'm going outside for a while just to have a look around. I'll talk to you later!" 

She stood up to go, but Harry was quick to follow her. "Wait up, Panda! I want to come with you." She loved it when he said that.

They walked outside together. The weather was much the same as the day before, but they headed for the lake all the same. "I kind of think something's up," Pandora whispered when they were out of ear-shot. "I don't exactly know what, but something..."

"Is it a Hogwarts Card?" Harry asked.

Pandora turned her face to him, then nodded slowly. "That's my only guess."

They walked silently until they reached the edge of the lake... which was completely frozen over. Pandora looked around, but there was no sign of snow, just the usual cold drizzle of rain which came with the beginnings of winter. Pandora knelt down and touched her hand to the surface. "It's all it could be, isn't it? A Hogwarts Card... that causes things to freeze... what could it be?"

"Probably something along the lines of 'the Freeze Card,'" came a short, irritated response. Pandora looked up to see Persephone there as well, dressed in a sleek green robe and carrying a long staff with a snake's head. A small cheetah with bat wings hovered over her left shoulder. "One would think that by now you would at least know what all the cards were and what they did, and if not, you should be able to guess something _this_ easy."

Pandora stood slowly, her heart pounding with anger and sadness all at the same time. "I'm doing the best I can, Persephone. I never even worked with witchcraft much until this year..."

"It shows," she sneered as she walked towards the ice to stand next to Pandora and examine the surface. "And what do you plan on using to capture this one?" She narrowed her eyes and asked, "You'd probably use something very inane like the Water Card."

"No, that would be stupid, considering it would freeze. Besides, I don't have it anyway."

Persephone's expression cooled a bit (though not much) after hearing that. "So what do you plan on using, Little Malfoy?"

"My name is Pandora," she answered through gritted teeth, not wanting to be made a fool of in front of Harry...

Harry! She had almost forgotten all about him. She looked around to where he had been to find him kneeling on the ground, his hand over the scar on his forehead, looking like he was experiencing a lot of pain. "Harry! What's going on? Are you hurt?" she asked quickly, hurrying to his side. She knelt next to him and glared up at Persephone. "What are you doing to him?"

"I am doing nothing to him intentionally," she answered casually. "But I know my father has much the same affect on him, so why shouldn't I? It makes sense."

"Is that the only reason you are here? To hurt him?"

"Him? You think he is of importance to me? No, that is my father's battle, I have my own," she answered bitterly, stepping closer towards the lake. "If you don't want this card, I'll be glad to..."

"No! You will not have it! Spirits of the North, South, East, and West, give me the staff, I, the Center, command it!" The staff appeared in front of her, and she grasped it tightly in her right hand. "Fly Card!" she cried, mounting the staff and fluttering into the air.

"The Fly Card..." Persephone said darkly. "So you have that one. It must have been only luck that allowed you to catch that. Not that it will help you with the Freeze."

Pandora ignored Persephone, flying just over the surface of the lake to look in, hoping to figure out just how deeply it had frozen. Indeed, she saw fish caught in the ice (but luckily no merpeople, because that could get kind of gross after a few months). She also saw a giant monster which seemed to be made of ice itself. She steadied the staff at a gentle hover and put the skates she had swung over her shoulder on her feet and laced them up. "I may not have the best cards for this situation, but I've got a better mode of transportation!" She recalled the Fly Card and landed smoothly on the ice, easily gaining her balance. She glided gently over the surface after the monster, which hadn't seemed to notice her yet.

Persephone watched angrily, not liking this unfair advantage (as if she wouldn't have used it herself. Right.) as Pandora chased the creature. "Labyrinth Card!" she growled. "Create of this ice a maze!"

Pandora quickly found herself dodging walls as they arose from the surface, falling after a few close calls. "Not this again..." she moaned as the Labyrinth completed itself.

Suddenly the ice directly beneath her began to rumble, and she looked around just in time to see the monster heading directly for her from the right. She took to skating again, causing the monster to bash into the wall, actually creating a hole in the ice. But she quickly escaped after that, just wanting to put as much distance between the creature and herself as possible until she could think of a better way to catch it. Considering the strength it had, she would have to weaken it a bit before she could seal it. She sat down in a corner after she thought she was far enough a way, frantically trying to think of anything that would work. "It attacked me when it saw me, but it slowed down after it hit the wall, which must have hurt it. If I could do that a few more times...."

She stood up and cried out, "Twin Card!"

The small boy dressed in yellow robes appeared, this time with his brother. "Yes, Pandora?" he asked, very eager to help the one who had retrieved his twin. 

"I need the two of you to get that monster to chase you, and as soon as he is upon you, get out of the way. He'll hit his head on the ice, and eventually he will be weak enough for me to catch."

The twins smiled at eachother. "Don't worry, Miss. We're quite good at confusing people."

She watched as the twins not only made the monster follow each of them, but they divided themselves until eventually there were about fifty little boys dressed in yellow running all about the Labyrinth. By the time they were finished, there wasn't much of a Labyrinth left, and the monster collapsed in the middle of it, dizzy from chasing so many of the same thing.

Pandora smirked as the Twin Card returned and approached the monster. "Freeze Card, come back to the Center, your master awaits. Return!"

Persephone also recalled her card, knowing that it was useless to keep it out after having been weakened itself. "That was luck again, Malfoy. Only luck." She walked away, never glancing back.

"That was wonderful, Pandora!" Harry said, his voice weak.

"Are you okay?"

"Getting there. At least she's gone now."

She smiled and gently stroked his unruly hair. "It will be okay. I'll help you back to the castle."

She helped him to his feet, and they walked back to the castle together, hand in hand.  
*********************************************************************************************

((Okay, Romilly. So you won. I can't do actual yaoi because A. I don't like it, and B. it would really ruin the plot. But! I think I have a compromise for you, and it will end up being pretty funny. It will have to wait for a few more episodes though, because it needs to hit around Valentine's Day at Hogwarts.... But we'll get there! I promise! ~Kira )) 


	11. Episode X: Reunion

Reunion

**Cardcaptor Pandora  
**Episode X  
****Reunion

  
"....but when I saw the ice creature hurt by the wall of ice, I called upon the Twin Card to help confuse it, and they sure did their job well! I just wish I knew why Persephone wants me hurt... or dead... or something... She obviously does, or why would she trap me in her Labyrinth with that monster?"

Rangi sat and listened intently, sitting sort of cross-legged and floating in the air. "Well, she _is_ the Heir of Slytherin, and they tend to like people hurt or dead or something, especially people who are rivals. But I don't think you are her main target."

"Do you think Harry is?" she asked quickly, worried so much that she might try something to hurt him. She would never want anything to happen to Harry...

"No, I don't think so. She is Voldemort's daughter, and I have a feeling he would much rather leave the destruction of Harry Potter to himself. He probably has some other mission for her..." His voice trailed off and he stared at the door to her room.

"What are you thinking, Rangi?"

"Slytherins have always hated Gryffindors, especially along the direct family line. I... I am worried that your friend Lauren may be in danger..."

Pandora nodded solemnly. "Maybe I should talk to her, just to sort of give her a heads-up on it..."

"That would probably be a very good idea," Rangi said, just as the door to Pandora's room squeaked open. He fell limp upon the bed.

"Hey Panda!" Lauren Phillips cried, hurrying into the room with her own 'stuffed animal.'

Rangi sat up after realizing it was her, but was none too happy to see the other addition to the party. "What did you have to go and bring him for, Lauren?"

"Sorry, Rangi. Tu wanted to come and talk to Pandora about Persephone Avaran," Lauren explained innocently, obviously having no clue that her life was at all at risk.

Rangi and Pandora exchanged uncertain looks. "What would you like to know?" she asked Tu politely.

"Do you know for a fact that she is the Slytherin Cardcaptor?" he asked, his voice tight and tense.

"Yes, she wanted to catch the Freeze Card, but I did first. She already has at least one that I know of though, and that is the Labyrinth Card."

"That is a very dangerous card," Tu said thoughtfully. "I take it she's used it against you."

"Yeah, but I manage to find a way around it," she answered with a smile. "Why are you so worried about her being the Slytherin Cardcaptor?" Pandora asked, wanting to find out how much Tu knew and if he had told Lauren anything at all about the immortal feud.

"Because..." he began, but shook his head and fluttered back to Lauren. "You need to sit down, we have to talk."

Lauren, Pandora, Rangi, and Tu all sat down together as Tu began, "By the end of their service to Hogwarts, Salazar Slytherin had become very isolated from the other four, but so much from Godric Gryffindor that a very hard strain of distrust and often hate came between them. One day, the two broke out in a savage sword fight, not bothering with wands or magic, just wanting to see the other dead. It was brought on by Salazar. Lady Ravenclaw came between them though and stopped them, while Helga Hufflepuff tried to reason with them. But nothing would work, for Slytherin continued trying to fight with Gryffindor, but was held back by one of Lady Ravenclaw's very strong and unusual spells. She created many spells which only she could use, thus making herself the only one who could break them. Anyhow, as he was dragged away to a place where he would stay until he decided to be more civil, that is, until the day he died, he vowed that the battle between Slytherin and Gryffindor was not over, even if it had to be carried down for generations to come, and that, eventually, Slytherin would be the ultimate victor."

Lauren sat and stared at him, then smiled and said cheerily, "That was a nice story, Tu! Why can't you tell me stories more often? It is so much more fun than your usual lecturing!"

(@.#) "Lauren! Don't you understand?! She is out to kill you, to fulfill her ancestor's prophecy! She will stop at nothing to triumph over you!" Tu growled.

"Oh... that's what all that meant..."

Rangi was obviously holding his tongue so as not to say anything against the stupidity of complete Gryffindors. "I wonder who her beast is," he said.

"I don't know what her name is," Pandora answered, "but she looks like a little cheetah with black bat wings."

Both Tu's and Rangi's eyes lit up, their faces becoming amusingly dreamy. "That... that's Tangaroa...."

"You sound like you like her or something," Lauren said with a playful grin. "Isn't she evil?"

"Tangaroa? Evil?! No way!" Rangi answered quickly and definitely. "She's rather quiet, really. Very intelligent. But not evil. She does her job as a Guardian Beast and protects her Cardcaptor, but does not help her do whatever evil things she has planned."

"I don't think Persephone's all evil," Pandora said suddenly.

"Not all evil?! She wants to kill me!" Lauren said, a bit proudly, as if she liked the idea of someone thinking she was important enough to kill.

"Really, Pandora," Tu said in his proper drawl, "You shouldn't underestimate her like that. Though Miss Phillips is most likely her first target, I would bet that you are not too far down on the list. You are competition as far as the Hogwarts Cards go."

"What we really need to do," interrupted Rangi, seeing Pandora's uncertain expression, "is talk to Sydney and Holly, and their beasts. Maybe all of us together could watch out for Lauren and help keep Persephone out of trouble."

Sydney was easy enough to find. All you had to do was figure out where Crabbe was, and he did not have a variety of places he was much interested in. Anywhere where Sydney was was fine with him. They were sitting underneath the tree on the grounds where Pandora had first met Sydney when they found her. She and Crabbe were sharing a picnic lunch, while Sydney's beast, Tane, lay limp next to the basket.

Crabbe looked very uneasy as Pandora came closer with Lauren right next to her. "Do I... need to go somewhere...?" he asked Sydney.

"No, Vincent! Please stay..." she said in a sweet, airy voice.

Rangi made a "gag-me" motion, and Pandora thwacked him on the head for not being careful enough. "Actually, Sydney, we do need to talk."

Sydney looked up at them a little sadly, but nodded. "Okay, I get it. When can I...?"

"It will probably be a while."

Crabbe stood up to go, but Sydney caught him just before he walked off and gave him a timid kiss on the cheek. He left with a very bright red face and quite a stupid grin.

They ended up holding their quiet meeting in one of the most deserted sections of the library, for that was their final stop. Where else would the genius nine-year-old Heir of Ravenclaw be but the library? There was hardly anyone there anyway, considering it was a weekend and all. No students spent their weekend in the library unless it was a life or death situation... or if they were Holly Daimen. 

They sat in a circle on the floor in an area farthest away from the main desk, where nobody ever went. The four beasties sat in the middle: Rangi, Tu, Tane (Sydney's dragonfly-winged tiger), and Tawhiri (Holly's black-winged white leopard). Rangi explained the situation, though it was almost useless trying to get anything across to Tawhiri and Tane, who were quite content left to their own devices. It seemed as if they had not seen eachother in centuries, and were quite glad to be reacquainted. 

"Will you two please listen?" Rangi asked loudly, causing Pandora to shush him with another thwack. "This is important and you're distracting your Cardcaptors!"

"You're just jealous because you and Tu are still fighting over Tangaroa, and Tane and I have found happiness," Tawhiri said smugly.

"Shut up. Just shut up."

"Perhaps," Holly interrupted, not concerned in the least with the love lives of little beasties, "we should actually talk to Persephone. It could not hurt as long as we are on Hogwarts grounds, she cannot do anything to us. Just to be safe, we can talk to her during dinner or something with all the teachers nearby."

All four agreed that it was probably the best option. That night, after much persuading, they finally managed to get Persephone alone with them in an unoccupied corner of the Great Hall. Tangaroa was also with her, much to the delight of Rangi and Tu.

"What do you want?" Persephone asked in her usual low, bitter voice. "I have better things to do than talk to you four... and your pathetic beasts."

"The rest of us hadn't met you yet, Persephone!" Sydney said cheerily. "Since we will all be working together, I figured we..."

"Who said anything about me working with you?" she asked, her eyes glazed with icy resentment. "I have my own tasks. My own mission. I don't need you, not alive, anyway. You will only be worthwhile to me dead. Especially you," she said, turnng her cold, black eyes on Lauren.

Lauren shrank against Pandora and asked, "Why? I didn't do anything!"

"You're the Heir of Gryffindor, I'm the Heir of Slytherin. That is plenty enough of a reason."

Pandora listened as Lauren and Persephone continued to fight. The cold expression changed rarely, as did the low, icy voice which spoke in a steady rhythm like water. The black eyes stared coldly at Lauren, rarely blinking. Everything about her seemed so very cold. It was so unnatural.

"And you had better watch out for yourself too, Little Malfoy," she said, suddenly turning her chilling gaze on Pandora. "You are not the priority, no, but you certainly are becoming a nuisance."

Pandora straightened, not knowing how to respond. "I am only doing what I have been told is my duty as a Cardcaptor. I would expect you to do the same."

"That is a much expected answer from someone like you," Persephone sneered. "The almighty wonderful Center, aren't you lucky. Don't think it will be easy for you. I already have a nice collection going, and for you to complete your duties, you will have to get them from me. You probably don't even know how to do it, let alone have what it takes."

"She'll be ready, Avaran, now you stay out of it!" Rangi shouted suddenly, very angry at the way Persephone was treating his pupil. He realized that his outburst was directed towards Tangaroa's master, but was rather relieved to see an almost approving smile on her sleek face.

"We'll see about that..." she said softly, just as Draco Malfoy caught sight of the group and headed over. 

"I have been looking everywhere for you, what are you hanging out with these three losers and my wonderful sister for?" he asked, his usual Malfoy smirk on his face.

"We were talking without you Dray, I know you feel left out and neglected," Pandora said with a smile, trying to pretend like nothing out of the ordinary was going on.

"Right... well, are you coming back or not, Persephone?"

Her eyes stared into his, her lips shut for a very long time. Amazingly, her expression seemed to soften just a bit... but not much... and it certainly didn't take long for her to get it back. "Of course I'll come. What else do I have to do?"

Pandora watched her brother disappear into the crowds with Persephone after Tangaroa was quickly tucked into a pocket in her robe. "I'm not too sure I like that relationship at all..."

"Perhaps it is for the best," Rangi said with a wink. "He can help keep an eye on her in a round-about way."

Pandora nodded. "I guess that's all, girls. Thanks for talking."

Sydney and Holly nodded and went on their way, but Lauren stayed behind, staring at the floor.

"What's wrong, Lauren?"

"Huh?" she asked, as if being brought back from a very deep thought. "Oh... I... I was just waiting to walk back with you!"

Pandora heard the uncertainty and fear in her friend's voice, but knew there was plenty reason for it. "Come on, then, and don't worry. We'll look out for you, Kid."

((It's another shorty, I know. I had to have a few fillers, you know how it goes. But you hadn't met the beasties yet, so it was important! ^_^ )) 


	12. Episode XI: Shortcomings

The Little Rival's "Short"-Comings

**Cardcaptor Pandora  
**Episode XI  
****The Little Rival's "Short"-Comings

**  
**  
Lauren Phillips sat straight up in her bed. It was that horrible dream again... She shook her head and tried to get rid of the few remaining images. Though most people tried to hold on to what shards of a dream they had, Lauren wanted nothing more than to get rid of this recurring phantom.  
  
She got out of bed and found Tu sleeping curled up next to where her head had been on the pillow. After looking around quickly to make sure no one else was awake, she picked him up and hurried down to the Common Room.

It was completely empty now. She had not seen a clock, but she was sure it had to be after midnight and before five, or someone would be doing homework or _some_thing. "What did you have to wake me up for?" Tu asked through a drowsy yawn.

"I just had that dream again..." she whispered.

"I don't know why it worries you so much," he responded dully, obviously not appreciative of being awakened at such an hour. "It's just a dream, after all."

"I know," she whispered, looking at the fire which seemed to never be out. She had become quite a fire-gazer lately... She watched as it suddenly began to weaken in brightness, then as it got smaller and smaller and smaller...

"Lauren, the fire's shrinking!" Tu cried.

"Huh? I thought it was just going out..."

"It never goes out, you know that. Besides, take a closer look! It is the same fire... just smaller...."

She walked closer and knelt next to the fireplace. "Oh my gosh, Tu, you'll never believe this!"

"What? What is it, Lauren?" he asked excitedly, fluttering closer.

"I think I sense a Hogwarts Card!"

((@.#)) "Well... it's about time..."  
*********************************************************************************************

Finally, her big chance to catch a card without any of the other Cardcaptors being around. All she had to do was follow the trail of shrunken items, until she found the little spirit. How hard could the Little Card be? It certainly wasn't bigger than she was...

She saw it ahead of her. It was not much bigger than a house elf, but it was certainly prettier. It looked like a little porcalain doll dressed in pale yellow. "It doesn't look so threatening," Lauren said with a grin. "I should be able to handle it."

"Yes, you should, but it is you," Tu said. 

"Gee, thanks."

She approached the childish figure slowly at first, but all it did was turn around and smile innocently at her. "Aren't you going to run or something?" But it only continued its mischievous, challenging gaze. Finally Lauren stood before it, her lion-headed staff in her hand. "Alright then, going in for my first seal! Little Card! Return to..."

But suddenly the Little Card pulled out a tiny wand of some sorts and touched the end of it to Lauren's shoe. Before she knew what had happened, she was rushing downwards with air rustling all around her, as if she were falling but she still felt the hard ground beneath her feet. She closed her eyes, not wanting to see what was happening, wondering if she was going to end up dead in the next five seconds...

Her life had not been shortened, no, but everything else had. She looked around the Great Hall, everything seeming hundreds of times greater than before. "Oh no... I'm probably like three inches tall, or something! This is horrible! TUUU!!!!"

"I knew you'd find some way to mess this up, too!" he said bitterly as he floated down next to her, now bigger than a horse in comparison to her.

"I'm sorry! Can you please just help me instead of mock me for now? I feel bad enough!"

He sighed and knelt on the ground. "Get on, I'll fly you into Pandora's room, then she can come down and seal the card since she's _always _the one who gets the card anyway because I'm stuck with you."  
********************************************************************************************

Pandora was very glad that the short scream didn't wake any of her room-mates up, because then the situation could have ended up being much worse than it already was. "What do you mean you lost Lauren on the way here?" she said angrily once she, Rangi, and Tu had made it to the empty Common Room.

"She was babbling the whole way here and I managed to tune her out! So I didn't notice when she stopped her prattle, I'm sorry! And considering her size, I couldn't even tell she was on my back... Why don't we just go back and look for her?"

"What other choice do we have...? We've got to find her before morning, or she'll get trampled! And what if Persephone found out what happened? She'd seal the Little Card and never turn her back to normal!" Pandora moaned, trying to rub the sleep out of her eyes. "Tomorrow's going to be a very long day with only this much sleep, but whatever. We've got to save Lauren..."

The search was becoming more and more hopeless as dawn came ever closer. "Rangi, we looked everywhere, but she's just too small! People are going to be waking up soon."

"Well, you know you could stop that from happening," he said with a wink. "Sometimes you seem to forget what all you're capable of with what few cards you have."

Pandora stared at him for a second, not exactly knowing what he was talking about. Then it hit her. "The Sleep Card!" She called upon it and commanded it to put everyone to sleep in the castle.

"You know it won't work on the Cardcaptors, so they'll know something's up," Tu pointed out.

"It's better than the whole school out and about! Besides, Sydney can help me look for her, and Holly will probably think of some ingenious way of getting her back. The only one we'll have to worry about is..."

"...Persephone, maybe...?"

Pandora whirled around to see none other than Persephone Avaran herself, holding a jar in her hand with a very small creature inside... "Lauren! Give her back, Persephone!"

Her face was as expressionless as always with that hint of darkness which played into occasional smirks, one of which she presented to them then. "Why should I, Little Malfoy?"

"Because... you can't possibly hate her _that_ much!"

"What do I get out of it?"

"What do you _want?_"

"The card, and I don't want you interfering while I capture it. Is that understood?" she asked harshly.

Pandora sighed, but saw no other way around it. "If that's the only thing I can do to save her, then yes."

Persephone placed the jar on the ground and took a few steps towards where the small porcelain doll stood. "Little Card, return to..."

...and then she, too, was three inches tall. Lauren really had a fun time laughing at her about that... from the other side of the jar.

Pandora sighed and picked the little Persephone up in her hand, which Persephone did not seem to like very much. "Look... I'll catch it... somehow...."

"Not if you keep going at it that way," a small voice said from behind her. It was Holly Daimen. "You've got to be more creative than that, or all of us will be little by the time it's over."

Pandora smiled at Holly's smug tone of voice. The little genius could get on people's nerves very easily, but she did what she needed to do. "Got any ideas, Holly?"

"Yes, actually. You need someone to distract it while another person seals it. Or if two try at once, because it can only littlize one person at a time."

"Yeah," Rangi laughed, "but who's going to be stupid enough to _let_ themselves be littlized?"

And everybody turned their attention on Rangi.

"What? Me?! You've got to be kidding??"

"Why, Rangi? You're certainly very distracting. Look! It's staring at you right now!"

Rangi looked over at the Little Card, who's eyes were smiling at the little creature. He sighed and said, "Fine... whatever... But you'd better catch that card, Pandora! I don't want to be stuck like this forever!"

He proceeded to fly towards the Little Card, whose attention immediately snapped onto Rangi. Luckily for Pandora, it was having a rather difficult time getting a good shot at him.   
  
"Little Card, return to the Center, you master awaits! Hogwarts Card!" she cried, before the little thing had a chance to realize what was going on. It turned slightly as the staff touched its shoulder, and smiled peacefully as it began to dissolve into a yellow-backed card on the ground. Pandora picked it up, just as a crash sounded from behind her. "What was that..."

"OOOWWWWW!!!" Lauren cried. "You did that on purpose, didn't you, Persephone!"

"How was I supposed to know you'd get bigger right away?!"

Pandora smiled. "You aren't hurt, are you, Lauren?"

"No... not really... but I could have had my eyes gouged out by shards of glass!"

"That wouldn't have happened... I'm not that lucky..." Persephone muttered.

"Okay, no more fighting!" Pandora cried. "Let's just... go back to our houses... I'll recall the Sleep Card, and everything will be fine."

Classes seemed to start far too early that morning. All five of them had circles under their eyes, except for Sydney. Sydney had slept through the entire incident, not because of the Sleep Card's spell, just because she was lazy. Pandora caught her up on everything there was to know during lunch.   
  
"I'm still so worried about Lauren... I'm afraid of what Persephone might really do to her, you know?" Pandora said.

Sydney nodded. "I hope she'll be okay... I talk to Lauren earlier... She keeps complaining of some recurring dream she's been having. Do you think that it might have something to do with...?"

"Hey, Pandora!" a familiar voice called to her. She turned to see her brother walking over flanked by Crabbe and Goyle. Sydney's expression brightened significantly at the sight of Crabbe, whom she immediately stood up to greet before dragging off to a place where they could be alone. Goyle just crossed his arms and stood to the side while Draco spoke with Pandora. "You haven't seen Persephone around, have you?"

"She... she's not with you?"

"No, but you know I wish she was," he said, one of those grins crossing his face that no sister ever wants to see on her brother. "I haven't seen her all day as a matter of fact.... I figured you'd know where she was... I don't know, she sure hangs around you a lot for claiming not to like you."

"You could call it friends through fire, I suppose..." Pandora said, looking away. "If you find her, please tell me. You've got me worried."

"Yes, well, you do the same!" He looked around to see that Crabbe had wandered off. He walked away with only Goyle, and Pandora heard Draco whispering to Goyle, "How did that idiot get so lucky?"

((Another short one, I know! I'm sorry! . I'll get better, I promise!)) 


	13. Episode XII: Tomb Raider

Sara Croft: Tomb Raider

**Cardcaptor Pandora  
**Episode XII  
****Sara Croft: Tomb Raider  


Persephone read the letter again... and again... and again... She wouldn't believe it. She refused to. Even if it was true, as long as she didn't believe it and accept it as the truth, then she wouldn't have to cry about it. She could never bring herself to cry. Not anymore.

"You may come in now, Miss Avaran," Dumbledore's voice said, breaking her silent memories as she still continued to read the letter.

"Thank you, Professor," she heard herself respond, cold and distant as always. Why was she like this... so cold...

"So why is it that you will be needing to leave the school for a week?"

"I received a letter a few hours ago that said that... that... my mother... died... last night... mysteriously... I am going home for the funeral... if it is alright with you..."

Dumbledore's blue eyes softened as did his voice. "Of course you may. If there is anything at all I can do to help you, tell me. I will arrange a way home for you in the meantime, okay?"

"Thank you, Professor, but that will not be necessary. I've made my own arrangements just outside of Hogsmeade. I will be leaving in an hour."

"Very well. I hope everything goes well, Miss Avaran."

The helicopter landed rather sloppily near the hills just outside of the city. She sighed and rolled her eyes as she walked closer to it, now wearing a Muggle outfit which consisted of a light blue shirt which didn't quite make it to the top of her khaki pants, and a long, white, hooded sweater which reached all the way to the ground. The doors opened and a small staircase came down to make it easier for her to get on, though she skipped the steps and jumped right into the passenger's area right next to the pilot: Peter Pettigrew.

"I told you learning how to fly this 'Muggle contraption' as you so enjoy calling it would come in useful," she said.

"Your father was not happy to hear you were leaving for the funeral, you're lucky he's even letting you go."

She smirked as she leaned back in the chair. "I suppose he's forcing you to be my escort. Charming," she said coldly, leaning back in her seat as she kicked her feet onto the dashboard, receiving quite a disapproving look from Pettigrew.

"Yes, well, you're supposed to call me Steven Chase when you're around your family, we wouldn't want them suspecting anything."

"You act as if I've much of a family left..." she sighed. "Unless you're counting my half brother."

They flew on in silence until they neared the Croft Mansion, an old house with more secrets than a family could ever remember. She loved it. But it would be so much different now...

Then again, maybe not. As she and Peter walked towards the front door, glass was broken and shattered all about the walkway, and the front door was left open because it seemed to have been slightly damaged as well, so that it could not be closed all the way anyway. "Hello?" she shouted into the entry, peering into the darkened room.

"Sara...?" came an astonished reply. "Is that you? Is it really you?!"

She felt a genuine smile playing at the corners of her mouth, but somehow she couldn't let it surface. "Yes, Jason, it's me," she answered, stepping into the messy room followed closely by her cowardly protector. "What in the world happened here?"

"Very possibly a follow-up to your... your mother's death, Miss Croft," their butler, Tafton, responded. "I must admit, I am quite surprised to see you here. We never thought we'd hear from you again after your sudden disappearance, but your mother told us not to ask questions... so we shall continue with that order, unless you would like to offer some information, of course..."

"Maybe later, Tafton. What happened to her?"

"There's no telling, really. She just died. No marks on her, no signs of earlier sickness, no poisons were used on her, there was nothing."

"That's the same thing that happened when my father died when I was very young," Jason commented, giving Persephone an almost resentful look. "You know, Sara, it's kind of funny that you were born about nine months after that incident... And then you disappear for a year without telling us anything, then show up conveniently right as Mother dies..."

Persephone saw Pettigrew stir out of the corner of her eye. She knew he was not comfortable with her brother's accusations, for he was afraid, as she was, to where they might lead. "Brother, remember what Mother told you. Don't ask questions. That's the best advice I have to give, for I know hardly any more than you do."

He sighed and leaned on the stick of the broom he was sweeping up glass with. "I'm sorry, Sara... It just happened so fast... Are you hungry? Can I get you anything?"

She allowed a patient smile to cross her lips to reassure her brother that there were no hard feelings. "I could really just use some rest. Is there a particular place you are wanting me to stay?"

"You're old room is still there, and we've been taking care of it, as that is what Mother wanted us to do in case you were ever to return... Your friend can stay in the guest room down the hall from you."

"Thank you, Jason," she said, and, after gesturing for Peter to follow her, they ascended the stairs to their rooms.  
*********************************************************************************************  
  
Persephone sat on the floor of her dimly lit room, a collection of five unlit candles in front of her. She couldn't stop thinking of her mother, and of her mysterious death. Perhaps it wasn't quite such a mystery to her, but why would he do this...?

A knock sounded from her door. "Enter."

Peter Pettigrew stepped in and closed the door behind him, peering around the room, squinting in a way which immediately made her think of a rat. "Why do you have it so dark in here, Lady Persephone?"

"I apologize. I hadn't really noticed the sun setting..."

He smiled kindly at her, almost in a fatherly way (though she wouldn't really know what that was like, for her father's smiles were anything but fatherly). "I'm sure you're upset about your mother... who wouldn't be? While we're here, I don't want you to worry about anything with your father or the Deatheaters... I just want you to relax and have a nice time with your friends and family... You need it."

She flashed one of her rare sincere smiles back at him, appreciative of his attempts to keep her happy through everything she was put through. Sometimes she wondered what he was doing as a Deatheater... "Can you hand me those matches on the dresser?"

"Of course, My Lady."

She tried to light the match, but every time a spark teased at coming alive, it immediately died. She slammed the small box to the ground with an irritated growl. "Fire and I have never gotten along... It isn't my element. I only seem to be able to kill it."

Pettigrew laughed and lit a match easily, then lit each of the candles. "Is that better, My Lady?"

She sighed and smirked. "Thank you, Peter. Now leave me. I have a lot of things to think about before the funeral in two days..."  
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Perhaps it had to do with her mother's spirit's recent departure from physical life, or maybe her father's eyes which she imagined were constantly upon her, or it might have just been the huge, old mansion, where so many mysterious events had taken place, but whatever it was, Persephone Avaran could not have fallen asleep that night even if someone had driven a stake through her heart. She was completely restless. Her thoughts kept returning to her mother... her father... the house... What was the use of laying around anymore?

She walked slowly through the house, a white robe wrapped around her nightgown. The old wooden floors creaked and on unusually windy nights a howl seemed to sound all through the house. It was a perfect night for a haunting, but she had never seen any real ghosts in the house to be sure it was haunted. It certainly was the perfect place for one though.

She turned down whatever hall she came across, and up so many stairs she lost count. She hadn't realized how long it had been since she had last been here. As she continued walking, she forgot to pay attention where she was going, and seemed to just be wandering by instinct, until it led her to one closed door. Mind you, in a place like Croft mansion, there are so many doors and the likelihood of one being closed shouldn't make it seem any more important than the rest, but there was something about this door. Something she couldn't really explain. When she first tried it, it was locked. Persephone pulled her hand away and sighed. "Fine, then I guess I'll just keep walking." But just as she turned her back she heard a click and turned back to find the door swinging open. It made her a bit nervous, but she wasn't about to stop. She entered.

Immediately she recognized it as her mother's old office. She was amazed that she hadn't recognized it before. On the desk a computer was still set up, but was off. There were marks all over the floor, as if the police had investigated there. "This must be where they found the body," she whispered. She felt a slight mental tug towards the desk. As she neared it, she noticed a book on top about St. Patrick and Ireland. She walked around and sat down at the desk, kicking back and swinging her feet on top of it as she opened the book, which mostly seemed to be about the absence of snakes.

Just as the book was beginning to get interesting, Persephone felt a slight chill and suddenly her chair slipped out from under her. She grabbed at one of the drawers on the way down, attempting to catch herself, but only succeeded in taking it with her and scattering papers everywhere as she landed with quite an ungraceful thud. She glowered around the room quickly to be sure no one had seen the most embarrassing scene, and was quite thankful to find she was truly alone. Now on the floor, she found the drawer which she had tossed halfway across the room and began gathering papers, until she found something that for some reason caught her eye. It was nothing more than a newspaper article about Ireland.... but then she read it, and this is how she found out about the snakes.

Now the book about Ireland was beginning to make since. Over the past week, snakes had slowly been appearing in Ireland, until there suddenly seemed to be a plague of them. Scientists were completely baffled, for snakes logically could not survive in Ireland. Not only that, but even desert snakes had been sighted.

Persephone unfolded the newspaper so as to get to the rest of the article, and an opened envelope fell to the floor. Carefully she pulled out the contents, and then she knew what she had to do. There was more to the snakes in Ireland than a mere fluke of science... 

This was a Hogwarts Card.  
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"My Lady, I'm generally not one to question your probably perfectly logical motives, but it _does_ happen to be five o'clock in the morning, and you're wanting to me to fly _where_?"

"Oh, come off it, Wormtail. It's only Ireland! It's not like America, God forbid. You can handle it, I promise."

"But the funeral's tonight! Why are we leaving?"

"Hopefully we'll be back by then, but Mother would rather me help her with unfinished business than go to her funeral."

Pettigrew swallowed nervously, as if thinking about something unpleasant. "Exactly what kind of unfinished business are you talking about, Lady Persephone?"

"Just do what I say, Wormtail. It's my business, not yours. Now if you'll excuse me for a few minutes, I would like to pay my respects to my mother."

Her father had always told her that crying was a weakness and never to do it, thus she was very thankful for his absence as she knelt before her mother's opened casket and wept as she whispered a Requiem. She hadn't felt emotions like this in so long. So often emotions were simply pushed aside to her, she never felt anything except for cold indifference. But now, away from the Deatheaters, away from her father, at home with the ones she loved, she finally was able to let go a bit. Somehow it didn't make sense to her, why it was easy all of a sudden, but she was glad it was. She had been worried that she would not be able to shed a tear over her mother's death.

Pettigrew was waiting outside where the helicopter had landed the day before. She knew they needed to be in the air fast, or Jason and Tafton would hear and come see what was going on. She didn't want to have to face them, even though she really was only trying to help her mother. Yes, they would be able to understand if she didn't make it back home.

It was still early morning by the time they landed in the area Persephone had ordered. The ruins of castles lay everywhere, and not a soul was in sight, at least nothing that was human. But the first step Persephone took on the damp grass was immediately withdrawn when three hissing snakes stared up at her with slitted eyes. She saw how Pettigrew tensed up immediately (he had a terrible phobia of snakes). 

Persephone at once was thankful that she had decided to wear her brown leather pants with hiking boots, knowing that she had a better chance of withstanding a snake bite were one not to get along with her, but of course she didn't foresee much of a problem with that. _"Hello, Little Ones,"_ she hissed at them. _"What are you doing here?"_

__ A small green snake gazed up at her, before it slowly responded, a bit surprised, _"Our master called us."_

Persephone knew who the master had to be, now she just had to find it. _"Show me where your master is, and perhaps I will be able to get you back to where you belong."_

_"But our master is very hard to get to for one of your type,"_ it answered uncertainly. _"And he may not wish to speak to you anyway."_

_"Very well. Perhaps I shall find my own way to your master, that way it will not be blamed on you. Is that better?"_

_"Much."_

__The snake slithered away with the other two, but there were certainly more where they came from. Persephone and Peter couldn't take two steps without nearly running right over one. Occasionally they had to duck away from overhead planes and such, for they didn't want to be seen snooping around. This made Peter very anxious, for he hated getting any closer to the ground where the snakes were than he had to.

As they continued stepping over ruins and snakes, eventually Persephone found a young asp curled tightly up close to a rock. It saw them nearing and reared up, showing its fangs as it hissed, _"Come any closer and you're dead!"_

__But Persephone saw its weaknesses. It could not survive in such a climate, yet here it was, and it was very afraid. _"I am not going to hurt you, I need your help."_

_"Get out of here, human! I won't help you!" _it hissed, fiercer than before.

_"If you help me, I will help you find a way home..."_

__ The snake relaxed some, though it remained in much the same posture. _"Does that mean you know how I got here?"_

_"No, but obviously you wouldn't have come to a place like this of your own accord, I don't think any of you would have."_

_"But some of them did. I didn't. I don't know why I'm here or how I got here, but it is too wet and cold... I want to go home..."_

_"My name is Persephone," _Persephone said kneeling down next to the asp, who now was much calmer, though it watched her closely.

The snake told Persephone her name as well, but for translation purposes, we'll call her Tasyra. _"You wish to see our master then?"_

_"Yes. Please take me."_

_"It may get me into a lot of trouble, so you'd better hold through with your side of the bargain."_

__Persephone followed Tasyra through the unending maze of snakes and ruins, a transfigured Peter Pettigrew riding in her pocket, terrified of the snakes.

Finally they came upon an opening which led deep underground. Persephone could see nothing at the bottom, no sign of light. She pulled the light bag that she had kept on her back off and found a head-strap flashlight and a rope. She secured the rope at the top, strapped the flashlight to her head, then made sure that the pistols strapped to each thigh were secure. Then she descended behind Tasyra who had already started in without her.

The damp unlevel ground beneath her feet made it somewhat difficult to walk on, but she managed it with an amazing amount of grace. She shined her flashlight all along the walls as she passed, every so often running across a tall monument of a snake. She hoped she would know the Hogwarts Card when she found it.

Gradually she began stepping into a dim green light, which made her feel VERY uncomfortable considering what green lights most often meant in the Wizarding World. There also seemed to be many whispering voices, which, as Persephone began to sort it in her head, she realized were the voices of hundreds, possibly thousands of hissing snakes. "We must be getting close," she whispered so that Peter would understand.

She was quite right. What greeted them was a green-lit room with snakes of all types all over the floor. From the center of the room rose a sort of pedestal, and the largest snake Persephone had ever seen was wrapped around it, his massive forest green head looming over the entire scene. She felt something wrap around her ankle, and looked down to see Tasyra clinging anxiously to her. _"He will not like that I brought a guest, don't mention me..."_

_"Don't worry."_

She looked back up to the great snake to find him staring down at her. For a moment she felt fear, something that for so long she thought she was immune to. Then again, as of late so many emotions had been attacking her all at once. _"It is rare for a human to make it this far without being bitten,"_ he hissed at her. _"You must have a very strong and fearless heart. Do you understand me, Human girl?"_

_"I do."_

__The snake moved in such a way that he seemed to smile and position himself in almost a challenging way. _"You are a Parselmouth. Impressive. I have only known of one other person who had that ability. He was the first human I ever encountered. I hate him."_

Persephone felt her heart skip a beat, but she forced herself to calm down. Snakes sensed fear... and fed off of it. _"Was he perhaps your creator?"_

__The snake narrowed its eyes at her. _"You are clever. I know what you must be after. Is it power you want?"_

_"I only want to catch a card."_

__The snake seemed very taken aback by her comment. _"A card...? Perhaps you really are more clever than I expected. So you know me, dear little Heir of Slytherin? I do not know why you would want me. I have no particularly special powers. I am only a snake, granted a large one. What use is it to capture me when you could have something which would give you true power?"_

_"True power...?"_

_"Yes. I have something... but it's a secret. It was my duty to protect it before the human Salazar Slytherin took me and hid me away in a card for years. I was eventually able to escape him, but by then the damage had been done. This marvelous prize was taken from its home. Mistress Medusa would have been very disappointed had she been alive. But now I have it back, and once again our kind shall regain a hold over the world. We start here where poor humans believe that no snake could ever exist. Very clever, isn't it, my dear?"_

__So many things she hadn't been taught. Persephone knew she had to be careful, the snake was up to something. _"And why do you tell me of this prize? It will not save you from your fate."_

_"Oh, but won't it? This prize was our Mistress' one true treasure, the Medusa Mask. The wearer of it has complete power."_ It was now that Persephone saw the tail of the snake unlatch a secret storing area before the pedestal, and then pulled from it a golden mask with molded snakes coming from the top of it. _"I was to protect this forever, but I grow tired of being a slave to so many. If you promise to keep me free, I will give you this marvelous prize in return."_

Persephone stared at the mask, not knowing what to believe. The snake couldn't possibly be completely honest in what it was telling her, for it was far too good to be true. She had heard of the Medusa Mask before though, she couldn't remember where. Perhaps her father...

Memories flooded through her all at once. Her mother's mission... the sudden death... mysterious death... the article... the envelope...

One has to be twice a devil to trick the devil himself.

_"More powerful than anything on this earth? Father would love it... it would be exactly what he's been looking for. Could it grant a person immortality?"_

_"Of course! It can do whatever you want it to, you hold the power."_

_"It's a bargain."_

The snake seemed to grin as it tossed the mask down to her. Gingerly, Persephone caught it, not knowing exactly what the thing was capable of, though she had heard rumors...

_"Aren't you going to try it on, my dear?"_

_"Of course I will,"_ Persephone answered, giving the snake a smirk. She turned around and held the mask before her face as if to put it on, all the while hearing the giant snake hissing behind her, quite pleased with himself. "You are foolish to let your guard down," she thought to herself, sending her Sealing Staff out from the green gem on her forehead into her hand.

The Snake Card didn't know what was going on until it was too late for him. "I, Persephone Avaran," she began, "call upon the spirits of the West to grant the power of the Water Element unto my staff, and return this card to its master, the Heir of Slytherin! Hogwarts Card! Return!"__

__She ran forward and hit the snake's side. He hissed bitterly at her, and as he shrank into the card he reached for her with his giant fangs, but they fell apart as they touched her as a drop of rain does upon stone, until he melted into his prison.

Immediately all of the snake began to disappear, most likely to go back wherever they came from. Tasyra remained tight around Persephone's ankle. Even when all of the others were gone, she remained.

_"Tasyra!"_ Persephone cried, _"you will not be able to go back now. Your contact with me must have anchored you to this place."_

__The young asp lifted her grey head around to where she could see Persephone. _"You saved all of them, you know. They wouldn't have lasted long in a place like this. I thank you, Human girl."_

_"Tasyra, how am I supposed to get you home?"_ Persephone asked, not about to let the crisis slip past. _"I suppose Father would know a way to send you there by magic, and until I can get to him, I'll put a warming spell on you so that you won't be too uncomfortable."_

__Pettigrew crawled out of Persephone's pocket and onto the ground, quickly transfiguring back into a human in case Tasyra was feeling hungry. "My Lady, don't forget the mask! By the way, that was very clever..."

"No, I had not intention of going against my bargain. Now, since I've sealed the Snake Card as I said I wouldn't if I took the mask, I must leave it here."

His jaw dropped, almost to the floor. "What?! All the power in the universe..."

"Wormtail, I don't expect you to understand. That mask is dangerous. Even Father would be better off without it."

"But... that's what..." He sighed and broke off. "Then I'll take it to him myself."

"You will do no such thing!" she shouted, filled with sudden dread and violence. She pounced upon the mask before Pettigrew could reach for it, then hurled it into the side of the underground tunnel. The impact of the mask into the rock caused a small explosion right there, and suddenly the entire building seemed to shake, threatening to fall on top of their heads at any moment.

"Persephone Avaran! How could you...?!"

"Shut up and let's get out of here! We don't have long!"

And she was quite right about that. Stones fell all around her. It was hard enough keeping herself out of their way, but she also had to keep an eye on Pettigrew, who wasn't nearly as agile. "Transfigure, I'll carry you." He was quick to obey this time.

It was a narrow escape as they resurfaced, yet the ground beneath their feet continued to quake. Pettigrew transfigured back into a human and headed for the helicopter.

"We have to hurry! The ground itself could cave in at any moment!"

The tremor followed them, even out as far as where they had landed the helicopter, though it had grown weaker the farther they ran. Quickly they took off. Persephone gazed out the window as they passed back over, but there was nothing left there but a gigantic crater.  
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It felt horribly strange to be back in the Slytherin Common Room after such an adventure. She was used to such adventures, but she had almost gotten used to the lazy school life. It was probably around one in the morning when she arrived there. She pulled out her laptop computer that her brother had given her just after the funeral before they left. "I want you to have this, Sara. I don't know where you are, and I don't expect you to tell me, but I always want you to know you have a friend and someone you can trust. Send me a message any time. I would love to hear from you," he had said. 

She sighed and smiled gently as she prepared her hands to type a short message saying she'd made it back alright, when a very familiar and very painful sting came from her left forearm. Her father was summoning her. She clasped a green and black stone that hung from a silver chain around her neck which served as a portkey that could take her immediately to her father.  
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"How was the funeral, Persephone?"

"I was a little late. Wormtail and I had an adventure beforehand."

"Yes, I know. He told me. Where is the asp?"

"She's in my dorm. I think she wants to stay with me, so I suppose I don't need to ask you to send her back."

"Wormtail said that you needed to tell me something. Was it perhaps about your adventure?"

"I caught a Hogwarts Card, the Snake Card."

"Yes. And what else did you find."

"I did not bring you the Medusa Mask, Father."

"What? How could you not! You will pay for such treachery, you wretched little Mudblood..."

"Father... please... It would have killed you. My family had had dealings with that thing before."

"Yes, I know. That's why I asked your mother."

"I suppose she didn't want to tell you. So you just killed her?"

"Your Muggle mother isn't worth crying over, Persephone Avaran."

"Can you not ever call me Sara Croft? That is who I..."

"I don't care who you were when you were nothing but a Muggle girl! You're mine now! You will always be Persephone Avaran, Princess of Darkness!"

"....Why do I hate you so much right now? Why do I feel like crying? What are all these emotions...?"

"It is irrelevant, Persephone. All that matters if the Fire. You see the candle there?"

"Yes, Father."

"Watch the flame."

"Yes, Father."

"Who is it that you are loyal to?"

"You, Father."

"Who is your true enemy?"

"The Heir of Gryffindor, Father."

"And what are you going to do to that Fire?"

"Put it out. Forever."

((There! Finally a long one! I've had this ready for over a month, but, as you know, fanfic.net wasn't working. But anyway, here it is! Oh, and now you know my secret. I love Peter Pettigrew. If I could have a pet Deatheater, he would be mine. Okay, gone now.)) 


	14. Episode XIII: A Dream Come True

A Dream Come True

**Cardcaptor Pandora  
**Episode XIII  
****A Dream Come True  


  
_No... not this dream again... The two men in cloaks, fighting with swords... If I could only see their faces... why is it so dark...? First that one's winning, then the next... it won't be long now... Now they are gone, and I am standing there alone... with a sword...? She'll be here soon, but who is she? She also wears a cloak over her face, and the darkness certainly doesn't help... I just want to see... She draws her sword, and the fighting begins... First I am winning, then she is... then I hit her in the side and she falls to the ground, turning her face away... she acts like she will stop fighting, but then there's a blaze of light... heat like fire... and she is up again, a blow coming right at me, so fast... I can't block it..._

__"CHRIS!!!" Lauren Phillips cried, sitting straight up in bed with tears and sweat dripping down her face. Her hair had come wildly loose from her long black braid as she had dreamed the familiar dream, making for a strangely deep... yet restless... sleep.

"Lauren, what's wrong?" Sonja asked, one of her few good friends in her own year.

"N...Nothing, Sonja..." she lied. "Just a very bad dream."

"The one with the swords again?"

Lauren nodded and looked around blearily. "What time is it? I really want to talk to my brother... or Pandora... or someone..."

"You can talk to me," Sonja said, sitting next to Lauren and smiling.

Lauren shook her head. "Don't take this personally, but there are some things you can only share with just some people, you know?"

Sonja sighed. "It's about five, you could sleep for another hour or so..."

"But I can't... I'll just go downstairs and hope one of them wakes up. Who knows, Pandora has a tendency to read my mind at times."  
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Something was wrong. Pandora didn't have the faintest of clues as to what exactly it was, but something was most definitely wrong. Eventually she gave up on sleeping and walked downstairs to the Common Room, wrapping herself in a warm white robe. She was actually looking forward to having a few hours to herself, even if she did have to steal them at 5:00 in the morning.

"Pandora! I'm so glad you're awake!"

"Oh, hi Lauren..."

"I had that horrible dream again... I can't stop thinking about it."

"I'm sorry, Lauren. Still no ideas on why you're having it?"

"Nothing that I can tell. I don't recognize the other people in it besides me."

They continued their sleepy conversation until finally it was time to get ready for breakfast. Pandora couldn't remember ever looking so forward to a day of school.  
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"The nerve of that Draco Malfoy," Persephone thought to herself as she found an isolated area of the table (as isolated as you could get anyway) to eat her breakfast at. Anything to get away from that Draco Malfoy.

She had awakened very early that morning, troubled by a dream. Dreams rarely bothered her, but she figured her mother's death was probably still effecting her. Though the dream didn't quite seem to tie in with that experience...

But that wasn't really what was bothering her now. It was that blasted Malfoy boy. There she was, 5:00 in the morning, coming downstairs because she couldn't sleep, and there _he_ was, finishing up Potions homework or something.

"My, you're up early, Draco," she had said in a slightly more endearing tone of icy.

He snapped his attention to her immediately, a shadow of a gentle expression quickly passing into one of anger. "Where do you think you've been?! You disappeared without a trace, didn't even tell me where the hell you were going! What were you thinking? I have a right to know where you are."

It had felt like a slap in the face, but she was very used to such feelings. Her voice returned to the coldest of ice as she whispered, "I'm glad to know how sympathetic you are that my mother passed away. I was at her funeral. Now if you'll excuse me, Mr. Malfoy, I have more worthwhile things to attend to."

She never looked back to see the expression on his face as she hurried up the stairs back to her room. She didn't return downstairs until she knew it was well after he would be gone for breakfast.

So there she sat alone as the owls flooded in with random letters and packages (she swore she heard a Howler go off somewhere), when an owl swooped down next to her and dropped a bouquet of four red roses and one white in front of her, a letter attached which read, "Persephone, I'm very sorry for the things I said this morning. I should have been there to comfort you in your time of need and I only made things worse. Please forgive me. Love, Draco."

Everything inside of her wanted to hate him, but somehow she just couldn't bring herself to do it.  
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Pandora was somewhat surprised to see Persephone back in Potions class that day, then immediately almost wished she didn't have to watch. Persephone and Draco seemed to be making up for lost time in class....

Thus she was quite ready for lunch when it came. She met in a separate corner with Sydney, Holly, and Lauren as she usually did. They liked to gather together whenever they could.

"Has your day gotten better, Lauren?" Pandora asked.

Lauren nodded, grinning broadly. "I just got out of Defense Against the Dark Arts! Professor Everest was cleaning out her office of all the old professors' things, and started giving some of it away. I got a pretty letter-opener. Want to see it?"

"Sure!"

"Okay!"

Lauren began digging around in her pocket, then looked up suddenly. "It looks kinda creepy, so maybe we should do this outside where we won't attract too much attention." 

They agreed and followed her outside, where she finally pulled out the small dagger-shaped letter-opener. "Wow, that's really nice, Lauren," Sydney said with a smile.

"I think it looks evil. Look at the snake wrapped around the handle! Ick!" Holly commented.

"May I see it?" Pandora asked, suddenly feeling a very strong interest in the letter-opener.

Lauren nodded and handed it to her. Pandora held it loosely in her hands, her eyes half-closed. "Something just doesn't feel right here...."

"Hey, girls!" a familiar voice called out. "You'd better hurry on in, or you'll be late for class!"

"Yes, Professor Everest," the four responded.

"Would you mind if I hold onto it for now, Lauren?" Pandora asked when Everest had gone on.

"Well... if it's a Hogwarts Card or something.... then I did see it first... and... and..."

"And then we'll really let Pandora have it," Holly interrupted. "We couldn't possibly leave the sealing of a card up to _you_. You'd completely mess things up."

Lauren was quiet a moment, but finally turned in a defeated posture and began to walk away, saying as she left, "Sure, Panda. You can keep it as long as you want. It wouldn't do any good with me anyway. I'm a failure as a Cardcaptor..."  
********************************************************************************************

Pandora carried the letter-opener everywhere with her that day, but she never got anything from it more than a slight hint of power. She tried a few spells that Rangi had taught her before which sometimes arouses the power of a Hidden Card, but nothing seemed to work. She began to think that whatever she was sensing was only her imagination.

Sydney and Holly joined her after classes, but Lauren was still in hiding. Both examined the small dagger, but not even Holly could figure anything out. "I think it's just a letter-opener," Holly said at length, a slight tone of annoyance in her voice.

They were seated outside under a tree on the grounds, where they often met when they had Cardcaptoring to discuss, for no one ever went there. Holly stayed quiet a moment while the other two continued poking and prodding at the little object, until she finally lost her temper and said, "If it matters that much to you, there is a potion that if you pour a drop of it on an object, it changes colors if the object is magical. If we can get all the right ingredients, you can figure it out that way and stop this pointless back-and-forth chatter!"

They believed it an ingenious idea as always, except for the fact that they were going to have to get into Snape's secret stash to get everything they needed. Crouching in the darkness, they waited in the dungeons area for Snape to leave his office. Unfortunately, Professor Everest had entered into his office only a few minutes before, and the girls had no idea how long they would be...

"What are you three excuses for Cardcaptors doing here?" an icy voice interrupted them.

"Persephone..."

"Let me see it," she snapped, reaching out to grab the dagger out of Pandora's hand, but she was quick to draw it away.

"Persephone, no! It's not even a card for certain..."

"If you can't even tell that that's a card, then I deserve to have it. Let me see it. Now."

Pandora sighed, figuring that it couldn't hurt just to let Persephone see it. She handed it to her, and regretted immediately that she ever did.

An eerie green light glowed from about the blade, as it slowly began to grow longer and longer, until it was almost the height of Persephone, yet Persephone wielded it beautifully, as if she had used it all her life.

"Wow, Persephone! Maybe it really is a card..." Pandora began to say, walking happily towards Persephone until she was cut off by a cruel swipe which barely missed her head. "Wha-?"

But Persephone only stared coldly at them, her expression even more unfeeling than usual, as if she were mechanical. She struck again, this time slashing Pandora along her left arm as she tried to turn away.

"You can't do this to Pandora, Persephone! I won't let you!" Sydney cried, jumping in front of Pandora. She succeeded in blocking her from a blow, and in turn received a cut into her stomach. She staggered back and fell to the floor next to Pandora. Holly had long since run off.

Persephone neared them, her sword raised. Pandora tried to get to her feet, for Sydney was far too weak to move at all, but even she couldn't stand a chance against Persephone. She had no weapon and very little strength, thus collapsed once again, crying out in hopes of getting Snape's attention, though the walls were very thick, rarely allowing any sound to pass through. But perhaps someone else would...

"Stop it right there, Persephone Avaran, Heir of Slytherin!"

Persephone did stop, and turned to face Lauren Phillips, an expression of fiery determination on the young girl's face. Persephone's lips curled into a snarl, and she rushed towards Lauren.

"Guardians of Fire, hear me, the Heir of Gryffindor!" Lauren began in a loud, strong, fearless voice. "Grant unto me a weapon with which to fight... and to finally defeat... Slytherin, once and for all!" She held her lion-head staff in front of her, which quickly transfigured into a long, red sword after a blinding flash of fiery light. She was armed just in time to block Persephone's first strike.

They fought viciously, Persephone after Lauren's blood, Lauren just trying to keep herself alive while she tried to figure out a way to stop Persephone without killing her. But the longer they fought, the harder it became on Lauren, for Persephone slowly began to gain on her. She always believed it would be the next blow against her that would end the battle...

She blocked it. It would have killed her, but she blocked it. Persephone held the sword over Lauren's head, but Lauren would not give in to the pressure pressing against her own blade. "Persephone... this isn't you... you are... being possessed... by a card... Is that what you want... to be a puppet...?"

She had hoped that her words would cause a change in the calmer direction of Persephone, but it was exactly the opposite. Her eyes narrowed, her glare much more intense, and her expressions seemed much more alive... as if she knew exactly what she was doing. "Puppet, little Gryffindor...?" she whispered in an icy sneer. "You don't know anything, do you...." 

Very suddenly, Persephone pulled her sword away, causing Lauren to turn half a circle trying to regain control of her sword. In a rage, Persephone struck blindly at Lauren, not really caring how she killed her, as long as she ended up dead. Lauren, who's back was turned to Persephone, heard her coming close and ducked just in time. 

Short, choppy, unruly black hair rushed to the sides of her face. She staggered back as she turned to face her opponent, quickly running a hand through her hair. Her braid had been cut.

"You really are out to kill me, aren't you?"

"Of course I am, Gryffindor. Now let's finish this."

Lauren's grip tightened, and she advanced, this time without any mercy. The fight didn't last much longer after that. In a matter of minutes, Lauren thrust the sword deep into Persephone's side, then yanked it out as Persephone sank to the floor, blood gushing from the wound, her eyes wide with pain, anger... and fear.

Lauren held the sword out calmly, allowing it to transfigure back into its staff-form. "I have defeated you, Slytherin's sword, and with the blade of Gryffindor, no less. Now, return to your sheath, the Master of the East commands it. Return!"

The green light which radiated from Persephone's sword suddenly turned into a brilliant red, then slowly melted away into a Hogwarts Card... with a red back. 

Persephone stirred, sitting up gingerly. There was no sign of blood anywhere on her person. She saw the card and reached for it, but just as it was at her fingertips, it lifted into the air and flew into Lauren's hands.

"A... a Gryffindor Card..." Lauren said slowly, much of her normal, innocent character resurfacing. "I could have sworn that it would have been a Slytherin..."

"Shows how little you deserve that card," Persephone grumbled. "A long time ago, when Gryffindor was preparing his Sword Card to carry his own sword, Slytherin tampered with the spell and locked his own sword into it, with the intention that whenever the Cardcaptors were discovered, it could be used to deceive the Heir of Gryffindor and finally allow Slytherin the ultimate triumph." She looked away, a very bitter expression on her face. "Perhaps his plans haven't worked out, but the ultimate victory will be mine." She walked away without another word.

"Congratulations on your first card capture!" Sydney said sweetly, walking over to where Lauren stood gawking at her card. Clearly, as soon as the Sword Card was sealed, all the damage it caused disappeared.

Lauren smiled. "Yes, well, it won't be the last either!" She grinned at Pandora and stuck her tongue out at her.

"Alright, so you've got one!" Pandora laughed. "Don't get cocky, that will bring you right back down again."

"Pandora, there you are! Are you okay?" asked Harry, running around the corner. "I ran into Holly who tried to tell me what was going on, but it wasn't very intelligible..."

"I caught a card!" Lauren said, grinning and holding the card out.

"You did WHAT?!" asked a small, proper voice. Tu fluttered out of one of Harry's pockets, Rangi from the other.

"I caught a card!"

Tu landed on her shoulder and looked at it. Then he began to sniffle and cry. "I'm so... _sniff_... proud.... _snort_... of you!"

Harry grinned. "Sounds like it must have been pretty exciting."

Lauren smiled, her reddish-brown eyes brightening. "Oh, you have no idea! There she was, about to kill Pandora and Sydney, and then..."

Pandora grinned as Lauren babbled on and on to Harry about the adventure, watching as Lauren continuously had to throw her head back to get the relentless black strands of hair out of her face. She also noticed how Harry was constantly brushing back his own hair with a hand whenever it became a nuisance. Their profiles looked remarkably similar...

"Pandora, Sydney, Lauren, Harry! What are you four doing out here? You should be getting back to your Houses soon," said Professor Everest, emerging nearly an hour after entering into Snape's lab. Snape followed close behind, looking none-too-happy to see his lovely students outside his door.

Lauren quickly hid the card behind her back. "Um... yes, Professor Everest! We'll go now!"

"How do you like your letter-opener, Lauren?"

"I love it! It's the best thing in the whole world!"

"I'm sure it is," agreed Everest, giving Lauren a wink, which seemed to mean that Everest knew something...

"It's late. Go. Now."

"Yes, Professor Snape!"

All four hurried back to their respective Houses and went quickly to bed. Lauren was very happy for once. She had a long, calm, dreamless sleep. 


	15. Episode XIV: Santas Little Helpers

ccp14 

**Cardcaptor Pandora  
**Episode XIV  
**Santa's Little Helpers  
**

  


Persephone thought she would never forgive herself. There it was, the power of the Sword Card in her very own hands, and yet she couldn't control it. Was she not strong enough? No, that couldn't be why. But still, it was rather hard to imagine what the cause might have been...  
  
__ Tasyra hissed, _it was a month ago. Please do not dwell on it anymore, there are more cards out there. Besides,_ she said as she readjusted herself into a prideful stance, _you have the Snake Card, what else could anyone want?  
_  
_You don't understand... I lost it to that... that...  
  
_ Tangaroa interrupted, speaking in regular English though she was able to understand Parseltongue, Tasyra is correct. It is time to move on. The longer you stay with what is in the past, the less likely it will be for you to succeed in the future. She smiled gently, her dark eyes softening. It has been a very hard month, what with your mother and all. I want you to relax. Christmas break begins tomorrow...  
  
And what does that matter to me? I'm going to have to stay here anyway, unless I_ want_ to go home and spend time with my father and his gang of Deatheaters...  
  
Perhaps, but it will be calmer. And who knows? Maybe you will be the only Cardcaptor who stays at the castle, and then limitless possibilities are at your fingertips.  
  
Persephone smirked icily at her small bat-winged cheetah companion. Yes, I suppose you're right as usual, Tangaroa. She stood and stretched, her long black hair falling over one shoulder. The Christmas feast is tonight since we are released tomorrow. I am going downstairs to make sure Dray...co... is planning on going with me.  
  
You must have feelings for this boy.  
  
I have no feelings, you know that. He's amusing, that's all.  
  
Everyone has feelings, Mistress. Only some of us are better at hiding them than others. Perhaps you shouldn't try so hard. With that Tangaroa fluttered over to where Tasyra was coiled next to Persephone's pillow, and curled up within the coils.  
  
Persephone walked coldly downstairs, refusing to respond.  
  
I'm not going with you tonight, and that's final!  
  
Draco, but you promised... Do I mean nothing to you anymore?  
  
Not particularly, no.  
  
So what, it's over? Just like that?  
  
It's been over for a while, Pansy. You've just been to blind to see it.  
  
Persephone froze at the foot of the stairs, watching Draco and Pansy fight it out. She'd known about them, that they had been together, at least before she came along. What was happening now was simply a part of the inevitable.  
  
Pansy saw Persephone first, because Draco's back was to the staircase. She stared at her rival, her eyes first flashing with the deepest of hatreds, but it quickly melted away into an abyss of despair. You have no idea what you've done to me, Draco Malfoy, no idea at all, she whispered in a choked voice before turning and running quickly out of the Common Room into the halls.  
  
I figured you would have solved that problem a long time ago, Persephone muttered.  
  
Draco turned quickly to face her, quite surprised by her sudden appearance. I've been meaning to. I had hoped she would get a hint seeing us together, and because I've been exceptionally mean to her lately. She's very persistent though.  
  
Hm, yes. Well, I can be quite persistent myself.  
  
Draco grinned and moved very close to her, until he finally pulled her into a deep, long kiss.  
*********************************************************************************************  
  
Tadaaa! Here I am! Isn't this just the cutest? said the ever-so-modest Pandora as she pranced out of Gryffindor Tower where Harry sat waiting with Lauren, Sydney, and Holly. She was wearing a red velvet female Santa suit, complete with knee-high black leather boots which were still a good foot from the bottom of the fluffy cotton-lined thigh-length skirt.  
  
Oh, Pandora! That's adorable! Lauren cried.  
  
You are the cutest person in the world, Pandora, I don't know how you do it, Sydney awed.  
  
Are you really going to wear that in public? Holly asked.  
  
Pandora smiled and blushed. My mother made this for me two years ago because I had to stay at Smelting's over Christmas break. There were so many people staying that winter that they threw a Christmas dress-up party for us, so that's why I have this. It's gotten a lot shorter though, I hope it's not distasteful or anything... she said, tugging bashfully at the skirt which really was quite short.  
  
I think it looks absolutely wonderful right where it is, Harry thought, but was smart enough not to voice his opinion.  
  
Oh, but you haven't seen the best part! Pandora said with a grin as she pulled her Santa hat off of her head to reveal a very perturbed Rangi with reindeer antlers attached to his head. Santa Panda comes complete with her flying reindeer!  
  
Pandora, that is soooo cute! Sydney cooed, rushing over and scooping Rangi into her hands.  
  
Hm. Well it would be nice if flying reindeer were actually _real_, Holly said sarcastically.  
  
Yeah, it would be nice if dragons and unicorns and fairies and guardian beasts were real too, wouldn't it? Lauren commented with a wink.  
  
  
  
Harry, is your girlfriend finally ready yet? Ron said, coming around the corner with Hermione. Pandora blushed. She loved being referred to as Harry's girlfriend.  
  
Yeah, we're ready, Harry said.  
  
Pandora smiled and took Rangi back and laid him on her shoulder. I can't believe you actually dressed up your stuffed toy, as if that outfit isn't weird enough. And is that apple cinnamon...?  
  
Yeah, I... um... washed him... ^_^;;  
  
You gotta problem with apple cinnamon? Rangi muttered, but Pandora thwacked him over the head to silence him.  
  
Ron just sort of nodded in a confused manner and began to head the other direction. I'll see you guys at the party! Pandora said, hurrying after him hand-in-hand with Harry.  
  
Once the party started with the feast, Pandora was sitting with Harry, Ron, Hermione, a dateless Lauren, and Lauren's older brother, Chris, who was more or less coming with Ginny. Pandora didn't know if they were going out, but then again, they didn't really know either. She saw Sydney off in the distance with Crabbe, Holly in a corner somewhere reading a book, and then finally she spotted Persephone with her brother, but she quickly averted her eyes. She wondered what had ever happened to Pansy Parkinson since Dray had been going out with her before Persephone showed up, especially now that Pandora couldn't find her anywhere in the entire Great Hall. She sighed and decided not to worry about it. She was with Harry, and that's all she needed to think about.  
  
The meal had just begun when Dumbledore stepped up to give his speech, but he looked much more forlorn than usual. I hope all of you are quite comfortable with who is here, he began, a faint smile working onto his face, but his heart didn't seem to be into it, because I've got a bit of bad news for you. You're not going to be able to go home for Christmas break. He held a hand up as a steady drone began throughout the Great Hall as kids gasped and protested. I'm really very sorry, but it's for your own safety. We may be magical, but we cannot control the weather. It would be far too dangerous to send the train out into such snows. In fact, owls are not even going to be able to make through such a mess, so there will be no messages coming in or going out. I apologize, but I suppose you will just have to wait until after Christmas to get your presents. Please cheer up though and have a good time, and I promise I will make your Christmas at Hogwarts worth your while! he said with a wink.  
  
The students were everything but cheery. There were grumbles and moans all over the place. Pandora sighed and looked up at Harry. It looks like you'll have more company than you expected.  
  
You don't think it's a card, do you? he asked lowly so that no one else could hear.  
  
Pandora sat silently for a moment, her eyes closed and her head bowed. Eventually she opened them and shook her head slowly. If it is, I can't sense it.  
  
I don't sense it either, Rangi said from her shoulder. He had become quite a good ventriloquist.  
  
Later that evening Pandora sat alone with Lauren, Sydney, and Holly, talking about the problem. I mean the weather doesn't seem too much worse than usual...  
  
It's very likely that there are really other problems that Dumbledore won't tell us, Holly said softly, especially now that You-Know-Who's around again...  
  
Sydney gasped. You don't think there's a Deatheater threat on the school, do you?  
  
No, the school itself is far too protected. But a train would probably be very easy for them to overtake.  
  
Then why are they so worried about the owls?  
  
Because it would be very easy to sneak something dangerous in along with all of the presents that would be coming.  
  
My, Holly, you've got it all worked out. Sometimes I wonder if you're really the evil mastermind behind it all! Lauren giggled.  
  
  
  
This is horrible... Pandora whispered. I was so looking forward to seeing my mother... I've missed her a lot... Everyone's going to be so sad.  
  
Pandora, you're so nice, Sydney said with a sigh. But there's nothing we can do...  
  
But there has to be! Pandora cried suddenly, somewhat angry. We can't let those horrible people ruin Christmas for everyone!  
  
What are you going to do, go take down Voldemort yourself? an icy voice interrupted.  
  
  
  
Dumbledore was very smart to keep the students here, believe me. Father had everything worked out.  
  
I'll bet he did, Lauren said.  
  
Shut your mouth, Gryffindor.  
  
Eeek! Please stop fightiiiing! Sydney squeaked nervously.  
  
I've got it!  
  
Everyone turned and blinked at Pandora. What is it this time?  
  
We'll get everyone's presents to them!  
  
You mean... go get them ourselves...? Whatever you say, Panda...  
  
That rocks! Let's do it!  
  
I think I'm going to be sick...  
  
  
  
((The point of this game is for you to figure out who said what ~_^))  
  
We can use the power of the Little Card to sneak out of here, find and shrink everyone's presents, and bring them back!  
  
Don't you think that's a little dangerous? Holly said nervously.  
  
Of course it's dangerous! That's why it's so cool!  
  
Lauren, you're not making me feel any better.  
  
Well, you kids can have fun saving Christmas, Persephone said, turning the other direction, but I've got better things to take care of.  
  
Pandora cried, rushing after her and catching her hand. Please come with us...  
  
Persephone turned and stared at Pandora, her eyes glistening slightly with uncertainty. Why... why should I...?  
  
Pandora answered with a smile, you're a part of the team, aren't you? It wouldn't be a proper adventure without you!  
  
Persephone stared silently at Pandora for a moment, her eyes softening slightly. Finally, she sighed deeply and said, Fine, I guess it's better than waiting around here for something to happen...  
  
That's great! Now to start on the costumes...  
  
  
  
Calm down, Persephone. Yes, we have to have costumes in case we get caught. That way we at least look like we should be messing with people's presents. I can wear this Santa outfit. Now if we only had some green material...  
  
Hey, do all of the houses have colored drapes in their Common Rooms? I know Hufflepuff has yellow... and a lot of it, Sydney said.  
  
Yeah, Gryffindor has red... Why?  
  
Because Persephone could get the green ones for us from Slytherin! Sydney suggested.  
  
Persephone paled slightly. You've got to be kidding. Wear drapes? And even more-so, me steal them? This is getting ridiculous...  
  
Oh, come on, Lauren said. If the Van Trap kids can do it, so can we!  
  
Please, Persephone? I'll make all of the costumes if you'll just get me the material.  
  
  
  
Pandora said, hopping into the air once and clapping her hands. Then I'll need everyone to give me their measurements. Oh! And measure your little beasties' heads!  
  
What? Why? Holly asked.  
  
We're going to need reindeer, aren't we?  
*********************************************************************************************  
  
Christmas Eve at last. For most every other student it was a terrible terrible day, knowing that in the morning they would wake up just like every other morning, no surprises for them. But for the Cardcaptors, they were busily finishing up every last thing they needed to do to prepare. Sydney and Lauren had made a sleigh together, which was going to be plenty big enough for the five of them and the presents (at least when everything was shrunk by the Little Card), because they added a secret, flat, weightless compartment using magic, where they could dump all of the presents every time the bag got full. Each of the beasties had their antlers put on, and Rangi even received a charmed shining nose.  
  
Finally it was sunset. The four Heirs looked very cute in their green elf costumes, even Persephone whose pointed elf hat was just a little to big for her, causing the jingle bell at the top to often drop over her left eye. Pandora used her powers to shrink the Cardcaptors, then attached the Beastie team to the sled, grabbed her bag, and off they went.  
  
It really was a horribly cold night. The wind pierced their skin as they flew as quickly as they could. Persephone had managed to get hold of the addresses of every student, so they were quite prepared.  
  
Everything went quite smoothly at first. They would land on the roof of someone's house, Pandora would fly down the chimney using the Fly Card and her staff, she would turn large while she belittled the presents she was taking for the students, then she would shrink again, put them in her bag, and fly back up.  
  
Her first adventure occurred on 243 Sailor Way. It was some kid named Bunny's house. There were a lot of Christmas presents for her under the tree. Pandora began to shrink them, when suddenly a small voice from behind her said, What are you doing...?  
  
Pandora turned to see a small pink-haired girl staring at her. Um.. I'm... taking Bunny's presents to her...  
  
The little girl smiled suddenly. You must be Santa Claus! I didn't know that you were a girl...  
  
Yes, well... I'm... actually one of his helpers...  
  
Oh, I see! Well will you make sure Bunny gets this? the little girl asked, bending over next to the tree and picking up a small box. Tell her it's from Rini, and tell her I love her!  
  
Of course I will! Now... why don't you go back to bed while I finish up, okay?  
  
Okay! G'night! Rini said, then scurried back to bed.  
  
The next adventure occurred on number four Privet Drive. Pandora knew this house all too well, and also figured that she wouldn't get out of it without something out of the ordinary happening.  
  
She dug for quite a while around all of the gifts labeled under the Christmas tree, until she finally spotted a small... very small... gift way in the back for Harry. She reached out for it, but in doing so accidentally bumped the tree, sending crashing over on its side.  
  
Footsteps sounded on the stairs. Pandora didn't know what to do, where to go. For lack of any better ideas, she hopped to the other side of the tree and laid down.  
  
Alright, criminal, a familiar voice said, you'd better show yourself now, or much worse is going to happen to you later. It was Dudley.  
  
Pandora knew that if she waited for his parents to come down she'd be in even more trouble. Dudley she could sway...  
  
She stood up slowly, holding a finger to her lips hoping that he wouldn't call out for them. He gasped when he saw her, then shouted upstairs, It's nothing, Dad! The tree just fell... He came closer as she stayed right where she was, then he reached out and took both of her hands in his. Pandora... what are you doing here?  
  
I... am going around to everyone's houses with some friends... to get their presents... You see, they're snowed-in at the castle, no one can come in or even receive mail... so we thought we'd surprise them in the morning.  
  
He smiled, his cheeks still a little plump even though his diet had paid off quite well everywhere else. That sounds like something you'd do... I must admit, I was a little surprised when I got that letter from you saying you were going to school with my cousin. But... if you're happy... I guess I'm happy for you.  
  
That's very nice, Dudley. I... should get going though... we're only about halfway through...  
  
He turned and tiptoed back upstairs, then came back with a small box in his hands. I... got this for you before school started back for me... before I got your letter... He opened it to reveal a choker made of pale pink beads.  
  
She took it and smiled. Thank you very much Dudley... it's probably the only thing I'm actually going to get. Good night, now. And she disappeared up the chimney, full size, with Harry's gift.  
  
They hit the final house an hour before dawn. It was her own. She flew down the chimney, and as she landed on the ground, sure that no one was around, grew to her normal size. It took her quite a while to shrink down everything that was for Draco. Indeed, the tree looked quite empty by the time his were all in her small bag. She found three that were for her, all from her mother. One was a box that seemed to be the size which would hold new clothes, another seemed like a jewelry box, but the last one was oddly shaped. She shrugged, shrank them down, and tossed them into the bag with the rest. Then from her pocket she pulled out her present to her mother, wrapped in a pearlescent pink paper. She placed it under the Christmas tree, wishing that she could see her mother before she left. But no. There wasn't enough time for that. They still had to fly back to the castle and send the presents to their owners.  
  
Once back at the castle, she gave each of them the powers of Little, Fly, and Invisibility, so that they could deliver each of the gifts to their owners in full-size. It had been quite a long night by the time they had finished, and each collapsed into their respective beds. They would have to save seeing the happy looks on the students' faces for another day.


	16. Episode XV: A Christmas to Remember

**Cardcaptor Pandora  
**Episode XV  
**A Christmas to Remember  
**

  
Pandora couldn't sleep nearly as long on Christmas morning as she had wanted to. Everyone in the entire castle was awake long before seven o'clock, for the news of the arrival of the presents had spread all over. The teachers seemed very baffled, but after testing a few presents figured that everything was alright. Pandora got ready and dressed in a red and white robe, then walked downstairs carrying her three gifts from her mother, as well as a gift she had for Harry and four small identical boxes for the other Cardcaptors.  
  


She was quite happy to see Lauren in the Common Room. The young Second Year hardly seemed as if she only had three hours of sleep as she rushed towards Pandora, grabbed her hands, and said excitedly, Harry and Sydney and Holly are outside waiting for you!  
  
That's good to hear! I have something for all of them. But, isn't Persephone around?  
  
Not that I've noticed... but what does that matter? Lauren said with a shrug, then dragged her friend out of the Gryffindor Common Room and on out into the Great Hall where Harry, Sydney, and Holly were waiting in a corner. Harry was wearing a new knitted sweater, probably from Mrs. Weasley. She looked around the Great Hall for either Persephone or Dray, but neither could be found.  
  
Merry Christmas, Panda! Harry said, coming up to her, giving her a tight hug and a peck on the cheek which made her turn a very cute shade of pink. This is for you, he said, and offered a small box to her wrapped in red and green.  
  
Thank you, she said, surprised that he had managed to get her anything at all. This is for you.  
  
Both Harry and Pandora tore into their presents. Harry broke through to his first, a small, glass ball about the size of a snitch that seemed to have a snow flurry inside of it. He grinned and popped it up in the air and caught it again. This is interesting... Erm... what exactly is it?  
  
Pandora giggled as she continued delicately unwrapping her own gift, as if it would be a sin to rip any part of the packaging. It's called a Weathesphere. It always shows you what the weather is like outside, but if you ask it what the weather is like somewhere else specific, it can show you that too. It's a lot of fun to play with, and it's really very pretty, so I thought you might enjoy that.  
  
Of course I will! he said, and gave Pandora another kiss on the cheek.  
  
A few minutes later Pandora finally managed to open the box, and found a nice case of beautiful hair clips, pins, and combs with multicolored crystals on them. She picked up an exceptionally beautiful comb and let it catch the rays of light. They're gorgeous, Harry! Thank you so much!  
  
You're welcome, but do you want to know the best part? They change color to match whatever you're wearing, or to go with whatever other jewelry you have on.  
  
Her amber eyes lit up and she gave him a very big hug. That probably cost you a fortune! They're beautiful, but you really shouldn't have... She broke off and gave a short laugh, then pulled one of the clips out and pushed back a strand of silvery-blonde hair that kept falling over one eye. The crystal on the clip immediately turned red and green, changing colors back and forth depending on how the light hit it. Harry was glad they did what they were supposed to do. They were almost half the price of a Firebolt. ,  
  
She gave him another hug, and this time a peck on the cheek along with it. Sydney sighed and said, You two are so cute.  
  
Pandora turned and blinked, as if forgetting that everyone else was there. Oh yeah! I have something for all of you guys too!   
  
Sydney blushed. How rude of me! I didn't get anything for anyone! I was just so busy during the past few days getting ready for... well... yeah. Lauren and Holly nodded in agreement.  
  
Hey, I don't care! Pandora said, giving them a friendly grin. Your friendship is all I need. This is just a way for me to express how important you four are to me.  
  
Lauren said, surprised. You're not including Persephone on this, are you?  
  
Of course I am. She is a Carcaptor. Now I need to make sure I hand these out properly...  
  
Each opened their present after they had received it. Inside were six bracelets and a choker. Three of the bracelets were the color which represented their House, and the other three the colors which represented the remaining three Houses. The chokers were all alike. They were made of all four colors wound within eachother.  
  
Now if I could only find Persephone... Pandora said with a sigh.  
  
Aren't you going to open your present from your mum? Harry asked. That one there certainly looks like it might be interesting, he said, indicating the oddly long one.  
  
Pandora grinned and answered, Well, if you insist. First she opened the smallest box, which proved to be a piece of jewelry as she had expected. It was a beautiful little gold ring with pearls all around it. The medium-sized box also met her expectations. It was a new robe, a pale pink one with a baby-blue sash.  
  
Finally she came to the strange present. It was the only one with an actual note attached. It said, Dear Pandora, I hope you enjoy this. Please don't hurt yourself. Love, Mum.  
  
She blinked at the letter. Don't hurt myself? I don't get it... She curiously unwrapped the gift, as if something might jump out and bite her. When she got to the box itself, it didn't give any secrets. It was made of cardboard and didn't give the slightest hint of what it might contain, so she opened it very carefully as well (considering all of her troubles with boxes and all). Finally she got to the gold inside.  
  
She had her very own Nimbus 2000.  
  
Tied around the broomstick was another note which read, Dear Pandora, I know it's not a Firebolt, but you have to start somewhere. These are a bit easier to maneuver and also more predictable, especially since you've never been on a broomstick alone before. I trust that you will take care of yourself and seek proper training before you soar off and we never see you again. And, of course, good luck on making the Quidditch Team whenever you get around to it. Love, Mum.  
  
Harry, can we go out right now and fly it? Please please please please please please please?  
  
He rolled his eyes. It's freezing outside, Pandora. Maybe later. We haven't even eaten breakfast yet. Come on.  
  
She met Harry and everyone else in the Great Hall after she had put all of her presents back in her room. Now all she carried was the gift for Persephone.  
  
They had lost Holly somewhere along the way, then Sydney ran off with Crabbe. Lauren sighed and said, I don't want to hand around you two by myself, you'll be mushy and that's not any fun, so she went off to find her brother and make him give her a present or live with eternal guilt.  
  
Pandora stared after, watching her unruly black hair fly aimlessly about as she ran off. Then she looked at Harry and said, I never really noticed how similar you and Lauren looked until her braid was cut.  
  
Harry smiled nervously and answered, Yeah, that's a coincidence, huh? I mean, I'm no Heir of Gryffindor...  
  
Pandora watched him silently for a moment, then smiled and looked another direction. I have to admit I'm rather glad I could spend Christmas with you, even if I couldn't see my mother. You make everything better.  
  
He blushed and turned her to him, placing a finger under her chin to lift her face. No, I'm lucky to be able to spend this with you. There could never be anything better than spending any amount of time with you.  
  
She felt her face grow hot as their eyes seemed to lock. She leaned forward as he did, their lips begging for a kiss...  
  
Well, well... Merry Christmas is it, Pandora?  
  
She whirled around to face a very smug expression on her brother's face. Oh! Dray! Uh... hi! How are you? she asked, trying to pretend like nothing happened. Right.  
  
He crossed his arms and glared at Harry. I don't suppose your stupid boyfriend managed to get you anything, did he?  
  
Well... yes... she said, and showed him the clip in her hair and explained them to him.  
  
Ah, well, I suppose that was a bit clever of him. But it will never outdo what _I_ got for you... He pulled out a large package from somewhere, wrapped around something that didn't seem to have much of a distinct shape.  
  
She took it and blinked at it. Um... okay... She opened it slowly. It felt very soft and fluffy. As more and more was revealed to her, she saw that it had black and white marking...  
  
_Oh, Dray! A cute little plushy panda pillow, HOW CUUUUTE! You're the bestest brother in the whole world, you're so sweet and thoughtful, and I LOVE YOU! Cutie pandaaaaaaaa! _^_^  
  
Draco stared at her like she'd lost a screw. O.o;; You're welcome, he grumbled. -_-  
  
Harry looked like it was quite an effort not to burst out laughing.  
  
You haven't seen Persephone anywhere, have you? he asked suddenly, looking a little worried.  
  
No... I'm looking for her myself.  
  
He sighed and shook her head. I wish she wouldn't just decide not to show up like she does all the time!  
  
Pandora smirked. You almost sound like you really care.  
  
I do! he snapped, then immediately looked guilty for reacting that way to one of his sister's playful remarks. I... I just... Oh, never mind. This is hopeless. I'll talk to you later.  
  
She watched him go without saying anything else, just held the pillow closer. I didn't mean to upset him... she whispered.  
  
Who knows. Persephone's kind of strange, maybe just strange enough to make your brother have actual feelings for her.  
  
Oh, Harry. Be nice. He's not _that_ bad... all the time...  
  
He has no regard for other people except for you and a few select others. He didn't even care how much he hurt Pansy Parkinson when he broke up with her so quickly after Persephone came! Look at her!  
  
He was right. Pansy, in the past having been constantly surrounded by her gang of girls and the boys wanting her attentions and affections, now sat alone at the last seat of the Slytherin table, her back to everyone, staring at the ground and placing one hand over her left forearm, her brow knitted as if in deep thought and perhaps a bit of pain. She's not taking it very well, is she? Pandora admitted, feeling sorry for her. Do you think I should go talk to her?  
  
I don't know what it would accomplish, but then again, that's just the nice kind of person you are, isn't it? Harry said with a smile.  
  
She blushed and nodded. I'll be right back.   
  
Pandora walked over to Pansy, wringing her hands nervously. Um, hi Pansy! she greeted.  
  
Pansy's dark eyes flashed up at her, filled immediately with surprise and disdain. What do you want, Malfoy? she asked sharply.  
  
Pandora couldn't help but wonder why all of Draco's past and present girlfriends referred to her as She sat down next to Pansy and said, I'm just worried about you. I heard that you and Dray had quite a falling-out...  
  
If you want to put it lightly. He was cheating on me and then completely ditched me for that... that... She turned her face away, her shoulders trembling. He promised me... He promised...  
  
Pandora touched her hand lightly.  
  
Pansy jerked her hand away and stood up. Come with me, Malfoy. I'll show you what comes of breaking promises.  
  
Pandora followed her into an emptier area of Hogwarts. At that moment, practically everyone was in the Great Hall. Pansy, still with her back to Pandora, yanked the left sleeve of her robe up above the elbow then turned around, holding that forearm out. This is what came of your brother's broken promises...  
  
Pandora found herself face to face with a Dark Mark.  
  
Pansy... how... why...?  
  
She let the sleeve fall again. He may have broken his promise to me, but I will not do the same in return. I cannot tell you, because that would be breaking the promise, she said, walking slowly past Pandora, adding as she passed without looking back, I love him too much to do that.  
  
When she made it back to the Great Hall, Harry was quick to find her. McGonagall just made a speech about the presents, Harry said with a wink. She sounded completely baffled to say the least, but she also said that there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with them. Just if anyone found something that seemed suspicious to report it.  
  
She smiled weakly. That's nice.  
  
Hey, what's wrong?  
  
It's nothing... she said, her voice trailing as she saw someone she had been looking for for quite a while. I'll be right back.  
  
Persephone seemed intent upon avoiding all people, most especially Pandora Malfoy. Pandora would likely have never caught up with her if there hadn't been someone else she was less anxious to talk to: Draco Malfoy. When he was one direction and Pandora was in the other, she took the lesser of two evils. What do you want, Pandora?  
  
I just wanted to wish you a merry Christmas! she answered with a smile. Persephone rolled her eyes, but Pandora continued, saying, I brought you a present, and handed her the gift.  
  
Persephone took it, then stared at it as if it was some scientific oddity. What...? Why...? She stopped and shook her head. You are very strange, Little Malfoy.  
  
Yeah, well, aren't you going to open it?  
  
Maybe later, she answered, then walked away casually, never looking back. She didn't even thank Pandora for her only present that year.  
  
I guess you got it to her? Harry asked when she came back to him.  
  
she said with a sigh. I don't know what's up with her. She's been through some hard times to say the least.  
  
He nodded, reaching out and taking her hand. You're so caring, Pandora. There's not another girl in the world that's as perfect as you are.  
  
She blushed and laughed nervously. You've been drinking too much eggnog, Love. You need some fresh air. Let's go play in the snow, and I want to fly, dang it!  
  
So she let another day slip by without a real kiss from Harry. She'd get it eventually, she knew. Until then, his presence was plenty enough to make her happy.  
  
((Yes, I know there haven't been a lot of cards lately. I promise next time! And I apologize for being really slow to post these lately. I've been preparing for my college auditions, so I haven't had a whole lot of time to write. I'll try to get another one out soon!   
  
For a picture of the girls dressed up like Santa and the elves, go to:  
http://sailorxenex.diaryland.com/images/ccpxmas.jpg ))


	17. Episode XVI: A New Year, A New Year, A N...

**Cardcaptor Pandora  
**Episode XVI  
**A New Year, A New Year, A New Year...  
  
**

The holidays just didn't seem to want to stop coming. Not that Pandora minded, it just meant less schoolwork and more time with friends, especially a certain boy with scraggly black hair and glasses...  
  
Good morning, Pandora, came the drolling voice of her brother as she walked downstairs by herself. Harry had had Quidditch practice that morning, and she didn't know if Lauren was even awake. It amazed her how long that girl could sleep...  
  
Hi, Dray. I love my pillow! It's really comfy!  
  
He laughed shortly then looked around as if to make sure no one was listening. So, what are you doing tonight? It is New Year's Eve after all, and I'm sure you and Potter have plans.  
  
Of course we do, she answered. When he gets out of practice we're going to eat lunch together, and then he's going to help me learn how to fly my broomstick, and then we'll have tea together to warm ourselves up after being outside in the cold for so long, then we'll play some chess if we can steal Ron's board, then we'll have dinner, then we'll walk outside along the pond as the last rays of sunlight disappear, and we'll probably stay out there for a while, just enjoying eachother's company, but of course we'll be back inside in time for a toast to the New Year, and then we'll go back to Gryffindor Common Room and stay up late talking or playing games or something. Who knows? Maybe when we get ready to go to bed he'll give me a goodnight kiss. She ended this long itinerary with a dreamy sigh and a dazed look.  
  
Draco looked like he was going to hurl. That's pathetic.  
  
Oh? And what exactly are you and Persephone going to do?  
  
I can't tell you, he said with a smirk. You're not old enough.  
  
I'm your twin, Draco Malfoy, but I don't think I really want to hear it, she said, rolling her eyes.  
  
I don't know, it might do you some good, he said with a wink. In fact, he added, placing a finger against his chin as if he were thinking about something, then waved it off and shook his head, laughing. That would be too mean.  
  
She blinked but decided not to ask. With Draco Malfoy, it was always safer that way. Please don't get into too much trouble with Persephone. She can be... well... sort of dangerous...  
  
Yes, I know, he said, his smirk broadening into a wide grin as he added, Lethal, really.  
  
That's nice, Dray, she said, making a really disgusted face. Now if you'll excuse me, I think I'm going to go find Lauren or someone... I seem to have lost my appetite for breakfast...  
********************************************************  
  
The day went much as she had planned it. Her flying lesson had gone remarkably well, and her romantic evening with Harry even better. He had held her in his arms beneath the moonlight, and even kissed her face a few times. Unfortunately, he had gotten a horrible headache and had to come inside, the kind of headache that usually means trouble. Pandora didn't think much of it, just figured that Persephone was probably up to something, but what else was new? Of course she'd make a point of keeping an eye on her over the next few hours.  
  
Back inside the Great Hall, everyone was already gathering for the New Year, which was still an hour and a half away. There were sweets set out everywhere, and eggnog in their glasses. The teachers had something a little stronger though, judging by Hagrid's increasingly boisterous tone and the fact that Snape was actually _smiling_ at Everest in front of the students.  
  
At the Slytherin table, she saw Draco sitting with Crabbe and Goyle, but no sign of Persephone around him. This worried Pandora a bit, especially since Harry's earlier problems with his scar hurting. But eventually she found her in the corner talking to Pansy Parkinson, and it looked as if they were discussing something rather important and in a very secretive manner. Once again, it was something to worry about, especially now that Pandora knew about Pansy's little Mark that she hid beneath her left sleeve.  
  
You alright, Panda? You look distracted about something.  
  
Huh? Oh... yeah... I'm fine.  
  
Harry shook his head. I know better than that.  
  
It's nothing, I promise, she said with a forced smile to reassure him. I think I'll take some of these sweets up to Rangi. He'll be very upset if he finds out they were here and I didn't share.  
  
Ah, yes. And we wouldn't want a little Hogwarts Beast the size of a rat to be angry with us, would we?  
  
They gathered a pack of sweets and brought it up to the Common Room, where Harry waited as Pandora continued up to her dorm. When she walked in, Rangi was sitting up on a pillow stewing over something. Look what I brought you, Rangi! she said, sitting down on the bed next to him and undoing the little bundle.  
  
He looked over quickly, as if surprised to see her there. I didn't notice that you came in, he said.  
  
Something up? You're usually at least a little more alert than this.  
  
I don't know. I think I sense something, but I don't really know what it is. It's very strange. He looked at her, his snake eyes narrowing slightly. And if there is something, then you certainly should be sensing it, yes Miss Cardcaptor?  
  
She blinked at him, feeling a little nervous. He wasn't acting much like himself, so there probably really was something out there that she should be worrying about. It doesn't feel like a card. If anything, I'm worried that Persephone may be getting into trouble, which is probably more of a Deatheater problem than a Cardcapturing problem. She pulled out a pastry and offered it to Rangi.  
  
He turned his face away from the sweet. No thanks, I'm not very hungry.  
  
O.O Do I need to get you to a doctor?  
  
_You_ need to go downstairs and keep your eyes open! Be careful! And most of all, be prepared for anything. Something's up, and there's no telling what it is or when it will reveal itself. It could be right now, it could be months... years... from now. You just need to be ready for it.  
**********************************  
  
Pandora and Harry joined everyone in the fully crowded Hall once again after she had left the bundle of goodies on the bed for Rangi whenever he felt better. She didn't tell Harry about what had gone on, she didn't want him to worry more than he already was. When she got back to her seat Draco was waiting there with some sort of mischievous smirk on his face. I was wondering where you and Potter had gone off to.  
  
Harry shot him a very annoyed look, but Pandora spoke up before those two could get into any sort of argument. What are you doing over here, Dray? Slytherins to boring for you?  
  
His expression became somewhat darker, but that smirk never faltered. No, of course not. I just thought I'd try to be nice for a few minutes and come see how my sweet sister was getting along. But if you're so anxious for me to leave you alone so that you and Potter can get into trouble, then be my guest. He gave a sort of mock-bow with a sweeping gesture towards her glass of eggnog then left, that stupid Malfoy smirk still plastered to his face. She just wanted to hit him sometimes, but that wouldn't be very nice of her...  
  
Harry seemed to jump slightly next to her. Are you alright? she asked him, turning to him quickly, very concerned.  
  
Y-yeah, I think so. I don't know what it was... I thought I saw something.  
  
What was it?  
  
He laughed and shook his head. Probably nothing at all. I'm just losing my mind, nothing important.  
  
  
  
Finally it was only two minutes away. Dumbledore stood up and made some sort of short, amusing speech, and then the students counted down very loudly to the great moment, until finally the shout of Happy New Year! could be heard ringing throughout the Great Hall, and everyone took a gulp of their eggnog.  
  
It was at this moment when Trelawny stood up quickly, her eyes wide and staring at the ceiling as if watching a demon swooping down upon her, then collapsed onto the floor after shouting, It has happened! They are here!  
  
Suddenly, everything was a blur and people were shouting and then there was silence and darkness.  
  
Pandora sat up, but her head was spinning. She felt drunk. She felt the mattress beneath her and knew she was in her dorm bed. After opening her eyes, she quickly closed them again, not quite wanting to see two of everything. Why was her head spinning so? She grabbed her white robe to put over her white nightgown (after missing it the first few times she tried to grab it) and hurried downstairs, tripping on every other step until she just fell down the last eight.  
  
She tried hopelessly to get back onto her feet, especially when she heard footsteps coming from the boy's hall, but it was futile. She was far too dizzy. Two incredibly blurred images of Harry appeared in the entrance. Panda, are you okay? he asked, hurrying over to her.  
  
She couldn't take her eyes from him. There he was, her love, her desired, her idol, and yes, it was time. He knelt next to her to help her up, and as he did so, she caught his face in her hands and gave him a kiss she never would have thought she was capable of. By the time she was willing to give him an oxygen break, his hair was much messier than usual and one side of his glasses had fallen off of that ear.  
  
Pandora Malfoy! Stop that, right now! We don't have time for you to be messing around with your boyfriend, we've got a card to catch!  
  
Harry said. How did...? Why...? Who...? He stopped, cleared his throat, then forced out, What the hell is wrong with Pandora?!  
  
Lauren stepped down from the staircase, glared up at him with her reddish brown eyes, and said in a very annoyed tone, Hm, I don't know. I figured you could tell me, you pervert!  
  
  
  
Move over, Lauren ordered, attempting to step between Harry and Pandora, but Pandora whimpered very pathetically as her fingers were pried away from Harry's. Lauren examined Pandora's eyes and face, then said, Just like I thought. The lights are on, but nobody's home.  
  
  
  
She's been drugged! Just look at her eyes! Her expression! She's completely clueless! All she knows is that she wants you, which means it was probably a love potion, and who would want to give her a love potion except for you, you _pervert!_  
  
_It wasn't me!  
  
_Yeah, right, yuh-huh, I believe you....... Pervert.  
  
-_-  
  
Come on, Panda! Snap out of it! We've got to figure out why everyone was suddenly transported back to their dorm rooms from the New Year's party! Lauren said loudly, slapping the side of Pandora's face lightly.  
  
New Year's party? But that's tonight, Lauren, Harry said, laughing.  
  
Huh? No... we were just there, Pervert! What are you talking about!  
  
Harry was quiet for a moment, closing his eyes and thinking. Well, I must admit, I kind of remember something, but it was more like a dream. He lifted his hand and touched his scar. Yes... I remember... I saw something... and then Dumbledore made a speech, and then we toasted to the New Year and Panda drank her eggnog, and then Trelawny shouted some gibberish about They're here' and passed out, and then... He shook his head. I don't remember the rest.  
  
And then we all disappeared back to our dorms! Unfortunately, your potion hasn't worn off yet.  
  
  
  
The one you slipped into Panda's drink.  
  
_I didn't do it!  
_  
Well who else would have?  
  
I don't know, Draco was standing at our table before we got there, maybe he did something.  
  
Lauren nodded. Sounds like something he'd do. He always thought you and Panda were a pathetic couple, not that I disagree. He was probably trying to spice up your relationship... you pervert.  
  
Okay, so now that we've figured out that it was Draco, can you please stop calling me a pervert?  
  
No, it's fun. Pervert.  
****************************************  
  
As the day went on, no one else had noticed anything, not even the professors seemed to be aware of what had happened. Only the Cardcaptors knew for certain, and Harry vaguely.  
  
It must mean then, Holly said when she, Panda, Harry, Lauren, and Sydney had met for a discussion, that we're repeating the exact same day, considering that tonight we will be having our New Year's celebration.  
  
Yeah, thanks for restating the obvious, Lauren said. Now say something useful, Genius.  
  
Holly cleared her throat and peered at Lauren over her large glasses, then continued, It also appears that our Beasts have gone missing, so we will have to figure this out on our own.  
  
Be original!  
  
Lauren, if you do not stop interrupting my train of thought, I may just have to do something about it.  
  
Yeah! Right! And what do you think you're going to do, huh?  
  
_Vocalis Silenox!  
  
_Lauren opened her mouth to say something else, but nothing came out. Holly actually smiled at her misfortune, while Sydney patted Lauren on the shoulder and said, You had it coming to you. Pandora just stared at Harry. Her mind wasn't quite right yet.  
  
Harry, you said that you saw something. What did you see? Holly asked.  
  
Well, I didn't think it was anything at the time, but with Trelawny's outburst and then all of this... They looked like Deatheaters or Dementors... In any case, people in dark robes with hoods hanging over their heads to hide their faces.  
  
That's what I was afraid of, Holly said, turning away. I should have known to expect it! I can't believe we were so blind.  
  
Lauren ripped a corner off of one of Holly's schoolbooks (which she _always_ carried with her) and scribbled Would you mind getting to the point? on it.  
  
I read once that every twenty-eight years, beginning five minutes before the New Year, the spell which bars people from apparating into Hogwarts is disabled until the New Year arrives, which means that for five minutes anyone can come in and out of it. This fact is not widely known though, obviously the professors try to keep it a secret, but I have a feeling the Deatheaters may have found out... and may be here at this exact moment.  
  
But what does that have to do with the day repeating itself? Sydney asked.  
  
I'm... not quite sure...  
  
Perhaps it would help if you actually knew something about the cards, wouldn't it? came a familiar low voice.  
  
Persephone, you really need to break this habit of sneaking up on us all the time like that, Sydney said with a sigh.  
  
I only thought you might appreciate my help, especially the insight I have to offer.  
  
If you know something that you are willing to share, of course we'd want you to help us. But seeing that it has to do with Deatheaters and all and considering who you are related to, I didn't think you would feel like offering us such information.  
  
Diplomatic Hufflepuff as always, aren't you, Lachlan? she sneered. That group means nothing to me. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, my father's business is not mine. Even if he needs to use me for something, it's still his business. Now, about the Time Card...  
  
Time Card? Sydney asked, her head cocked to one side.  
  
Holly said. Sounds like the right kind of name.  
  
Hm. Yes. The Time Card. Now shut up, I don't have a lot of time here. Whoever is in control of the Time Card is able to shelter certain people with it from true time. This means that when the Time Card pushes the day back at midnight, whoever is sheltered by the card knows exactly where they are and what is going on, and are not affected by it. And of course, the Cardcaptors are aware of what's going on simply because they are Cardcaptors. But as far as the Deatheaters go, they only have a slot of five minutes before midnight each day to do what they need to do. They are, shall we say, frozen in time at the moment. Whether you look for them or not at this moment, you won't find them. They will be active again as planned at five till midnight.  
  
But that means someone is in control of the card, Holly said, narrowing her eyes. Which would be you, wouldn't it! If it's not your business, then why are you helping them?  
  
Anyone can control the Time Card, Persephone said lowly. It's rather submissive to whomever finds it, Cardcaptor or not. But it will obey that master until he abandons it or is captured by a true Cardcaptor. Figure what you will from that, I must go. She walked away slowly, giving Pandora an almost amused look, and then Harry one of those nondescript Persephone glances that could mean she hates him or she loves him.  
  
So now we just have to figure out where the Time Card is hiding, then we can capture it!   
  
Holly... exactly how are you planning on doing that? Sydney asked nervously.  
  
Isn't it obvious? It would hide in the best place to control the time of the area, which must be the huge clock behind the professors' table in the Great Hall!  
  
Um... yes... of course. Precisely what I was thinking.  
**********************************  
  
Ten minutes to midnight, and the Cardcaptors were in position. Lauren was with Pandora and Harry, trying to keep an eye out for the Deatheaters and also trying to keep Pandora herself out of trouble. The worse effects of the potion had worn off, now she was having a sort of She hardly had her wits about her and was in no condition to catch a card. Lauren was rather pleased about that, though she figured Persephone probably already had it. She never had actually _said_ she did or didn't, but then again Persephone never said anything straight out.  
  
Speaking of the devil, she was talking in the corner with Pansy again. Pansy seemed to be upset, but Persephone shook her head and gestured towards the professors' table--or perhaps the clock--then stormed away towards the Slytherin table, leaving Pansy where she stood in the corner. She looked as if she were likely to break down at any moment, but she turned away and disappeared down a corridor.  
  
Dumbledore stood up to make his New Year's Eve speech as McGonagall tapped her glass with her fork to silence the students. Thirty more seconds...  
  
He began his speech, and was in the middle of apologizing for having to keep the students here for their own safety just as the minute hand move to five till midnight, and nearly twenty cloaked figures leapt from shadows, circling around the students and spouting spells which created a barrier so that none could escape, a barrier which included the professors' table. From their midst emerged one which practically floated across, heading straight for Dumbledore, whose eyes were narrowed at this approaching figure. The students huddles close together as the two stared at eachother, and were relieved to find a wand in Dumbledore's hand. No one would have expected so bold of a move on the part of the Deatheaters, yet here they were, every last one of them.  
  
This was not one of your wisest moves, was it? hissed a low voice from beneath the black hood.  
  
Perhaps you should question your own moves before you question mine.  
  
The figure hissed bitterly, and raised his wand high above his head, taking a breath as if to say something--a curse, perhaps?--but the clock struck midnight, and everything went black.  
********************************************  
  
How are we going to fix this...? Pandora asked, wringing her hands in her lap as she once again met her friends for discussion.  
  
We're sorry about last night, Panda, Sydney said. We were... well... like everyone... rather taken aback by the sudden attack. How are we going to capture this card though? Obviously everyone will see us.  
  
Yes, but if we capture the card, we will be in control of it and who is sheltered by it. Therefore, all we have to do, is take time back to before the Deatheaters came and then skip the five minutes in which they could come in, and everything will be fine! No one will remember anything! And who knows, maybe the card will fix everything itself once it's sealed.  
  
But Pandora, you still don't look like you're quite up to Cardcapturing... Are you sure you can handle it?  
  
I'll manage, she said, smiling wearily. And if I don't, maybe one of you could help me out.  
  
You bet we will! Lauren said, having recovered from her previous mishap with Holly.  
  
Good... because I'm not looking forward to repeating this day anymore. I've had quite enough.  
********************************************  
  
At five till, the evening started out as it had before, but Pandora used the Invisibility Card to hide behind the professors' table next to the clock. Unfortunately, they had neglected to discuss how to stop You-Know-Who from his already begun action of throwing some curse at Dumbledore. As soon as he appeared, he promptly resumed, shouting, __ as soon as he appeared.  
  
Everyone was very relieved as Dumbledore dodged the curse just in time, warding it off with a spell of its own. Unfortunately, it hit Pandora instead, who fell to the ground, the card immediately losing its effect as she appeared on the ground, writhing in pain.  
  
the Dark Lord hissed thoughtfully. A little roach trying to mess with the clock. That will never do.  
  
You will not hurt her! Harry shouted, standing up from the Gryffindor table, wand in hand.  
  
Time- STOP! Voldemort demanded, and everyone froze where they were, everyone except for him, the Deatheaters, and the five Cardcaptors. He practically slithered to where Harry stood, staring ahead like a statue. His eyes sparkled as if he was trying to get beyond the Time Card's work, but it was no use. You-Know-Who hissed happily, quite pleased with himself. Now we'll finish what we should have very long ago. He held his wand in the air and prepared for the curse...  
  
Father, no! I won't let you! Persephone shouted, hurrying over to the clock, her Sealing Staff already in hand.  
  
Oh, really, my Princess... And you think you shall stop me?  
  
She whirled to face the clock, her staff held high as she cried, Time Card! Return to me, the Master of the West demands it! Hogwarts Card, _RETURN!  
  
_As soon as she said this, a light shown from around the clock and a mist seeped from within it into the shape of a rectangle at the tip of her staff, until it transfigured into a green-backed Hogwarts Card.  
  
Immediately the Deatheaters and their master disappeared, and time began to run where it had left off before their tampering, just before the first toast to the New Year. The professors weren't quite sure what Pandora was doing on the floor behind them though, but they knew one of the three forbidden curses when they saw one and she was rushed to the Hospital Wing.  
**********************************  
  
Persephone, wait just a minute, please! Harry called to her the next day after leaving the Hospital Wing to visit Pandora. I... had a question for you.  
  
What is it, Potter? she asked icily.  
  
Harry ignored the slight sting her glare sent into his scar and continued. Why did you save me? You're father's probably terribly angry with you, and... well... I know you claim that I'm his problem and all, but you certainly don't seem to like me enough to put yourself into such danger. So... why?  
  
She looked away from him, casting her dark eyes to the ground as she answered slowly, It was too easy. He was at a rather despairing moment when his first curse missed, he had to resort to stopping Time. That's what a coward would do, and I know that if he actually remembered the entire event he would be ashamed of it, as he should be. As for his anger, he doesn't remember a thing, so no harm done. But that's all Potter, don't start thinking I like you. I can't wait until he finally beats you.  
  
She walked away, not bothering to look back at him. Everything she had just said was a lie, she knew it. To be honest, she still didn't know why she bothered to save that pest.  
  
She knocked at the door to Dumbledore's office when she arrived there, surprised that the gargoyle immediately hopped to one side.  
  
Persephone Avaran, what a pleasant surprise, he said from his desk, his blue eyes twinkling. And what, my dear, brings you to these parts?  
  
I apologize for intruding, Professor, but there is something I think you should know.  
  
Well, I'm sure there is. I mean look at me, I'm this old and I still don't know everything. I don't know how Professor McGonagall does it...  
  
Sir, this is serious. Do you remember anything from last night, anything strange?  
  
He watched her silently, then smiled and nodded his head once. Of course I do, everything is always strange in a place like this. I've come to expect it.  
  
  
  
he said, somewhat sternly, as he stood, I do know vaguely what happened, though not nearly as much as I wish I did. I am quite aware that you probably know more, but I would rather not have to expel you from school. You have potential to be one of the greatest witches of all time, and...  
  
It's not me you should worry about, Professor. It's that Pansy Parkinson girl. You should consider calling her in some time to look at her left forearm.  
  
Dumbledore stared at his desk, then heaved a sigh. Perhaps I will. Until then, Miss Avaran, it would probably be best for you to stay out of such affairs as best you can. Remember, I'm always here for you. He smiled gently and added, I hope you have a wonderful year.


	18. Episode XVII: The Magic of Music

**Cardcaptor Pandora  
**Episode XVII  
**The Magic of Music  
  
**

The Time Card set everything back to the way it was the first evening of New Year's Eve, so when Dumbledore finished his speech and everyone shouted Happy New Year! and Pandora put her eggnog to her lips, it was too late before she remembered what last became of drinking eggnog at a New Year's party. So by the time Lauren trusted Pandora's judgement enough to let her stray from the Gryffindor girls' dormitory, Pandora was quite ready to kill a certain someone, and she had her colorguard flag from Smelting's to help her out.  
  
Oh, Pandora, good morni- Draco began when he saw her, but stopped abruptly at the sight of the flag. He knew the hard way from summers at home when she still went to Smelting's what tortures she could do with that thing, and that was _without_ trying. Um... yes... well... I'm glad to see that you're better and all, but I've got to run!  
  
_Draco Malfoy, you stop right there and face the consequences like a man or I'll shove this up your ass so far that you'll have to go to the Hospital Wing to get it removed and maybe they'll find your head while they're at it!  
_  
Either way, he knew the future held much pain for him, and he figured he had a bit more of a chance if he ran, so he took that option and shot off. They were close to the dungeons, and Snape was always down there regardless of whether or not school was in session. If he found Snape, he could probably get him to side with him, and maybe even get a few points docked from Gryffindor House for chasing Slytherins around with flagpoles and threatening to shove them up their asses. Somewhere along the way they passed McGonagall, but he knew better than to try to get help from her, because she'd probably dock both houses points and probably make up some pathetic excuse to dock more from Slytherins because Gryffindors are sick and twisted that way. ((Yeah, Draco, whatever. You just keep telling yourself that.))  
  
There it was, the door to the Potions room in sight, and there was a dim light coming from under the crack which meant Snape had to be in there. Almost safe from certain death by sister....  
  
The door swung open just as he reached out for the handle and he ran smack into Professor Snape. Oh, Professor, I'm sorry! I was just in such a hurry to get away from my crazy sister... She's trying to kill me!  
  
Ah, good morning, Mr. Malfoy! Isn't it lovely, really? he said, the biggest grin on his face that could ever be imagined. It was even enough to make Pandora forget momentarily how much she wanted to beat her brother. Since you two wonderful students are here, would you mind helping me move some boxes into the Choir Room?  
  
Choir Room?! the twins said in unison.  
  
Yes! Choir Room! Isn't it wonderful, I'm starting a choir! And I know that you two are going to be anxious to join! he said with a wink, then turned back around into the Potions room humming.  
  
Alright, now what did you put into Professor Snape's drink, hmm, Draco Malfoy? Pandora grumbled as they followed him.  
  
I didn't do anything! Not this time!  
  
A likely story...  
  
Inside there were boxes full of sheet music of all genres. Pandora still couldn't believe that this was just something that Snape had been wanting to do with such a passion that it would make him so happy all of a sudden. Something had to be up, whether it involved Draco's scheming or not.  
  
The Choir Room was in another part of the dungeon where no classes were held, but in a place like Hogwarts, there were bound to be a lot of unused rooms. It seemed to be a large room which reminded Pandora of a conference room, except it was all made of dark stone. Don't worry, Snape said, I'm going to put carpet in her and things on the wall to help make the sound better for us. You are planning on joining, aren't you? Both of the twins started immediately with excuses, but Snape continued saying, Oh yes, I neglected to mention that singing in the choir automatically give you ten extra credit points on any Potions assignment.  
  
I'm in.  
***********************************************  
  
Snape's Choir immediately became a new topic which buzzed all throughout the school. Naturally everyone was in it because everyone had miserable Potions grades (except for a select few like Hermione Granger, but Ron says the reason she didn't join was because she can't sing a note, but of course she won't admit it). There were two rehearsals a week. Starting at seven on Tuesday evenings the 1st through 3rd years would rehearse for 45 minutes and then would be joined by the 4th through 7th years for 15 minutes, and then would leave the older students to rehearse their harder music alone until 9:15 or so. Then on Thursday evenings, all of the boys met at seven and all of the girls met at eight.  
  
At the first rehearsal everyone was still too stunned about what was happening to their Potions Master to know what to think. They were voiced and put into sections at that rehearsal with the help of Professor Everest, who was going to be the piano accompanist. In the younger choir, Holly was a soprano and Lauren was an alto--sort of. To be honest she could hardly carry a tune, but Snape needed more altos and so Lauren became one. Of course Lauren was not happy at all about being stuck in the same choir with Holly and no one else. In the older choir, Persephone naturally became an alto with her low, silky voice. Sydney was a soprano, and had a very nice voice. She sat next to Pandora... Pandora was also a soprano because her voice was high-pitched, but unfortunately when she was singing she had quite a difficult time _finding_ the pitch. The _worst_ part was that she thought she _was_ on pitch, so she sang louder. Rehearsals could be quite a nightmare.  
  
School had started again by the time the second week of rehearsals rolled around, and everyone thought that being back in the classroom would resurface the old Severus Snape they all knew and--ahem--loved. But no, they couldn't be so lucky. Suddenly they were making potions which were stictly for keeping the voice healthy instead of something that if ingested could kill a person instantly. And rehearsals weren't getting any better.  
  
After the women's rehearsal Thursday night, Sydney brought up how curious Snape's sudden interest in music was. I almost miss him, she admitted. I mean, as much as I hate Potions class and as nervous as he always makes me when I'm there, it was still one of those constants that you could depend on. Now... it's a little too strange.  
  
Many of the students seemed to share this view. They wanted the old Snape back, as odd as it may seem.  
  
You don't think that something's up, do you? Is it a Hogwarts Card or something? Lauren said eagerly.  
  
A Hogwarts Card that makes people happy and want to sing? That sounds like a strange one, but I guess it's possible. I'll ask Rangi about it.  
  
Holly said, adjusting her huge glasses on her nose, because if I have to sit through one more Potions lesson with that crazy Snape I won't be able to my homework, it will distress me so...  
  
Just... shut up, Holly, Lauren grumbled.  
  
But I don't want him to stop the choir! Pandora whined. I love to sing! It's something I'm actually good at!  
  
We really need to fix Snape, Sydney said, smiling and laughing just a little nervously. Pandora blinked at her curiously, wondering what she had said that had sparked such a response from Sydney, but decided not to make anything of it.  
******************************  
  
Music? Well, there is a card that makes the holder or whoever it decides to possess obsessed with music, but it usually has a darker effect because it is a Slytherin card called the Incantor. Incantations, as you know, are a very strong realm of magic in which are some of the worst curses imaginable. The holder of this card becomes very talented with this sort of magic, which can be good or bad. What I don't understand is that Snape is a rather dark individual, but is being affected in the _opposite_ manner so that he is acting much lighter than usual. I don't know what to make of that, but in any case I don't know what else could have caused this sudden switch. Incantor loves music to say the least.  
  
But how do I get the card out of him, Rangi? Pandora asked.  
  
That... is an interesting question which receives an interesting answer. Incantor herself is a happy spirit though held in darkness, and when she hears music she loves to dance to it. Unfortunately, when she's already inside of a person, that individual has to perform music to release her and allow her to do so. It is when she is dancing that is easiest to capture her. She hardly pays attention to her surroundings as long as the music is playing, it charms her. So I suppose... you're going to have to get Professor Snape to sing something for you.  
  
Oh right, and he won't notice me jumping up in the middle of his aria sealing a dancing crazy woman into a card...  
  
You have other cards, Pandora. You seem to forget that.  
  
She nodded slowly, then sighed. Alright then, I'll go see him tonight after my last class. Thanks, Rangi.  
  
*******************************  
  
She knocked on the door to the Potions room and was promptly welcomed. Pandora Malfoy, my star soprano! What might I do for you?  
  
She blushed and took the compliment as any Prima Donna would--which is as any Malfoy would--which is respond with a rather arrogant air--and said, Professor, I of course realize that I am one of your best readers in the choir, but there is still one part of Laudate Pueri that is giving me trouble. Would you mind singing through the song for me?  
  
Of course not! Just follow me to the Choir Room then.  
  
Once there, he sat down at the piano and opened the music score in front of him. Now where was the problem exactly?  
  
Um... I don't recall exactly... Maybe if you just sang through it, I'll tell you to stop when I hear it.  
  
He nodded and began to play the piano and sing. Pandora had never really heard him sing before because he was always directing, but was rather surprised at his voice quality. Perhaps he had missed his calling.  
  
Sure enough, as soon as he had sung the first note, a pale, slender figure glided above him like a ghost then twirled about the room, a very content look on her face. Pandora almost felt guilty for ruining her moment, but had to nevertheless. Freeze Card, freeze Snape! she cried, drawing her staff out and sending the magic straight as Snape before he had a chance to realize what had happened.  
  
The Incantor stopped and looked at her host who had stopped singing, now encased in a block of ice. She glided swiftly to him, but she could not return. She sank down on the floor in front of him and stared through the thick ice sadly, not even caring to look at Pandora as she stepped up behind her and said, Return to the Center, you Master awaits. Hogwarts Card, return!  
  
Pandora picked the green-backed card up and wrote her name on it immediately, then looked at Snape, still frozen. Deciding not to risk it, she hid herself using the Invisibility Card, then unfroze him. He seemed to not really know what he was doing there, which was fortunate for Pandora because she really didn't want to get in trouble or serve a detention.  
  
He had returned to normal by the next Potions class, and even seemed to be making up for lost time. He gave them three essays to write for one homework assignment, and said that homework was no excuse to miss choir rehearsal and that if anyone missed a rehearsal except for being sick, they would not receive their ten points extra credit. So she figured that meant the choir was staying. That was fine with her, she loved to sing after all and was so good at it. But she still didn't understand why Sydney seemed to upset. Honestly, she had a nice voice, just not as perfect as Pandora Malfoy's. ((~_^))


	19. Episode XVIII: Blood-Hunters Moon

**Cardcaptor Pandora  
**Episode XVIII  
**Blood-Hunter's Moon  
****  
**

The New Moon always did something strange to the castle and those who lived there. Maybe nothing particularly noticeable, but it was felt. It was mysterious, more so than even the full moon. For although the full moon invited the presence of bloodthirsty werewolves, it was the moon which brought so much light that even the inmost of all secrets had to be brought out. Or was that really true? And if it was, what _was_ the magic of the New Moon? Perhaps it was the very darkness of it, the fact that any secret or danger could be out in the open, and still no one would see it.... until it was too late.  
  
Panda, are you okay?  
  
Pandora jumped from her seat by the window and turned quickly to see Harry standing there. Yes, of course I'm okay. Why do you ask?  
  
I don't know, you just seem a little more distant than usual. At least, I've never known you to be one to stare out into the night for hours on end.  
  
She smiled tiredly and shook her head. I'm not really. I guess I am a little distracted about things. I just feel something... I don't know, something mysterious. Something that just isn't quite right.  
  
Is it a card?  
  
If it is, it's not very strong yet and it hasn't done anything to help me figure out what it might be. Which makes me think it's not, because the cards are usually quite eager to cause trouble, especially the ones that give me this dark, foreboding feeling.  
  
Harry smirked as he charmed a chair over to the window next to her and sat down. I think it's just because you're letting your Slytherin fourth out. It tends to be a little darker.  
  
Slytherin fourth?  
  
He laughed and said, Panda, come on! You know what I'm talking about. You have the qualities of all four houses equally, which means Slytherin has to be in there somewhere.  
  
Yes, well, I don't think it comes in it's dark form. I'm too cute, after all.  
  
Not to mention a little vain, just like every other Malfoy I've ever met before, Harry muttered.  
  
You say it like it's something bad.  
  
But really, his words did make her think a little. It was true, after all. There had to be something inside of her that wasn't completely as cute and as as she would like to think. She knew it was there, and it was on nights like this that it was the strongest. After all, in darkness all truth can be forthcoming and yet never be seen.  
  
She stood up suddenly and paced around the room, Harry's eyes following her like prey watching the predator. Panda, you're worrying me a little. I've never seen you like this.  
  
I... I'm sorry... I think I need to go out for a while.  
  
You'll get in trouble if you're not careful, it's too late for us to be out.  
  
I'll be fine, Harry, she said just a bit irritably. An Invisibility Card works better than even your treasured Invisibility Cloak. She called upon the powers of that card with only a thought that night. Rarely was she quite that powerful.  
  
She walked the many corridors of the castle for hours, feeling even more restless with every step she took. Whatever was wrong with her, she wanted it to end.  
  
She'd never really used the full powers of this card, but that night she felt like taking every advantage of it possible. There was no way she could continue haunting the castle like a ghost herself. Of course the castle was always full of new and different wonders, but they seemed like nothing. She needed fresh air and maybe a little bit of adventure, dangerous adventure. And she didn't want anyone else to be a part of it.  
  
The crisp night air hit her sharply, almost like a bite, but she loved it. The strange-colored darkness excited her, angered her, laughed at her, she wasn't entirely sure. It was all around and all-encompassing. Her thoughts overlapped eachother so much there were hardly any real thoughts left at all. Something was pulling her farther away from the castle, and she was more than willing to follow it out and out even more until the branches of the Forbidden Forest closed around her, hiding her from everyone that would not be able to see her anyway.  
  
It's a terribly dangerous evening for a beautiful young lady such as yourself to be out, a charming voice said.  
  
She turned quickly but quietly to face a young man dressed in all black with pale skin that seemed to radiate a dim glow like the moon itself. He had a handsome, almost seductive smile, and dark eyes that drew the blessed object of their gaze straight to their master, like a moth to a flame. She didn't move though, for he could not be talking to her after all. She was invisible.  
  
He threw back his head and laughed, his white teeth catching a glimpse in the moonlight which wasn't there. That magic will not hide you from me, my dear, but there's nothing for you to hide from out here. Your invisibility will protect you from a Nightshade just about as well as that lovely, light, figure-fit robe you are wearing.  
  
She felt her cheeks grow hot as she withdrew the powers of the Invisibility Card with yet again only a thought. Good evening, she said, her voice catching and coming out very small and timid. Who are you?  
  
Lady's first, he said with a full extravagant bow at the waist.  
  
She laughed nervously and said a little louder, My name is Pandora Malfoy. I go to Hogwarts.  
  
I could have figured that much, he said coming closer and dropping his voice to barely above a whisper. My name is Lunarus, and once again, I must warn you that this is not a safe place for a beautiful woman such as yourself. Perhaps I could assist you in some way?  
  
He was now speaking calmly directly into Pandora's ear, sending chills through her body. Again, she laughed nervously and backed away, her feelings from earlier stronger than ever. Thanks, but no. I was just coming out for some night air and thought a little glimpse into the forest would be nice, but I really should be going back. They might worry if they found out that...  
  
Oh, but stay, he said, stepping in front of her and drawing out a long black cloak that was tied around his neck. For your own protection, stay.  
  
What do you mean? You already said that it was dangerous for me to be here.  
  
Ah, but it is ever-so-much-more dangerous for you to go back. There are dangerous things here, Pandora. Dangerous creatures, dangerous people. Do stay.  
  
She turned her back on him after her head had begun to feel dizzy, similar to how she felt when in Divination with all of the various fumes flying about. But this wasn't from intoxicating fumes, this was from the proximity of an incredibly handsome man, a tall, dark stranger whom she had never met before and knew she needed to be careful of. And yet...  
  
She felt his hands on her shoulders. They touched her so lightly, it was more like a presence than the physical touch of a human being. In any case, she sensed something very wrong with all of it. You have nothing to worry about, Pandora, he whispered, his lips brushing against her ear as he spoke into it. I'm here... I'll protect you...  
  
She felt herself begin to fall back into him, though her mind screamed out against it. And if it hadn't been for the distraction of a blood-curtling scream, she just might have done a number of other things she may have severely regretted later. But the scream jarred her away from the trance she had been temporarily under, and her sealing staff appeared in her hand almost as effortlessly as she had used the Invisibility Card from earlier.  
  
The sight of the staff immediately caused Lunarus to back up, lowering his face so that she could see very little of it anymore except for his dark, piercing eyes. I'll leave you for now, Pandora, but don't forget I warned you.  
  
You... you're... she stammered, taking a step forward with the staff in hand, until from behind her she heard frantic cries mixed with sobs after a time of complete silence after the scream which had been abruptly choked to a stop. She turned, wondering if it was closer, but when she looked back to where Lunarus had been, he had completely disappeared into the forest.  
  
Once again facing the forest, she stepped boldly into it, her staff tightly clenched in her hand as she moved silently towards the sobbing. When she parted the last few branched blocking her way, she saw a girl kneeling in the grass on her knees, her face in her hands as she bent over entirely, as if bowing before a god. She had long black hair, which immediately made Pandora think of a certain someone who had not been at school ever since the incident with the Time Card.  
  
  
  
The figure whirled around, still crouched close to the ground. Pandora was correct, it was Pansy Parkinson, but her face was even paler than usual and her eyes flashed hatred and fear, and something else not quite so easily placed. What do you want, Malfoy? she growled.  
  
Pandora didn't know what to make of her. Her body was bent over and thin, as if completely fatigued, yet she had such energy in her eyes. The energy of a starving predator. Pansy, why did you scream? What's wrong? Are you alright?  
  
Pansy managed to pull herself upright, but then clung to a tree as if restraining herself. Leave now, I'm warning you. Due to recent developments, I just might kill you with very little thought beforehand if you don't save yourself now.  
  
Pansy! _What is going on?_  
  
She narrowed her dark eyes, regarding Pandora silently for a moment until she did something which didn't quite fit the character of everything else going on. She smiled. This strange action caught Pandora off-guard at first, until she saw the reasoning behind it. Pansy's canine teeth had grown into long, sharp fangs.  
  
Immediately Pandora understood why she was suddenly so pale. She had just been attacked, which would explain the screaming, and had little blood in her. She was hungry.  
  
Now maybe you'll understand why you should get away, Malfoy. Right now, before I do something in my dizzying state of starvation...  
  
Pansy, no! You need help! There are doctors you can talk to, and I'm sure Dumbledore can protect you from other things. Come back with me. You've got to go somewhere before the sun rises.  
  
You haven't noticed? she sneered, her teeth flashing in the moonlight which wasn't there. You don't even know what time it is.  
  
Close to morning, I know that much.  
  
Yes, very. It's 8:30.  
  
Pandora stared at her curiously. But that's impossible. It's still this dark outside...  
  
You haven't met Lunarus, have you.  
  
Pandora blushed at the mere memory. Yes, but what does he have to do with it still being dark outside?  
  
Because he's powerful enough to keep the night present, possibly forever. The... vampire... who drained me found Lunarus' spirit in a dark cave somewhere here in the Forbidden Forest when he was hiding from the sunlight, then used his powers to keep it dark. Pansy crossed her arms and looked away sadly. I suppose I should be glad about it, I won't have any use for the sunlight anymore.  
  
Pandora was hardly listening anymore. She knew exactly what Lunarus was, and now she had to find him again unless she wanted the eerie New Moon to stay out for the rest of eternity over Hogwarts and the Forbidden Forest. Do you know where he might be?  
  
Who? The vampire or Lunarus?  
  
  
  
Pansy shrugged. If you're really stupid enough to want to find him, that's your own problem. I'm out of it. She smirked slightly as she began to walk away. In all truth, I'm probably freer now than I have been for a few months. The Dark Mark doesn't work on a dead body.  
  
Pandora watched nervously as Pansy seemed to disappear in a mist as she walked away, her feet touching the grass and crisp leaves without making a sound. At least now she understood the dark feeling she was having... at least to a certain extent. Lunarus was a Hogwarts Card, but exactly what was he? Of course, it wasn't always necessary to name a card before sealing it, so she would have to hope that this was one of those times.  
  
She was very wary of her surroundings as she continued searching, knowing that she might easily stumble upon something or someone other than Lunarus. And with a vampire around...? The very thought made her shudder. She could only hope that he had gotten enough blood off of Pansy, considering he did suck her dry, obviously. But that also made her worry for Pansy's sake. What would she do now? Was she just going to live forever out in the Forbidden Forest? There was bound to be some day when the sun would catch her off guard if that was the case. She would have to figure some way of bringing Pansy back to the castle, but that would have to come later. For now, she needed Lunarus, but where would he be?  
  
It was times like this that made her wish she was Holly. Holly always had an answer for everything, and she would certainly know how to get a card like Lunarus to show himself. Unfortunately, she didn't, nor did she figure he would come upon her so easily again now that he knew she was on to him.  
  
Pandora thought hard, trying to remember everything Rangi had ever told her about capturing a card. Finally, she remembered something about that when she was powerful enough she would be able to force a nearby card into her presence by calling it's name, but it did require a lot of power. More than that she didn't even know what card it was, and if she was even going to attempt that she would have to be certain in his true identity.  
  
The more she tried to think of who he really was, the more she couldn't get _him_ off of her mind. His low voice which drew anyone who listened closer to him. His handsome pale face framed by his jaw-length black hair, like the orb of light in a cloudless midnight sky. His warm breath against her neck like the gentle rays of light the moon casts to the ground from the sky through the piercing chilled wind. His very skin, casting that same glow which that particular night was absent from the sky, the glow of moonlight...  
  
Moonlight... Moonlight... Moon-  
  
Moon Card, come into my presence now! I, the Center, command it! Pandora shouted fiercely to the night pitch black sky, her staff raised high as she felt the power and energy that had long been bottled inside her that evening swelling up and releasing itself, power she had never felt in herself before.  
  
Congratulations, Mistress, came the sound of his voice, causing another chill to flow down her body. I was skeptical of your true power at first, but I see had little reason to worry. Perhaps you truly are worthy of your title.  
  
No more sweet-talk from you, Lunarus! I am sealing you!  
  
Of course you are, but don't you want to do something about your friend first? If you seal me away, the sun will come out and she will not be expecting it, a mistake which will cause her her life. All you will find of her will be a little pile of ashes.  
  
Pandora narrowed her eyes, but she knew he was right. She couldn't just leave Pansy out there, but neither could she trust Lunarus could wait for her, and she seriously doubted that she would be able to call him to herself again. To be honest, she felt her powers slowly dwindling.  
  
Finally, she thought of something, but she didn't know if it would work. It was her only option, though, so she took it. Power of Sleep, find Pansy Parkinson and put her into a deep sleep. Power of Wind, bring her gently to me. Go!  
  
She waited, staring straight at Lunarus who did not move, though she believed he would disappear in a heartbeat if she blinked for an extended nanosecond. Soon she seriously began to doubt that her plan was working, but relieved a moment later when the sleeping body of Pansy Parkinson came to rest softly at her feet.  
  
Now came the risky part, which if she was wrong, could cost Pansy her life. But she had to seal the card, there was no question of that. Powers of Invisibility and Freeze, combine to cloak her from the dangerous rays of sunlight.   
  
Soon only an imprint in the grass was all that told Pandora that Pansy was still there. At last, she raised her staff towards Lunarus, and whispered lowly, Return to the Center, your Master awaits. Hogwarts Card Moon... _Return!_  
*******************************************************  
  
It was a lovely day off, even if the actual didn't start until about 9:30 after the Slytherin Moon Card had been sealed by Pandora. In the meantime, Pandora had snuck Pansy Parkinson into her room so that she could be certain that the sunlight hadn't harmed her. She was very relieved when Pansy woke up and felt no pain. But Pansy was not happy to be back in the castle, not at all. In fact, she made Pandora promise not to tell anyone, not Dumbledore, not Draco, not Harry, not _anyone_. It was a similar exchanging of secrets that she and Harry had shared when she had admitted to him that she was a Cardcaptor, because of course she had to explain to Pansy how she had gotten rid of Lunarus and gotten Pansy safely into the castle with the warm rays of a morning sun bearing down on her frail vampire skin.  
  
She didn't know how long the promise would last, because she knew Pansy would get fed up with only having her for company after a while. But Rangi was quite pleased to have another person to talk to constantly, and was even more pleased when he heard of Pandora's adventure, though initially he seemed incredibly disturbed at the mention of Lunarus.  
  
Pandora! You met Lunarus? What happened? Did he... did you... are you okay?! Pandoraaaaaa!!  
  
I sealed him, didn't I?  
  
But... but... He sighed. Yes, you did, which is amazing. His main way of defending himself--which he is quite good at--is... well... seducing the captor. He doesn't try that method for males, however, which is probably why he was working for the vampire... Rangi shook his head and smirked. In face, it takes an incredible amount of power for a female to withstand his charms, for there's more than just his handsome smile involved. He uses magic, and rarely he lose. Not only that, but you were actually able to summon him into your presence. Pandora, you really are turning out to be Cardcaptor I knew was inside of you.  
  
She smiled and said, Thanks, but it was a rather awkward evening overall. I don't know what came over me. Some sort of strange energy... it made the darker sort of mood I was in even worse.  
  
New Moon, huh? Rangi said, staring at the ground as if it held the secrets of the multiverse. We'll need to be keeping an eye out for those, especially when a Hogwarts Card is up to something at the same time.  
  
((Sorry it took me a while to get this one out. I had a lot of projects and stuff... But the next episode's going to be the Valentine's Day Special (even though it's not quite Valentine's Day, but oh well) and it's going to be funny, I promise! It's the one I was supposed to write for Romilly, if you're still out there! So stay tuned! ~_^ ))


	20. Episode XIX: For the Love of Harry

**Cardcaptor Pandora  
**Episode XVIII  
**For the Love of Harry  
****(The Valentine's Day Special)  
  
  
**

Two days left to Valentine's Day, and Pandora couldn't be more excited. She was going to kiss Harry whether he liked it or not, and this time she wasn't going to be drunk on a stupid love potion and would remember it!   
  
But while Pandora was flitting around getting ready for the big day, Pansy Parkinson sulked in her little house that Pandora had made for her in a drawer. By using the Little Card, she had been shrunk down so that she could comfortably life there. She preferred it there anyway because it was so dark. Rangi liked it too, because it was the perfect size for him, so he could go annoy Pansy whenever he wanted to (to her deep regret).   
  
This particular evening though, Pansy felt like getting into trouble. She had more or less had no company besides Pandora and Rangi for a month, and was feeling rather restless. So why not cause a little trouble? She was a Slytherin after all, it was what she did best. While Pandora was out, she persuaded Rangi into helping her out of the drawer, then was able to make herself grow (because earlier Pandora had given her that power). Knowing that it would be bad to be recognized, she pulled her cloak around her and drooped the black hood over her face, looking so terribly like a Deatheater. Was she ever glad those days were over, even if it _had_ cost her her   
  
The halls weren't too crowded, just a few people standing here and there, but of course no one bothered to look up and notice her. She figured most people were in their Common Rooms, in the Great Hall, or outside still. Outside sounded pleasant, so she headed that direction.  
  
It truly was a beautiful evening, the kind one would like to spend with someone they love. Pansy thought of who that was for her, but instead of growing sad at the loss her heart hardened. Draco Malfoy, he was the one that caused this to happen to her. He broke his promise and left her with little choice but to join the Deatheaters, and if she hadn't have joined the Deatheaters she wouldn't have gotten kicked out of school, and if she hadn't have gotten kicked out of school, she wouldn't be a vampire. And yet, when she thought about killing him or something as drastic as that, she knew she still loved him, somewhere deep, deep, _deep _down in her heart. So she couldn't kill him. No, instead she would have to think of a more creative method for revenge.  
  
As she sat beneath a tree pondering what she ought to do, something swished by her head and shot with a _twang_ into the tree trunk she was leaning against, right where her head would have been if she hadn't moved it in time. She slowly turned to see what it was, and saw that it was an arrow. Normally this would make a person feel uncomfortable. For Pansy, she didn't worry much about her life anymore except in daylight, so she just reached up to pull it out and toss it away. But as soon as she touched a finger to it, something strange happened. She giggled.  
  
She drew her hand back as if she had been bitten, the strange sensation passing. She _never_ It was _so_ unPansy Parkinsonish.  
  
Oh, dragon feathers! I missed again! came a rather feminine male voice with a lisp. Pansy looked to where it was coming from to see a lanky teenage boy dressed in a white toga with jaw-length blond hair and a bow with a bundle of arrows strapped to his back.  
  
What were you trying to do, kill me?! she growled, knowing how crazy that would sound if he knew what she really was. What do you think you're doing, Cupid? Then again, on second thought, he looked much more like the type...  
  
Oh, no! I would never do that, Honey-Sweetie! That was a Get-Happy Arrow! That's why you giggled when you touched it, and really, Sugar, it was most adorable.  
  
A Get-Happy Arrow... -_-  
  
Yes! I've got lots of arrows, really, but nothing that would kill a person. My personal favorite though is the Undying-Love Arrow.  
  
Undying-Love Arrow? Pansy asked, her interest suddenly sparked.  
  
Yes, of course. Whoever gets hit by it falls hopelessly in love with the person who's name is spoken when it is shot.  
  
This was perfect. All she had to do was tell Fairy-Cupid-Boy to say her name while he shot Draco with an arrow. It was perfect. So... um... Cupid...  
  
My name's Jerry.  
  
Yeah, whatever. Gary. I know someone who would really love to be hit by one of your arrows...  
  
Oh really? he asked, doing the queerest little dance in the moonlight. Who is it? Who is it? Oh, I am just so excited I could kiss you!  
  
NO! That's... quite alright... His name is Draco Malfoy, and he wants to fall in love with...  
  
But her voice stopped. She couldn't go through with it, it was too easy. It wouldn't be true love, she could never live with that. She knew it. But still, it was a perfect opportunity for revenge, if only she could think of someone Draco absolutely despised. Hm... Hermione Granger.... No, that would up her reputation too much.... Ginny Weasley.... Sure, it would be hilarious to see him with the redheaded girl of the hand-me-down family, but no.... Hm... Who does Draco despise more than anyone else on earth?  
  
...he wants to fall in love with Harry Potter.  
***************************************************************************************  
  
The next morning was Saturday, the day before Valentine's Day, and Pandora planned on spending the next 48 hours in the company of Harry Potter whether or not he liked it. So far they had had a good time, except soon he would have to leave for Quidditch practice, where she would follow him and watch until he got off for lunch. But because of all these plans she had already made, she certainly wasn't pleased when Draco started coming towards them with the strangest look on his face. It wasn't one of contempt or one of his usual smirks, it was quite different. His eyes were big and staring straight at them with a spark in them like... like... something she couldn't even describe. Hey, Dray! she said as he came nearer, but closed her mouth when he walked right past her as if she hadn't been standing there and went straight for Harry.  
  
Draco fell to the ground on his knees in front of Harry, offering up to him a bundle of roses like a sacrifice to a god. Harry, after all this time I am finally able to tell you how I really feel about you, he said, his voice sounding remarkably sincere. Please take these flowers as a token of my undying love for you.  
  
Harry's mouth just about dropped to the floor as he stood gawking at Draco, swearing that this had to be some kind of sick sick sick joke that he was all too afraid of seeing the punch line of. Um... right Draco... Do you need to go to the Hospital Wing? You don't seem to be feeling so well.  
  
Would you _like_ to feel me? Draco asked eagerly.  
  
And Harry ran away quickly to spare Pandora the unappetizing sight of him throwing up on her twin brother.  
  
Draco, _what_ are you _think_ing?! she asked, hurrying over to kneel next to her brother who looked like his little heart had just been shattered. He just stared after Harry like a lost puppy. Pandora stood up and placed both of her hands on either side of his head lightly. It was as she suspected. This was the work of a Hogwarts Card. Unfortunately, the feeling wasn't strong enough for it to actually be inside of him, just the aftereffect of one's power. She would have to take it up with Rangi, and fast before Draco lost every ounce of the reputation he had.  
*****************  
  
Where in the world have you been? Rangi asked as Pansy finally showed up again after having been gone all night.  
  
She shrugged and plopped down on Pandora's bed, glad not to see her there at the moment, for she didn't want to explain anything about Fairy-Cupid-Boy who was still hiding out in the forest. I just haven't been out in a while and I rather like the night, you understand.  
  
But I missed you! Rangi whined pitifully, curling up on Pansy's shoulder and snuggling his lion-head against her face.  
  
She rolled her eyes. You are so pathetic.  
  
Suddenly the door to the small dorm flew open, causing Pansy's heart to skip a beat until she saw that it was only Pandora in a panic, as usual. Are you trying to scare us half to death?  
  
Pansy, why are you big? Pandora asked, but immediately slipped into different questions. Something is _terribly_ wrong with Dray, Rangi! He's... he's.... she stopped and shuddered.  
  
Hitting on Harry? Pansy finished for her.  
  
Pandora blinked at her. Yeah... How did you know?  
  
I heard some kids talking about it when I was sneaking back up here, she lied, not wanting to let on that she knew anything about how he might have gotten that way.  
  
Yes, well, I know it's a Hogwarts Card. It's just a matter of finding it, or knowing what it is.  
  
The only card that I know of that can make one person fall hopelessly in love with another is the Hufflepuff Heart Card, but he usually won't do anything this drastic unless someone else persuades him to, Rangi said.  
  
Which means someone must have found him and did this! But why? Poor Dray! Pandora sighed, rather exasperated at the entire situation. I'll have to figure this out later. I've got to find him and keep him out of trouble before he destroys his entire Hogwarts career! She turned and ran quickly out the door.  
  
Pansy couldn't help but snigger at Malfoy's ever-so-deserved misfortunes, but it didn't go unnoticed. Pansy, that really wasn't a very nice thing for you to do.  
  
She shrugged as she sat down at the small white vanity and began to pull her hair into two long black braids. He's had it coming to him.  
  
Rangi sighed and when he spoke almost sounded amused. Well, yes really, I suppose he did. But still... it wasn't very nice.  
  
Come on, Rangi. You know it's hilarious. Laugh.  
  
Did he ever. Alright, alright. You can have your fun for one more day, but tomorrow evening, the night before Valentine's Day, you've got to fix him and take Pandora to where Jerry is hiding.  
  
Jerry? Oh, you mean Fairy-Cupid-Boy! Sure, tomorrow evening, it's a deal.  
************************************  
  
The next day didn't start out much better. When Harry walked with Pandora out of the Gryffindor Common Room, he was promptly greeted by Draco Malfoy who seemed to have been waiting outside of that portrait all night long. Ah! Harry, my love, how good it is to see you! Nights are so very lonesome and miserable without you by my side. Harry bolted down the corridor and down all of the stairs, leaving Pandora there to figure out what to do with her brother. Mini-Pansy, mounted on Rangi's back, watched quietly from the top of the painting, trying so hard not to laugh out loud. When Pandora's attention was significantly diverted to her brother, they flew on after Harry to see what would happen.  
  
Harry cried as he ran into the Great Hall and spotted his friend. You've got to help me! Draco Malfoy wants me!  
  
Ron stared at him, a little confused. Wants you how? Dead...? In bed...? What?  
  
Malfoy's in... in.... He gulped and finally finished the sentence, ...in love with me.  
  
Ron's eyes grew huge, but just as he opened his mouth to say something, an escaped Draco Malfoy hurried over to where they were. He stared at Ron accusingly, then turned a very hurt look on Harry. Harry, tell me this isn't so... it can't be... You and _Weasley?!_ Harry, say it isn't so!  
  
At the time, it seemed like a good idea. Yes, YES that's it! Ron and I are lovers! he said, hooking arms with Ron and laying his head on his shoulder.  
  
Ron cocked an eyebrow and looked overall to be quite uncomfortable with the entire situation. Yes, Harry, I love you too. But remember, we promised not to kiss in public.  
  
Draco once again looked as if his life held little meaning anymore. Harry... no... it can't be... He staggered backwards as if he'd been shot in the heart. Luckily, Pandora was behind him to steady him. Fine! If you won't love me, then I won't give anyone the privilege! I shall go throw myself off of the highest tower! He once again broke free of Pandora and ran off somewhere else, his sister close on his heels, not ready to see her twin brother turn into a pile of mush. Ron and Harry just blinked after them until they were out of sight, then just about died laughing.  
***********************************  
  
It was only about fifteen minutes before sunset. Pandora had been by his side in the library only moments before, but said that someone wanted to meet her outside right after the sun went down, so she had left to take care of that. Earlier she had put her brother to sleep using the Sleep Card, because there wasn't much else she could do. Now Harry sat there alone, wondering where all the other Cardcaptors were in all this. He couldn't help but wonder if one of them had anything to do with it. He doubted that Lauren had it in her, but she would be the only other one besides Persephone Avaran, who was his prime suspect. Of course it didn't add up. She was going out with Draco after all.  
  
What are you pondering about, Potter? I certainly don't see you here often unless you are trying to get into trouble.  
  
He knew immediately the owner of that icy voice.   
  
She sat down across from him, laying a huge black book in front of her with a thud, which looked to be written in a language and hand unlike anything he had ever seen. He didn't ask questions though. He preferred not to have a headache. It must be very difficult dealing with Draco, she said, with something that could be considered a smirk playing at the corners of her mouth.  
  
he said, looking up at her over the rim of his glasses, but unwilling to completely pull his face up from the book he was pretending to be interested in. So why aren't you out there trying to catch that card?  
  
She shrugged. It's a Hufflepuff Card, nothing worth my time, really. There's no point in trying to hold on to something as fictional as Loyalty.  
  
He nodded, trying to make it apparent that he wasn't up to a conversation with her. He hated to admit it, but talking to Persephone was one of the most awkward experiences. In fact, when he thought about it, it ranked closely to meeting Voldemort in the forest when he was a First Year, except it was still different. Instead of just fear and curiosity, for her he felt almost an _attraction_. He didn't understand it, this close feeling he had when he was around her, not at all. He didn't like it but he couldn't hate it. It was truly miserable.  
  
What do you think about Loyalty, Potter? she suddenly asked.  
  
The question caught him off guard. he asked, looking up into her inky black eyes as something--love, hate, who knew?--swelled up inside of him. I suppose it all adds up to not abandoning or betraying people who you've promised something to or that you have a deep affection for, rather it be friendship or love, even in the most trying of situations.  
  
She nodded, the shadow of a smile that had previously crossed her features now vanished. Fair enough. What about Love?  
  
He blinked at her, now feeling exceedingly uncomfortable. What about it?  
  
Who are people that you love?  
  
Well... there are different levels of love. I mean, I love Ron and Hermione as friends, they're two people I don't know what I'd do without anymore. I love Pandora on a higher level. Then there's the kind of love you share with members of your family... He smiled and gave a short laugh. I guess if it really came down to it I'd say that I even love the Dursleys... to a certain extent.  
  
Persephone nodded and then picked up her book as she stood. Thank you, then.  
  
He watched her, completely confused. What was that all about?  
  
I was just trying to clear something up. Thank you for helping me. And I love you too.  
  
His jaw dropped as she walked silently away, never turning back. He stayed where he was, though something inside of him wanted more than anything to follow her.  
**********************************  
  
Pandora, I'm sorry! But really, he _did_ deserve it.  
  
That's no excuse, Pansy! He's my brother, and you had no right to use a Hogwarts Card that way! It's a good thing I caught it before it could do anymore harm.  
  
Rangi knew about it too...  
  
I did not! She's lying!  
  
Right she is.  
  
The three debated for a while, but Pandora grew tired of it. What was done was done, and Draco would be fine the next morning anyway. Besides, now she had a new card, the Heart Card, though he was a rather interesting character and she didn't really know what use he would be. Unless she wanted to get into some nice and dirty trouble with Harry, but... not yet. For now she had the rest of Valentine's Day to spend with him, and she wouldn't have to share him with anyone, not even her heartbroken twin brother.  



	21. Episode XX: A Switch for Quidditch

**Cardcaptor Pandora  
**Episode XX  
**A Switch For Quidditch  
****  
**

Pandora thought her brother would never get over the trauma of Valentine's Day, though she had to admit, it was for good reason. But even Harry had been acting awfully strange, and she didn't know what that was about. He seemed more distant if nothing else, and had become increasingly more wary of where Persephone was if they ever might be in the same room. It didn't really add up, but he was strange that way. Besides, a deciding Quidditch game was coming up. Slytherin would be going to the final round as it was, but if Gryffindor didn't win against them on Saturday, they wouldn't have another chance that year. It was plenty more of a reason for Harry to worry.  
  
As for Pansy, they found a sort of hidden passageway with various rooms beginning in the dungeons area, far away from any ray of sunlight. Thank goodness for the Marauder's Map. Pandora felt sort of bad about banning her down there, but if she was going to start interfering with her cardcaptoring (and with Rangi's help, no less!), then something had to be done. Rangi promised that he would go see her as much as he could. Pandora was beginning to think that Rangi had a crush on Pansy or something. He claimed it was only because it gave him someone to talk to during the day. A likely story. Still, Pansy looked like she could use the company.  
  
But on that particular evening, after all the classes were over, one hard Quidditch practice was about to take place. Pandora went to watch the practice. To be honest, she wanted to make the Quidditch team some day, but she would have to be a lot better on her broom first. Ron also came, and for much the same reason. He _vowed_ to be on the Quidditch team before he left Hogwarts. Besides, Hermione and he had gotten in a fight earlier about something not very important, which was somehow sparked after she had received a letter from Victor Krum.  
  
Unfortunately, the Gryffindor Quidditch team was greeted with quite an unpleasant surprise. The Slytherin team was also planning a practice there at the exact same time. Apparently there had been a mixup in the sign-up for times. One couldn't even tell the other that they got there first, it was at the exact same time. To solve the problem, Madam Hooch came onto the field and said that the first Seeker to touch the hand of the person standing in the middle of the field starting from their own side would win the stadium for their team's practice. She would have let them fight over a snitch, but that would take too long.  
  
Ron spoke up immediately as he always did whenever he had a chance (however so often it may backfire) to make Draco look foolish and said, Ha ha, Malfoy! Just give it up now! You _know_ Harry's Firebolt is twenty times faster than your broomstick! He's a better Seeker too! At least he didn't have to _buy_ his way onto the team.  
  
Madam Hooch managed to block Draco from getting to Ron with enough momentum to do much damage, then she said, And you, Mr. Weasley, have the privilege of standing in the center of the field with your hand in the air.  
  
he cried. You've got to be kidding! Certain death awaits a person who stands in the middle of two bloody fast Seekers! Well... at least _one_ bloody fast and the other a bloody mean one who certainly wouldn't mind causing a bit of bodily harm to me...  
  
Then maybe you should have thought of that _before_ you started spouting whatever first came into your head without properly processing it first. Now get to the center. Seekers, to your positions.  
  
As soon as all were in their positions, Madam Hooch blew the whistle, and off they went. Pandora crossed her fingers in hopes of helping Harry move just a little faster, though she did feel somewhat guilty about wishing against her own brother. She could see Ron holding his breath. She didn't blame him at all, it would be just a little scary to be between those two, and she knew already that it probably wasn't going to end well.  
  
But suddenly, as she watched, somehow to her own eyes everything began to move slower, and she saw things that she wasn't sure they were really there. Draco was closer, and gaining. Indeed, he was just about to reach out and hit Ron's hand when there was some sort of flash of light, though Pandora couldn't say if it was really there or if it was some trick of the sun, except there almost seemed to be a _face_ there... In any case, when she snapped out of the slow-motion phase her mind had slipped into, she saw both her brother and Ron sprawled out on the ground, unconscious.  
  
Oh, dear! How do so many people get hurt for the sake of Quidditch and it's not even a game yet? Madam Hooch shook her head and then charmed them so that they floated in front of her. I am going to take these two to the Hospital Wing. True, the Slytherin Seeker did reach the goal first, but he wasn't supposed to plow him under either. Therefore, Slytherin is disqualified for this practice time, and it goes to Gryffindor. She walked off quickly with the two invalids, not wanting to stick around to listen to all the Slytherin whining. After a few more minutes, they all went away sulking and glaring at the Gryffindor team, vowing that they would beat them on Saturday.  
  
Harry was not ready to practice now though. He was very worried about Ron, even though he knew that Madam Pomfrey would be able to fix everything just fine. Don't worry, Pandora said to him gently, then kissed him on the cheek. He'll be alright.  
  
I know. But still...  
  
Would you feel better if I went to check on them?  
  
He smiled and nodded. I would.  
  
Fine then. I'll be back whenever I know anything more.  
*******************************  
  
Pomfrey had set them in the same room of the Hospital Wing. She had a few other patients to attend to, and had already done what she needed to with them. She allowed Pandora to sit with them until they woke up, which Madam Pomfrey said should be any minute.  
  
Draco stirred first, and Pandora rushed to his side, anxious for him to wake up. Dray, are you okay?  
  
What the bloody hell...? he mumbled with a little more inflection than he usually bothered to put in his droning voice.  
  
Dray, you really shouldn't say things like that you know, she said with a light laugh.  
  
Why are you calling me Dray,' Pandora? he said in a strange voice as he opened up his bleary eyes to her.  
  
I... I always call you Dray... Unless you're in a bad mood and you'd rather me call you Draco...  
  
He stared at her nervously for a second, then grinned and stared up at the ceiling. You just think you're being funny, don't you. Well you're not. I can see straight through you, you stupid Malfoy!  
  
Draco... but _you're_ a stupid Malfoy' too, if you're going to be _that_ way about it, though I don't know why you would be.  
  
I am _not_, Pandora! I'm Ron Weasley! You know that...  
  
Pandora's jaw dropped and she stared at Draco... or it appeared... in a state of complete confusion. If... if _you're_ Ron, then who's lying in that bed over there? she asked, pointing to the bed next to him where bright red hair stuck up on its end above the pillow.  
  
Draco/Ron jumped out of bed, obviously not feeling any further side-effects from the earlier incident, and hurried over to the other bed. He leaned over to see the face clearly, and sure enough, it was what was supposed to be his own. What the...?!  
  
Just then the redheaded Ron stirred and opened one eye up to see Draco/Ron. He scowled at it and closed his eye again. This is some screwed up dream, said Ron in a Draco-ish tone.  
  
It's not a dream, Malfoy, get up! We've got to get back to our own bodies, because I'm going to die if I have to spend the night in Slytherin House!  
  
Pandora listened and watched as the two of them talked (or fought rather) about what they should do, remembering the light and the face that she saw just before they collided. She closed her eyes and stretched out with her senses. It was as she suspected. The doings of a Hogwarts Card.  
  
But now how was she supposed to explain that to Ron and Draco? She would have to make something up, but she most certainly could not tell them the truth about what happened. More than anything, though, she had to keep them from telling any professors. They would have to stay that way until she could catch the card and fix them.  
  
That's it! I'm going to tell Madam Pomfrey what happened right now! said Draco in Ron's body.  
  
((From now on, if I say I'm referring to Draco in Ron's body, and if I say I'm referring to Ron in Draco's body. Now that that's cleared up....))  
  
Pandora cried, grabbing his arm and pushing him back onto the bed. You _can't_ do that, Dray! You'll... you'll...  
  
Draco glared at her, which still looked remarkable Draco-ish even through Ron's eyes. Well...? Out with it, Pandora!  
  
If the professors know, then everyone will find out sooner or later, and then there goes your reputation even more than it was before! You wouldn't want that now, would you?  
  
If I tell the professors they can fix it!  
  
Dray, wait! Give me a chance... give me two days. If I haven't figured it out in two days, then you can tell.  
  
He sighed and shook his head. I don't know why you think you have a chance of solving this, but whatever. I promise I won't tell.  
  
What about you, Ron?  
  
Ron distorted Draco's face into ideal patheticism. Alright... if I _have_ to... but I really am not looking forward to sleeping in Slytherin House...  
*********************************************************  
  
Perhaps one of the worst parts for both of them was having to hang out with the other person's friends. Pandora let Harry in on what had happened, because she knew that Draco wouldn't be able to fake it very well and that Harry would figure something was up sooner or later. But Crabbe and Goyle didn't have the faintest idea that anything was different. In fact, Ron seemed to rather enjoy pretending to be Malfoy and being a jerk to basically everyone in general just to mock the way Draco was. He was quite good at it, though he thought he might be over exaggerating it just a bit. But his hard work paid off when the owls dropped in and he got a nice package of sweets from his mother. Draco was livid.  
  
But Draco was even more livid about something else. The big Quidditch game was the next day, and if Pandora didn't have the two of them fixed, then Ron Weasley was going to be Slytherin's Seeker. That wouldn't work by the way, obviously... or so he thought. Of course he could never have guessed the extra trouble that Ron was going to get Draco-self into.  
  
It was Friday morning, and Ron really didn't want to sit around with Crabbe and Goyle at Slytherin table, so he got up with some excuse about having to steal homework from someone intelligent and wandered off. He went into the dungeons, for no other reason than he felt he could really hide from the rest of the world there. Then he remembered a certain passage that he, Harry, and Herm-... um... yeah, her.... had found the year before during their random searches. No one else knew about it as far as he knew, except for the twins but they would have better places to be. He found the secret entrance to it, and off he went.  
  
Imagine his surprise when, while wandering down the supposed lonely corridor, something jumped out from behind a pillar, threw him to the floor, and he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his neck as the person bent over him like he was a slab of meat and they hadn't eaten in weeks.  
  
The pain stopped abruptly, and he heard the person take a quick breath in as if they were startled by something. It moved and sat up, then stared right down at him. He couldn't see the face clearly enough, but by the shape of that body, he could tell (quite well) that it was a female.  
  
she breathed, what light there was flashing off of her fangs in the dim corridor.  
  
Ron almost had forgotten who he was supposed to be, which tends to happen to someone who is pretending and suddenly finds himself facing possible death. He could just imagine what Mum's clock at home said, though he wasn't sure if that thing tracked his body or... well... him. If it tracked his body, he _really_ needed to get it back from Draco as soon as possible. But anyway, out of Ron's mind and back to the story...  
  
The girl rushed at him again, this time cupping his face in her hands and planting the most wonderful kiss on his trembling lips. I'm so sorry... please... are you alright...? I never meant to hurt you... please... I'm sorry...  
  
I... I'm fine... just surprised... he said, trying to slip back into Draco-tone, but failing miserably. Um... who are you...? I can't see well in this light...  
  
You... can't tell...? she asked, her voice sounding at once meeker. This is Pansy...  
  
Pansy Parkinson?! he said, slipping back into Ron-mode. But I thought you quit school or something...  
  
I did, Draco Malfoy, and it was your fault! she shouted, her eyes flashing along with her fangs, which made him once again fear for his life. It was _your _broken promise that forced me into the Deatheaters, and because of them I was forced to leave school and seek shelter in the forest, and it was there that I was turned into this... this... She fell to her knees sobbing.  
  
Ron bit his lip, not entirely sure what to do, considering he didn't have the faintest idea of what in the world Pansy was talking about. What was worse, he had never noticed how incredibly attractive she was. Probably because Hermione's whining about her always made him automatically think she was just another hideous Slytherin, but it wasn't so. And there she was crying, honestly, the girl had feelings! He couldn't help but feel horrible for being the cause of her tears, though technically they seemed to date back to something completely out of his hands. So he did the only thing he could think of to comfort her at the moment. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close to him.  
  
Sh... don't worry, Pansy... everything will be alright... I'm here...  
  
She stopped crying and sat against him, motionless. You act like you care, Draco. I know better than that.  
  
Of course I care, Pansy! Oh, he did. Too bad he wasn't really Draco Malfoy.  
  
Her eyes lit up and she threw her arms around him. I knew you'd come back around, Draco, I did! Oh, I'm so happy! I think I can even deal with being a vampire as long as you're here too! And she gave him another kiss, a little more advanced than the first.  
  
They carried on for quite a while that way, talking and kissing, when Pansy mentioned something about classes, and Ron realized he was incredibly late. So with one last three-minute kiss, he left promising to return later that night.  
  
Meanwhile, Pandora had managed to find the card with the help of Rangi and Mini-Helga, because it was the Hufflepuff Switch Card. It was rather easy to capture, especially with the enlisted help of Sydney. The card was rather taken with her, thus making it an easy target for Pandora.  
  
Unfortunately, capturing the card proved to be one of the easier parts of solving the problem. She found out from Rangi that the only way to undo what had been done was to have Draco and Ron collide once again in much the same manner. To make matters worse, it had to happen that day within ten minutes of the same time that it had happened on the original day ((I do hope that that made sense...)). When she began to try to work out the schedule, she realized that Ron would be playing Seeker for Slytherin team at the exact moment she would be needing him. She couldn't wait for another day though, or Draco would tell the professors, and she could not let them find out about the Hogwarts Cards. She would have to get in touch with her Slytherin side and do something sneaky.  
*********************************************************  
  
Ron stared down over the field, his mind rushing with a thousand thoughts. Here he was, wearing the green Slytherin Quidditch uniform, about to attempt to win the game for them, if he could go through with it. He almost hoped a bludger would knock him off his broom. There he was, perfectly capable of staying out of the way and letting Harry get the snitch for Gryffindor as was the original plan, but things had changed now. Pansy was in the audience, beneath a thick black cloak so that the sun couldn't touch her. She was watching him. She wanted him to win, and to be quite honest, he wanted half a chance to prove that he was a decent Seeker himself. But how could he bring himself to actually do it? He had once again gotten himself into quite a dilemma.  
  
What was worse, Harry seemed rather distracted about something himself. It was going to be hard enough for Ron to pretend to _not_ see the snitch when he was trying to show off for Pansy, but if Harry wasn't going to be at topnotch performance level, then everything was not going to end well.  
  
Pandora watched how the game proceeded nervously, standing right next to Draco who obviously had to sit in the Gryffindor stands and wasn't enjoying himself. She kept looking nervously at her watch. Three more minutes... she whispered.  
  
Three more minutes until what? Draco asked grumpily.  
  
Oh, uh... nothing Dray! I mean... Ron! Just trying to... well... make sure I take my medicine on time!  
  
He didn't even bother to respond, just returned his dull gaze to the Quidditch field and continued cursing the name of Weasley.  
  
It was exactly three minutes later when Pandora saw Ron's attention snap, and suddenly he was in a dive. She was rather amazed to even think that he would want to win the game for Slytherin, even if he did want to have a chance to play some. Draco wasn't upset about it though. Pandora actually heard him say Go Weasley! under his breath. But she couldn't concern herself with those little details at the moment. She had ten minutes in which to protect her secret and save Ron and Draco from eternal embarrassment.  
  
She walked away from the stands and stood off to the side at the foot of them, away from anyone that might watch her work. Wind Card, I call you to carry with you Switch, and to guide that boy on his broom to my brother in Ron Weasley's body. Crash him the real Ron Weasley into the stands with enough force to send them back where they belong! Release!  
  
It started out not being as successful as she would have hoped. Though Wind was able to push Ron off his track, it also blew Harry off as well, making the Snitch lost once again. Then she thought he would never be blown the right direction, and for a while he was being tossed around so much she feared he would fall. But as her time ran ever closer, he slowly progressed towards the stands until finally he slammed into them, right into Draco. By the time Pandora ran up there to check on them, a crowd had gathered around them. Both had passed out.  
**************************************************  
  
Harry sat nervously in the waiting area of the Hospital Wing, anxious to hear what would happen when Ron and Draco woke up. They had been out for a very long time, for the sun had already gone down. After winning the game for Gryffindor (considering Slytherin didn't even have a Seeker to catch the Snitch after the supposed Draco had been injured), he had gone straight there and hadn't left all day. He was beginning to worry that something more serious might have happened, when the door opened (unfortunately not from their room) and in walked Persephone Avaran. There they were, alone in the room together, and he had been trying so hard to avoid her.  
  
I suppose they're not awake yet, she said, sounding rather bored with the entire situation, or completely apathetic.  
  
No, not yet, Harry answered, staring straight ahead.  
  
She moved towards him and sat right next to him on the couch. I'm sure they'll both be fine. That card is rather weak, just annoying.  
  
He nodded, then said, I noticed that you haven't been trying as hard lately to capture as many cards. Is there a reason for that?  
  
She was silent and stared at the floor, until she finally answered. There's a reason for everything, isn't there, Potter? There's a reason you lived, there's a reason I haven't been killed yet. It is unfortunate that reasons are often impossible to find. Especially when it comes to the reason of my love for you.  
  
  
  
The door opened and they both started slightly as Madam Pomfrey opened the door and said that they could both come in. Harry had to admit that he was rather glad to see that Pandora wasn't there at that moment, though he couldn't say why.  
  
He walked straight over to Ron and, after making sure the Pomfrey was significantly out of earshot, said, Ron, is that really you?  
  
Yeah, it's me... Never let me be Draco Malfoy again, Harry. It's bloody hell, it really is...  
  
Speak for yourself! Draco retorted from the other bed with Persephone sitting next to him silently. Thank God it's back to normal, and no thanks to that blasted sister of mine. Where is Pandora anyway, Harry? She's your girlfriend, you should know. Persephone seemed to stiffen slightly, but sat up next to her and wrapped his arms around her as he waited a response.  
  
I don't know, she probably had something else important to do. I'm sure she'll be pleased to know that you're back to normal though, Harry answered, just wanting to get away from the subject. He didn't know why it made him so uncomfortable. There were a lot of things that didn't have reasons.  
*******************************************************  
  
That evening, Pansy managed to catch Draco by himself after dinner and beckoned him over into a corner so that they wouldn't arouse curiosity. She was supposed to be banned from school, after all, and she still wore her Dementorish cloak. None of that mattered though. All she cared about was that Draco seemed to have feelings for her once again.  
  
What do you want, and who are you? he asked shortly as they found a dark, lonely place.  
  
What do you mean? she asked with a wide grin as she pulled the hood back.  
  
Draco gasped and stepped back. Pansy! You're not even supposed to be at school... and what's wrong with your teeth? His eyes grew bigger, and suddenly he had an answer to why there were to small punctures in his neck. You... you freak...  
  
Pansy staggered backwards until she hit the wall. What... what do you mean? Yesterday... last night... you said you cared about me. You wanted me to see you... What kind of sick joke are you playing on me, Draco Malfoy! Tell me now, because I can't take much more of this! she cried, fresh tears coming to her eyes.  
  
Whatever I said last night was not coming from me, I assure you, he said darkly. Because our relationship still stands the same now as it did one month ago. You are nothing to me. He turned his back to her and walked away.  
*********************************************  
  
Both of you really are being awfully quiet, Hermione said, eyeing Harry and Ron suspiciously. Are you up to something that I need to know about?  
  
Harry forced a smile and said, No, Hermione, we're never up to anything, and if we were, you'd know all about it whether we wanted you to know or not. You see, we're aware of this by now, so that's why we don't try to keep secrets from you anymore.  
  
She smiled and rolled her eyes, then turned to Ron. He sat picking at his food and staring into the distance as if she hadn't spoken a word. Ron, are you okay? You look like you still might be sick or something.  
  
I'm fine, he mumbled, but suddenly was distracted by something moving swiftly through the shadows along the wall of the Great Hall. Judging by the cloak it was wearing, he was pretty sure he knew what it was, and then wondered why she was in such a hurry to leave. I'll be back, he said and ran off before anyone could question him.  
  
They were almost to the dungeons by the time he caught up with her. Pansy, wait! he called.  
  
She turned and looked at him, an expression of surprise, anger, and despair on her face all at once. What do you want, Weasley? she asked with venom in her voice.  
  
He stopped, realizing all too late that he had made a serious mistake. He wasn't the one she wanted to pursue her. He wasn't Draco Malfoy. You... just haven't been at school lately... and I was worried about you... especially when you looked so upset...  
  
You never cared about me, Weasley, why would you start now?  
  
He swallowed and looked nervously about him. You know, there's no rule that says we have to hate eachother just because you're a Slytherin and I'm a Gryffindor.  
  
She watched him like she might pounce. You talk as if you were the one who said he cared about me last night... as if...  
  
Maybe I was.  
  
She narrowed her eyes and turned quickly around, storming off into the dungeons.  
  
Pansy, wait! Let me talk to you, please!  
  
Go away, Weasley. I had my joke and now Draco's had his. I don't know what part you played in it, but it doesn't matter anymore.  
  
He wanted to follow her, but didn't know what good it would do. Instead he returned to the Great Hall, feeling more dejected than he did when he was willing to win the Quidditch game for Slytherin just to see Pansy smile at him.  
  
((Segev: Yeah, I don't like those kind of fics either, but a long time ago I promised someone I'd write one for them because they won a contest and they wanted a yaoi Harry/Draco. So, being the little Slytherin that I am, I worked my way around it the best I could and came up with that humorous acid trip of a fic. I hope you enjoyed it well enough! ^_^;; ))  
  
((For a picture of vampire Pansy and her kitty which I haven't written about yet but will go here:  
http://sailorxenex.diaryland.com/images/pansyvamp.jpg ))


	22. Episode XXI: Putting a Stopper in Death

**Cardcaptor Pandora  
**Episode XXI  
**Putting a Stopper in Death  
****  
**

Pandora detested Potions class more and more with each passing day. She told herself it was because of all the hard work which proved to be close to impossible, but if she were being honest with herself, she would know that it was really because of a project that had been assigned the week before. Snape put them in pairs of two. She was stuck with a new student, some weird Slytherin chick named Anna, but to make matters worse, Harry was partners with Persephone Avaran. She had to keep telling herself that she wasn't jealous, that she trusted him and knew he wasn't interested in her and she certainly had no interest him. She didn't know why she felt like she had to reassure herself though.  
  
Ron ended up being put with Draco. Amazingly enough, he didn't complain very much. In fact, he had been acting rather different ever since they had been switched. But Draco made up for all the complaining that Ron usually would have done.  
  
Luckily for everyone, they were coming to the end of the project. The idea was to take a deadly poison, run a number of tests on it to figure out what it was, and then to come up with a potion to make it harmless when mixed with it. The bad part was that, as usual, Snape was going to make each person drink their own after they mixed it. Pandora hoped for their sakes that Snape would be standing by with something to save them if one didn't quite turn out right. Somehow, she doubted it.  
  
That Thursday evening, Pandora sat in the library with Harry while he flipped through some books about poisons. He and Persephone still hadn't even figured out what theirs was. Snape even seemed a little distressed when he discovered that. Harry sighed as he closed the book he was reading and pushed it away. It's hopeless. We're just both going to die, and that's all there is to it.  
  
You're so optimistic, Pandora said with a grin.  
  
At that moment Persephone walked into the library with a large dusty book under her arm. She went right over to Harry and sat down next to him without the slightest of looks at either of them, then plopped the book open.  
  
Harry swallowed as he looked over her shoulder. I... take it that that book has some potions in it that Fifth Years aren't supposed to know about...?  
  
You probably couldn't find a book like this in the Restricted Section even if you tried.  
  
Yeah... That's what I thought.  
  
Pandora felt a pang of hatred towards Persephone, but immediately felt guilty again. There was no reason for it... she hoped. Well, I'm supposed to meet Anna in a few minutes, so I guess I'll see you later, Harry. Bye Persephone.  
  
Bye, Panda.  
  
Persephone nodded slightly to acknowledge that she heard what Pandora said, then Pandora left, and Harry suddenly got incredibly nervous again. Is there any reason you think it might be in that book? Snape wouldn't do anything that mean to us... not to you, anyway.  
  
It might not be Snape's fault. I think there's something in this that he didn't intend. In any case, we probably ought to go ahead and test it more in the dungeons. She stood up with her book and headed out, not even giving Harry a chance to protest even if he wanted to.  
****************************************  
  
It was about 5:00 on Friday morning, and Pansy Parkinson felt closer to Misery than she had in quite a while. She was rather debating going outside and waiting for the sun to rise, but that would be a little too dramatic, even for her. As she tried to think of something else to make her feel a little better, she wondered where her old companion Cynders had gone off to. She had been a wonderful little black cat, but Pansy hadn't seen her since she left school. With nothing better to do, she stood up with the intention of going out and finding her cat.  
  
But something else caught her eye first.  
  
In the dimmest of light that ever shows itself in the dark dungeons from the small torches on the walls, Pansy made out something on the ground ahead of her, not too far away from where Snape's Potions Class was, but just hidden enough for nobody to notice it. As she came closer, it looked like a person, but it wasn't moving. Then, when she knelt next to it, she knew exactly who it was. It was Pandora's little Gryffindor friend, Lauren. What in the world happened to you...? Pansy whispered. She reached towards Lauren's neck to check for a pulse, but stopped herself immediately, thinking how she hadn't had anything to eat in almost two weeks and that pulsing blood beneath an unconscious person's skin might be too much to resist. Instead, she touched her outer arm lightly, and could feel Lauren quivering. At least you're not dead. I guess I'll have to take you to the Hospital Wing myself. She began to gather Lauren in her arms, already nervous about making such a journey. It would be hard for her to get away fast being weighed down by Lauren if she were to get caught, and this close to sunrise. So she decided to do something else entirely. She turned around and headed back towards the little room she had made for herself, thinking that afterward leaving Lauren there, she would put her cloak on, find Pandora, and then tell her to take Lauren herself.  
  
She had just finished laying Lauren's limp body down on her bed, when she heard footsteps coming up behind her. She turned quickly, wanting to hide somewhere, but realizing that there was no hope in that. She wondered who might have figured out how to get to her secret corner of the world, unless it was Pandora by some stretch of good fortune, or maybe even Draco, but that was far too unlikely.  
  
The door opened....  
  
...And there was no one there.  
  
Alright, you, whoever you are. Take the cloak off... she whispered, her voice trembling slightly.  
  
You won't yell at me and tell me to go away? came a familiar voice, but one that wasn't quite familiar enough to match a name with.  
  
Not unless you give me good reason to.  
  
There was a swoosh as the cloak was thrown off, and Ron Weasley stood grinning stupidly before her. What are you doing here, Weasley?! she asked harshly, stepping back and letting her fangs show like a threatened animal.  
  
I... Well... I've been thinking about you a lot... and I wanted to talk to you...  
  
Since when do you think about me? We hardly ever talked except to insult eachother in the past. And how did you know to find me here?  
  
He smiled nervously, taking a few steps forward as he said, Because, that night you thought you were talking to Draco, you actually were- He stopped abruptly as his eyes made out the dead-looking body on the bed. He swallowed hard and looked at Pansy nervously.  
  
She rolled her eyes and said, Don't even start with me! I didn't kill her, she's not even dead. I found her like that. I brought her here because I can't take her all the way up to the Hospital Wing without getting caught.  
  
That's Chris' sister Lauren, isn't it?  
  
Pansy nodded, looking at Lauren and then gracing Ron with a side glance. So... what exactly were you saying about Draco?  
  
Well... that wasn't really Draco. That was me.  
  
Pansy whirled on him, her eyes filled with hate and sadness all at once. But just as suddenly as the storm had come on, it subsided and she fell to her knees. I knew it was too good to be true... she whispered.  
  
Ron walked cautiously over to her, then put his hand on her shoulder. I don't know what went on with you and Draco obviously, but... I really do hate to see you suffer like this. His voice shook as he spoke. She didn't respond, just stared at the ground. Would you... like me to take Lauren to the Hospital Wing?  
  
I would rather you find Pandora and bring her down here, she answered softly. He nodded, grabbed the Invisibility Cloak, and was about to put it on when Pansy asked, Was it a card?  
  
A card? Was what a card?  
  
She shook her head with a small smile. Never mind. Just get Pandora... please...  
  
Ron looked like his little heart melted as she sealed her timid with an equally timid smile. Sure... I'll be right back with her... Bye, Pansy...  
***********************************************  
  
Persephone, we just finished a long day of school, and I really need to talk to Pandora because something seems to be wrong with her. Can we work on the potion in an hour or so?  
  
Persephone stared icily at Harry, then said, Of course. I would never want to get in the way of you and your precious Pandora.  
  
Harry walked away without responding, mainly because he didn't know quite how _to_ respond to that. He caught Pandora just before she left the Great Hall. She turned around, seeming surprised but pleased to see him. Harry! I'm so glad you're here, there's so much I've been wanting to tell you but couldn't because of Persephone being around.  
  
Is something wrong?  
  
Yes, terribly. Lauren's incredibly sick. I can tell that it was caused by a Hogwarts Card, but I haven't the faintest idea of what it might be.  
  
Harry nodded, looking very tired and somewhat weak. That's odd. She seemed fine yesterday when she found Persephone and me working on our Potions Project in one of the labs. She hung around for a while, probably because she could tell I wanted someone else there, if you know what I mean. She seemed like her usual happy overly-hyper self, but after about thirty minutes she seemed to get really down and very tired. She even seemed to grow paler. Then she left.  
  
That explains why Pansy found her just outside of the labs by Snape's room.  
  
You mean she passed out? Harry asked, suddenly very alarmed. Panda, illnesses don't just sneak up on people that quickly! That sounds more like...  
  
...a poison... Pandora finished for him.  
  
And it took both of you this long to figure that out?  
  
They turned to see Persephone standing there with her arms crossed with the slightest of smirks on her face. I knew exactly what it was a very long time ago. A Hogwarts Card, yes, obviously. But what's even better, it's a Hogwarts Card whose only purpose until it finds a master is to kill all descendants of Godric Gryffindor.  
  
Our poison from Potions! It found it's way into that, then?  
  
Of course, and most fortunately for it found it's way at last to the main person it was looking for.  
  
You did this to her, didn't you, Persephone! You're controlling the card! Pandora snapped.  
  
Persephone shot her a hate-filled look through slitted eyes. I do not have the card, no. This one is quite difficult to seal. You can't just twirl a staff around and say some fancy magical phrase to call it back. You must first make it harmless, which of course requires someone with the knowledge of what first went into the potion to make it what it was. Unfortunately for you, Little Malfoy, that's a Slytherin family secret, and as of right now, I don't much care to solve it. Not to save that pathetic little Heir of Gryffindor.  
  
Pandora watched angrily as Persephone walked away. I've never genuinely hated someone before...  
  
Harry said softly, touching her shoulder. She looked at him. He seemed to want to say something but didn't know quite why or even what it might be. Finally he sighed and said gently, You were the one who first said there might be more to her than meets the eye. When the other three were eager not to include her, you were the one that would never let that happen. Don't give up on her yet.  
  
Somehow what Harry said, though it made sense, only made Pandora hate Persephone even more.  
**********************************  
  
The next morning was Saturday, and the day of the final Quidditch match, Slytherin v. Gryffindor. Lauren wasn't getting any better. Rangi stayed down with her in Pansy's room, trying to recall anything that might help her. But as far as he knew, the only cure for her was to seal the card and withdraw its evil magic from her body.  
  
Ron went rather reluctantly to the Quidditch game for once. He didn't understand why Pansy would let him stay with her and Lauren sometimes and then other times he absolutely had to leave immediately, usually whenever Pandora was coming. He didn't care though. At least she was actually letting him _stay_ as well. But he also couldn't help but wonder why they didn't just take her to the Hospital Wing. Surely Madam Pomfrey would have something to stop a simple poison that she picked up from who-knows-where.  
  
He met Harry just before he was about to go get his uniform on and warmup, about an hour before the game. He looked horrible. He had become horribly pale, and his eyes looked so weary and listless. It was nothing like the Harry Potter Ron had become such close friends with. He knew something was wrong.  
  
Harry, if you're not feeling well, then you should hurry up and find a replacement. I mean, yeah, no one's as good as you, but it won't be any good to us either if you pass out off of your broom in the middle of the game and Malfoy doesn't even have another Seeker to compete with.  
  
I can't do that, Harry said, his voice scratchy and barely above a whisper. I'll manage. I feel well enough.  
  
Yeah right, Ron said, rolling his eyes, knowing very well that there was no point in trying to pursue the matter. Well, good luck then. I'll see you after the game if you're not dead!  
  
Harry didn't die during the game, not at all. He at least had the decency to catch the Snitch first and win the game for Gryffindor before he passed out.  
***********************************************************************  
  
Persephone was not pleased to see Pandora by Harry's bed in the Hospital Wing when she walked in, nor did she expect anything less. Perhaps it would turn out for the best.  
  
She could see the suppressed glare in Pandora's eyes. Is there something you want, Persephone?  
  
Only to help Harry with this, she answered, holding up the green-backed Poison Card.  
  
Pandora's eyes lit up. You sealed it! Oh, thank goodness! she said happily. Now you can make Harry and Lauren better!  
  
Persephone regarded Pandora silently for a moment, then walked over to the bed where Harry slept and sat down next to him, the card in her hands. She bent down and whispered in his ear, I never thought that the Poison Card could affect you, but now I know another secret because it did. Father will be very disappointed if he finds out about this, so we'll make this our own little secret, Love. Then she stood over him with her staff and cried, Relieve him from your curse, Poison Card. Release!  
  
Harry seemed to radiate a green glow, which suddenly joined into a long strand like a snake's body which slithered into the Poison Card and was gone.  
  
Harry stirred and opened one eye. Pandora cried happily, rushing to his side. You're better! Persephone, thank you!  
  
Persephone crossed her arms, the card being held between two fingers on her left hand. You shouldn't thank me just yet, you know. Your dear friend Lauren is still on the verge of death.  
  
Pandora opened her mouth to say something, but Harry stopped her and said, Persephone, please help Lauren. I know you think it's your purpose in life to get rid of her, but please...  
  
And what does it matter to you?  
  
Because... if it's like you say... she's the only family I have left considering one can hardly count the Dursleys...  
  
For a moment, a shadow seemed to lift from Persephone's features, revealing a vulnerable soft center to that solid shell she had built up, but then the fire crackled loudly and she snapped her attention to it, her usual expression firmly in place. Then she walked briskly towards Pandora, shoved the card towards her, pushing her backwards roughly at the same time, but released it into Pandora's hands. I can't help Lauren, you know that. So you do it. You might as well write your name on it while you're at it too, Little Malfoy. Then she left without ever looking back.  
************************************************  
  
She really is close to death... I think it's okay for me to eat her now.  
  
Pansy, don't eat her! Ron scolded, rolling his eyes.  
  
Pansy sighed and stared restlessly at the door. She thought she was going to go insane if she didn't get something to eat soon. You know, vampires can suck someone's blood without killing them...  
  
  
  
Yeah, I mean as long as I don't take too much, you'd just feel a little dizzy, but no real harm done.  
  
What's this you' business?  
  
She smirked and moved closer to Ron, leaning her face very close to his. You, of course. Who else? she whispered, just next to his ear.  
  
His eyes grew about three times larger. Pansy, are you feeling alright? @.@  
  
she whispered, her warm breath brushing against his neck. Would you like to see how I feel for yourself?  
  
I know what you're trying to do, Pansy Parkinson, and it won't work! he cried, not moving a muscle. ,  
  
Oh, do you? What am I trying to do then, Ron? Enlighten me.  
  
You're trying to turn me into a little melted puddle of horny Weasley mush just so you can suck my blood!  
  
Is that a complaint? she asked, suddenly grabbing the front of his robe and pulling him roughly towards her, grinning widely.  
  
Just as he began the melting process, the door swung open and Pandora rushed in. Pansy sulked back on the bed while Ron staggered to his feet. Uh... hey, Panda. How's it going...? Harry okay? he said, his words just a little detached.  
  
Yes, he's much better, now you need to leave.  
  
Aw! Just when it was getting good, too... he grumbled, then left the room with one more lingering look at Pansy. He hurried out afterwards, because she winked at him and he knew that his cheeks had probably turned the exact same color as his hair.  
  
Pandora called upon her Staff, then summoned the powers of the Poison Card. Pansy watched as a green light grew around Lauren, then completely disappeared into the card Pandora had called out.  
  
Is that supposed to make her better? Pansy asked.  
  
Pandora nodded, waiting to see if Lauren stirred, thinking that it might take longer for her to come out of it since she had been under the influence of the Poison Card for so long. She looked at Pansy while she waited. What's up with you and Ron, by the way?  
  
Pansy rolled her eyes and shrugged. Who can say? I don't think anything, though he is rather amusing to toy with.  
  
I'm sure, Pandora said, but then looked back at Lauren as she slowly began to turn onto her side, facing them. Pandora whispered, rushing over to her side. Lauren, come on, wake up!  
  
Lauren opened her drowsy eyes, and looked up at Pandora. Hey.... what happened...? Why do I have this horrible horrible headache....?  
  
Pansy answered matter-of-factly.  
  
Lauren's eyes grew big.   
  
No no no, don't listen to her, Pandora said, shaking her head. You were possessed by the Slytherin Poison Card. So was Harry. It was in that potion that he and Persephone were making.  
  
If it was in that potion, didn't Persephone get sick, too?  
  
Pandora sighed and smiled. No, the Poison Card only goes after descendants of Godric Gryffindor unless commanded otherwise by a Cardcaptor.  
  
Lauren said, lying back down on her pillow. Then her eyes lit up again. Wait a minute! she cried, sitting straight up in bed. If it only goes after descendants of Gryffindor, then that would mean that Harry... is... WOW!  
  
Pandora laughed. Who knows, maybe a cousin or something. I'm sure that Gryffindor probably has dozens of random descendants running around now, you know.  
  
I know, but still! I actually have a family member! ^_^  
  


~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ Leave it to Rangi! ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~  
  


Rangi: Heh-hey-hoo! It's that time again, boys and girls! That's right, time for another segment of Leave it to Rangi! where I, your favorite Guardian Beast in all the world, answer questions that have been left in the Review section about CCP.  
  
Question #1:  
Submitted by Segev  
You made Persephone Lara Croft's daughter?!  
  
Rangi's Answer!  
Yeah yeah, Miss Ashkelon couldn't help it. She wanted to write that ever since the movie came out and she saw Lara Croft with much the same character as Persephone, and it just happened. They even _look_ similar, so hey! It worked!  
  
Question #2:  
Submitted by Segev  
Just how many things are you planning to cross into this, anyway?   
  
Rangi's Answer!  
Heh heh heh... You ain't seen nothin' yet! Just wait till the Hogwarts summer rolls around! ~_^  
  
Question #3  
Submitted by Segev  
Were there hints that Persephone might not be such a bad girl after all?  
  
Rangi's Answer!  
Hard to say for certain isn't it? I personally think she's the worst person that's ever existed on the earth...ahem...but that's just me! ^_^;;  
  
Question #4  
Submitted (once again) by Segev  
Do I see her betraying her father sometime in the future?  
  
Rangi's Answer!  
Thanks for letting me pick on you without your permission, Segev! You do ask a lot of questions, though most were probably meant to be rhetorical questions. But hey, it gave me some material, and I've been feeling neglected so I really did deserve another segment, don't you think?  
  
Kira: Rangi, quit talking about yourself and get on with it! Or I'll replace you with another Guardian Beast!  
  
Rangi: _(blink blink)_ How many Guardian Beasts are actually out there?  
  
Kira: _RANGI!!!_  
  
Rangi: Okay okay! Sorry! Anyway.... yeah. Betrayal. Um... that would be exciting, wouldn't it? Yeah. You actually can see into the future?! That's so totally cool! You don't take Divination from Professor Trelawny though, do you, Segev? I mean really, you wouldn't know how to do that at all if you did.  
  
Kira: _(hooks Rangi around the neck with a cane and pulls him off stage, replacing him with Tu)_  
  
Tu: _(blinks into the bright lights)_ Uh........  
  
Kira: Tu. Say something intelligent already.  
  
Tu: Uh.........  
  
Kira: _(gives Rangi his job back)_ Don't screw up again!  
  
Rangi: Teehee.... okay... next question.  
  
Question #5:   
Submitted by (gasp!) Segev  
What is Persephone's little hang-up about letting Harry die?  
  
Rangi's Answer!  
As you pointed out earlier, she might not be such a bad girl after all. Maybe Mr. Potter is exactly what she needs to be pulled back into reality... or FicWorld.... or whatever... Or maybe it'll all end up completely different! It's a secret!  
  
Kira: Don't think for a second that he has any idea what he's talking about, because he doesn't.  
  
Rangi: Hm... well... Next question then...  
  
Question #6:  
Submitted by Slytherin Goddess (wow, it's not Segev!)  
Is the DADA/Incantations professor (Everest) a baddie... or a cardcaptor helper... or something.... or a card herself...?  
  
Rangi's Answer!  
Insightful, aren't you? What exactly is Professor Everest, you ask... well... _(turns around to make sure Kira's not listening)_ I'll let you in on a secret. She's really an alien from outer space... uh... yeah! From the planet of... uh... uh.... Ni! She is one of a race of aliens called The Aliens Who Say Ni!  
  
Kira: RANGI! That's it! You're fired from this segment!  
  
Rangi: But...! But...!  
  
Kira: Maybe next time, but for now... _(yanks him off the stage and replaces him with a little rat with nervous twitchy whiskers)_ _(coos at her little rat)_ Here you go, Peter... now you get to run the show! My cute little pet Deatheater. ^__^  
  
Peter: _(blinkblink)_ Uh... yeah... right... whatever.... _(nervous little squeaky voice)_ Anyway... um... next question....  
  
Question #7:  
Submitted by Segev  
Does Harry have a life away from Pandora?  
  
Peter's... answer... yeah...  
Well.... Let's see.... _(twitches whiskers)_ I'm _supposed_ to tell you that yes he does, and that hopefully it's becoming more apparent. But, just to let you know, if my colleagues and I are successful soon, you will have no need to worry about Harry's life anymore at all!  
  
Question #8:  
Submitted by Sorceress Jade  
Why was the tunnel (that led to the Hogwarts Card Book) under the Dursleys' house?  
  
Peter's answer:  
Besides the sake of convenience, if you think about it, when they were originally trying to get rid of the book hundreds of years ago, there probably weren't any houses there at all, so they made a random tunnel and hid the thing there. It's just luck or fate or whatever as always that just happened to make that house that was built end up being the home of dear wonderful little Harry Potter. Too bad they just couldn't bury him down there too....  
  
Kira: Peter, Sweetie... that's the second time you've said something mean about Harry. Now, if you do it one more time, I might just have to get rid of you.  
  
Peter: _(gulp!)_ Yes, ma'am.  
  
Question #8:  
Submitted by Talfryn Calhoun  
What's up with Persephone? (after the little I love you incident)  
  
Peter's answer:  
................................You know.................I don't know..........But somehow or another it will probably end up being _my_ fault when Master finds out, and then what?!_ (rips up little piece of paper with question on it and eats the pieces while he shouts)_ _DIE POTTER DIE!!!!  
  
_Kira: _(releases Cynders the cat from random bag and watches as Peter is slurped into the kitty's mouth to be brought back to life at a later date when and if he is needed for another episode)_ Alright, Rangi. One more chance....  
  
Rangi: Oh thank you, thank you, Miss Ashkelon! I won't let you down this time! And now, for our last question! Drum roll, please!  
  
(insert sound of crickets chirping here)  
  
Rangi: Okay... Fine... Don't...  
  
Question #10:  
Submitted by Sorceress Jade (who is not Segev cross-dressing, I checked)  
Wasn't Herm suspicious of 'Ron's' sudden wise cracks that we all know Draco was spitting out?  
  
Rangi's Answer!  
You asked this after a desire to have seen more of how each character was while they were switched. Yes, you are probably very correct, but it's possible that Hermione didn't talk much with them anyway since it was previously mentioned in that episode that they hadn't been talking much ever since she and Ron had gotten into a little argument about a letter from Victor Krum. And if Hermione wasn't talking to Draco, I'm sure he wasn't complaining very much. Harry was bad enough. As far as your other desire to see the Ron/Pansy relationship progress, Miss Ashkelon was already there, just not in that particular episode. ~_^ Hope you enjoyed it!  
  
That's it for this segment of Leave it to Rangi! Please, everyone ask a lot of questions so that we can continue these little discussions, because it's the only airtime I get! ^_^;;  
  
If you have any questions you can leave them in the review or email Miss Ashkelon with them at:  


SailorXenex@diaryland.com  
  


Come again!  
  
((Please excuse me if the last half of the episode on through the Leave it to Rangi segment seemed a little... strange. You see, I just started four different medications tonight for sinuses and I'm a little... floaty... or something... Cursed Med-Head. It might also have something to do with it being after midnight and something of this stuff is supposed to make me drowsy... so... I think it's time to call it a night! ^_^;; ))


	23. Episode XXII: Is There a Doctor

**Cardcaptor Pandora  
**Episode XXII  
**Is There a Doctor in the House?  
****  
**

Ron headed down to the dungeons as soon as he had finished his dinner, his usual nightly routine ever since Lauren had gotten over her illness a month before. His heart still felt somewhat fluttery as he neared his room, if she truly was even that. With someone like her, one really can't tell. His heart also might have been aflutter with fear. Pansy loved to get him in the most uncomfortably situations, and just when he was least expecting it, she'd take a little bite out of him. If he had to be honest, he rather liked it, but it _did _ scare him. He couldn't help but wonder if one of these nights she might lose control, and then there would be no more Ron Weasley.  
  
But he had a special surprise for her this evening, two to be exact. One she would really be happy about, and the other... he wasn't so sure, but it would be for her own good, and his own.  
  
Cynders, Pansy's black cat, squirmed in his arms and growled a low kitty-growl. Cynders, behave yourself! I'm just taking you to Pansy!  
  
The cat settled down, as if understanding what he had said, but still didn't seem very pleased whatsoever to be carried by this annoying redheaded stranger. She rubbed her head against Ron's shoulder, polishing a beautiful purple gem that she had acquired at some point in her adventures outside. Ron figured she'd always had it, because he'd never really seen Pansy's cat. He just knew by the name on her collar that it was the right one.  
  
He knocked the secret knock on Pansy's door when he got there, shifting Cynders to one arm and making her even more irritable. Come in, Ron, came Pansy's weak voice from inside.  
  
He walked in with Cynders, and as soon as Pansy saw her cat, her paler than usual face lit up and seemed to have a bit of color to it for a moment as she jumped off of her bed, hurried over, and scooped Cynders into her arms. Cynders! My sweet kitty! You poor thing, out there all alone in the world, having to be rescued by Ron Weasley... What in the world do you have on your head?!  
  
You mean she didn't have that before?  
  
Pansy didn't answer Ron, she was too busy staring at her kitty's new decoration.  
  
Ron smiled. Well, it's good to see you happy, even if it did only last for a second.  
  
Pansy looked up at him and grinned, holding Cynders in her arms. I'm happy, I have Cynders back! Where did you find her?  
  
She was just wandering about the castle. She seemed to be following these three new girls around, you won't know them. Their names are Anna, Beth, and Carolyn.  
  
They must have been feeding my precious kitty-witty! Pansy baby-talked Cynders, who responded with a loud rumbling purr.  
  
Ron rolled his eyes. I'll never understand females and cats.... Anyway, I have something else to tell you about. It's rather important, because it could really help you.  
  
  
  
Yeah... You know how my dad works with the Ministry of Magic?  
  
She nodded, still looking baffled.  
  
Well, he knows this one doctor lady who specializes in helping and treating as much as she can non-humans, especially ones who weren't _born_ non-humans, such as yourself. In fact, I think she actually is a vampire herself. But a lot of people go see her, and I hear she's very good, and-  
  
You're saying that you think I need to see a shrink. -_-  
  
Not necessarily! I just think that she might have something that could help you maybe! So... she's going to be here tomorrow...  
  
_You already asked her to come?!  
_  
Pansy, calm down! Really! It's not that bad. There's some other strange things going on too, like some of the students are getting sick all of a sudden, even some professors, and Madam Pomfrey can't tell what it is, nor can she treat it. So it's not like she's here _just_ for you, but she is if you... well... decide to go see her... which I really wish you would.  
  
She sighed and looked down into Cynders' big green eyes while she rubbed her underneath her chin. She could swear that she felt the blood pulsing in Cynders' neck.... You really think she could help me, as in physically as well as mentally?  
  
I do.  
  
She grinned and said, Well, if that's really what you want. I honestly thought you rather enjoyed our little sessions. ~_^  
*************************************************************  
  
Welcome to Hogwarts, Dr. McKarrick, though I know you've been here before, greeted Professor Everest, escorting the well-known doctor-genius who looked to be in her mid-twenties to her quarters.  
  
McKarrick sighed with a tired smile which revealed to small pointed teeth. Yes, it was _quite_ a while ago though. I am very sorry to hear about your professors falling ill...  
  
So are we. It's very mysterious, which usually leads to something evil around here.  
  
McKarrick shivered slightly as followed Everest down the many stairs leading to the dungeons. Deatheaters, likely?  
  
That's what we're most afraid of. Which means you probably have to work fast.  
  
You don't feel ill yourself, do you?  
  
No, not at all! she answered happily. I do hope this room will work. You requested a room with no windows and the most promising ones are in the dungeon, but they are also the rooms that tend to be neglected as far as cleaning goes. One was fixed up though, I hope to your liking.  
  
McKarrick opened her mouth to say something along the lines of I'm sure it will be perfect, but suddenly tripped on a jagged stone and fell, sending her bag flying against the wall and scattering a few of its contents onto the floor.  
  
Dr. McKarrick! Are you alright? Everest cried, quickly helping her back to her feet.  
  
She grinned and shook her head. Yes... I'm sorry. I was just thinking... and sometimes _that_ takes so much effort, one forgets to pay attention to where one is going.  
  
Everest laughed and quickly began to gather everything and put it back in the bag. Nothing seems to have been hurt. At least this kit of supplies seems to be in order, she observed, opening the lid while kneeling on the ground, her back to McKarrick. Her arms moved as if she were looking through everything.  
  
McKarrick walked over to her, and she quickly shut the kit and put it back in the bag, then handed it back to the doctor. Thank you for helping me with that, McKarrick said, then they continued down to the dungeons.  
  
Everest opened the door when they arrived into a very nicely set sort of apartment, with even a large room connected that McKarrick could use to put patients in. It's perfect, Professor Everest. Thank you very much.  
  
Thank you for making the trip out here. I know it's late, and since no one seems to be anywhere close to death beyond a nagging headache that magic should cure but won't, I think it would be fine if you rested for this evening. We'll send people down in the morning.  
  
That is fine. Thank you again, Professor, and good night.  
  
Tyrie McKarrick sighed deeply as she sat down in the dark, lonely room. Evening wasn't exactly her usual resting time, but neither was morning or afternoon. Vampires didn't need sleep, and someone like Professor Everest, who now taught Defense Against the Dark Arts among other things, should know that very well. So she had to assume that she knew the other reason why she was here.  
  
She pulled out of her travelbag a map that Mr. Weasley's son had sent to show her where to find Pansy. She wasn't too far off, but there were a few little tricks to finding the exact spot. She left immediately, taking nothing with her but what looked like a bottle of lotion and a large closed mug that people usually use to keep warm drinks from getting cold until they're ready for them.  
  
Once she found it, she knocked just as Ron had told her to in his note. She couldn't help but smile at that detail. Children were so cute that way, with their secret messages and such. Shame she would never have any of her own.  
  
A boy opened the door, whom she knew _had_ to be a Weasley. You must be Dr. McKarrick! he said enthusiastically, still standing in the doorway and not quite letting her in. He leaned closer to her and whispered, If she doesn't seem very friendly, I apologize. It took some persuading to get her to see you in the first place.  
  
McKarrick smiled openly and nodded saying, I completely understand. Thank you for showing such concern for a friend of yours, though I'm afraid it would probably be best if you left us alone.  
  
Ron's shoulders drooped. But... she might not want to talk to you all by herself! he said as a pathetic excuse.  
  
She smiled, her dark eyes twinkling, and said, Sometimes it is easier for people to talk more freely when there is no one around that they really know, because they don't have to worry about secrets getting out or of being embarrassed about what they say.  
  
He sighed and grumbled something to the effect of he understood what she was saying, but he still wasn't happy about leaving when he actually did.  
  
Dr. McKarrick walked in alone and saw Pansy on the bed, holding her knees up to her chest. She looked incredibly pale and frail. It was obvious that she hadn't had a decent bite in quite a while. Hello, Miss Parkinson. I am Dr. McKarrick, she greeted, holding out a hand.  
  
Pansy regarded her suspiciously for a moment, but finally accepted it and shook her hand. I don't want to talk about anything. Ron said that you might have something that will make me feel better, and that's all I want. I don't need to talk.  
  
McKarrick smiled again. May I sit down next to you? She did so when Pansy nodded, then brought the two things she had carried with her onto her lap. You know, we're practically neighbors, you and I! My quarters aren't too far from here.  
  
That's because dungeons are nice and dim, and far away from the sun.  
  
Exactly, but do you miss the sunrise?  
  
Pansy glanced at the doctor, not saying a word through her lips but giving her a look that admitted all. It's been a long time... I don't really think about them anymore. I mean, I still see them sometimes, if I'm willing to wear this hideous black cloak that even has to go over my face. It's hard to _see_ the sunrise all that well through it... I just try not to think about it anymore.  
  
You don't have to worry about the sun anymore, though it will probably still be uncomfortable to look at, especially around noon. But this will protect you from the sun. She held up the bottle that looked like it contained lotion, which she quickly explained that it did. This lotion, once you rub it on, is effective for twenty-four hours. Nothing can take it off of you, not water or anything, until it wears off on its own. It will protect you from the sun.  
  
Pansy took it from her timidly. You mean... I could walk out in the sun wearing a normal robe if I wanted to?  
  
You could walk in the sun in your underwear as long as you've got this on, McKarrick answered with a wink. And now... something else. I don't know what you'll say to this, some vampires love it and others hate it, but it really is the best option, and the most legal. She held up the thermos and unscrewed the lid, then handed it to Pansy.  
  
Pansy sniffed what was inside, then closed her eyes and held it away. It smells like blood... but that would have to be dead blood, and that's not good at all...  
  
Well... it is blood... in a way. It's a synthetic blood, and it works just the same for vampires as the real stuff, granted it's not nearly as satisfactory for some of the other instincts that come about with vampirism, but... at least you won't starve.  
  
Pansy peered into the thermos distrustingly, but finally put her lips to it and drank some... and then a little more... then chugged the rest.  
  
McKarrick smiled. See, it's not that bad, at least when viewed next to starvation.  
  
Pansy nodded, but couldn't help but think that Ron tasted better. So how do I get more of this stuff, and the lotion?  
  
I send you enough blood for six weeks, as long as you drink the right amount daily. As for the lotion, I'll give you one more and whenever you have to start on it, send me an owl and I'll get you more.  
  
Pansy thanked the good doctor, and then she left to go back to her quarters.  
*******************************************************  
  
The patients started in early the next day. Many students and professors were complaining of a headache and a rash on their backs. She trusted that Madam Pomfrey had already tried the usual charms and spells to make such symptoms go away, but Dr. McKarrick had something that Pomfrey didn't have, something that she didn't really know she had either. She had found it in her medical kit that morning, a small bracelet, made from a golden chain. It really was a pretty little thing, but McKarrick couldn't imagine how it got there. Nevertheless, she put it on, and the patients started coming.  
  
Another symptom seemed to begin with the people who had first gotten it. They were incredibly thirsty. Most carried water with them, but one little first year ran out, not knowing how to charm her jug to carry more than it looked like it could. Don't worry, dear, I'll get you a glass of water, said the Dr. McKarrick, wanting to get out of the room which seemed to be growing ever more crowded. And she didn't have the first idea on how to fix it. But she got the little girl some water, which she promptly drank down.  
  
the girl exclaimed. My headache went away!  
  
McKarrick stared at her, a little confused. Was it something about water that helped the headache...? But no, because a lot of people were drinking water and they were still suffering. May I look at your back?  
  
The little girl nodded, and sure enough, the rash had disappeared.  
  
I... think I need a glass of water... Dr. McKarrick said shakily to the patients and walked back to where she had gotten a drink for the little girl. The water _tasted_ like water. It looked like water. It felt like water. But it was water, for crying out loud!! Water has no _real_ healing values.... But whatever, if it would cure her patients, then she wasn't going to complain.  
  
Soon every person in the room had had a sip of McKarrick's Miracle Water, and were saved, hallelujah! Not long afterwards the room was completely empty, and McKarrick stood there staring at the door like everything that had happened had just been a dream. A very freakish dream.  
***************************************************  
  
Later that evening while Dr. McKarrick sat in her study area reading a book, a knock sounded from the door. A girl of about fifteen walked in, with beautiful long silvery-blonde hair and very fair skin. She was also carrying a strange looking staff. Good evening, Dr. McKarrick, the girl said politely. My name is Pandora.  
  
Hello, Pandora. Is there anything I can do for you?  
  
Nothing really, Pandora answered, raising the staff higher and moving it in a circle. Just relax... and Sleep....  
  
When she woke up she didn't remember the incident with the girl at all. All she could think about was how strange it was for her to fall asleep like that. She never slept anymore. That's when she noticed that her bracelet was missing.  
**********************************************************  
  
Did you get it? Harry asked when Pandora walked back into the Common Room.  
  
She smiled and held it up after making sure no one else was around. It was a Ravenclaw Card, the Heal Card. It was in the bracelet. I guess it's good that she had it though, or everyone might still be sick. It always amazes me how these cards can be so much trouble, and then every now and again there's one that actually does something right.  
  
Harry watched as she put the card away, then looked at the clock and said with a sigh, Don't tell me we're going to have to go get Ron again... Does he have no sense of time?  
  
Not when he's with Pansy.  
  
Harry shuddered. Pandora laughed at him.  
  
Just then the door opened, and in staggered a very happy looking redhead. Good evening, dear friends! How goes life?  
  
Ron... your hair is messed up more than _mine_, and that's really saying something, Harry grumbled.  
  
Oh is it? he said casually, turning a light shade of pink as he ran a hand nervously through his hair, only making it worse.  
************************************************************************  
((I don't know if I've provided a link yet to this picture of Vampire Pansy and Cynders, but here it is anyway:  
http://sailorxenex.diaryland.com/images/pansyvamp.jpg  
  
My friend actually drew this for another fic I wrote where Pansy is a vampire, so Cynders doesn't have the purple gem on her head, so just pretend it's there.  
  
I also have another link for you to another of my fics that's all about Dr. McKarrick if you're interested. No one's reviewed it yet and I would love for someone to read it:  
http://www.fanfiction.net/read.php?storyid=440589   
  
Anyway, I have tacked on another random straying story from Pandora in my CLAMPish delerium, and I thought I'd put the first part here and see what you think of it. It's supposed to just be humorous, don't try to look too far into it. It's based off of Magic Knight Rayearth, just renaming the characters: Hikaru=Carolyn, Umi=Beth, and Fuu=Anna. These characters may be used in CCP, but if you don't really feel like reading this randomness, you won't miss anything. But if you want, you can tell me what you think and if you want me to make more random segments of it! Otherwise, I might just put it up as another story entirely, which I may do anyway, I dunno yet. It was written in a nice script-form on my computer, but html-ing it might make it look weird, so I apologize ahead of time if it does. Basically the stuff in italics and in parenthesis are actions and descriptions. Buh-bye!  
  
PS- This incredibly random non-plot was conceived by a friend and me rather late at night when we were both in a delerious state of mind after watching about three hours of Magic Knight Rayearth and everything suddenly was funny. So now that you know where it's coming from... I do hope you enjoy! ^_^;; ))  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
The Magic Knights  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
WARNING!  
Written Under the Influence of Cheesecake and TheraFlu  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  


Three: Aaaaaaaaah!  
_The three girls sit up after landing rather roughly on a hard stone floor in a dark room  
_  
Carolyn: _(nervously, trying to see through the darkness)_ Bethy? Anna?  
  
Anna: _(wearily) _We're here, Miss Carolyn.  
  
Bethy: _(whining)_ Where did the big scary monster go?  
  
Anna: We appear to be in a dark room away from the big scary monster, Miss Bethy.  
  
Bethy: _(frustrated)_ Good job, Anne! Now can you for once say something that's not completely obvious?!  
  
Anna: Um... There appears to be no one else around...? ^_^;;  
  
Bethy: .....................  
_hears something drop to the ground  
_Ohmigosh! Someone's here!  
  
Three: _ They look nervously into the darkness. Their eyes are finally adjusting and they see that they are in something similar to a small apartment with elegant decor. On the ground ahead of them, they see two green eyes glistening in the dim light of a window.  
  
_Bethy: Not another monster....  
  
_The small creature steps entirely into the light from the window, revealing itself to be a grey tabby cat.  
  
_Carolyn: _(eyes turn into little hearts as she gasps happily)_ KITTY!!! _(glomps the _Cat_)  
  
_Cat: _(fur stands on end, but doesn't escape quickly enough and is glomped)_  
  
Bethy: Thank goodness! I thought it was going to be something with drool--or worse--dripping off its big sharp scary fangs! But that pathetic cat doesn't look like it could hurt a fly!  
  
Carolyn: _(is bitten and clawed)_ OUCH!  
  
Cat: _(hops off and scurries into a corner to regain her composure)  
  
_Anna: _(smiling)_ How strange that you should receive that bite just after Miss Bethy made that comment. It is as if the cat wanted to prove you wrong.  
  
Carolyn: _(looks deeply offended as she crawls over to the _Cat _who is now making faces as if she is concentrating) _I'm sorry that Bethy made that mean comment, Kitty. Are you alright?  
  
Cat: _(suddenly transfigures into Professor McGonagall)_  
  
Three: _(stare in disbelief)_  
  
McGonagall: What are you three students doing out of bed, and in _my_ quarters, no less?  
  
Carolyn: Students?  
  
Bethy: We're not...  
  
Anna: ...students.  
  
Carolyn: Can you please...  
  
Bethy: ...tell us where...  
  
Anna: ...we might be?  
  
McGonagall: _(impatiently)_ Wait wait wait! Stop talking like that this instant! It's three o'clock in the morning and I can't handle it...  
  
Three: _(Blink. Blink blink.)_  
  
McGonagall: As for the other question, you know very well where you are or you wouldn't be here. You're at Hogwarts School of Wizardry and Witchcraft.  
  
Carolyn: I didn't know they had a magic school here in Orifec...  
  
McGonagall: Orifec? Where's Orifec?  
  
Bethy: You mean we're not in Orifec anymore?  
  
McGonagall: No, of course not! I have no idea what in the world you're talking about!  
  
Anna: Then would you please tell us where we are, besides being at this school?  
  
McGonagall: You're in Great Britain, of course.  
  
Bethy: _(grabs _McGonagall_'s arm excitedly)_ You mean we're back on Earth?!  
  
McGonagall: _(looks at her like she has a screw loose)_ Yes, of course you're on Earth! Where else would you be?  
  
Three: _(rejoice happily)  
  
_McGonagall: _(sighs)_ I don't know if you are telling me the truth or not, but in any case I don't recognize you, but you must have magic to be here in the first place, so I guess I should get the three of you sorted... in the morning. For now, find a nice spot on the ground and sleep. Good night.  
  
_(Lights out)_


	24. Episode XXIII: Loves Fire

**Cardcaptor Pandora  
**Episode XXIII  
**Love's Fire  
****  
**

Finally. Finals week. And then no more school for an entire summer.  
  
Pandora thought about how she felt a year ago when everybody else had been saying that and she didn't feel it at all. But this year was completely different. Her father could say nothing about her now, even if he was at home. She was a real witch! But she had a feeling he wasn't going to be around much that summer. He was already gone for some special business trip that he wouldn't be back from until mid-July. Now she was going to get to spend extra time with Harry, too. Whenever he could get away at least. She couldn't wait. Summer was going to be wonderful.  
  
Unfortunately, exams must come first.  
  
Pansy was even happier. She had no exams to worry about or anything, not even summer's sunlight. She was going to spend the summer at Ron's house, he had already asked his parents. She wondered how much he had to beg, but she didn't care. She couldn't wait.  
  
Everyone was happy overall, even if they did have to suffer through a few tests before they were free. That was the point, wasn't it? They were going to be _free_. Pandora, Pansy, Holly, Sydney... even that blasted Lauren girl...  
  
But not Sara Croft. She would never be free again. She was Persephone Avaran, Princess of Darkness.  
  
Playing on the Muggle computer again, I see, Pettigrew's voice said from behind her. Her father wanted him to stay with her for some reason, she wasn't sure why. Probably didn't trust her. She didn't mind too much though. She could tell he felt sorry for her, and rarely told her father anything that could get her into trouble, unless it could especially get him into trouble as well.  
  
It's the only way I can communicate with my brother, Wormtail, she said icily. I'll probably never get to see him again as it is. Certainly not this summer.  
  
He sat down on the bed, causing Tasyra to hiss at him as she usually did because it made him squirm. She thought that was amusing, and so did Persephone. Especially when he was a rat. But after he was certain that Tasyra was playing again as usual, he laughed lightly, trying to lessen the tension in the room. I never knew the girls' rooms were so clean, much better than the boys'.  
  
That's because girls are living in them. I'm sure both dorms were much the same when they were first made centuries ago.  
  
He laughed again, a little nervously she thought. She couldn't help but ask him, Exactly what are you doing here, Wormtail?  
  
He sighed, and after an awkward silence finally answered, Your father's worried about you.  
  
I doubt that.  
  
Well... worried that you're drifting... from his power.  
  
Now _that_ sounds more like one of Father's worries.  
  
I am also here to make sure you study and then to escort you back to your father for the summer. He wants to make sure you go to the correct home.  
  
Where you're taking me is no home.  
  
Persephone... don't talk like that or I might have to take drastic measures. You know I don't like it, but I will do what I must....  
  
She knew exactly what he would do. Light a candle and then make her watch it. That's how her father kept her tamed. She didn't know what it was about a flame... but every time she saw one she forgot all else but the cards, hatred, and killing anything remotely having to do with a Gryffindor--especially the Heir of Gryffindor. Often she wouldn't remember anything for a while after watching a fire. But she had stayed away from them for so long, the last one her father had tormented her with was hardly more than a shadow in her mind anymore. She was coming alive to feelings and emotions she had long been disconnected with, ever since she was separated from what she preferred to call family. She felt love for someone, love for the most unlikely of people, and in the most unlikely of manners as well. But every time she thought of him, thought of loving him how she wanted to, The Flame seemed to take over her heart and give her a desire to cause harm to him. Somehow she had managed to push that away for a while, perhaps because she wasn't being directly influenced by her father. She couldn't imagine what he'd do if he knew about her feelings for one of his worst enemies.  
  
They heard footsteps coming towards the door and Pettigrew transfigured into his rat form, quickly scampering to Persephone afterwards for her to put him into her pocket before Tasyra had any ideas about being hungry. Persephone had had a room by herself for a while since she came so late in the year, but now she shared a room with one other person, another new girl who had arrived in the middle of the second semester. Her name was Anna Graham, and she really didn't strike Persephone as much of a Slytherin, but whatever. She didn't seem too nervous about having an asp in the same room with her, and that's all that really mattered to Persephone. Besides, Anna was usually out anyway with her two other friends.  
  
Oh, good evening, Miss Persephone! she greeted, smiling though she sounded very out of breath.  
  
Persephone cringed. She never could understand why Anna called her along with every other girl in the whole school, including her best friends, but whatever. What were you in such a hurry to get up here for, Anna?  
  
You wouldn't believe it, Miss Persephone! I was studying in the library when suddenly this horrible fire broke out, right in the history section! It burned a few books, but luckily no students were injured, at least, none that I know of. By the time a professor had gotten there to put it out, it had gone out on its own. It was a very large fire too, which means that there has to be magic behind it for it to suddenly just go out of its own accord.  
  
So you stayed around to figure all that out, and _then_ ran up here because....?  
  
Anna said, smiling and blushing a little. Well.... Miss Carolyn, Miss Beth, and I thought we would go see what might have caused it.  
  
Persephone responded, not really sounding all that interested. Well, good luck I suppose. Stay out of trouble. That's what I'm doing for once. I... don't really like fires, so I think I'll stay up here far away from it.  
  
I hope you do, Miss Persephone, Anna said, sounding concerned as she continued speaking, but do look out. I heard some other students saying something about a fire spontaneously appearing in the Gryffindor Common Room, but it went out right away. It could happen anywhere. Then she left.  
  
Persephone sighed and sat on her bed, then helped Pettigrew out of her pocket and he transfigured. Persephone, what are you waiting for! That's a Hogwarts Card if I ever heard of one!  
  
Do not pressure her, Tangaroa suddenly said after being quiet for a very long time. Pettigrew gave her a surprised look. If she is not ready to capture a certain card, then forcing her to go after will only cause more harm than good.  
  
Why do you say that? Of course she's ready! She's certainly powerful enough.  
  
It is not necessarily the power aspect of it that I am concerned about.  
  
Persephone bit her lip.  
  
Pettigrew didn't want to force her to do anything, but he didn't want to get in trouble himself for allowing her to miss a chance at a very powerful Hogwarts Card, this particular one being the Gryffindor Element Card. So he had to think of another way to get her out of her room and into the big wide world where she might run across it. Didn't you say you had to finish something... a lab, was it?  
  
Persephone sighed and stood up. Yes, of course. A Potions lab for dear Professor Snape. He said that he wouldn't be in the classroom tonight, but that he'd leave the door unlocked for me to go and finish it. I think a few other students needed to finish it as well. I suppose I should go, get one more thing over with so I can study in peace.  
  
Pettigrew stood up as well and said, Let me transfigure. I'll go with you.  
  
Persephone said, then quickly shut her mouth. Timidly, she continued speaking, I mean... if Snape does show up, he might find you. He's got a strange sixth sense about things like that, especially things having to do with Deatheaters, and I'd rather none of that get started here.  
  
Pettigrew sighed, but sat back down on the bed and nodded. Very well, Princess. I will look forward to seeing you again later this evening.  
**********************  
  
What a way to spend my last night before finals, Harry mumbled to himself alone in the Potions room, finishing up his lab.  
  
Suddenly the door creaked open, and he looked up expecting to see Professor Snape walk in, or if he was lucky, Pandora. But it was neither, in some ways worse, in some ways better. It was Persephone.  
  
She stood where she was at first, regarding him with some amount of surprise, her expression somewhat softened from even the last time he had seen her. He didn't know what it was, but for some reason her cold mask seemed to melt around him, at least to a certain extent. He didn't know if that was good or bad, he just knew that it happened.  
  
She walked towards him, closer and closer and didn't stop, not until she was right in front of him and had taken his hands in hers. Good evening, Harry, she said, her voice not even nearly so threatening as usual. In fact, a sincere smile seemed to be on the verge of forming on her face.  
  
he said, stepping back uncomfortably and dropping her hands. Look, it really is about time that you explained this to me, don't you think?  
  
Explained what? she asked, seeming to honestly not understand what he was talking about.  
  
You don't really love me, you know that. Is this some ploy of your father's?  
  
Her ghost of a smile disappeared, but instead of being replaced with her usual icy expression, she looked like she was about to cry. She bit her lip and crossed her arms around her as if trying to keep warm. Then she slowly began to walk towards him again, her arms outstretched as she said in a soft, trembling voice, You don't understand, Harry... no, not at all.... Harry, he doesn't know anything... nothing at all.... not at all, Harry.... Harry, don't you believe me....? I love you, Harry.... Harry, please.... I love you....  
  
One tear fell from each eye just when she was about to reach him, but she never did have the chance. At that exact moment, a boom sounded from the other side of the room, and suddenly a fire lit up brightly in the corner on the _stone floor_.  
  
__ she cried, turning away and falling to the ground, covering her eyes with her hand as she began to sob.  
  
he cried, falling down next to her and drawing her into his arms. Sh.... calm down, it's alright.... Come on, Persephone, we've got to get out of here... he whispered in her ear, trying to do anything to get her to pull herself together.  
  
Harry, no! I can't... I can't see it.... I can't, do you understand that? If I see it, I will want to kill you, but I don't! I really don't! I don't want to kill Lauren, I don't want to kill anyone! I don't want to be Persephone Avaran, Harry! Help me, Harry... please... help me....  
  
There was nothing he could do. She seemed to have suddenly gone insane and couldn't move from where she was. Out of all the people he had ever expected to drive insane, Persephone Avaran was one of the last on the list. He continued holding her, watching as the fire curled around the room, but never came any closer. It seemed like it was waiting for something, and wouldn't attack until a precise moment.  
  
Persephone, can you try? he asked once more after sitting on the floor with her in his arms for he didn't know how long.  
  
Don't bother, came another voice, an all-too familiar voice for that particular moment in time with him in that particular position with Persephone.  
  
he said, jumping away from Persephone and standing up, while she hung on to his robe like a beggar. Pandora, it's not what it...  
  
Stop, Harry. Don't bother. I've got something to finish, she said, turning her back on him but not before he saw a spark of hate in her beautiful amber eyes that he didn't know she was capable of. Hogwarts Card, come back to your Master. Fire Card! _Return!_ She hit the fire with such a vengeance, he almost believed the entire room would burst into flame. But soon the danger was over, at least the danger from the fire, as it turned into a red-backed Gryffindor Card.  
  
Pandora looked back at him, a stony expression on her face but a sad glint in her eye. Then without another word, she turned and ran out of the room.  
  
Pandora, no! Wait! he called after her, but was held back by Persephone. Let go, Persephone!  
  
Persephone jerked her hands away as if she had been burned. He began to leave her without another thought to pursue Pandora, but had to stop when he gave her one last look, and saw that her state of mind had not gotten any better, perhaps only worse because of his harsh command.  
  
He walked back over to her, then knelt next to her, putting his hand on her shoulder. Persephone, I believe you, alright? But nothing could ever _happen_ between us, don't you understand? Even if I did like you the same way you like me... it could never work. I mean, really, your father wants me dead.  
  
Then she did something he never would have expected. She started laughing, and not in that sarcastic snicker that she let escape on occasion, a genuine laugh. Oh, Harry! You really don't understand.... she said, some sadness still mixed with her amusement. I do love you, yes, but not that way...  
  
  
  
She sat on her knees, smiling pleasantly at him and acting much calmer. She reached up and, after pushing his bangs tenderly away, traced the scar with her forefinger. Do you know what this has almost made you?  
  
Besides dead...?  
  
Yes, besides dead, Love, she answered, grinning even more. You're practically his son in some ways, you know. His power was sent in to you much like it would his own child. Indeed, even though you may never admit it, you know you have your Slytherinistic side deep down. And that is how I love you, Harry. She put her hand back in her lap, smiling sadly. You're the closest thing to decent family I have around here, if you didn't know. You're like a brother when I'm in my right mind.  
  
And suddenly it all came together. He had been drawn to her as well, but it wasn't the same kind of attraction that drew him to love Pandora. So the cursed scar that linked him with Voldemort also linked him to his daughter... Persephone Avaran.  
  
He grinned, and then started laughing, and Persephone joined in. They laughed for quite a while before Harry finally had to say, I never knew you were like this, Persephone. I mean... you're always so serious and... well... scary, to be honest.  
  
Her smile faded and her sadness set in again. Like I said... when I'm in my right mind. But... I'm afraid I probably won't be much longer. He'll know something's up... he can sense it, they all can. I'll be Persephone Avaran again before you know it, and please forgive me in advance for my actions. If I kill you, please understand that it was not my desire. She leaned forward and kissed his forehead gently, somehow making it burn slightly. Then she stood up and, with one last mournful yet smiling look, left the room. He wondered if he would ever see that Persephone Avaran again. But he would have to worry about that later. For now, he had to find Pandora and explain things to her.  
******************  
  
Pandora sat in the Gryffindor Common Room studying, not quite ready to go upstairs. She knew it wasn't doing her much good though. She couldn't keep her mind on her reading. It was with someone else... someone else she couldn't even say for certain if he returned any feelings anymore...  
  
  
  
She hadn't heard him come in, and wasn't very happy to see him exactly, and yet she was... maybe she could slap him while he was around.  
  
What do you want, Harry? she asked, her voice weak from her earlier tears.  
  
He explained to her everything that had happened in the Potions lab, praying that Pandora would believe him. Unfortunately, by the end of the story she still seemed rather skeptical.  
  
That sounds like a convenient excuse...  
  
No, really, he's tellin' the truth, Pandora! a little voice said in her ear, making her jump up and turn around quickly and thwack it with a book. It took poor little Rangi a second to recover from that.  
  
Oh, I'm so sorry Rangi! She picked him up and cuddled him.  
  
Stoppit, stoppit! I can't breathe! He fluttered into the air (though not quite in a straight line) and cleared his voice. Tangaroa came to tell me something earlier because she knew the Fire Card would find Persephone. The Fire Card is the Gryffindor Element. It's main goal is to seek and destroy the Heir of Slytherin.... and is rather aggressive. That's why you found it with Harry, but Persephone's being with Harry is also what saved her. It won't attack another Gryffindor, especially someone down the bloodline.  
  
Okay, all of that's great, but what does that have to do with Harry and Persephone being... well.... together....?  
  
Persephone is more or less brainwashed by her father, Rangi continued. He uses fire to make her that expressionless icy drone that we usually interact with that usually only comes to life when she's trying to capture a card or kill someone. But Harry is what usually restrains her. It's her sort of connection' with him that forces her to control herself. Because of that, she feels like he's protecting her in a way, like a brother would. And that's exactly how she loves him.  
  
Pandora rolled her eyes, but Harry was glad to see a smile on her face. Rangi, exactly how do you know all of this?  
  
Because I'm Rangi, the Guardian Beast! I know EVERYTHING!  
  
Then there's obviously not a whole lot to know.  
  
Shut up. Just shut up.... Okay, fine. So I don't know everything. Tangaroa does. She told me all of that. Persephone tells her everything.  
  
But Pandora wasn't really listening anymore. She and Harry were making up.  
****************************  
  
Persephone walked into her dark room, leaving the door open behind her. There was no light on at all....  
  
....except for one burning candle.  
  
She turned, but the door slammed shut behind her.  
  
_There's no escaping, Persephone. You have strayed too far from me_, a voice hissed, a voice that could not be Peter Pettigrew's. _Come back to me, my daughter.... Forget everything else.... You have a duty here, and you cannot forget it.... never forget what your purpose is.... Do you understand, Persephone Avaran?  
  
Yes, Father, of course I do.  
_  
There was no more Sara Croft. Only Persephone Avaran.  


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  


  
((Okay, since that was a rather unamusing episode, I thought I'd tack on another random Magic Knights thing, just because we need some humor to lighten up the atmosphere! Anyway, um... I'm wondering if anyone's reading anymore, because there aren't a whole lot of reviews coming in for the past few episodes... so.... please review, because Kira's getting sad! ;_; I promise, the next few episodes are really going to pick up. For those of you wondering if I'm ever bringing the other Cardcaptors back into this, never fear! Keep reading, and REVIEW!!!))  
  


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  


  


The Magic Knights  
The Sorting Ceremony  
  


_ (_McGONAGALL_ is finishing up a speech during breakfast in the Great Hall)  
  
_McGonagall: ....and now I shall sort our three new students, and I do hope that you will make them feel welcome. I will start with Anna Graham.  
  
Anna: _(whispers to _BETH_)_ It appears that I am going to be first.  
  
Beth: No, really...? -_-  
  
Anna: I hope we do not have to fight anything. I am terribly sore from that last monster. _(looks beyond _BETH_ and sees that _CAROLYN_'s not there)_ I wonder where Miss Caro-  
  
McGonagall: _(quite firmly)_ Anna Graham!  
  
Anna: Sorry, Miss Professor! ^_^;; _(walks up calmly, smiling cheerfully)_  
  
McGonagall: Now sit down on the stool and I shall place the Sorting Hat on your head. It will tell you which House you are best suited for: Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, or Slytherin. _(places the _SORTING HAT _on _ANNA_'s head)_  
  
Sorting Hat: Hm... very intelligent you are... yes, and not as polite in your thoughts as you let on to others... I must say that you strike me as rather clever, which leads me to think that you should be in SLYTHERIN!!!  
  
Beth: _(rolls her eyes as _ANNA_ joins the Slytherin table)_ Clever?! She's not clever. All she ever does is restate the obvious, so therefore she's never wrong! _(looks around)_ Where is Carolyn, anyway?   
  
McGonagall: Next, Beth Zwyx.  
  
Beth: _(walks up, still looking around as she sits and has the _SORTING HAT_ placed on her head)  
  
_Sorting Hat: I see some intellectual fire, though probably something closer to an accidental spark... but there's a lot of loyalty.... Either Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff could suit you, though I think Hufflepuff more than-  
  
Beth: YECH! I don't want to be labeled as a It makes me sound fat and fluffy, and overall quite silly! _(receives glares from the nice Hufflepuff table)_ I like the way sounds much better. It's at least a sophisticated name.  
  
Sorting Hat: _(sighs)_ Very well then.... RAVENCLAW!!!  
  
McGonagall: And finally, Carolyn Gravely! _(crickets chirp) _Ahem... Carolyn Gravely! _(crickets play Handel's Messiah)_ CAROLYN GRAVELY!  
  
Carolyn: _(bursts through the door wearing a sword)_ Sorry I'm late, Professor! I got distracted...  
  
McGonagall: Quite... Now sit down on that stool. You're going to be sorted. _(places the _SORTING HAT _on _CAROLYN_'s head when she sits down)  
  
_Sorting Hat: Ah! I see quite a lot of bravery and-  
  
Carolyn: OH MY GOSH! IT'S A POSSESSED TALKING MONSTER HAT! IT'S TRYING TO EAT MY BRAIN! DIIIIIIIIIIE!!!!! _(yanks the _SORTING HAT_ off of her head and slashes it with her sword)  
  
_Sorting Hat: _(gurgles with its dying breath before going to be stitched up yet again)_ Gryffindor... Definitely Gryffindor....


	25. Episode XXIV: The Wizard of Oz

**Cardcaptor Pandora  
**Episode XXIV  
**The Wizard of Oz  
**(Segment One of the Separate Reality Series)  
**  
**

((Did you all think I had fallen off the face of the planet? I do hope you're still reading. I apologize for the long wait, I just got really busy, you know, the usual. But summer's here now, and that will probably help a bit. Hope you enjoy!))  
  
Finally summer was at hand! The school was buzzing with students running about gathering everything they would need for their return home. The train would be leaving in less than four hours...  
  
Pandora, honestly, how much can one girl carry with her? Ron shouted as she lugged her suitcase down the stairs, which seemed to be about to burst at the seams. Harry jumped up to help her. Ron rolled his eyes.  
  
When she came down into the Common Room, Harry pulled an envelope from his pocket and handed it to her. Professor Everest told me to give this to you. I have no idea what it's about.  
  
Pandora took it and opened it curiously. Hm... she said she wants me to meet her out next to the lake an hour before the train is supposed to leave. How odd.  
  
That'll be cutting it a little close, don't you think?  
  
Yes... But I guess she's got it worked out.  
  
I'll go with you if it'll make you feel any better.  
  
She smiled and gave him a kiss on the cheek.  
  
Ron stood up quickly and headed for the door. It was too much for him. He just wanted to find his Pansy, get on the train, and go home.  
  
Pandora followed through with the request in the letter, and was surprised to see her fellow Cardcaptors also there for the same reason. Even Persephone was there, and looked to be quite back to her normal silent dark self.  
  
I wonder what's keeping her, Sydney said.  
  
I don't know, but it's awfully rude for her to keep us waiting, commented Holly.  
  
You should talk about grumbled Lauren.  
  
That comment came from Persephone.  
  
Pandora glanced at Harry and sighed. Who knows...  
  
Rangi suddenly flew out of Pandora's bag in a rage. I knew we should have never trusted that Everest! I can sense the work of a Hogwarts Card right now! She's up to something!  
  
A card? Pandora asked, honestly sensing nothing. Then what would be the point of sending us all here to capture it?  
  
I don't know! She's the evil mastermind! Maybe she just gets perverse enjoyment out of watching the five of you fight it out.  
  
Um, Rangi, Sydney interrupted politely, I really don't think that Professor Everest is that kind of person...  
  
In any case, if we don't leave now, we're going to be late to the train, and then what? Holly said. It must not have been very important or she would have been here by now.  
  
They all agreed, still very curious about the entire situation. But just as they turned to go back the ground began to rumble, and suddenly a giant hole opened up beneath their feet, and there was nowhere else to go but down.  
  
Pandora was terrified at first, but then realized that they weren't exactly _falling_, but more floating towards the bottom... if there was one. Harry! Sydney! Lauren! she called out, but there was no answer. Holly...? Persephone.....? Nothing. I'm alone.... she thought to herself, just as the atmosphere around her changed from absolute blackness into the starry realm of outer space. But that couldn't be exactly right, or she would be about to die. She felt a sort of presence around her, a presence that slowly began to solidify into something material...  
  
She was inside of a giant robot... a meccha....  
  
She wore a loose green tank top and black spandex shorts, an outfit she normally wouldn't be caught dead in. Her hair, usually soft and silky, now hung rough and jagged around her face. It was _absolutely_ hideous. And as she gazed at the abundance of controls before her, she discovered something amazing. She knew what to do with them.  
  
Pandora! Pandora! Are you alright? came a familiar voice, a voice that rang throughout the small cockpit.  
  
Rangi? Is that you? Where are you?  
  
The voice laughed. I'm right here, Pandora! You're inside of me! I'm Meccha Rangi!  
  
Pandora didn't know whether this was better or worse. Oh... really... well... that's nice.... ^_^;; Um... you're a lot bigger, aren't you? So... do you know exactly what happened to us?  
  
Yeah! We fell down a hole and ended up in outer space!  
  
I realize that much, Rangi. -_- Now can you tell me _why_ this happened?  
  
It was a card!  
  
Rangi! Can you please stop restating the obvious!  
  
Okay... then... I really don't know what happened...  
  
Pandora sighed. Fine then... I guess we'll just fly around until something happens... or until you think of something important.  
  
But something happened sooner than expected. Ahead of her she could make out another gigantic meccha, two actually, who seemed to be in the midst of some sort of battle. One broke away suddenly and flew towards Pandora. She held her shield in front of her and drew her own weapon, not knowing quite what to expect.   
  
A young, whiny voice came over the speaker, Please get her to leave me alone whoever you are! She's a meanie!  
  
Hi, Lauren, Pandora greeted with a smile, flipping on a screen which allowed for visual contact between the two. She saw Lauren who now had her long black braid back, and was wearing a strange outfit like a Catholic priest or something.   
  
She smiled, but looked panicked again almost immediately. That's Persephone! She was going to kill me until you came along!  
  
Pandora looked past Lauren and saw Persephone coming closer. I'm going to talk to her. She switched the communications screen, and now saw Persephone. She was wearing a dark blue top with odd looking baggy white pants. Her black hair was slicked back in a ponytail. Persephone, this is Pandora. Do you have any idea what's going on?  
  
What? You mean your little Rangi can't figure it out?  
  
I'm not little! he growled in his amplified pathetic voice.  
  
We've fallen into a Separate Reality..... Realms where different lives from different times and places collide, creating something entirely out-of-place and out-of-time, and basically makes little to no sense to the person caught in it.  
  
Probably some screwed up Slytherin Card... Lauren mumbled.  
  
No, actually. It's a Ravenclaw Card, Rangi said. She made it because some of the Hogwarts Cards are so difficult to capture that they practically have to be taken out of context.... But you're not ready for these sorts of challenges, and that Everest knew it! She wants you all to be destroyed!  
  
Rangi... maybe you have it all wrong... Pandora whispered. And even if she did do this to hurt us, perhaps we can make the best of it. Now if I can just figure out what being in the middle of a Gundam series has to do with anything....  
  
And then she saw two more Guardian Beast shaped gundams. The group was back together. Now if she could just figure out what had happened to Harry. She hoped he wasn't hurt...  
  
We were on some space colony with a very drawn out name, involving many letters and numbers, Sydney said with a giggle. She looked much the same and wore a pink collared shirt with a purple vest over it. Holly was being much quieter than usual, maybe because she was having some kind of major bad hair day. It was all like sticking straight down one eye. They were at first scared of us because of our gundams, Sydney continued, but then they asked us if we would do something for them.  
  
A mission? Pandora asked. What might that be?  
  
They want peace... but this galaxy has been torn apart by war. They believe that only one person is capable of bringing peace to all. The Wizard of Oz. They want us to find him and make him see the horrible things that are happening to them here, so that maybe he will be willing to help. Then peace would be restored.  
  
Pandora nodded. Mission accepted.  
  


~ * ~ * ~ * ~  
  


They flew for a very long time not knowing where they were going and not meeting anyone. They contacted a few of the colonies, but many greeted them with hostility or had no idea what they were talking about. Their first lead came in the midst of a battle...  
  
No! I will not allow you to try and reunite Earth with the colonies! Peace is impossible as long as Earth exists! The colonies deserve freedom, thus Earth will be destroyed! NYAHAHA!  
  
It was Pansy, except she had no idea who they were. When Pandora tried to speak to her, Pansy only drew her saber and began fighting Pandora viciously.  
  
The battle might have gone on forever if another had not intervened.  
  
Pansy, stop this madness! came the concerned voice of Ron Weasley.  
  
No!! They are trying to destroy my master plan!  
  
Yeah, well... You'd better go destroy Earth now, or someone else might get to it first!  
  
Pansy gasped and then scurried away.  
  
Ron!! Are you crazy? We have to stop her! Pandora cried.  
  
He cocked his head to the side on her screen and blinked at her in that confused manner he has. I don't know how you know my name, but I guess it doesn't really matter. And don't worry about Earth, I hid her big ship with the big guns on it. ^_^ I do everything I can to keep her out of trouble, because I love her so much.  
  
  
  
But I also love peace, so I can't support her in the things she wants to do, you understand... In fact, I should be getting back to Mr. Potter. I believe he has some people I'm supposed to meet with or something soon...  
  
Mr. Potter...? Pandora asked eagerly.  
  
Yes. He is the headmaster of a school which promotes complete pacifism. Would you like to meet him?  
  
  
  


~ * ~ * ~ * ~  
  


  
  
Pandora had to restrain herself from pouncing upon Harry joyously. She had never been happier to see anyone in her entire life. But once again, he had no idea who she was. Hello, Mr. Potter. Mr. Weasley was telling us about your school here. Your ideas seem to be similar to those of the colony who sent us on this mission.  
  
A mission? I do not support wars...  
  
It is a mission to end the war and restore peace.  
  
And maybe get us home, Lauren whined. I don't think I like this place very much.  
  
He smiled and said, Very well, I'm listening.  
  
We have heard of someone called the Wizard of Oz, and he is supposedly the only one who can bring order back to this galaxy peacefully.  
  
Harry was silent for a moment, but finally he said, What you have heard is true. But no one has ever seen the Wizard of Oz and lived to tell about it. There are those who were brave enough to speak to him, but rarely would he help them. He expects too much.  
  
We will handle any trials there may be, Pandora said certainly. I'm sure the outcome will be well worth the effort. Especially if he can provide us a way home. Just please tell us where to find him.  
  


~ * ~ * ~ * ~  
  


They traveled to a place on Earth, a very sophisticated mansion surrounded by trees and a beautiful garden with fountains. There were guards, but they let the girls pass without much trouble. They were all very confident in their leader.  
  
Tension was in the air as they walked down a long marble corridor towards the chamber where they were to meet with the Wizard.  
  
I do hope the Wizard of Oz is willing to help us, Sydney said sweetly.  
  
I wonder what's so frightening about him, Holly whispered.  
  
Frightened? Who's frightened? Lauren said with a nervous laugh, reaching back and folding her hands behind her head as she walked, something she now seemed to do a lot when she was a little worried about something.  
  
Face it, you're scared, Persephone muttered.  
  
I am not!  
  
Walk walk walk....  
  
Persephone yanked on Lauren's ponytail.  
  
Lauren jumped in the air shouting, Oh my gosh, they're after me, make it stop, make it stop!  
  
Riiiiight you're not scared.  
  
Will you two _please_ stop fighting? Pandora asked. We at least need to be at peace with eachother if we are going to be asking the Wizard of Oz for peace.  
  
When they reached the door it would not open, so Pandora knocked lightly.  
  
Do you dare to make a request of the Wizard of Oz? a familiar voice asked them, but it spoke in such a pleasant tone that they couldn't quite place it. The voice wasn't quite male, but it wasn't female either. It was a strange blend.  
  
Please, we desire peace for the colonies and for Earth. They need your guidance. What must we do to make you see how much you are needed?  
  
There was silence for a moment, then he answered, There are more pressing matters than peace at the moment. For example, will the Earth still be around in fifteen minutes?  
  
But... Ron said he had stopped her....  
  
True, but there are other ways of killing the Earth. What must the Earth have to provide for its inhabitants?  
  
I... don't understand...  
  
What allows the creatures of Earth to survive?  
  
Climate... food....  
  
Yes, and what makes the climate how it is, and the food such as the plants available?  
  
Holly gasped. She's going to destroy the sun!  
  
Very good. That is what you must do, stop her from destroying the sun. If you succeed in that, then I will be able to help you. If you fail... then there will be nothing left to make peace with.  
  


~ * ~ * ~ * ~  
  


Ten more minutes, and the slow agonizing death of Earth would begin.  
  
Pansy laughed wickedly as the Mobile Dolls which were positioned around the sun continued to ready themselves for the final blow. They would take the sun's energy, and with it, put Earth out of its misery. Her old love, Ron, continued to try to talk her out of it, telling her what a crazy idea it was. But she didn't really care anymore.  
  
She watched the progress of the Dolls carefully. One step out of place, and the entire plan could fall apart.  
  
Nine minutes.  
  
An alert sounded that something was heading for the ship, but she could not find them. She had to assume that her computer was reading something wrong.  
  
Eight minutes.  
  
Something shook the entire ship, like she had somehow wandered into an asteroid field. But there were no asteroids. She fell down with a crash, wondering what was rocking the ship.  
  
Seven minutes.  
  
Six minutes.  
  
I suggest you discontinue this mission of yours, now, a voice said next to her, but there was no body there. Just a voice.  
  
What are you doing?! Pansy shouted. Who are you? Whatever you are, you can't stop me! She was pushed to the ground.  
  
Five minutes.  
  
A shimmer appeared above her, and a person did emerge from it, as if out of thin air. You're the same person I talked to earlier! Pansy shouted. What do you want? You can't stop me now. They're already set to do what they must.  
  
Yes, but you can't stop me from changing that if you're busy fighting for your life.  
Pansy narrowed her eyes. You can't do both at once.  
  
Four minutes.  
  
Another shimmer appeared, and from it emerged another girl, younger, and with a long black braid. She had a large sword in her hand and was ready to fight.  
  
Don't kill her, Lauren, Pandora whispered. I don't know what effect it would have on the real Pansy. Lauren responded with a quick nod as Pansy drew her own sword that she carried at her side, and the fight began.  
  
Three minutes.  
  
Pandora scowled at the controls. She hated having to admit that she had no idea what to do.  
  
Would you like some help?  
  
It was Holly with a very serious look on her face. Pandora nodded and let Holly take the lead. Her small fingers moved quickly over all of the buttons and keys. Pandora only hoped it was going to be quick enough. She knew that at the same time Persephone and Sydney were destroying what Mobile Dolls they could, but they would never be able to destroy all of them in time.  
  
Two minutes.  
  
The buttons continued to clack and the swords continued to clash.  
  
One minute.  
  
_Password?!?! _Ugh! I hate computers!  
  
Pandora's heart began to beat insanely fast. What do you have left to do?  
  
If I knew the password they would shut themselves down, and then there would be nothing to worry about! But I don't know what that is!  
  
Thirty seconds.  
  
Lauren yanked Pansy's sword out of her hand with the blade of her own, and pointed them both straight at her where she fell on the ground. Tell... us... the password.  
  
Silence.  
  
Fifteen seconds.  
  
Tell us _now_!  
  
  
  
Five.  
  
Four.  
  
Three.  
  
Two.  
  


~ * ~ * ~ * ~  
  


The final second could have taken all of eternity-  
  
-had Persephone wanted it to.  
  
As it was, it lasted about an hour according to Cardcaptor Real Time, just enough time for Sydney and Persephone to call the other three back out, and all together they destroyed every last one of the Mobile Dolls.  
  
They began returning back to the Wizard of Oz after Persephone removed the affects of the Time Card. It didn't take long for them to begin their trek down the long marble corridor again.  
  
That was... very clever Persephone... Pandora said reluctantly.   
  
Yeah, but did you _have_ to wait until the _last second_?!?! Lauren asked.  
  
Persephone smirked. I was planning on using it all along, but I wanted Pandora to fail at her plan first. Besides, I rather enjoy having the power of Time.  
  
This of course made them all a little more nervous.  
  
Finally they reached the huge door, and Pandora knocked. Wizard of Oz, we have succeeded in the trial. Now please grant us what we ask.  
  
The doors opened without a response from the Wizard's voice, and they were greeted by something much different than they expected. They walked into a very elegant room, and in the center of it was a small table with a vase of beautiful roses on it. On one side of the table sat Professor Everest, and on the other side, Professor Snape. Both had serene expressions on their faces, their lips curved into gentle, natural smiles. It was like seeing people they had known forever as something else entirely different.  
  
I am glad to see that you succeeded in your trial, the voice said. It came from both of them. Their lips moved exactly together, and their expressions remained exactly the same as well. Now I am ready to grant peace to the galaxy, but that will require your help.  
  
Um, excuse me, Mr. Oz, sir, Lauren said, stepping forward and watching them uncomfortably, but do you think you can send us home as well?  
  
The Wizards laughed. You will find your way home eventually, but the time is not now. I will be there to help you along the way though, you can be sure of that. Now, which one of you put in the most work in stopping Pansy from destroying the sun?  
  
Lauren answered, I fought and distracted Pansy while Pandora and Holly tried to shut down the Mobile Dolls on the computer.  
  
Holly answered, I was the only one who could actually _use_ the computer, except what I needed was blocked by a password.  
  
Sydney and Persephone remained silent.  
  
Pandora took a deep breath. I made the plan to get into the ship with Lauren and Holly while Sydney and Persephone took out as many of the Dolls as they could. But my plan failed. It was Persephone who truly saved us all.  
  
Persephone threw a look at her somewhere between confusion, gratitude, and anger. It was always difficult to tell with Persephone.  
  
Both Snape and Everest stood up as if they were one body controlled by one mind, and walked forward in the same manner. Your honesty impresses me, Pandora. You are correct. Persephone is the most deserving to complete this final trial. Persephone watched them distrustingly as they came closer. You must seal us away.  
  
Persephone nodded, her usual cold expression securely on her face. Dark spirits of the West and of the Element Water, your Staff to me, release. Her snake staff appeared in her hand, and the Wizards did not move. I am your Master now, Fight Card. _Return!_  
  
Before her lay a red-backed Gryffindor Card. She picked it up and flipped it over. Instead of Everest and Snape, there was a man with blond hair and beautiful, intense blue eyes in a blue and white uniform. Next to him was a woman with brown hair tied back into to braided buns who wore large glasses over her fierce eyes and a maroon and white uniform.  
  
Persephone did not have long to admire her new card. The ground beneath their feet seemed to be melting away, and before they knew it they all were falling as they did when they first entered into the Separate Reality.  
  
Don't worry! a voice called out. Pandora recognized it as Rangi's, and was relieved that they hadn't left him behind. No matter what, we'll find eachother! Good luck to all of you! And good job... except for Pandora! Honestly! What were you thinking, you...  
  
But his voice faded as they plunged deeper into the blackness.  
  
Pandora smiled, feeling no fear this time. Perhaps she didn't do as well as she had wished, losing the card to Persephone, but she was satisfied with what had happened. In fact, as she felt the futuristic galaxy which had been hers for such a short while slipping away, she was glad that together they had been able to achieve peace. As the last star twinkled out, she whispered, Mission accomplished.


	26. Episode XXV: The Little Mermaid

**Cardcaptor Pandora  
**Episode XXV  
**The Little Mermaid  
**(Segment Two of the Separate Reality Series)  
**  
**

Falling, falling, falling....  
  
Out of the stars, through the atmosphere....  
  
_Splash!  
  
_Into the ocean, under the sea.  
  
And Pandora didn't even have a chance to get accustomed to her sea legs, for as soon as she felt the water all around her, her legs were gone, and in their place was a beautiful pearlescent fin. She flipped it, feeling herself propelled forward. I'm a mermaid... she whispered, finding it strange that she could breathe and speak beneath the water as if it were normal.  
  
a voice called, and she turned to see a little yellow and blue fish swimming towards her. Pandora, it's me! Lauren!  
  
  
  
Don't forget me! another voice cried, and a little red crab swam as quickly as she could towards the other two. It's Sydney... in a really really strange form...  
  
Pandora smiled nervously. Wow, and I thought I had changed drastically.  
  
That's three of us accounted for, Sydney said, numbering with her three legs on one side. I wonder where everyone else is.  
  
Perhaps we should swim to the surface, Pandora suggested, taking off before any of the others could even begin to protest.  
  
When she broke through, the normal atmosphere felt very strange to her, almost suffocating. She looked around in sunlight which seemed strangely garish. Nearby she could see an island, and she swam to it quickly.  
  
Upon a crow's nest sat a seagull singing to himself, but she knew that horrible singing voice. she called. Where are we now?  
  
The seagull stopped and flopped clumsily down to her. Why are you in the water, Pandora? That's not very safe.  
  
she said, lifting her fin above the water so he could see her new form.  
  
He gasped. This is horrible! You won't be able to use your Cardcaptoring powers in that form! You can only use them as yourself.  
  
Oh no... Pandora breathed. What am I supposed to do then?  
  
Holly said, appearing next to her, her own fin flipping impatiently upon the surface, the logical answer would be to try and become human again. Because obviously we're not getting out of this until some card is captured.  
  
Yes, I think we could have figured that much out, Lauren mumbled. Any bright ideas on how one goes about becoming human?  
  
Pandora looked away into the horizon of the fading sun, wanting to clear her head and think, when she saw a ship. I'll be right back, she said to the others, wanting to see if she could come up with _anything _ that might help.  
  
A party was going on in the ship when she finally managed to pull herself up so that she could see through a small space between two rails. She saw many men dressed in uniforms dancing and playing instruments, but among them she saw someone she was very happy to see, even though she knew she could not let him see her. Harry was among them.  
  
Don't get too distracted, Rangi said who had flown up behind her. You know he's here, but I don't see what purpose he serves yet. He may just be here because he has to be somewhere. After all, we all fell into this together.  
  
Pandora nodded. I'm going back under, she said. We've got to figure this out and fast. I'm feeling far too vulnerable.  
  
As soon as she ducked beneath the waves again, two slimy figures slithered through the water, slinking about her. They were long green eels. Good evening, Dearie, one said in a voice which sounded remarkably like Pansy's, and it had incredibly long teeth.  
  
We have heard that you are having some difficulties, the other said, it's voice a distorted form of Ron's.  
  
She gulped. Are you two always going to be some form of bad guy? Are these cards trying to tell me something about you two? I always knew Pansy was going to be a bad influence on you, Ron.  
  
Ron blinked, quite confused. I don't know what you're talking about, so let's skip it and get to your problem. What might that be?  
  
I want to become human, she said simply, not wanting to give too much information away.  
  
And what is so important that you might want to be human? Pansy asked.  
  
Knowing that it would be very unwise to mention the fact that she needed power, she came up with a different (but partially true) story. I am in love with a human.  
  
Isn't that cute, Ron said flatly.  
  
I think it's very romantic! Pansy twittered, circling around Ron and nuzzling him... just before biting his tail.  
  
Not while we're on the job, Pansy! he said with a wink.  
  
That's far too much information, Pandora muttered.  
  
If you would like to be human, then we know just the person who can help you! Ron said, putting his salesman voice back on. Her name is Persephone, the Sea Witch.  
  
Pandora knew that now she definitely had to follow through, for it would lead her to Persephone. Perhaps she knew something the others didn't. But if she was also under the sea, she obviously was not human, therefore incapable of capturing whatever card they were expected to capture.  


~ * ~ * ~ * ~  


  
Pandora swam gingerly through the entrance of Persephone's dark lair, Lauren and Sydney staying just outside of it just in case something were to go wrong.  
  
Persephone sat calmly and quietly as if she had been waiting forever, but Persephone did not have the graceful fin of a mermaid. Her transformation had given her the body of an octopus from the waist down.  
  
Who are you and what is it that you want? she said in a soft, sad voice.  
  
Persephone, it's Pandora, you know that, Pandora answered, confused.  
  
Persephone's dark eyes raised to meet hers dully. I do not know you, Pandora, but I do know your name now. What is it that you want?  
  
I... want to be human to be with the person that I love, Pandora answered.  
  
Persephone muttered. And I am sure you would do anything for the one you love, wouldn't you? Love.....  
  
Pandora murmured, trying to keep Persephone's attention and wondering why she didn't seem to know who she was. Please turn me into a human.  
  
I will, Persephone said at length, but first you must do something for me. I have long desired the Forked Staff of Triton. Bring me that, and I will grant your desire.  
  
The Forked Staff of Triton? Pandora repeated, not knowing what it meant. Where might I find this?  
  
You, of all people, should know, Persephone answered cryptically, then turned and moved herself into a dark tunnel.  
  
With a sigh, Pandora turned and swam out.  


~ * ~ * ~ * ~  


  
The Forked Staff of Triton! Rangi said excitedly. But of course! It makes perfect sense now!  
  
It does? the four Cardcaptors around him said.  
  
Of course! Everything from what card we're looking for to why Persephone has no real idea who we are! It is the Water Card! And since Water is the element of Slytherin, it has a particularly strong hold over Persephone. The Element Cards in some ways practically call the Cardcaptor of their house to them, especially one as strong as Water. And the Forked Staff of Triton is where it is hiding. Whoever has control of the Staff has control of the Water Card, and, along with, control over all of the waters of earth.  
  
And I am supposed to get this for Persephone? Pandora said nervously.  
  
I don't think that's such a great idea, Lauren said, laughing uneasily. I mean, come on, it's _Persephone_....  
  
If it's the only way, then it's the only way, Pandora said. But once we give it to her, we'll have to be ready to immediately fight her for it. But by then I should be able to use my Cardcaptoring powers.  


~ * ~ * ~ * ~  


  
The Forked Staff of Triton did not sound too difficult to find, but it was more a matter of taking it that would be the problem. Rangi explained that only one of pure heart could take it from where it was found, and if that person did not have a pure heart, then they would turn to stone. Pandora was not very fond of this idea, but there seemed to be little else to try. After all, she _was_ the true Cardcaptor (at least that's what Rangi always told her), therefore it should easily be hers. She only hoped he was right this time.  
  
She swam cautiously into the underwater cavern Rangi had told her she would find it, Lauren and Sydney following. You don't think there are sharks around here, do you, Pandora? Lauren asked, trembling as she looked around, jumping at the slightest of sounds.  
  
Oh, Lauren, Pandora sighed, I think that sharks will be the least of our worries here. You're not scared, are you?  
  
Lauren said, laughing shakily. I'm never scared! I am the Heir of Gryffindor, after all!  
  
Hey, what's that? Sydney said suddenly.  
  
What?! Where?! Is it moving?? Does it have _big teeth?!?!_ Lauren cried, swimming about frantically.  
  
Pandora rolled her eyes and peered into the darkness where Sydney pointed. There was something which emitted a faint light, brightening the dark cavern where no sunlight could reach. And as they neared it, they knew they had found what they needed. The Forked Staff of Triton.  
  
Are you really going to touch it, Pandora? Lauren asked, swimming closer to the bottom until her eyes met the gaze of a long-term resident of the cavern, the stony eyes staring lifeless into hers. Immediately she swam behind Pandora, never minding that she was the Heir of Gryffindor.  
  
I have no choice, Pandora said, looking over the bodies of stone which lay strewn about all over the floor of the cavern. Now she understood why Persephone could not just come and get it herself. Someone of pure heart... but were her own motives any purer?  
  
She reached out, feeling the energy emitting from the golden Staff. This was certainly a Hogwarts Card. If only she could use her powers...  
  
But there was no backing out now. She took a deep breath, praying that it would not be her last, and gripped the Staff tightly.  
  
And nothing happened.  
  
Lauren, Sydney, and Pandora all seemed to breathe out at once, a huge sigh of relief. Pandora pulled the Staff from the seaweed which clung to it, holding it up to examine it. So this is the Forked Staff of Triton, and the one who holds it has complete control of all the ocean.  
  
Don't let it go to your head, Pandora Dear, Sydney said, yanking at Pandora's blonde hair with her claw as she slowly moved back out from the cave. You have a card to capture, not an ocean to rule. I know I personally am looking forward to being human again...  


~ * ~ * ~ * ~  


  
A dark look of sheer pleasure passed over Persephone's face the moment her hands touched the Forked Staff of Triton, the look of sadness gone immediately. Well done, Pandora, she hissed, her black eyes flashing towards her. I shall grant your wish then, _right now!_  
  
She pointed the Staff to Pandora, and a bright flash of light shot towards her, engulfing her. She felt the painful split of her fin, but in a moment it was over, and her legs kicked at the water as her lungs begged for air. She looked up, the surface so far away. She would be dead long before she could reach it.  
  
So instead she brought the air to her. With all of her magical energy, she called forth her own Staff, then summoned the powers of the Wind Card. Before Persephone knew what was going on, a beam of air rushed all the way to the bottom of the ocean where they were, parting the waters until they were in something like the eye or a tornado, standing on dry ground beneath them while the vicious ocean swirled about them.  
  
You think you can beat me so easily? Persephone cried, smiling cruelly as she gripped the Staff of Triton close and began to _grow_. The ocean obeys _me!_  
  
Pandora looked up to see the wall of wind she had created weakening to the waves, knowing that within seconds they would be once again over her head. she cried, jumping on her Staff and flying from the ocean floor just in time before the waves collapsed.  
  
Persephone cackled madly. That was clever of you, but you will not last long.  
  
All around the waves grew larger and larger, and in the distance Pandora could see the ship she had seen Harry on rocking so violently, she knew it could capsize at any moment. But the water was so _strong...._ What did she have that could defeat water?  
  
And then she knew precisely what to do. Freeze Card! she called, make these waters an encasement of ice around Persephone!  
  
A shimmer glistened upon the waves, making them beautiful through the stormy grayness, and suddenly crystals appeared all about where Persephone thrashed about, until the ice had trapped her, making her completely unable to move.  
  
Pandora smiled, landing gracefully before Persephone and the Staff which now stood as tall as Hogwarts itself. She had defeated the Water Card and its master. Water Card, come back the Center, you _new_ Master awaits. Hogwarts Card, _return_!  
  
The Card floated gently towards Pandora, and she caught it as the sun came out and began to warm the waters.  
  
That was frightening, a voice said beside her, and she saw Lauren standing beside her in her usual form. Behind her stood Holly and Sydney upon the ice.  
  
It was, she agreed, gazing up at Persephone who began to shrink, breaking up the ice upon which they stood. But Pandora was not worried. After all, they had caught the card. At any moment, she knew they would move on to the next, and she would be ready for whatever Separate Reality awaited her.  
  
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Harry Potter