Title: Was and Will be (01)
Author name: Rosali
Author's email: ciliotta@yahoo.com
Category: Action / Adventure, Romance
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: Books 1 - 5
Story summary: History is a circle that goes round and round and we'll see how sometimes that can change if you have love on your side. Seventh year is almost over and a whole new life approaches our heroes, more different that they had ever imagined.
DISCLAIMER: This story is based upon the characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
CHAPTER I
Something to be proud of
The Four good friends decided
And never did they dream that they
Might someday be divided,
For were there such friends anywhere
As Slytherin and Gryffindor?
Unless it was the second pair
Of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw?
.- The Sorting Hat
The damp night fell across a huge clearing at the edge of the Natural's Forest. The smell of water and mud could be felt in the air and four youngsters stared directly at the nothingness in front of them.
`I think I can feel it in this place.' A short and slender young woman with light blond hair was saying with a dreamy smile. She extended her arms and looked at the sky with her eyes closed, the light wind of the night, making her yellow robes float slightly.
`I think it stinks, and it's too small.' Came a low voice from a tall and thin man. As he walked around, his long black hair drifted along with his pace.
`Now don't be so encouraging my friend, I reckon it'll be great for a start.' Another young man appeared, very well built with light brown hair and amber eyes; a beaming smile on his face.
`I have to agree with Godric. I think we'll have just the space we need for everything.' A bossy and calm voice was heard just next to the blond girl. Her hair was dark brown, with slight ringlets. Her steady blue eyes made perfect harmony with her fair composure.
`Yeah, yeah. Keep up with the lovers' thing and you'll be successful in making me throw up,' growled the man with black hair, but he was smiling.
`Salazar, why do you always have to be so rude? Aren't you excited?' The slender girl came closer, with a smile.
`Yes, my dear Helga, I am.' He responded like someone who was explaining that two plus two was four to a mentally retarded person.
`Oh, come on! We're making our dream come true, fellows! Tomorrow will be a day that history will remember for thousands of years!' Godric added in order to stop an anticipated bickering between Salazar and Helga; which would've eventually ended in Salazar saying something really mean to Helga and Rowena snapping at him for that.
Rowena came forward. `So we all agree this is the place?' she asked and closed the circle that was being made by her three friends.
`I'm all for it!' chirped Helga happily.
`I love it!' Godric pitched in.
`Well, that makes it three against one… I guess I can learn to like it. We can have some really nice-` He was interrupted.
`Don't-you even start!' Godric snapped. Although he liked it when Salazar created all those half-breeds and thought it was really interesting; Rowena seemed to be determined on saying it was an abuse, and that it was playing Gods; something that according to her, wasn't good.
`As you say, darling,' said Salazar in an oddly girlish tone, giving Rowena an innocent smile.
Helga came up, laughing at their weird discussion. `I'm sorry to interrupt your little triangle. But we have a lot to do tomorrow and we ought to be getting some rest,' she said in a matter-of-factly tone and everyone nodded.
* * *
Things were lying all over the Head Boy's chamber; it didn't matter where his things were now since it was his, and only his room. Although he didn't share the room with anyone anymore, he sometimes missed Ron's snores or the occasional bickering between his fellow Gryffindors. Harry Potter entered the room, boot soles wet from walking on the Quidditch Pitch and shivering all over due to the freezing mid-January air.
`Incendio!' he pointed his wand at the small fireplace and an orange and yellow fire started burning merrily. Slowly, the air filled with very pleasant warmth; the ash smell brought Harry many good memories. He threw himself on the big four-poster bed and stared into the enchanted ceiling, at the snow falling. It was a marvelous sight. In Harry's opinion there was nothing more wonderful than being able to see the flakes; each and every single one of them different-falling and not reaching him.
The night had already fallen and he was exhausted. This business of Head Boy and Quidditch Captain was really getting to his nerves. He'd had to ask Hermione for help in his homework more than once, and Ron and Ginny to help him designing strategies. The match against Slytherin, the first match of the season, had been cancelled because the Slytherin team hadn't been complete. Draco Malfoy had been "sick" and hadn't been able to be at school at that time. Up to no good, Harry had thought; but there wasn't much of news in the up-to-no-good issue nowadays with the war going on and all.
After a while of just emptiness in his mind, Harry took a deep breath. Get up Harry, you have an essay on NEWT Potions, he snapped at himself, and reluctantly abandoned the comfort of his bed to go down to the Common Room. There they were; Ron staring at a book but not actually writing anything, while Hermione scribbled non-stop on a piece of parchment.
`Geez, I wonder if that hand is going to fall off one day,' Harry said out loud and smiled at Ron, whose frustrated expression had changed into suppressed snorts at the comment. Hermione looked up and crooked her mouth.
`Why thank you Harry,' she said in her trademark know-it-all manner, sticking her tongue out at him.
`Very mature huh?' Ron said before Harry could reply, and laughed.
`As mature as you and Luna, I must say,' she added, and Ron's ears turned pink. He looked back at his parchment and started writing a title.
Harry made his remaining way to his favourite chair and let his bag fall down next to it. `Do you feel like giving pity on some boy-who-lived?' he asked. He had learned to live with his fame and not feel bad for himself about it most of the time.
`I am not sure I want to do that; my hand may come out, don't you think?' she replied with a wicked smile. Harry made a face at her and took out his self-inking quill and a roll of parchment. He sighed and took out his One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore book; starting to read on a marked page.
Hermione stood up from her place next to the fire and kneeled next to Harry. `This is the principal ingredient, the one you have to write the essay about. You have to deduce in what other growing potions it may be used…' she informed Harry.
`Have I told you how much I love you?' he told his friend with a smile.
`Only every time I save your skin in Potions. Honestly Harry, you and Snape have to sort it out, aren't you tired of that thing you have got with each other?' she asked moving her hand exasperated.
`Hmph.' Was all the response she could get from Harry.
`Snape is the one with issues there,' defended Ron.
`Well, wouldn't you have issues with someone seeing their flowery background relationship?' she responded.
`Don't even start! Please!' came another voice from the back. Ginny Weasley was standing in the Portrait Hole with her hands on her hips. `This is unbelievable! After almost seven years of hanging out, say… every second of the year together, you can't stop bickering? You're worse than two babies!' she snapped, but was smiling.
`Hey Gin!' Harry beamed. `Yeah, and you're not with them in class!' he added.
Ginny laughed and sat on a couch near the fire, staring into it.
* * *
`That damned Potter. Wasn't it enough being the boy-who-lived, Quidditch captain and the best Seeker in over a hundred years? He had to be Head Boy too huh? Or the pack wouldn't be complete,' growled Draco Malfoy to Millicent Bullstrode as they strolled into the Slytherin Common Room. It wasn't very cozy with the stonewalls and the grey surroundings; but a couple of spells made it at least warm enough to feel at home.
`Oh could you stop it Draco? Honestly! You have been complaining about the same thing since we arrived here and you found out he had been named Head Boy and not you,' whined the dark brown haired girl, rolling her dark blue eyes to the ceiling.
`Well, I think I deserved it more than him,' replied Draco defensively.
`He had one more OWL than you Draco! That's what made him Head Boy!' she replied and blew air through her nose as she let herself fall on the velvet overstuffed couch.
`Oh well, at least I beat him in the "Most good-looking wizard" last year, although that much was pretty obvious,' he added and took out his Potions book to start doing his essay.
Just then, a very beautiful girl with brown-blond hair and purple eyes walked down the stairs and flung herself elegantly in the armchair next to Draco.
`Doing your homework, little Draco?' she said in a baby-ish voice. Draco ignored her. `Oh yes I'll beat Potter in this one!' she insisted in a high-pitched tone, Draco finally looked up.
`What do you want, Tracy?'
`Oh! Nothing, just to annoy you until you can't stand it and have to pay some more attention to me.'
`There you had a point, but you missed it… I already can't stand you and you'll always have my attention as long as the only thing you're wearing is a red babydoll,' he responded with a tempting smile.
`Just tell me a place and a day…' Tracy told him with a smirk
Draco looked up and scanned her protuberant forms from top to bottom. `That part we can arrange…' he said in a sexy voice and smiled heartbreakingly at her. She blushed and Draco, with a satisfied sneer, went back to his Potions essay.
* * *
The Headmaster's round office always seemed to send special energies to anyone who set foot in it. Fawkes was sitting on its usual perch and humming a beautiful song. The Sorting Hat sat in its high shelve, quiet as usual and the portraits of old Headmasters and Headmistresses snored idly.
Bill Weasley sat on a chair across from the huge desk, smiling. He remembered that office so well; its silver glinting objects, the boring portraits, the weird looking artefacts… everything was in the same place he had left them, almost fourteen years before. His memories were interrupted by the sudden realisation of the reason he had been summoned at such a late hour at night. He moisted his lips and glanced at the stairs from which Albus Dumbledore was descending. He stood up.
`No, Mr. Weasley, no need to stand up,' he gestured with his hand and Bill sat back down.
`Good evening Headmaster, may I ask what is the reason for this sudden call of yours?' he asked intrigued.
`Indeed, Mr. Weasley; you want to know the motive that couldn't wait till the next reunion.'
`Is there something wrong?'
Dumbledore's twinkling sky-blue eyes glanced at Bill from over his half moon spectacles. He sighed and took a seat in his high-backed chair.
`You used to work in Egypt? Breaking curses as I recall.'
Bill nodded, wondering what this could mean
`Very good then… Mr. Weasley, there has been a murder,' he informed him.
This didn't surprise Bill at all; there had been tons of murders in the past two years.
`Yes I am aware that there are many murders nowadays.'
`Very sad indeed… but this particular one is highly curious, I must say. It was someone who had worked with you, if my memory doesn't fail me.' Bill straightened on his chair and stared at the Headmaster with interest. `Do you remember what business Gustav Mitchelov had when working with you?' he inquired.
Bill frowned; he had known Gustav and worked in a specially protected pyramid with him a few years before. `Yes Headmaster, the last I knew of him, he had finally broken into Karshglen and was studying the objects there, what happened to him?'
`Something very awful, I'm afraid. He was found in his camp in Egypt, victim of multiple wounds all over his upper body. It appears he was tortured over the Wounderos curse and then died of blood loss. What we don't know is the why of his horrible murder. If Voldemort or one of his Death Eaters desire to hurt or kill someone, they just do it… and certainly not that way,' he finished with a sigh.
Bill's blue eyes widened as he heard Dumbledore speak. `My goodness!' he gasped, `he called me to help him de-curse some objects he had found in the pyramid, but I was already working for the Order so I couldn't come… He seemed to be utterly taken, he thought they were really important because they were under so many wards.'
Dumbledore listened intently. `Very well, thank you very much Bill, you've been a lot of help. I'll call you if I need something else,' he said and made a dismissal gesture.
Bill stood, but not to walk out. `But Headmaster! I want to know how this turns out!' he demanded.
Dumbledore looked at him and his look was piercing, `I will call you if I need anything, Mr. Weasley,' he said calmly, with a small bow. Bill, defeated, walked out
* * *
The early morning breeze entered through the half open flaps of Gryffindors tent. He stirred and minutes later opened his eyes, looking outside.
`Great day for wizardring,' he said with glee and got up.
When he came out, Rowena was already dressed and wrapped up in a royal blue cloak, which was held at her chest with a silver pin bearing a falcon. Its collar pulled as far up her neck as possible to block the cold air. She glanced up and smiled.
`Was about time Mr.,' she beamed and kissed him softly
`Will you please stop that?' A sleepy looking man was coming out of another tent, putting his cloak on and shivering a little. He waved his hand towards the cloak and stopped shivering. `Gotta love this warming spells!' he exclaimed as a woman in a heavy wool yellow dress and very thin but elegant cloak came up from the forest.
`Morning everyone! Just talked to the centaurs and they said a lot of funny stuff I didn't quite understand. But they said that the stars had set a grand destiny for us,' she announced to her friends.
`But Helga, darling! We already knew that, didn't we?' the black haired man said in a superior tone and she rolled her eyes.
* * *
`I reckon the highest place should be to observe the stars; there's a lot of things we can learn from the centaurs and I got Hablaid to help me out with some charts and techniques. The herd wasn't too pleased but they know what we want to do,' Rowena said from across her desk, she was writing non-stop in a roll of parchment.
`Oh! Come on! You seriously believe those fellows? I reckon they just say a lot of nonsense, saying they know what is coming'
`Always so primitive Godric. please remind me Rowena, why are you with him?' Salazar asked in a detached tone. Godric hit him in the shoulder and narrowed his eyes; Salazar just laughed.
The three of them were sitting around a round table, and Godric and Salazar kept pointing at several places with their index fingers, to Helga's annoyance. She was trying to get an accurate design of what would be the castle but they kept messing it all up.
`We must have a place to breed the plants and magical herbs,' she commented and pointed at a spot outside what was supposed to be the space in which the castle was to be built.
`Sports! We cannot miss a big place to play sports!' Godric pointed to another blank spot and a messy circle appeared.
`Could you please just tell me? Who's the one drawing the map here?' Helga snapped at her friend.
`No castle can exist without dungeons,' Salazar pointed out lazily, disregarding Helga's words.
`It's supposed to be a school, not a fortress mate. Why must you always be so cheerful?' Godric asked as he rolled his eyes.
Finally the model was finished and the four of them stared at it with pride.
`Let's get down to action then!' Godric announced and was greeted by his friends' approval.
* * *
Harry and Hermione walked three times in front of the tapestry, thinking of their usual room and a door appeared in front of them. Harry stopped and walked forward. He opened the door to reveal a huge room with pillows on a corner and shelves of book on the other side (to where Hermione set off immediately). He glanced at another of the walls and there was a collection of human sized dolls they usually used to aim when they couldn't do it in pairs. On the ceiling there was a group of ropes hanging loose. The floor was checkboarded; Harry smiled. Usually the floor was just stone but he had something good planned for today. After a while, Hermione took notice of the difference in the room and looked up at Harry.
`Confusing spells?' she asked with a grin.
`Not exactly, puzzling and labyrinth curses.'
`I haven't read much on them,' Hermione said urgently and a little nervous.
Harry laughed. `I'm sure you'll get through them...' he said in an isn't it obvious? tone.
Hermione smiled at him. He always thought she was so great but she only was "great" because she had read about most of the things. Would he think the same if she wasn't such a bookworm and didn't know as much? She wondered but didn't even want to imagine it.
After a while, people started to arrive. Although a lot of the original members of the DA had already left school, there were always new additions. Harry had had to reduce the acceptance to second years after last year two first years had injured themselves badly. Madam Pomfrey had gone berserk but Dumbledore and Hermione (who had brought the first years to the Hospital Wing) had made a pretty neat job covering them up. Fred, George, Angelina and Cho came every once in a while even though it couldn't be as often because it would be really weird to have former students come once a week.
Colin Creevey and his brother Dennis had got much better and Neville was almost as fast as Harry with a wand. After almost three years of leading the DA; Harry still couldn't help but feel overwhelmingly proud of most his "students" as Hermione and Ron called them.
Ron and Luna arrived holding hands. Harry elbowed Hermione and when Ron noticed, he turned almost as red as his hair. Eventually, everyone noticed the checkerboard floor instantly and had started muttering excitedly on what Harry had planned for today. Hannah Abbot came to him and looked up with a big smile.
`What's for today?'
Harry smiled at her. `You'll see...' he said vaguely, but with a trace of a wicked grin in his face that Hermione noticed at once and shook her head silently. Harry stood in the middle of the circular room and everyone fell silent at once. It was almost a silence like that, which Dumbledore always caused whenever he stood in the middle of a room or stood up, Harry himself thought this was a bit of an exaggeration but couldn't help it. He grinned at the students and then at Ginny, who had just come in.
`We've just come back from our holidays and that means we haven't had a reunion for over two weeks. I wanted to know if you remembered anything of what we last did.'
Hermione stared at him; he seemed so secure, so strong when he was teaching. It was amazing how he didn't think that himself.
Everyone laughed a little and paired up immediately. At Harry's whistle, flashes of light started flying all over the place. Every once in a while Harry winced when a specially strong hex hit a student, but they always stood back up and cast the counter spell on themselves.
He came up to where Ginny and Neville were practising hexes. Lately, something was going on between those two, they were seen together very often and even holding hands! Harry was glad to see how Neville had grown out of the shy and slow round boy he used to be and how Ginny had also grown out of the girly girl she had once been.
Ginny threw the Impediment hex and Neville evaded it with a protecting spell; they were really having a duel. Just then, Neville threw a Jelly Legs spell to Ginny, she could only half avoid it and one of her legs started wobbling freely. She shrieked and fell to the ground; Neville immediately ran to where she was.
`Oh Ginny! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to-` he said, kneeling next to her.
Harry hurried to where they were. `Firstly, you don't apologise when you hit someone. And secondly, if you hit someone, you don't kneel next to her saying how sorry you are! You cast the counter spell or make a Finite Incantatatem!' he snapped and pointed his wand at Ginny's leg, which stopped wobbling immediately. She sighed.
`It's ok, I wasn't fast enough,' she told a very upset looking Neville and rested a hand on his shoulder, placing a light kiss on his cheek. Harry smiled at the sweet scene and then stood up, shaking his head; sometimes he could be a little insensitive when teaching.
They all were staring but went back to what they were doing before Harry could say anything else. Neville stared after Harry, he admired him so much and it hurt badly when he snapped at him. He sighed and stood up, went back to his duelling position and gestured Ginny to do the same. She didn't say anything; she knew how he was feeling.
Harry started to practice with Hermione and she managed to hit him with a Petrifucus Partialis charm. Harry fell to the ground with a loud sound of a head banging against the floor. Hermione winced and ran to him.
`Are you alright?' she asked.
Harry looked around; they were all staring. He looked at Hermione `You don't apologise,' he hissed and took his hand to his head, a little red stained his white skin. `Asceptio!' he said and his head stopped bleeding.
They had also learned some simple healing charms so they didn't have to run to Madam Pomfrey every time someone got injured. He stood up and smiled at Hermione. `Sorry bout that,' he said softly and Hermione nodded.
`Is it time yet?' she asked, knowing that Harry's plan was to get them unprepared.
Harry laughed. `I think it is quite time...' he said, `I still wonder how you always know what I'm planning...' he said gently.
`Just as you usually know what I'm planning' she replied with a smile.
They laughed softly and then Harry looked at everyone; all taken in their little duels. He looked sideways at Hermione and raised his wand `Laberintio!' he said and apparently nothing happened but then little shrieks were heard from several students. Harry stared at them all. If I've done a good job, you'll be able to figure it out, he assured himself as he looked at how they all moved around, bumping into each other without knowing it. The curse made each one affected fall into a labyrinth made by its own mind; only by untangling your mind you could figure your way out of it.
`Come on guys! You can do it! You just have to find your way out of your own minds,' Harry encouraged them all.
`I can't! It's dark!' came the voice of Hannah Abbot.
`Everywhere I go is a dead end!' Dennis Creevey cried.
`You're strong; you'll find the words to end the spell deep down inside yourselves! Don't let your own minds get you lost!' he continued.
He laid his attention on Hermione, who was holding her eyes close with an evident effort; an expression of utter concentration on her face but her posture intact. Harry bit his lip; since he had been the one to cast the spell, it didn't affect him but he didn't like to see Hermione in such an impotent position. She looked as if she were about to give in and just let herself fall, like some had already done; collapsing to the ground sobbing. Harry had had to finite the spell for them. He was a little disappointed but they would get better with practice. But Hermione was still hanging in there.
Neville had been the first one to get out of his own mind labyrinth, closely followed by Ron and Terry Boot, who had worked his way out by logic and not will as it usually worked. Ginny was already crying but she wouldn't give up. Eventually she made her way out of the spell and let out a relieved gasp, collapsing to the ground after looking around for a while. Neville caught her before she hit the black and white floor and carefully laid her in one of the pillows.
Suddenly, Hermione's body started to glow a bluish light; her face was still set and concentrated. Harry hurried to her but she didn't seem to be in trouble or anything, she was just glowing... He frowned, prepared to finite the spell at the first sign of any problem. After a while she opened her eyes calmly and focused her gaze on him; she sighed and her knees started to give in but Harry caught her.
`Hey... Are you all right?' he asked softly, holding her.
`Yes, just a little tired; I had to solve riddles and the walls would disappear...' she started and Harry listened intently but was cut when Lavender Brown let out a wail and started screaming for help. Harry ran to her and got her out of the spell immediately.
`You ok?' he asked her. She looked pale, her brown strands of hair standing out very dishevelled. She nodded.
Harry looked up at all of them. `You did really well; I'm proud of you all but we need some more practice,' he told his students.
`Practice makes perfect,' Ron came next to his best friend and put a hand on his shoulder.
`See you all next week then; be safe,' Harry finished the session.
* * *
`Careful now! Accio quarry!' Rowena roared with a wave of her wand and a while after, a huge rock was coming their way; they all ducked.
`Oy! Rowena! You could've killed someone!' Slytherin hissed getting up and dusting his black cloak.
`I said careful!' she defended herself and shrugged at the accusation. She had been with Salazar long enough to know how his mind worked and how he showed people he cared. They had been dating back in their young years and oh! How much she had loved him! But he never was the kind of giving much attention to his partners, or listening to them very often. The only one he listened to was his best friend Godric and that was saying a lot. Helga had been the one to ever make Salazar Slytherin back up from something he was decided on doing; Rowena didn't quite know how but she thought that was admirable.
Slowly, the pile of stone started to take form under the spells the four friends were shouting over and over again. They looked at the sketch and waved their wands again; another room would be made. They would look again and frown, with a wave of the wands; the room would rearrange itself inside the castle.
The castle was almost finished, a few more details and it would be complete. Helga sat on a rock, facing their building site.
`I'm tired, can we get a minute rest?' the yellow haired girl said as she put a wet lock back on her bun.
Rowena sat next to her, `You're so right, I need a drink...' she said and cast a big, rusty looking bottle of wine. She took a big sip and gave it to Helga, who drank eagerly too. `Want some tough guys?' Rowena asked with a warm smile.
Salazar came next and reached his hand to get a hold of the bottle; he almost dried it.
`I guess I must leave some for the little fella,' he said with a smirk.
`Indeed you have to,' Godric came from the back and patted his friend on the shoulder. He took the bottle and drank what was left.
`So, there's one more issue now my friends...' Helga started.
Salazar looked at her. `What could that be, I wonder,' he said sarcastically.
`Haven't you noticed we're missing one basic thing to start a school?' Rowena asked with a smirk.
Salazar smiled at himself, understanding it, `I dunno, maybe we should get a bunch of desks and shelves, that's all we need,' he said.
Godric laughed. `He's right, we also need ink and parchment and quills,' he added.
`Come on! Let's get serious!' Helga whined.
`All right, alright! I guess we could get some books too,' Salazar finished with a laugh.
`Salazar!' Helga snapped and looked at Rowena for support.
She sighed. `Ok, now the real thing alright?' she said in a bored though amused tone. `Who's going to come and study here? We can't take everyone in. The school would be crowded and we couldn't possibly manage to keep an eye and teach properly to so many wizards and witches.'
`Why not? What would the problem be? We're pretty good, and we have patience,' Helga said with a slight frown.
`I think we should set out some basic criteria in order to accept someone in the school,' Godric said seriously. `Why are we founding this school anyway? To teach young witches and wizards how to survive; therefore we must only accept those of brave heart and great chivalry. They're the strong ones that will be able to make it, I reckon,' he finished.
`I-don't think bravery is what's needed to survive Godric, I think you need a sharp mind whenever it's needed, and great intelligence. That's the most important thing, that's what's going to get them through whatever might come,' Rowena said honestly.
`As if any of those would save you in a situation...' said Salazar sarcastically. `Cunning, my friends,' he said, taking his index finger to the side of his head, `clear objectives and determination to get to the last... and that is a special grant most pure blood wizards come with...' he added, saying it as if it were a matter of fact.
`I think you're all wrong folks; hard work is what gets you to the way out. And for that, you must be sure where your loyalties lay and respect them. Fairness will grant you great allies and that's the most important thing in times of war... Loyal allies, and usually you find them in the most unexpected people or places,' Helga told her friends truthfully.
Rowena bit her lip, deep in thinking. `What to do now? There's no way we're ever going to solve this!' she said, her tone wore a little despair, for she usually found a solution to everything. This was really frustrating.
They all sat in silence for a while; none of them would twist their arm and let the others get away with what they wanted. If there was a quality that set these four apart, it was their pride. Helga was usually the one with less pride in discussions and she always found a fair way for everyone; but in this, she was decided.
Suddenly, Godric looked up; his face shining with a found answer. He stood at the puzzled and curious looks of his friends. He took his wizard's hat; black and tall, with a little red and gold lace around the base and a very fine handicraft finish.
`What are you doing dear?' Rowena asked as if he were a little child.
Godric looked down at her, and his gaze went from one to the other, `I need a little of your blood; of each one of you, and I need something very dear to you too...' he said out of the blue.
Salazar looked at him, he knew his friend when he had a good idea because that wasn't very often, if you asked him. Usually, Godric just went with his instincts and it was either him or Rowena that rounded up whatever he had done.
He stood and, with the little knife he always carried with him, sliced his palm. He winced but stretched his hand and let his blood pour into Godric's hat. Rowena hesitated and bit her lip a little, but then did the same as Salazar. With her blood inside the hat too, it started to glow a little.
Helga's eyes widened and she followed as Godric gave her an inquiring look. The glow was now a dark shade of pink. Finally, Godric sliced his palm also and poured his blood inside his own hat. The glow became silvery white and then imploded into a white mist. He smiled.
`My hat is very dear to me but I have to put something else in... Don't worry, you'll get it back my dear,' he said at Rowena's reluctant look on giving her bracelet. It was made of silver with runes inscribed on the sides. On the centre, it wore a big blue gem with the spark of her life in it. Godric had made it last time they had faced death. Rowena had been badly injured and the only thing that kept her alive at that time, had been this little essence he had made before they went out in the battlefield. She nodded and unbuckled the bracelet, throwing it inside the hat.
Salazar was also reluctant but he took his arc and arrows from his back. He never let go of them, except maybe when he was sleeping; and even then he had it close to him. The arrows were made of a very strange metal alloy; they could go through anything and Salazar had enchanted them with his own blood and life energy so they would always come back after killing the victim or fulfilling their task. He paled a little when they were away from him but only Godric noticed and he let it go.
Helga looked at them both and sighed, she raised her wand: `Accio Spiricte!' she said and a little amber came soaring through the air to her hands; it was held in an elaborated leather necklace. She looked at it, and deposited in the hat. After that, they were all looking at Godric; he took the hat in one hand and pulled his sword out with the other. The red gems glinted and in the blade you could see his name encrypted. He threw it inside and then pointed at it with his right hand, two fingers stretched towards it.
Our bloods that flow
Our objects know
Let this hat hold now
The essence of thus who found
Let it choose forever more
The house to which each one belong
He tapped the hat and so did Rowena, Salazar and Helga. The hat trembled for a few seconds in Godric's hand and then with a last shake it came to life and stirred. All of them stared at it; wide eyed.
`You can withdraw your objects now; I am The Sorting Hat and will tell you where you belong,' it said in a deep voice.
Godric smiled widely and took out his sword. Salazar pulled his arc and arrows; he looked much relieved when they were with him again. Rowena called Accio and the bracelet stuck to her slender wrist again. Helga smiled and took out her small necklace, putting it on her neck again.
Godric turned the hat over and put it in his head. `Brave at heart and daring nerve, like a lion you'll always act... Sure of yourself and following your instincts, you must be Godric Gryffindor. Your house shall wear the red and gold colours that go so well with you'
Salazar was next. `Uh, cunning and determined... very exclusive with his friendships and loyalties. Salazar Slytherin if I'm not mistaken; an unstoppable pure blood. You might want to be careful with those qualities, and with that high ambition of yours... The green and silver for mystery and clearness I'd say... A very careful and planning snake will be in your crest…'
When Rowena put the hat on, it stirred. `So much intelligence and cleverness, Rowena Ravenclaw doubtless... No wrong answer will come from you although your instincts might sometimes be wrong. Your house shall wear the blue and copper colours; and the eagle, so sharp, will represent you.'
And then there was Helga, she put the hat on and it almost seemed to smile. `Hard working; just and loyal... those are definitely the qualities of Helga Hufflepuff. Will never, betray anyone but some will take advantage of you; so forgiving and good. Helga you are like a badger and the blue and black shall fit you well...'
The four of them stood silent for a moment, staring into each other. Godric broke the silence, `Houses, animals, colours... this school will sure be grand!' he said astonished.
Rowena beamed at him, `Each one shall have a house to look after; competition will be fierce... but that will make them better, stronger,' she added.
`So each house will have their own common spaces, where to rest and work,' Salazar said with a satisfied smile.
`But classes will be taken by all of them together, and meals must be a moment to interact...' Helga assured brightly.
* * *
Red and golden sparks glowed in one side of the castle, up one of the towers. Silver and green ones glowed from a spot in the bottom of it. Blue and copper came from a wing not so far from the red and gold light. And yellow and black was the glow of a room in the east part of the now almost finished castle.
`Just one more touch,' Helga said satisfied
`What else do you need?' Rowena asked, leaning her head to a side.
`Decoration! Lights! Colours! All of that!' she exclaimed and her hair vibrated with all her enthusiasm.
Rowena laughed. `You're so right my dearest friend! But that we must do from the inside,' she said and glanced unsure, at her friends.
`Are you ready?' Godric asked nervously but at the same time he was beaming.
`I think it's perfect! Those last touches will make it even more perfect. We ought to be proud, my friends,' Salazar assured and took a step towards the grand oak Front Doors; followed by Godric, Helga and Rowena.
* * *
`Just hurry up! If we're going to do this we must do it right and we cannot start late on the first session!' Draco said annoyed to Malcolm.
`I am coming! But what is the big deal?' he asked
`You'll see Malcolm, you'll see… I've got a huge surprise for you all,' the silvery blond haired boy said satisfied; and soon enough most of the fourth year Slytherins and above were following him.
`Won't we get in trouble?' Pansy Parkinson asked nervously.
Draco glanced sideways at her. `Won't you be a little more enthusiastic Pansy? Geez! Maybe you'll get half of them leave!' he snapped. She bit her lip and just followed.
They got to an empty classroom on the third floor; at the east wing, where very few students went. The classroom had been specially fitted for their purpose. Draco smiled at his and his father's work, and turned around to see his friends' faces. They all looked extremely pleased or extremely surprised to find Dark Arts devices placed in exactly the right spots. Tons of books that could have only been got from the Restricted Section of the library or from a very dark wizard's personal library.
`So? What do you think?' Draco asked, even though he already knew the answer; he just wanted to be praised.
`It's amazing!' Tracy exclaimed as she ran her hand through all of the titles. `Moste Potente Potions, Basic Hexes for the Busy and Vexed, Curses you shouldn't know but must use, Darkest Magical Discoveries... it is unbelievable Draco!' she exclaimed, excited.
`Wow, I thought there were only a few of these left...' Blaise Zabini asked when he saw some silver boxes that looked harmless.
`True, Blaise my friend, only a few...' Draco said with a superior attitude. Suddenly he tensed all over and straightened. `Everyone quiet now!' he ordered and they obeyed.
A second later, a small but deadly looking snake slithered through the window to the centre of the room; and moments later, Lucius Malfoy was standing before them. Tall and elegantly composed, in his all black dress robes; covered by a black cloak that had dark green edges. His silvery blond long hair was tied in a neat ponytail and he was holding a sharp looking cane. He glanced at all the Slytherins from above and walked around them. They all stared at him with a mix of fear and respect.
`I am well aware that most of you have a minimum knowledge on Dark Arts, knowing you parents. That's why I made my son gather you all here tonight. The Dark Lord wants you to be taught on what really matters in war times,' he said, pacing. He was looking at all the students with a cold grey stare.
`What can we do? There are Dark Arts wards all over the castle,' Millicent Bullstrode asked a bit shyly.
Lucius turned towards her, his piercing eyes into the girls', shrinking her almost to a pile of nothing.
`Bullstrode right?' he said in a calm voice, `you think I would be as stupid as you to not put a spell and neutralise them? Now make me proud,' he said dismissively with one last despiteful look at the black haired seventh year.
* * *
A/N: Thanks to Susie for her wonderful art and dedication. I hope you didn't have problems with my photobucket. Anyways, next chapter promises to bring loads of information too useful for the rest of the story (hehe, just like Jo in CoS, isn't that funny?), so stay tuned and pay attention! *wink*
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