Fury of the Dragon
Young Talia (FemHarry) turned into a new breed of dragon, similar to a Night Fury, when she was hit with the killing curse. It didn't leave a scar but she can't turn back into a human, can Hermione help her regain her humanity at least?
Rated M for reasons don't like don't read
This will be Talia/Hermione
"Normal speech"
'Dragon sounds'
"Dragon speech"
It's all circling the drain, the whole universe. Well it had to end sometime, didn't it? – Richard B. Riddick
Chapter 1 – Welcome to the magical world
She sat on the rooftop, her black body hidden by the night's darkness. Normally she wouldn't bother, but with this one it was different. She watched as the large man takes the small bundle from the wreckage. She could do nothing to help. The house was hidden even for her.
She listened as the roar of the metal beast sounded. She followed the large man through the heavens and to a house on the other side of the country. The man must not be too bright, for the bundle he was carrying was not human anymore, why don't humans look?
She huffed in annoyance as they left the bundle on a door step and left. Not one bothered to look inside the blankets. She flew down and picked up the bundle before flying away to her cave.
People have this weird notion that dragons were reptilian, probably due to the fact that dragons lay eggs and don't have fur, unlike echidnas, but they are mammals and they care for their young. And sometimes they would adopt another dragon.
Laying the bundle down, she breathed a low flame getting rid of the blankets and marking a nest. She blinked, this was not a dragon that currently existed, yet she had heard about them, the off spring of a lightning storm at night. This new dragon was the reincarnation of the Furies of old.
The older dragon wrapped around the small bundle and pushed her magic to invoke her mammary glands. When the Fury woke up it will be hungry, she just hoped the once human would allow instincts to take their course. She woke the next morning satisfied that she was correct. The young Fury was suckling on her. She couldn't be a prouder Irish Slade.
Four weeks has passed when after the Fury woke that first day and her eyes were about to open. Zaireen laid waiting for the moment. When the sand broke she smiled, a vicious sight for all but a dragon, and cooed over the emerald colored eyes.
"Greetings young one, my name is Zaireen." The young Fury blinked up at the large Irish Slade. "You cannot speak yet, but you can understand. You were born a human and your name is Talia Potter. On the night you lost your parents, you were transformed into a Fury, a dragon that had died out generations ago. I will teach you how to survive as a dragon, but not much else."
Over the next few years Talia grew and became a formidable dragon, she adopted the Irish Slade's isolation and secret nature. It was clear from the start that she wasn't one, but the night made a good ally. Talia was content to stay hidden, but that changed one day.
A young bushy haired girl entered the cave where Talia slept most nights. She wore a clothes common with spelunkers. Talia couldn't understand the words the girl was shouting back outside the entrance, but it became clear she was calling the older man.
Talia hid behind the black rocks to look at the girl and her father as they stepped into the cave. Talia knew every inch of it, but it was cold the deeper you got. They passed by Talia without even looking her way. Talia crawled into one of the vents and followed them. Talia made the vents to crawl into should human come into the cave, these two were the first.
Talia began to study them as they talked, getting basic meanings of the stuff the father pointed out like: stalagmites, the rocky growth from the cave floor and stalactites drooping from the sealing. When they discovered her droppings Talia was glad she was hidden as the blue flame inside her lit up. Luckily the father pointed to some bats on the ceiling. Talia was glad she didn't get rid of them yet.
These two humans were interesting so Talia decided to scent mark one of them, so that she could find them after they left the cave. Talia stammered to the roof and stopped swallowing to accumulate spit. She stuck out her tongue and let a drop fall. It landed on the girl's neck and she rubbed it in. Talia contorted her face in a smile. That scent won't wash off for weeks.
It was late afternoon when the two humans left the cave and drove home. Talia instantly took flight to Zaireen to tell her that she would be leaving for the human world soon. Zaireen, although sad knew that a ten year old dragon is meant to leave the cave sooner or later.
"Just be careful, not all humans will be forgiving." Zaireen offered her last bit of advice. Talia nodded and shot a concentrated flame in reply. Talia would only get her dragon voice in two years.
Talia flew high and fast reaching a large human city. There she found the house the girl lived in. The house had a nice back yard with a few trees and what appeared to be an abandoned house in one of them. Talia was small enough to fit inside the small house. She also had the perfect vantage point to look into the house.
Talia spend the next few weeks here, only flying out at night to do some hunting. One morning Talia somehow slept in, as she was woken by a high pitched scream. The girl had discovered her.
"First the letter now this." The girl said looking at the dragon before her. "Well, what do you have to say?"
Talia made sequence of sounds that sounded suspiciously like 'you are one to talk'.
"This is totally cramped, can we go outside." Talia just rolled her eyes and followed the girl out. "So I guess that if you are real, then this letter wasn't a hoax."
'Seems real to me,' Talia sounded out, only it didn't even sound remotely like human speech this time.
"I'm Hermione by the way, do you have a name?" Talia pointed to magazine on the table. "I don't understand. Do you want me to name you?" Talia shook her head. "Oh, you think that your name might be in the magazine." Talia shook her head.
Hermione sighed in annoyance.
"Then why did you want me to pick up my mother's pottery book?" Hermione asked making Talia smile. "Wait, are you saying your name is Pottery? No wait that's silly, Potter maybe?" Talia shifted her head from side to side in a kind of so-so motion.
Talia made a choking noise before regurgitating a key. The key was given to her once by a goblin she protected from a fierce griffin. The goblin had looked in her eyes and nodded, he told her the key is her birth right. He also told her that if she lost the key that they would charge double to replace it. Talia didn't know the significance at the time, but swallowed it anyway.
"That's just gross, why would you have a key, I thought dragons slept in caves surrounded by gold and gemstones." Hermione asked picking up the key none the less.
'Seriously?' Talia sounded out.
"Okay, so I've been reading the hobbit lately." Hermione turned the key around. "Gringott's Wizarding Bank, Vault 687." She read. "Wait, is this your owner's vault?" Talia growled. "Okay, so you were never owned by anyone. Is this your vault then?" Talia nodded. "Then why are you – Never mind, you want me to use the vault, don't you?" Talia nodded.
"Hermione I'm home, we have a guest –" a voice called from inside. Before Talia could get back into the tree house the back door opened.
Hermione looked up at the stern woman with her mother and gulped, they both had seen the dragon.
"Did the dragon hurt you?" the woman asked, not taking her eyes off Talia.
"No, we were just talking, well I was, it was just growling at certain words." Hermione answered truthfully.
"Hermione always had a way with animals, even that rather rude talking ferret once." Hermione's mother said.
"Has it tried to attack you at all?" the woman asked again still looking at the dragon.
'I will attack you if you don't back off.' Talia sounded from the tree, perched to strike.
"No ma'am," Hermione shook her head, "It did however react positively to the name Potter and it even gave me this key. It wants me to use it for something."
The woman took the bank key and looked at the dragon again. There were some similarities. The dragon's eyes were the same green as Lily's and the scales were the same black as James's hair.
"Dragon is your name by chance Talia Potter?" the woman asked the dragon directly. Talia nodded in reply. "I was not expecting this." The woman muttered.
"Ms. McGonagall, in my experience I find that a solution often comes" Dr Granger said trying to get the woman back on track.
"You are right, I suppose." The woman straightened up and turned to Hermione.
"Hermione Jean Granger, my name is Minerva McGonagall. I am the deputy headmistress of Hogwarts. Since you are born of a muggle, non-magical, family it is my duty and honor to escort you to the Diagon Ally here in London."
"Is Diagon Ally like a magical market place, I don't recall ever seeing that name." Dr. Granger asked.
A black scale dropped between the humans. They looked up and saw Talia trying to smile.
"Yes, its entrance is between two shops, there is a pub in case a muggle wanders in. Normally we would take a muggle parent with us, so that they may convert pounds to wizarding currency. However, since the dragon claiming to be Talia Potter insists we will visit the Potter's vault instead. Unfortunately that means that for this trip only Hermione and I can go."
Talia wasn't worried, she jumped into the tree and focused on her scale in Hermione's hand. Soon her essence followed the two witches as they made their way to the Wizarding world. They first went to the wizarding bank to withdraw the funds needed for Hermione's school books and robes.
"State your business please." One of the goblin tellers said looking disapprovingly at the two witches. McGonagall placed the key on the table.
"We wish to make a withdrawal from this vault." McGonagall said. The goblin glanced down to his pocket.
"This key opens the trust vault set up for Talia Potter. I would need proof that she has given permission to access the vault." The goblin sneered.
"She gave me this," Hermione placed the dragon scale on the table.
"Ah so you did indeed meet Ms. Potter." The goblin took out a scale Talia gave him after he gave her the key. "I was the goblin that gave her this key, Griphook!"
A goblin, Griphook, came from the back and guided the witches to the vault. Hermione had the feeling that if she never discovered Talia she wouldn't have had this experience. They came to a halt at the vault and Griphook unlocked it, releasing the foul smelling gasses.
Hermione gulped, she didn't need to know how wizard money worked to know that this vault held more money than she could spend in fourteen years. Griphook handed her a bag and explained how the currency worked.
"There are three types of coins, bronze Knuts, silver Sickles and gold Galleons. There are twenty-nine Knuts to the Sickle and seventeen Sickles to the Galleon, one Pound will get you three Sickles and eleven Knuts."
Thinking it over, Hermione took a few handfuls of each type of coin and placed it in the bag. She was surprised when it arranged itself in three stacks. She was even more shocked to see that the bag didn't even bulge up.
Back in Diagon Ally they made their way to Flourish and Blotts. There they picked up the course books on Hermione's list and a few more that McGonagall approved of, Hermione even got a book on dragons.
"Prof. McGonagall," Hermione said as she paid for the books. "Do you think that instead of a cat, toad or owl, should I rather take Talia with me? I mean she was so generous in allowing me to use her vault it's the least I can do."
"Although unorthodox I believe we would be able to make an exception, considering who the dragon is." McGonagall answered, not really sounding too sure.
The next stop was the Apothecary, where they bought all of Hermione's potion supplies, followed by the quill and cauldron shops. Hermione inquired about the different cauldrons and found that although other cauldrons were faster, the pewter cauldron still produced the best potions.
They made their way to Madam Malkin's and bought Hermione not only the standard Hogwarts robes but a few for weekends. Hermione frowned at the approved uniform that should be worn under the robes. Hermione was never a fan of skirts and first and second years weren't allowed slacks yet.
"Professor, do you perhaps know what type of dragon Talia is?" Hermione asked as they sat down for lunch at the pub.
"I do not know, the closest dragon to her is probably an Irish Slade, but her shape and size is all wrong."
"Oh," Hermione said looking at her lunch. "I thought that she might've been a Night Fury. I remember reading in a non-magical storybook about a dragon matching Talia's description."
"Ages ago there used to be dragons called Furies, not much was known about them though."
The rest of the lunch Hermione tried to find out as much as she could about the wizarding world and McGonagall was more than willing to provide her with information, sans spells that might be useful. After lunch they went to get Hermione's wand. McGonagall explained that it could take the rest of the afternoon.
They made their way to Ollivander's. There Hermione could feel the potential magic in the air. She shrugged it of seeing that there were thousands of boxes lining the walls, each containing a wand.
"Ah Minerva, escorting a new student, I see." Mr. Ollivander sneaked up on Hermione soundlessly. "Okay dear, which is your dominant arm? It is going to be wand arm."
"I use both my hands equally sir."
Mr. Ollivander just shrugged and took two tape measures from a drawer and released them. The tape measures went to work and measured every part of Hermione's body short of deep her most private area was. Mr. Ollivander then brought a box of gems along with several wands.
"For the ambidextrous witch or wizard we use a gem to bridge the hands and make them one. Please reach in with the lesser used hand and pull a gem out."
Hermione reached into the box of gems. She could feel magic calling out to her and pulled out a green gem with black stripes.
"Wonderful, I never had the opportunity to give out one of these." Mr. Ollivander smiled, "This is green verdite palm jade, not very rare, but rarely used for magic. Jade in general indicates dragon presence, which means that I believe you will use a dragon heartstring wand."
The first wand Hermione was handed was vine-wood and dragon heartstring, there was no reaction. Nor was there with the four hundred other wands containing dragon heartstring. Mr. Ollivander went to the very back of the shop to retrieve more boxes when one fell from a top shelf. The box didn't even touch Hermione when it began to react.
"How odd," Mr. Ollivander said as he picked up the box. "This wand has never held any magic for the generations it has been here. I naturally didn't make it. The wood and core seems to be the same as the very first wand I handed you, vine and dragon heartstring."
"How is that odd sir?" Hermione asked more curious then ever.
"There once was a race of dragons, small in stature, they breathed a thin line of blue flame that exploded several paces away depending on how hard they blew. These dragons were known as Furies. The last of these dragons provided the core for your wand."
"How much for the gemstone and the wand Mr. Ollivander?" Hermione asked.
"Seven Galleons for the wand and three for the gem, Ms. Granger, also the gem can be worn as a pendant. It is merely a link between the two hands. It doesn't have to be held in hand." Mr. Ollivander smiled.
Hermione didn't say anything about him knowing her name, even if she didn't say it to him. She really just wanted to leave the shop and get back to Talia to thank her for the, well, scholarship for lack of better term.
They soon returned to the Granger residence were Mrs. Dr. Granger was examining, or trying to at least, Talia's teeth. The dragon kept retracting it just as Dr. Granger thought she got a good look at it.
"Hermione, your friend has retractable teeth, which is fascinating in it self but she doesn't want me to examine them." Hermione shook her head then turned to Talia.
"My mother just wants to look at your teeth, all the equipment that can hurt you are at their offices. Please will you allow her just to look at it?" Hermione asked. "Maybe after that we can go flying?"
Talia tilted her head from side to side then opened her mouth wide enough to allow Dr. Granger to stick her whole head in. Off to the other side McGonagall shook her head. It came as a surprise when Hermione asked her to temporary change one of the lawn chairs into a saddle that could fit Talia. McGonagall did that and told Hermione it will only last for about a week, before bidding them goodbye.
Hermione got went to her room and put on her mountain climbing gear. After all she this would be the first flight together and Hermione would rather be safe than sorry. When Hermione got outside her mother was busy writing something down. Talia was trying to worm herself into the harness with very little luck.
"Here let me help you with that," Hermione said unbuckling the clasps to allow Talia to get her front legs through it. Hermione then buckled it back up as tight as possible.
"Before you go just remember dinner is in two hours." Mrs. Granger said going back to her journal.
"We'll be back by then mom, we're only getting a feel for one another tonight." Hermione said straddling the saddle and strapping the climbing harness to the saddle.
Knowing Hermione was safe Talia ran across the yard and jumped into the air beginning her ascent into the sky above. She had almost forgotten how this felt, the freedom of flight. They climbed higher still until Talia turned completely horizontal.
'I missed flying, you are interesting and all but this is true freedom.' Talia sounded out.
"Yeah this is fun, but I do have a thing about heights if I can't feel the connected with the ground." Hermione answered then blinked a few times. "Wait, why could I just understand you know?"
'It is because of my scale in your pocket. Zaireen once told me that if you infuse enough magic into a scale the two of you can understand one another. She also taught me to understand human languages and Dragonese. I can hardly wait until I get my voice.'
"Voice?" Hermione was confused.
'Well yes, do you really think dragons speak in sounds? We can get the message across but to truly speak Dragonese you have to be at least thirteen.'
"I wanted to thank you for letting me use your vault. I'll pay everything back once I can."
'I'm a dragon, I really don't need money, just give me open air and the freedom and I'm happy. Keep the vault. I will never be human again. Tom Riddle made sure of that.'
"Who's Tom Riddle?" Hermione asked.
'You'll read about him in a few of the extra books you bought, he named himself Voldemort. Hold on and hold your breath, I'm just going for a dip quickly.'
With that Talia went into a dive and into the deep lake. She caught a few fish and went back up to the surface. Hermione slapped one of Talia's ears in mock annoyance.
"Don't ever do that again, I almost ran out of breath."
'A girl's gotta eat.' Talia joked back before spitting a stream out. 'And this will dry us.'
The jet exploded and they flew through the hot air. It instantly dried both of them. Hermione berated Talia some more with the fury just laughing in response. A few days later found both Hermione and Talia in the back yard with a goblin, the one who gave Talia the key.
"I had to be sure that Ms. Potter wasn't killed to get her key." The goblin said his mouth in a sneer, "and also to ask if Ms. Potter wishes to make Ms. Granger her gold handler permanently."
'I don't know what that means, but yes I want Hermione to have unlimited access and control over my vault at Gringott's.' Talia nodded.
"If that is the case, Ms. Granger should receive your mark." The goblin said. "And I must witness it happening." Having read all the books on dragons she had, Hermione knew what this meant. She started to pull her top's straps down.
'More Eragon, less erotic novel,' Talia sounded, Hermione blushed.
Talia concentrated and in an instant there was a burning sensation on Hermione's right hand. She was able to turn away from passing out if only barely.
"Very good," the goblin said then cave Hermione some documents to sign. "Thank you Ms. Granger, you are now the gold handler for the Potter family. You have unrestricted access to the vaults and heirlooms. Ms. Potter, would you like to commission a decent saddle for Ms. Granger, I noticed the other one is a mere transfiguration." Talia nodded.
With that the goblin took some measurements and left. Just as the transfigured saddle disappeared the real one arrived. Hermione noticed the countless symbols on it and wondered about it. It was only when they went on their nightly flight that she knew what they did. It kept her secure on the saddle even if Talia flew upside-down. Talia felt the runes and wanted to test the limits. When they got home Hermione made to remove the saddle but found it missing.
"Where did it go?" she asked truly shocked.
'The symbols are runes, as a dragon I can feel them. There are runes for comfort, runes for warming up when it get cold, runes to moderate oxygen. The last rune that I can feel is to make the saddle vanish and reappear.'
The first of September arrived far too early and with it came Prof. McGonagall. It was the early morning when the stern witch knocked at the door. It was Mr. Dr. Granger that answered and invited the witch in.
"Dr. Granger I am afraid that I cannot stay. I am here to deliver Ms. Granger's train pass for the Hogwarts express. It arrived late this year." McGonagall said with a smile. "To get onto platform nine and three quarters, walk down to the last pillar between platforms nine and ten then walk through it. Unfortunately muggles can't get onto the platform so you should greet your parents before walking through the barrier."
"Professor, I never got a reply if Talia could come with me." Hermione asked.
"I was told she could come, if she can find her way to Hogwarts." Hermione shared a look with Talia.
Soon after the Grangers were driving to King's Cross station, Hermione's trunk and supplies, minus her wand, were stored in the enchanted bags on Talia's saddle. Talia was circling high above the clouds just waiting for the train to start moving. Her focus was on Hermione in the train, since Hermione received the mark they could communicate without the scale, and it also allowed Hermione to feel where Talia was and vice versa.
Down in the train Hermione was reading Hogwarts a History, she really didn't know how long she was reading, the book was truly fascinating. Up until that point no one bothered her, and she was alone in the compartment. Then someone knocked on the door.
"Is anyone sitting here, everywhere else is full?" it was a red haired boy.
"By all means," Hermione said. "My name is Hermione Granger. I hope you don't mind me reading though, this book is fascinating."
"Ron Weasley," Ron said glancing at the other book next to Hermione. "My brother Charlie works with dragons in Romania, he says that Hogwarts only covers an outline of them."
"Oh," Hermione glanced down at the other book. "Actually I only got that book because it is the only one that mentions Furies." As if called there was Talia landed on the roof.
"What was that?" Ron looked up at the roof.
"That would be a Fury named Talia Potter, she kind of found me and we became friends." The two decided to play of Talia as a dragon named after Talia Potter rather than Talia herself.
"Are you crazy? Dragons are dangerous!" Ron glared at Hermione as if she grew another head.
'Better believe it.' Talia sounded from the window. She had found a hold for her tail and was leaning down from the roof.
"Now Talia play nice." Hermione said trying not to smile. "In which one was my robes again?" Talia turned a bit allowing Hermione to pull out her school robes. "We'll talk later." With that Talia took off.
"What happened in here?" A pompous looking red headed boy asked sliding open the door.
"My friend just dropped of my robes and took off again." Hermione said excusing herself.
Ron on the other hand was still as pale as a ghost. Percy, as the new boy introduced himself, was trying to get information from Ron. Ron couldn't even string a few words together, so he was basically no help. Percy however wanted answers so he waited for Hermione to return.
"If your friend dropped off your robe where is he, or she, now?" Percy asked.
"She took off, like I said." Hermione said.
"Stop lying, there was no-one in the halls." Hermione rolled her eyes.
"My friend can't really fit into the train, Talia is too big. She stuck her head into the window, dropped off my robes and flew away, she's a –"
"Dragon," Ron finally managed to say.
"I was actually going to say a Fury, but technically dragon is correct." Hermione nodded.
Percy huffed and walked out the door, he didn't believe Hermione for a second, he could clearly tell she was a muggle-born.
"Sorry about Percy. He's a prat sometimes, but you can't really choose your family now can you?" Ron said. "Anyway, how did you tame a dragon?"
"Oh Talia isn't tamed, we just bonded after I found her in my tree house." Hermione unconsciously rubbed her arm stocking/wand holster. The only thing, within Hogwarts rules, she can wear something to hide her dragon mark.
"Cool wand holster," Ron said following her hand. "Personally I keep my wand in my pocket."
"Anything from the trolley dears?" a witch at the door asked.
"Oh yes please, may we have a two of everything please, no make that three." Hermione said pulling out her money pouch. Ron frowned but didn't say anything, pulling out a bag of sandwiches. "Put that away Ron, why do you think I bought three of each?"
"I don't know, for you and Talia?" Ron shrugged.
"No at first it was just for you and me, then I thought maybe Talia would like some of these. She is a dragon so I wouldn't really know."
The rest of the trip went by without a hitch, only a boy named Neville lost his toad and went around looking for it. Hermione helped, but as it turned out, the toad was hiding inside Neville's trunk.
Talia arrived just as the train slowed down. Hermione and Ron pulled her trunk out of the enchanted bags so that it could be on the train when they got off. Talia sounded out that if she wanted to she could give Ron the scale to understand her. Hermione wanted to see where their friendship went first.
"Firs' years over here don' be shy." A giant of a man called them over.
Hermione filed in place as they made their way down to the lake. She noticed that Talia was circling the castle, mostly due to the connection they had. Across the lake and into the castle they went. Just as the doors closed Talia landed.
"Ms. Potter," a wizard with long silver hair greeted Talia.
'Wizard,' Talia sounded back.
"I prefer Dumbledore actually, since you aren't a student here."
'Dumbledore then,' Talia sounded out almost laughing.
"Quite, I'm glad to see you here. Do you perhaps know what happened to turn you into a dragon?"
'Zaireen could only guess. She was close to my mother. My mother used every preventive measure she could get her hands on to protect me. Add in the killing curse to fuse it all together and you get a small dragon.'
"How odd, Hagrid said that when he found you, you were human. I went to your relatives. They had never even seen you. Naturally I was worried. No one could find you."
'Lived with Zaireen until Hermione and her dad explored my backup cave, then I stayed with them.' Talia sounded out nonplussed.
"So I hear, well I'll be off now, feel free to do your hunting, just don't bother the mermaids." With that Dumbledore vanished. Talia figured it was a projection of himself, it did feel real though.
Hermione was nervous as she began reciting spells in a murmur, Hogwarts a History didn't mention anything about a sorting. It did however mention the roof and how it was enchanted to look like the sky outside.
In front of the high table, there was an old hat on a small stool. As soon as all the first years entered and stood in the front of the hall, a tear opened on the hat and it began to sing terribly off key:
"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty
But don't judge on what you see
I'll eat myself if you can find
A smarter hat than me
You can keep your bowlers black
Your top hats sleek and tall
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
And I can cap them all
There's nothing hidden in your head
The Sorting Hat can't see
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be
You might belong in Gryffindor
Where dwell the brave at heart
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart
You might belong in Hufflepuff
Where they are just and loyal
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true
And unafraid of toil
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw
If you've a ready mind
Where those of wit and learning
Will always find their kind
Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends
Those cunning folk use any means
To achieve their ends
So put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap!
You're in safe hands (though I have none)
For I'm a Thinking Cap!"
That really didn't seem so bad. A hat was just going to poke around your head to see where you would fit in best. No not bad at all. Hermione gulped, she really didn't want to put on that hat. It just seemed wrong.
"Granger, Hermione." Prof. McGonagall called out, Hermione frowned. Where did the others go, then she saw a few were already sorted.
"Right then what do we have here?" a voice whispered in her ear. "A duel mind shared with another, interesting, now where to place you. With you loyalty is earned not given, Helga wouldn't approve of that one bit. Now being the first Granger in the school your blood is pure by Salazar's standards, however with the way his house is you will not be welcomed. Keen to learn, Rowena would approve, but you will be an outcast in her house thanks to your friend outside. Brave, strong and fiercely close to those you call friends. These all are welcomed in – Gryffindor!"
The last part was yelled for the hall to hear. Hermione took of the hat and walked to the cheering table. She sat down next to the blonde that shared the boat with her, Ron and Neville. The rest of the sorting went by smoothly. The headmaster got up and the hall went silent.
"Just before we begin the feast I would like to say a few words and they are: Nitwit; Blubber; Oddment; Tweak. Thank you." Hermione looked at the man oddly before turning and seeing the feast before her. Smiling she loaded food onto her plate. She was somewhat hungry after all.
As the feast rolled on Hermione felt an odd sensation from the head table, she looked over the teachers and noted two of them staring at her, one was the headmaster the other a man with shoulder length greasy black hair.
'They're scanning your surface thoughts, fight it.' Hermione heard Talia say in her mind, so Hermione forced herself to recite the first chapter of The Hobbit.
The headmaster seemed amused but the other teacher looked annoyed. Hermione didn't care her thoughts were her own, even Talia respected that, not that Talia would invade her mind, it took almost all the magic Talia had to communicate this way. Dinner turned into dessert and Hermione took a bit extra treacle tart to give to Talia as thanks. After dessert, the headmaster got up again and addressed them.
"Now that we are all fed and watered there are a few start-of-term announcements I need to make. First years please note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all students, and I believe some of our older students would greatly benefit in remembering this as well.
"Mr. Filch, our caretaker, has asked me to inform you all that magic is strictly forbidden in the corridors between classes and that a list of forbidden items can be found on the wall outside his office.
"Lastly for this year the third floor corridor on the right-hand side is forbidden for all who doesn't want to die a most gruesome death. Prof. Quirrell has taken up a temporary classroom in the transfiguration courtyard, his old muggle studies classroom if I recall.
"Now let us sing the school's song and be off to bed. Everyone pick your favorite tune." With that a ribbon shot out of his wand and formed words in the air:
"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts
Teach us something please
Whether we be old and bald
Or young with scabby knees
Our heads could do with filling
With some interesting stuff
For now they're bare and full of air
Dead flies and bits of fluff
So teach us things worth knowing
Bring back what we've forgot
Just do your best, we'll do the rest
And learn until our brains all rot"
Hermione just shook her head. She had chosen the Johnny Cash approach, while the red headed twins chose a funeral march. The students were then dismissed and Hermione followed the other first years up to Gryffindor Tower. Other than memorizing the path instantly there wasn't really anything remarkable about the journey, and that included meeting Peeves.
Upon arriving at the tower Percy, the prefect, showed the girls to the one door and the boys followed him up the second one. On the other side of the door another prefect waited for them.
"Evening Ladies, I'm Isabelle Richards," she introduced herself, "for those of you who might've sneaked a peak at the boys' side, shame on you." She paused for the laughter.
"Anyway you might've notice a single spiral in their stair case while here are four. There is a simple reason for this. Once a boy reaches this stair case's first spiral, it turns into a slippery slide up to the third spiral. It's quite fun to slide of on if you weren't wearing a skirt." Isabelle took out her wand.
"However, when you had a late night study and don't feel like climbing up all the way just place the tip of your wand on the railing and the stair case will start moving on it's own and take you to the top. For now let's ride." Isabelle placed her wand on the rail and the girls followed her up.
"You are assigned to this dorm until you graduate. Once you do this dorm is being reassigned to the next lot of first years and so on. The reason for this is because of the trace. Once you set foot in this dorm you will be marked by it until you are of age, that's seventeen for our muggle-born friend. Enjoy your stay and if you need me, don't, and go ask Percy." She paused again while the girls giggled. "Seriously though, I'm just down the hall."
Hermione opened the dorm and found her bed close to a rather large window. Next to her bed was an oversized doggy-bed. She assumed it was for Talia, not that she thought Talia would sleep there, she had always been more comfortable outside.
Hermione got ready for bed when she heard the collective scream from her two dorm-mates, Lavender and Parvati. She opened the bathroom door and saw what caused it. She rolled her eyes and picked up her towel and toiletries. Soon their dorm room door opened and everyone entering froze. Hermione just went about her business until Lavender shouted again.
"Watch out!"
"Why, Talia won't hurt anyone unless you provoke her." Hermione said and placed her hand on Talia's head. Talia responded by leaning into it.
'I think messing with them would be fun,' Talia sounded mischievously.
"Probably, but it will put us both in an awkward position, I thought you were going to find a cave or something?" Hermione answered back.
'The closest cave is just outside the town and it is really stuffy in there, more like a nursing cave, I certainly won't live there.'
"Fine just don't bother my dorm mates, okay." Hermione sighed in defeat.
'Deal,' these sounds came out sounding English.
Hermione turned around and noticed the wide eyes of almost all the girls in the tower. With a sigh Hermione introduced them to Talia. Each came closer and cautiously held up their hands and closed their eyes. Talia knew that if she wanted to get sleep she would need to give them closure. As soon as all the girls touched her, Talia lay down and fell asleep, almost instantly.
This is idea one out of the way. I would like to know your opinion on it while I get the other ideas out and typed, hopefully I'll get back to SoM soon.
–Foxy Talia Potter–
