Author's note: I don't own Hogwarts, Harry Potter Universe, The Triwizard Tournament or Professor Fortesque. I do, however, own Rhian and everyone else.
Chapter Note: I know British public school uniforms weren't established till the early 1900's but let's just say that Hogwarts had them anyway. Only the girl's uniforms are a bit more feminine, and the skirts are longer.
Imbrium
(Of rain)
Chapter OneThere is a deep magic. A magic, oh, so very rare. Few know of its existence, except those who are haunted by it. It is a curse that if used properly can either save...or destroy. It is said that those who posses this magic can see that which is not seen, can hear that which makes no sound, can sense the senseless. But do not be fooled: it is indeed a curse.
The rain hit hard against the crowded road, muffling the many voices that were filling the air. The night was colder and darker than usual, mostly owning to the fact that the clouds were hiding the full moon from view. Students were pushing and shoving to get to the carriages, to seek shelter from the rain that was growing steadily worse as the minutes passed. But Rhian Lleynwell was not among these. She stood firmly on the spot where she had appeared only moments ago. Rhian was not used to apparating yet. True, it was easier then a Portkey, Floo Powder or a broom, but she still wasn't fond of it. But this was not the main reason for her being rooted to the muddy road of Hogsmeade. No, the main reason was that she no longer had control of her legs.
"Blast!" she cried, pulling out her wand and undoing the curse (apparently she had apparated right in-between two very mischievous boys). Her first minute in and already she had been cursed. "It would figure," she grumbled as the boy with his wand out muttered a quick apology. "And this is supposed to be my best year," she sighed. She had a bad feeling that this wasn't going to be a very good evening.
With another sigh she sloshed her way through the mud to the nearest carriage. Finding it was full, she moved on to the next. It was not until she had checked five different carriages that she finally found one that was not completely full. There were only two occupants: a small girl with blonde hair who was sitting on the far end of the carriage, looking apprehensively at an older year boy who was sitting in the opposite corner. Rhian recognized him as one of the boys the girls in her year fawned over. He was rather handsome, Rhian agreed: What with his dark brown hair and cocky grin. But he was a fake, just like that—oh what was his name? The boy Sophia fancied. Rhian hurried inside, now realizing how wet she really was. She looked at the seat opposite the boy.
"Cette place est-elle libre?" She asked him breathlessly. He looked confused for a moment and then as though he was in great thought,
"Er…thank you?" he answered uncertainly. Rhian looked at him rather funny and turned to the girl in the corner.
"Is this seat taken?" She said. The girl shook her head at the same moment that the boy said 'no'. Rhian sat down, wringing the water from her wet school robes. She looked up to see the boy still looking at her.
"Quoi?" she said. Then realizing her mistake she laughed. "Sorry. I was thinking in French again." As if this suddenly explained it all the boy's face cleared of all uncertainty.
"Are you an exchange student or something?" the boy asked curiously.
"No. I was in France with my grandmother on holiday this summer. Force of habit. Sorry," said Rhian, taking out her wand and putting a drying spell on her robes. The boy nodded.
"I'm Jacob Clayworth, by the way," said the boy (we will now need to call him Jacob) holding out a hand for Rhian to shake.
"Rhian Lleynwell," Rhian said, taking his hand.
"What house are you in?" Jacob asked, leaning back in his seat as the carriages began to move.
"Ravenclaw," Rhian answered. "And you?"
"Gryffindor," said Jacob, puffing out his chest slightly. Rhian rolled her eyes.
"Aren't you a seventh year?" said Jacob as if suddenly recognizing her. "I think I had History of Magic with you last year."
"Yes, I'm a seventh year," Rhian said, looking out the window into the storm. The rain seemed to be falling faster and faster as the minutes went by. The rhythmic pounding it was making as it hit against the carriage made Rhian's head droop slightly.
"Not tired, are you?" said Jacob, making Rhian snap to attention.
"No," she said after a moment. "Just…"
"Are you alright?" Asked Jacob, suddenly sounding concerned. Her eyes had gone wide, like a frightened child. Jacob wasn't sure why, but he knew he didn't like it. Rhian paled noticeably.
For a moment everything went blank for her. No sight, no sound. Then Rhian felt herself pushed forward in her seat.
"Oof!" She cried as she fell onto the carriage floor. Almost immediately she felt herself being pulled up.
"Careful," Jacob said as he helped her back into her seat. "That must have been some hole we just went over."
"Yes," said Rhian, straightening her robes. "Must have…"
"Are you sure you are all right?" Jacob asked, sitting back in his seat again.
"Yes, yes. I'm fine," Rhian assured him. Just then the carriage halted at the castle. Simultaneously both seventh years looked out the window into the storm.
"Bloody—" Jacob started but coughed when he remembered Rhian was there. "It's dangerous out there!" he finished. Rhian rolled her eyes at him.
"For heaven's sake Mr. Clayworth," she said with an exasperated sigh. "You're a wizard." And with that she whipped out her wand.
"Stillabcontego" she said. With a smirk and shake of the head she opened the carriage door and walked carelessly up to the castle, dry from head to foot.
"Welcome back Miss Lleynwell!" said Professor Leatherby, Hufflepuff house head and Deputy Headmaster, as Rhian passed him on her way to the Great Hall.
"Thank you professor," she smiled. "How are the first years fairing the storm?"
"I don't know yet, but I don't reckon they like it very much," Professor Leatherby chuckled. Professor Leatherby was one of Rhian's favorite teachers, besides Professor Hancock, the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Professor Leatheryby taught Charms, one of Rhian's favorite subjects.
"Well it can't be as bad as my first year, to be certain," Rhian grimaced at the memory. First she had fallen into the lake, then when she had thought it couldn't get any worse she fell into a puddle of mud. The Ravenclaw girls in Rhian's year had never thought very highly of her and Rhian had reason to suspect that it had something to do with the muddy dormitory floor.
"No," Professor Leatherby chuckled heartily. "No, I don't suppose it could be. But run along now, the Sorting Ceremony is about to start."
With a nod Rhian made her way through the bustling crowd and into the Great Hall. Taking a seat at her usual place at the Ravenclaw table (the first seat by the doors) she amused herself by listening to Sophia McQuillen, the Ravenclaw gossip, inform Katie Montgomery about her holiday.
"And then," Sophia proclaimed in a whisper loud enough for Rhian, who was three seats away, to hear. "David Hollingberry told me that Alice Black told him that Fanny Elliott told her that she overheard Jane Clayworth telling Morgan Kelly that her cousin told her that Jeremiah Hathaway fancies me!" Rhian hid her burst of laughter with a very loud cough, though she couldn't hide a smile. Fanny Elliott was the biggest gossip in all of Hogwarts.
"Something wrong, Lleynwell?" Sophia asked, turning to Rhian with a smirk.
"No, I don't believe so Sophia," Rhian smiled pleasantly. Sophia smirked again.
"If I didn't know better I would say you were jealous," Said Sophia. Rhian laughed outright this time.
"Jealous? Of some rumor Fanny Elliott started? I dare say I never would be." Said Rhian with a pitying smile. "And I would advise you to pay it no mind Sophia McQuillen, unless you want to be the laughing stock of the entire school."
"And when has your advice ever done me any good?" Said Sophia.
"Never," said Rhian with a sigh. "Because you never take it Soph." Sophia turned back to Katie with a roll of her eyes and a shake of her red curls. Just then the hall doors burst open and the first years entered led by a now sopping Professor Leatherby. The first years looked positively frightened, or perhaps their shaking was only due to the fact that they looked soaked to the bone. Professor Leatherby went to retrieve the sorting hat. He came back with the hat, the stool, and a large scroll in his hand. The whole hall went silent and a rim on the hat opened, looking very much like a mouth. Soon the hall was filled with a voice coming from the direction of the hat.
So here are the first years you bring me,
The newest generation of magic.
They look a bit scared if you ask me,
Oh how very tragic.
Fear not, you little wizards and witches,
I'll put you where you belong.
Stop your shaking and your twitches
First you must hear my song.
Now some of you may wonder
Where you are to go
Your minds are all a blunder
Because you want to know.
Maybe you'll sit with the Gryffindors,
They're brave and strong and true.
They fight for what's right, that's for sure,
I'd be happy if I were you.
Maybe you'll sit with the Ravenclaws,
They're smart and clever you see.
You'd find friends there who know the laws,
They're a good bunch to be.
Maybe you'll sit with the Hufflepuffs,
Kind, Loyal and ready,
But they work hard, so roll up your cuffs
And keep your mind steady.
Maybe you'll sit with the Slytherins
They are determined to get where they want
They have in their history many wins.
True, they are quite blunt.
But wherever you go you can be guaranteed
That's where you belong.
I've never been wrong, no indeed.
So ends my Sorting song.
The hall erupted in applause. Standing in front of the first years, Professor Leatherby began to speak.
"When I call your name you will come forward, sit down, and I will place the Sorting Hat on your head," Professor Leatherby said with a wide smile.
"Bungard, David!"
"HUFFLEPUFF!" the hat called. The Hufflepuff table erupted in applause.
"Bursnell, Millicent!" Professor Leatherby called.
"SLYHERIN!" The hat rang, followed by an irruption from the Slytherin table. Millicent walked calmly over to the Slytherin table and sat down, a smug look on her face.
"Chaisty, Alice!"
"HUFFLEPUFF!" The hat called again.
"Clayworth, Mary!" A frightened looking little girl with blonde hair walked forward.
"GRYFFINDOR!" The hat called and Mary ran over to the Gryffindor table. Rhian could see Jacob cheering along with the others. Mary sat right beside him and gave him a huge smile.
It took far to long, in Rhian's opinion, for the 'D's' and 'G's' to be sorted.
"Hathaway, Cicilia!" Cecilia stepped forward, Professor Leatherby placed the hat on her head, and there was silence for a few moments.
"GRYFFINDOR!"
"Hollingberry, Henry!"
"RAVENCLAW!"
Everyone around Rhian was clapping and cheering, patting Henry Hollingberry, a boy with reddish blonde hair, on the back and shaking his hand. He came to sit next to Rhian, giving her a shy smile.
"Welcome to Ravenclaw Henry," Rhian said with a smile. "You'll love it here,"
"I sure hope so," said Henry with a shy smile.
"You're David's little brother, are you not?" said Rhian.
"Yes. My brother David is a Hufflepuff," said Henry, pointing over to the Hufflepuff table.
"Oh yes, I know your brother quite well," said Rhian with a forced smile. Henry looked at her with interest.
"I'm sorry, I never asked your name," he said, searching Rhian's face for a moment.
"Rhian Lleynwell," said Rhian. Henry let out a breath he seemed to have been holding. "But if you've heard about me," Rhian continued. "You would know me as Rain." Henry's face fell.
"Oh," was all he said.
"So you have heard of me."
"Y-yes," Henry stuttered. Rhian looked at him sharply.
"Well I don't know what in the world David has said about me Henry," Rhian said with a sigh "But be assured I never meant to hurt him. I would never even think of it. So please don't be afraid of me,"
Henry was silent for a moment as they both clapped along with the rest of the Ravenclaws as "Meath, Isaac" came and sat down at the Ravenclaw table. Finally only three first years were left unsorted. "Washbourne, John" was sorted into Gryffindor and "Weild, Mason" and "Witte, Ewan" were both made Slytherins
After the last students had taken their places, Professor Leatherby picked up the hat and stool and retreated from the hall. At the staff table, an older man with a red nose stood up.
"Welcome!" His voice sounded through the Hall, quieting any talk that had been going on. "And welcome back, I should say. For those who don't know, I am Professor Fortesque, the Headmaster here. Anyway, I am sure you are all hungry so I shall let you get to It." and the dishes in front of the students suddenly filled with food. Some of the first years gasped with delight. This always brought a smile to Rhian's lips as she remembered her first year at Hogwarts and her first encounters with magic.
The hall gradually began to quiet down, as the students grew more and more tired (a full stomach can do that to you, you know).
"Your attention please," Came the voice of Professor Fortesque. The hall fell silent as the Headmaster stood up.
"I would just like to remind you that the forbidden forest is considered out of bounds and very dangerous. Thus the name, you know," several people laughed, others just rolled their eyes.
"Anyway," Professor Fortesque continued. "I would also like to remind you all that the Triwizards Tournament is to be held this year. I am sure you are all familiar with the proceedings, but as some of you might not be, it is my duty to bore the rest of you. Now the Triwizards Tournament is held every five years. One student is picked from each of the three schools: Hogwarts, Beauxbatons and Durmstrang. The students from our sister schools will be arriving in October, as per usual. The champions will be chosen on October 31st, that is Halloween night in case you didn't know. Well anyway, Professors Paton, Leatherby, Baird and Gibbon would like me to remind you all that classes are starting tomorrow and to go to bed immediately. And who am I to allow you to disobey your own heads of house? To bed then," Professor Fortesque finished with a smile and sat back down. Ah, the Triwizards Tournament. Rhian had almost forgotten. She had only been 13 when the last one was held. She, of course, had tried to become the Hogawarts champion…but a sixth year boy from Slytherin had been chosen instead.
"Are you going to try for it Rain?" Henry asked, speaking to her again at long last. "Rhian," he corrected himself. "Sorry."
"You can call me Rain if you want. And no, not this time," said Rhian. Henry looked slightly disappointed.
"But why not? You'd win for sure!" said Henry, his blue eyes gleaming, reminding Rhian very much of…but she wasn't going to think about that.
"I just don't want to Henry," said Rhian. "Simple as that." She stood up and joined the Ravenclaw girls as they made their way out of the great hall.
"Henry," she turned back to call him. Henry looked up.
"Tell David it wasn't in my power," Rhian said with a sad smile.
"Wasn't in your—" Henry started.
"Can you tell him that for me?" Rhian asked. Henry nodded bemusedly.
"Thank you," and with that she disappeared into the crowd.
"Don't be such a pill, Sophia," Rhian sighed as she walked out of the Great Hall with the seventh year Ravenclaw girls (Sophia McQuillen, Stephanie Montgomery, Morgan Kelly, Jean Hethro and Denise Gordon). Sophia had brought up the subject of Jeremiah Hathaway again.
"Tell me Morgan," Sophia went on, ignoring Rhian. "Did Jane really tell you Jeremiah fancies me?" Morgan looked slightly stunned by the question.
"That isn't what Jane was saying at all—" Morgan began.
"Jane!" Sophia called to a fifth year girl with curly, auburn hair. Jane turned to make her way over to Sophia but was stopped as someone in the opposite direction called her. Sophia pulled the rest of the girls along with her as she made her way over to Jane (who at the moment was trying to figure out who else had called her in addition to being preoccupied trying to concentrate on not to swept off by the mass of students).
"Jane," Sophia began as they reached Jane.
"Janey!" called the other voice in the crowd. Out of nowhere appeared the boy Rhian had shared her carriage with. He saw Rhian and winked at her, then turned to Jane.
"This is for you Janey," he said, handing Jane a package. "Your mum wanted me to give it to you. Obviously you forgot a couple things before you left so she apparated over to have me bring them with me."
"Thank you Jacob," Jane said with a smile. "I think I know what this is and I'll be needing it tomorrow so thank you,"
"Not a school book is it?" said Jacob with a smirk.
"Possibly," Jane replied, eyes shining.
"Jane—" Sophia began again but was interrupted once again.
"I don't believe I've met all of your friends," said Jacob with a grin.
"Oh, these are some of the girls in my house," Jane explained. "Jacob meet Sophia McQuillen, Stephanie Montgomery, Denise Gordon, Morgan Kelly, Jean Hethro and—Rain Lleynwell is it?" Rhian paled slightly.
"Rhian," Jacob corrected. Jane gave him a confused look. "We've met." He concluded.
"Girls, this is my cousin Jacob," Jane said. There was a chorus of "how do you do's". Rhian rolled her eyes. These girls knew perfectly well who Jacob Clayworth was. He was only the second biggest name in all of Hogwarts. Rich, handsome, smart, Jacob Clayworth second only to Jeremiah Hathaway, his fellow seventh year Gryffindor and coincidentally Jacob's best friend. And Rhian was sure that Jacob knew who they were as well. But the Clayworth's were ever "polite".
"Well, I'll let you get to bed now Jane," Jacob said, kissing his cousin's cheek. Then turning to the rest of the girls. "Jean, Denise, Sophia, Stephanie, Morgan, Rhian—see you in History of Magic tomorrow." Rhian had to hide her laugh with another cough. You couldn't remember someone's name so easily if you had just heard it.
"Tell Mary I said Good Night, would you?" said Jane, her eyes silently pleading for Jacob to save her from Sophia. Jacob seemed to catch on quick.
"Come and tell her yourself," Jacob said, offering his arm to her. Jane accepted it with a smile. Rhian rolled her eyes. If there was one thing Rhian Lleynwell couldn't stand it was an obvious display of fakeness. With a sigh Rhian made her way up the third floor alone, eager to escape the cloud of chattering girls for as long as humanly possible.
