Disclaimer:
I do not own anything save for Raven Stryke, Ian Stryke, William and Maia Kern, Tyra Leisel, Ebony the Panther, Britz the Rawk, and the plot. The plot, I have taken from a mix of stories that I have read on here...so I ask that you do not get mad if you see a tiny piece of your plot in here. Simply email me and I will include the proper disclaimer for a phrase or whatever. Keep in mind, however, that coincidences do exist, no matter how careful we are.
Thank you for your time. Enjoy the story.
Yours,
Allison
Prologue
"My lady Raven..." Argus Filch bowed deeply, hiding his surprise at seeing the tall, imposing figure before him quite well. "To what...may I ask...does Hogwarts owe this pleasure?"
"Oh don't be formal, Argus, really." The voice positively reeked of power. Cloaked from head to toe in black, with bottomless black eyes and satin black hair that reached her knees, the woman standing before Hogwarts' custodian cut quite the impression. Her clothes and hair both were constantly in motion, whipped about by an imaginary wind...much like Snape's own robes seemed to do when he walked...billowing about the hall.
"I'll call the house elves for your bags..." He hadn't taken two steps before she interrupted.
"Don't worry about it, Argus. Ebony would likely eat them...besides, that's what I brought these four to do." There was a hint of amusement in the words. Argus looked around the black figure to see four young people...and he frowned and returned his gaze. "Don't worry...they will cause you no extra trouble. Now, if you'll excuse us, we've an appointment with Albus."
"Of course, of course, Lady Stryke. Don't let me keep you." Argus bowes low again as the tall woman swept by him, as regally as if she'd been born to it.
Albus Dumbledore looked up from his conversation with Minerva McGonagall, Transfiguration teacher, and Severus Snape, Potions master, as the door opened and allowed the imposing figure in black to enter without any preamble. Severus and Minerva both leapt to their feet, wands at the ready and curses on their lips, before Albus spoke and broke the ice quite pleasantly.
"Ah, Raven, how good of you to come."
"I couldn't very well refuse an old friend of mine, Albus." The musical voice was warm and the blood red lips, a stark contrast to the pale, almost translucent white flesh, twisted upwards. She seemed not to notice the two flabergasted teachers behind her, though the four teens certainly did, the two on the outside giving the adults challenging glares while the two in the middle were content to press further away from the adults and let their counterparts do the challenging.
"And you brought your students, I see. They are well suited each to a different house, I assume?"
"Of course. I couldn't bring my two best, as they will not be separated, but these I believe will prove more than adequate."
"What can children do?" Severus spat, suddenly.
She never turned to look at him, though her pleasant smile fell away. "Tyra."
One of the two girls stepped forward...her eyes were deep green and her hair was a rich brown. "Yes, Headmistress."
"What do you remember of the walk from the front doors to here?"
"Five hundred portraits...at least three decades old, I'd say...none newer. Eighty statues of various age and make. Six hundred fifty-three steps, five trick steps...four moving staircases. Fifty suits of armor, seven hundred rooms. Seven Thousand normal teenage-length strides." She recited in one breath off of the top of her head before stepping back into line.
"Will."
The boy nearest to Severus, who was on Dumbledore's left, stepped foward. "Yes, Headmistress." He was much like Tyra...only his eyes were gray and his hair was a brilliant red...not orange-red like most, but true red.
"What have you observed of this room?"
"Eighty portraits...the newest being Headmaster Dippet and the oldest being of the Four Founders of Hogwarts. Rowena Ravenclaw, Salazar Slytherin, Godric Gryffindor, and Helena Hufflepuff. One phoenix, six hundred books on each wall, four chairs, one desk...oak, I believe, with a stardard of about seven drawers. A telescope..." He continued on like this for some time, naming every single object within the room from memory, his eyes never leaving Raven's back. "Also, the man behind me and to my right is, I believe, the Potions Master. His hair looks greasy, but I believe that is the film that comes from being exposed to potion fumes for unusual ammounts of time. His eyes are black and most likely narrowed at me now. His stance is one of a trained duellist...and he has the manner of a dark wizard about him, as well as an air of repentance. Perhaps a Good Wizard turned bad or a Bad Wizard turned good. He is likely a spy, for he shows little emotion. His manner and the way he carries himself is suggesting of noble birth, as are the black robes that he wears...finer stitching than is normally seen among middle classes. As well as a more expensive though more durable fabric. The woman behind and to my left is likely the Transfiguration Teacher, for she is quicker to raise her wand. Also, her hair is in a severe bun, as if she doesn't want it in the way. This could constitute potion brewing, but it's more likely that she wants her face clear to be able to watch for the precise wand-movements that Transfiguration takes. She's wearing a deep green robes also suggesting that she is of noble birth for much the same reasons I stated before. Also, neither teacher has a ring on either hand, so it's likely that they've never been married." He finished and stepped back into line.
Minerva stared at the children in open shock, while Severus watched them with calculated surprise and Albus with open amazement and pleasure. He studied the two that had spoken before turning to Raven.
"And you say that these are not your best?" His voice was mild.
Raven turned and studied the four students intently before turning back around. "These four are good. They are some of the best that I have ever taught. But they are not the best." She said, calmly. Albus took her at her word and nodded. Severus, however, was not so inclined.
"How do you figure?" He asked, calmly...or so he thought. It was actually more of a snarl than a calm question.
"I can answer that, Headmistress." Said the remaining girl...an adorable younger child with blonde pigtails.
"Go ahead, Maia." Raven said.
Maia turned her bright brown eyes to the two teachers. "Titian and Teddy could tell you approxamately how many blades of grass there are in the yard, trees and bushes lining the Forbidden forest, including what types and their uses, as well as a very accurate estimate of square feet from the front gates of Hogwarts to the spot that we're standing in now." She said, calmly. "They could tell you the names of each and every portrait and statue, as well as the approxamate age and who made it." With that, she stepped into place.
"And you didn't bring your best...why?" Severus asked, slowly.
"For one, I needed them to stay behind and help the teachers back home. They've surpassed every other teacher and now take their lessons directly from me. However, they are quite useful at keeping the other students in line and, as I said before, they cannot be separated." Raven replied without a hitch. "Now if you're quite finished testing my motives, Severus Snape, I'd like to continue this meeting. I'm rather tired...inter-realm travel takes a lot out of even the best of enchantresses."
Severus sputtered as Raven turned back to Dumbledore, who smiled merrily with that infernal twinkle in his eye and nodded to her. "Now, to see which of your students belongs in which house." He motioned. "Minerva, the Sorting Hat if you please." When it was handed to him, he set it on his desk and looked to Raven. "I will let you choose the order in which they are sorted."
"Of course." Her lips twisted slightly upwards. "Will." He came forward obediantly and placed the hat on his head. After a few moments, it roared its decision.
"GRYFFINDOR!" Albus kept an eye on Raven, whose lips were twisted upwards in a sardonic grin, and he knew that she'd anticipated which student would be placed where.
"Maia." Though she trembled a little with the thought of displeasing her Headmistress, Maia walked forward and placed the hat on her small head, letting it fall down around her nose.
"HUFFLEPUFF!" Raven's sardonic smile never faltered.
"Tyra." Tyra seemed to be murmuring something to herself as she walked forward and placed the hat on her head, her lips moving constantly in the silence.
"RAVENCLAW!" The smile just widened. Albus was slightly amazed that Raven knew her students and their abilities well enough that she could pinpoint their houses, but he decided that it wasn't too surprising...Raven had always been a good judge of character...all save for one time, that was.
"Ian." The fourth of the new students stepped forward...his icey blue eyes boring holes in Albus Dumbledore's twinkling lighter blue ones. He had black hair, much like Severus Snape's, and it was held back in a pony-tail at the nape of his neck before falling on down to rest just above his shoulderblades. He had been the only one not to speak, and he had been the one to step up to Minerva's wand, challenging her silently with his intimidatingly intense eyes. He reached for the hat, but before he could, Raven spoke again.
"Ian, recite what you can about the potion that Professor Snape was brewing before he came up to this office."
Ian stopped and turned, meeting the tall woman's eyes boldly. "Used mainly to help children...or students in this case...get over mild colds or flus, the Pepper-Up Potion is a common and relatively simple brew. It uses peppermint leaves and spices to cleanse the sinuses and give the taker a boost of energy." He went on to list the ingrediants and the exact steps to brewing the potion before concluding with. "It is potent for up to four years, and is unique because of not only its taste but because it leaves the brewer smelling like Peppermint Tea for hours afterwards, with an underlying horseradish smell."
Severus' jaw dropped open as Albus looked past Raven to him. "Severus, what potion did you complete before you arrived in my office?"
"The Pepper-Up Potion..." Severus said, softly and faintly.
Raven held Ian's gaze for a moment longer before nodding curtly. He put on the Sorting Hat.
"SLYTHERIN!" It roared, not surprisingly. Raven smirked her satisfaction and nodded.
"I trust their things will be moved to the proper dormitories?" She asked, resting a hand on Ian's shoulder. He pressed back against her legs silently, watching the headmaster. Tyra and Maia pressed in as well, followed by Will, and the tall woman nearly staggered beneath their combined pressure.
"Of course, Raven." Albus said. "The House Elves have already begun the task. I trust each knows where their dormitory is?" At her curt nod, he smiled, delighted, and wrote something out on a piece of parchment, tearing it into four pieces and handing each of the students a piece. "Your respective passwords. You will have tomorrow to become aquainted with the school and the next day you will be taken back to London where you will catch the train like any other students. Please remember that while you're here Lady Stryke is not your Headmistress..."
Ian cut him off. "We know, Sir. Having already been briefed in full and having been drilled thoroughly as to our respective roles, we know what is expected of our time here and what we may or may not do to jeopardize or strengthen that role."
Albus looked at him shrewdly. "Indeed. Yes, well...carry on!" He smiled and stood up, kissing Raven's delicate hand before she walked out, her students following.
"Albus, are you mad!" Severus threw himself back into his chair. "They're CHILDREN!"
"As much as I hate to agree with anything Severus says, I must concur on this subject." Minerva stated. "Albus, what could they possibly learn that could be of use, assuming that they didn't turn bad themselves?"
"Now, Now..." Albus smiled reassuringly, eyes twinkling like mad. "Severus, Minerva, you both know that I would never do anything to put our position in danger. The Order of the Blood is, as of yet, still neutral. Voldemort knows this...he would never expect a blood-trained spy among the children and new recruits of his Death Eaters."
"Exactly!" Severus said. "They're still neutral! Albus, I trust your judgement, I do...but how can we know if they'll turn on us?"
"We can't!" Minerva said. "We can't be sure they won't decide that we're the weaker side!"
Albus sighed and shook his head, the twinkle disappearing as he stared at the two of them. "As much as I value both of your opinions, I'm confidant that while the Mother of the Blood teaches at my school, they will not turn against us...nor, however, will they turn for us."
"The MOTHER OF THE BLOOD! Albus, are you MAD!" Minerva screeched.
"Not last time I checked, no." Albus said, mildly. "And that was this morning." What he didn't tell them, was that it had been right after he'd recieved the confirmation of Raven's arrival. Heaven forbid that Albus himself doubt one of his infamous ideas. "So I'm afraid you'll both just have to bear with me and deal with my scheme." He said mildly, standing up and walking up the stairs and into his quarters, closing and locking the door behind him.
Minerva and Severus just exchanged looks of mutual dismay.
