The next morning was full of murmurs as all of Beacon's freshmen were excited and nervous for initiation. People had no idea how they would be assigned teams or how initiation would even go. Harry, Hermione, Emerald and Mercury were already out on the hill with a few other students, Glynda's announcement having gone off a few minutes prior. Harry reminds Emerald and Mercury to try to stick together and not end up on the same team as him and Hermione. They all then stand on a launchpad, waiting as the rest of their class makes their way to the hill. Harry spots Ruby and waves at her, grinning as he got a wave back from the small girl. It was only then that Harry realized that he and Ruby had a very similar color palette for their outfits - red and black. He had a scarlet zip-up hoodie with golden shimmers over a simple black tank top. His Twisted Fate daggers and pistols were attached to a simple black belt that was looped around his black cargo pants. Scarlet combat boots poked out from underneath the pant legs. Unlike his crime outfit which had dark amber full hand gloves, his hands had black fingerless gloves. On his left breast was a golden eye with a golden fire around it.
"Make sure you check your gun love," Harry comments to Hermione as he checks over his gun.
"Already ahead of you darling~" Hermione hums out. She wore a purple sleeveless tunic that falls to her knees, a silver long sleeve shirt underneath. Her whip and pistol were hooked to a black belt that was looped around her silver leggings. Boots that were the same shade of purple as her tunic came up to her knees. Around her shoulders was a purple cloak with a silver inside and silver lining. On the center of her tunic and and cloak was a silver owl with a snowflake behind it.
"That's my smart cookie~" Harry coos. He presses a quick kiss to her cheek. However, that was all that they could say before Ozpin spoke.
"For years you have trained to become warriors, and today your abilities will be evaluated in the Emerald Forest," Ozpin says.
"Now, I'm sure many of you have heard rumors about the assignment of "teams." Well, allow us to put an end to your confusion. Each of you will be given teammates... today," Glynda says.
"These teammates will be with you for the rest of your time here at Beacon. So it is in your best interest to be paired with someone with whom you can work well. That being said, the first person you make eye contact with after landing will be your partner for the next four years. After you've partnered up, make your way to the northern end of the forest. You will meet opposition along the way. Do not hesitate to destroy everything in your path... or you will die. You will be monitored and graded through the duration of your initiation, but our instructors will not intervene. You will find an abandoned temple at the end of the path containing several relics. Each pair must choose one and return to the top of the cliff. We will regard that item, as well as your standing, and grade you appropriately. Are there any questions?" Ozpin explains. No one asked questions as they all knew about landing strategies. Harry was launched first and he just flies through the sky. Due to his cat animagus form, he has the agility of a cat and just twists through the branches. He lands on a branch and then jumps down. He pulls a dagger out and stares at it intensely.
"Oh good, this still works. Now to find you Mione. Don't move love," Harry says. He follows his dagger, which moved and garnered Ozpin's and Glynda's attention.
Hermione was launched a few seconds after Harry. She twists through the sky and once out of the other students' eyesight, she turns into her owl form and glides through the treeline. Her transformation had caught Ozpin's attention as well. She waits on a branch, knowing that Harry would find her. Eventually, Harry does and Hermione transforms and hops down. They solidify their partnership by making eye contact.
"Found you!" Harry grins.
"Took you long enough darling," Hermione teases. Harry sticks his tongue out in response. Harry focuses on the same dagger and the couple heads off in the direction that the dagger was pointing them.
~ With Ozpin and Glynda ~
"Ozpin. Those two... They had unnatural abilities..." Glynda says, looking at the silver haired headmaster.
"Indeed. Something tells me that is not a Semblance... It looks like magic like the Maidens..." Ozpin hums out.
"Should we bring them into our circle?" Glynda asks quietly.
"I think so yes. But wait a few classes before approaching them. I want to know more about the extent of their abilities," Ozpin answers. The blonde deputy headmistress simply nods and watches over the initiation.
~ Team Formation Ceremony ~
It was after initiation and all of the freshmen standing on the stage, closer to the back wall, waiting to be called up to the front. It was a lengthy process and very dry. The usual polite applause happened as each new team was walking off the stage, an occasional squeal of happiness echoing through the auditorium. Harry couldn't help but feel like that Ozpin was purposely leaving the people that fought with him at the end of their initiation for the end. Why? He had no fucking clue. He had even asked Hermione if she had any leads and his bushy haired girlfriend answered with a negative.
"Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ruby Rose and Pyrrha Nikos," Ozpin calls out, said students stepping up as their names were called. "You all collected the black rook pieces. You will form the team known as Team Heron (HHRN), led by Harry Potter."
"Good job darling, you made team leader," Hermione says.
"Congratulations Harry," Pyrrha says with a smile. She was glad that she wasn't the leader. A loud squeal and a blur of red and black headed towards Harry.
"We get to be on the same team! Oh I'm so glad that some of first new friends get to be on my team!" Ruby says happily. Harry chuckles and pats Ruby on the head.
"Well, let's get off stage so we can all get to know each other better, hmm?" Harry says. Ruby nods and Team HHRN head off.
"Mercury Black, Emerald Sustrai, Lie Ren and Nora Valkyrie. You four collected the black knight pieces. You will form Team Burn (BERN), led by Mercury Black," Ozpin says. Mercury was definitely surprised.
"I'm team leader? That's... Interesting.." Mercury says.
"Just don't let it get to your head," Emerald says.
"Alright! Lead the way Team Leader Mercury!" Nora chirps. Ren just shakes his head before following his team mates off the stage for the final team to be officially formed.
"And finally, Blake Belladonna, Weiss Schnee, Sun Wukong, and Yang Xiao Long. The four of you collected the white knight pieces. You will form the team known as Team Busy (BWSY), led by Blake Belladonna. Congratulations everyone. Welcome to Beacon," Ozpin says before walking off stage.
"I'm.. I'm Team Leader?" Blake chokes out. She looks over at her new teammates and saw that Weiss was rather annoyed.
"Good job Blakey! I'm proud of you!" Sun grins, slinging an arm around his friend and fellow Faunus.
"I trust that you will do a good job," Weiss says politely to the cat Faunus. She was trying to keep an open mind about having not just one Faunus on her team but two and the fact that one of them was her team leader.
"Alright! Let's go to our dorm then!" Yang says rather loudly, trying to break the tension that was forming. Team BWSY catches up with Teams HHRN and BWRN. Teams HHRN and BWRN turned out to be right next to each other, with BWSY right across from HHRN. Harry and Hermione were quite pleased with this arrangement as it kept Emerald and Mercury nearby. Additionally, with their connection to Ruby, they could get Team BWSY as well. But first, they needed to convert Ruby to their cause, and surprisingly one Pyrrha Nikos.
"Pyrrha, Ruby? Mione and I are going to step out for a moment as we're going to call the orphanage lady to let her know we got in!" Harry says to his teammates once at the dorm.
"Oh! Go ahead! Don't let us stop you," Pyrrha says. She and Ruby were a little surprised to hear that Harry and Hermione were orphans. But that was just one of many things they were going to learn about their leader and his partner. Harry and Hermione then step out and go to find somewhere private to call Cinder and Roman to give them a status update. Once the two were alone, Hermione pulls out her Scroll and calls Cinder. It rings a few times before the woman in question answers.
"Hello Hermione, hello Harry. Making a status report?" Cinder asks when she answers.
"Yup! Mind getting Dad?" Harry asks.
"Just a moment," Cinder says. She turns from her Scroll and calls Roman over.
"Harrison my boy! What's up?" Roman asks when he enters the view of the camera. Harry couldn't help but grin.
"So Harry and I are on one team and Emerald and Mercury are on another, just like you asked," Hermione starts out.
"And get this - Not only do we have Pyrrha Nikos on our team, we also have Little Red!" Harry says.
"Wait, you have Little Red on your team? I bet Ozpin offered for her to come to Beacon when she almost stopped me and Cinder," Roman says.
"And before you even ask, we already started on converting her to our side. Harry's got little Ruby wrapped around his finger," Hermione smirks. Cinder smirks as well.
"Well done Harry. And Pyrrha Nikos is on your team you say? Even better. You'll make a powerhouse team for sure," Cinder says.
"Have you two done anything to catch Ozpin's attention?" Roman asks.
"I.. may or may not have been an owl," Hermione says.
"And I totally didn't use one of my daggers to act as a compass," Harry grins.
"Attaboy! Keep them focused more on you two rather than Emerald and Mercury," Roman says. "That way those two can get information without being noticed."
"Before we go, out of curiosity, who are the team leaders?" Cinder asks.
"Me and Merc!" Harry grins.
"How did Mercury become a team leader?" Cinder asks. The two teens shrug.
"Oh well. Anyways, give us a status report in like a week or anything big happens! Tootles~" Roman says before hanging up. The couple then head back to their dorm to get to know Pyrrha and Ruby better. And to get them one step closer to the darkness.