Mission 3: Houe Rivalries

So my mind is only allowing me to work on this right now...

Also, Dante might seem paranoid in this, but this is before he got overpowered.

The damp air and dark night caused a lot of children to shake and stumble, except for Dante. His main concern was how he would explain Rebellion if it was found. Said person decided not to worry about it and was watching in amusement as it all happened. Heh, he was already here, might as well catch them if they fell.

"Four to a boat!" Hagrid called after giving Dante a look, which he just shrugged off. Maybe the fact that he refused to take off his red coat. He didn't even consider it was for ditching him in diagon alley. Taking the last boat available, one shared with Harry and Ron, Dante casually looked into the lake. He'd read about some interesting creatures in there, not that he was going to show off that knowledge like the girl nearby was doing. In a way, it kind of reminded him of Vergil, though he would state it as a fact only when asked rather than her know it all way. He was honestly a little dissappointed however, when he didn't see the giant squid, it probably didn't want to deal with the half devil.

"You'll get yer first site of Hogwarts in a sec." Dante looked up and was genuinely speechless at what he saw. It was massive! Even Harry and Ron, who had been sneaking glances at him, and doing a poor job, couldn't keep their eyes away from it. The girl had been shut up, and the crying boy next to her seemed to forget what had been bothering him, as well. In short, it was impressive.

After finding a toad and walking a little ways that seemed to exhaust most the students, they approached the castle and were greeted by a strict looking witch. Dante's instincts told him she was not one to cross.

"Thank you Hagrid, I'll take them from here." She spoke in a polite yet stern way, "Form a line and follow me." Dante didn't bother to listent to that order. It seemed the other students were too excited and nervous to as well, as they failed to make a line in favor of trying to either be at the front or the back. The talking pictures suprised more than a few people, Dante included. He had thought only demons could achieve something to that end. Remembering a time one had possessed a picture and tried to kill him when he got too close, Dante kept his distance from them as he kept a cautious hand over his still hidden guns. It wasn't until they arrived at a pair of giant doors that even a cerberus could fit through that Dante allowed himself to relax as he heard the chatter of students. The teacher, whom he had identified as McGonagall, gave him a slight smile that he was sure that others hadn't seen before announcing that the sorting was to take place shortly and telling them to 'smartin themselves up', all the while eyeing certain students and Dante's own coat. She soon entered the hall.

After a moment of chatter, Dante's sences went off causing him to tense up. Quickly, yet subtley, looking around, Dante was the first to notice the ghosts gliding through the wall. Shit, he didn't know how to deal with ghosts. He assured himself he would be fine, as long as they didn't-

"AHHH!" See him. Damn, now all the ghosts had noticed the students. Giving a short lived glare to the one who had screamed, Dante prepared to defend himself however possible. A short conversation later (with Dante taunting the ghosts despite knowing he couldn't hurt them) and McGonagall came back, shooing the ghosts off. She gave the tense Dante a shortlived glance, confirming that she knew at least something of his past. Probably the encounter he had mentioned to the Malfoys. Speaking of, he noticed Draco was giving him an appraising look as well. Shit, he shouldn't have mentioned that. He only did because of the stupor the memories caused and the fact she was related to his mother.

"The sorting ceremony will now begin." The proffessor announced as Dante calmed himself down. There really was no point in getting worked up over it. He could deal with humans, and the ghosts didn't seem to have any interest in, or ability to, hurting anyone.

The great hall, Dante would admit, was magical. Floating candles and an enchanted ceiling, nice. As he and the rest of the students made their way to the front, Dante took a look at the staff. Hmm, boring, boring, another hybrid, boring, boring, strict, old, suspicious (He smelt the garlic from his distance), another suspicious, and boring. This could be fun.

"When I call your name, you are to be sorted into your houses. Abbot, Hannah!"

"Hufflepuff!"

"Black Vergil!" Dante did a double take at the name then, even as the whipers started, his twin strode purposefully up to the hat. His twin. Vergil. Dante's smirked as he saw his twin. So Vergil had decided to come after all. This could be fun. Though Dante was suprised that he didn't see Yamato.

"Slytherin!" As Vergil stepped down, he seemed to scan the crowd until his eyes rested on Dante. He gave a cold look before moving toward his new house. Dante mentally debated on what could have convinced him to part with his sword, even if only temperarily. Dante himself, had only parted with Rebellion secure in the knowledge that he could summon it with a flick of his wrist, and that he had his guns. He wasn't the trickster for nothing. As he thought this, he tuned out of the sorting until his 'name' was called, snapping him back to attention.

"Redgrave, Tony!" No one payed much attention to his name in the excitement over Harry's, but those who did gave confused looks, identical to what Vergil's name had recieved from the entire hall. With the ease only a prankster could have, Dante ignored all the looks while keeping alert at the same time as he approached the hat.

'Interesting. Another Black that breaks tradition. You've been through so much for one so young...jut like your brother.' Dante nearly grimaced at the reminder, but instead smirked. He had figured out rather quickly that it would go through his mind.

'Yeah, and there are going to be a lot more parties in my life too.' He mentally replied even as he grew excited at the prospect of the 'parties'. The hat gave a small chuckle.

'I see a LOT of Griffindore quallities in you, but you also have some ambition I see. To avenge your mother? Slytherin could hone that, but there is a certain spark. Yes, you certainly harbor the power to accomplish your goals without their help. Not that they held a candle against the Griffindore in you anyway. There really is no competition here, I see. May your heart heal in...'

"Griffindore!" Dante smiled, now he had an excuse for fighting Vergil! The Weasley twins gestured them over to their seat as he moved to find one at the red and gold table. He could really live here. As the last student, Zabini Blaze, was sorted into Slytherin, the headmaster announced the beggining of the feast. He heard Harry chuckle, but paid it no mind as he searched for pizza.

"He's mad isn't he?" Harry asked, apparently not noticing the food somehow. Dante gave a snort.

"The old man is fine in my book. As long as he doesn't ruin my parties." He said before anyone else could answer. The redhead he had interrupted gave him a look and was about to say something before Fred and George cut him off.

"We difinitely picked up a keeper."

"I agree. So what 'parties' do you have in mind?" They asked. Dante gave an easy smile.

"You'll find out soon enough." He said as his gaze wandered over to the Slytherin table. More specifically, his brother. Vergil met his gaze and, apparently reading it, gave a cold stare.

"You won't have any parties that aren't allowed." The yet unidentified redhead scowled. Dante noticed a badge with a 'P' on it. He ignored him, almost.

"A friend of yours?" He asked the twins as he jabbed a thumb at the scowling boy. Fred and George gave mock ashamed looks.

"Yes. Percy the perfect prefect."

"Can't have any fun around our dear brother." They mumbled as if ashamed. Percy's scowl deepened.

"Knock it off you two." The prefect snapped. Harry decided to speak up again before a fight broke out.

"So, whats a prefect?" He asked in genuine curiosity. Percy's face seemed to brighten at that.

"A prefect is someone who-"

"I get it. A hall monitor." Dante cut him off flippantly. Now if only he could find- AHA! He then grabbed some pizza, before promptly making a face. Yuck! Olives! He put it on his plate anyway. Percy seemed insulted at what he said while Fred, George, and Lee Jordan were snickering. Harry, for his part, was keeping his laughter under control, while the Granger girl seemed mortified that he would say something like that.

"Erm, Your Tony right? Tony Redgrave?" Asked the boy who had lost his toad, nervously. Dante saw a spark of courage in him for that alone, all he needed was a push. Not that Dante would give it.

"Thats right." He said as he inspected his pizza. A dark skinned boy blinked at that.

"Then your the black heir. Who was that other guy then? Vergil, I think his name was." Dante smirked.

"My twin. Honestly, I didn't excpect to find my dear brother here." He said in a way that made it clear he would've been just fine if he didn't. No one seemed quite sure how to respond to that. Even Ron stopped stuffing his face to stare at him as he casually ate his pizza, as if he had just mentioned the weather rather than his twin. For some reason, the redheads all looked at eachother. It was Harry that broke the silence.

"Um, say, who's that talking to Quirrel?" He asked as he looked around for a subject to switch to. Percy seemed to brake out of his daze as he followed Harry's line of sight.

"Oh, thats Proffessor Snape, head of Slytherin house." He said, just as eager to change the subject as Harry. Hmm, so a suspicious head of house. Head of Vergil's house too, this could be problematic. Ah well, not like he cared for the house cup. (Fred and George had told him about it on the train.) From that point, the conversation became light as people tried to forget about what Dante had said. Many things were discussed, such as quiditch, classes, specialties, you name it. But when family came up things became akward as people snuck glances at Dante while it was being said. Soon enough, desserts dissappeared and the headmaster got up for a few more annoucments.

-skippingspeachthateveryoneknows-

As the speach ended, Dante could only think of two things. One, he was visiting the third floor corrider, despite the laughter from people who thought it to be a joke, he realized the man thought people would definitley die if they went in there. Two, he was meeting his brother in either the corrider or the forest for there parties. When they were dismissed, Dante followed the rest of his house to their dorms, or he would have if McGonnagall hadn't called him away.

"How the hell did I get in trouble bfore school even started?" He asked as they walked up a flight of stairs. It was clear they were going to the headmasters office. McGonnagall eyed his red coat, but chose to let it slide for the time being. It'd blend right in with her Griffindors anyway.

"Your not Mr. Redgrave. We just have a few... issues to clear up." Dante just shook his head, even as Snape joined him with Vergil in tow. After several flights of stairs, they arrived at a stone gargoyle. With a muttered 'lemon drops', a scowl from Snape, a quirked brow from Vergil, and a snort from Dante, they entered the headmasters office. Dante took in the various nicknacks laying around and the two other teachers in the room as he plopped down in one of the sofas. Vergil remained standing as the proffessors took up various posisitions in the room. Vergil began the conversation.

"As...pleased as I am to see my brother again, I must ask why we are here." The proffessors seemed shocked by his tone of voice, but answered any way.

"Of course. As I have no doubt you noticed, one of our staff is also a hybrid." Here, he gestured to the short wizard who looked happy to see them, "As such, it would be rather stupid of us to ignore any special needs you may have. Would you like to tell us what they are?" Dumbledore said pleasantly. Dante smirked, and even Vergil seemed amused at this.

"You sure? We can get rather...restless." Dante spoke up with a knowing tone. Vergil nodded his agreement.

"We will mainly need a place to spar." He added. The proffessors seemed to be trying to figure out what they were as the twins shared a look only readable to them. Flitwick, the other hybrid, smiled suddenly as he decided it didin't matter.

"Well, I'm sure we could find a place, any specific details you'll need in it? Obstacles or space?" Dante smirked again.

"The harder it makes our spars the better."

"I agree. Though as we get violent, it will also be prudent to have privacy and a way to clean up before students see us." His twin voiced. McGonagall then added her two cents.

"Don't think that aside from this, we will treat you any different from any other student here. You are still very much the same level as them." Snape nodded.

"I agree. I do not want any interferences in my class, even if they stem from these issues." He drawled.

"Severus, they may not always be able to help it. You should lighten up on them some. Though I do agree that they should over all be treated the same, you should still take their needs into account." The last witch in the room said sternly as McGonogall gave a nod of agreement. Flitwick seemed to just be happy they were here. Dante honestly wondered how he could be so...calm. Was discrimination really not an issue here? Vergil seemed to be having simiar thoughts as he saw the short hybrid.

"I agree, Pomona." The strict seeming witch responded.

After a little more conversation, and details about the twins were reveiled, the teachers decided to send them to bed with the assurance they would find a place to spar.

Dante made sure to memorize the path as he was escorted to the common room. McGonagall, for her part, was realizing just how much energy the boy had as he turned the stairs into a game and gave no indication that he heard her scolding as he slid down the railing. She was positive she wasn't the first one to wonder what had come to the school as she finally got him to the common room.

She quickly returned to the headmasters office.

Those boys, something is terribly wrong! Its as if they weren't happy to see each other at all! She thought as she made a detour, seeing as the stairs had begun acting up as if to make up for how well they'd been behaving to this point. Perhaps it was because of whatever Tony (or was it Dante?) was. That was another thing, the boy had called himself one thing, but his twin another. Was he using an alias? Did his species hate him? The poor boys. The way they had spoke about sparing violently didn't help her concience at all either. Severus, whom she met up with at the gargoyle, seemed to have similar conclusions.

"Just what happened to them?" She muttered under her breath. She'd have to bring up her concerns with Albus. Maybe Filius and Hagrid could help too. It didn't matter if Black was a Slytherin, she wouldn't rest until those two calmed down.

Dante, for his part, opened the dormitory door and promptly closed it. There was no way he could sleep with so many people around and snoring of all things! His instincts just wouldn't let it happen. What if one of them decided to be hostile?! Then again, what if one of them decided to go through his things? Dante grimaced as he tried to decide what to do. He could call Kreacher, but he didn't like the idea of someone bound to him, something he might be vulnerable to for all he knew. On the other hand, from what he read house elves seemed to like being sevants. And he couldn't risk them finding Rebellion, or worse, stealing his picture of his mother. He had his amulet with him at all times, so that wasn't an issue. What the hell.

"Kreacher." He said simply. With a crack, the batty old houself appeared behind him. Dante already had Ebony half aimed before he got control of his instincts.

"What does young master want?" The elf sneered as it recognized the muggle contraption. Dante smirked.

"Nothing much. Just find a way to make sure no one gets a hold of my things as some of them are rather...dark." He said with a smile as he thought of some of the more demonic things he had brought. The elf perked up at the mention of 'dark'.

"Kreacher would be happy to master. Kreacher will also make Grimmauld Place livable to young master." The elf chirped happily, doing a complete one eighty on personallity before popping out to carry orders. Thus, he spent his night in the common room, smirking when he thought that Vergil was probably having the same problem.