Disclaimer: Same old, own nothing.
Chapter 4
Death arrives among all that sound like a shoe with no foot in it, like a suit with no man in it, comes and knocks, using a ring with no stone in it, with no finger in it, comes and shouts with no mouth, with no tongue, with no throat. Nevertheless its steps can be heard and its clothing makes a hushed sound, like a tree.
Darkness,...darkness...darkness like a shipwreck we die going into ourselves, as though we were drowning inside our hearts, as though we lived falling out of the skin into the soul.
The pale body of Ms. Tanner lies on the floor, cold. Or is his soul that it's cold? Is there a difference? Should exist a line separating both? Is her soul sailing the vertical river of the dead, the river of dark purple, moving upstream with sails filled out by the sound of death, filled by the sound of death which is silence?
Or is his soul suffering the agony of sending another soul to its final journey earlier than it should?
Should death be like this? So easy, so unmistakeable, so...final?
No, Iago wasn't so sure.
He rebembered her words, her wish and...the reason he was doing this.
Astoria Greengrass, his friend.
Or was it?
Would he be doing this to save someone he just met, or was there something else, something hidden even from himself? He was young, could his reason be selfish and naive, to eliminate the mistakes of his parents? Save many to counter the death of many that had fallen on the past war thanks to his parents?
If so, his starting point wasn't promising. But he would do it, he would endure.
He had to, now that he started.
"Vanry! Please take her body and bury her, the place she asked to." Iago told solemnly.
The house elf nodded and popped away taking the body with him. All that was left to do was making preparations to leave for Hogwarts and try not to overthink about what just happened.
On September first, at ten o clock, Iago could be found at King's Cross Station. With the help of his house elf, he apparated near platform 9.
Walking a short distance he met the platform 9 3/4. Having no reason to stay put nor friends nor family to meet he went through the wall and met with an impressive big red, steam engine train.
He took his belongings and walked inside the train, ready to claim one compartment.
The passenger carriages hold compartments set off a corridor, allowing each compartment to function as a self-contained stage within the larger train.
Most of the compartments were empty since it was still early. So he picked one in the middle.
Taking one book from his bag for reading during the journey, he packed up his luggage and started reading his charms book from first year.
Nearly a hour later, the train starts moving. Making the beginning of a new adventour. All around, he can hear the many voices of people walking and entering the compartments. He wondered if someone would join him.
Looking at the window outside, the train gaining speed and the station leaving them behind.
A feeling of nostalgy haunts Iago, and he suddendly starts singing "Let it be" from the Beatles.
"When I find myself in times of trouble
Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom
Let it be
And in my hour of darkness
She is standing right in front of me
Speaking words of wisdom
Let it be"
That's when he hears his compartment's door open and two boys his age enter.
"Hey, could we get in with you?" Seeing Iago nodding, they made their way inside and introduced themselves.
" Hey, I am Blaise Zabini. Nice to meet you." Blaise was a little taller than him, dark skinned boy with high cheekbones and long, slanting eyes.
" I'm Theodore Nott. Pleasure." The other boy, equally tall, thin, with dark hair and eyes greeted him.
"Hello, my name Is Iago Lestrange."
The boys looked at him curiously. Again the name Lestrange being the reason. He had to expect that to happen a lot from now on.
"Lestrange? Curious, your parents problably know my father." Spoke Theodore sounding distant.
"I was mostly raised by house elves, I never met them." A half truth.
"I also never met my mother, she died giving birth to me. Can't help but wonder how happy she would be today if she were here." Said Theodore.
"Guess the fate put us together, I never met my real father, he died when I was an infant. Since then my mother has been widowed six times. If he were here he'd get a kick out of this" Zabini had a melancholic look.
"They are." Iago simple said looking at the trees from outside of the window, and no one saw the single tear that fell from both of the boys.
After a comfortable silence, Iago spoke again.
"Which house do you think you will get sorted?"
Both boys answered at the same time.
"Slytherin!" Looking at each other they start laughing for what looked forever.
"So guess we will be in the same house." Iago added with a smile.
They spent the next hours talking, laughing, reading and playing a few games. When suddendly a trolley pushed by a plump, friendly witch, entered their compartment.
"Anything off the trolley, dears?" The lady asked. The trolley had various sweets from Honeydukes.
They were about to buy something, when a beautiful girl with auburn hair and green emerald eyes ran into the compartment.
"Hello, I would like some cauldron cakes please!" She then looked inside the compartment and took notice of who was inside. Her green eyes stared at Iago for long seconds before she payed for the cakes and left the compartment.
"Well, that was intense. Why was the girl-who-lived looking at you Iago? Do you know each other?" Asked a visible confused Blaise.
"If they did know each other she would say something, no?" Asked Theodore.
"I thought we knew each other, but guess not. Either way lets buy something the lady is waiting for us."
The rest of the train journey went through uneventfully and they arrived at their destination.
They entered Hogwarts after traveling across the lake to where an older professor took over from Hagrid, an half giant that had led them from the train to the school on boats.
Introducing herself as Professor McGonagall, she told them a little bit about the houses before disappearing.
"So a hat will decide where we belong?" Asked Iago with a smile on his face.
"Yup, not before singing a little song tho. You would problably get along with it." Theodore joked with Iago.
Several students started being sorted, until the Sorting Hat called Iago's name.
"Well, see ya later buddies."
Iago walked over to the hat and sitted on the stood. While walking the whispers about his name were noticable and some visible glares, but he didn't really care.
The Sorting Hat upon reaching his head, instantly yelled Slytherin making Iago happy but he noticed that only the Slytherin's table were clapping. The rest of the Great hall was in complete silence. Specially one certain green eyed girl and one boy by the name of Neville Longbottom.
Iago sitted with his new house mates at Slytherin and watch as the sorting went on quickly. Near him was a blond girl that looked a lot like Astoria Greengrass, he could tell that the girl could only be her sister, Daphne. She had a look of boredoom looking at nowhere specific.
When the sorting and the banquet was done, and Iago had now the company of Theodore and Blaise, the headmaster Dumbledore gave what looked like a speech that he delivered every year. On Iago's mind nothing of important to retain.
It was then that two older students called for the first years to follow them. They went on their way to the dungeons, where supposedly their common room was located. That didn't seem promising to most of the first years.
But upon arriving, all their doubts quickly died. The room was perfect.
The common room was a dungeon-like room with greenish lamps and chairs. This dungeon extends partway under the lake, giving the light in the room a green tinge. The common room had lots of low backed black and dark green button-tufted, leather sofas and dark wood cupboards. It is decorated with tapestries featuring the adventures of famous Medieval Slytherins. It accomplished a perfect atmosphere, but also a cold one.
"Gather around, first years! We are the new prefects this year. I am Gemma Farley and this is Edward Rousier." A petite girl spoke to them. Her shoulders were broad and she held her head high with the air of confidence. Her hair was thick and black, her eyes were soft and serene with purity and wisdom. The boy named Rousier was tall and bulky, his eyes showed that he he would prefer to be doing something else at the moment.
"Our emblem is the serpent, the wisest of creatures; our house colours are emerald green and silver, and our common room lies behind a concealed entrance down in the dungeons. As you'll see, its windows look out into the depths of the Hogwarts lake. We often see the giant squid swooshing by — and sometimes more interesting creatures. We like to feel that our hangout has the aura of a mysterious, underwater shipwreck"
She the continued.
"There are a few rules specific for our house that our Head House, professor Severus Snape will tell you about. I strongly advise you to hear, learn and live by them. Punishing this rules won't do you any good. We have duelling club and quidditch but first years are usually not ready to join in any of them. If you perphaps think you have what it takes, over there on the board, just sign your name and read when the trials are." When she finished, A thin man with sallow skin, a large, hooked nose and yellow, uneven teeth, dressed in a flowing black robes and greasy black hair appeared before them. His eyes searching for something, from student to student his reaction always bland, giving nothing that could be read from the outside.
"Welcome, students. After today, you are all from the noble house of Slytherin.
Resourcefulness, cunning, ambition, derermination, self-preservation, fraternity and cleverness.
This are traits that made you into being sorted here. Some with more traits than others, but you all have this in common.
This is your new family!
Outside of this walls, the house of Slytherin is an outcast. The other three houses might prank you, mock you, ignore you or even bully you. But this doesn't stop us from being who we are. Outside of this walls you will represent an unity. You will not have disagreements between your peers over there.
If you have a problem, solve it. It's as simple as that, if you get caught breaking the rules you will be punished. But if you feel you might need my advise, I will be there to advise you to the best of my skills.
Problems inside the house can be solved in three ways.
One, you use any political advantage you might have or find.
Two, you can buy your way out or blackmail it.
And finaly, my own personal favourite, there's a duel ring over there. Fix your problems with a duel. A prefect or myself has to be always presente for this, failing in doing so ...well you won't like what will happen.
You better study while you are under this colours. I won't tolerate students fail their classes.
Finaly, for the first week, the prefects will guide you for your classes. You better learn your way around during that time, as I won't tolerante my students to miss classes or arrive late."
With that Snape nodded at Gemma and left the room.
"Ok, you will have your own room, the room only has the basics. If you want something else you better use magic or your brain for it. I strongly advise you to set up defences to your own room. Anything stolen from it, will be your own responsability.
All the girls follow me, boys you will follow Rousier."
Iago and the others followed Rousier to the rooms, every door had their name on it.
"This is it, fins your room and go to sleep. I want you all tomorrow morning ready for breakfast. If you are late, you will have to find your own way. Your schedule will be delivered to you tomorrow morning at breakfast." And he left.
Iago looked to Theodore and Blaise, smiled and say.
"Well, that was pleasent! Good night."
Entering the room he saw that only the basics were on it. Deciding that he was too tired to do much of anything, he would leave for tomorrow decorating the room.
"Better just get the security in check.
§obstruatur§. He prenounced, and the room would now be safe from anyone that didn't speak parseltongue. A nitty trick he learned on the books he got from Slytherin's vault.
The next morning Iago woke upa and prepared for the day, but before leaving the room he rebembered what Gemma told them yesterday. So he tried to use his brains.
"Vanry?" He called his house elf with uncertainty, not sure if his house elf would be able to show up at Hogwarts. Fortunately a pop answered his questions.
"Yes master?" Looking around the house elf had a deep smile on his face.
"I see that master is in the noble house of Slytherin, your parents would be pround." The house elf said with a bow.
Iago scoffed at this.
"Ya right. Anyway Vanry, this room needs some work, could you use your magic to bring some forniture, books and the likes that are in my room to here? Oh and add some protections, I added one but the more the better."
"Certainly." And as soon as he arrived he had left.
"Time for breakfast." Iago went down to the common room and waited for the prefects to arrive and lead them.
Having breakfast, Theodore asked Iago and Blaise how was the first night.
"It was calm, I guess. How are your rooms?" Blaise answered, biting a piece of toast.
"Was pretty basic like they said it would, but I called for my house elf, tonight it will feel like home." Iago said with a grin, while looking for some fruit on the table.
"Looks like you got the brains from your mother thankfuly, would be a loss if you had the smarts of a Lestrange." Snape was behind them and delivered them the schedule.
"I hope that on later years as your education progeesses, you will use your magic instead, but good job." And he was gone, delivering the rest of the schedules to their classmates.
"What was that?" Asked Blaise while checkin his Head House moving away from them.
"I hear from my father that Snape is an associate with them." Theodore said in a whisper.
"So it's highly problable that they know each other. But forget that, look at this. Most of our classes are with the Gryffindors, what's the deal with that?"
"I wonder if the golden girl will stare at you again, Iago." Blaise smirked and had to dodge one graipe, courtesy of an annoyed Iago.
"Follow us, firsties. Your first class will be Transfigoration with professor Minerva McGonagall on room 34. A fair warning, she is Head House for Gryffindor and might be sterner for you than the little lions. Rebember to behave like a true Slytherin.
This is it, when the class is over wait for me or other prefect to escort you to your next class." And with that the prefect left for his own class.
"Hm, I hope it will be that Gemma Farley next, she was a fine girl, a bellíssima." Blaise said smoothly.
"Didn't know you were italian, loverboy" Iago laughed at him.
"Yes, one of my many qualities."
Shaking his head in amusement, Theodore started moving inside the classroom with Blaise and Iago following right behind and taking a seat together.
"Good morning, I am professor Minerva McGonagall and I will be your Transfigoration teacher as of today." She said when she noticed that everyone had arrived.
"Transfiguration is one of your core subjects, and some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts. Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned. This first few classes will be focused on the theory of this subject and some minor, easier spells.
Now, does anyone know what Transfiguration really is?"
Immediatly a girl with bushy brown hair almost jumped from her seat.
Minerva easly recognized her as Hermione Granger, a muggleborn. So eager, perphaps too eager. She was about to ask her to answer but saw Iago Lestrange eyeing Iris Potter, and something inside her turned wrong.
"Mister Lestrange, would you like to answer instead of not paying attention?"
Iago looked at Hermione, then at the professor and shrugged.
"Transfiguration is a branch of magic that focuses on the alteration of the form or appearance of an object, via the alteration of the object's molecular structure.
There are a number of factors a wizard, or a witch, must take into account when carrying out Transfiguration spells. The intended transformation is directly influenced by bodyweight, viciousness .wand power, concentration and a fifth unknown variable."
"Hm, very well. 5 points to Slytherin." And the class continued and ended uneventfully.
"Well that was a good class. What do we have next?" Asked Theodore.
"Yes, I bet Iago enjoyed the view from where he was sitting." Blaise smirked at Iago, making him a bit nervous.
"I have no ideia what you're talking about. Oh look ! It's Gemma, the bellíssima!" Both Theodore and Iago waved at her while laughing at Blaise.
"Oh mon cheri!" Iago swooned mocked.
"I am pretty sure that's french."
"Oh oops?"
"Follow me, your next class is Defence Against the Dark Arts" Gemma said to the first years from Slytherin once she arrived.
Arriving at the room, everyone was assaulted by a strong smell of garlic. The professor was already inside, waiting for everyone to join in. Once everyone from Hufflepuff and Slytherin had taken a seat he started the lesson.
"Hello, I will be your Defense against the Dark Arts this year. My name Is professor Quirrel.
In this class students learn how to magically defend yours against Dark Creatures, the Dark Arts, and other dark charms. Offensive magic is also taught in this class, such as how to duel, which requires the use of both offensive and defensive magic. Of course, the spells you will learn will be basic on this first year.
A Dark spell or a Dark Charm is primarily defined as any spell that consistently affects the object in a negative manner, usually associated with varying levels of discomfort.
Dark spells can be classified into three groups: jinxes, hexes, & curses. These groups form a hierarchy, with jinxes at the base, hexes in-between, and curses at the top. The further one ascends up this hierarchy, the more wicked, the stronger, the longer-lasting and the less reversible the Dark spell's effects appear to be. The Unforgivable Curses are the strongest known Dark spells in existence, as their effects are very powerful and their use requires skill. So as you can see, a simple spell like Flipendo could be considered as dark.
Now, draw your wands and get in pairs, we will learn the knockback jinxl and the Protego charm.
The incantation for the knockback jinx is 'Flipendo'. This jinx is the most utilitarian of Grade 2 spell, in that it will allow the caster to 'knock back' an opponent or object and can also be used to push and activate certain magically charmed switches. Like many Grade 2 spells, Flipendo can be targeted.
The shield charm incantation is Protego, it is a charm that creates a magical barrier that reflects spells and blocks physical entities for protection. Conjurations may sometimes rebound directly off it back towards the caster or in other cases, may ricochet off in other directions or dissipate as soon as they hit the shield. There are multiple variations of the Shield Charm. You will try to perform the most basic variation.
Whoever fails shall understood better the effects of the knockback jinx.
The wand movements and incantations are on the board, you may start."
Blaise and Theodore looked at Iago. Iago knowing that one of them would be left out, he nodded for them to work together. He looked around the room and saw one other girl without a pair, so he went to ask her. The brunette girl had dark red hair and brown eyes, she was Tracey Davis if his memory wasn't failing him.
"Hey Davis, wanna pair up? I promise it will be fun every time you knock me over." Iago said to her.
She looked at him for a few seconds and nodded with a smile.
"Sure but call me Tracey, I will call you Iago in return."
The class went on with cries of incantations and some of frustration and some more of pain.
Iago studies of dark magic made this easy work for him, reflected on his shield charm on his first try. Tracey was gaping at him, and the professor was staring at him but quickly moved on.
"How you did that Iago?" Asked Tracey.
"Well, lots of training, focus, power and concentration. The spell is still weak, one or two more of those and it will break." Iago said truthfuly.
"Cool, I guess I know who to talk to if I have any questions on DADA." She smirked at Iago.
This will be all for today class, for homework I want five inchs on the uses of Protego. Iago if you could stay, please?"
Iago nodded at Blaise and Theodore and told them he would be right back.
When the room was empty, except for the two of them, professor Quirrel said two words that would change Iago's life forever.
"Hello, son."
A/N: Well this sucks to write but it might do me good.
Unfortunaly to me, this might be my last chapter. I am sorry.
I am fighting a disease for some years, but my time might come to a close very soon.
Soo sorry for not being able to finish this story, it's not a very good one but I hoped it would have a finish like all journeys.
I started to write it for two reasons, one was for improving my writing and English. The second and most important, from reading other fanfictions, I got inspired.
Reading and loving a story, making the whole journey together with other readers and the writer... Was something amazing, I am sure you have been through the same for other stories.
So in this last text I might write, I have only one wish for you reading this. Write something! Yes you! You might be thinking, that you can't write, or be anxious that people might flame or other reasons that might take you not writing anything. But the prize that you get from writing something that is yours is priceless. And with luck, who knows, you might inspire yourself to write more, or someone else to start write. And ain't that just beautiful?
Anyway that's it, thanks if you read this.
Oh, and the title of this chapter "let it be " Is kinda of a feeling of hope that this might not be the last.
See ya...
