Terror in School, Dutiful Mist

When the giant knocked on the door, Professor McGonagall came out.

She is the Deputy Headmistress, Gryffindor House Head and Transfiguration Teacher according to Dora. A no-nonsense woman, but has a tendency to presume, assume and draw her own conclusions so Dora's respect only extends to her ability as a teacher, but never really liked her.

So Selene will watch out for this one.

'The firs' years, Professor McGonagall,' said the giant. WHY didn't Dora tell her about this guy? She keeps calling him Giant in her head! And his mind is a difficult thing to get into as he's not totally human. She can only use her powers on completely human people the way she is now.

'Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here.' ah, so that's his name.

McGonagall pulled the door wide. The entrance hall was so big you could have fit the whole of the Dursleys' house in it. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches like the ones at Gringotts, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors.

They followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. Selene could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right-the rest of the school must already be here-but Professor McGonagall showed the first years into a small, empty chamber off the hall. They crowded in, standing rather closer together than they would usually have done, peering about nervously.

'Welcome to Hogwarts,' said Professor McGonagall in her stern, no-nonsense attitude. 'The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room.'

Yeah right, Selene thought. You can't force bonds like that just by making people live together in the same dorm!

'The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rulebreaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.'

And her relatives would tell her about what a bullshit that was due to House Rivalry and Prejudice going on...with it being worse in Dora's parents' years to their surprise. Then again, it was war in their time...

'The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting.'

And she looked at all of them pointedly.

Good thing for this darkness, she's not easily seen.

'I shall return when we are ready for you,' said Professor McGonagall. 'Please wait quietly.' and she left them.

Two minutes later, she came back.

'Move along now,' she said. 'The Sorting Ceremony's about to start. Now, form a line, and follow me.'

Selene walked as if she'll go to her execution ala burning at the stake, but she's no Joan of Arc. She's a Survivor.

But still, she never imagined such a strange and splendid place existed. It was lit by thousands and thousands of candles that were floating in midair over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting. These tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets, making her think the wizards hoarded so much gold that explained the gold's prices in the market in the muggle world.

At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting and Dora told her who's who by seating order alone so she's prepared and not uncertain of their personalities. Professor McGonagall led the first years up here, so that they came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them. The hundreds of faces staring at them looked like pale lanterns in the flickering candlelight. Dotted here and there among the students, the ghosts shone misty silver. The upperclassmen are scoping out their new juniors...while OBVIOUSLY looking for her!

Easily spotted, she was the tallest kid in the bunch, and physically-mature, courtesy of potions and diet.

Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool she put a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty. But her family reassured her there's no Lice Contamination after it sat on several hundred heads for years.

Soon it began to sing a song as it usually does. Once its over, everyone clapped as it bowed to all four heads before becoming still again.

'When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted,' she said as she began calling out names...mostly muggleborns and a couple purebloods...and she's the ONLY half-blood when she was finally called.

'Potter, Selene!'

Must she add that nobody knows her as 'Selendris', aside from two rookie aurors and the Tonkses? Well, she ensured they never refer to her as 'Selendris' by editing their memories. Everyone thought all their lives, even she herself as 'Selene', until her first ever visit to Gringotts with the Tonkses and they got corrected.

'Well Selene, the Wizarding World has weird naming senses it'll be rare to meet a pureblood or half-blood with a normal name.' Ted lamented. 'Heck, even you got the weird name bug! Where the hell did 'Selendris' come from when your parents decided on names?'

Yeah, makes her wonder too, as she went to the stool to sit down and have the hat on her head, and she already was reading minds...

Oho! Paranoid one are we? Then again, can't blame you. the Hat spoke in her head.

What the?! Dora did NOT tell her about this! The hat can do Telepathy?!

Ah, that's what its called by muggles? Most curious...well, let's get on with my job... the hat chuckled. You have had a difficult life no child should have suffered but some kids get the bad luck...and it made you a cunning survivor who's only out for her own skin and that of those who cares for you while to heck with everybody else. Well, that's normal as everyone puts themselves and family first, but yours is on another whole new level.

You're skilled in Life Skills that if the world is ever to go on bad times, you'd survive comfortably ala Robinson Crusoe. You're Hardworking for yourself, loyal to your boss and family, and would willingly kill to protect them while destroying everyone else in your wake. Two houses fit the bill on 50-50. Choose. Its a rare privilege as not even I can sort you.

Its Hufflepuff and Slytherin isn't it? Selene asked wryly.

Yes.

For now, for survival and my sanity, put me in Dora's old house. I might start my career as a killer early if I picked Slytherin. Andy warned me since its her old house.

Ah, Nymphadora Tonks eh? I remember her...very well! 'HUFFLEPUFF!'

Hufflepuff roared in cheers and applause while everybody else was stunned stupid. She was eagerly welcomed by Hufflepuff and as a gag, she turned her own hair yellow-blonde ombre-ing into orange at the bottom half of her shoulder-length hair in a way that 'it's on fire' which her housemates found cool, and she was the last of the 45 students to be sorted this year.

For now, she got a warm welcome but it was a nervous one...with good reason as they had no idea how to handle her, as their image of her was shattered and broken to iddy-biddy pieces when her true situation came to light when they've has nothing but fairy tales about her for years.

They have no idea how to handle her, as Dumbledore made announcements and introduced the berk who assigned so many books for one subject.

xxx

'It seems time with the Tonkses did her well.' Professor McGonagall choked out. 'She can even change her looks like her cousin could.'

'She's recovered well in a proper home.' said Professor Sprout, glaring at the Headmaster.

The teachers were none-too-happy with him as of last year when things came out. And so were the parents, especially when the Troll Incident happened that one Gryffindor nearly died that the Ministry took charge of security since. And said student left Hogwarts on her parents' insistence, saying, 'For all magic had to offer you, you're shockingly incompetent in security regarding our children! You can't even use your powers to protect a single child, how can we expect you to protect a whole school of them?!'

That made the teachers decide to hide the Sorcerer's Stone elsewhere, much to a certain possessed teacher's chagrin before the Ministry searched the castle for further dangers.

Everyone was observing the Girl-Who-Survived-Abuse, surviving years of constant hunger, enslavement and painful beatings just because her family could. It was a miracle she did not become an Obscurial. Then again, she never knew of magic until recently...

She was understandably uncomfortable and quiet...until somebody shrieked, 'PROFESSOR! HER EYES WENT WHITE!'

'S-she's so still as if she's got no life...' one of the Hufflepuffs stammered fearfully as the Professors scampered to get to her, but blocked by an invisible force they could not see.

'What in tarnation is going on here?' Madam Pomfrey gasped out as try as they might, they can't go to her at all! 'How are we going to help her when there's this?!'

'Try everything we know then!' Professor Flitwick cried as they tried all spells they knew to break barriers, and failed.

'...I don't think she can handle crowds if she created such a defense mechanism.' said Professor Snape wryly. 'We can't even move her we'll have to wait till after dinner to move her and she can have dinner elsewhere after. Its all we got.'

'What about classes then?' Professor McGonagall sputtered.

'That's...a problem.' said Professor Flitwick grimly. If she freezes like this in crowds, how will she do her classes?!

xxx

Meanwhile...

Selene didn't go crowd fright, she actually went to Italy as just her spirit, like all Mists can do, but dressed casually instead of being in uniform.

With good reason.

Her boss had a late night dinner, only for him to freak out at freaky food on his table that looks ALL WRONG in so many levels!

And it was a wine-haired girl who served said food...prompting Selene to appear out of nowhere and created thorny vines to wrap around the 'maid'.

'You won't escape.' she said coldly as she tightened the vines, causing the big thorns to dig in deeper, making the girl cry in pain.

'Selendris!' Dino gasped out. 'Aren't you supposed to be in school?!'

'Its only dinnertime, nobody's going to miss me.' Selene shrugged. 'And my first job is dealing with an Assassin at that...how do you want her? I'm not picky as long as she's dead...' the maid paled in horror.

'Selendris, let her go.' Dino sighed. 'She's Reborn's ex-girlfriend Bianchi who thinks if she kills me, she frees his schedule and go on jobs ala Bonnie and Clyde again.'

'...that's just messed up, boss.' Selene looked grossed out. 'She's younger than you and goes after a baby? Just...eww...' Dino could only chuckle weakly as his Guardian who's still unaware of how things work walked towards Bianchi. 'Bianchi is it? Consider me a new hire here and I take Dino's life and safety seriously. Any more attempts to kill him I'll kill you for real. Comprende?' she threatened with a glower as Bianchi had difficulty nodding due to how in pain she was from the constriction and the thorns. Selene then waved her hand at the windows that sprang open, and with a tossing motion of her other hand, Bianchi floated and got thrown out the window.

'Eek!'

And Selene threw out the filthy food too, ensuring it all falls on Bianchi to her indignant squawking.

'Looks like I'll have a late dinner again.' Dino moped. 'I'm so hungry from work and training...' the Footmen quickly dashed out to get the cooks to cook again. 'Selendris, thanks.' he said with a weak smile. 'I can't handle her antics right now like I usually could, I'm so pooped.'

The young girl beamed at being appreciated, surrounded by a glowing background with spinning flowers, making Dino sweatdrop.

'VOOOOIIII!' both winced at that loudness.

'Er, who?' Selene choked out after rubbing her spiritual ears.

'He pops by once in a while.' Dino smiled. 'He's an old classmate from school, Squalo.' and on cue, a teenager with long hair came in. He's good-looking in a wild way, with stark-white hair and wearing black leather

'What's this I hear that you got a Guardian you clumsy horse?!'

'Meet Selendris Potter.' Dino grinned at the young girl with him. Squalo did a once-over on the girl who's dressed like a rich girl(she is). He also noted the name and would do a background check later.

'...she ain't physically present.' he noted as he felt nothing but flames off her. Clearly a Mist, having had Mist Training in sensing invisible Mists and other Anti-Mist Security known to man to make him the best in his job.

'Her body is in boarding school.' Dino quipped. 'But she's very hardworking and dutiful. She's misty-present at all times while in school actually but if she knows I can handle it she lets me.'

'Heee...so missy, how'd you and this clumsy oaf meet?'

xxx

Squalo thought Dino would settle with 'Lesser Bonds' for life as he could hardly go out lately unlike heirs his age who can freely go out and court Guardians for Full Bonds. He was working full-time already and already functioning as Family Head when heirs his age have loads of freedom unless they're stupid enough to get killed.

He has a plethora of Lesser Bonds in his father's old guardians sans Mist that got killed in protecting Dino, and he met his real Mist in a job in London.

But said kid is a piece of work.

A survivor and unknown to her trash relatives, insanely rich which was a good thing they didn't know, or the kid will have everything taken from her while still living a shit life. And she ensured she gets saved after numerous times of being foiled by someone who ensures she stays with shit family by making her situation public beyond cover-up ability as it was the only alternative she has, and succeeded when keeping things private NEVER worked as whoever this shithead was, took advantage of it. Now lives with decent relatives and the culprit paying for all the shit he's done.

Cunning kid.

That, and her relatives made a contract with Dino that she would 'go official' when she's at least, fifteen years old.

So now she's currently functioning as both a student in who-knows-where, and as a Guardian by being Spiritually-Available with the clumsy boss. She even helps with work by feeding him information she gets off business partners and dealers so Dino can work his way to profits that he's quickly rising in wealth when four years ago, the Cavallone were on the verge of Dissolving due to Bankruptcy no thanks to a gambling grandfather who got into Stock Trading despite having no talent in it and escaped, leaving his son and grandson to deal with the fallout to everyone's chagrin. So Dino cast him out of the family when he became the youngest-ever Don, denying him access to family resources ever again and even changed security in all assets and just to be sure, cast out the man's guardians too so he has no insider to help him out by freeloading off the famiglia into bankruptcy. Again.

It was a huge scandal when Dino turned 16. Not that anyone blamed him as his father worked to death via stress to keep everything afloat and everyone paid on time, but barely.

So upon becoming a Don, Dino was actually the talented one in getting money. That from 'an inch above poverty line' to a rising financial star. He focused on business more than actual Mafia Work, while having his Guardians handle the Mafia Aspect to keep the family well-defended while still reporting to him.

That was one thing only the Varia knows, thanks to their Miserly Info-Broker. And it was thanks to Mammon that they even know Dino has an official guardian in the first place.

The kiddo is pretty strong for her age too, if she can maintain Spiritual Form for hours on end.

He would know, having stayed till midnight and stayed in his guest room.

xxx

Hogwarts...

When Selene came home to her body, it was still in the Great Hall.

All alone and still protected, but a House Elf showed up.

'Missy Potter, you want dinner now?'

'Eh? Uh what's for dinner?'

'Mokey be taking you to kitchen near Hufflepuff Dormitory!' said Mokey the House Elf. 'Mokey also has to tell Professor Sprout you is awake!'

Do all elves suffer bad grammar? Yeah, they do.

'House elveses be willing to cook anything Missy likes, so what it be?'

'Weeell...I got a ton of things in my head I have to eat for Health Reasons since I'm still taking medication...but I need to know what's in the Hogwarts Pantry first to see if its possible.'

'Okie dokie!'