Rise of the Serpent
Summary: Hogwarts never has been a peaceful place, but when the homunculus show up in disguise to make contact with Voldemort, it becomes chaos. Add Al, Mustang and Hawkeye to the mix... it's going to be a long year. Pride!Ed fic. HPFMA Xover. Set in OOTP, spoilers for those who haven't seen the movie and/or read the book series up to there. BBI universe.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything except the plot. Once again, I apologize if you feel I have stolen Pride's power idea from you, I've had it in my mind for a while now.
Warnings: There will undoubtedly be bad language, possible gore (not as much as my other fic mind you) as well as possible bashing. If I don't like a character, you'll be sure to find out. Pride!Ed will not act like at the end of BBI. He'll act noticeably angrier, VERY sarcastic and more than a little insane. Also, he'll be very violent. The ending of BBI will also be slightly ignored as Al and Roy are alive. Same excuse as my last fic. Those who can't be bothered enough to read that fic, it'll be revealed in the story for you. Characters will be possibly slightly OOC.
Author's Notes: YAY! Another new update today for you! Thank you Viki for helping me pick a house for Envy and Pride and for everyone else reviewing as well as favoriting this story! The reason for Envy and Pride's wand choices is rather simple. Yew means death, as they both died, so they both got that. Envy got a dragon heartstring one because of how he acts and the connection to serpents. Pride though, as he had a phoenix, which symbolizes rebirth, is pretty self explanatory. You could see this as a connection to Edward as well if you chose to. Originally, I was going to do this for both but figured that would be too easy so I mixed it up slightly. Enough stalling, here's the new chapter!
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Emphasised Text or Thoughts or Sorting Hat
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Chapter 4 The Chaotic Sorting
The carriages began to long journey up to the castle, illuminated by the moonlight and glow of a huge structure beyond the trees. As the sins craned their heads to get a better look as they passed the lake, Gluttony feel out and into the lake. It was like witnessing a whale falling back into the sea as a huge wave rose up and washed over the sins' carriage as well as ten others. When the other now wet students poked their heads out to glare at the sins, they immediately heard one thing that stopped them all immediately: Pride and Envy yelling.
"YOU DAMN IDIOT!!! NOW WE'RE ALL SOAKED!!! GET YOUR FAT ASS BACK IN THIS CARRIAGE NOW BEFORE I SEND YOU BACK TO THE GATE!!!" Envy screeched. Pride's comments, just as loud, caused many students to faint, and also fall into the lake. They could never be repeated near virgin ears. The falling students did seem to have an adverse effect on the raging sins however: they all burst out laughing. They were laughing so hard in fact; they didn't hear Gluttony clamper back into the carriage muttering an apology as he came.
Soon after the sins once again calmed down, the carriages set off once again, leaving the floundering students still within the lake. Envy smirked at their screams of "SOMEBODY GET ME OUT OF THIS DAMN LAKE!!!" Pride took particular pleasure in telling them to "Shut your damn traps before I shove you down Gluttony's throat." Everyone soon shut up.
As the carriages finally began to pull up outside the endless castle, the sins caught their first actual sighting of it. It certainly was quite impressive looking. But their staring stopped moments later, deciding they had seen more impressive things. They were soon met outside by a stern looking old woman who, in Envy's opinion, reminded him of a certain trigger-happy blond lieutenant.
"Welcome to Hogwarts. You two," She pointed at Envy and Pride, who stood boredly as she begun. "will follow me with the first years. The rest of you, as teachers, should follow Professor Snape." She gestured to a greasy black haired man, who Lust immediately felt a strong urge to kill: this was the man who called her a whore. The man also seemed to remember her, for he smirked at her murderous expression at him.
"We'll talk tonight Lust." Envy muttered, and Lust nodded, then proceeded to pass along the message to the others while trying not to kill or maim Snape. She seemed to be failing as they went further along, the potions teacher's robe seemed to mysteriously fall apart after every snide comment to the beautiful sin. By the end of the corridor, he may as well have been only in his boxers. Both sins then turned back to the woman who was watching them leave with an amused gaze. She soon turned back to the teenage sins and gestured for them to follow. Feeling unnervingly like sheep, they did so quickly.
Moments later, they were behind a huge crowd of, in Pride's professional opinion, "midgets", waiting in a rather large room while waiting to enter the main hall to be sorted. The woman had left saying something about a sorting and four houses. Envy and Pride weren't really paying much attention at this point, having lost interest at the mention of feast. They were wondering what Gluttony was going to do when he saw it. After being tossed more than a few weird glances though, both sins began to talk loudly about what they thought the sorting could be.
"Well Pride, what do you reckon the sorting test is? I heard that it's where you kill a dragon while blindfolded!" Envy commented in mock excitement. Many first years paled in fright while beginning to recite their will. Pride smirked then pretended to nod enthusiastically.
"Nope, I heard you have to kill a full blown witch or wizard who already graduated while they aim to kill! But that's not the best part! The best bit is that those who fail are permanently banned from Hogwarts. Then, those who die have all future relatives banned as well while being cursed forever!" Half the new students fainted in pure terror and anxiety while those who didn't began to look for a way to drop out and were as pale as snow. The sins however, burst out laughing at their joke on the foolish midgets.
After a few moments, the students began to come to again, only to faint once more as ghosts floated through while greeting the students. Envy and Pride however, said hello, used to seeing stranger sights, and soon began talking about the weather. The ghosts though, heavily used to screams of fright, found this strange and slightly unnerving so soon flew away into the hall. When both sins saw this, they grinned. They took immense pleasure in being able to scare all creatures, even those dead. It seemed they had once again proved that statement.
"Nothing like a good scare, eh Pride?" Envy remarked quietly, causing Pride to nod as he answered.
"So true." He whispered wistfully, as if wishing there was far more in the world. The truth was that he was indeed thinking that, as well as Envy. Their musings were soon interrupted by Professor McGonagall, who had introduced herself earlier when the sins hadn't been listening. She looked at the unconscious students curiously for a moment before glaring around the room.
"Who did this?!" She growled like Envy while pissed when Gluttony ate his favourite food. Pride merely glanced at her with a bored expression on his face.
"They fainted when they saw the ghosts." He explained. Well, it was technically true. That particular faint had been the ghosts. McGonagall looked at him sharply for a moment then nodded with a sigh. She soon pulled out her wand and, muttering a few words of gibberish, the students began to stir. After the weak-stomached first years began to rise, McGonagall began to speak as she had planned to before the interruption.
"Now form a line and follow me." She barked, causing many to jump and follow her command. Both sins snorted at the military likeness before walking straight to the back. Was this a military academy and did they expect them to follow orders? "HA! No chance in hell!" both sins thought in response to their mental question. Immortals don't follow mortals; it was as simple as that. However in this case, they would pretend to, while thinking up vile curses that would no doubt be useful later.
The long line of newcomers walked into the Great Hall, Professor McGonagall leading the group. Immediately, Envy and Pride drew stares from all directions, being bigger and having unusual looks. After all, it wasn't often that you saw a five foot eight first year with spiked green hair like a palm tree or another with pure gold hair and golden eyes. It seemed the girls (plus some boys) enjoyed the view as many began to giggle and blush at the sight, causing the two sins to sweat with fear at the identical thought. "SHIT!!! More fanboys/girls! Just when I thought we got away!"
Looking up and away from the growing number stares they were receiving, the sins scanned the hall, quickly analyzing their surroundings. The other sins weren't here quite yet but there was a spare seat at the table that was in no way accounted for. It seemed there was another mystery teacher that they didn't know about. Oh well, worry about that later. The sins looked up and raised an impressed eyebrow but didn't gap and gasp when they finally saw the enchanted ceiling. That wasn't something you saw every day. But the sins, being immortal and constantly on the move, had seen much more interesting sights. These included Greed spilling maple syrup down himself, causing Gluttony to chase him around the area thinking he was food. Needless to say, everyone laughed loudly when it happened. The only reason it ended was because Envy sprayed him with a nearby hose, removing the sweet condiment.
Breaking them out of their musings, an ancient wizard walked into the hall at that moment, followed by the other sins. His aged face was carved with lines and his nose broken at least twice. But this wasn't what surprised the sins. He had a flowing white beard that he could probably use as a belt as well as a midnight blue robe with golden stars scattered across the fabric, making him look the very definition of a typical storybook wizard. They all watched in mild interest as Professor McGonagall returned from who knows where, clutching a stool and ragged hat. She sat them down in front of the staff table and turned to the newcomers, allowing a scroll to unroll in her hands. Just as she finished this, the hat opened the brim and began to sing, much to the sins annoyance. They were hungry!
In times of old when I was new
And Hogwarts barely started
The founders of our noble school
Thought never to be parted:
United by a common goal,
They had the selfsame yearning,
To make the world's best magic school
And pass along their learning.
"Together we will build and teach!"
The four good friends decided
And never did they dream that they
Might some day be divided,
For there were such friends anywhere
As Slytherin and Gryffindor?
Unless it was the second pair
Of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw?
So how could it have gone so wrong?
How could such friendships fail?
Why, I was there and so I can tell
The whole sad, sorry tale.
Said Slytherin, "We'll teach just those
Whose ancestry is purest."
Said Ravenclaw, "We'll teach those whose
Intelligence is surest."
Said Gryffindor, "We'll teach all those
With brave deeds to their name."
Said Hufflepuff, "I'll teach the lot,
And treat them just the same."
These differences caused little strife
When they first came to light,
For each of the four founders had
A house in which they might
Take only those they wanted, so,
For instance, Slytherin
Took only pure-blood wizards
Of great cunning, just like him,
And only those of sharpest mind
Were taught by Ravenclaw
While the bravest and the boldest
Went to daring Gryffindor.
Good Hufflepuff, she took the rest,
And taught them all she knew,
Thus the houses and their founders
Retained friendships firm and true.
So Hogwarts worked in harmony
For several happy years,
But then discord crept among us
Feeding on our faults and fears.
The houses that, like pillars four,
Had once held up the school,
Now turned upon each other and,
Divided, sought to rule.
And for a while it seemed the school
Must meet an early end,
What with duelling and with fighting
And the clash of friend on friend
And at last there came a morning
When old Slytherin departed
And though the fighting died out
He left us quite downhearted.
And never since the founders four
Were whittled down to three
Have the houses been united
As they were once meant to be.
And now the Sorting Hat is here
And you all know the score:
I sort you into houses
Because that is what I'm for,
But this year I'll go further,
Listen closely to my song:
Though condemned to split you
Still I worry that it's wrong,
Though I must fulfil my duty
And must quarter every year
Still I wonder whether Sorting
May not bring the end I fear.
Oh, know the perils, read the signs,
The warning history shows,
For our Hogwarts is in danger
From external, deadly foes
But inside the threat still lives
Those marked will bring us apart,
And when raised, they will destroy
In a great inhuman art
And we must unite inside her
Or we'll crumble from within
I have told you, I have warned you...
Let the Sorting now begin.
Applause broke out across the hall, but scattered whispers and mutterings punctured through in all ears within the room. Apparently the hat didn't advise the school very often. The sins though didn't notice this: all they could focus on was the part near the end of the song. It was a warning against them. This could be bad if someone figures it out. Quickly schooling their shocked expressions, they watched McGonagall once again approach the first years, but she too sported a slightly surprised expression.
"When I call your name, you will come up here, I will place the Sorting hat on your head and you will be sorted. As soon as you are, go and join your house." She explained. Watching the few hesitant yet relieved nods, she began the ceremony. "Abercrombie, Euan." The sins quickly bored after this and tuned out, only clapping when they heard the others do so. Moments later, to Pride and Envy anyway, they were the only ones left after the first years sorting. The hall once again erupted into whispers as the ancient wizard, who the sins now realized was Dumbledore, stood.
"This year, before I announce the changes in staffing as well as the usual notices, I would like to introduce two foreign exchange students from the military country Ametris. Please welcome Envy and Pride." He gestured at the two sins, who grinned and looked at each other, evil ideas flooding into their minds. Before they could use any other these ideas however, McGonagall beckoned them forward with another, albeit much smaller list.
"Pride." She called, said sin approaching her with a bored expression on his face. He sat down and the hat was placed on his head, not blocking out is vision like the previous first years.
"Well, well." A voice snidely seemingly whispered within his mind, causing him to stiffen. "You're unusual now, aren't you?"
"Get on with it, damn hat." Pride growled mentally, inducing a chuckle from the hat.
"Of course, now let's see here..." The voice trailed off, no doubt scanning his mind. "Arrogant, cunning, ruthless-"
"Comes with the name." Pride injected irritably. He just wanted this to be over damnit!
"Yes, yes I see. Hmmm... and- HOLY SHIT!!!" Pride almost winced at the Hat's suddenly deafening tone. Almost. He had a feeling of what was coming next. "You're supposed to be dead!" There it was.
"No shit Sherlock. Just sort me or I'll shove you through the Gate. I'll do the same if you tell ANYONE about this as well." Pride drawled with a threatening edge to his tone. The hat seemed to gulp in fear. He could tell that the sin lived up to his threats.
"O-okay then. SLYTHERIN!!!" The last part was called aloud, causing cheers to erupt from the silver and emerald table. Taking the annoying hat off, he stalked over to the table, casting a wink over to Envy, who smirked. Now he knew what house he had to get into.
"Envy." McGonagall once again called, but was slightly disturbed over the fact the hat seemed to be shivering. Said sin walked over calmly, but with a slightly evil smirk on his face. That was the only sign that after this, the hat would need therapy. The hat was once again placed on his head and the whispering came to life within moments inside his mind.
"Another person brought back from the dead?! Is this school making a zombie film or something-" The hat began to rant at once. Envy soon lost patience.
"SHUT THE HELL UP!!!" Envy mentally roared, silencing the hat with a shutter. "Put me in the same house as Pride. Now." The tone indicated that this threat, much like Pride's, would be carried out. The hat couldn't get the word out of its mouth fast enough.
"SLYTHERIN!!!" The hat yelled. Removing the now traumatized hat from his spiky head, Envy walked over to the emerald table and plopped down beside Pride, both smirking at each other through the loud cheers on the ecstatic table. The cheers soon died down as Dumbledore began to rise for a speech.
"To our newcomers," he began with a smile. "welcome! To our old hands- welcome back! There is a time for speech-making, but this is not it. Tuck in!" With that final word for the moment, he sat back down, causing the plates scattered across the tables to erupt with food. Both sins smirked and began to dig in, ravenous from the long journey. Many on the table glanced at them with approving gazes for not freaking out at the sight of such a quantity of food, before returning to their own meal. Soon enough, a platinum blond sitting near them began the unavoidable questions.
"What was it like in Ametris?" He drawled with a snobbish note clear in his tone. Pride smirked as he answered.
"Boring as hell, but we get to explore and see the country, so it's not all bad." He remarked casually. The platinum blond nodded before gaining his own smirk.
"My name's Malfoy. Draco Malfoy." He stuck out his hand, many watching in amazement that the Malfoy had approved someone so quickly. Both sins took it without thought. They needed allies and he didn't seem like a bad choice. Within moments, the three were chatting mildly about travel, parents and how fame was vital for a family name. Aside from the sins mild explosion about parents once again, they got along great.
Meanwhile, at the teacher's table, Lust calmly ate her salad, listening to the discussion around her. Greed and Snape appeared to hit it off straight away, both comparing ways to torture or annoy children throughout the whole meal. Gluttony however, paid no heed to anyone else near them; instead consuming food at such an extreme rate that many teachers actually threw up. The whole table was clear within minutes, much to the annoyance of everyone else present. Lust sighed and smacked said hungry sin on the head.
"Now Gluttony, what did I tell you about table manners?" She purred dangerously. Gluttony lowered his head in slight shame at having disobeyed.
"Sorry Lust." He mumbled. Greed just snickered. However, before any other disasters could strike the hall, Dumbledore stood up, causing the food to vanish. Everyone turned to him as the speech began.
"Well, now that we are all digesting another magnificent feast, I beg a few moments of your attention for the usual start-of-term notices." He announced. By now the hall was silent; crickets could be heard from the nearby forest. "First-years ought to know that the Forest in our school grounds is out-of-bounds to all students- and a few of our older students ought to know by now, too." Several people on the Gryffindor exchanged smirks at the final statement.
"Mr Filch, the caretaker, has asked me, for what he tells me is the four-hundred-and-sixty-second time, to remind you all that magic is not permitted in corridors between classes, nor are a number of other things, all of which can be checked on the extensive list now fastened to Mr Filch's office door." All sins made a mental note to avoid that particular door.
"We have had many changes in staffing this year. We are very pleased to welcome back Professor Grubbly-Plank, who will be taking Care of Magical Creatures lessons. Also I would like to introduce a new subject available to those in third year and above: Self Defence classes. These will be taken by three other teachers travelling with our exchange students from Ametris: Professor Greed and his assistants Professor Lust and Professor Gluttony. Finally, we are delighted to introduce Professor Umbridge, our new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher." There were some rather unenthusiastic clapping, but the main source of cheering seemed to be directed to Greed and Lust as catcalls and whistling blow in their direction. The other teachers seemed amused by this. After the flirts and clapping calmed down, Dumbledore continued.
"Tryouts for the house Quidditch teams will take place on the-"He broke off, casting a glance at Umbridge who now stood (though you could barely tell) and clearly wanted to make a speech. Whispers broke out as Umbridge walked around the table and began. Within mere seconds of her taking the stage, both teenage sins once again tuned out the noise, instead opting to plan future pranks on those that annoyed them. Potter and his friends were at the top of the list, with Umbridge as a close second. The woman's tome grated on their eardrums and it was a miracle they didn't bleed.
Not soon enough for some (i.e. Envy and Pride) the speech finished and Umbridge once again clambered back to her seat. Pride looked at Envy with a semi-serious look on his face, the other part showing amusement.
"Looks like the Ministry wants more power, particularly here. Remind you of anywhere?" He grinned, Envy following within moments. This would be entertaining. Mumbling began to stop momentarily as Dumbledore resumed his speech.
"Thank you very much, Professor Umbridge, that was most illuminating." He bowed slightly to her. "Now, as I was saying, Quidditch tryouts will be held..." They drowned the rest out, too tired and bored to truly give a damn. Draco turned to them, a smirk, as always, present on his face.
"You play Quidditch?" He asked mildly, completely disregarding Dumbledore's speech. The two sins shrugged.
"We never got a chance to even learn the rules because we travel so much." Envy lied smoothly. They didn't particularly want anyone to know that, until today, they didn't have a clue what Quidditch was. Malfoy raised an eyebrow, however he seemed to buy the excuse for he shrugged.
"I'll explain tomorrow." He stated casually. Soon a clattering and banging began to echo around the room. Dumbledore had finally dismissed them. "Time to go. Just follow me; I have to take the first years as well because I'm a prefect." He remarked proudly. The sins shrugged and stood up to follow, quickly mouthing "Midnight" to Lust. Receiving her barely perceptible nod, they staked out as they followed Malfoy. The school year was now in session.
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WHEW!!! Don't you dare complain about the time it took for the chapter now! It took so long because 1) Its EXTREMELY long by my standards 2) It was a hard bit to write and 3) I got addicted to Youtube. I made up Envy's height, just guessing it really. Pretty much the whole speech and sorting song are directly from the Order of the Phoenix book, except for the parts I added in. Until the next update, please REVIEW!!!