Good to see you all! I hope you liked what I did with the story, and I'm just glad that I've finally gotten it out of my system.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Harry Potter and the Legend of Zelda belong to their respective owners, thank you very much.
Chapter Seven
"W-what?" answered Link. Zelda dragged him away from the mass of students, and into a quiet corridor.
"This place, it looked familiar, didn't it?" Link nodded. "While there are a few differences with the architecture and design, the structures of the two buildings are essentially the same."
Link sighed, and ran a hand through his hair. "I didn't notice, but the hallways in Hogwarts do look rather similar to Hyrule Castle's, huh."
"Yes. If we were to take the blueprints of both castles, I think we'd find them to be basically the same," said Zelda. It was much quieter now; the majority of the students having returned to their houses to unpack and settle in.
"We should go to our dorms too," Link suggested. "We can sort this out later, and heck, it could probably explain a few things too."
"Of course. You know where to go?" responded Zelda.
"Nope," Link grinned. "I think I'll just ask around, maybe try a few paintings."
Zelda nodded. "Good idea."
"Well, I'll see you in the morning then, princess. Don't get lost and starve to death," he said, turning around and heading in the general direction of the Gryffindor dormitories.
"I highly doubt that will happen," Zelda snorted. He heard footsteps heading into the other direction. "Goodnight, hero," she added quietly.
Link leaned against the wall next to the Fat Lady's portrait.
"You're not allowed in unless you have the password," the Fat Lady had said. Link blew into his cheeks, and lightly tugged on his earring. He heard footsteps nearing him, and he perked up.
It was a first-year. Link put on a cheery smile, and turned to the nervous looking student.
"Hello, uh, I don't know the password, and I'm sort of locked out," said Link. "Do you by any chance know the password?"
The first-year nodded quickly, and faced the painting.
"Mimbulus mimbletonia!"
"Correct," the Fat Lady said as she swung open. Link shot a grateful look at the first year and rushed off.
The Gryffindor common room had a homey feel to it, and Link instantly felt relaxed as he stepped inside. A fire crackled merrily on one side, and around it sat a few students warming their hands. The place was scattered with dilapidated armchairs and rickety old tables, and Link noticed the twins pinning something onto the notice board.
He waved at them, and after asking a couple students, Link headed straight towards the door that lead to the boy's dormitories. He saw his name on a plaque outside a room, and made his way inside.
"Hey," Link greeted. He stopped as he saw Harry and another boy argue, and watched the exchange with interest. Neville edged towards him.
"Harry got mad when Seamus, the other boy, said that his mom didn't want him to come back to Hogwarts," Neville explained. Link looked at him in question.
"Seamus' mom read the Daily Prophet, which is spreading lies and trying to cover up everything that happened last year, that's why Harry got mad," Neville continued. Link nodded, and maneuvered around the two to get to his bed.
"Link, you believe all this rubbish he's been spouting about You-Know-Who or you reckon he's telling the truth?" Seamus asked aggressively.
"I'm just a country bumpkin," Link responded evasively, "I wouldn't know."
Link pushed his trunk aside, and pulled out his nightclothes. He tucked his pouch away carefully, and donned his pajamas. Ignoring the other boy's fight, which was only getting louder and louder, Link dove under the covers and shut his eyes.
It seemed like Ron had arrived, and it was quiet for just a moment.
"He's having a go at my mother!" Seamus yelled.
"Harry wouldn't do that," said Ron. "We've met your mother, she's nice…"
They continued to yell at each other, and Link clamped a pillow over his ears; a feeble attempt to drown out the noise.
The noise died down after a while, and Link relaxed the pillow that was held tightly around his head. He sighed softly and wiggled deeper into his blankets.
Link sat up slowly, and tried to rub the sleep out of his eyes. He yawned widely, and groggily looked around the dorm. He noticed that he was the only one left.
Shit! He cursed, and quickly threw his clothes on. He struggled with his robe as he walked out of his dorm. He checked to see if his wand was still there, and continued down the stairs after making sure that it was. As he entered the common room, he spotted Harry, Ron and Hermione grouping around the bulletin board.
"Good morning," Link said cheerfully. At the sound of his voice, they looked up.
"Good morning," Hermione returned. Harry gave a small nod, and it seemed like he wasn't completely over last night's fight.
"Keep your head up," Link encouraged. "Don't listen to what they say. I believe you, and Dumbledore as well."
Harry smiled at that, and they followed the Ravenclaws down to the Great Hall for breakfast. Link craned his neck over the blue and yellow crowd, but there was no sign of Zelda.
"Man, I thought I had completely slept in," said Link as they walked. Ron piped up.
"Heh, you looked so peaceful, so we left you alone."
"Also, we tried waking you at the Grimmauld Place, and you flipped Ron onto his back. Didn't want a repeat of that happening," Harry added, grinning.
"Really?" Link had no recollection of that ever happening.
"Yeah! When we tried shaking you awake, you grabbed me by the arm and judo flipped me! After that you collapsed straight back into bed," said Ron good-naturedly. Link rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, and the trio laughed.
They entered the Great Hall, and Link saw that the ceiling was reflecting today's crappy weather pretty well. Link didn't see Zelda anywhere, and he followed the trio towards the Gryffindor table.
Harry was greeted by a tall black girl, who had rushed up to Harry rather quickly.
"Hello Angelina. Congratulations on being captain," Harry said, grinning at her.
"Yeah well, we'll need a new Keeper, now that Oliver's gone," Angelina replied. "By the way, practice's at five. We'll need the whole team there, alright? Then we can see how the new person's going to fit in."
"Sure," said Harry. She smiled at him and departed.
There was a sudden whoosh as hundreds of owls flew in, and they descended into the hall, laden with packages and letters, showering the breakfasters with droplets of water.
Link looked around amazed, and he saw Hermione move around her breakfast to make way for a bulky barn owl with a sodden newspaper held in its beak. She placed a Knut inside the leather pouch strapped to its leg, and it flew off.
"Why are you getting that for?" asked Harry irritably.
"It's best to know what the enemy's saying," Hermione replied darkly. She disappeared behind the newspaper for a while.
"Nothing," she said simply, rolling the newspaper up and setting it down beside her plate. "Nothing about you or Dumbledore."
Link took a swig from his orange juice, and was handed a schedule by Professor McGonagall.
"Look at today!" groaned Ron. "History of Magic, double Potions, Divination, and double Defense Against the Dark Arts…Now I wish I had some of those Skiving Snackboxes."
Fred and George popped up behind Ron at the mention of their product, and Link watched, amused at their exchange. Suddenly, Link felt someone breathe onto his neck, and he jumped.
"Pfft," Zelda snickered. He swatted at the hand that rested on his hair, and it only encouraged the princess to tussle it up more.
"Good morning, Zelda," said Link. "I didn't see you coming down for breakfast today."
"Slept in," Zelda replied swiftly. Link stared at her.
"You? Slept in?" he cried. "I think the world may just end right now!" Zelda smacked him non-so-gently on the arm, and he grumbled, rubbing the sore appendage.
"I had trouble sleeping last night," she said softly.
"Ah."
History of Magic was Link's first class, and having spent only five minutes in the room, Link was already bored back to death. The ghost who lectured the class had a crusty, wheezy voice that lulled even the most caffeinated student to sleep, and the lack of variation on the subjects taught only made harder to stay lucid.
Link yawned, and he took a moment to glance around the room. Harry and Ron were sitting with a glazed expression on their faces, and it seemed like the only people actually paying attention were Hermione and Zelda. They sat attentively, and were quickly scribbling down all of the professor's words.
I need to borrow her notes, Link reminded himself, not too picky with whose he would use. He absentmindedly doodled on the corner of his paper, and at the end of the last minute of class, Link studied his little masterpiece with great pride, still ignoring the ghost as he droned on.
He and Zelda got up together and exited the classroom as the bell rang. His next class was Potions with Professor Snape, which would be shared with the Slytherins.
"Well, good luck," said Zelda. "Don't blow up anything."
"No promises," Link responded, and he turned and followed Harry, Ron and Hermione down to the dungeons.
"So what's Professor Snape like anyway?" asked Link as they descended deeper into the castle.
"Well, in all honesty, he's a git," Ron said succinctly.
"Ronald!" said Hermione. Ron shrugged.
"It's true," said Harry. "He's the head of house for the Slytherins, so he always takes their side."
"He hates Gryffindors, especially us," Ron added. Link folded his arms across his chest.
"He sounds like a dick," commented Link, and Ron and Harry guffawed.
"Link!" said Hermione.
"What, you know it's true," said Ron.
"Yeah but…" Hermione said. "He's still a professor." They shrugged their shoulders, and continued down towards the dungeons.
They joined the queue that was lined up outside Snape's classroom, and after a while, the door opened with an ominous sound. The interior of the classroom fit the whole dungeon-y look, and the room made Link reminiscent of a chamber in the Arbiter's Grounds.
Link filed into the classroom behind the Golden Trio, and followed them to their table near the back.
"Settle down," said Snape coldly as he shut the door. "I would like to point out that you people will have a very important examination in June, and during of which, you will prove how much you know and have learned about the composition and use of magical potions. I expect all of you to scrape by with at least an Acceptable…or suffer my displeasure."
He turned his gaze towards Neville, who gulped.
"After this year of course, many of you will cease studying with me," Snape went on. "I take only the best into my NEWT potions class, which means many of you will be saying good-bye." His gaze lingered on Harry, and Link saw the boy glare back at him.
"But we still have a whole year to go before that happy moment of farewell," said Snape softly. "Whether you are attending to attempt NEWT or not, I advise you concentrate your efforts on maintaining the high-pass level I have come to expect from my OWL students."
"Today we will be making the Draught of Peace, a potion to calm anxiety and sooth agitation. The ingredients are written on the blackboard, and be warned: if you are too heavy-handed, the potion will put the drinker into a heavy, or even irreversible sleep. Everything you need is in the cupboard. You have an hour and a half, you may begin now."
With ten minutes left before the time ended, Link was sweating profusely, not sure if the light, silvery vapor emitted from the potion was right or not. He glanced around the room, and saw a whole array of colors spouting from each cauldron.
"By now, a light silver vapor should be rising from your potion," Snape called out. Link sighed with relief, and wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. He reached for his wand, which had been set onto the table next to the cauldron, and picked it up carefully.
Link made to tuck it away, but a tiny flick of his wand resulted in violent bubbling in his potion. There was a loud boom, and Link coughed, waving away the smoke around him. Multiple eyes were on him, but he kept his averted carefully at the professor.
Snape quickly sauntered towards him, a dark look in his eyes. Rubbing the soot out of his frizzled hair, Link meekly looked up at him.
"What is the meaning of this, Ordona?" Snape spat.
"I had the potion done correctly," Link said firmly, heart pounding as he stared at the professor. "But I accidentally flicked my wand at it, and it exploded."
"How?"
"Uh…" Link trailed off, not sure what to say. Snape shook his head, and peered inside the cauldron.
"Just bring me whatever's left," he said, and he turned to antagonize some other students. Link exhaled, relieved as Snape moved away from him.
After completely vaporizing Harry's potion, Snape faced the classroom and said, "Those of you that have managed to read the instructions, fill a flagon with your potion, and turn it in with your name clearly labeled onto it."
Link quickly filled up his flagon, noticing Harry sitting slumped in his seat, and shot a look of sympathy to the boy. When the bell finally rang, Harry was the first one out of the classroom, and Link meandered out after Ron and Hermione.
They joined Harry at the Great Hall, who had already started his lunch and was now buttering his bread rather aggressively. Link looked up at the ceiling, and saw that the sky was now an even murkier gray.
What poopy weather, Link thought as he sat down. He saw Zelda step in, and cheerfully waved at her. Link began dishing a pile of food onto his plate, and he chugged a whole goblet of pumpkin juice as Zelda sat down next to him, ignoring the looks shot their way.
"You're a Ravenclaw," said Link, "You sure it's okay to sit here?"
Zelda shrugged. "Is there a rule stating I can't sit here?"
"Not that I know of, it's just usually not done," answered Hermione. Zelda lightly tugged on a lock of Link's singed hair, and she looked at him, silently demanding an explanation.
"…My potion exploded," Link groused. Zelda flicked him on the forehead.
"I told you not to blow anything up!" she chided exasperatingly.
Link rubbed his brow, glaring at her. "I had the potion down correctly, and I even followed all of the instructions."
"But you accidentally waved your wand at it-" said Ron.
"-and it exploded," finished Harry.
"Smooth," giggled Zelda, but there was a hint of worry in her eyes.
We'll talk about it later, was the unspoken message. Link nodded, and he turned back to his food.
"But man, Snape was really unfair," said Link in Harry's direction.
"Yeah, your potion wasn't nearly as bad as Goyle's. When he poured it into his flagon, the whole thing shattered and his robes caught on fire," said Hermione consolingly.
"Yeah, well," said Harry, glowering at his plate. "Since when has Snape ever been fair to me?"
None of the others answered.
Harry got up and left after Ron and Hermione began bickering, and it was after a while before Link and Zelda decided to head to the library. With half an hour left still left to kill, they thought it'd be best to make the most out of it.
Link reclined into an armchair, and stared blankly as Zelda leafed through the book in the chair next to him.
She turned the page loudly. "You're not going to help are you?"
"Depends. Do you actually want my help? With books and reading?" Link scoffed.
"Well, if you put it like that…"
"Fine, I'll help. I'm not completely illiterate," Link sighed as he got up and fingered through the spines of the books packed together on the shelves. Zelda smiled softly, and fixed her attention back onto the book.
"Dumbledore says we're allowed into the Restricted Section; just show the librarian the pass he gave us," reminded Zelda, still not looking up from the book. "Remember: events in the past."
"Yeah, yeah."
Link's next class was Divination, and fortunately, it was shared with the Ravenclaws. Link ascended the ladder leading to the trap door, and gave the classroom a quick survey before entering. He helped Zelda up, and they took their seats in table next to Harry's.
"Good day," said a misty voice. Link studied the professor, who was draped in shawls, and glittering with strings of beads. Her glasses reminded Link of an insect, with the lenses magnifying her eyes greatly. "And welcome back to Divination. I of course, have been carefully following your fortunes throughout break, and am delighted to see that you have all returned safely back to Hogwarts-as of course, I knew you would."
"You will see on your tables a copy of The Dream Oracle, by Inigo Imago. Dream interpretation is a most important…" She trailed off, her wide eyes fixed onto Link and Zelda. Link blinked, and he fidgeted, slightly unnerved.
"Um…" Zelda began uncomfortably, as all eyes were on them.
"You…two…" said Professor Trelawney. "Your lifelines…have already ended, haven't they? You-you should not be alive…"
Well there you have it. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and look forward to more in the future!
Special thanks to Milton the Blight Lord, Guests, SpriteBlazer, ShotaroxPhillip and Dragonspirit996 for reviewing!
ShotaroxPhillip: I purposely left the North America part in, cause well, they need a hometown and such, but thanks for noticing and telling me! Ganon is undecided, would you like him back? Hmmm….the rest might lead to spoilers, and Hyrule is only a light in the horizon; there is a possibility they might not get back. Hey, but who knows?
Guest: Thank you for reviews! And the idea of Draco and Zelda being friends don't sound that bad too, heh heh.
Dragonspirit996: Maybe, there's still a long way to go until the end, and a lot of things could change, ;) And thanks for dropping a review!
Your feedback would be greatly appreciated, so please review and stuff too! Thank you all,
Doodle
