A/N: The next rewritten chapter, enjoy. I can't believe I came up with such lame titles for the chapters.
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or W.I.T.C.H.
Chapter Seven
A Taste of Fate
Will, Irma, Taranee, Cornelia, Hay Lin, Elyon, Harry, Ron, and Hermione walked into the entrance hall, surrounded by the mass of black that was the robes of all the students pouring into the hall, the noise of chatting teenagers filling the fall.
Will took five steps, and slipped with a surprised gasp, as she heard several thuds that were all the people in the hall hitting the floor, and the pleasant chatting gave way to curses and shouts.
"Peeves!" An unfriendly voice shouted.
Will looked up and to her left, as she was trying to get to her feet, and saw a man with greasy long hair, and a horrible brown coat, leaning onto a black wooden cabinet so he wouldn't slip.
A little nasty looking man floated over the entrance hall, grinning and sneering at the scene below. "What's the matter Filch? Can't stand up with that big ol' head?" He cackled.
Will heard another thud, and someone slid into her, knocking them both against the staircase. "Ow! Watch it!" She snapped, turning onto her other side to face the person, and came face-to-face with Harry.
"Sorry." Harry said, turning slightly red, as her tried to help her to her feet, and they managed to sit on the staircase, both glad to be out of the embarrassing situation.
"I'll get the Baron!" The greasy haired man yelled, obviously frustrated. "You'll be out this time!"
The little man, Peeves gave a loud raspberry in response, and continued cackling.
"What's going on here!" A strict voice demanded.
An old woman, with her hair in a tight bun, wearing green robes was standing at the top of the marble stairs. "Off Peeves! The Baron will hear about this, as will Professor Dumbledore!"
The little man looked disappointed, but flew away muttering under his breath.
The woman walked to the bottom of the stairs, pulled out her wand and said: "Suflora."
Will and Harry stood up, hoping that the woman's spell had returned the floor to normal, the other students following their lead.
"Now then, I need the following students to come with me." The woman said. She took a scroll out of a pocket in her robes, and read it. "Cornelia Hale, Elyon Brown, Hay Lin, Irma Lair, Taranee Cook, and Wilhelmina Vandom."
The other girls came forward, gathering at the bottom of the stairs and looking nervously up at the woman.
Will turned to Harry. "See you later." She turned and joined her friends also looking curiously up at the woman.
"Yeah. Later." Harry said, going to join Ron and Hermione, who were talking to Seamus and Dean.
The rest off the students walked through the wooden doors of a room on the side of the hall, which had opened by themselves.
"Welcome to Hogwarts. I am Professor McGonagall. In a moment you will join your classmates. First, I need to inform you that after the feast, you will be taken to the headmaster's office so that we may get more information on your… gifts." Professor McGonagall paused. "You may now join your classmates in the sorting."
The girls walked into the crowd of first years just entering the entrance hall, and Will realized that they would be grouped with the kids who were about a foot or two shorter than them, which made her cheeks flush in embarrassment.
The huge oak doors opened again (Will hadn't noticed they had closed) and they walked inside, the girls trailing at the back, all wishing they could hide in the crowd.
At the front of the hall, where there was a long table with witches and wizards who must've been the teachers sitting in a long, there was also a stool on which sat an old and patched wizards hat.
Professor McGonagall Walked next to the stool and opened a scroll. "When I call your name, you will come up to be sorted."
After a few minutes of reading names, in alphabetical order of last name, Professor McGonagall called out one of the six friends names. "Brown, Elyon."
Elyon went pale, out of nervousness or embarrassment was anyone's guess, however, Elyon walked forward, sat on the stool, and placed the hat on her head.
Will suddenly noticed how nervous she was. She knew she belonged at Hogwarts, but what house did she belong in? She hardly even knew anything about the houses.
The hat yelled out the name of a house, snapping Will back to Earth. "Gryffindor!"
Loud clapping came from the Gryffindor table as Elyon took the hat off her head, and ran to the Gryffindor table and sat down next to Seamus, looking relived.
Professor McGonagall read a few more names, before she called: "Cook, Taranee."
Taranee gulped and walked forward, and she sat on the stool and placed the hat on her head, wringing her hands.
Moments later, the hat yelled: "Ravenclaw!"
The Ravenclaw table started cheering, some even standing up on the table, and Will wondered if they didn't get many students in their house.
Taranee sighed, took the hat off her head, ran to the Ravenclaw table and sat down next to Cho Chang.
After yet another few more minutes of calling names, Professor McGonagall called: "Hale, Cornelia!"
Cornelia bit her lip, walked to the stool, and put the hat on her head, her chin up, refusing to look nervous.
After a few minutes, the hat shouted: "Gryffindor!"
Cornelia smiled, took the hat off her head, and ran to the Gryffindor table, where Elyon, who was cheering the loudest, stood up, gave Cornelia a quick hug, and both girls sat down next to each other.
Will noticed several boys at the Gryffindor table, including Ron, were looking dreamily at Cornelia. Will had to force herself not to laugh when Hermione elbowed Ron hard in the ribs with a glare.
A few minutes later, McGonagall called: "Lair, Irma."
Irma smiled, and almost skipped to the stool, but her knees were shaking, even though she was smiling.
"Ravenclaw!" The hat yelled after what seemed like a long time.
Irma ran off and sat next to Taranee, immediately talking to the other students around her.
Will realized that she and Taranee might be in different houses, and they wouldn't get to see each other a lot, expect for classes and off time. Her heart sank at the thought.
"Lin, Hay." McGonagall called a few minutes later.
Hay Lin walked forward, and jammed the hat anxiously on her head, all smiles, probably not the slight bit nervous.
"Ravenclaw!" The hat shouted.
Hay Lin jumped up, ran to the Ravenclaw table, sat down next to Irma, and high fived her with a wide grin.
Many, many minutes passed before Professor McGonagall called: "Vandom, Wilhelmina."
Will didn't even flinch at the sound of her real first name, as she walked forward, almost like a dream, unable to feel her legs, and put the hat on her head as she sat.
'So? Wilhelmina Vandom, is it? But you like being called Will.' Said a scratchy voice in her ear.
'Yes.' Will thought, not bothering to wonder why this hat could talk.
'Very well, let's see. No, no, Slytherin is certainly not for you, not in the slightest. You wouldn't do badly in Ravenclaw, not a bad mind, not bad at all, but I don't think so. Hufflepuff wouldn't be a bad choice, however, you have more to offer than they could give you. But your courage, oh yes, there's a lot of it, so very much. A will to do what's right, and very truthful. You obviously belong in…' "Gryffindor!"
The Gryffindor table cheered.
Elyon and Cornelia stood up to greet Will as she ran to the table, then the three of them sat down together, talking.
After a few more names were called, the stool and the patched hat were taken out of the hall.
Food appeared out of thin air on the plates, and juice and water filled the jugs, to many gasps from the first years, not to mention the guardians.
Will stared around the table for a moment, and then piled mashed potatoes and chicken on her plate.
"You girls do know you're eating food made by slave labor," Hermione Granger's voice said.
Will, Cornelia, and Elyon turned to Hermione's voice at the same time.
Will hadn't even noticed she had sat down next to Hermione. "What do you mean?"
"Oh, come off it, Hermione." Ron said, taking a bite of a bright red apple. "Let 'em eat in peace."
"No I will not come off it, Ron. House elves are just as good as people, and should be treated that way." Hermione snapped. She turned back to Will, and Will decided Hermione was not someone she wanted to make an enemy of. "How would you like to join-"
"Leave them alone, and let them eat." Ron said, sounding as though they'd had this conversation a million times (Will guessed they probably had).
Hermione turned back to him. "Why can't you understand how important this is?"
Will rolled her eyes as the two continued arguing.
Cornelia and Elyon were talking to Seamus and Dean, who were sitting across from the girls.
At the Ravenclaw table Irma was talking to Luna Lovegood, both of who seemed to be laughing, and Hay Lin and Taranee were also making conversation.
Will continued eating, feeling a little left out, but, then again, she had been used to it before.
"Hi Will." A voice said.
Will looked up.
Harry was now sitting next to her, much to her surprise.
"Where'd Hermione go?" Will asked.
"She and Ron went to eat with the prefects. I thought you looked a little left out." Harry answered.
Will smiled. "Yeah, I guess I was."
She and Harry had a nice long talk, after Will asked Harry to explain to important things she needed to know about the school to her.
After everyone's plates were cleared, Dumbledore stood up, and the hall fell silent.
"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I am happy to see so many of you again, as well as some new faces." His eyes seemed to hover on Will for a moment, and he smiled. "Now-" Dumbledore started, but he was cut off when the huge doors opened, and two people walked into the room.
"Caleb!" Cornelia exclaimed.
Elyon slapped her hand over Cornelia's mouth. "Not now, Cornelia." She hissed.
"Caleb and Yan Lin." Will whispered.
Over at the Ravenclaw table, the fellow guardians were just as surprised.
"It's my grandma." Hay Lin said in a hush, staring wide-eyed at Yan Lin.
"And Caleb." Irma added with a smirk. "Bet ya Cornelia's gonna flip."
Yan Lin and Caleb walked to the stuff table, and sat in two empty chairs down at the end of the table.
"Also, I would like to welcome Yan Lin and her assistant Caleb, to the Hogwarts staff as Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers." Dumbledore continued, still cheery as ever.
Yan Lin and Caleb stood to mild clapping, mostly coming from the still puzzled girls.
"No way, they're teaching here." Will said, still staring at the staff table.
"I guess so. I didn't think I'd see them here, that's for sure." Elyon said.
"But why didn't they say anything?" Cornelia muttered, sounding both pleased and annoyed with the sudden appearance of her boyfriend.
"You know them?" Harry asked.
"Yeah, Yan Lin is my friend Hay Lin's grandmother. And Caleb is-" She glanced over at Cornelia, who was staring with a slight frown at Caleb. She lowered her voice. "And Caleb is Cornelia's boyfriend."
"Well… that is weird." Harry replied.
"It sure is." Will said back.
"I have also been asked to remind students that the forest is off limits, and products from a store by the name of 'Weasly's Wizarding Wheezes' are banded. Now then, it is late, and I want you all alert for classes tomorrow." Dumbledore said.
Everyone in the hall stood and made their way out of the hall, chatter filling the hall.
Harry turned to Will as they stood. "Are you coming?"
"No, I want a word with Professor Dumbledore." Will said. "I'll see you later."
"Okay, later then." Harry replied, walking away.
Will sighed and turned to Elyon and Cornelia. "Let's go."
Irma, Taranee, and Hay Lin were also making their way up to the staff table, speaking in hushed voices to each other.
Cornelia saw Caleb walking out of the hall, and without saying a word to the others, hurriedly walked after him.
Meanwhile, Harry had caught up with Ron and Hermione, who had been waiting for him in front of the marble staircase.
"Where do you reckon they're going?" Ron asked.
"Will said she wanted a word with Dumbledore." Harry answered.
"There's something weird about those girls." Ron said, raising an eyebrow.
"There seemed nice to me. Well, Irma Lair was, that Taranee Cook kept giving me weird looks, but then most people do." Said a dreamy voice coming from behind them.
"Hello Luna." Harry said, smiling warmly at his strange friend. "So, you like them?"
"They're nice enough. Irma seems to like me." Luna answered, smiling back. "So, let's catch up shall we? How were your summers?"
Back in the hall, Yan Lin was already talking to Dumbledore when the rest of the girls got joined them.
"Grandma? What are you doing here?" Hay Lin asked, both eyebrows raised at her grandmother.
Yan Lin turned and smiled. "Hello girls. Where's Cornelia?'
"Talking to-" Hay Lin started, but that moment Cornelia walked up to the staff table with Caleb by her side, frowning slightly, but blushing.
"Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall said you wanted to speak to us after the feast." Will said sheepishly.
"Yes, I did. If you would follow me. Caleb, Professor Lin, I would like you to come too." Dumbledore said and he walked toward the oak doors.
Will, Elyon, Cornelia, Taranee, Hay Lin, Irma, Yan Lin, and Caleb followed Dumbledore up to the third floor, and up to a stone gargoyle.
"Spider Toffee." Dumbledore said.
The gargoyle came to life and leapt aside (which both startled and awed the guardians, while Elyon didn't seem surprised), and Dumbledore and the others walked onto the moving staircase.
When they entered the office, Dumbledore sat behind his desk, shuffling some papers in front of him. "What was it you wanted?"
"You probably know about our powers, but we thought we should show you in person exactly… what they are." Will replied.
"Very well, Miss Vandom." Dumbledore said.
Will sighed, and lifted her palm. "Guardians Unite."
Five steams of light left the Heart, magenta, a blue, a red, a green, and a silver, all flying to and entering the guardians bodies, all of whom became engulfed in that color of light, and when the light subsided, the girls stood at the guardians.
Elyon lifted her hands, and swirling white light flew from Elyon's hands, blinding for a second, and when it dimmed she was dressed in Meridian royal finery, complete with the Crown of Light.
All the girls turned to Dumbledore, wondering what the headmaster's reaction would be, and were revealed to see he was smiling, looking highly amused.
"Now, I have questions, as I'm afraid the ministry didn't tell much of anything about your powers, and I hope they are not too many for you." Dumbledore said, rising from his desk. "First, what is the purpose of these powers?"
"We are the guardians of the veil, our job is to keep the barrier between Earth and Meridian closed, and protect both worlds." Will replied. "I'm the holder of the Heart of Candracar, which holds our power, so I'm the leader in a way.
"What is Meridian?" Dumbledore asked. "And Candracar?"
"Meridian is the alternate earth I rule, on the other side of the veil, and because my parents died when I was young, I'm the Queen. Candracar is the… well, it's hard to describe, but it's from there that the role of the guardians was created." Elyon explained.
"Queen? That sounds like a really hard job for a sixteen year old." Dumbledore replied, eyes twinkling.
"Yes, well, I don't really have much choice in the matter." Elyon answered. "I was raised on Earth until I was fourteen, when I learned about all this, and had to overthrow my older brother Phobos."
"If you have an older brother, wouldn't he be the next in line for the throne?" Dumbledore asked.
"Meridian has always been ruled by Queens. Even though I am the younger sibling, I am a girl, therefore the heir." Elyon replied. "Anyway, Phobos was corrupt, and I had to take it upon myself to save Meridian." She looked at Will and smiled. "With the guardians help."
"Phobos is now in prison with most of his followers. Elyon and her guards catch more everyday." Cornelia added.
"Elyon's power is because of her bloodline, ours is because of this." Will said, letting the Heart float in front of her. "The Heart Candracar."
"It lets us transform into our guardian forms, giving us wings to fly," Hay Lin said, floating two feet off the floor as if to prove her point. "And powers over the elements."
"We protect the people of Meridian and Earth. We make sure the veil stays closed and there is peace between our worlds." Taranee explained.
"I would much like to see this in action, only a small demonstration, if you don't mind."
"No, sir, not at all. Hay Lin, would you go first?" Will said.
Hay Lin nodded, waving her hands back and forth, creating a light breeze around the office, stopping after a moment.
Cornelia took her turn next, stepping toward a plant in the corner. Cornelia put her hands out in front of her and waved them upward, and the plant, which was a small flowering plant, grew into a lush small bush, purple flowers popping up from small buds.
"Okay, that's enough." Will said, realizing Cornelia would probably continue otherwise.
Cornelia obediently waved her hands downwards, and the plant shrunk to its old size, but when no one was looking, she touched one small bud and a purple flower unfurled.
"Taranee, you next." Will said.
Taranee stepped toward the fireplace and pulled her hands toward her, and the fire came out of the fireplace and it crept across the floor, but didn't burn anything.
Taranee picked up a handful of flame for a little more drama. "Not only can I move fire, and shot it from my hands, I can make it so that it won't burn or give off heat." She put the handful of flame down, and waved her hands toward the fireplace, where the flames went back too.
"Irma-" Will started.
"No problem." Irma said. She stepped toward a bucket of water sitting conveniently in a corner (Will wondered if Yan Lin had told Dumbledore to have it placed there), and she threw her hands up in the air, and the water flew above her head. She did a number of tricks with the water before guiding it back to the bucket.
"Anybody got a cell phone or something?" Will asked. "Or any kind electronics?"
Cornelia reached into her bag that had been sitting in a corner and pulled out her cell phone. "Here."
Will set it on Dumbledore's desk, and waved her hand at it, and the phone turned on and played music (at which Dumbledore raised a white eyebrow). She changed the music a few times to show a little more of her ability and shut the phone off, picked it up, and handed it back to Cornelia.
Elyon stepped forward, lifted her hands, and white light poured from them. The light picked up and number of books on the floor and stacked them neatly on a table. The light then flew back into Elyon's hands.
Will took the floating Heart on her hands. "Change back."
There was a flash of light, and the girls were back in their school uniforms.
Elyon snapped her fingers, and she too changed back into her school uniform.
"I think I should tell you that I was once a Guardian myself. I gave Will the Heart three years ago." Yan Lin said. "Though I no longer posses the power over the air, I still have some magical powers left."
Cornelia and Caleb looked at each other, both debating something silently.
"Sir, is Caleb a teacher?" Cornelia asked slowly.
"Yes." Dumbledore answered, with a slight nod.
"And do I have to call him sir?" Cornelia asked.
"Why do you ask, miss Hale?" Dumbledore asked.
"Because-" Cornelia started, but then she blushed and didn't finish.
"Because Cornelia is my girlfriend." Caleb finished for her, a lot less embarrassed over the whole thing.
"I see. I would ask that you address each other as teacher and student when you are in class." Dumbledore replied, seriously.
"Yes, sir." Cornelia said, looking at the floor, blushing madly. "I guess that means you don't want us to see each other during the year."
"I did not say that Miss Hale, you may see each other when school is not in session." Dumbledore said.
Cornelia smiled at Caleb.
"It is now very late, if you would please go to Gryffindor tower and the Ravenclaw common room." Dumbledore said. "I assure you that you want all the energy you have tomorrow."
The girls nodded.
"Professor, may I walk the Cornelia, Elyon, and Will there?" Caleb asked, unsure of school conduct on that matter.
"Yes."
"I will take Irma, Taranee, and Hay Lin." Yan Lin said.
"As you wish."
"Thank you, sir." Will said, following the others down the moving staircase.
"You're very welcome, Miss Vandom." Dumbledore called after them, smiling.
Cornelia, Will, Elyon and Caleb walked up to Gryffindor tower.
When they got there, a portrait of a fat lady in a pink dress asked: "Password?"
"Loin Sphinx." Caleb said.
Elyon and Will climbed through the hole, and heard the fat lady shout: "I'll have none of that, thank you!" They looked over their shoulders at Cornelia and Caleb who had just pulled out of a kiss.
"Goodnight, Caleb." Cornelia whispered, eyeing the fat lady with dislike. Cornelia climbed through the hole, and the three girls walked up to the girl's dormitory.
When they got there, they found Hermione Ganger sitting up in bed reading a book, and no other girls in the dorm.
"Where are the other two girls who we saw earlier?" Will asked, walking to the bed that had her luggage beside it.
"Probably off snogging some boys somewhere." Hermione answered casually.
Will, Eylon, and Cornelia pulled on their pajamas, and climbed into bed.
"Goodnight, guys." Will said.
"Goodnight." Cornelia and Eylon replied.
"Goodnight." Hermione said, putting the book away, and climbing into bed.
All four girls lay down and drifted to sleep.
End Chapter Seven
A/N: I can't believe how long I made this chapter, took me weeks to rewrite this. It shouldn't have but I keep forgetting to actually sit down and work on it.
If you're wondering about the "no electronics" at Hogwarts thing, the idea is that Will's power is stronger and can overcome the enchantments on the school, same goes for the other guardians.
Please let me know what you think.