A/N:
Disclaimer: I've gotten over my pity party about J. owning the playground. At least I get to play.
Harry Potter and the Speaker of Truth
Chapter 10 Settling in
Five hours later Yuki was about to enter the Great Hall; she reminded herself they're just people, smile, be yourself and when you go to bed tonight you'll have some new friends.
It had been a busy and eventful afternoon. Her Aunt had pulled out and enlarged her belongings. Two house elves in Hogwarts tea towel togas had appeared, one had taken her belongings and disappeared. She had been given a rough map of Hogwarts. warned about moving staircases and had been lead by the second house elf from the Headmaster's office to her quarters off the fourth floor corridor which were behind a portrait of a witch studying. The house elf she was with told her to set a password so she did.
The portrait swung open and revealed a room that was astounding. The first thing Yuki noticed was the view. The large room had an wall that was mostly window with a French door leading to a balcony that over looked a lake and in the distance she could she a town. The next thing she noticed was the furniture. It was an appalling mix of red, green, blue,yellow, silver, bronze, gold, and black. And it was spindly, and there were knick knacks completing the Victorian ambiance. "Who decorated?'
"Us elves Miss."
"I should have known." Yuki could not help but think anybody that wears a toga should not be put in charge of decorating. Looking into the over large bulging eyes, that were looking at her with such a hopeful expression, she couldn't bring herself to completely crush the hope shining from the eyes of the elf in front of her. She signaled the dogs to lay down and stay. Even though she could tell from the way they were looking around without moving away and sniffing they were curious; they were also obedient.
"Hogwarts and the Hat is making the rooms to suit Miss. But there was no furniture Miss. Us elves thought to help the castle. We bring furniture and decorations from all four houses after all Miss is Apprentice to the Four."
"I appreciate the thought, but..."
"Miss is not liking room." The elf looked totally crestfallen.
"The dogs would unintentionally trash most the items in this room. Tell you what, together you and I will go through and figure out what is needed and what needs to go. For starters all the porcelain ornaments must go, the mix of colors needs to be toned down, and I brought a few things with me in my trunks." Yuki looked beyond the garish furniture towards the walls and noticed that there were five rice paper screen doors, a large fireplace and bookshelves lined the most of the rest of the walls. "How about you take care of that while I checkout the rest of my quarters."
Yuki went first to the right side of the room's screen door was she opened it and saw along room there was a wall of cabinets opposite the window wall the window having the same magnificent view as the main room the other most astonishing thing in the room was the floor to ceiling mirror that ran the length of the wall opposite the door. In the mirror she could see the fireplace this room shared with the main room. She realized the castle's intention for this room but she could also see the handiwork of the elves in this room. She returned to the main room, and to her surprise all the porcelain was already gone. "Great. How did you do that so fast?"
"I is a house elf Miss."
"Alright. That room," she said pointing to the room she had just left," needs to be empty. Just the wall cabinets, mirror and the floor."
"But Miss," the elf practically wailed.
"That room is meant to be a dojo, a purpose it can't fulfill filled with furniture. Empty it completely."
Yuki felt bad that she was having the house elf undo the work they had obviously done trying to please her but they should have waited for her input. She decided that it wouldn't hurt to be nice to the house elves after all they were the servants around Hogwarts and if they disliked her, well her life might turn miserable in a hurry."My name isn't Miss, it's Yuki. What's your name?"
The little elf stopped in astonishment on its trek to the dojo."Why is Miss wanting to know my name? Miss is important apprentice, and powerful witch, yet you treat house elf like equal. Why?"
"Because you're a living being with thoughts and feelings. Because you and your friends tried to do something nice for me decorating my quarters. Because it's rude to say, hey you house elf. Lots of reasons take your pick." Yuki watched in alarm as the huge eyes welled with tears. "Hey I didn't mean to make you cry. If it makes you happy you can call me Miss although could you add Yuki to it so I'll know you're talking to me."
The elf sobbed a couple more times but seemed to be making a effort to control itself. "I is Barney Miss Yuki. I'll go empty the doughy-joe."
Yuki smothered a chuckle at the elf's mispronunciation. "I'll give you a hand." but she found to her astonishment no hand was needed when Barney reached the door he snapped his fingers and the room was empty. "That is very impressive magic. Is that how you got rid of the porcelain?"
"Yes Miss Yuki."
"Cool, then this isn't going to take as much time as I thought." she and Barney proceeded to redo her quarters in a style she could live with. Removing the large quantity of spindly Queen Anne and Chippendale furniture in the blinding combination of colors, and replacing it with fewer sturdier pieces in more tasteful combinations. Yuki opened her largest trunks and with Barney's help got four of the seven antiques she'd inherited from her Grandmere Antoinette out and placed around her quarters. The large room had been visually divided half was a study/office were the reds and golds of Gryffindor dominated the other was more of sitting/conversation area where the green of Slytherin and the blue of Ravenclaw dominated. Barney had been unhappy when Yuki placed Yvaine's litter box and cat tower in the corner of the main room but allowed it as there wasn't really a better place. The four screen doors on the left wall led to a kitchenette/breakfast nook that also opened onto the balcony. Yuki let the yellow of Hufflepuff and the blue of Ravenclaw dominate that area. A potions lab that wound up being chocolate brown and light sky blue as Yuki had brought most all of the lab she had shared with her Mom. A bathroom that ended being green and gold. And last a bedroom which oddly enough was the room that Yuki and Barney wound up having the most arguments.
Yuki slid open the bedroom door like all the previous rooms it was to her eyes appalling. There was a large four poster bed, a chunky wardrobe, and a utilitarian nightstand. The room screamed male to her and although she was tougher than a lot of guys she insisted that her bedroom be feminine. She unequivocally and categorically refused to sleep in such a masculine room."Barney get rid of it, all of it."
"But Miss Yuki, this is what all students have for bedroom."
"I don't care. Get rid of it. I have Grandmere's Venetian wardrobe, her Venetian dressing table and a Bombay night table. Get rid of it. Besides I need to have room in here for the dog beds."
"Dog Beds?"Barney's appalled look made it very clear she was going to have to fight to get what she wanted.
Yuki went to the main room and opened the big trunk and pulled out three three foot by four foot cushions. "Dog beds. The dogs like to sleep in my room at night. So since that is the bedroom, it needs to have room for the dog beds."
They argued back and forth for a fifteen minutes then they struck a compromise. Barney got rid of the wardrobe and the nightstand bringing out the last of Yuki's antiques. He magically expanded the room so there was room for the dog beds and the furniture in return Yuki grudgingly kept the four poster. They also worked out a compromise about the bedding instead of an eye-blinding mix they settled for red and black.
Barney then helped her unpack. He snapped his fingers and all her books were shelved, another snap and her clothes were in the wardrobe. At that point Yuki noticed the dogs were looking antsy. So she thanked Barney and sent him on his way. She quickly changed her clothes to running gear and whistled to the dogs. She took Yvaine off her shoulder and said I'll take you out tomorrow. She took the map she had been given and made her way to the castle entrance.
As they exited the castle Yuki turned around and got her first look a the exterior of Hogwarts. She was impressed. She and the dogs explored the various courtyards. Then they moved beyond the immediate castle and when down to the lake. Yuki could tell that Phoebe wanted to swim but she could see a large creature in the water so she didn't know if it was safe. So she kept Phoebe out of the water. Then Yuki threw the balls she had brought out for the dogs they played for about forty minutes. After that they continued their explorations. Yuki saw several students in their robes, and briefly wondered if she should be in hers, but decided not to worry about it. They continued to jog and explore when suddenly Yuki saw the biggest man she had ever seen and a large boar hound that was barking.
Yuki called the dogs, Sorsha and Phoebe both came but Tristan only came part way. As the man and his boar hound came closer Tristan moved forward because he wanted to make friends. The boar hound raced behind his owner yipping when Tristan got within two yards. Yuki firmly called for Tristan at that point not because she thought there would be a problem but because she wanted to be cautious.
"Hello yeh must be Professor McGonagall's niece. What's come to stay at the castle."
"Yes. Who are you?"
"Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of the Keys and Grounds here at Hogwarts and Care of Magical Creatures teacher."
"Yuki-himme Carson. Call me Yuki, Professor Hagrid. Is your dog alright?"
"Fang yeah, 'e's a coward is all. Who are these three then?"
"This is Sorsha. This is Phoebe she's very shy. The bold fellow is Tristan. We're just out stretching our legs." Yuki was pleased that Sorsha and Tristan where both given a friendly ear rub. Phoebe had given an interested sniff but like Fang she was a bit of a coward and avoided the large man. Yuki extended her hand and was surprised to fell happiness radiating from the huge man. She flashed that most students avoided him because of his size, lack of education, and a fondness for large and possibly dangerous creatures. She also saw a glimpse of a few students he considered friends. And there was also something that would help her..."Magical Creatures. Can you tell me how to tame my book? At the moment it's tied up on my coffee table."
"Yeh got to stroke it." Hagrid beamed. "Does tha' mean yer in my class?"
"I think I am. The book was on the book list that Aunt Minerva gave me, Professor."
"None of tha' unless we're in class. My friends call me Hagrid."
"Hagrid then, do you know of any pulling sort of work that needs doing here on the grounds? Tristan's a malamute they're working dogs. If I don't find something for him to do my new rooms are toast. He's already trained to harness."
"I could use a dog like tha'. I do my grounds keepin' in the mornings. Maybe I take him after breakfast he works in the morning then he and the others stay down here after lunch play with Fang. Headmaster's no' fond of dogs. I bring em up to the castle after tea?"
"Okay that sounds great and it'll keep them out of trouble. Next question, swimming in the lake is it allowed? I used to swim three days a week in the ocean, and Phoebe loves the water."
"Tha' water is cold Yuki."
"I've got a wetsuit."
"Yeh might ask the Headmaster."
"Okay. Can you run all the way around the lake? If so how far is it? Why ask the Headmaster?"
"Ask the Headmaster cause yeh migh' need permission of the merfolk. It eight point one kilometers around the lake and yeah there's a path tha' goes all the way 'round."
"Great that's about what I thought it was. Which means I've found my morning run."
"Why would yeh do a crazy thing like tha', run round the lake are yeh mad?"
Yuki gave Hagrid an impish grin."Maybe," she drawled. "I like to run. It helps me keep fit, health body healthy mind and all that."
A small owl flew up to Hagrid carrying a note. "I think yer mad.." He said with a grin, the he opened and read the note."I gotta go Dumbledore called a staff meetin' before dinner. It was righ' nice meetin' yeh, Yuki." Hagrid headed off to the castle.
Yuki looked to the reddish light of a beautiful sunset. She spent a few more minutes tossing balls for the dogs, then she whistled for them and went inside to change for dinner.