It was the morning of Samhain (The End of Summer), the sun rose slowly, the colors of red orange and yellow spread across the horizon as Harry sat outside wrapped up tightly watching the sun illuminate the sky for the day to begin. He was enjoying life at the school but couldn't help but be bitter about how he couldn't go home to spend Samhain with his family. The Veil would be at it's weakest tonight, the one thing even magic couldn't control was the Veil between the living and the dead, This was the only time that the Veil would be lifted, tonight at midnight, allowing those who still celebrated Samhain, a moment of being able to feel the souls of departed loved ones or ancient ancestors as they passed by, it was the time for celebrating the deceased and feasting in their honor. Not that Harry truly had anyone to 'feel' their energies, his Mother and Father were both still around, and he never met his Father's parents so harbored no feelings of sentiment for them (but he knew his Father always felt them), and his Mother's parent's were still around. but despite that he still enjoyed the feeling of magic surrounding them when they celebrated. Unfortunately since Muggle-borns had been integrating with their world they had lost the true meaning of Samhain, and it had been swapped out for the muggles Halloween. Harry and Hermione had always celebrated Samhain the correct way along with their friends and their families. From the sunrise of 31st October they wouldn't eat, keeping their bodies empty until the dinner feast, where they would pray out to the spirit world before allowing themselves the delight of roasted meals. At midnight as it moved from 31st to the 1st, they would light a candle each in a circle and send their prayers and wishes via their magic into the flames from the candles for the other world to receive, and they would celebrate tonight even if Dumbledore didn't approve.
It was the last class of Samhain when Professor Flitwick announced in Charms that he thought they were ready to start making objects fly, much to most of the first years delight, the Riddle's however, had learnt it years ago due to their Father insisting they needed to learn everything early. Professor Flitwick put the class into pairs to practice, Harry's partner was Draco (which was a relief, because Pansy had been trying to catch his eye, and Charms was NOT her forte and as much as he loved his friend he hated being the teacher when they had Professors for her to ask) Hermione had been paired with Ronald Weasley of all people, it was impossible to know who would be the most angry over it, but he would bet money on Ronald being the one who got hurt.
"Now, don't forget that nice wrist movement we've been practicing!" squeaked Professor Flitwick, perched on top of his pile of books as usual.
"Swish and flick, remember, swish and flick. And saying the magic words properly is very important, too... never forget Wizard Baruffio, who said 's' instead of 'f' and found himself on the floor with a buffalo on his chest." It was very difficult for those who hadn't had The Dark Lord teach them. Draco swished and flicked, but the feather he was supposed to be sending skyward just lay on the desktop while Harry watched with an odd expression of amused boredom. On the other side of the room Seamus Finnigan got so impatient that he prodded it with his wand and set fire to it, Henry Potter his partner, had to put it out with his hat. Ron, at the next table, wasn't having much more luck.
"Wingardium Leviosa!" he shouted, waving his long arms like a windmill.
"You're saying it wrong," Harry heard Hermione finally snap.
"It's Wing-gar-dium Levi-o-sa, make the 'gar' nice and long."
"You do it, then, if you're so clever," Ron snarled Hermione rolled up the sleeves of her gown, flicked her wand, and sending a smug grin to Harry, who understood immediately, she said loudly and clearly;
"Wingardium Leviosa!" The feather rose off the desk and hovered about four feet above their heads, just as Harry's own feather floated up, smirking Harry sent his flying at Hermione's, laughing she had hers dancing away delicately.
"Oh, well done!" cried Professor Flitwick.
"Everyone see here, Mr and Miss Riddle's done it!" Ron was in a very bad mood by the end of the class.
"It's a wonder anyone can stand her," he said to Henry loudly as they pushed their way into the crowded corridor.
"She's a nightmare, honestly, I bet even her family hate her, bet they were all too happy to finally send her here and be rid of her" he said laughing with Henry, before they knew it, both Ronald and Henry were pushed to the ground hard, looking up the sight that greeted them would haunt them for years.
Hartford Thomas Riddle was terrifying, even at age 11, his light brown wavy hair blew back off his face in the powerful wind his magic was creating. His green eyes flashing in what seemed like two different coloured greens, the second shaded with red, the anger etched on his face would send grown men running it was so reminiscent of his Father's look right before he crucioed incompetent Death Eaters. Draco stood to his left, Blaise on his other side, with Theo next to him, all four boys were glaring at the two fallen Gryffindor's.
"How dare you" Harry growled.
"You think just because she is smarter than you, that you can insult her. You are a jealous and petty person, less than a man. Don't think for a second you can get away with this" Harry stepped forward, his magic crackling around him dangerously.
…..
"What happened?" Hermione asked as her brother and his friends walked up to her finally joining them for dinner, Harry opened his mouth to respond but a moment later they had entered the Great Hall, where the Halloween decorations put their conversation on hold. A thousand live bats fluttered from the walls and ceiling while a thousand more swooped over the tables in low black clouds, making the candles in the pumpkins stutter. The feast appeared suddenly on the golden plates, as it had at the start-of-term banquet. Harry was just helping himself to a baked potato with sour cream, bacon, chives, cheese and tomato sauce when Hermione cleared her throat and stared at him with her eyebrows raised.
"Oh right, well we got in a fight, I broke Weasels nose, Draco bruised up pretty good, we got a weekend of detention with Filch and lost 50 points. Worth it" Harry shrugged nonchalantly. Wide eyed Hermione hugged her brother, even after all years she was still shocked when her brother defended her so strongly then acted like it was nothing. Harry just smiled after and hugged her back, he knew he would torture and kill to protect her, just like their Father and Draco would for the both of them.
Harry had just turned back to his potato and roast chicken when suddenly, much to the shock of everyone, Professor Quirrell came sprinting into the hall, his turban askew and terror on his face. Everyone stared as he reached Professor Dumbledore's chair, slumped against the table, and gasped.
"Troll.. in the dungeons... thought you ought to know." He then sank to the floor in a dead faint. There was an uproar. It took several purple firecrackers exploding from the end of Professor Dumbledore's wand to bring silence.
"Prefects," he rumbled,
"Lead your Houses back to the dormitories immediately!"
"Is he serious?!" Harry shouted out over the noise.
"Our dorms are in the dungeons!" Hermione shouted glaring at the head table but the heads of houses were already gone, presumably to take care of the troll. Flint was trying to calm down the younger years and keep them close to older years. Percy Weasley, Gryffindor prefect, was in his element.
"Follow me! Stick together, first years! No need to fear the troll if you follow my orders! Stay close behind me, now. Make way, first years coming through! Excuse me, I'm a prefect!"
"Weasley!" Flint yelled as he made his way through the mass with Harry and Hermione on his heels, their friends waiting by the table with the other first years and second years being watched by Montague, Pucey and Bletchley.
"What do you want Flint?" Weasley asked clearly frustrated.
"Our dorms are in the dungeons!" Flint snapped loudly over the screaming Hufflepuffs.
"Follow me to Gryffindor" Weasley exclaimed eyes wide in horror as he looked at Harry and Hermione who were looking like the scared first years that they were, clutching at Flint's robes, clearly terrified of being told to go to their own dormitory.
"How could a troll get in?" Harry asked as they climbed the stairs, his hand wrapped around Marcus' arm.
"Don't ask me, they're supposed to be really stupid," Marcus grunted looking down at the boy he had known since he was 5 years old, the boy who was like a little brother to him.
"Maybe Peeves let it in for a Halloween joke."
Safety inside the Gryffindor tower Harry was standing with Hermione, Draco, Blaise, Theo, Daphne, Luna, and Pansy, and much to their confusion he was looking around eagerly and his left leg was twitching.
"Hartford Thomas Riddle" Hermione hissed, Harry turned to face them.
"What?" he asked grinning bouncing up and down.
"What in Merlin's name has gotten into you?" Draco asked his eyebrow raised in amusement.
"My magic" he said blissfully.
"What?" Draco, Blaise, Daphne and Pansy chorused.
"His magic is dancing around with the Heoligawn's" Luna sighed.
"Huh?" they chorused again looking even more confused than before.
"His magic is reacting to his soul mate" Hermione explained grinning manically, she had never looked so much like her Father, Usually it was Harry who reminded everyone of Tom Marvolo Riddle.
"Your soul mate is a Gryffindor?" Draco snorted in a very unMalfoy way.
"Apparently so" Harry replied sounding overly elated whilst continuing to bounce around happily.
"Oh Father is going to love this" Hermione smirked viciously, but her brother's head was to high in the clouds, higher than even his Nimbus could take him, for him to take any notice.
The Slytherins and Gryffindors were separated, each to a side of the room, glaring at each other, none more than the two quidditch teams led by Marcus Flint and Oliver Wood. Harry was the only member oblivious to the tension happily sitting on Marcus' lap, who had dragged him there after he started dancing with Luna. He was currently playing chess with Draco who was trying to distract him after it became obvious his soul mate was in the tower but it was too crowded to narrow it down. Then the yelp from Percy pulled everyone out of their thoughts.
"Professor Mcgonagall!" he stumbled towards the Professor as she opened the entrance, behind her was a limping Professor Snape.
"My youngest brother Ron and Henry Potter never came back" he yelled sounding panicked. Suddenly Harry and his friends were all ears.
"Mr Potter and Mr Weasley are in the Hospital Wing, they are fine but will be staying overnight. Percy sighed in relief, nodding sinking back down in a seat.
"Slytherins" Severus called out gaining their attention.
"The troll has been dealt with, I will escort you back to the dungeons" he said, the Slytherins rose in unison. Harry looked around one last time trying to find where his magic was reaching too, before following his friends out of the tower, unaware of the blue eyes following him wide in shock.
Sorry for taking so long, unfortunately nothing much truly happens in this chapter so sorry about that but setting it up for next few chapters. He hehe hope you enjoy, review and let me know.