I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER
9th August 1994
Harry Potter woke up from his peaceful slumber when he felt he was cold. He opened his slightly only to focus on something white. As his rational mind started working, he remembered the last time he was Ina place like this. As it hit him his eyes snapped open only to find the grinning face of his Reaper.
"What's happening? Am I dead? Nono I can't be dead. I didn't even give Aurora her birthday present and I promised her to throw a party. Ohnonon-" his rambling was cut short by a laughing sound near him. He lifted his head to see his Reaper laughing at him which started to make him angry and an angry Harry Potter was not good to think rationally. "Do you think it is funny? I did not even spend more than two months with my sister and already I'm dead, and you think it is funny? What do you know about -"
The Reaper considered to take pity on him and stopped laughing. Still chuckling he addressed the enraged teen in front of him. "Stop! You are not dead. You are currently sleeping in your room. And you can spend your whole day tomorrow with your sister."
That calmed Harry. "Really! So if I'm not dead why am I here?" Harry asked confused.
"Do you remember the terms and conditions of the contract that you signed?" Tommy asked the teen. At his nod he continued "Do you remember a condition that there will be occasional checkups?" again a nod "This is what is meant by checkups. I will be meeting you occasionally and will be giving you tips."
Harry nodded again but that didn't explain why he was here now. "OK. But why am I here now. Did I do something wrong? Should I not have made Aurora my sister?" he asked worried. 'If he tells the answer to my last question as negative I'm going to strangle him. Reaper or not' he though.
"No!" Tommy answered immediately and added when he saw that Harry was getting angry "You did the right thing. Actually it was fate who asked me to confound you to get to free her from there." Harry nodded at him and he continued "OK we are getting off track from the original topic for which I came to meet you. Do you remember another condition that you can share your story with three others and your soulmate but you can say the real story only to your soulmate and you have to manipulate your tale to tell the other three people?" At Harry's nod he continued "Out of the three McGonagall can be one of them."
"OK. I understand, but you did not meet me to say only that right?" Harry asked with suspiciously.
"No. I came to give you information as to how to approach her." At Harry's confused look he continued "You see right now McGonagall is so deep inside Dumbledore's pocket that I doubt you could say to her directly without Dumbledore getting the knowledge of it and you can't say that either without it getting to the old coot."
"Then?" Harry asked seriously confused as to where he was going.
"Wait I'm getting there." he said irritated "Tomorrow after Aurora's school shopping ask Dobby to get you both to McGonagall Manor and ask him to bring McGonagall to you, after that you stun her and take her to your to your trunk and heal her. To the elves of McGonagall Manor you say that you are healing you are 'Granny Min' they will help you."
"Granny Min?" Harry asked amused.
"Yes! You used to call her that when you were a baby. Actually I think it was the first word you spoke." he said with a kind smile.
"Can you show me that memory? Please!" Harry asked his reaper.
"Before that I have another topic to discuss." Tommy said to him.
"Yes?"
"Luna Lovegood is a seer but unlike normal seers she sees visions. Fate, she sent Luna to help you in your adventure and don't start 'Why Hermione was not sent?' because I don't know. And Luna is your god sister. Your mother was her godmother." At Harry's skeptical look he continued "Luna's mother and your mother were best friends in Hogwarts and they worked together in the DOM. But there is a problem, she will not be able identify you first."
"Then how will she know that it's me who is speaking to her?" he asked annoyed.
"Well you have to tell her something that only you both know. Now I'm running out of time and I have clients waiting for me. You asked me show me the memory." he waved his hand in front of his face and his eyes became unfocused as he saw the memory.
Harry was in a large living room with a fireplace. There was Sirius and Remus sitting on comfortable armchairs and his mum and dad sitting on a love seat near it. On the floor was a crawling little Harry who was pulling Sirius's trouser pants when he looked down he was holding his hands up, clearly intending to pick him up. As Sirius picked him, the floo chimed and McGonagall walked through it flicking her wand to clear the shoot of her.
Little Harry saw her and smiling extended his chubby hands her and said "Gawwy Mi! Gawwy Mi!"
"Not cool Min. You took his first word." Sirius whined as McGonagall took Little Harry from Sirius and cooed at him.
Harry was so immersed in seeing the memory that he nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard Tommy's voice beside him. "You will wake up in your room and remember what I said." with that he vanished and Harry woke up in his room wiping his face as the tears which were pooled in his eyes fell. He sat there for ten minutes savoring the memory before he got up and did his daily routine.
10th August 1994
Harry and Aurora enjoyed their summer in the trunk. He had set the time in the trunk to be equal to three days in a trunk equal to a day outside. So, they spent the next month (technically ten days) in the trunk playing and studying. He was shocked to see that Aurora was a bookworm but at the same time she enjoyed her time by not studying always. After two to three days she had started to have nightmares and started screaming. At first his wand had flew into his hand and a bone breaking curse in hand (old habits die hard), when he found no one he found out that the screaming was coming from her room. So, he started teaching occlumency and she had grasped the topic easily. She already had her mind arranged and had accumulated her memories in various bits. He was very proud of her.
Currently they were eating breakfast and she was babbling about a new creature she had read in a book from the library. There was a distinct chime from the living room notifying that an owl had arrived - because Hedwig was still sleeping on her perch - and was waiting to take the burden of her. He stood up and went to the roof of the trunk gathering some owl treats and a bowl on the way. When he got up he saw a brown school owl waiting there. He relieved it of its burden and gave it some owl treats and water. As he took the letter he saw the familiar Hogwarts seal. He turned the letter and saw:
Miss. A. Potter
The Smallest Bedroom
4 Privet Drive
Little Whining
Surrey
He turned and was not surprised to see Aurora standing behind him, (he had felt her presence you know!) and she was bouncing on the balls of her feet. He smiled at her and gave her the letter so she could read it. "We are going to Diagon Alley in one hour, so get ready" he said to her as he entered the trunk and was looked at her retreating form in amusement as she dashed into her room as soon as she entered the trunk with a "Only thirty minutes is enough." and went to his room to freshen up himself.
After forty five minutes Harry made his way into the living room and was not surprised to see Aurora. She was glancing at the wall clock and the door of the living room alternatively. As soon as she saw him she shot up from her seat and came to a halt in front of him, practically bouncing on the balls of her feet. He smiled softly at her and said to wait for him outside of the trunk.
Ten minutes later they materialized at the apparition point of the Diagon Alley hooded and made their way to Madam Malkin's Robes for all Occasions. After an hour of trying and rejecting Harry paid for their robes and made their way to apothecary for the potion ingredients. He advised Aurora take two scoops of every item for safety. With that out of their way they went to Potage's Cauldron shop to buy cauldrons. Then they made their way to Magical Menagerie to buy her a pet.
Harry and Aurora entered Magical Menagerie and went to the cats section. Harry focused on his sister and said "Here's how you will select a cat. You walk around looking into the cat eye, if you feel a pull towards one of the cat take it and wait for me at the counter." with that he went to the backside of the shop where they keep lizards and snakes. As he was gazing through the snakes section he felt a pull on to his right. He turned in the direction of the pull and saw a python gazing at him. He got confused for a moment because when he gazed at the serpent he didn't feel anything. But his confusion cleared when he saw a beautiful egg beside the python. The egg was Grey from the below, which was merging itself with black and blue from the top.
The python sensing him approaching lifted its hood and hissed $$What do you want human. Stay away from me. $$
$$I seek nothing from you. I want that egg. $$ He said and indicated to the said egg. The python eyed him for a moment (which was very unnerving) and went back to its slumber. Taking it as his cue he went and gathered the egg in his hands and felt a warm feeling coming from the egg. He smiled at that and went to the counter to see Aurora waiting for him with a black kneazle. She was scratching the cat behind the ears while the cat was purring in pleasure. He asked the still shocked owner how much for the cat and the egg. The owner shook his head and came to the world of living and said 100 Galleons for the cat and its caring items and 150 Galleons for the egg and a heating case. He paid the said amount and exited the shop Aurora behind him.
After buying their books from Flourish and Blotts they made their way to Ollivander's for her wand. The shop was the same as he remembered, Shelves full of dusty boxes and a ladder. Harry was hit with a wave of memories as he saw the wand maker who had made his way from the back of the shop to the front counter.
"Good afternoon" he said making Aurora jump. "What is your name dear?" he asked in a confused look on his face.
"To answer that question I would need an oath from you" Harry said for the first time since he entered the shop.
Ollivander's wide, pale eyes focused on him as he asked the question "And why would I give an oath? And for what reason?"
"The oath is simple actually, the things that would occur here till us both leave the shop from now will stay between the three of us. And you will be not disappointed for taking the oath." Harry said his voice hard as steel.
After some time where the wand maker focused his entire attention on him he took the oath. As the flash which accompanied the oath completion ebbed away Harry and Aurora both took their hoods off their faces and smiled at Ollivander whose already wide eyes stretched a bit more.
"Harry Potter, eleven inches, Holly and phoenix feather nice and supple. An unusual combination yes but great. Aurora Potter, yes let's get a wand that chooses you." he said and went behind the racks.
After twenty minutes Ollivander gave a wand to her and asked her to wave. As soon as she waved the wand bright red sparks came out of the wand. "Bravo! Twelve inches ebony and Unicorn's hair core. That will be Seven Galleons." he said the last part to Harry.
After buying of the wand they went to Madam Malkin's to collect their robes and bought a trunk for Aurora and to Leaky Cauldron to eat lunch.
One hour later the Potter's were standing in an abandoned alley in the Diagon Alley when Harry called Dobby. There was a pop and standing in front of them was an exited house elf who was bouncing on the balls of his feet.
"The great Harry Potter Sir bes calling Dobby! Dobby is honored to serve The Great Harry Potter Sir. How can Dobby bes helping yous?" the exited little elf rushed up.
"Dobby do you know where Professor McGonagall lives and by that I don't mean Hogwarts. If you know can you please take us there?" Harry asked Dobby.
"Yes Harry Potter Sir! I bes knowing where Professor kitty stays and I can bes able to take to to Professor kitty's house. You just have to holding my hand and can bes able to pop you to there." Dobby answered with same enthusiasm. As they took hold of Dobby's hand they disappeared from the alley only to become visible in another abandoned alley. "You bes waiting here. I bes going and bringing Professor kitty." he told them and disappeared with a pop.
"Professor kitty?" Aurora said and giggled.
Before he could reply there was a pop and a startled looking Professor Minerva McGonagall and a proud looking Dobby were standing in front of them. As Professor McGonagall recognized the teen in front of her lips thinned into a line in annoyance "What is the meaning of this Potter?" she snapped at him.
"Stupefy" Harry said as soon as he drew his trace less wand and caught her as she was falling from the impact of the spell. He turned to Dobby who was watching him with wide eyes and addressed him "Dobby take her to my trunk."
Dobby nodded and disappeared with McGonagall with a pop. Harry took his sister's hand and was going to apparate when he heard a pop beside him. He turned to see a female house elf looking at him dangerously "Where did you take my Mistress? She asked him.
Harry raised his hands in surrender, "I'm only healing my Granny Min by freeing her from the clutches of the old goat that we all call Headmaster. You can help if you want." he added with a small smile.
The elf nodded at him and said "Flippy bes helping yous to heal Mistress."
"Good then you can go and help Dobby he knows what to do." Harry said to her and held Aurora's hand and apparated them from the alley.
Harry and Aurora entered their trunk and went to the living area. What he saw there made him pause, on one of the armchairs was Professor McGonagall on full body bind and glaring daggers at him as soon as she saw him enter. He went and stood in front of her with a serious look on his face and performed Legilimency on her mind and came to a halt when he hit a black wall. He found a crack in the wall and through that he entered her mind. What he saw made him angry at certain old man. There in her mind were several black spots which indicated that there was a memory charm done. He took his elder wood wand and made a sweeping motion with a backwards jab and incanted "Memoria Recolo", as soon he said the counter spell the black spots began to clear and the memories which were hid by the memory spell came flooding into remembrance. He came out of her mind and went to the potions lab and brought a neutralizing potion and dreamless sleep potion. As soon as he gave her the portions she fell asleep. Harry asked Flippy to take to the third bed room and take care of her and she was not going to wake up till tomorrow afternoon.
11th August 1994
Minerva McGonagall woke up on a soft fluffy bed and in a complete unidentified place. She panicked and searched for her when she remembered the events of the previous day and got angry at the actions of her student and grandson of the boy. She got up and heard a pop beside her and saw Flippy.
"Flippy bes keeping new clothes in the bathroom Mistress." the little elf said to her and gave her a note.
"Thank you Flippy" she said and opened the note. It read:
Granny Min
An involuntary smile formed on her lips upon reading that name.
I'm very sorry kidnapping you from your house, but I have my reasons for that please believe me in this I'll explain everything to you.
With lots of love
Harry
She folded the letter and placed it beside her wand and made her way to bathroom to freshen up.
Thirty minutes later a very much awake and fresh Minerva left her room and began to explore her surroundings. She saw five doors opposite to her and three doors beside the room which she woke. Two of the doors had 'Harry' and Aurora' written on them. Four doors on the opposite of her had been locked and only one in the last was accessible. She opened the door and entered a cozy yet simple living room with a fireplace. There was a bathroom on the right, a study on her left and a kitchen in front of her. When she entered the kitchen she paused as she saw the scene in front of her. Harry Potter was standing in front of the Stove with a spatula and wearing an apron dancing with a girl -who would be around eleven years of age- to the music coming from a muggle radio. She cleared her throat to get their attention. The effect was instantaneous, the girl froze in her place as if she was hit with a petrification spell and the elder teen turned to her and gave her a sheepish smile.
"Glad you are awake Professor McGonagall. Come and joins us for the lunch." Harry said to her to which she gave him a slight nod and sat on the indicated chair. Five minutes later lunch was laid on the table. "Tuck in Professor" he said and the three of them started to eat.
Minerva's eyes widened as she took the first piece into her mouth. It was even better than the food she ate at home. "Where did you learn to cook like this Mr. Potter?" she asked Harry.
"I used to cook for the Dursleys since I was five Professor. Picked up something from that." he said and smiled at her. She didn't say more but kept it for a later date.
Forty-five minutes later the three of them were sitting in the living room with their stomach full from a wonderful meal. "Professor" Harry started to speak breaking the silence "I'd like you to meet my sister Aurora Marie Potter."
At that Minerva's eyebrows disappeared into her hair in surprise and asked "I remember that you were the only child of James and Lilly Potter. How can she be your sister?"
At that Harry explained how he went to Knockturn Alley today his wand and going to the pub seeing Aurora there abused, drawing a guardianship change contract and the tale with goblins. As he ended his narration Minerva had many emotions running rampant through her and had an idea that he had not kidnapped her only to introduce his sister. "So what is the real reason of kidnapping me?" she asked him and saw him wince when she said 'kidnapping'.
"Yes this is not the real reason and I need to have a private chat with you for this. Let's go to the study." he said this and made his way to the study. The room consisted a desk and three nice and comfortable armchairs and a sofa. Harry indicated one of the armchairs to Minerva and sat on the sofa. "I'll go directly into the matter in hand, I had this vision after the day I had arrived at the Dursleys..." he started and continued to tell his life from summer after the third year till his death.
Four hours later two individuals in the study sagged in their seats. One tired of narrating and the other listening the difficulties face by the teen in front her, even if it was a vision. She reached forward and patted his in a comforting manner and said "I'll support you in everything child and now none of this Professor business you should call me Granny Min, but only when we are alone alright." and smiled at him.
Harry felt a warm feeling erupting in chest. No one had truly cared for him, well except Hermione of course, from the fated Halloween she was the first one to truly care for him being...him. He nodded to her.
Minerva heard a chime like an alarm going off and thought that someone had attacked the house. She turned to Harry to ask what it was and got confused when he stood up grinning and headed to the door.
"Granny Min, want to see my new familiar?" Harry asked her and at her nod he beckoned to follow her. Aurora was already waiting near his door, the entered into his room and went to the foot of his bed. There was an egg which was cracking in the middle. Harry crouched at the side of the bed holding his placed his hand near the egg, palm upwards.
A small black head with Sapphire blue eyes poked from it and scanned the room and finally set on the three onlookers. It looked at Aurora first and then to Minerva and finally on Harry. As it's eyes locked onto Harry's it slithered completely from the egg and curled on his palm. It was black from head to tail with three white horns barely out, on its head which looked like it was peeking from there. Its eyes were brilliant Sapphire which looked like it had a hidden intelligence. It fixed its eyes onto him and hissed $$ Hello, my bonded human. $$
Harry was in awe at the beautiful snake in front of him. He was brought out of his daze when it spoke. $$ Hello! You are beautiful. Are you male or female? $$
$$Female$$ it replied.
$$So what shall I name you? $$ He asked stroking her head.
"Harry what type of snake it is?" Aurora asked eyeing the snake warily which was curled on her brother's palm.
"It's a horned serpent." Minerva answered.
Harry was sitting completely oblivious of the other two members in the room, taking to his snake. $$It's your wish my bonded human. $$
$$Bonded human is very lengthy, you can call me Harry. Now how about Iris. You have beautiful eyes. $$ he said gently stroking its head.
$$'Iris', I like it, my Harry$$ she said and curled around his wrist. $$And who are your companions. $$ she asked him.
$$This is my sister Aurora Potter and this is my professor and gran Minerva McGonagall. $$ he said as he indicated at each of them. $$And you shall not hurt them. $$ he said to Iris.
$$OK$$ she said and bobbed her head.
"Granny Min, Aurora meet Iris." he said and showed it to them. "Can you give permission to bring her to school Granny Min" he asked her and gave his puppy dog eyes, even if he knew it won't work.
"I'll see. The Headmaster has to approve." she said but Harry caught the mirth in her eyes, because he knew that restricting a bonded familiar, in that newly bonded familiar from its bonded human is a crime and according to Hogwarts charter, the deputy head of the school is the one who has the right to handle the issues of student's familiar.
"OK. I'll see how to sneak her into the school. After all I'm the son, godson and nephew of the Marauders" He said with a smirk.
Minerva shook her head with fond smile on her face and took a parchment and gave permission to bring Iris to the school with him. "I'll warn you now that she should be in control and should not attack other students" she said to him to which he nodded solemnly.
"Gran, can you keep Aurora from this Sunday to September 1st as I have to go with the Weasleys to attend the world cup." He asked Minerva to which she nodded.
"Why can't I come with you to the world cup?" Aurora asked him in a small voice with tears in her eyes "You don't want me to meet your friends?"
"Oh sweetie, it's nothing like that. I just don' like you with them and the world cup will not end nicely and I don't want anything to happen to you" he said and pulled her into a hug and kissed her temple. "If you want next summer we can go to some nice and warm place, like a holiday." He added with a smile to which he returned with a beaming one of her own. "And you won't be alone only with an old women but Iris will also be there with you to have fun, after all she is also just a baby." he and grinned at her.
"OK" she mumbled into his stomach and pulled pack to see Iris and asked to Harry, "Can I pet her?"
"I'M sorry, you can't until this Saturday, as the bond has to settle." he said to her and turned to the older women in the room and asked "You don't mind her staying with you right?"
"No not at all, you both are welcome to my house any time you wish." she said to him. "And where are we by the way?"
"Private drive." Aurora answered and Harry nodded.
"But...?" confusion was clearly written on Minerva's face.
"We are inside a magical trunk." Harry said to her who nodded in understanding. "Now com on we have a birthday to celebrate. You are staying right Granny Min?"
"Of course I'm staying."
1st September 1994
Harry barely escaped the clutches of Molly Weasley and boarded the express to find his sister. He went through the last two weeks of his life while he was finding a compartment. As she said, Minerva had come on 17th morning to collect Aurora. The goodbyes were bad and he had said to her to find a compartment with a dirty-blond haired girl and sit with her and make a conversation with her about Hogwarts like a curious first year. He had also told Minerva that he wanted to change his course to Ancient Runes and Arithmancy and drop Divination. She had agreed but told him that she would have to first test his knowledge in those both subjects, to which he agreed and told him that he would get information when he arrived at Hogwarts.
It was boring afternoon till the Weasleys came and collected him. The world cup had gone the same way as the last time, he did not try to interfere with fate. After that they had returned to the Burrow and again it was the same as last time. Ron was annoying him to death, 'Why hadn't I seen that before' he mused. So he had spent most of his time with the twins and Hermione.
Hermione, she was beautiful inside and out. He hadn't seen it till Yule ball in the last time line. She was showing subtle hints that she liked him more than a friend. But they had not been able spend much time together, thanks to the Molly Weasley. He still had no idea as to how she would find them every time they would be together. The Weasley matriarch would come to them barley five minutes after they would sit together and talk and give them some chores with her paring (Harry with Ginny and Hermione with Ron).
He found the compartment in which his sister was sitting with a girl of dirty-blond hair. He opened the compartment which got the girls attention towards him. "Do you mind if I sit here with you?" he asked and at their shake of heads. He smiled and kept his trunk on the rack above him and turned to the girls in the compartment, "Hi, I'm Harry Potter. What are your names?" He introduced himself to them.
"Luna Lovegood."
"Aurora Po-" Aurora closed her mouth at that slip. Luna raised one of her eyebrows as she recognized the slip.
"Eh...Miss Lovegood..." Harry started but was interrupted by her.
"Luna, you can call me Luna."
"OK. Luna, can you keep this secret until the welcoming feast?" as she was looking at him he added "Please my little Moonshine" he said to her looking straight in the eye. He saw something flash across her and it went unfocused (which only he can see) for a moment it widened. She jumped from her seat and hugged him tight. "Air!" he choked out after several moments. She blushed and let him go and at opposite to him. "Luna this is my sister Aurora" he said ruffling Aurora's hair.
"So, we are now sisters?" Luna asked.
"Yes, you both are sisters, which is if you still want to be my sister." Harry replied
"Of course I'm still your little Moonshine silly." Luna said to him.
He nodded and started a conversation about Quibber subscription. After some time Ron peeked into the compartment, when he saw who he was sitting with, he barged into the compartment ears red and rounded on Harry.
"What are you doing with Loony and a First year" Ron said as soon he opened the compartment door.
"Why? I believe that I was having an interesting discussion with Miss Lovegood. "Harry replied to him.
"But she is loony!" Ron said as if it explained everything.
"Now see here Ron, don't you ever insult Luna, she is my friend like you. I am going to sit here and you are welcome to join us." he said in a cool voice.
"OK" he said and with that he and Hermione put their trunks in the rack and sat opposite to them.
The compartment door opened through the half way of the journey and Malfoy and his two cronies were standing at the door. He looked around the compartment and sneered at Harry and spoke "So Potter, a blood traitor and a mud blood is not enough for you so you have to go and hang out with a loony and a first year. It's a shame on the house Potter."
"Why you little-" Ron started but was stopped when Harry got up and stood in front of Malfoy.
"You know Draco, I think someone had confounded the Sorting hat while you were being sorted." He told and Luna giggled hearing it while the others looked confused.
"What do you mean by it Potter?" Malfoy asked clearly angry.
"You are very brave to be in Slytherin." he told and smirked at his shocked expression.
Harry had to give him credit for how quickly he recovered from his shocked expression to his usual sneer. "You will see Potter how much of a Slytherin I'm this year."
"Oh and what is going to be this year?" Harry asked in mock curious tone.
"You will get to know today night Potter." He said and marched out of the compartment.
The rest of the train ride was uneventful till they arrived at Hogsmeade station and Harry and Luna sent Aurora to take the traditional way in which the first years were shown the first glimpse of Hogwarts and took the Thestral drawn carriages to the castle. Once they were seated in the Great Hall, Professor McGonagall entered with the first years. They were looking around in awe and beside Harry Ron was complaining about food.
McGonagall cane to the front and placed the sorting Hat on the three legged stool and it sang its song. When the hat finished McGonagall unrolled a large scroll of parchment.
"When I call out your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool,"
She told the first years. "When the hat announces your House, you will go and sit at the appropriate table."
"Ackerley, Stewart!"
A boy walked forward, visibly trembling from head to foot, picked up the
Sorting Hat, put it on, and sat down on the stool.
"RAVENCLAW!" shouted the hat.
Stewart Ackerley took off the hat and hurried into a seat at the Ravenclaw table, where everyone was applauding him.
"Baddock, Malcolm!"
"SLYTHERIN!"
The table on the other side of the hall erupted with cheers; Harry could see Malfoy clapping as Baddock joined the Slytherins.
"Branstone, Eleanor!"
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
"Cauldwell, Owen!"
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
"Creevey, Dennis!"
Tiny Dennis Creevey staggered forward, tripping over Hagrid's moleskin, just as Hagrid himself sidled into the Hall through a door behind the teachers' table. About twice as tall as a normal man, and at least three times as broad, Hagrid, with his long, wild, tangled black hair and beard, looked slightly alarming — a misleading impression, for Harry knew Hagrid to possess a very kind nature. He winked at the three of them as he sat down at the end of the staff table and watched Dennis Creevey putting on the Sorting Hat. The rip at the brim opened wide —
"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat shouted.
Hagrid clapped along with the Gryffindors as Dennis Creevey, beaming widely, took off the hat, placed it back on the stool, and hurried over to join his brother.
"Colin, I fell in!" he said shrilly, throwing himself into an empty seat. "It was brilliant! And something in the water grabbed me and pushed me back in the boat!"
"Cool!" said Colin, just as excitedly. "It was probably the giant squid, Dennis!"
"Wow!" said Dennis, as though nobody in their wildest dreams could hope for more than being thrown into a storm-tossed, fathoms-deep lake, and pushed out of it again by a giant sea monster.
"Dennis! Dennis! See that boy down there? The one with the black hair and glasses? See him? Know who he is, Dennis?"
Harry looked away, staring very hard at the Sorting Hat, now Sorting Emma Dobbs.
The Sorting continued; boys and girls with varying degrees of fright on their faces moving one by one to the four-legged stool, the line dwindling slowly as Professor McGonagall passed the L's.
"Oh hurry up," Ron moaned, massaging his stomach. Harry frowned at him then a thought entered his mind 'If P comes he will forget everything about food' he chuckled
"Now, Ron, the Sorting's much more important than food," said Nearly Headless Nick as "Madley, Laura!" became a Hufflepuff.
"'Course it is, if you're dead," snapped Ron.
"I do hope this year's batch of Gryffindors are up to scratch," said Nearly Headless Nick, applauding as "McDonald, Natalie!" joined the Gryffindor table. "We don't want to break our winning streak, do we?"
Gryffindor had won the Inter-House Championship for the last three years in a row.
"Pritchard, Graham!"
"SLYTHERIN!"
Harry saw McGonagall's lips twitch seeing the next name and knew it was his sister.
"Potter, Aurora!"
The shouting, cheering and clapping in the hall came to an abrupt stop when they herd the name just called by McGonagall. Dumbledore's eyes had stopped twinkling and confusion was clearly written in his eyes.
Aurora went and sat on the stool as McGonagall placed the hat on her head. Harry expanded his senses and found out that Dumbledore using Legilimency on the hat to find out who she was and from where did the mysterious Potter had come. He could also sense Hermione starting at him. The hat opened its brim and-
"GRYFFINDOR!"
He started clapping and as if on cue others started clapping. Aurora took the hat off her and gave it to McGonagall and ran to him at the Gryffindor table and pushed Ron aside and took his place beside him. Harry smirked in his mind at the gob smacked expression on Ron's face.
"Congratulations!" Harry smiled and ruffled her hair, who in turn gave him a beaming smile of her own. He knew that she would get summoned by the Headmaster to a little chat. But now he turned his attention to Hermione who was staring at him and asked "What?"
That made her to come out of her stupor and she started at him. "What...how...when-" she abruptly stopped as she got to know that she was not making any sense.
Harry chuckled, "Later." he mouthed to her to which she nodded and turned to the sorting. The rest of the sorting continued without a hitch. Dumbledore stood up and said to start the feast. Ron with his only motive started to shove the food into his mouth.
"Aaah, 'at's be'er," said Ron, with his mouth full of mashed potato.
"You're lucky there's a feast at all tonight, you know," said Nearly Headless Nick. "There was trouble in the kitchens earlier."
"Why? What happened?" said Harry, though he knew the reason and the reaction of the witch beside him.
"Peeves, of course," said Nearly Headless Nick, shaking his head, which wobbled dangerously. He pulled his ruff a little higher up on his neck. "The usual argument, you know. He wanted to attend the feast — well, it's quite out of the question, you know what he's like, utterly uncivilized, can't see a plate of food without throwing it. We held a ghost's council — the Fat Friar was all for giving him the chance — but most wisely, in my opinion, the Bloody Baron put his foot down."
The Bloody Baron was the Slytherin ghost, a gaunt and silent specter covered in silver bloodstains. He was the only person at Hogwarts who could really control Peeves.
"Yeah, we thought Peeves seemed hacked off about something," said Ron darkly. "So what did he do in the kitchens?"
"Oh the usual," said Nearly Headless Nick, shrugging. "Wreaked havoc and mayhem. Pots and pans everywhere. Place swimming in soup. Terrified the house-elves out of their wits —"
Clang.
Hermione had knocked over her golden goblet. Pumpkin juice spread steadily over the tablecloth, staining several feet of white linen orange, but Hermione paid no attention.
"There are house-elves here?" she said, staring, horror-struck, at Nearly Headless Nick. "Here at Hogwarts?"
"Certainly," said Nearly Headless Nick, looking surprised at her reaction. "The largest number in any dwelling in Britain, I believe. Over a hundred."
"I've never seen one!" said Hermione.
"Well, they hardly ever leave the kitchen by day, do they?" said Nearly Headless Nick. "They come out at night to do a bit of cleaning . . . see to the fires and so on. . . . I mean, you're not supposed to see them, are you? That's the mark of a good house-elf, isn't it, that you don't know it's there?"
Hermione stared at him. "But they get paid?" she said. "They get holidays, don't they? And — and sick leave, and pensions, and everything?"
Nearly Headless Nick chortled so much that his ruff slipped and his head flopped off, dangling on the inch or so of ghostly skin and muscle that still attached it to his neck.
"Sick leave and pensions?" he said, pushing his head back onto his shoulders and securing it once more with his ruff. "House-elves don't want sick leave and pensions!"
Hermione looked down at her hardly touched plate of food, then put her knife and fork down upon it and pushed it away from her.
"Oh c'mon, 'Er-my-knee," said Ron, accidentally spraying Harry with bits of Yorkshire pudding, to which he scowled. "Oops — sorry, 'Arry —" He swallowed. "You won't get them sick leave by starving yourself!" 'Is he genuinely worried of her or is it an action?' Harry thought to himself
"Slave labor," said Hermione, breathing hard through her nose. "That's what made this dinner. Slave labor."
Now Harry had it enough and had to brake her determination, so he leaned into her "Hermione, if you don't eat now I won't take you to the kitchens tomorrow morning." he whispered into her ear and pulled back.
His words had the expected reaction from her. She turned her head so fact that he thought he heard a crunch sound. "What do you mean?" she said still breathing hard through her nose.
"Keep it low Hermione. If you eat now I'll take you to the kitchens tomorrow morning to meet the elves." he said and she nodded to him but did not even take a bite from her plate. "Come on Hermione, you will starve and there is a reason for the elves not being paid." he pushed her plate towards her and she eyed him for a moment before eating her food.
When the food and deserts all vanished and the plates sparkled again Dumbledore stood up and gave his speech of cancellation of Quidditch tournament, Entry of Moody 'Barty Crouch Jr. actually!' Harry thought, the announcement of the Triwizard Tournament, Announcement of age restrictions and Beauxbatons and Durmstrang. When he dismissed them, Harry told Aurora to follow her year mates and got up from his seat to exit the great hall. He stopped when he saw McGonagall coming towards him.
"Miss Potter the Headmaster would like to speak to you." she addressed Aurora who was still beside him.
"May I know why Professor?" Harry asked and ignored Hermione's pointed look.
"I'm not aware of the reason Mr. Potter, the Headmaster only said that he need to speak to Miss Potter."
"I see..." he nodded and turned to Hermione and Ron "I'll catch up with you guys later." then he leaned closer to Hermione and whispered to her "Tomorrow morning six thirty I'll meet you in the common room. OK?" She nodded to him and they both headed to the common room. He turned back to McGonagall "Lead the way Professor."
Thank you for reading.
The closeness between Harry and Luna will be explained in the next chapter. Until then bye.