A/N:
Hi, did you miss me? Well ... you probably missed the story, not me, but hey! here you go. (Sorry for the hella long update, school and life aren't cooperating nicely.) And as usual, I don't own HP or Ouat.
Happy Reading,
Chapter 4: The Plan.
As Dinner time came to a close, Dumbledore rose and dismissed the students. Reminding the teachers to stay behind.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione explained and taught Henry everything he needed to know; the house common room, his classes, and teachers, who to avoid (Draco and his gang of misfits, Snape, etc..), and everything in between.
As the prefects led the houses to their common room. Henry was as amazed as Harry was on his first day. He couldn't stop his eyes from wandering to different places, while the rest of his new friends were chatting in the background.
Once they reach the portrait of Fat Lady; and said the password, the boys said good night to a cheerful Hermione and went to their bedrooms.
"So... is Hermione... always like that ?" Asked Henry with a small smile. "Like what?... a smart ass?" said Ron jokingly. only to receive a roar of laughter from Henry and Harry.
They continued to chat further about Hogwarts and all it inhabited. They even got to ask Henry about his life in Storybrooke, until sadly it was time for bed. All lights were cut off; forcing the students to go to sleep as it was pitch black.
"G'night Harry, G'night Henry." Said Ron yawning halfway. "Good night Henry Night Ron," mumbled Harry. "Night you two." Said Henry, eyes dropping.
Meanwhile:
"Oh come on, Snow it wasn't that bad." Said David on the verge of laughing; at Snow's small jealousy temper tantrum. "You're one to talk. You got a standing ovation from the girls alone." snapped Snow.
The new arrivals (Not including Henry of course) made their way to the headmaster's office, after dinner; led by Minerva and Snape trailing behind the group.
And it wasn't purposely but they seemed to be walking in groups. Snow and Charming. Belle and Emma. And Regina kept herself entertained by irritating Snape.
"So... You wanted to be the professor for defense against the dark arts correct," Regina said teasingly "Yes, but I see no reason as to why that concerns you." He snapped.
"Well, it's just that I find it amusing, that you applied for the DADA job, yet you got stuck with potions." She replied, with a smirk.
Snape wasn't exactly mad, he had a mixed feeling of irritation, rage, and at the fact that Regina managed to get under his skin and outwit all at once- wait a minute, where had that thought come from? She didn't get under his skin, he forbids it.
He had a smart comeback for Regina when they suddenly came to a halt, and Snow White shushed them. Not only did Snape not tolerate that, but Regina was displeased as well, by the look on her face.
"I'm sorry, but if you EVER do that again I- " 'Severus, please. " said another voice. It was none other than Minerva herself, and Snape only listened and respected two people in the world. Minerva and Dumbledore. So, very irritably he kept quiet and walked into Dumbledore's office, followed by everyone else.
"Right, let's finish this, shall we? " said a rustic voice. Everyone surrounded Dumbledore's desk at the center of the office. "Belle, you first," Minerva said with a warm smile. And as instructed, Belle sat down on the chair in front of the desk, and Minerva placed the sorting hat delicately on her head.
"Well, well an interesting thought indeed."
It hissed. "RAVENCLAW!" The hat screamed, everyone in the room clapped happily (besides Severus of course) Minerva removed the hat, and Belle got off the chair with a smile on her face.
"Snow it's your turn." As Snow came to a seat, the hat place on her head, and from what the others could interpret, the hat was deciding between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff. "I've got it! " it suddenly burst out. "Better be... HUFFLEPUFF!" and everyone congratulated Snow as she got up.
"David be a dear and sit down," Minerva instructed. he walked softly towards the chair, the hat was nearly an inch away from his head, until- "GRYFFINDOR!" it screamed, Snow was delighted, but the thought that they weren't in the same house didn't set in yet.
"Emma," Minerva called. She hated this, she was reluctant to go and sit down. Regina even gave her a shove, but that didn't work out (for Emma), since she stumbled forward. Her chest landed on the base of the seat and sheepishly she got up and sat down properly (in her opinion of course).
The hat wasn't as quick as it was with David nor did it take as long with Snow. it was just enough time until finally, it announced: "GRYFFINDOR!" as they did before everyone clapped.
"And last but not least, Regina," Minerva called out. Regina strutted towards the four-legged stool as if it were a throne. She sat down poised as the queen she was, and the hat was placed on her head.
"Hmmm, I've never seen this before" the hat spoke, but the others didn't even flinch like they did when it spoke, so Regina could only assume that this was in her head. "You would fit perfectly in all the houses." 'Then pick randomly.' Regina sassed quietly.
"But you see, my dear it's not that easy. You have the courage and bravery as a Gryffindor, yet your intelligent and witty as a Ravenclaw, as well as loyal and hard-working like a Hufflepuff, and let's not forget ambition and cunning from Slytherin."
"Which one would you like to be in?" it asked. "Well seeing as your going through my thoughts and emotions, how about a house that will work in my favor to help protect Harry," Regina said as silently as she could.
"Well no one's asked me that before, but if I had to choose according to your personality and preferences, I'd say-" the hat spoke louder, so everyone heard. "SLYTHERIN!" it shouted. Everyone was surprised, either because of the house she was in, or because the hat took the longest to choose a house for Regina.
Besides Snape, he had a feeling she would fit in just right in his house.
The following Monday morning, everyone gathered in Dumbledore's office for a meeting, Henry even received a letter that told him not to open until he was in a private place, so he left the great hall immediately and read the context of the letter.
Just as he was about to leave, the hall doors opened, and low and behold the golden trio appeared looking worried. "Is everything ok? you rushed out quite quickly." Hermione asked. "Yes, I'm fine, but I have to go to Dumbledore's office, but the letter doesn't say why," Henry said easily, lying wasn't his favorite thing to do, but when he has to he will.
"Would you like us to come with you?" Harry asked this time. And Henry panicked. "NO!-" "I- Ahem" he cleared his throat, so he could calm down. "That's very thought full, but I think I'd rather go alone." He did and he turned and walked to the office.
And the rest of them just gave each other a look, and they all knew, 'We have to follow him.' So they counted till a minute then sped off to the office, quietly wondering where all the teachers were.
When they reached the last door to Dumbledore's office we stood there, ears against the door. There was a muffled sound and then that's when Harry remembered, "The invisibility cloak." "I'll get it," Ron said as he started running towards the exit, only to be stopped by Hermione.
"There's no need I already found a new spell in the library," she said while taking out her wand and opening her hand. She closed her eyes, tightly and mumbled something, and her hand wavered, it looked like she was holding something.
"You got it, come on," said Harry as they all huddled up and threw the cloak around them, and just in time too, seems like Henry got lost along the way since he only walked up to the door now. So carefully they entered with him. And walked straight to the darkest corner of the office.
All the new professors were in the office, including Snape and Dumbledore. As they all formed a circle around the desk, not noticing the eavesdroppers in the corner. (not that they could mind you) "Ahem, so none of you were followed, I assume?" Asked Dumbledore in a cool and relaxed tone.
"I still took a right turn into the boy's bathroom, to check." replied a disgusted Henry, while shivering at the thought of what he had seen. At this Regina put a hand of assuredness on his shoulder, giving him a warm smile. Which even made everyone smile, including Snape, surprising. (which made Emma suspicious and protective for reasons she knew all too well.)
"So what's the new plan," asked Henry, getting a bit too uncomfortable with the silence (not that he was alone with that feeling, the trio in the corner felt out of place.)
"Right," Said Dumbledore, snapping out of his haze. "I assume you all are already caught up with what happened last year, with mister Potter by Professor McGonagall, correct?" He asked, to which he got a response of nods. "Splendid, now Henry how are you setting in at the Gryffindor Tower?" He asked completely ignoring the task at hand.
"It's great, I've made friends and everything, sir," Henry replied with way too much enthusiasm. "Wonderful, you may go back to the great hall to finish your breakfast," Dumbledore said back without a beat.
Henry's glee changed to confusion in less than a split second. "But I thought you wanted to talk about the-" "No." Dumbledore cut him off before he could even finish his sentence, "Henry, we'll discuss this later." Regina told him, Henry looked back at everyone and hesitantly left.
Regina gave Dumbledore her best glare, as to how he treated Henry, but said nothing. (mostly because she knew he had a reason for doing what he did.) Nobody spoke for a solid minute until eventually, Dumbledore spoke. "You three can come out now," he said and the rest of the adults looked at him as if he was mad.
Emma was about to question his sanity, when, in the darkest corner of the office, the golden trio appeared, and everything suddenly made sense. "we'll discuss your punishment later." Said Dumbledore dismissing them to breakfast. "Sorry, Professor," They all mumbled while looking down to the floor and practically running for the door, shutting it tightly.
They all waited for a while, just to make sure they were gone. "Now," Dumbledore started. "We gathered intel that Voldemort had found a new way to return to power, we need to find out how and stop it from happening." He said.
"And how do we do that, if we have nowhere to start?" asked Belle. "We'll split into two teams, one of us will research ways on how he might come back to life, while the others will keep track, follow and look after Harry, I have a feeling he'll lead us right towards Voldemort himself, " Regina said taking leadership as if it was nothing, full queen mode on.
To say that the others were impressed was an understatement. And so, after a long debating conversation, they settled and the plan was set.