XII. The Road to Hogwarts

Winds battered furiously at the dark stone of the citadel. The sea roared below, threatening to smash the very foundations that it was built upon. The constant rain, mixed with the freezing temperature that permeated the air created a constant sheet of ice that covered the outside of the fortress. Dementors swooped in and out of the structure, feeding on the occupants. This was the prison of Azkaban.

At the entrance, a lone Auror stood watch. Thanks to the efforts of Minister Fudge, there was no additional funding to be found on the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. This, added on to the now constant raids on England, had stretched the Auror forces thin. This resulted in Azkaban having the lowest number of Aurors ever recorded. Dawn was approaching on the August the 7th. Hoping to finally finish his tour in this god-forsaken place, the Auror retreated to the privacy of his office, where he had a roaring fire that mitigated the effects of the Dementors. There was a piercing sound that broke through the cacophony of sound that enveloped the island, and the Auror quickly drew his wand and sounded the alarm. Azkaban was being attacked.

Bedrager landed with the rest of his team in the highest tower of the fortress. Instead of attempting to bring down the wards or attack from the air as was expected, his Master had told him to attack in the single most inconceivable way possible: appear on the highest point and fight your way down. Of course, for a normal squad of wizards this was sheer lunacy. Not only would they be entering at the point where the Dementors gathered, but they would also have to fight their way through every single Auror and level of Azkaban. Then again, this was no normal squad of wizards. Bellatrix was cackling with perverse glee, as the rest of the Death Eaters smiled predatorily. Over the sound of the roaring wind and the wailing alarms, Bedrager's voice rang with absolute power. "Remember your orders. We live none alive", he said. With a flick of his hand, he withdrew his sword from its scabbard and peacefully made its way down. The Dementors sensed the dark aura of power that emanated from the group and stayed clear of them. It was evident that this wizard knew magic that others did not, and they certainly did not wish to risk the possibility of him diminishing their numbers. Besides, if the tales that their brothers had told them were true, he was unaffected by their powers, and the magic that he controlled was so deadly that the entire species could be rendered extinct if they confronted him directly.

With a flick of her wand, Bellatrix blasted the door and entered Azkaban after Bedrager had crossed the door. They were faced with a squad of four Aurors, wands drawn and aimed at them.

"Drop your wands!" yelled one of them. Bedrager simply raised an eyebrow.

"Allow me to make a counter-proposal. Lower your wands and I will promise that your death will be quick and painless", he said with silky voice.

"You have no way of surviving this assault!" said another.

"Come now. Do you really believe that we would drop so conveniently into your lap without a plan?" asked Bedrager, his voice dropping ever so slightly.

"Surrender and we will ensure that you get a fair trial", said the third, though his confidence waivered ever so slightly.

"Well, let us analyse the situation then. You have made your threats, as your protocol requires you to. Upon seeing our refusal you will fire a combination of spells designed to either incapacitate or to knock us unconscious, by which point you will bind us and seal us here. However, what you don't realize is that you would be greatly underestimating us. See, by the time that your lips even uttered the first syllable of your spell, your bodies would be filled with such pain that your minds would simply crack into delectable madness from the strain. After that, if we feel merciful, we will end your life, by which point Azkaban would have already fallen and our mission would be completed." Bedrager took one step closer to them, his eyes glinting with sheer malevolence. "Now, are you sure you want to play this game?"

The next few moments went just as Bedrager had predicted. They attempted to launch a series of spells, only to be hit by several Torture Curses that made the Cruciatus seem like a massage. Bedrager's cold laugh rang through every corner of the fortress.

"My Lord, I thought you told us never to play with our food?" asked Bellatrix, barely able to hold the waves of pleasure that coursed her body.

"There is a time and a place for everything dear one. It is merely a matter of learning when and where to do so. Shall we?" he motioned forward, and they stepped over the writhing bodies of the Aurors, their throats raw from the intensities of their screams. The team split into groups, leaving Bedrager and Bellatrix together. Of course, she had threatened the others into this arrangement, but that was none of his concern. He strolled casually through Azkaban, occasionally striking down an Auror of two with blows from his blade so fast that the sword seemed to vanish in the air. He did, however, leave the majority to Bellatrix. His lip curled in disgust as he saw the way that Bellatrix seemed to tremble in pleasure as she executed each of her victims. She was an asset; one that he would have great pleasure in eliminating, but her usefulness had yet to run its course. Eventually they arrived at the cell that held Lucius Malfoy. The usually well-dressed Lord was now in rags that would make the clothes that Harry wore seem like the most exquisite things on this earth.

"Lucius Malfoy. An honour to meet you", said Bedrager with a bow. Bellatrix quickly followed suit.

"W-Who are you?" whispered Lucius.

"My name is Lord Bedrager. I am an ally of the Dark Lord Voldemort. I am here to rescue you", he replied.

"H-He w-will kill me", said Lucius.

"I assure you, dear brother", said Bellatrix with soft voice, "that he will not harm you."

"Indeed. As a matter of fact, I am here to offer you a new position", said Bedrager.

"Which position is that?" asked Lucius as he slowly staggered up.

"The one that you always coveted but was always denied to you: Minister of Magic", answered Bedrager.

"That will never happen. I lost everything when I was sent here…

"Lord Bedrager can replace what was lost, Lucius", answered Bellatrix.

"In order to prove my good intentions, I have brought this", said Bedrager as he removed a vial from his armour. It contained a clear liquid.

"And that is?" asked Lucius suspiciously.

"A potion of my own creation. One that will return you your old strength. It shall make you feel younger, and will remove all traces of your… unfortunate stay in this place", said Bedrager.

"How do I know it isn't poison?" asked Lucius.

"You dare question my Lord?" snarled Bellatrix.

"Now, now Bella. It is perfectly understandable for him to be cautious. After all, he has been here for a couple of months", said Bedrager. He then proceeded to uncork the vial and drink three drops from it. Upon seeing that he did not die, Lucius immediately lunged for the vial. Rodolphus Lestrange ran towards them, his robes soaked in blood.

"What is it Rodolphus? And what have I said about dirty robes? Do you wish the armour that was promised or not?" asked Bedrager. Rodolphus immediately waved his wand and his robes returned to their pristine condition. "Better. Now, what is it?"

"We have secured the island my Lord. There is one Auror that is holed up in the main office. The wards are too strong and we cannot pierce them. We have reason to believe that he has already contacted the Ministry for help", he answered.

"Help will not come. I happen to have the Ministry otherwise engaged with pointless procedures that followed the resignation of that idiot Fudge. We should, however, make haste." He turned to Lucius, who was already starting to resemble the aristocrat that he once was. "Do I have your allegiance Lucius?" he asked.

"Of course, my Lord", he said as he kneeled. Bedrager smiled.

"Bellatrix, please free him Rodolphus, round up the rest of our followers and have them assemble at the entrance of the room. Do not cast the Mark until I arrive", said Bedrager. He then vanished without a sound.

He reappeared in front of the doors that lead to the office. Around it were the Carrow twins, along with Rabastan.

"Do not tire yourselves. These wards are more powerful than what you can handle. For now", he waved his hand as he muttered an incantation and the barrier shattered like glass. With a flick of his wrist, the door opened and Bedrager strolled in. His shield shone brightly as it absorbed a volley of spells that were launched at him. "You have courage, I will grant you that. Misguided of course, but courage none the less", he said.

"I will not let you take this fortress", said the Auror.

"My dear man, the fortress is already mine. I now control every nook and crevice of this island", answered Bedrager.

"No you don't. As long as I am still standing, the wards will hold, and none of your minions may enter!"

"Well then that poses a problem does it not? Except that I have no interest in keeping the island. I already have what I came for."

"I will not let you leave alive. Even if I have to take you down with me." Bedrager gave him a sympathetic smile.

"You have a family, do you not?" he asked.

"That is not your business!" A spell flew from his wand, but was batted aside by Bedrager.

"Tell me, if you were to escape with your life, what would you think?"

"That I was a coward. A deserter", answered the Auror.

"Good answer. I suppose then that you would prefer a warrior's death?"

"I will die fighting."

"Very well. I shall honour your courage by allowing you one last duel", answered Bedrager.

The match was very short. The Auror knew from the start that he was outmatched, but he had fought on as the Gryffindor that he was. But he was tired from holding the wards, and his defence was sloppy. As he saw a bolt of magic head his way, he saw his life flash before his eyes, focusing on his beautiful daughter who had just gotten engaged, and the love of his life. A quick prayer asking for their protection, and his life ended in a flash of blue light.

The Death Eaters had gathered outside as was required and had watched with amazement the entire exchange. They had expected Bedrager to simply kill the man, but instead they had seen him offer a duel, and grant him the death of a warrior. They stared dumbstruck as Bedrager levitated the man. He laid the corpse on his desk and summoned his wand, clasping it between the Auror's hands. He then closed his eyelids and muttered a phrase that sounded very similar to a blessing. He then vanished the body so it could be buried and paid the proper respects.

"My Lord… Why?" asked Rabastan.

"Let this be a lesson to all of you. Even enemies can show respect to each other. That man carried himself with honour, and did not take the easy way out. When offered the chance to flee he chose to stand and fight. That is what makes the difference between the rest of them and him: honour. I hope that you may learn from the dead. You are not thugs. You are warriors, and as such you must behave", said Bedrager.

"But why simply not kill him?" asked Alecto.

"There is no greater gift that one can give a warrior than to grant him an honourable death. Once you are ready, I will teach you the ritual that you must follow whenever you encounter an opponent like this", he said. The rest of the Death Eaters were dumbstruck. Never in their years of servitude under Voldemort had they seen such behaviour. Yes, Bedrager was cruel, but even he had rules. He did not consider himself to be above them. The code of conduct that he abided was one that they had once ridiculed. Chivalry was considered a weakness. Seeing the way that Bedrager acted, not only with them but towards his enemies made them wonder if perhaps they had been wrong in following Voldemort all along. Given the choice between the slavery that represented Voldemort and the respect and honour that Bedrager stood by, the Death Eaters knew which they would choose. They all bowed, not only in acknowledgement of his teaching, but also in a sign of loyalty. They would no longer follow the slime that was Voldemort. They had finally found a higher purpose that they could serve fully.

Bellatrix felt her world crumble. All her life, she had been taught disdain and prepotency against those that were inferior. As soon as she had entered the service of Voldemort, her depravity seemed to grow without limit. When she saw Bedrager, her lust for power drew her to him. But now all that was for naught. Bedrager did not represent just might. He represented a set of values that her family had once believed in, but had lost along the way. He was the way to recovering the true power that the Wizards had once had long ago. She silently berated herself as she cast the Dark Mark after being motioned by Bedrager. How could she have been so stupid? How could she, Bellatrix Lestrange; no Black, allow herself to follow a man like Voldemort? It was then and there that she decided to end it. She was no longer Voldemort's slave. She was Bedrager's follower. With a silent pop, she vanished the fortress of Azkaban, leaving behind the life that she had once leaded. For the first time, she felt free.

Harry rose sleepily from his bed and headed towards the loo. Ever since the nightmare that he had on his birthday, Harry had been sleeping less than he usually did. He had refused to discuss the matter with anyone, since his scar had not hurt as it did whenever he had a vision from Voldemort, which lead him to believe that this was, in fact, just a nightmare. He had just finished dressing when Hermione knocked on his door.

"Harry hurry up or you're not getting breakfast!" she yelled.

"Coming!" answered Harry as he opened the door, which caused Hermione to give a yelp of surprise.

"You big prat! You scared me!" she swatted Harry in the arm, but was smiling almost as broadly as he was.

After his birthday, Hermione had seen a change in Harry's demeanour. He seemed more… forward if she could call it that. His attitude towards things had changed as well. He was much more dedicated in his studies, and seemed to be more eager to do things, even if they were small things like playing cards with her. He also had done something that Hermione had never seen before: he initiated physical contact. It was the morning after his birthday. Before she could even say good morning, Harry had given her a tight hug. Her shock was shared by Hedwig, who had received similar treatment. Though pleasantly surprised, Hermione could not shake the feeling that there was something else going on. Whenever Harry thought that she was not looking, she could see a brief shadow of pain cross his eyes. At first she had just associated this with the usual weight that he carried, but she eventually came to realize that this was different. She could not place her finger on what made it so, but she was certainly sure that it was. This had led to a brief discussion with Hedwig, but they had both decided that for this time, the reason did not matter. Hedwig had also noticed this behaviour towards her, but looking at the bigger picture, the why was irrelevant. What mattered was that Harry was coming out of his shell, being more forward. Though Hermione was perfectly aware of their little 'plan' to introduce Harry to as many girls as possible, she also found herself at a crossroads.

More often than not, she had found herself imagining Neville doing more… physical things with her. Granted, her scenarios never went beyond hugs, cuddles, and snogging, but the fact remained that they were there. She was definitely attracted to him, but that was the extent of her knowledge. And this lead to the concern that now occupied the forefront of her mind. If she ended up with Neville before Harry found someone, he would be left alone. Of course, she knew that no one could ever replace Harry in her heart, but he did not necessarily know this. Moreover, if he felt like he was once more left alone, he would retreat back into his shell and ruin any possibilities of being happy himself. The night before, Hermione had talked to Hedwig about this.

Flashback

"What do you think? Should I distance myself from Neville or…?" asked Hermione when she was done.

"I think that you are overthinking this Hermione, and you are doing what Harry would do. As much as I love Harry's nobility, to take things to the extent that he does is more often than not, a bad thing for him. It has leaded him to more suffering than if he had been just a bit selfish. Tell me, if Harry had tried to flirt with you earlier, would you have agreed to date him?" asked Hedwig.

"Probably… yes", she answered.

"Do you know why he didn't?"

"No."

"He did it because he didn't want to risk the friendship that he had with you. Hermione, you were the first woman in his life to ever show affection towards him, and this had a huge impact. However, he also knew that you were alone and had no friends. He was more than aware of the fact that your friendship with Ron was held up almost in its entirety thanks to him. Had he decided to act on the confusion of feelings that he felt towards you and failed, that friendship would have vanished, leaving you alone."

"So he sacrificed his feelings towards me?"

"In part, yes. Bear in mind, he has no idea what love really is. What he felt towards you was more akin to filial love, but he did not know this. Given that he had no examples to draw from, the only alternative that he could see was being with you romantically. There is a degree of insecurity that played into his decision of not acting out or even approaching you on this. But there certainly is a part of his self-sacrifice at play, even if he does not consciously realize this", explained Hedwig.

"So your point is that I shouldn't follow his example?" asked Hermione.

"Yes. Being like Harry is not a type of life that anyone can lead. You certainly are not one of those people, and you should be happy for it. Yes, there is a certain level of balance in Harry's life that offsets the horrors that he has lived, but it is not the kind of life that I would wish on to anyone. That level of solitude does not sit with everyone."

"So I should…?"

"Be selfish Hermione. Follow your heart, wherever it may lead. You can rest assured that Harry will support your decision regardless of the way he feels", answered Hedwig.

"But Harry…"

"Hermione listen to me. Regardless of our little schemes, whether Harry decides to date someone or not will be entirely up to him and there is absolutely nothing that we can do about it. Sacrificing yourself over this is simply not worth it. Who knows, it may prove to be the catalyst that will push him to do so" said Hedwig.

Hermione mulled over what she had said. She knew that there was truth in those words. Deep inside, she knew that she did not have the strength to carry the life that Harry did. Her heart could simply not bear the solitude that he led. However, it also cried with anguish at the sight of perhaps the most important person in his life, at least as family goes, alone and with the weight of the world on his shoulders. Hermione shelved those thoughts for later. There was no point in worrying about it without clearing up what she felt first. Harry descended after her with his trunk in tow. After a somewhat rushed breakfast, Remus shrunk their trunks so they could be carried in their pocket. Hermione Apparated with Tonks and Harry left with Remus. A couple of pops later, they appeared in Platform 9¾ with plenty of time to spare. This was a personal first for Harry, since he strongly believed that the Weasleys were simply incapable of arriving early or on time for that matter.

"You take care of yourself this year cub", said Remus as he hugged Harry.

"You too Moony. Take good care of him Tonks", he said as he hugged her as well.

"Will do Harry. I am not letting this wolf out of my sight!" she answered.

"Might be a bit awkward in the loo…" muttered Harry just loud enough so they could hear him. Remus turned a brilliant shade of pink and Tonks almost died of embarrassment. Hermione had no concerns in laughing openly at their discomfort. Harry laughed as well, his green eyes sparkling like a certain headmaster. He noticed the entrance of Galdir and Aglareth, who had run into Neville and Augusta.

"Hey Neville! Hey Galdir!" said Harry with a smile.

"Harry, Hermione", said Galdir with a bow which was mimicked by Aglareth.

"Mr Lupin and Miss Tonks. It's a pleasure to see you again", said Aglareth.

"Please Lady Aglareth. You can call me Remus. Mr Lupin makes me feel older than I already am."

"It's just Tonks. Or Nymphadora I guess", said Tonks meekly.

"I am glad to see you are using your full name Nymphadora. As my son said, it simply is not correct to be ashamed of one's real name, especially one as beautiful as yours. Since we are amongst friends, you may call me Aglareth", she answered.

"So how was the end of your summer Neville?" asked Harry.

"Pretty good. I got a new wand! 13 inches cherry and unicorn hair", he said as he showed them his wand.

"That's great Neville. How does it feel?" asked Hermione.

"Natural. Don't get me wrong, my dad's wand was great and all, but it just didn't feel right", said Neville.

"The wand chooses the wizard", said Galdir with a smile.

"That's what Mr Ollivander said. Anyways, shall we board the train before it leaves? I don't think that Harry wishes to make a repeat of his grand entrance from second year!" said Neville.

"Don't remind me", said Harry.

"What grand entrance?" asked Galdir.

"We'll tell you later. Come on!" said Hermione.

Galdir turned to face Aglareth while the rest of them said their goodbyes. After a quick privacy ward was erected, Galdir spoke.

"Keep me informed of any eventualities. Have either Canadion or Anuon send me the letters in Ancient Elvish. That way they cannot be read", said Galdir.

"I will. Take care of yourself", said Aglareth.

"Always do. May the stars watch over you", said Galdir.

"And may Magic watch over you", she replied. Galdir bowed and dropped the ward, heading towards the scarlet engine ahead.

The quad of teens made their way through the train, looking for an empty compartment. They found one close to the back as usual, and they all made their way in. With a wave of their wands, they restored their trunks and proceeded to face the daunting task of hefting them on to the racks. Galdir simply picked it up like it weighed nothing and placed it neatly on the rack. Neville imitated him, though with nowhere nearly as much ease. Then again, Neville was not an elf, who possessed greater physical strength than humans did. It also helped that Galdir never actually lifted the trunk. He just pretended he did. Through the years he had developed his telekinesis to the point where he could levitate objects mere millimetres from his hands so it gave the illusion that he was actually lifting or moving the object in question.

Neville promptly moved to lift Hermione's trunk, which caused her to turn a very light shade of pink. Galdir helped Harry place his and then the four sat down, with Harry and Galdir on one side and Neville and Hermione on the other. Whether this move by Neville was deliberate or not is unknown, but he certainly did not complain of the outcome either way.

"So Galdir, are you excited to see Hogwarts?" asked Hermione.

"I am. I have done some reading on the castle so I am familiar with the descriptions that people have given. Of course, as it often happens, reality is another matter entirely", replied the elf.

"True. I still can remember the first time that I saw those turrets, the battlements…"

"Yes, I remember that as well. I wonder if you will go with the first years or with us?" asked Neville.

"I was told to go with the first years. I am to be sorted with them. Should create quite the stir for there has not been a transfer in quite some time", replied Galdir.

"Speaking of stirs, did you read the paper this morning?" asked Hermione.

"Yes, but why should I keep you from entertaining us with its content?" asked Harry with a smile. Hermione gave him a mock glare.

"Well, Voldemort attacked Azkaban! They freed a lot of Death Eaters, amongst them Lucius Malfoy", said Hermione. Neville's face hardened, as did Harry's. Galdir eyed her with interest.

"How did they manage it? From what I hear, Azkaban is as impenetrable as it gets", said Galdir.

"That's the thing, no one knows. At least if the Prophet is to be believed", said Neville.

"There's also the fact that they left none alive", said Hermione.

"That seems rather odd, does it not? Voldemort is not known for being particularly tidy", said Galdir.

"What's even weirder is that the body of the Auror that sounded the alarm was found in his bed, with a kind of stasis charm that they could not recognize. He was just laid there, ready to be buried, while the rest of the victims were slaughtered in the most brutal ways", said Hermione. Harry scratched his head in thought, while Galdir steepled his fingers.

"Odd indeed", he muttered. The train gave a soft lurch forward as it began its journey to Hogwarts.

"Come on Harry, we need to go to the prefect's meeting", said Hermione.

"I didn't know you were made a Prefect. Congratulations Harry!" said Neville.

"Thanks Nev. See you guys in a bit", said Harry.

As soon as they had left, Galdir turned to face Neville.

"So tell me about this grand entrance of Harry's", he said.

"Oh! It was all the school talked about during the start of our second year. At least until the attacks started happening. Apparently Harry and Ron drove a flying car to Hogwarts. They crash landed it on the Whomping Willow that is in the grounds. Snape was furious!" answered Neville with a smile.

"Did he? He certainly seems to have a knack of getting into things doesn't he?" said Galdir.

"You have no idea. First year, he fought Voldemort. Second he killed a basilisk, or at least that's what the rumours say. Third he somehow managed to free Sirius Black. Fourth was the Triwizard Tournament and the resurrection of Voldemort. Then last year was the Department of Mysteries. Yeah, I would say he does have a knack for it."

"I had no idea. Some of these things did make their way out into the public, but they were few and far between. He does not exactly have it easy does he?"

"Not really. He's had a hard life." Neville went silent after this. Galdir sensed that perhaps he had already gotten all the information that he could from Neville. The loyalty that Harry commands is nothing short of impressive, thought Galdir.

"Well Neville, if you will excuse me, I am going for a quick walk. I will be back soon." Galdir rose and exited the compartment.

He slowly rubbed his temples as he felt the beginnings of a migraine starting to form. There was just too much noise coming from everyone's minds, and it was taking its toll on him. The way that he had been explained Absolute Legilimency worked was like a master key. Each person's mind was like a room. If they had Occlumency training, the door would be locked, otherwise it would be open. His powers gave him the ability to open all lock doors, regardless of skill or power. It was the unlocked doors that represented a problem. The fact that he could open all doors did not mean that he chose to do so. If a door was open however, it was almost impossible to ignore the noise that came from it. Now multiply that 'noise' by the total number of students, and one can easily understand why Galdir was having such a pounding headache. He momentarily considered forcing his magic to fold like it had done that time in his youth, but the memories of the end result came flooding in and quickly made him dismiss the idea. As he walked around aimlessly, his attention was momentarily drawn to a compartment where a girl had just thought Harry's name. Galdir recognized her to be Daphne Greengrass, but he elected to ignore the rest of her line of thought. As it was, the last thing that he wanted was to get into the mind of a teenage girl. His life was complicated enough already.

After their boring prefect meeting and completing their round, Harry and Hermione returned to the compartment. They found Galdir comfortably seated in what appeared to be a meditative pose and Neville with his nose deep inside a Herbology book. He turned around at the sound of the door opening and smiled at Hermione.

"Hey you two. Harry, there was a kid that came by asking for you. I told him you were busy, and he left you a note from someone named Slughorn", said Neville handing him the note

"What does it say?" asked Hermione as Harry read the note.

"It was an invitation to some form of tea party in his compartment, but it seems that I missed it", said Harry with a heavy sigh.

"What's wrong Harry?" asked Neville. Harry eyed Galdir cautiously.

"How long has he been like this?" he asked.

"A while now. Hasn't made a sound too. It's weird really. Looks like a statue if you're not paying attention." Seemingly convinced, Harry sat down without disturbing Galdir.

"Dumbledore gave me an assignment. He wants me to befriend Slughorn. Or at least make him believe that I like him", said Harry.

"My Gran talked about him. He seems to be attracted to those with power", said Neville.

"He is. He 'collects' them I guess, and now he has his eyes on me", said Harry.

"Any ideas of how you're going to do this?" asked Hermione.

"Not really. I mean, given that he is attracted to me, it shouldn't really be that hard should it? Speaking of hard things, has Malfoy made his yearly round?" asked Harry.

"No. Odd isn't it? He usually never misses a chance to strut around like a peacock", said Neville. Hermione snickered at his comment.

"Far too beautiful a creature to be compared to one such as Malfoy. Perhaps a ferret would be more accurate?" said Galdir as he slowly came back from his trance. Of course, he was perfectly aware of what had transpired during that time, but he decided to feign ignorance. Hermione gave a shriek and jumped unconsciously onto Neville's lap, which promptly caused them to turn a very deep shade of crimson.

"How long have you been listening?" asked Harry cautiously.

"Long enough to hear Neville compare Malfoy to a peafowl", answered Galdir. Harry visibly relaxed at this. "It appears that I chose a good time to end my trance. I would have otherwise missed an opportunity to take another jab at the brat." Galdir's eyes shone with mischief.

"But not just any ferret", said Harry. "His full title is the Amazing Bouncing Ferret. Alright you two?" asked Harry, causing two completely different reactions. Hermione and Neville turned even more red, if that was possible, and Galdir broke in gales of laughter.

"I would gladly go see such a show", said Galdir between bouts of laughter.

"You missed it in fourth year. Our Defence professor turned him into one", said Neville as he slowly recovered from his embarrassment. Hermione had carefully extricated herself from his lap and now was trying desperately not to look at Neville for fear of her face flushing again. Fortunately for them, Fate intervened in the form of the trolley arriving to their compartment.

"Anything from the trolley dears?" she asked sweetly.

Harry immediately jumped and bought pretty much the remainder of the trolley. He then distributed the loot.

"Harry, please allow me to…"

"I wouldn't bother Galdir. Harry's like this. And he won't accept your money so I would save my breath", said Hermione with a smile. Galdir nodded and bowed to Harry as a sign of gratitude. He then turned to the package that had been handed to him.

"Interesting. I have never seen something like this", said Galdir. The Elves had never delved into the art of confectionary, preferring instead to perfect their culinary arts with their meat-free diets.

"You've never seen a chocolate frog?" asked Neville as he slowly ate his pastry.

"No. My mother and I follow a different diet I suppose. We never had any of these in the house", said Galdir.

"Well, I guess it's up to us to introduce you then. Be careful though, they really do jump. I lost my first one after it jumped out the window", said Harry.

"Thanks for the warning", said Galdir with a smile. He then proceeded to open the package and catch the frog as it attempted to leap towards a place that did not involve being eaten. Hermione stared at the quickness of Galdir's reflexes. It was almost like he knew where the frog was going to be. She had only seen such things from Harry, and even his weren't that developed.

"How did you do that?" asked Hermione.

"Do what?" said Galdir as he slowly ate the frog, relishing the taste and texture in his mouth.

"I've never seen anyone have reflexes like that. They're even better than yours Harry", she said.

"I'll believe that when I see it. Harry is the best Seeker in the world", said Neville. Harry blushed at the praise.

"I'm not that good", he mumbled.

"To answer your question, I was trained in fencing, along with other arts. My mother ensured that my reflexes were honed as much as possible. I guess that's why", answered Galdir softly.

"We'll have to have a match then", said Neville. "To see who's better: you or Harry." Galdir laughed at this.

"I have no doubts that Harry would beat me. I may be fast, but if the stories that I've heard of the Quidditch matches at Hogwarts are true, then Harry outclasses me by far", he said.

The sky slowly darkened as they made their way to Hogwarts. Eventually, the time came for Galdir and Neville to change into their robes, since Harry and Hermione had already done so before their meeting. After the quick change, Neville eyed Galdir with a grin.

"You're going to have to fend off the girls with a club of some sort Galdir. Even I have to admit you look good!" Galdir gave him a mock glare.

"I would like to think that they can behave in a civilized manner", he answered. Hermione snorted.

"Yeah good luck finding one like that. They're probably going to be drooling like the boys were when Fleur came during fourth year", said Hermione.

"Fleur Delacour?" asked Galdir.

"Soon to be Weasley. Why, do you know her?" asked Harry.

"She is a distant relative from my family", said Galdir.

"So you're part Veela?" asked Neville.

"I guess. Veela is not something that you can be only part, Neville. You either are or you are not. There is no in-between. My ancestry is Veela, hence I am Veela. However, the powers that they possess, such as the allure, are not present in men as they are in women. We also do not inherit the ability to throw fireballs or turn avian when we get upset. But we do inherit the beauty of the Veela. Hence why I can have a normal conversation with a woman without having to be too concerned with her being entranced", said Galdir.

"Is your mother Veela as well?" asked Hermione.

"I am not entirely sure. I would be inclined to say yes, but I am not certain enough to say she is with confidence."

The train soon came to a stop and they exited. Amidst the noise, the bellows of Hagrid could be heard from afar.

"Firs' years over 'ere", yelled the half-giant.

"Well, this is where we split. I shall see you at the feast, yes?" said Galdir. The trio nodded and they left for the carriages, while Galdir walked slowly, trying to avoid the throng of first year students and their awe-struck faces.

"Righ' then. This way to the boats! Come on now, follow me" said Hagrid as he motioned them towards the fleet of boats that sat at the shore of the Black Lake.

Galdir gracefully boarded one of the boats, making sure that he did not disturb the water as he did so. The rest of the first years seemed to be intimidated by his presence and avoided the boat he was in. Hagrid noticed this, but he knew that this was the new transfer, and so ignored it. He boarded the last one and gave the command for the boats to start their slow glide over the glassy surface of the lake. Galdir tensed a bit as he sensed the edge of the wards loom closer. He was confident that the trip to the Casket would work, but it still did not account for the fact that it would be difficult to deal with the situation if it failed. He felt the tingle of the wards as he crossed them, and then relaxed when he saw that nothing happened. As soon as they turned a corner, he felt his breath be taken away as he stared at the magnificence that was the castle. No human could have built something like this, he thought as he admired the work of the Elves. Even after 1,000 years the castle still seemed to glow with the power that it had been imbued with upon its creation. Galdir was so lost in his thoughts that he did not notice the boats come to a stop. He snapped out of his reverie and followed the line of first years as they headed towards the main doors of the castle. As the massive wooden doors opened, Galdir smiled and entered what would be his home for the upcoming months, while silently muttering a prayer that all would go well.

"Welcome to Hogwarts" said an elderly witch.