Night of the Broken Glass
C2: Slivers
[A/N: Anyone like? Anyone? Please, enjoy it. Otherwise I won't feel happy.]
[Disclaimer: Harry Potter and his (possibly deceased) friends are property/copyright of J.K. Rowling. I own my original characters (Kendra, Virgil, Seal, Dante, whoever else…). Don't steal and don't sue.]
The distant hoot of an owl was the only sound the night gave. Kendra sat at the edge of the lake on the grounds, staring at the ebony-colored water. It reflected only the half-moon and the tiny stars overhead.
Kendra curled up tighter as she felt another subtle twang of pain. It was true that the two people that had been killed by the Death Eaters or whatever they were called were just her guardians. But…
"They still took care of me." she murmured softly into her arms, sighing unhappily. She drew her arms tighter around her knees and put her head down, trying to think.
"There ya go." a gruff voice murmured as a heavy overcoat was dumped rather unceremoniously on her head, "Was wonderin' if you were gonna get up soon."
"Excuse me?" Kendra managed to tug the overcoat off, "Who are…you…"
The man who was now sitting next to her was gigantic. There was no other way to describe it—he was huge.
"Rubeus Hagrid." the giant of a man said, "Keeper o' the keys and grounds 'ere at Hogwarts. And yer little Kendra. Saw you once when you was just a little baby in yer mum's arms. Yer mum and yer dad were the greatest Hogwarts ever saw."
"You knew them?" Kendra asked, "You knew them before they…" She stopped, unable to say it.
"I knew 'em." Hagrid replied, "Brought yer dad to his Muggle family all those years ago with that gash on his forehead. Him and yer mum were the best pair I ever saw. Beat You-Know-Who every time they met him."
"Voldemort or Anton?" Kendra asked weakly, "I don't know the difference." Hagrid went ghost-white and made an odd grunt.
"I meant Volde…You-Know-Who." Hagrid said again, "T'other one's jes' called Darkness."
"You're scared of saying their names?" Kendra questioned, "Why?"
"Well, You-Know-Who's gone, but Darkness is still out there." Hagrid replied, "But you ought ta know that."
"Thank you, Hagrid, for talking to Kendra." Seal's voice murmured, "But now I need to speak with her." Seal was striding down the sloping grass and Kendra turned away from her. Hagrid stood up and dusted off his knees, plucking the discarded overcoat off the ground and starting off.
"G'night, Kendra, Professor Seal." he smiled good-naturedly as he went off.
"Kendra." Seal said in an oddly serious tone, "You need to come with me back up to the castle."
"Why?" Kendra asked bitterly, "More bad news?"
"Don't make me take drastic measures." Seal murmured, "I can walk with you up to the castle, or I can carry you. You can decide." Kendra sighed exasperatedly and stood up, dusting off her faded jeans and following the gray-haired woman.
The fire was the only sound in the room as Kendra sat in a chair and Seal stood in front of the fire.
"Dante and I are your guardians now." Seal spoke up finally, "You'll live here with us for the breaks, except you'll live in whatever House you are Sorted into on the first of September. There are a few things I need to tell you though.
"First off, yes, Dante is a vampire. He's just over seven hundred years old, but he won't ever bite anyone at Hogwarts. He can conjure his own blood. Second, the man you just met, Rubeus Hagrid, is a half-giant. I don't want you to go and spread that around like it's supposed to be common knowledge. He's rather sensitive about it.
"Lastly, I am a half-werewolf. I can transform at will, but I am safe. I transform at the full moon, but I am still safe. I tell each and every student of mine this, and Dante tells his students of what he is. It keeps a mass-panic from happening, if the students know."
"I don't really care about what you are." Kendra murmured, "I would have been happy if a nice person like you were my guardian and we didn't have any special powers."
"Good child." Seal smiled, "You know not to care of lineage or powers. You know to care for the person. You will make an excellent witch, just like your mother and father."
As Kendra finally decided to look up at her, Seal continued, "I knew them. Dante and I were teachers when they were. I did not know them when they were schoolchildren, unfortunately. Professor Ron Weasley always said it was puppy love between them.
"Everyone here was hurt grievously when they died. Even Snape, the old coot. And they were even more hurt when they believed you dead as well. Your mother and father had been developing something. They were making something that had to do with the five elements—fire, water, wind, earth, and lightning. No one is entirely sure yet, but I want you to know that a form of orb is being kept here this year until the Headmaster, Professor Dumbledore, can find an even better place to hide it.
"Most of what I've said you cannot say to any of the other students you meet. And I hope you kept your word to Dante about not saying your name to anyone else in Diagon Alley today. Otherwise, it may cause trouble. Now, on to happier things. Happy Birthday."
"What?" Kendra blinked slightly, frankly bemused.
"I was at Diagon Alley to get something." Seal turned away from the fire and smiled slightly, seemingly embarrassed, "I got you a birthday present."
Kendra had no time to ask what on earth she could have even thought of when a slightly gray snowy owl flapped in from the open window and landed on the arm of the chair and hooted slightly.
"Owls in the wizarding world are very useful. They carry mail, packages, newspapers…" Seal explained, "And students here are allowed one, so I just thought you might like one. Um, did I make you mad?"
Kendra had fallen silent, her hand reached out towards the owl. Finally, she looked up after a long moment, tears glistening at the edge of her green eyes.
"Thank you." she said in a weak voice, "I've never had such a nice gift."
Seal just smiled.
The next morning, the grounds were covered in a gray mist. Kendra awoke to that due to some odd circumstance, but found herself standing at the window of the room and staring at the grounds.
Seal was still sleeping it seemed, so there wasn't any reason for Dante to be up and about, Kendra reasoned with herself. Of course, that notion was blown away as Dante appeared on the grounds, striding silently and with some purpose.
He stopped a few meters from the castle and stood completely still. It was as if he was just standing out there to think. Suddenly, a sword was in his hand, arm outstretched completely. Kendra stared. It had happened faster than the blink of an eye. She couldn't see it. She didn't see the movement at all, much less hear the sword being drawn from the sheath suddenly at his belt.
The sheath remained at his side completely throughout the training he put himself through, placed between his black robes and the belt. He moved seamlessly, without any flaw.
I said I was a vampire and a hunter… His words rang in her head suddenly. Kendra sighed and continued to watch her guardian battle an invisible enemy.
"The students arrive tonight?" Kendra questioned, looking up from reading one of the texts she had gotten at Diagon Alley, "And the term starts tomorrow?"
"Yes." Dante replied as he polished one of his many swords, Seal somehow sleeping on the floor nearby, "Seal will greet them at the front doors. I want you to wait in the shadows until there is a large group of first-years. Then, slip into the group and follow them into the Great Hall and wait to be sorted. Don't say who you are if anyone asks."
—Several Hours Later—
The Great Hall was alight with noise and the light of candles as Kendra crept by it, heading for the front doors, where Seal stood waiting. Kendra stood off to the side of the doors, waiting to be hidden by the doors and shadows and then slip into the group as just another faceless first-year.
Three knocks came and Seal opened the massive doors, sending Kendra into shadows.
"The firs' years, Professor Seal." Hagrid's voice came from the other side of the doors.
"Thanks, Hagrid." Seal replied, "Come along now."
The nervous looking students filed in, following Seal as she strode towards the Great Hall. A large group finally managed to get inside and Kendra slipped in unnoticed. Or so she thought, when a voice whispered in her ear.
"How pleasant to see you again, Kendra." Virgil Riddle's voice whispered so only she could hear.
There was no time to react to Virgil's appearance as Seal had led them to a chamber off to the side of the Great Hall.
"Welcome." Seal smirked sideways, "As you all know, this is Hogwarts. I know you're hungry—I can hear your stomachs—and I'll try to make this as quick as I can. Before you can take a seat and eat something, you'll be sorted into your Houses. Your House will be your brethren here at Hogwarts. You'll have classes with them, eat at the House table with them, and live with them in the common room and dormitory of your House.
"The four Houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. No House is greater than the others. All positive actions will earn your House points, but all rule-breaking will take points away. When the year ends, the points will be added up, and whichever House has the most points wins the House Cup.
"The Sorting will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I'll come back when everything is ready." With that, she strode off and into the Great Hall.
Kendra finally got a chance to turn and look at Virgil, who was still standing behind her.
"So have you been staying here with Professors Seal and Ascarte?" Virgil murmured so only Kendra could hear as the other first-years jabbered nervously.
"Yes, I have." Kendra replied, "Why do you ask?"
Virgil just smiled a little smile, his crimson eyes glinting. Kendra felt an odd presence, as if someone was staring at her. She turned and saw a particularly short person in the shadows, staring at her with one eye. The most immediate thought was to ask the person who they were, but Seal's return prevented that.
"Get in a line, and follow me." Seal beckoned with a finger. The first-years shuffled quickly into a line and walked into the Great Hall after Seal. Kendra looked up to the bewitched ceiling of the Great Hall, not wanting to look at any of the other students just yet.
Seal stopped them in front of a four-legged stool with a ragged, ripped, and moldy pointed wizard's hat. Each first-year stared apprehensively at it, as if wondering if they had to pull a rabbit from it. Kendra simply looked at it, as Virgil did on her right and the short person from the shadows on her left.
The hat twitched, and a rip by the brim opened wide and the hat began to sing.
(A/C: I'm not writing a song. Go to a few minutes later.)
The Great Hall rang with applause as the Sorting Hat fell silent again.
"When I call your name, come up here and put the hat on." Seal said rather absent-mindedly as she looked over a long roll of parchment, "Then go to the proper table. Ansolo, Garrett!"
A boy with auburn hair swept forwards and sat down on the stool, putting the hat on.
"SLYTHERIN!" the hat cried. The Slytherin table cheered and clapped as the boy swaggered over to them, looking pleased.
"Aragen, Rachel!" A blonde girl who had an irritatingly superior look on her face stepped forwards.
"SLYTHERIN!" the hat shouted again. The Slytherin table clapped again and the girl walked off with a little grin.
Kendra ignored the hat's shouting and scanned the High table. Dante was sitting there, watching the students and occasionally glancing at her. A man with flaming red hair sat next to him, clapping happily as "Bale, Jason!" was made a Gryffindor. Hagrid, the groundskeeper, was there as well, clapping merrily at every student. Further along the table sat a pale-looking man with black hair, black eyes, and a generally unhappy look on his face. He glanced once at her and paused for a long second.
"Chishio, Virgil!" Seal's voice suddenly brought Kendra out of her thoughts. Virgil gave Kendra a grin as he strode up to the stool and put the hat on. It took a longer time than most of the other students for the hat to decide, but it shouted:
"GRYFFINDOR!" Virgil grinned as the Gryffindor table cheered and the red-haired man at the High Table hooted.
Time passed and Kendra soon was staring off into nothing. A boy with the curious last name of 'Malfoy' was made a Slytherin when the hat had barely touched his head.
Seal began to call people with the last name starting with 'p'. Kendra listened, but felt a weight drop into her stomach. Anxiety was starting to form in her mind as each name called meant she would be called sooner. Finally, Seal paused for a moment.
"Potter, Kendra!"
Whispering like rustling leaves filled the hall.
"But she's dead!" "No way!" "The Potters are dead, aren't they?"
Kendra stepped forwards with her head down, worried now as every person in the hall, including most of the teachers, were craning their necks to look at her. She sat down and put the hat on, suddenly losing sight of the hall as the hat dropped over her eyes.
"I've been wondering if I'd ever see another Potter." a voice in her ear whispered, "Now where to put you? Plenty of courage and talent…good mind…and a strong will to show that you are worthy. Now where shall I put you?"
Kendra remained silent, her throat tight, but thought, Where did my parents go? Should I go there too?
"You could do well in any House, but with a person like you, it'd better be…GRYFFINDOR!"
The last word echoed in the silence of the Great Hall. Then pandemonium ensued from the Gryffindor table. Everyone was cheering, stamping their feet, and clapping. Kendra walked rather stiffly to the Gryffindor table after taking the hat off and sat down next to Virgil, who had been keeping a space. Most people at the table waved, grinning at her, but some were whispering about her appearance.
The rest of the first-years were sorted quickly. Kendra waited, watching the short person that had been watching her. They wore a hooded cloak, not showing their face. Sooner or later, there were three people left, a black-haired boy, a brown-haired girl, and the cloak-wearer.
"Vario, Jace!" The black-haired boy nervously went up. He sat down and put the hat on.
"HUFFLEPUFF!" the hat shouted. The boy scampered off, then scampered back to give the hat back whilst the Hall laughed.
"Walker, Toorima!" The cloak-wearer walked forwards, pushing back the hood of the cloak and sitting down. The cloak-wearer was a girl with strangely light blue hair and an eye patch over one eye. Her face had a scar over her left cheek, but she didn't seem to care about the odd looks she was getting.
"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat shouted a few seconds later. The girl walked over to the table and sat opposite from Kendra, looking down at the table.
The last girl was sorted off into Ravenclaw and Seal took the Sorting Hat away. The professor in the center of the High Table stood up and everyone fell silent. Kendra stared at the silver-haired man, knowing who he was. Albus Dumbledore; the man who allowed Seal and Dante to become her guardians. She had seen him whilst wandering through the hallways.
"Welcome to another new year here at Hogwarts!" he said jovially, "I hope you all have an enjoyable year, and an enjoyable feast. Thank you." He sat back down.
"He's an interesting man." Virgil smiled, "I'm glad he's still headmaster." The plates on the table were suddenly piled with food. The students began to eat and talk, the hall buzzing.
"So, you really aren't dead." a low voice murmured. Kendra looked up to see the blue-haired girl staring at her again.
"No, I'm alive." Kendra murmured, trying to not get into a conversation that involved debating her existence.
"Every person in the magical world thought you were dead." the girl continued to speak to her, "I thought so, until I saw your face. Your father had the same color eyes you do. But I'll keep my mouth shut if you want me to."
"Well, I'd just appreciate if you didn't keep saying that I'm supposed to be dead." Kendra replied, "Otherwise, I don't mind if you talk." The blue-haired girl's silver eye widened a bit in confusion.
"Toorima." Virgil spoke up, "That's an interesting name, especially since it means phantom killer."
"My father's an Auror." Toorima muttered, "He thought it'd be a good name if I followed in his footsteps." There was a suddenly shuffling as two people were moved forcefully from their seats and two red-haired girls sat down beside Kendra and Toorima.
"So you're Kendra Potter." the girl next to Kendra grinned, "Name's Erika Weasley. That's my sister, Lisa. Pleased to meet you."
"Weasley?" Toorima remarked, "As in the Weasley prank toys you see in joke shops? And as in the teacher sitting at the High Table?"
"Yep!" Lisa replied, slapping Toorima on the shoulder, "Nice to meet you, ah…"
"Toorima Walker." Toorima replied, "Just call me Rima."
"Nice to meet you then, Rima!" Lisa laughed, "And that's our dad up there!"
"So, Kendra, where exactly have you been hiding all these years?" Erika ventured to ask as the food turned to desserts, "How was living with Muggles for ten years?"
"Don't really care." Kendra sighed, "I don't live with them anymore."
"Right." Erika nodded, "Oy, Nick, come over here and meet the Potter kid!" At that, a ghost that been floating around at the end of the Gryffindor table glided up to them and bowed.
"Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington, at your services." he spoke rather elegantly, "Ah, hello again, Weasleys! Cause any havoc over the summer?"
"Sure did, Nick." Lisa laughed, "Made our dad wonder if we're copies of our uncles."
"New Gryffindors, I see." the ghost looked at Kendra, Virgil, and Rima, "Hope you keep out of trouble more than our friends here!"
"Hey, Nick, do that thing with your head!" Erika laughed, "Come on! Every Gryffindor needs to see why the Gryffindor ghost is called Nearly Headless Nick!"
Although it seemed that Nick was peeved, he tugged hard on his left ear and his head fell over as if on a hinge. He smiled at the stunned faces of most the Gryffindor first-years and flipped his head back on.
The food disappeared from the plates entirely as Professor Dumbledore stood up again.
"A few start-of-term notices, I think, before we head off to bed." he said, "First years should note that the forest on our grounds is forbidden, as should all other students. Mr. Filch, our caretaker, wishes to remind all of you that magic is not to be used in the corridors between classes.
"One last thing. The dungeon at the end of the Potions hallway is off-limits to everyone, unless you wish to never eat another treacle tart again." Rima gave a short, harsh laugh.
"Now, off to bed you go!" Dumbledore smiled, "Off you trot!"
"I can't believe we get to stay in the same dormitory as you!" a girl with light brown hair squealed eagerly, advancing on Kendra with her hands clasped before her chest in awe. Kendra backed away nervously, Rima chuckling as the three other girls in the dorm fawned over Kendra.
"All right now, I think our celebrity friend has had enough of that for one night." Rima finally decided to be nice, "And I'm sure every is tired."
To punctuate her point, the three girls yawned. They looked sheepishly at each other, and soon, the lights were extinguished and everyone was asleep.
Kendra walked through the mist at the edge of the lake, staring at the still water with a smile on her face. She shuffled through the leaves placidly and looked up to the moon.
To her horror, the moon and stars were gone, replaced by glinting blood red eyes. Inside her head, a deep rumbling voice said:
"Again, I must face a Potter. Ironic, isn't it?"
"Ironic that it will end the same way!" Kendra whipped around to see yet another pair of crimson eyes staring out from the darkness. Kendra barely heard the sound of a sword being drawn, but felt it rush by her, aimed upward, and turned around again, to see it bury itself deep between the two red eyes in the sky.
A horrible roar of pain resounded inside her head, and the scars on her hands began to burn. Then, something even stranger happened, as another eye, this time vertical, opened itself up around the sword, and then pulled it into itself, swallowing the sword whole.
"Strange and ironic…isn't it?"
Kendra awoke with a start, the dream fully remembered, and the scars on her hands faintly burning. It wasn't until many hours later that she finally fell back asleep.
—to be continued—
