Lusitania
Chapter Three – The Date
Author: Sirius White
Author email: siriuswhite@schnoogle.com
Category: Romance/Adventure/Action/Mystery
Keywords: Artio Sperios, Patrick, Anaras, Captain Dolphin, Lusitania
Spoilers: All the four books and QTTA and FB.
Rating: PG
Summary: Artio is a girl who goes to a magical school, as Hogwarts. She is going for the first year and very strange things happen. Patrick is a boy who people don't like. Why?
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned
By JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Author's Note: Dedicated to my family and my country, Portugal.
*******************************
Artio ran out of the dormitory. She had to find that girl!
****
While searching for the girl she had met, Artio entered the confusion of the stateroom and didn't notice that Captain Dolphin was on stage with three more people. She only noticed because a boy tapped her on the shoulder and told her to pay attention. When she looked up at the stage she saw Captain Dolphin with a woman, a girl and a boy. She stopped and listened.
"All our dear students" he began, "here we are for a new school year! I am very proud of you all. Time passes so fast! I don't want to remember how many years have passed since my first year as a professor!" The whole room laughed at his statement. "It is true… But you are young, so you shouldn't care about this… I have to tell you some things you need to know. First of all, it's important for you all to get good marks in your courses. Some of you will be graduating this year. I want to let you know how proud I am of those who graduated last year and to tell you that they all have a job today! They got it because they studied hard, so I hope you all follow them! I also want to alert you about some things you have to know" he paused. Some of the students started talking about last year, saying "Oh my! How many years do we have to hear the same speech?"…
Artio remembered what she was doing and started to walk again when she heard someone saying, "Please stay where you are!"
She looked around, wondering who had spoken and noticed it was Captain Dolphin. "Stay there," he said. He seemed to know Artio was going to leave. "Because I have to important things to say that you need to hear!! Very well! So on to the first adviser…"He turned to the others on the stage.
"First years are not allowed to have a broom," said a fourth year boy in perfect unison with the voice on the stage. He had heard the same thing all four years he had been there…
"Second," Captain Dolphin continued, "all classes are compulsory. You have no choice in the matter. Third… we'll be stopping in five or six hours at the first island to buy some supplies. At that time you will form into groups of ten students with one professor leading each group, okay?"
The fourth year boy was saying exactly the same thing as the Captain! He knew the whole speech, word for word.
"… Fifth and most important!"
The boy, who was echoing everything the Captain said, exclaimed, "What?!? That is not right! You are wrong, that's not the next sentence!" and Artio and others had to laugh. How could they not laugh with him at the situation?!
The Captain continued, "The most important!…" He stopped and seemed to think about it, Er… no, never mind, I will tell you when we finish buying supplies on the next island! Now, let's eat, I am hungry…"
Artio hadn't noticed that on the other side of the room there was food, drinks and many other things. She made her way there, realizing for the first time how hungry she was… Anaras was off with a group of friends… Artio noticed she hadn't formed any strong friendships as it wasn't something she could ever do easily… So far there was only Anaras and Patrick, who didn't even exist… She supposed Carldonne could also be seen as friend but she didn't like him very much, even if he was her cousin and a fellow student at the school. Artio pondered it as she stood eating bread with an interesting but tasty kind of meat she'd never had before. What house was Carldonne in? She didn't remember… had he ever told her?…
Suddenly she remembered she had been trying to find the girl who owned the cat and looked around the room for her but as she couldn't see her, was forced to enter the confusion to continue her search.
It took Artio fifteen minutes before she finally saw her.
Artio asked the girl if she had already found the cat.
"Yes… he is sleeping on my bed, in the dormitories. Thanks for asking!"
"Er… can I see him? I love cats!"
"Sure. Let's go. I will see you later, Ariane." she told the other girl she had been talking to.
"I haven't introduced myself yet" Artio began "I'm Artio, Artio Sperios"
"Oh cool name. Very unusual… I am Cynthia Tropelt. Glad to meet you"
"How long have you had your cat?"
"He was a gift from my parents after I received the invitation to the academy…"
"How old is he?"
"Two months old… well I should explain that I didn't get him as a present… I received his mother. Two weeks later he was born in my house…"
Artio doubted the cat could be as intelligent as Patrick, well Jeremy, wrote...
They entered the dormitories and found, lying on a bed that was likely Cynthia's, a small black cat, sleeping.
"Here he is."
"Can I touch him?"
"Sure!"
Artio stroked the cat and he woke up. He mewed and suddenly a big black cat jumped to the bed.
"Oh this is Chintz, his mother."
Artio noticed three more little cats beneath the bed. She understood they were his siblings…
"What are their names?"
"Well, the mother is Chintz, but the kittens don't have names yet."
"No???"
"No. I haven't chosen the names yet. Why? Should I?"
"Er… no, I mean yes… you should so they can hear and learn the sound of their names so they'll come to you easily… but that's not why. Sorry. Forget this okay? I have to go. Sorry…"
Artio turned to escape but Cynthia didn't let her go.
"Artio, wait! Why are you so strange? Now you've started telling me, you have to finish. Tell me!"
"Okay. Someone told me your cat was called Strimmy and I would need the help of Strimmy to do something. Now can I go?"
"No. You have to give me a better explanation than that. I don't understand. Who told you?"
Artio was forced to tell Cynthia everything and related her story, starting at the beginning and including the letter thing. Cynthia was thrilled by what she heard.
"And you thought Strimmy could be my cat right?" She asked when Artio finished.
"Yes. Now I don't know what to do… I don't know who Strimmy is; I don't know how to meet Jeremy, I don't know anything!" she cried.
"Oh Artio! Don't be sad. I'll try to help you. We'll ask other people about Strimmy but please don't cry, okay?"
"Really? You'll help me?" Artio was surprised.
"Yes. But stop crying please" Cynthia hugged her.
They went out trying to find someone who might know something about Strimmy, but they had no success.
Two hours later, back in the stateroom, they heard Captain Dolphin again, on the stage.
"Dear students! Now we are going to stop at this island and buy some supplies. You know the drill. Each group of ten students will go with one professor. Please form your groups now"
Cynthia and Artio looked at one another and decided they would stay together in the same group, with eight more students and one professor…
Other students joined them and quickly there were ten of them. Captain said "Will the groups that are already formed please come here"
They came. Artio and Cynthia didn't know all the people in their group. They knew Ariane, and the nameless boy (who had told Artio Captain Dolphin was talking, a few hours earlier) the other six people were total strangers.
A woman came to join them and introduced herself, "Hi. I am Professor Shayra Stormd'sky and this group is with me when we disembark, ok?"
Artio remembered her face from somewhere. She had been on the stage, with Captain Dolphin when he talked about the rules. She was also the woman in the portrait Artio had been looking at when Anaras appeared…
"Now, let's go. Follow me."
"Cynthia!" Artio said.
"Yes?"
"This woman. There was a portrait of her in the stateroom. Do you know her?"
"Er… she was with Captain Dolphin on the stage and in a portrait. I have also seen her portrait. And there was a portrait of the Captain too. Maybe she is his wife"
"Do you think? Hmm… she isn't called Dolphin…"
"You are right. So maybe she isn't his wife. Forget that!"
They followed Professor Stormd'sky and she stopped in the corridor-- the corridor that had the seven doors for the seven houses. Up above the entry they could read "Exit. Only one group of ten and one professor at any time in the corridor please." Artio watched as the letters moved and drifted to the walls.
"On this island we will buy clothes and hats, that sort of thing. We will stop at other islands to buy other things, but I will give you each a complete list of things you have to buy now." she handed out parchments, rolled up and tied with blue ribbon, to the students.
She walked along the corridor and stepped through the exit.
Artio read her parchment. Painted on it was the symbol of each house, as a vertex of a regular heptagon and in the middle a big symbol of the academy.
****
"Lusitania Magical Academy of Sorcery and Magecraft"
First YearPersonalized list – Sperios, Artio
Livery* Five black work cloaks
* A witches hat, thirty-seven cm high
* Protective gloves, Dragon Skin (Two pairs)
* A ball dress, any color except gray (can be a family heirloom).
o Note that all clothes should be labeled with the name of their owner.
Other Equipment
* Wand
* Cauldron (Cadmium, size Three)
* A crystal or glass set of bottles
* Telescope
* Wolfram set
* Pet
Obligatory Study Books
* "Behind The Sky, Complete Astronomy Guide(First Grade)",by Weldan, Silister
* "Talking About Beasts (First Grade)", by Scamander, Newt
* "One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi", by Spore, Phyllida
* "Transfiguration – How to Turn Mice in snares", by Whiskers, Romeo
* "The History of Magic", by Australopithecus, Wilda
* "The Dark Arts – A Superficial Vision", by Nester, Relik
* "Basic Sorceries" by Zephrinn, Wilhelm
* "Theoretical Magic Versus Practice Magic", by Eleph, Justicin
* "Magical Drafts and Potions", by Jigger, Arsenius
o Note: Books stated by author. Please notice its traducers.
Other books you should read * "Quidditch Through The Ages" by Whisp, Kennilworthy
* "Lusitania – Since Ever" by various authors
* "Lonedart's Diary" by Lonedart, Eleniod
* "The Merlin Order" by Merlin
*** First years are not allowed to have a broom.
**** All first year students will take nine classes: Astronomy, Transfiguration, Flying, Potions, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Herbology, Charms, History of Magic and Care of Magical Creatures.
****
Artio read over the list, her eyes widening as she saw how many things she had to buy…
Cynthia looked at her and smiled.
They were on dry land again and were going to buy things. Artio read "Ilha de S. Miguel – Açores".
[It could be translated as "Saint Michael Island – Azores", in English. (Author's note).]
They were in the Azores! Artio heard the islands were beautiful but had never been there before. The island was really beautiful: Green meadows, lots of cattle, some lakes and small towns.
They wouldn't go to Muggle towns of course. They would buy stuff at local wizarding shops.
They walked for a bit and entered a cavern where Professor Stormd'sky told them to touch the stalactite twenty seventh (counting from) the entrance… it was the portkey for the Wizarding town, Laxus (A note: Laxus means wide, in Latin).
Laxus was a small city, one of the four magical communities on the Azores archipelago of nine islands.
Laxus was a typical magical community, with lots of clothes shops and a population of around three hundred and fifty people as Professor Stormd'sky told them.
The portkey led them to the Shops zone. Professor Stormd'sky told them they could buy their clothes in any shop and reminded them they had to meet back here in an hour to return to the ship.
Artio and Cynthia chose a simple little old shop. They didn't choose to buy their stuff there because of its appearance but only because the witch (owner) who was at the entrance seemed to be very funny.
They entered and the witch didn't ask any questions. She started measuring them, ever joking.
"So you are new here. What house are you in?"
"Er," Cynthia began, "we are Dolphins"
"Oh! What a relief! I thought you were in Octopus House!" She grinned and continued, "Octopus students are so stupid! Well, if they are in the Octopus house I guess it's for a reason!" She grinned again. "There's a stupid house in all Magic schools or academies… maybe they are needed for something. I even heard "everyone and everything has a role to play in the world" so if they exist they have a role to play too. My only question is, what role? This is what I have never understood!"
Two tape measures were measuring Artio and Cynthia, quickly, as two quills were writing the numbers down on two different parchments.
"Very well. Let's stop talking and let's get to work. Measurements!" and the papers came to her hand "hum… Cloaks number 7 and 7/11 to Miss… what is your name darling?" she asked Cynthia.
"Cynthia Tropelt." she replied.
"… Miss Tropelt. Here are your five cloaks. Cloaks number 6 and 22/53 to Miss…?"
"Artio Sperios."
"…To Miss Sperios, here they are. Now the hats" the tape measure measured their heads in all ways and possible sizes, the papers went to the witch's hand and she quickly took two hats from the shelf, that seemed to be equals but were not "To Miss Tropelt, hat number 1343 that will be number 2784 on the Mikenzpiz's scale. For Miss Sperios, I reserved a 1298 hat, 2739 in the Mikenzpiz's scale. Here they are!"
"Gloves! My favorite finery! But yours must be of dragon skin. If they were not we would certainly pass the next three hours and twenty seven minutes choosing a pair!" She grinned, as usual.
Two boys entered the shop. They were there to buy their stuff, just like Artio and Cynthia.
"Good Afternoon! Are you busy or can I buy my stuff here?"
"Sure! So you are a joker too! My kind of people!"
One of the boys was talking with Cynthia about the things that were in the shop window. The other took his wand out and moved it. Artio was looking at the witch's forehead and the boy was also pointing at his forehead, smiling.
The witch noticed the looks on their faces and asked, "What's the matter? Do I have something written on my forehead?"
Artio and the boy grinned for a long time! That was exactly it. The boy had made letters pass across the woman's forehead so Artio could read it. Only she could see it because Cynthia was looking at the shop window and the woman couldn't see or feel anything on her brow.
On the witch's forehead the boy had written, "Please come outside the shop. I want to talk with you. This is fun! Let's go."
When Artio finished grinning she went outside, simply saying "I've got to step out and get some fresh air!" The boy said he would join her too.
When they were outside, Artio told the boy, "You're the best! How did you do that?"
"It's simple, I learned it from a little wizards book when I was eight…"
"So what do you want to tell me?"
"I am a bit angry. Why didn't you send me Strimmy?"
"What? Are you Patr… Jeremy?
"Yes, in the flesh!"
"Oh I'm sorry! I didn't find Strimmy!"
"I can't believe it! He was with the other girl? Oh my! He never changes!! Grrr!"
"I am really sorry"
"No, no problem. We met even without his help. It was destiny. We had to meet today and so destiny drove me to the shop where you were!" Artio studied his features closely as he spoke.
"But you are Patrick, I mean, your face is the same"
"Yes. He was in my body, but it was my face, it was my eyes, it was I. It didn't change anything on my appearance!"
"Now I understand! And…"
Artio didn't know how or why, but they kissed one another and she wanted to stay that way forever…
*******************************
http://www.groups.yahoo.com/group/Lusitania
http://www.astronomytower.org/AuthorLinks/sirius_white/
Post reviews at: http://pub39.ezboard.com/ffictionalleyfrm139