Chapter Twenty
Of Hogwarts, Hats, and Arrivals
A/N: Okay, I haven't updated in FOREVER, and I apologize. However, I have an excuse; I'm working on an AWESOME new fic that (I think) is going to be called 'Never turn back'. So, on that note, I'm going to leave you all to read and especially REVIEW! Big thanks to Star*dust for finally catching up! ^_^ Anyhoozles...
Hogwarts Castle was incredibly tall. Tall and foreboding. Harmony swallowed down both the fear and her tears.
The goodbyes had not gone well. She had cried, of course, but not just because she was leaving. Ron hadn't even showed up. Shinra wisely didn't say anything, but Sirius had given her a funny look. In any case, she missed Sirius and her father already. Did she miss Ron?
Harmony told herself no. Why would she miss him? Because they had just had a screaming match and broke up? No, she was still mad about that, right?
Then why was she wearing the ring on a gold chain around her neck?
Harmony was one thing for certain; confused. Confused, angry, and depressed. But she had to put it underneath, hide it away. Here she was, climbing the front steps of Hogwarts. She had to put on a smiling face.
She hadn't undergone much in the way of disguise. Her ears were enchanted, of course. It wouldn't do well for the humans to see her tall, pointy ears. That didn't bother her. What did bother her was the haircut. Harmony's beautiful, ankle-length, wavy, golden hair had been chopped up to her waist. Well, chopped wasn't really an appropriate word since it had been painstakingly snipped by the city's best hairdresser just this morning, but it didn't make any difference to Harmony.
She understood why, of course. While ankle-length hair was the norm in Marigold, it was practically unheard of in the human world according to Sirius and...him. Anyway, no one would've dared touched a single strand of her hair if she hadn't permitted them to. She did, ever so reluctantly, give her consent...much to her current dismay. Her head felt considerably lighter without half its normal hair. She tried to focus on this as a cause to be upset, rather than certain...other...things.
She pushed Ron out of her head. She HAD to focus!
Nervously, she knocked on the huge wooden doors. Yes, Hogwarts was terrifying in her position. Not just because she was trying to fool all the defense mechanisms into accepting an alias, but also because she was a Slytherin. The castle seemed to frown upon her, knowing her blood had betrayed it before.
"Miss Silinster?" A sharp voice cut through Harmony's thoughts. She almost didn't look up. She had told everyone to call her Brooke recently, but no one really listened. She was going to have a hard time adjusting to a new name.
Harmony looked up and nearly winced. She did NOT like the look on this woman's face. A careful inspection and she came to the conclusion that this strict looking woman with the square spectacles had to be Minerva McGonagall, terror of troublemakers.
"Yes?" Harmony asked nervously. McGonagall seemed to be looking over her in a way she didn't really like.
"Come with me," She instructed. Harmony gulped and obeyed. She gasped when she entered the Entrance Hall...it was not at all like she expected. It was magnificent. Awe-inspiring. Unbelievable. Adjectives she had half forgotten flew through her mind.
"This way," Professor McGonagall said, trying to hide a twitching smile at the look on the young girl's face. She seemed to be something beyond impressed...a good way to get on the professor's good side. Minerva was very proud of her school.
Harmony's awe continued as she was lead up to Dumbledore's office. Hogwarts put Slytherin's Palace in Marigold to shame...which was odd considering the layout was nearly identical. But there was just something about Hogwarts, some aura around it, which forced you to be impressed.
"Cadbury," McGonagall commanded the gargoyle, and Harmony watched as it sprung away for them. She was stopped, staring, but McGonagall didn't even blink an eye, and Harmony found herself running to make sure she didn't get left behind.
Harmony immediately realized that in Slytherin's Palace she would be walking down the red carpet to her father's throne. She could almost see the well-dressed dukes of the council milling around. She could almost hear her father's strong, commanding voice.
Her father. Harmony felt a pang in her side. She missed him already. He and Harmony were close, but not that close...especially since Ron had come. She felt anger surge through her veins. Had she sacrificed her relationship with her father for that creep?
She was brought out of her thoughts when she heard McGonagall knocking on a solid oak door. She tensed...this was it. She was going to meet Albus Dumbledore. THE Albus Dumbledore. Harmony shivered.
"Good afternoon Minerva," A deep voice rang into the corridor. "Aha, Miss Silinster, do come in."
"Okay," Harmony squeaked. Dumbledore was jolly, of course, but Harmony was quite perceptive. Dumbledore was also wise, and powerful, and full of rage balanced by love. The balance, Harmony could tell, was teetering. You did not push Albus Dumbledore.
"Please, take a seat Miss Silinster," He smiled. She did so, all the while looking around the room. This office definitely had cooler stuff than her dad's throne room! "I am Professor Dumbledore, Headmaster here. This is Professor McGonagall, my deputy Headmistress, who teaches Transfiguration." Harmony smiled weakly at McGonagall.
"Now, if you would please put on the sorting hat," Dumbledore said, taking a tattered hat down from the shelf. "You will be sorted into your appropriate house. There are four: Gryffindor for the brave, Ravenclaw for the wise, Hufflepuff for the loyal, and Slytherin for the cunning."
Slytherin for the cunning. The words echoed in Harmony's head. Slytherin House was not exactly an enviable residence from what she understood of Sirius and Ron's tales. She was a Slytherin, and that was her true house. But she knew before the hat even touched her head that she would be in Gryffindor. It was some spell the Founders had used to make sure all the Heirs were placed in the same house. Slytherin, obviously, did the same.
"Hmm...very interesting..." The hat mumbled. Harmony felt her eyes widen. The hat was talking? "Well, your stay here should be QUITE interesting, Miss Slytherin..."
*You know my name?* Harmony thought in shock.
"Why of course!" The hat replied. "You can't fool me. Yes, you belong in Slytherin, but being an Heir I can't exactly do that. My oh my! You do have the Gryffindor bravery going for you..."
*I do?*
"Yes, child! And a good thing too, the battle is soon to come, oh yes! Well, I'd better sort you before old Dumbledore gets worried. He's been doing a lot of that in his old age...
*Exactly how old is Dumbledore?*
"Oh, come now! Even I'm not that cruel!" The hat said gleefully. "You don't go around telling people that their headmaster is 150 years old."
*150?!*
"Why yes! But remember, I didn't tell you."
*Blackmail. Major, MAJOR blackmail*
"I know you DO belong in Slytherin!" He (as Harmony was beginning to think of the hat) said, sounding absolutely ecstatic. "Well, I'd better put you where you're meant to be anyway...
"GRYFFINDOR!"
Harmony sighed with relief as the hat was taken off her head. That was the weirdest experience of her life...
"Well, Miss Silinster, welcome to Hogwarts," Dumbledore said, smiling warmly. "Minerva, will you take her up to Gryffindor Tower? She can wander the castle and try not to get lost until lunch." He winked at Harmony, who stared. Little did he know, there was no way she was going to get lost! This castle was her home!
Well, exactly like her home, anyway.
"Very well," Minerva replied. She beckoned for Harmony to follow her out of the office.
"Farewell, Miss Silinster, and good luck!" The jovial headmaster said. Harmony nodded and gulped. She didn't like this. Not at all.
"I am the Head of Gryffindor House," McGonagall explained as they walked. "Each house can earn or lose House points. At the end of the year the house with the most points wins the House Cup. Gryffindor is currently in the lead, and we have won for the last six years." She shot Harmony a look that said quite clearly 'So don't you go screwing it up'.
Harmony nodded bleakly, following McGonagall through the mazes that would've been confusing had she not lived somewhere identical for her entire life. She found herself in front of a portrait of a fat lady in a pink dress.
"Who is this, Minerva?" The lady in the portrait asked curiously.
"Her name is Brook Silinster, and she's a transfer student." McGonagall snapped.
"Is she now? What year?" The Fat Lady asked curiously.
"Seventh, if you can believe it."
"Transferring so late in the year?" The Fat Lady asked, looking at Harmony suspiciously.
"My family was having some financial difficulties," Harmony squeaked. McGonagall whispered something inaudible.
"Oh my, I'm so sorry dearie!" The Lady exclaimed, and Harmony managed a smile. She was supposed to be a young girl grieving the death of her mother, right? Or was it her father? Or maybe a grandparent....
She definitely should've paid more attention to Sirius when he was explaining her alter personality instead of being distracted by Ron.
"It's okay," She mumbled.
"Well, um, password?" The Lady asked.
"French onion soup," McGonagall replied, and the Fat Lady opened up graciously to reveal a cozy room decorated in scarlet.
"Don't forget the password." McGonagall instructed. "This is the Gryffindor common room. Up the flight of stairs on the right are the girl's dormitories. The second on the left is yours. You will see that your things are already there."
"Thank you, Professor," Harmony said sincerely. The Deputy Headmistress gave the girl a queer smile.
"I have a class to teach now. Feel free to roam to corridors. Be at the Great Hall for lunch and a few of your classmates will take you to your next class."
"Thank you again."
"Good day, Miss Silinster."
"Bye," Harmony whispered. Her eyes were wide with shock as she looked around the room. The decorating was different, sure, but she recognized it immediately.
Ron's quarters.
Damn it! She would be spending all her time here, and it was parallel with Ron's room in Marigold. That was all she could think of as she looked around. She willed the tears not to fall, swallowing and blinking fiercely. She missed Ron, she missed home, she missed everything.
And she hadn't even been at Hogwarts for a whole hour yet!
She put herself together and stuck her chin out stubbornly. She refused to let the castle win its little game. However, she didn't feel ready to confront this particular room as of yet. Instead, she decided to seize hold of her liberties and explore. She already knew where some things were, of course, but she didn't know what the rooms in Marigold translated to here.
She found herself wandering around aimlessly. The castle was really quite spectacular, and Harmony felt a mounting respect for the interior decorator. As she ambled around the empty stone halls, she realized that she was near the secondary ballroom, or whatever that was here. Curiously, she approached it. The two wooden doors were open, and she stepped timidly inside. She gasped.
Books. That was all that registered in Harmony's mind as she gazed in wonder at what had to be the library. She felt her eyelids fall, and she could see the ballroom's grandeur in the eye of her memory. She saw the beautiful figures dancing gracefully, and she could see her father laughing jovially with one of his more favored subjects.
She pried her eyes apart, convincing herself that this room held books, not dancing upper class sprites. She had to blink to keep more tears away. The laughter and music and light chatter seemed to echo in the room.
"Can I help you, dear?" A voice asked. Harmony looked up in surprise to see a thin woman standing before her, who could only be the librarian.
"I'm the new transfer," Harmony explained meekly.
"I know that," The woman said, smiling. She seemed sympathetic to Brooke Silinster. "I am Madame Pince, the Librarian here. Now, do you need anything?"
"Um...I think I got lost." Harmony lied. "Could you tell me the way to the Great Hall?"
"Certainly," Madame Pince continued with very specific instructions. Harmony mumbled her thanks and turned to go down to lunch...which she was absolutely dreading.
She would be meeting Harry Potter for the first time.
It wasn't that she thought he was just going to jump up and curse her or anything. It was just the simple fact that she was the heir of Slytherin, and he of Gryffindor. The enemies. Would he be suspicious? Would he discover that she wasn't who she said she was?
No, Hermione Granger was more likely to solve that mystery. In Harmony's eyes Hermione was a lesser, but nonetheless dangerous, threat. She was going to have to stop thinking of them as threats and obstacles! She had to make friends with these two.
Harmony was still trying to figure out how she was going to introduce herself when she heard the bell ring, signaling lunch was to begin. She gritted her teeth, preparing for the worst, and joined the throng entering the Hall.
"Hey! Hey you!" Harmony ignored the calls around you. "Excuse me!" The same voice said, tapping Harmony's shoulder. She spun around in surprise to see a girl about her age with brown hair and a wide smile. "You're the new transfer student aren't you?"
"Yeah, I'm Brooke," Harmony replied, feeling relieved. This girl was friendly enough.
"Which House are you in?" The girl asked curiously.
"Gryffindor," Harmony replied, feeling somewhat proud.
"Wonderful, so am I!" She exclaimed. "I'm Hermione Granger, Head Girl, by the way." Harmony felt her stomach tighten. So THIS was the famed Hermione.
"Herm!" A boy with messy black hair came up behind Hermione and pecked her on the cheek. Harmony's eyes widened. Messy jet-black hair, green eyes, bookworm glasses, lightening scar...
This had to be Harry Potter.
"Who this?" He asked, nodding at Harmony, who gulped.
"Brook Silinster, the new transfer. She's in Gryffindor." Hermione smiled.
"Welcome to Hogwarts!" Harry said, grinning. Harmony suddenly felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off her. These two were just a couple of friendly teenagers...very powerful friendly teenagers with the future of the world in their hands, but friendly teenagers nonetheless. Harmony let out a laugh.
"Do I have something on my face?" Harry asked.
"Yeah a scar." She said, grinning. "No, seriously it's just that I'm meeting the famous Harry Potter, and you're not near as pompous as I'd thought you'd be." She smiled. Harry grinned.
"C'mon, before all the seats are taken!" He exclaimed. Harry and Hermione led the way into the Great Hall and Harmony followed, her mind a whirlwind of wonder and her heart a whirlwind of emotion. God, this place looked like the Grand Ballroom of Slytherin's Palace. She nearly whimpered when her eyes involuntarily fell on the place Ron had proposed to her.
"It is quite breathtaking, isn't it?" Hermione asked, looking around the Hall fondly.
"Yes," Harmony whispered. "You have no idea." Lunch appeared and Harmony kept herself busy for a few moments with eating.
"Hey, Harry, 'Mione, who's this?" A tall black boy sat down near them.
"Brooke, the new transfer student," Hermione exclaimed. "I guess you'll need to be introduced to everyone." She said to Harmony, who smiled gratefully. Her eyes were flying through the room, taking in the amazing ceiling and surroundings and unforgettable, tear-jerking memories.
"This is Dean Thomas," Hermione began. "Sitting next to him is Seamus Finnagen."
"Hello!" Seamus said, waving.
"Those two girls are Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown, who share our dorm. That's Neville Longbottom, also in our year, he's a tad bit forgetful..."
"Tad bit?" Dean snorted. They all laughed, and Harmony smiled meekly.
"That's Colin Creevey, a wild fan of Harry's-" Here, Harmony noticed, Harry flushed scarlet. He was obviously still not comfortable with fame. "And over there is Mary Henderson..."
Hermione continued rambling off names of practically everyone sitting at the Gryffindor table. Harmony didn't mind though. She couldn't remember ever having seen so many people her own age.
"Hermione, who's this?" A familiar voice asked. Harmony looked up and grinned at Ginny Weasley, who flashed the same grin back.
"This is Brooke Silinster," Hermione replied. She seemed proud of her ability to make introductions or something. "Brooke, this is Ginny Weasley, a sixth year."
"Hello Ginny, are you in Gryffindor?" Harmony asked innocently. However, she was holding in laughter, and she could see the same in Ginny's eyes.
"Yes," She replied.
"Then why aren't you eating over here?" Harmony asked with an innocent voice but a devilish smile.
"She's dating Draco Malfoy," Hermione explained, frowning.
"The nastiest, slimiest, ugliest-"
"That's quite enough, Harry," Ginny snapped. She glared at Harmony, who winked. "I'm going back to the Slytherin table!" She announced haughtily. Harmony sighed, wishing she, too, could return to Slytherin table.
"Mad. Absolutely mad." Seamus muttered, before returning to conversation with Dean.
"So what's our next class?" Harmony asked. "I guess I'll be going."
"Potions," Hermione replied.
"You're lucky you transferred after we got Mindy," Harry said. "Snape was-"
"Harry, show a little respect!" Hermione interrupted, sounding horrified.
"What happened?" Harmony asked, suddenly realizing how much she already knew, and that her feigned ignorance was not going to stop here.
"He died." Hermione replied shortly.
"Oh," The rest of the conversation was about the teachers and classes as they finished their lunch. Harmony was quite relieved that her first class at Hogwarts would be taught by someone she knew.
The Potions dungeons were somewhat creepy, even without a creepy professor to match. Harmony shivered. She didn't like this place. Not at all. This represented the evil side of Slytherin. Just like people like Snape to give the Slytherins a bad rep!
"Okay, roll call!" Mindy chirped as they entered the classroom. Harmony mused briefly on how she could be so cheery in a place like this. The class took their seats, chattering. They only quieted slightly when Mindy called for "Lavender Brown"
"Okay, class, we have a new student today!" Mindy announced, grinning at Harmony, who groaned inwardly. This was going to be embarrassing... "Please, stand up Miss..."
"Silinster." Harmony said in a clear voice. "My name is Brooke Silinster."
"Really?" Mindy asked with a raised eyebrow. Her eyes said 'Great name, hun!'. "Tell us about yourself, Miss Silinster."
"Um..." Harmony bit her lip. "I live in France, and I...love music and I enjoy...er ...history and I don't like the color maroon." She finished her little speech and sat down.
"Wonderful!" Mindy said. "Now, today we will be starting the Sonya Solution. Who knows what that is? Miss Silinster?" Mindy looked at Harmony expectantly.
"Uh..." Harmony racked her brain. Sonya Solution? What the heck was that? "It, um, well, it...controls the mind."
"Incorrect, Miss Silinster," Mindy said cheerfully. "But ten points to Gryffindor for the effort. Miss Granger?"
"The Sonya Solution was invented by Sonya Scarlet, after her husband was successfully seduced and devoured by a veela. It is the only known way to prevent a veela attack."
"Fabulous!" The professor squealed. "Fifteen points to Gryffindor!"
"Oh," Harmony muttered, feeling stupid.
Mindy began to lecture, which she was very talented at. The class attempted to take notes and follow her fast paced speech at the same time, but in the end only Hermione was that talented. The solutions themselves were rather difficult (but they were, after all, supposed to be seventh years) so there were undoubtedly a few mishaps...most in the form of Neville Longbottom.
All in all, it was a good day for all the seventh years. All except one.
That night, Harmony stared up at the ceiling four-poster. She couldn't think of anything but Marigold, and the people there. One person in particular, but she couldn't even bring herself to say it in her thoughts. However, her mind's eye kept seeing visions of him, and Sirius and her father. Before she knew what was going on, she was crying.
Stop it, Harmony, she scolded herself. You're in Gryffindor, you can't be a cry baby. She that maybe a glass of water would help. She climbed out of bed and got her water. After a sip, she managed a smile. But it was short lived.
As she passed Hermione's bed, she saw a picture of Ron, laughing and flashing his irresistible smile.
She dropped her glass, allowing the liquid and glass to spread across the floor, and fell into bed sobbing.
Of Hogwarts, Hats, and Arrivals
A/N: Okay, I haven't updated in FOREVER, and I apologize. However, I have an excuse; I'm working on an AWESOME new fic that (I think) is going to be called 'Never turn back'. So, on that note, I'm going to leave you all to read and especially REVIEW! Big thanks to Star*dust for finally catching up! ^_^ Anyhoozles...
Hogwarts Castle was incredibly tall. Tall and foreboding. Harmony swallowed down both the fear and her tears.
The goodbyes had not gone well. She had cried, of course, but not just because she was leaving. Ron hadn't even showed up. Shinra wisely didn't say anything, but Sirius had given her a funny look. In any case, she missed Sirius and her father already. Did she miss Ron?
Harmony told herself no. Why would she miss him? Because they had just had a screaming match and broke up? No, she was still mad about that, right?
Then why was she wearing the ring on a gold chain around her neck?
Harmony was one thing for certain; confused. Confused, angry, and depressed. But she had to put it underneath, hide it away. Here she was, climbing the front steps of Hogwarts. She had to put on a smiling face.
She hadn't undergone much in the way of disguise. Her ears were enchanted, of course. It wouldn't do well for the humans to see her tall, pointy ears. That didn't bother her. What did bother her was the haircut. Harmony's beautiful, ankle-length, wavy, golden hair had been chopped up to her waist. Well, chopped wasn't really an appropriate word since it had been painstakingly snipped by the city's best hairdresser just this morning, but it didn't make any difference to Harmony.
She understood why, of course. While ankle-length hair was the norm in Marigold, it was practically unheard of in the human world according to Sirius and...him. Anyway, no one would've dared touched a single strand of her hair if she hadn't permitted them to. She did, ever so reluctantly, give her consent...much to her current dismay. Her head felt considerably lighter without half its normal hair. She tried to focus on this as a cause to be upset, rather than certain...other...things.
She pushed Ron out of her head. She HAD to focus!
Nervously, she knocked on the huge wooden doors. Yes, Hogwarts was terrifying in her position. Not just because she was trying to fool all the defense mechanisms into accepting an alias, but also because she was a Slytherin. The castle seemed to frown upon her, knowing her blood had betrayed it before.
"Miss Silinster?" A sharp voice cut through Harmony's thoughts. She almost didn't look up. She had told everyone to call her Brooke recently, but no one really listened. She was going to have a hard time adjusting to a new name.
Harmony looked up and nearly winced. She did NOT like the look on this woman's face. A careful inspection and she came to the conclusion that this strict looking woman with the square spectacles had to be Minerva McGonagall, terror of troublemakers.
"Yes?" Harmony asked nervously. McGonagall seemed to be looking over her in a way she didn't really like.
"Come with me," She instructed. Harmony gulped and obeyed. She gasped when she entered the Entrance Hall...it was not at all like she expected. It was magnificent. Awe-inspiring. Unbelievable. Adjectives she had half forgotten flew through her mind.
"This way," Professor McGonagall said, trying to hide a twitching smile at the look on the young girl's face. She seemed to be something beyond impressed...a good way to get on the professor's good side. Minerva was very proud of her school.
Harmony's awe continued as she was lead up to Dumbledore's office. Hogwarts put Slytherin's Palace in Marigold to shame...which was odd considering the layout was nearly identical. But there was just something about Hogwarts, some aura around it, which forced you to be impressed.
"Cadbury," McGonagall commanded the gargoyle, and Harmony watched as it sprung away for them. She was stopped, staring, but McGonagall didn't even blink an eye, and Harmony found herself running to make sure she didn't get left behind.
Harmony immediately realized that in Slytherin's Palace she would be walking down the red carpet to her father's throne. She could almost see the well-dressed dukes of the council milling around. She could almost hear her father's strong, commanding voice.
Her father. Harmony felt a pang in her side. She missed him already. He and Harmony were close, but not that close...especially since Ron had come. She felt anger surge through her veins. Had she sacrificed her relationship with her father for that creep?
She was brought out of her thoughts when she heard McGonagall knocking on a solid oak door. She tensed...this was it. She was going to meet Albus Dumbledore. THE Albus Dumbledore. Harmony shivered.
"Good afternoon Minerva," A deep voice rang into the corridor. "Aha, Miss Silinster, do come in."
"Okay," Harmony squeaked. Dumbledore was jolly, of course, but Harmony was quite perceptive. Dumbledore was also wise, and powerful, and full of rage balanced by love. The balance, Harmony could tell, was teetering. You did not push Albus Dumbledore.
"Please, take a seat Miss Silinster," He smiled. She did so, all the while looking around the room. This office definitely had cooler stuff than her dad's throne room! "I am Professor Dumbledore, Headmaster here. This is Professor McGonagall, my deputy Headmistress, who teaches Transfiguration." Harmony smiled weakly at McGonagall.
"Now, if you would please put on the sorting hat," Dumbledore said, taking a tattered hat down from the shelf. "You will be sorted into your appropriate house. There are four: Gryffindor for the brave, Ravenclaw for the wise, Hufflepuff for the loyal, and Slytherin for the cunning."
Slytherin for the cunning. The words echoed in Harmony's head. Slytherin House was not exactly an enviable residence from what she understood of Sirius and Ron's tales. She was a Slytherin, and that was her true house. But she knew before the hat even touched her head that she would be in Gryffindor. It was some spell the Founders had used to make sure all the Heirs were placed in the same house. Slytherin, obviously, did the same.
"Hmm...very interesting..." The hat mumbled. Harmony felt her eyes widen. The hat was talking? "Well, your stay here should be QUITE interesting, Miss Slytherin..."
*You know my name?* Harmony thought in shock.
"Why of course!" The hat replied. "You can't fool me. Yes, you belong in Slytherin, but being an Heir I can't exactly do that. My oh my! You do have the Gryffindor bravery going for you..."
*I do?*
"Yes, child! And a good thing too, the battle is soon to come, oh yes! Well, I'd better sort you before old Dumbledore gets worried. He's been doing a lot of that in his old age...
*Exactly how old is Dumbledore?*
"Oh, come now! Even I'm not that cruel!" The hat said gleefully. "You don't go around telling people that their headmaster is 150 years old."
*150?!*
"Why yes! But remember, I didn't tell you."
*Blackmail. Major, MAJOR blackmail*
"I know you DO belong in Slytherin!" He (as Harmony was beginning to think of the hat) said, sounding absolutely ecstatic. "Well, I'd better put you where you're meant to be anyway...
"GRYFFINDOR!"
Harmony sighed with relief as the hat was taken off her head. That was the weirdest experience of her life...
"Well, Miss Silinster, welcome to Hogwarts," Dumbledore said, smiling warmly. "Minerva, will you take her up to Gryffindor Tower? She can wander the castle and try not to get lost until lunch." He winked at Harmony, who stared. Little did he know, there was no way she was going to get lost! This castle was her home!
Well, exactly like her home, anyway.
"Very well," Minerva replied. She beckoned for Harmony to follow her out of the office.
"Farewell, Miss Silinster, and good luck!" The jovial headmaster said. Harmony nodded and gulped. She didn't like this. Not at all.
"I am the Head of Gryffindor House," McGonagall explained as they walked. "Each house can earn or lose House points. At the end of the year the house with the most points wins the House Cup. Gryffindor is currently in the lead, and we have won for the last six years." She shot Harmony a look that said quite clearly 'So don't you go screwing it up'.
Harmony nodded bleakly, following McGonagall through the mazes that would've been confusing had she not lived somewhere identical for her entire life. She found herself in front of a portrait of a fat lady in a pink dress.
"Who is this, Minerva?" The lady in the portrait asked curiously.
"Her name is Brook Silinster, and she's a transfer student." McGonagall snapped.
"Is she now? What year?" The Fat Lady asked curiously.
"Seventh, if you can believe it."
"Transferring so late in the year?" The Fat Lady asked, looking at Harmony suspiciously.
"My family was having some financial difficulties," Harmony squeaked. McGonagall whispered something inaudible.
"Oh my, I'm so sorry dearie!" The Lady exclaimed, and Harmony managed a smile. She was supposed to be a young girl grieving the death of her mother, right? Or was it her father? Or maybe a grandparent....
She definitely should've paid more attention to Sirius when he was explaining her alter personality instead of being distracted by Ron.
"It's okay," She mumbled.
"Well, um, password?" The Lady asked.
"French onion soup," McGonagall replied, and the Fat Lady opened up graciously to reveal a cozy room decorated in scarlet.
"Don't forget the password." McGonagall instructed. "This is the Gryffindor common room. Up the flight of stairs on the right are the girl's dormitories. The second on the left is yours. You will see that your things are already there."
"Thank you, Professor," Harmony said sincerely. The Deputy Headmistress gave the girl a queer smile.
"I have a class to teach now. Feel free to roam to corridors. Be at the Great Hall for lunch and a few of your classmates will take you to your next class."
"Thank you again."
"Good day, Miss Silinster."
"Bye," Harmony whispered. Her eyes were wide with shock as she looked around the room. The decorating was different, sure, but she recognized it immediately.
Ron's quarters.
Damn it! She would be spending all her time here, and it was parallel with Ron's room in Marigold. That was all she could think of as she looked around. She willed the tears not to fall, swallowing and blinking fiercely. She missed Ron, she missed home, she missed everything.
And she hadn't even been at Hogwarts for a whole hour yet!
She put herself together and stuck her chin out stubbornly. She refused to let the castle win its little game. However, she didn't feel ready to confront this particular room as of yet. Instead, she decided to seize hold of her liberties and explore. She already knew where some things were, of course, but she didn't know what the rooms in Marigold translated to here.
She found herself wandering around aimlessly. The castle was really quite spectacular, and Harmony felt a mounting respect for the interior decorator. As she ambled around the empty stone halls, she realized that she was near the secondary ballroom, or whatever that was here. Curiously, she approached it. The two wooden doors were open, and she stepped timidly inside. She gasped.
Books. That was all that registered in Harmony's mind as she gazed in wonder at what had to be the library. She felt her eyelids fall, and she could see the ballroom's grandeur in the eye of her memory. She saw the beautiful figures dancing gracefully, and she could see her father laughing jovially with one of his more favored subjects.
She pried her eyes apart, convincing herself that this room held books, not dancing upper class sprites. She had to blink to keep more tears away. The laughter and music and light chatter seemed to echo in the room.
"Can I help you, dear?" A voice asked. Harmony looked up in surprise to see a thin woman standing before her, who could only be the librarian.
"I'm the new transfer," Harmony explained meekly.
"I know that," The woman said, smiling. She seemed sympathetic to Brooke Silinster. "I am Madame Pince, the Librarian here. Now, do you need anything?"
"Um...I think I got lost." Harmony lied. "Could you tell me the way to the Great Hall?"
"Certainly," Madame Pince continued with very specific instructions. Harmony mumbled her thanks and turned to go down to lunch...which she was absolutely dreading.
She would be meeting Harry Potter for the first time.
It wasn't that she thought he was just going to jump up and curse her or anything. It was just the simple fact that she was the heir of Slytherin, and he of Gryffindor. The enemies. Would he be suspicious? Would he discover that she wasn't who she said she was?
No, Hermione Granger was more likely to solve that mystery. In Harmony's eyes Hermione was a lesser, but nonetheless dangerous, threat. She was going to have to stop thinking of them as threats and obstacles! She had to make friends with these two.
Harmony was still trying to figure out how she was going to introduce herself when she heard the bell ring, signaling lunch was to begin. She gritted her teeth, preparing for the worst, and joined the throng entering the Hall.
"Hey! Hey you!" Harmony ignored the calls around you. "Excuse me!" The same voice said, tapping Harmony's shoulder. She spun around in surprise to see a girl about her age with brown hair and a wide smile. "You're the new transfer student aren't you?"
"Yeah, I'm Brooke," Harmony replied, feeling relieved. This girl was friendly enough.
"Which House are you in?" The girl asked curiously.
"Gryffindor," Harmony replied, feeling somewhat proud.
"Wonderful, so am I!" She exclaimed. "I'm Hermione Granger, Head Girl, by the way." Harmony felt her stomach tighten. So THIS was the famed Hermione.
"Herm!" A boy with messy black hair came up behind Hermione and pecked her on the cheek. Harmony's eyes widened. Messy jet-black hair, green eyes, bookworm glasses, lightening scar...
This had to be Harry Potter.
"Who this?" He asked, nodding at Harmony, who gulped.
"Brook Silinster, the new transfer. She's in Gryffindor." Hermione smiled.
"Welcome to Hogwarts!" Harry said, grinning. Harmony suddenly felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off her. These two were just a couple of friendly teenagers...very powerful friendly teenagers with the future of the world in their hands, but friendly teenagers nonetheless. Harmony let out a laugh.
"Do I have something on my face?" Harry asked.
"Yeah a scar." She said, grinning. "No, seriously it's just that I'm meeting the famous Harry Potter, and you're not near as pompous as I'd thought you'd be." She smiled. Harry grinned.
"C'mon, before all the seats are taken!" He exclaimed. Harry and Hermione led the way into the Great Hall and Harmony followed, her mind a whirlwind of wonder and her heart a whirlwind of emotion. God, this place looked like the Grand Ballroom of Slytherin's Palace. She nearly whimpered when her eyes involuntarily fell on the place Ron had proposed to her.
"It is quite breathtaking, isn't it?" Hermione asked, looking around the Hall fondly.
"Yes," Harmony whispered. "You have no idea." Lunch appeared and Harmony kept herself busy for a few moments with eating.
"Hey, Harry, 'Mione, who's this?" A tall black boy sat down near them.
"Brooke, the new transfer student," Hermione exclaimed. "I guess you'll need to be introduced to everyone." She said to Harmony, who smiled gratefully. Her eyes were flying through the room, taking in the amazing ceiling and surroundings and unforgettable, tear-jerking memories.
"This is Dean Thomas," Hermione began. "Sitting next to him is Seamus Finnagen."
"Hello!" Seamus said, waving.
"Those two girls are Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown, who share our dorm. That's Neville Longbottom, also in our year, he's a tad bit forgetful..."
"Tad bit?" Dean snorted. They all laughed, and Harmony smiled meekly.
"That's Colin Creevey, a wild fan of Harry's-" Here, Harmony noticed, Harry flushed scarlet. He was obviously still not comfortable with fame. "And over there is Mary Henderson..."
Hermione continued rambling off names of practically everyone sitting at the Gryffindor table. Harmony didn't mind though. She couldn't remember ever having seen so many people her own age.
"Hermione, who's this?" A familiar voice asked. Harmony looked up and grinned at Ginny Weasley, who flashed the same grin back.
"This is Brooke Silinster," Hermione replied. She seemed proud of her ability to make introductions or something. "Brooke, this is Ginny Weasley, a sixth year."
"Hello Ginny, are you in Gryffindor?" Harmony asked innocently. However, she was holding in laughter, and she could see the same in Ginny's eyes.
"Yes," She replied.
"Then why aren't you eating over here?" Harmony asked with an innocent voice but a devilish smile.
"She's dating Draco Malfoy," Hermione explained, frowning.
"The nastiest, slimiest, ugliest-"
"That's quite enough, Harry," Ginny snapped. She glared at Harmony, who winked. "I'm going back to the Slytherin table!" She announced haughtily. Harmony sighed, wishing she, too, could return to Slytherin table.
"Mad. Absolutely mad." Seamus muttered, before returning to conversation with Dean.
"So what's our next class?" Harmony asked. "I guess I'll be going."
"Potions," Hermione replied.
"You're lucky you transferred after we got Mindy," Harry said. "Snape was-"
"Harry, show a little respect!" Hermione interrupted, sounding horrified.
"What happened?" Harmony asked, suddenly realizing how much she already knew, and that her feigned ignorance was not going to stop here.
"He died." Hermione replied shortly.
"Oh," The rest of the conversation was about the teachers and classes as they finished their lunch. Harmony was quite relieved that her first class at Hogwarts would be taught by someone she knew.
The Potions dungeons were somewhat creepy, even without a creepy professor to match. Harmony shivered. She didn't like this place. Not at all. This represented the evil side of Slytherin. Just like people like Snape to give the Slytherins a bad rep!
"Okay, roll call!" Mindy chirped as they entered the classroom. Harmony mused briefly on how she could be so cheery in a place like this. The class took their seats, chattering. They only quieted slightly when Mindy called for "Lavender Brown"
"Okay, class, we have a new student today!" Mindy announced, grinning at Harmony, who groaned inwardly. This was going to be embarrassing... "Please, stand up Miss..."
"Silinster." Harmony said in a clear voice. "My name is Brooke Silinster."
"Really?" Mindy asked with a raised eyebrow. Her eyes said 'Great name, hun!'. "Tell us about yourself, Miss Silinster."
"Um..." Harmony bit her lip. "I live in France, and I...love music and I enjoy...er ...history and I don't like the color maroon." She finished her little speech and sat down.
"Wonderful!" Mindy said. "Now, today we will be starting the Sonya Solution. Who knows what that is? Miss Silinster?" Mindy looked at Harmony expectantly.
"Uh..." Harmony racked her brain. Sonya Solution? What the heck was that? "It, um, well, it...controls the mind."
"Incorrect, Miss Silinster," Mindy said cheerfully. "But ten points to Gryffindor for the effort. Miss Granger?"
"The Sonya Solution was invented by Sonya Scarlet, after her husband was successfully seduced and devoured by a veela. It is the only known way to prevent a veela attack."
"Fabulous!" The professor squealed. "Fifteen points to Gryffindor!"
"Oh," Harmony muttered, feeling stupid.
Mindy began to lecture, which she was very talented at. The class attempted to take notes and follow her fast paced speech at the same time, but in the end only Hermione was that talented. The solutions themselves were rather difficult (but they were, after all, supposed to be seventh years) so there were undoubtedly a few mishaps...most in the form of Neville Longbottom.
All in all, it was a good day for all the seventh years. All except one.
That night, Harmony stared up at the ceiling four-poster. She couldn't think of anything but Marigold, and the people there. One person in particular, but she couldn't even bring herself to say it in her thoughts. However, her mind's eye kept seeing visions of him, and Sirius and her father. Before she knew what was going on, she was crying.
Stop it, Harmony, she scolded herself. You're in Gryffindor, you can't be a cry baby. She that maybe a glass of water would help. She climbed out of bed and got her water. After a sip, she managed a smile. But it was short lived.
As she passed Hermione's bed, she saw a picture of Ron, laughing and flashing his irresistible smile.
She dropped her glass, allowing the liquid and glass to spread across the floor, and fell into bed sobbing.