Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, But the Staff Draconis is mine, all mine! Not that it's that special but leave me my small victories.
Author Note: Hi there! It's D-scythe! Remember me? Probably not… Seeing as its been weeks since I updated. I have a lot of excuses, most of them stemming from the fact that my emotional life is a circus at the moment, three rings, and every one's a mess. But aside from that I've just had some terrible writer's block and I'm sorry. Here's hoping there's still someone out there who wants to read this.
8. Under New Management
Harry recoiled from the where he was crouched by the key hole. Ron staggered back a step with an expression of pure revulsion stamped on his face. Fred nodded grimly. George led them down the car and shook his head. "He's been bragging about it since the door closed."
Hermione was aghast, "But he's so young!"
Ron snorted, "Like You-Know-Who cares."
Harry nodded towards Hermione, "Actually, I think you've got a point. What use is Voldemort going to get out of Draco?" Ron paled and both Fred and George flinched as Harry uttered the dark lord's name, but Harry was too engrossed in the problem in hand to notice.
Fred ground his teeth together, "Must you say his name?"
Hermione paled a bit. "Harry, I think I know what You-Know-Who wants with Malfoy."
"What?"
"An assassin."
Ron's eyes got wide. "Come on," he muttered, "Let's get back to our compartment. He doesn't need to know we know."
* * *
Harry, Ron, and Hermione enjoyed the rest of the trip as best they could, but the startling news of Malfoy's initiation, as well as the other strange occurrences weighed heavily on all of them. Harry silently paid for a mountain of treats when the plum witch came by with her snack cart, but even she seemed to sense their odd somberness, so unlike the rest of the students. She favored the three of them with a worried look before shrugging uneasily and resuming her rounds.
The train steamed rapidly through the scenic country, leaving muggle towns and villages farther and farther behind. Clouds drifted in from the Atlantic, first only wisps of moisture, but slowly gathering so that the day took on a brooding and ill tempered atmosphere. Towards mid-afternoon the sky was so overcast that the sun was reduced to a pale and sallow spot in the gray skies.
Ron glanced gloomily towards the heavens and muttered. "I'll be damned if this isn't going to be one hell of a storm."
Hermione nodded, "I pity the first-years, it looks worse than last year."
By the time the sky would normally be going dark of its own accord, the sky was so black and bruised that Harry was amazed it had held off this long. Thunder rumbled uneasily but still there was no rain. Around, six o'clock the lanterns had turned on and the train rounded a jagged peak. Hogwarts loomed out of the gloom, it's hundreds of windows twinkled merrily and every student on the train could easily picture warm food and war fires.
As the castle came fully into view, a terrific bolt of lightning knifed down from the sky. It slammed into the tallest tower of the castle and the crack of thunder that followed sounded like a cannon even from several miles away. The rain let go with all its pent-up rage and within a minute the night was transformed into a nightmare. Rain drops and hail the size of golf ball thudded onto the windows. The wind screeched insanely and it was hard to hear over it, even on the other side of the thick glass.
More lightning laced the sky and no less than three more strikes nailed the north tower. The lake looked as though it was boiling and all ready it was sloshing greedily up its shores. The dark forest was a brooding shadow that was menacingly back lit with every lightning strike. Even the village of Hogsmeade appeared to be huddled down beneath the fury of the storm.
"Blimey," Ron muttered, "I've never seen one this bad."
Harry nodded, "This has got to be a record."
The train chugged carefully into Hogsmeade station, and the students began to uneasily gather their luggage. There were a few minutes of apprehensive silence while the students waited for the conductors to open the doors. The silence became nervous and fidgety as the delay stretched on for ten minutes. Finally, fifteen minutes after the Hogwarts Express had steamed into Hogsmeade, a magically amplified voice drifted through the train. "Attention students. Our Grounds crew had informed us that the lake is too dangerous for first years to make the traditional journey across the lake. They will be riding up to the school with the rest of the student body."
With that, the doors hissed open and the people on the train got they're first view of how bad the storm really was. Every rain drop felt like a rubber bullet. The sound the wind was making could not even be described as howling or wailing. It was the splitting keen of some trapped and dying demon, screaming its rage and hate into the black abyss where not even the basest and meanest of gods would understand it. Lightning struck the ground every few minutes, meter thick pylons of light, heat, and destruction thrown from the sky in the blink of an eye and snapping back with a mighty whip-crack of thunder.
The students piled out into the lashing typhoon and hurried towards the waiting horseless carriages. Harry, Ron and Hermione piled into one with their gear and slammed the door shut. The contraption creaked nastily in the wind. Finally, the line of carriages began processing up the road to the school. The imposing entrance arch was viscously back lit by a slash of lightning.
When the students arrived in the entrance hall, Professor McGonagall quickly separated the soaked first years from the rest of the amassed school population and herded them into a side corridor. The great hall was then opened and robed witches and wizards flooded in, all chatting in a nervous sort of happy relief.
Harry scanned the staff table as he headed for Gryffindor's table. Cornelius Fudge was seated in the headmaster seat. The Groundskeeper seat was occupied by a very awkward looking Filch. Ron elbowed him in the shoulder as they sat down at the long table and pointed to the man in the Defense Against Dark Arts seat.
"Tell me that isn't that Gunslinger." he hissed.
Harry squinted and nodded after a moment, "Yup, that's him." He continued to scan the table and drew to a painful halt at the Potions Master chair. "Oh good God!, It's-"
Ron's eyes bulged, "Luscious Malfoy!" He finished.
Hermione gasped, "Fudge wouldn't!"
Ron groaned, "Well, he is one of the school Governors…"
Hermione rolled her eyes, "Well yes, but for God's sake, the man's a Death Eater!"
Harry shook his head, "Come on, Hermione, remember Fudge at the end of last year? He refused to believe any of it! I'll bet there are Death Eater's in the Ministry right now and he hasn't a clue!"
Ron nodded and leaned forward conspiratorially, "Yeah, in fact, Dad says-"
He was cut off by a loud clap from the staff table. The hall quieted slowly and Fudge stood. He cleared his throat and smiled out at the crowd. He might have been trying for a warm smile, but it came off as strained and watery, the silence grew thick and awkward. Fudge faltered a bit, but than gave a hearty little chuckle and began. "Welcome to another year of wonderful Hogwarts Magic! As I'm sure you know, there have been some changes made over this past summer and some of them were unfortunate. However, I can assure you that this school remains in the best of hands. A few introductions are in order before we begin with the sorting I believe." He smiled down the length of the staff table.
Ryan Argano and Luscious Malfoy stood slowly, both glaring white-hot bolts of hatred at the other. Fudge faltered again. "Um, well, yes…" He shook his head. "Now then, Our Potions Master and groundskeeper are both currently on leave but will hopefully return before the end of the year. Professor Rubius Hagrid's duties will be filled by Argus Filch, and Severus Snape's will be filled by one of our school governors, Mr. Luscious Malfoy." There was a smattering of light applause. Luscious sat slowly after a nod towards the student body.
Fudge nodded, "Our professor for Defense Against Dark Arts this year will be Auror Ryan Argano. Mr. Argano is very qualified-" But around this point he was drowned out completely by the tumultuous applause that had been building ever since the Auror's name had been mentioned. Ryan threw a rakish grin out into the room and his face lit up, even his thick scar seemed less imposing, a prop for a late night story instead of a battle scar. He sketched an ironic little theatrical bow and sat with a flourish. If looks could kill, Malfoy would have had him dead on the spot.
Fudge shook his head again and sat down with an air of defeat. Once the applause had died down he merely gestured with his hand and muttered, "Begin the sorting."
Professor McGonagall brought the stool and Sorting Hat into the center of the staff platform and then retreated to the side. The hat sat a moment and the crowd hushed expectantly. Then its rip opened and it began to sing.
"The time has come again this year
to choose from those now gathered here,
who to each house must make haste
to find their true and proper place.
Gryffindor's Lion roars
for those with courage in their core.
Hufflepuff's Badger growls
When hard workers are on the prowl.
Ravenclaw's Bird shall call
When knowledge is on top of the ball.
And Slytherin's Snake will hiss
When only power is a seeker's wish.
So plop in on your head and see
Why I'm the smartest hat to ever be.
I've been around so long,
I'll know just where it is that you belong."
The hall burst into applause. Ron leaned over to whisper into Harry's ear as Professor McGonagall called the first student to be sorted, (Arlen, Jacob) "I think we're going to have an interesting year."
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Author Note: Please review. I want to see at least three before I post the next chapter. Thanks to everyone who's proved that there really is someone out there. And one last bit of personal advice. When you have something good, Don't let them go without a fight.
D-scythe wishing you love, happiness, and completeness from Sechsmarquise@hotmail.com
Flamers accepted
