Note from the author: Draika is not turning into a snake. Snakes do not have talons. Do any of you have Magical Creatures and Where to Find Them? *hint hint* Deep apologies for the long wait…I had a hard time with the hat's song. ^_^'
------------------------------------------------------------
~Draika~
Chapter Four: Hogwarts
As she walked in through the castle's doors, Draika found it was unnervingly quiet. Looking around, she saw they were in a large entrance hall. The large man had disappeared somewhere, but Draika wasn't really curious about that. A strict-looking witch stood in front of them, waiting impatiently for the whispering to die down. When it finally did, she spoke.
"Welcome to your first year at Hogwarts. My name is Professor McGonagall." Draika realized with a start that this was the witch who'd sent her that first letter back in Romania… "In a moment you will be Sorted. As soon as you know your House, go sit at that table immediately." Her mouth was barely a thin line. "Follow me."
She led then down a short corridor, and into an enormous room. There were four long tables, the House tables. On one wall hung a tapestry of each House's mascot. It was deadly silent, and Draika could feel hundreds of eyes bore into her back. They stopped in front of all the tables. Professor McGonagall brought a little stool up; sitting on it was a very old and tattered hat. Draika blinked. What now?
The hat seemed to be composing itself. After a few seconds, it opened something that was probably supposed to be a mouth and began to sing. As the hat opened its mouth, a splitting pain went down her back and arms. She edged slowly towards the back of the group, not wanting to draw attention to herself. Even though it was painful, she still heard the hat's song:
Every year I sit around
To enhance my mental skill.
Many new wonders I've come upon
While others puzzle me still.
The thing I pride myself on
Is something no other can do:
I can look inside your head,
To see your colors true.
Maybe you're a Gryffindor,
Brave and bold as light.
Some of you are Slytherins,
Who go lurking in the night.
Yet more are helpful Hufflepuffs,
Always willing to lend a hand.
The rest of you are Ravenclaws,
The wisest in the land.
I can't see you where you are,
Step closer when you can…
I'd like to take a quick little view
To put you in your clan!
~Why can't this happen anywhere private?~ She asked herself mentally, focusing hard on keeping quiet. When the pain cleared, she opened her eyes. A nervous-looking boy was just walking forward to put on the hat. The hat took a second, then announced "RAVENCLAW!" very loudly.
"Perekka, Demerik!" McGonagall called forth another boy.
"SLYTHERIN!"
Draika's train of thought paused. Through the Ps already? It hadn't seemed like the pain had lasted long…
She managed to stand very still for the next several students, until finally…
"V'tana, Draika!"
She walked up to the stool nervously, sitting down. The hat was so large; it covered her eyes and nose. She kept still, not knowing what exactly the hat did.
{Well.} A small voice said in her ear. {You're going to be tough. You can be mean. Yes, yes…downright cruel.}
Draika scowled.
~Just put me in a house. Please.~ She added as an afterthought.
{Nice to see you have some manners after all…what's this? Very interesting, Draika V'tana.}
~Not to me.~
{Well…it's really a toss-up. But we can't sit here forever, can we? I've already taken more than double my normal time…}
~Put me somewhere soon. This is important.~
{Okay, okay…but don't blame me if it doesn't work out because you rushed me!} The hat opened its mouth….
"SLYTHERIN!"
Draika lifted the hat off her head, rather shaky. Amidst the regular applause, she walked to the Slytherin table and took the first empty seat she saw, avoiding the glances of the other Slytherins. She was neither disappointed nor excited; she had expected this. The last student (Zeridin, Kia) became a Ravenclaw. Professor McGonagall rolled up the scroll, lifted the stool, which had the hat still resting on it (rather peculiarly upright), and walked out.
Almost a moment later, all sorts of food appeared on the golden plates in front of them. She ignored the baked apples with a stab of remorse, picking instead a nice sirloin cut and a glass of water. They were gone in bare minutes, followed by a small bit of glazed ham and a portion of liver.
When the dessert came, she forced herself to look around at the Slytherins she had joined. There was a frightening-looking ghost a few places down from her; he returned her gaze with an icy stare. Not wanting to make him angry, Draika looked away. Studying the student across from her out of the corner of her eye, she noticed she did have a lot in common with this House. Whenever they looked around, they glared. They weren't that prone to smiling…and other things more subtle than could meet the eye. Studying each table in turn, she noticed many traits and similarities between the students that shared Houses. Looking at the Gryffindor table, she briefly caught Ron's gaze. Glaring at him, she looked towards the teacher's table. That giant man was sitting there.
~That oaf, a teacher?~ She could hardly believe it. But Dumbledore was one of the best wizards of the age. He wouldn't make a decision like that for no reason… She looked at the teacher with the Slytherin mascot on his black robes with some interest. He must be the head of Slytherin House.
Just as she thought that, Dumbledore stood and paused, waiting for people to stop talking.
"Most of you were here last year, when Hogwarts had the honor of hosting the Triwizard Tournament."
There was a bubble of chatter, but it quickly died down.
"It seems this school can never have a year's peace. I take a strange sort of excitement this year in telling you this…"
More excited whispers arose, fading as quickly as they had come. Draika wondered what this could be…nothing exciting had ever happened at Lambaskian's, nothing exciting in the view of a witch or wizard, anyhow. She leaned forward, eager to hear.
"…It is my duty as Headmaster of Hogwarts school to inform you that we will be having visitors again. But not like any before. They arrived during the feast, and plead with you not to aggravate them or go seeking them out. It seems a clan of gryphons will be seeking residence in the grounds and dungeons this year, being driven out of their home by a very rare circumstance. They will be quite out of the way of all students, and severe punishments will go out to anyone who disturbs them. That is all--you may go to your common rooms now."
As everyone stood to make the walk to his or her House, more noise then ever filled the air. Draika caught brief bits of conversation.
"I'll bet they're here to study us."
"Maybe Hagrid invited them?"
"Filthy feathered beasts. They'll stink up our nice dungeons."
Malfoy voiced that last one. Many Slytherins nodded agreement, making small comments similar to what he had just said.
"So," Malfoy smirked, slowing to walk beside Draika. "Just like you said. What are you, a seer? Let's hope not--that fraud Trelawney is all this school can handle."
Draika really didn't know what he was talking about, so she resigned herself to a nod and a glare at a passing first-year Hufflepuff.
"Watch it!" She hissed as the first-year bumped into her, shoving him away. Turning back to Malfoy, she found her voice. "No. I'd hate it, always being asked to tell someone's future."
"Yeah. Hey, password?" Malfoy asked Goyle.
"Uh…" Goyle punched Crabbe in the arm. "Wassa password?"
"Dunno."
"You two couldn't remember the password if it was etched on the inside of your eyelids." Malfoy said.
The crowd parted very suddenly…Draika turned to see what is was, and almost tripped over her long robes. A steely grey gryphon was walking down the corridor; one of his giant strides matching five of hers. Malfoy hauled her out of the way, almost disgusted. The gryphon's golden eyes fell on everyone there, but he proceeded without giving any sign of noticing them. The man she'd seen who was the head of Slytherin was close behind. He stopped, glaring at all of them.
"Well, what are you waiting for? Get in there. Password's 'Steelwing'." With that, a hidden door in the stone wall opened, and the Slytherins jostled and punched each other in efforts to get in quickly.
When Draika managed to get inside, she found she liked it. The walls were all stone, and a roaring fire combated the freezing drafts. A large black leather couch took up most of the space directly in front of the fire, leaving the rest of the room for a few high-backed armchairs and a table. Without saying a word, Draika walked through a tunnel that sloped severely downwards into the girls' dormitories.
The dormitories were also made of stone, lit by torches; one on either side of each black-colored canopy bed. Draika found her trunk beside the last bed, and crawled exhaustedly into bed after removing her glowing stone necklace. As she removed her long cloak, her hand moved over two new forms on her back with a painful jolt. They were small, but would grow larger. She fell asleep almost immediately despite her new discovery, spiraling into uneasy dreams.
She had wings.
--------------------------------------------------------------
You're thinking, "She's turning into a gryphon!" No, that's not it. Hahahahahhaaaa….ack! I'll give a hint to Kia: What are Leita and Aisling? And there you are. I made the description of the Slytherin common room from what they showed in the second movie, because there's not much description of it in the books.
------------------------------------------------------------
~Draika~
Chapter Four: Hogwarts
As she walked in through the castle's doors, Draika found it was unnervingly quiet. Looking around, she saw they were in a large entrance hall. The large man had disappeared somewhere, but Draika wasn't really curious about that. A strict-looking witch stood in front of them, waiting impatiently for the whispering to die down. When it finally did, she spoke.
"Welcome to your first year at Hogwarts. My name is Professor McGonagall." Draika realized with a start that this was the witch who'd sent her that first letter back in Romania… "In a moment you will be Sorted. As soon as you know your House, go sit at that table immediately." Her mouth was barely a thin line. "Follow me."
She led then down a short corridor, and into an enormous room. There were four long tables, the House tables. On one wall hung a tapestry of each House's mascot. It was deadly silent, and Draika could feel hundreds of eyes bore into her back. They stopped in front of all the tables. Professor McGonagall brought a little stool up; sitting on it was a very old and tattered hat. Draika blinked. What now?
The hat seemed to be composing itself. After a few seconds, it opened something that was probably supposed to be a mouth and began to sing. As the hat opened its mouth, a splitting pain went down her back and arms. She edged slowly towards the back of the group, not wanting to draw attention to herself. Even though it was painful, she still heard the hat's song:
Every year I sit around
To enhance my mental skill.
Many new wonders I've come upon
While others puzzle me still.
The thing I pride myself on
Is something no other can do:
I can look inside your head,
To see your colors true.
Maybe you're a Gryffindor,
Brave and bold as light.
Some of you are Slytherins,
Who go lurking in the night.
Yet more are helpful Hufflepuffs,
Always willing to lend a hand.
The rest of you are Ravenclaws,
The wisest in the land.
I can't see you where you are,
Step closer when you can…
I'd like to take a quick little view
To put you in your clan!
~Why can't this happen anywhere private?~ She asked herself mentally, focusing hard on keeping quiet. When the pain cleared, she opened her eyes. A nervous-looking boy was just walking forward to put on the hat. The hat took a second, then announced "RAVENCLAW!" very loudly.
"Perekka, Demerik!" McGonagall called forth another boy.
"SLYTHERIN!"
Draika's train of thought paused. Through the Ps already? It hadn't seemed like the pain had lasted long…
She managed to stand very still for the next several students, until finally…
"V'tana, Draika!"
She walked up to the stool nervously, sitting down. The hat was so large; it covered her eyes and nose. She kept still, not knowing what exactly the hat did.
{Well.} A small voice said in her ear. {You're going to be tough. You can be mean. Yes, yes…downright cruel.}
Draika scowled.
~Just put me in a house. Please.~ She added as an afterthought.
{Nice to see you have some manners after all…what's this? Very interesting, Draika V'tana.}
~Not to me.~
{Well…it's really a toss-up. But we can't sit here forever, can we? I've already taken more than double my normal time…}
~Put me somewhere soon. This is important.~
{Okay, okay…but don't blame me if it doesn't work out because you rushed me!} The hat opened its mouth….
"SLYTHERIN!"
Draika lifted the hat off her head, rather shaky. Amidst the regular applause, she walked to the Slytherin table and took the first empty seat she saw, avoiding the glances of the other Slytherins. She was neither disappointed nor excited; she had expected this. The last student (Zeridin, Kia) became a Ravenclaw. Professor McGonagall rolled up the scroll, lifted the stool, which had the hat still resting on it (rather peculiarly upright), and walked out.
Almost a moment later, all sorts of food appeared on the golden plates in front of them. She ignored the baked apples with a stab of remorse, picking instead a nice sirloin cut and a glass of water. They were gone in bare minutes, followed by a small bit of glazed ham and a portion of liver.
When the dessert came, she forced herself to look around at the Slytherins she had joined. There was a frightening-looking ghost a few places down from her; he returned her gaze with an icy stare. Not wanting to make him angry, Draika looked away. Studying the student across from her out of the corner of her eye, she noticed she did have a lot in common with this House. Whenever they looked around, they glared. They weren't that prone to smiling…and other things more subtle than could meet the eye. Studying each table in turn, she noticed many traits and similarities between the students that shared Houses. Looking at the Gryffindor table, she briefly caught Ron's gaze. Glaring at him, she looked towards the teacher's table. That giant man was sitting there.
~That oaf, a teacher?~ She could hardly believe it. But Dumbledore was one of the best wizards of the age. He wouldn't make a decision like that for no reason… She looked at the teacher with the Slytherin mascot on his black robes with some interest. He must be the head of Slytherin House.
Just as she thought that, Dumbledore stood and paused, waiting for people to stop talking.
"Most of you were here last year, when Hogwarts had the honor of hosting the Triwizard Tournament."
There was a bubble of chatter, but it quickly died down.
"It seems this school can never have a year's peace. I take a strange sort of excitement this year in telling you this…"
More excited whispers arose, fading as quickly as they had come. Draika wondered what this could be…nothing exciting had ever happened at Lambaskian's, nothing exciting in the view of a witch or wizard, anyhow. She leaned forward, eager to hear.
"…It is my duty as Headmaster of Hogwarts school to inform you that we will be having visitors again. But not like any before. They arrived during the feast, and plead with you not to aggravate them or go seeking them out. It seems a clan of gryphons will be seeking residence in the grounds and dungeons this year, being driven out of their home by a very rare circumstance. They will be quite out of the way of all students, and severe punishments will go out to anyone who disturbs them. That is all--you may go to your common rooms now."
As everyone stood to make the walk to his or her House, more noise then ever filled the air. Draika caught brief bits of conversation.
"I'll bet they're here to study us."
"Maybe Hagrid invited them?"
"Filthy feathered beasts. They'll stink up our nice dungeons."
Malfoy voiced that last one. Many Slytherins nodded agreement, making small comments similar to what he had just said.
"So," Malfoy smirked, slowing to walk beside Draika. "Just like you said. What are you, a seer? Let's hope not--that fraud Trelawney is all this school can handle."
Draika really didn't know what he was talking about, so she resigned herself to a nod and a glare at a passing first-year Hufflepuff.
"Watch it!" She hissed as the first-year bumped into her, shoving him away. Turning back to Malfoy, she found her voice. "No. I'd hate it, always being asked to tell someone's future."
"Yeah. Hey, password?" Malfoy asked Goyle.
"Uh…" Goyle punched Crabbe in the arm. "Wassa password?"
"Dunno."
"You two couldn't remember the password if it was etched on the inside of your eyelids." Malfoy said.
The crowd parted very suddenly…Draika turned to see what is was, and almost tripped over her long robes. A steely grey gryphon was walking down the corridor; one of his giant strides matching five of hers. Malfoy hauled her out of the way, almost disgusted. The gryphon's golden eyes fell on everyone there, but he proceeded without giving any sign of noticing them. The man she'd seen who was the head of Slytherin was close behind. He stopped, glaring at all of them.
"Well, what are you waiting for? Get in there. Password's 'Steelwing'." With that, a hidden door in the stone wall opened, and the Slytherins jostled and punched each other in efforts to get in quickly.
When Draika managed to get inside, she found she liked it. The walls were all stone, and a roaring fire combated the freezing drafts. A large black leather couch took up most of the space directly in front of the fire, leaving the rest of the room for a few high-backed armchairs and a table. Without saying a word, Draika walked through a tunnel that sloped severely downwards into the girls' dormitories.
The dormitories were also made of stone, lit by torches; one on either side of each black-colored canopy bed. Draika found her trunk beside the last bed, and crawled exhaustedly into bed after removing her glowing stone necklace. As she removed her long cloak, her hand moved over two new forms on her back with a painful jolt. They were small, but would grow larger. She fell asleep almost immediately despite her new discovery, spiraling into uneasy dreams.
She had wings.
--------------------------------------------------------------
You're thinking, "She's turning into a gryphon!" No, that's not it. Hahahahahhaaaa….ack! I'll give a hint to Kia: What are Leita and Aisling? And there you are. I made the description of the Slytherin common room from what they showed in the second movie, because there's not much description of it in the books.