SHARING THE SUNLIGHT WITH THE FREE - THE DAWN
Chapter One
Aurelia Bland awoke with a jerk. She felt something damp on her cheeks. Tears.
'Wake up, Aurelia, the ceremony will start soon.' Her best friend Kière was calling her.
Aurelia wiped her eyes slowly. She could feel goosebumps on her skin. Cold. She wrapped her arms across her chest.
'It was another nightmare, was it not?' said Kière anxiously. Aurelia smiled, but nodded.
'It is just a dream, Aurelia, just a dream. It is not real.' Kière spoke confidently. To him, dreams were naught but the delusions of an unconscious mind. He could not understand why they affected Aurelia so much.
'I do not know, Kière,' Aurelia sighed softly. Kière looked questioningly at her, but she said no more.
How could she tell him? Kière could never understand how real her dreams were. And he could not know about her past. It was something she did not mention. Her secret past. What a mysterious sound it had.
She was the first Muggle-born to come to Hogwarts. The only one. That could be hard, at times. All the other students, pure-bloods, were wary of her. With the exception of Kière, of course. He was, perhaps, her one friend.
Situations as they were, Aurelia knew that she could not reveal her past to Kière. He could not know of the cruelty in the Muggle world, nor of the terror that she had gone through. No pure-blood wizard could understand how it was, an untrained Muggle-born witch with no knowledge of her power, pursued by Muggles. Most of these witches and wizards died anyway, sooner or later.
And also, Aurelia had no wish to bring up her past. The past she desperately wished to forget, but yet returned to her in dreams.
'Aurelia, come back. You are millions of miles away,' joked Kière. 'We must be going. The ceremony will start soon. The first-years will be arriving.'
Aurelia nodded.
'Let us go, then.'
~
Aurelia and Kière slipped past the new first-years and into two empty seats. There were many changes to the Great Hall this year. It was, of course, as big as ever, and the ceiling was still enchanted. The stars shone down on them, the ceiling having been bewitched to portray the sky outside.
However, inside, the arrangement of things had changed. Instead of the one long table, there were four smaller ones. The professors' table was still up front, though, and Professors Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Slytherin were seated there. Professor Hufflepuff stood with the first-years - twenty - twenty! - frightened new students, staring around them in awe.
The Opening Ceremony always brought up Aurelia's memories of her past - not the confusing and conflicting images of her youngest years, but of happier times, living with the four Professors. For most of her life now, she had lived with them at the school, learning, studying, growing.
She had been twelve when the four Professors had completed the main school castle, and commenced inviting students to be educated. Each year there had been a few new students, and they progressed up the years as a group based on their level of education. She herself was part of that oldest group - the seventh-years.
This year, things were going to be different. She had listened, over the holidays, as the professors had discussed the changes that would be made. One was to be the organization of the students.
'Why are there four tables this year?' asked Kière, bringing her back from her reverie once again. He tended to do that - their friendship was also that way. She was always the dreamy, thoughtful one. He was the more practical, active.
'There's going to be -' Aurelia started, but was cut off as Professor Hufflepuff returned to the professors' table and Professor Gryffindor stood, and came to the front, among the first-years, to speak.
'Good evening all.'
'Welcoming the first-years, seating them, and then food,' recited Kière, dropping his query. Aurelia gave him a small smile. Six years in Hogwarts, both were used to the routine.
'First of all, I would like to welcome our twenty new first-years to Hogwarts,' Professor Gryffindor began, beaming at them. 'We have twenty this year, the largest group we have ever accommodated in a year. I am happy to say that our pupil intake is increasing.'
'Now they sit,' predicted Kière.
'Due to this expansion in our school population, we (the other professors and I) have decided on some changes to the school.'
A murmur arose among the students. Professor Gryffindor waited for silence before continuing.
'We have first decided that from now on, as to facilitate the forming of classes, we shall arrange our pupils by age. Of course, there will be some special cases, in which arrangements have already been made.'
Kière's eyes widened. He glanced at Aurelia, who nodded slightly. This was one of the plans that she had heard about. She had been surprised at this suggestion, by Professor Gryffindor. Before, classes had always been based on ability. Now that it was by age.what would it be like? And also.the school had but seven levels. But surely, the gap between oldest and youngest student was more than seven years. She herself was eighteen, having started her education at twelve. The youngest accepted age was eleven.
'The second great change will be the formation of houses. We will sort all students into four houses based on personality.'
There was a shocked gasp at this announcement. Houses? That was unheard of!
'The sorting of students has already been pre-arranged. Tonight, students will be assigned to their respective house dormitories and common rooms.'
'Well!' exclaimed Kière. 'That was - unexpected.'
'I know,' said Aurelia softly. 'They each built their own common rooms and dormitories this holiday.' Every summer holiday, once the other students had left for their homes, the Professors often added to the school, putting in their contributions to how they envisioned the school. More often than not, Aurelia aided them. Unfortunately, for this, she had not been allowed to help. Reasonably, since she could not belong to all four Houses, after all.
'Now, we also welcome a special group of new students. Among them, we have found six Muggle-born students, whom we shall accept and educate with us. For regardless of background, we are all people of magic.' Professor Gryffindor nodded to the first-years. 'Welcome to Hogwarts. Please, do sit down now.'
The first-years sat, as all the rest of the school craned their heads to get a look. All were trying to figure out which were the Muggle-borns. Aurelia, too, was immensely interested. Muggle-borns like her! She was no longer the only one! This had been unknown to her - probably to spare her feelings, such a proposition had never been entertained in her hearing during the summer. For a moment, her mind was taken off the sudden changes in the school system.
'Before you begin your meal, I have one last announcement.' Professor Gryffindor had not finished yet. 'This year will be the first year which a group of students will graduate from Hogwarts. I am speaking, of course, of our seventh-years.' He smiled at the group of them. 'The other professors and I are proud that you have all followed your education faithfully. This year will be a most eventful year for you. At the end of the school year, you will take the Hogwarts Leaving Examinations. By then, you will have completed your education here.
'We have decided that it has come to the time to select, of you, a Head Boy and Head Girl. After much discussion, here is our choice.
'Kièran Banning, I am happy to confer on you the responsibility of Head Boy. I am sure you will do your duty well.'
The Great Hall filled with applause. Kière looked shocked, but happy, beaming around at everyone.
'As for our Head Girl, I am proud to say that Aurelia Bland, our very first Muggle-born student, has been selected. Aurelia, I congratulate you - you have been nothing but a pillar of support for the school, and I am certain that you, too, will carry out your duties responsibly.'
The silence was shocking. Kière clapped fiercely, glaring at the other students until they too joined him, in scattered applause. Aurelia flushed, and looked away, towards the professors. They seemed rather uncomfortable.
Except Professor Slytherin. He was glaring intensely at Aurelia.
The witch-hunter, eyes ablaze with hatred.
A chill went down her spine. Aurelia sucked her breath in sharply.
'Please, do begin with the feast,' said Professor Gryffindor.
Chapter One
Aurelia Bland awoke with a jerk. She felt something damp on her cheeks. Tears.
'Wake up, Aurelia, the ceremony will start soon.' Her best friend Kière was calling her.
Aurelia wiped her eyes slowly. She could feel goosebumps on her skin. Cold. She wrapped her arms across her chest.
'It was another nightmare, was it not?' said Kière anxiously. Aurelia smiled, but nodded.
'It is just a dream, Aurelia, just a dream. It is not real.' Kière spoke confidently. To him, dreams were naught but the delusions of an unconscious mind. He could not understand why they affected Aurelia so much.
'I do not know, Kière,' Aurelia sighed softly. Kière looked questioningly at her, but she said no more.
How could she tell him? Kière could never understand how real her dreams were. And he could not know about her past. It was something she did not mention. Her secret past. What a mysterious sound it had.
She was the first Muggle-born to come to Hogwarts. The only one. That could be hard, at times. All the other students, pure-bloods, were wary of her. With the exception of Kière, of course. He was, perhaps, her one friend.
Situations as they were, Aurelia knew that she could not reveal her past to Kière. He could not know of the cruelty in the Muggle world, nor of the terror that she had gone through. No pure-blood wizard could understand how it was, an untrained Muggle-born witch with no knowledge of her power, pursued by Muggles. Most of these witches and wizards died anyway, sooner or later.
And also, Aurelia had no wish to bring up her past. The past she desperately wished to forget, but yet returned to her in dreams.
'Aurelia, come back. You are millions of miles away,' joked Kière. 'We must be going. The ceremony will start soon. The first-years will be arriving.'
Aurelia nodded.
'Let us go, then.'
~
Aurelia and Kière slipped past the new first-years and into two empty seats. There were many changes to the Great Hall this year. It was, of course, as big as ever, and the ceiling was still enchanted. The stars shone down on them, the ceiling having been bewitched to portray the sky outside.
However, inside, the arrangement of things had changed. Instead of the one long table, there were four smaller ones. The professors' table was still up front, though, and Professors Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Slytherin were seated there. Professor Hufflepuff stood with the first-years - twenty - twenty! - frightened new students, staring around them in awe.
The Opening Ceremony always brought up Aurelia's memories of her past - not the confusing and conflicting images of her youngest years, but of happier times, living with the four Professors. For most of her life now, she had lived with them at the school, learning, studying, growing.
She had been twelve when the four Professors had completed the main school castle, and commenced inviting students to be educated. Each year there had been a few new students, and they progressed up the years as a group based on their level of education. She herself was part of that oldest group - the seventh-years.
This year, things were going to be different. She had listened, over the holidays, as the professors had discussed the changes that would be made. One was to be the organization of the students.
'Why are there four tables this year?' asked Kière, bringing her back from her reverie once again. He tended to do that - their friendship was also that way. She was always the dreamy, thoughtful one. He was the more practical, active.
'There's going to be -' Aurelia started, but was cut off as Professor Hufflepuff returned to the professors' table and Professor Gryffindor stood, and came to the front, among the first-years, to speak.
'Good evening all.'
'Welcoming the first-years, seating them, and then food,' recited Kière, dropping his query. Aurelia gave him a small smile. Six years in Hogwarts, both were used to the routine.
'First of all, I would like to welcome our twenty new first-years to Hogwarts,' Professor Gryffindor began, beaming at them. 'We have twenty this year, the largest group we have ever accommodated in a year. I am happy to say that our pupil intake is increasing.'
'Now they sit,' predicted Kière.
'Due to this expansion in our school population, we (the other professors and I) have decided on some changes to the school.'
A murmur arose among the students. Professor Gryffindor waited for silence before continuing.
'We have first decided that from now on, as to facilitate the forming of classes, we shall arrange our pupils by age. Of course, there will be some special cases, in which arrangements have already been made.'
Kière's eyes widened. He glanced at Aurelia, who nodded slightly. This was one of the plans that she had heard about. She had been surprised at this suggestion, by Professor Gryffindor. Before, classes had always been based on ability. Now that it was by age.what would it be like? And also.the school had but seven levels. But surely, the gap between oldest and youngest student was more than seven years. She herself was eighteen, having started her education at twelve. The youngest accepted age was eleven.
'The second great change will be the formation of houses. We will sort all students into four houses based on personality.'
There was a shocked gasp at this announcement. Houses? That was unheard of!
'The sorting of students has already been pre-arranged. Tonight, students will be assigned to their respective house dormitories and common rooms.'
'Well!' exclaimed Kière. 'That was - unexpected.'
'I know,' said Aurelia softly. 'They each built their own common rooms and dormitories this holiday.' Every summer holiday, once the other students had left for their homes, the Professors often added to the school, putting in their contributions to how they envisioned the school. More often than not, Aurelia aided them. Unfortunately, for this, she had not been allowed to help. Reasonably, since she could not belong to all four Houses, after all.
'Now, we also welcome a special group of new students. Among them, we have found six Muggle-born students, whom we shall accept and educate with us. For regardless of background, we are all people of magic.' Professor Gryffindor nodded to the first-years. 'Welcome to Hogwarts. Please, do sit down now.'
The first-years sat, as all the rest of the school craned their heads to get a look. All were trying to figure out which were the Muggle-borns. Aurelia, too, was immensely interested. Muggle-borns like her! She was no longer the only one! This had been unknown to her - probably to spare her feelings, such a proposition had never been entertained in her hearing during the summer. For a moment, her mind was taken off the sudden changes in the school system.
'Before you begin your meal, I have one last announcement.' Professor Gryffindor had not finished yet. 'This year will be the first year which a group of students will graduate from Hogwarts. I am speaking, of course, of our seventh-years.' He smiled at the group of them. 'The other professors and I are proud that you have all followed your education faithfully. This year will be a most eventful year for you. At the end of the school year, you will take the Hogwarts Leaving Examinations. By then, you will have completed your education here.
'We have decided that it has come to the time to select, of you, a Head Boy and Head Girl. After much discussion, here is our choice.
'Kièran Banning, I am happy to confer on you the responsibility of Head Boy. I am sure you will do your duty well.'
The Great Hall filled with applause. Kière looked shocked, but happy, beaming around at everyone.
'As for our Head Girl, I am proud to say that Aurelia Bland, our very first Muggle-born student, has been selected. Aurelia, I congratulate you - you have been nothing but a pillar of support for the school, and I am certain that you, too, will carry out your duties responsibly.'
The silence was shocking. Kière clapped fiercely, glaring at the other students until they too joined him, in scattered applause. Aurelia flushed, and looked away, towards the professors. They seemed rather uncomfortable.
Except Professor Slytherin. He was glaring intensely at Aurelia.
The witch-hunter, eyes ablaze with hatred.
A chill went down her spine. Aurelia sucked her breath in sharply.
'Please, do begin with the feast,' said Professor Gryffindor.