Okay, sorry this update took a little long. Yours truly here had her car totaled this week, so I was a little busy cursing myself and the other driver and lamenting over the loss of my cruddy, old car. Anyways, the next few chapters are written, I'll update as soon as I my betas translate them into something that resembles English.
Disclaimer: I own nothing! It all belongs to JK Rowling and her squad of very nice attractive lawyers. Compliment them, it warms their icy hearts and they don't sue you.
Thanks to those who reviewed!!! And my beta readers, Carina and Satyam
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Rynantan
Loopylupin- okay, okay, i'll look at your fic. They're always Please don't howl at the moon. Im writing this way too early in the morning for howling, lol
Lupinssweetie- lol, i know. alias is the best
Joe
Clande
Merlynthia
DrusillaMalfoy- okay, you didn't actually read my story, but appreciate your review, nonetheless
Fanfiction.net
Carina- molto grazie! Mi piace la sua storia. scrive più presto!
Hogwartshottie
T.H.- thank you so much for your help with the italics! I finally got it to work
Chapter Five
The New Kid
Now slip me snug about your ears,
I've never yet been wrong,
I'll have a look inside your mind
And tell you where you belong.
- The Sorting Hat, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
"Never trust something if you can't see where it keeps its brain."
- Arthur Weasley, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
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Three weeks passed by quicker than Cesare wanted, although he couldn't wait to get away from his uncle, he hated the thought of going to Hogwarts. The morning before he left he packed his stuff and performed a shrinking charm on his overly large trunk. He dressed in Muggle clothes: jeans and a T shirt, to blend in at the train station. He had put his mother's pendent on a leather cord and looped it around his neck for good luck.
Mari (what he decided to name his owl) was excitedly flying around his room. He studied his reflection in the mirror, trying to figure out what other students would see. He really hated being new. His black hair fell across his light brown eyes as it always did. Some girl he had gone out with once told him it was sexy. He didn't understand how his hair always being in his eyes was sexy, but whatever. Women. He rubbed his chin in irritation.
"You should have shaved, sabi," the mirror commented in Arabic. Cesare rolled his eyes. Damn Egyptian antiques. Then he took a closer look at the black stubble on his chin. Maybe the mirror had a point.....
Okay, that was enough. He wondered briefly if this was how the other exchange students felt and then bewitched his trunk to make it weightless and grabbed Mari's cage. He whistled to get the owl to follow him before starting downstairs.
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When he had finally dragged his stuff downstairs, he noticed his Vincenzo was pacing the floor and looking very disturbed. His eyes narrowed when he saw his nephew.
"You should know something before you leave. Your father went to that school and some of the staff may remember him. Never bring up the topic and if someone asks you about your parents, act like you don't know what they are speaking about or pretend you can not understand them. That shouldn't be hard, given your lack of proficiency in English."
Cesare was so surprised by his uncle's mention of his father that he didn't even bother to acknowledge the language insult. Instead he answered sarcastically. "How will I know when to avoid the topic if I don't even know my father's name?"
"Then I guess I do not have to worry about YOU initiating anything?" Vincenzo smirked.
Cesare couldn't even stop the words that came out of his mouth next. "My father isn't dead, is he?" he taunted.
Vincenzo whirled around to face him so fast, with a look of total fury obscuring his face. He stepped next to his nephew and grabbed his wrist in an iron grip, pulling him closer. "WHERE did you hear that?!"
"What does it matter if it's true?" Cesare asked, staring at his uncle's now pale face, inches away from his own. He could feel Vincenzo's fingers crushing his wrist, but could swear the man was afraid.
"You little, insolent bastard," he hissed. "I ought to kill you for speaking back to me like that." He shoved Cesare to the floor and he fell down a few steps, smacking the side of his head hard against the marble floor.
His vision swam and went dark for a second. He heard ringing in his ears and Mari's loud angry squawking. He tried to stand, but collapsed. He touched his head lightly and his fingers came away bloody.
"Clumsy fool," his uncle swore. He muttered a spell under his breath and the injury was abated slightly, but still left a nasty bruise. He was better at causing pain than healing it.
Cesare climbed to his feet, whipped his wand out, and pointed it at his uncle. Rage was etched into his furious expression
"Go ahead, mudblood, do it," his uncle smiled at Cesare's anger. "That's my boy, just let it out. Do damage! Curse me!"
Cesare locked stares with his uncle, confused by Vincenzo's demand. "Curse yourself," he spat. He put his wand away, grabbed his trunk and Mari's cage, and stalked out of the house towards the waiting car.
"Have a nice school year!" his uncle mocked.
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After the ride to England, which seemed magically shortened; Cesare pushed his trolley into King's Cross. He looked around for Platform 9¾, but it seemed to be missing. There had to be some kind of trick he didn't know about. He watched the crowd anxiously; hoping for a glimpse of someone who looked magical.
He wasn't waiting long. He spotted an oddly dressed family of three, dragging a trunk and an owl's cage. The three were garbed in a strange assortment of Muggle and wizarding clothes. The man stood out the most, wearing a vibrant green top hat, white tuxedo, and purple robe.
Cesare watched as the family approached the brink column separating Platforms 9 and 10. The young girl kissed her parents quickly and then pushed her trolley, cage, and herself into the column. She vanished.
He had seen enough. Following the girl's example, he started pushing his trolley towards the brick column, gathering speed as he went. He burst onto Platform 9 ¾ and was amazed by what he saw.
A huge scarlet engine let out a loud steam whistle. Hundred of students milled around, saying their goodbyes and greeting their friends. Cats and owls were everywhere. Cesare eyed the scarlet train apprehensively and then dragged his stuff on. He walked down the train, praying for an empty car. All the cars were full of happy, laughing students who already were friends.
Finally, the last car of the train was empty. He walked into the last compartment. He shoved his trunk into the space above and put the cage on the seat next to him. He sat down and caught a glimpse of his arm. There was an ugly bruise formed and the finger marks were obvious. He assumed he had a mark on his face as well.
He sighed and leaned against the cool glass window as the train started moving. He now had an answer to one of his questions. His father was definitely not dead. Vincenzo's fury had made that much clear. The unfamiliar, English country side raced by in a blur of sun-dappled fields and misty mountains. In no time at all he was fast asleep, exhausted by the fight and traveling.
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Harry, Ron and Hermione barged loudly into the last compartment.
"Well, finally! This bloody train is so crowded," grumbled Ron, "There hasn't been a single empty car yet!"
"Shush! Not so empty," Harry warned, recognized the sleeping form of the strange boy from Diagon Alley.
"There you three are!" Another voice shouted and Neville and Ginny tumbled in, banging trunks against the floor.
"Shhh!"
Ginny looked up in surprise, the prefect's badge glinting from her chest. She tossed back her red curls and curiously asked, "Isn't that Malfoy's friend from Diagon Alley?"
"Unfortunately. Great, now we get to share a car with Draco's new goon. What's he doing here anyhow? You reckon he's new? I think older, new students are pretty rare," wondered Ron.
"Oh, I bet I know who he is," Hermione said and the others rolled their eyes, not one bit surprised. "He might be one of the students from that exchange program Dumbledore set up," Hermione said. Her answer was met with blank stares from the four other students. She rolled her eyes. "Don't you ever read the Daily Prophet?"
Ron shook his head. "Only the articles about Voldemort," Harry confessed. She shook her head in disgust.
"So you haven't heard about the program?"
"What program?" asked Ron, confused.
"Dumbledore set up a program for exchange students at Hogwarts. Y'know, to promote international magical unity and all that. He invited one student to represent each year, from all over the world." They put their trunks away and Harry voiced his opinion about the stranger. "Does he look at all familiar to you?"
Hermione shook her head, "Maybe he's just got one of those faces. After all, we don't even know his name," she pointed out.
"Who cares? He's obviously gonna be a Slytherin. Any friend of Malfoy's belongs in that damned house. Not our problem," Ron said.
Hermione, Ron, and Ginny left a bit later to go to the Prefect's car. Harry was left with Neville, who was anxiously finishing up a bit of Herbology homework. Harry pulled out the book of hexes and curses that Ron had given him for his birthday. He stared at it blankly, unable to focus on the words on the first page. This birthday present made him remember Lupin's present, which made him remember the fight. He was starting to regret losing his temper with Lupin: his last link to Sirius and his parents; the last Marauder.
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By the time Cesare woke up, the train was pulling into Hogwarts. Ron and Hermione had gone to join the other prefects and Harry had gone to talk with other people from the DA. However, Cesare still didn't even know that they had been in the same compartment. He started to grab his bags, but was interrupted by.
"Hello dear, are you one of the exchanges?"
He nodded. The elderly plump witch smiled and extended her hand.
"Oh, I thought so. Come with me please, you can leave your stuff on the train. It will be taken care of," she added, seeing him pick up his trunk.
With one last look at Mari, who chirped encouragingly at him, he followed the woman. She waited outside the train and they were soon joined by six other students: three wizards and three witches of varying ages. The elderly witch accompanied them to a carriage and then waved good bye. "Professor McGonagall will meet you inside."
'Professor who?' he thought before ducking into the carriage.
A stern looking woman with a severe black bun surveyed the seven of them when they arrived at the doors to the school. "Welcome to Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, students. You will be Sorted after the first years. Please follow me."
Cesare and the others followed her and he noticed the nervous expressions on the faces of the other exchange students. 'Probably wondering what 'Sorting' means. Well, Draco was good for one thing,' he thought to himself.
After the first years were Sorted, a stately looking wizard with a long silver hair and royal blue spangled robes stood up. Cesare recognized him as Albus Dumbledore.
"Welcome students new and old. I have the great honor this evening of initiating a tradition in Hogwarts history. As many of you are aware, Hogwarts has invited seven students from all over the magical world to join us at our school, in hopes of strengthening the common bonds which hold us together in these dire times. Please welcome them," he beamed and waved a hand towards the small group gathered at the end of the staff table. The rest of the school clapped along with him.
After the applause faded away, Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "Now I dare say we have a bit more Sorting," he laughed.
Professor McGonagall had remained next to the battered Sorting Hat. "Our new first year from Mexico, Gael Metzacuma."
A small boy with scared dark eyes made his way to the Sorting Hat. McGonagall placed it on his head. A minute later it screamed, "RAVENCLAW!" The Ravenclaw table exploded in applause and the boy made his way cautiously over to the table, a slightly anxious smile on his still nervous face.
McGonagall continued. "Second year from France, Gabrielle Delacour."
Harry strained to get a better look. Fleur's little sister. He smiled when he recognized the little girl he had pulled from the lake over a year before. She was Sorted into Hufflepuff.
"Third year from Nigeria, Asad Ademi." He was put into Gryffindor before the Hat had even sat comfortably on his head. Harry and the others in his House exploded in cheers.
"Fourth year from Japan, Amy Takugura." A petite girl with black braids made her way to the stool and was Sorted into Hufflepuff.
Cesare started to feel slightly apprehensive as they got closer to his year. Although he was almost positive he would be put in Slytherin, he still didn't like the idea of sitting with a ratty hat on his head in front of the entire school.
"Fifth year, from the United States, Monique Hanesly." A pretty girl with tawny skin, curly dark brown hair and hazel eyes walked shyly towards McGonagall. That left only Cesare and another boy.
"RAVENCLAW!"
Cesare took a deep breathe. He was next. His mouth had suddenly gone dry and he cursed himself for being nervous over a stupid thing like this.
"Sixth year from Italy, Cesare al-Jalil."
He could have sworn he heard someone at the staff table knock over something heavy, like a wine glass, when his name was called. Deciding it was only his imagination; he quickly strode over towards the wooden stool and sat down. McGonagall plunked the patched, ancient hat onto his head.
Harry watched closely. He expected the hat to scream out Slytherin before it touched his head.
Cesare was expecting the same thing. Suddenly he heard a small voice in his ear.
"Hmm, difficult placement …. Too manipulative for Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw .…"
'Hey, I'm not manipulative,' Cesare thought back angrily, rolling his eyes. 'Just get on with it, stupid hat, and put me in Slytherin!'
"Obnoxious, aren't you?" The hat said, sounding offended. "Y'know MOST students try to be at least somewhat courteous to me, considering I have the power to decide where they spend the next seven years. Slytherin? Well, you probably DO belong there. But wait....nope, sorry. Not ambitious enough. Dear Merlin, do you even care how you mind up in life? Hmm, lot's of brains. There's a surprise. Oh my, quite an amount of talent, dear boy! But--ah, ha! I know just where to put you! Of course, you'll probably hate it with a passion and be totally miserable, but it's for your own good, you know," the hat mocked. "Right now you're headed down a bad path. This House is where your TRUE self belongs. See if you can find where you seemed to misplace it."
'Wait! What do you mean!? You're not putting me in .…! No! No, you can't put me in .…!
"GRYFFINDOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" screamed the hat gleefully, VERY pleased with either itself or Cesare's outraged yell.
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Author's Note
Okay, I know this chapter was a little shorter than usual. Now worries though. This chapter was seven pages, the next is nearly twenty. Yes, I know that's more than a little uneven. Next update will be soon, sooner if you write me reviews! Is that statement still considered blackmail? My beta reader wanted to kill me when she read my last a/n. Please, please review. Writing this takes a lot of time and I like to know if I should continue to do so. Thanks!
