Hey, I'm back once more! Sorry I took so long to update. Before I begin, let me clear something up. First, Luna has not relation to the Luna in the fifth Harry Potter book. That happened purely by accident. If you've been paying attention, you'll notice that Luna isn't her real name anyway. I simply wanted her to have a nick-name that was something along the lines of lunar so it related her to the moon. Oh, and I did finally get to see the third Harry Potter movie last month and if you haven't see it yet you have committed a crime against nature! So now...ON WITH THE FIC!
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The rest of the sorting took almost no time at all. In the end, Gryffindor received a total of ten new students; five boys, five girls. For the boys, there was Hiei and Kurama, as well as Tyler Cooley, Danny Edwards, and Trysten Waters. The girls that followed after Luna were Casi Honders, Rebecca Tousley, Jordan Matthews, and Kristy Turner. The ten new Gryffindors all sat at the end of the table closest to the teacher's table, watching as Professor McGonagall removed the Sorting Hat.
"Now, before we begin our feast tonight, I would like to say a few words," an older man sitting in the center seat at the teachers tables said as he stood up. There was no doubt in any of the first years' minds that this was Professor Dumbledore, the 'Supreme Mugwump." He fit the description most people put on wizards. Long, flowing robes and graying, almost white hair that was much longer then most people ever allow it to grow. He had an air of wisdom about him, but also a strange, almost childish wink in his eye.
"There is one thing I must make very clear before we all become too befuddled with our feast to listen," he continued. "This year, aside from the usual rules, which I will explain to you first years later, there is one other thing I must ask you all to do." He paused and looked out over his audience. Luna wasn't sure, but she could of sworn she saw his eyes stop on her. "It is of the utmost importance that none of you, and I mean NONE of you, venture from your beds at night during your stay here. I am aware that we usually uphold this rule, and I am equally aware that many of you break it," again, Luna felt the professor's eyes on her, "but this year, you must not, under ANY circumstances dare to break this rule. The punishment will be much more sever then it has in previous years...and it might not be us doing the punishing." There was a murmur throughout the hall as everyone wondered at these words.
"Now," Dumbledore said, clapping his hands and allowing the dark, serious look that had entered his eyes to be replaced by the sparkle of childishness they had held before. "Let's eat!"
Immediately, the empty plates on the tables blossomed with food. The first years stared in astonishment, while the older students grabbed everything they could fit onto their plates. The first years soon followed suit, discovering that there was no need to fight over food because the golden plates never ran out.
"Hey, Kurama?" Luna asked as she set her overloaded plate in front of her.
"Yes?" Kurama asked, also in possession of a plate piled high with everything within arm's reach.
"Did you get the feeling that, during his speech, Dumbledore kept looking at...us?" she asked.
Kurama nodded. "Whatever he meant by that, he clearly suspected that we would be the prime suspects to break curfew."
"What did he mean by that anyway?" Tyler Cooley, who had overheard the conversation, piped up. "Especially that part at the end. You know 'and it might not be us doing the punishing." What does that mean? Is there a monster in the halls at night or something?"
"Who knows here," Casi Honders put in. "I mean, between ghosts and rude paintings, and not to even mention Peeves!"
"What's Peeves?" Luna asked.
"Peeves is the castle poltergeist. My big brother told me about him. He loves to play pranks and tricks on everyone, not even the teachers can control him. The only person he listens to is the Slytherin house ghost, the Bloody Baron," Casi explained.
Luna nodded and turned her attention back to her plate. She didn't take part in the rest of the conversation, and neither did Kurama or Hiei, but then, Hiei had been ignoring everyone to begin with. Every now and then, however, Luna would glance up at the teachers table and swear that Dumbledore was just looking away from staring at her. It sent shivers down her spine What did he know that she didn't?
Finally, after what seemed like hours, days even, Dumbledore stood once more and the food vanished from the tables.
"Now that we are all fed and quite ready for bed, let me make a few announcements. Mr. Filch has asked me to, once again, remind all students that there is no magic permitted in the halls between classes. He has also extended his list of items that students are forbidden to be in possession of. This list is posted outside his office, and I encourage all of you to take a look at it. The Forbidden Forest is still off limits, for those of you who seem to think otherwise," again the professor's eyes strayed to the Gryffindor table," and no students are permitted beyond it's boundaries. I believe I have already dissuaded you from wondering about the castle after dark. So now, if you first years would be kind enough to follow your prefects to your houses, I believe it is high time we all retire to our beds." As Dumbledore finished his speech, noise erupted in the hall once more as all the student's stood up at once.
"First years, follow me please! First years!" a Gryffindor prefect was bellowing as the crowd swarmed towards the doors leading to the entrance hall.
"That's my brother, Scott," Casi said proudly as Luna, Kurama, and Hiei followed the rest of the Gryffindor first years to crowd around Scott.
"Follow me please!" Scott cried once more as he set off into the crowd. At first, the Gryffindor first years were afraid that they would lose their prefect guide, but as they entered the entrance hall, the crowd began to thin. The Slytherins were lead away, down into the dungeons, and the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws were also lead in different directions.
Luna stared around her in wonderment as Scott lead the way to the Gryffindor tower. Paintings talked amongst themselves as they watched the new students walk past, some even jumping to their neighbor's frame to get a better look. Luna was trying her best to memorize which passages they were taking, but there were so many twists and turns that she found herself lost by the time they stopped in front of a large painting of a very fat woman.
"Password please," the fat lady said.
"Grumblepuss," Scott said slowly and clearly. The fat lady nodded and her picture swung forward, revealing a large hole, which Scott climbed through. The first years followed, wondering who came up with the password.
"This is Gryffindor Tower," Scott said, once all the first years were inside and the fat lady's portrait had swung shut once more.
"We are standing in the common room," he explained, gesturing around himself. There was a fireplace surrounded by comfortable looking chairs as well as tables to do homework on and a bulletin board in the corner. There were also two stair cases at the far end of the room.
"The left stair leads to the boy's dormitory, and the right to the girl's. There will be classes tomorrow, so I suggest you all get a good night's sleep," Scott finished as he started for his own dormitory, the boys following. Luna followed Casi who was leading the way to the girl's dormitory.
When they entered, the girls found themselves in a plain room with five four-poster beds. Their trunks were there as well, one at the foot of each bed. Luna found her trunk and removed her pajamas from it, closing the curtains around her bed to change. No one talked, they were all too tired from the train ride and too full from the feast to talk. Once she had changed, Luna snuggled under the sheets and rested her head on the soft pillow. The last thing she saw before she fell asleep was the almost full moon outside the girl's dormitory window. It would be two days before the next full moon.
-()-()-()
Kurama and Hiei followed Scott up the stairs and found their own dormitory while the prefect continued up. The room was much like the girl's, plain except for one window and five four-poster beds. Kurama easily found the one with his trunk at the bottom and was glad to see Hiei's was the next bed over. At least he wouldn't have to worry about the little fire demon sneaking away in the middle of the night.
The thought of sneaking away made him wonder once again about Dumbledore's words at the beginning of the feast. Why was it so important that they stay in their houses at night? Maybe Tyler was right, maybe there was something prowling the halls at night. What ever it was, Dumbledore had seemed worried that it would be him and his friends that would break the rules and venture out in the night. Why would he think that?
As Kurama drew the curtains around his bed to change, still wondering about Dumbledore's warning, he wondered if, despite the head master's speech, Hiei really would try to go out in the night.
"Hiei," Kurama called softly once he was dressed, drawing back the curtains a little.
"What?" an agitated voice bit back.
"You're not planning on going against Professor Dumbledore's warning, are you?" Kurama asked quietly, almost whispering so that the other boys wouldn't hear.
"Hn," was his only reply.
"Hiei, I mean it," Kurama insisted.
"I can take care of myself," Hiei grumbled back.
"You COULD take care of yourself before, but not now," Kurama said sternly.
"What do you mean?" Hiei growled, flinging back his bed curtains to stare Kurama in the eye.
"I mean, that you don't have your katana and you don't know how to use your wand yet. And I'm certain that you won't run in the face of danger. If you go out there and get cornered by whatever Dumbledore warned use about, you could be in serious trouble," Kurama explained.
"HN!" Hiei grunted, closing the bed curtains once more and turning his back to the fox. "I don't want to be here in the first place. Who's going to stop me if I leave?" Kurama heard him grumble after a minute. Kurama wasn't sure what to say to that, but then he had an idea.
"Fine then. I just thought you pursued strength, that's all," Kurama said slowly, suppressing a smile. Just as he had anticipated, the grumpy fire demon threw back the curtains once more.
"What do you mean?" Hiei asked, unable to contain the curiosity in his voice.
"Just that, not many demons have magical powers. If you were to stay and nurture your magical abilities, you could become quite strong indeed," Kurama answered, still trying not to smile.
Hiei was silent. His eyes wondered to the floor as he thought about what Kurama had said. He glanced at the reincarnated thief one more time before closing the bed curtains once more. Kurama was afraid that Hiei had decided to chance leaving after all, but then he heard the shorter demon's voice mutter, "I suppose it wouldn't kill me to stay."
Kurama smiled and gladly pulled back the covers on his own bed. That was one crisis avoided, but while being the 'partner' of this short-tempered demon there was sure to be plenty more. Especially tomorrow, when it came to behaving in class and listening to teachers.
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The rest of the sorting took almost no time at all. In the end, Gryffindor received a total of ten new students; five boys, five girls. For the boys, there was Hiei and Kurama, as well as Tyler Cooley, Danny Edwards, and Trysten Waters. The girls that followed after Luna were Casi Honders, Rebecca Tousley, Jordan Matthews, and Kristy Turner. The ten new Gryffindors all sat at the end of the table closest to the teacher's table, watching as Professor McGonagall removed the Sorting Hat.
"Now, before we begin our feast tonight, I would like to say a few words," an older man sitting in the center seat at the teachers tables said as he stood up. There was no doubt in any of the first years' minds that this was Professor Dumbledore, the 'Supreme Mugwump." He fit the description most people put on wizards. Long, flowing robes and graying, almost white hair that was much longer then most people ever allow it to grow. He had an air of wisdom about him, but also a strange, almost childish wink in his eye.
"There is one thing I must make very clear before we all become too befuddled with our feast to listen," he continued. "This year, aside from the usual rules, which I will explain to you first years later, there is one other thing I must ask you all to do." He paused and looked out over his audience. Luna wasn't sure, but she could of sworn she saw his eyes stop on her. "It is of the utmost importance that none of you, and I mean NONE of you, venture from your beds at night during your stay here. I am aware that we usually uphold this rule, and I am equally aware that many of you break it," again, Luna felt the professor's eyes on her, "but this year, you must not, under ANY circumstances dare to break this rule. The punishment will be much more sever then it has in previous years...and it might not be us doing the punishing." There was a murmur throughout the hall as everyone wondered at these words.
"Now," Dumbledore said, clapping his hands and allowing the dark, serious look that had entered his eyes to be replaced by the sparkle of childishness they had held before. "Let's eat!"
Immediately, the empty plates on the tables blossomed with food. The first years stared in astonishment, while the older students grabbed everything they could fit onto their plates. The first years soon followed suit, discovering that there was no need to fight over food because the golden plates never ran out.
"Hey, Kurama?" Luna asked as she set her overloaded plate in front of her.
"Yes?" Kurama asked, also in possession of a plate piled high with everything within arm's reach.
"Did you get the feeling that, during his speech, Dumbledore kept looking at...us?" she asked.
Kurama nodded. "Whatever he meant by that, he clearly suspected that we would be the prime suspects to break curfew."
"What did he mean by that anyway?" Tyler Cooley, who had overheard the conversation, piped up. "Especially that part at the end. You know 'and it might not be us doing the punishing." What does that mean? Is there a monster in the halls at night or something?"
"Who knows here," Casi Honders put in. "I mean, between ghosts and rude paintings, and not to even mention Peeves!"
"What's Peeves?" Luna asked.
"Peeves is the castle poltergeist. My big brother told me about him. He loves to play pranks and tricks on everyone, not even the teachers can control him. The only person he listens to is the Slytherin house ghost, the Bloody Baron," Casi explained.
Luna nodded and turned her attention back to her plate. She didn't take part in the rest of the conversation, and neither did Kurama or Hiei, but then, Hiei had been ignoring everyone to begin with. Every now and then, however, Luna would glance up at the teachers table and swear that Dumbledore was just looking away from staring at her. It sent shivers down her spine What did he know that she didn't?
Finally, after what seemed like hours, days even, Dumbledore stood once more and the food vanished from the tables.
"Now that we are all fed and quite ready for bed, let me make a few announcements. Mr. Filch has asked me to, once again, remind all students that there is no magic permitted in the halls between classes. He has also extended his list of items that students are forbidden to be in possession of. This list is posted outside his office, and I encourage all of you to take a look at it. The Forbidden Forest is still off limits, for those of you who seem to think otherwise," again the professor's eyes strayed to the Gryffindor table," and no students are permitted beyond it's boundaries. I believe I have already dissuaded you from wondering about the castle after dark. So now, if you first years would be kind enough to follow your prefects to your houses, I believe it is high time we all retire to our beds." As Dumbledore finished his speech, noise erupted in the hall once more as all the student's stood up at once.
"First years, follow me please! First years!" a Gryffindor prefect was bellowing as the crowd swarmed towards the doors leading to the entrance hall.
"That's my brother, Scott," Casi said proudly as Luna, Kurama, and Hiei followed the rest of the Gryffindor first years to crowd around Scott.
"Follow me please!" Scott cried once more as he set off into the crowd. At first, the Gryffindor first years were afraid that they would lose their prefect guide, but as they entered the entrance hall, the crowd began to thin. The Slytherins were lead away, down into the dungeons, and the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws were also lead in different directions.
Luna stared around her in wonderment as Scott lead the way to the Gryffindor tower. Paintings talked amongst themselves as they watched the new students walk past, some even jumping to their neighbor's frame to get a better look. Luna was trying her best to memorize which passages they were taking, but there were so many twists and turns that she found herself lost by the time they stopped in front of a large painting of a very fat woman.
"Password please," the fat lady said.
"Grumblepuss," Scott said slowly and clearly. The fat lady nodded and her picture swung forward, revealing a large hole, which Scott climbed through. The first years followed, wondering who came up with the password.
"This is Gryffindor Tower," Scott said, once all the first years were inside and the fat lady's portrait had swung shut once more.
"We are standing in the common room," he explained, gesturing around himself. There was a fireplace surrounded by comfortable looking chairs as well as tables to do homework on and a bulletin board in the corner. There were also two stair cases at the far end of the room.
"The left stair leads to the boy's dormitory, and the right to the girl's. There will be classes tomorrow, so I suggest you all get a good night's sleep," Scott finished as he started for his own dormitory, the boys following. Luna followed Casi who was leading the way to the girl's dormitory.
When they entered, the girls found themselves in a plain room with five four-poster beds. Their trunks were there as well, one at the foot of each bed. Luna found her trunk and removed her pajamas from it, closing the curtains around her bed to change. No one talked, they were all too tired from the train ride and too full from the feast to talk. Once she had changed, Luna snuggled under the sheets and rested her head on the soft pillow. The last thing she saw before she fell asleep was the almost full moon outside the girl's dormitory window. It would be two days before the next full moon.
-()-()-()
Kurama and Hiei followed Scott up the stairs and found their own dormitory while the prefect continued up. The room was much like the girl's, plain except for one window and five four-poster beds. Kurama easily found the one with his trunk at the bottom and was glad to see Hiei's was the next bed over. At least he wouldn't have to worry about the little fire demon sneaking away in the middle of the night.
The thought of sneaking away made him wonder once again about Dumbledore's words at the beginning of the feast. Why was it so important that they stay in their houses at night? Maybe Tyler was right, maybe there was something prowling the halls at night. What ever it was, Dumbledore had seemed worried that it would be him and his friends that would break the rules and venture out in the night. Why would he think that?
As Kurama drew the curtains around his bed to change, still wondering about Dumbledore's warning, he wondered if, despite the head master's speech, Hiei really would try to go out in the night.
"Hiei," Kurama called softly once he was dressed, drawing back the curtains a little.
"What?" an agitated voice bit back.
"You're not planning on going against Professor Dumbledore's warning, are you?" Kurama asked quietly, almost whispering so that the other boys wouldn't hear.
"Hn," was his only reply.
"Hiei, I mean it," Kurama insisted.
"I can take care of myself," Hiei grumbled back.
"You COULD take care of yourself before, but not now," Kurama said sternly.
"What do you mean?" Hiei growled, flinging back his bed curtains to stare Kurama in the eye.
"I mean, that you don't have your katana and you don't know how to use your wand yet. And I'm certain that you won't run in the face of danger. If you go out there and get cornered by whatever Dumbledore warned use about, you could be in serious trouble," Kurama explained.
"HN!" Hiei grunted, closing the bed curtains once more and turning his back to the fox. "I don't want to be here in the first place. Who's going to stop me if I leave?" Kurama heard him grumble after a minute. Kurama wasn't sure what to say to that, but then he had an idea.
"Fine then. I just thought you pursued strength, that's all," Kurama said slowly, suppressing a smile. Just as he had anticipated, the grumpy fire demon threw back the curtains once more.
"What do you mean?" Hiei asked, unable to contain the curiosity in his voice.
"Just that, not many demons have magical powers. If you were to stay and nurture your magical abilities, you could become quite strong indeed," Kurama answered, still trying not to smile.
Hiei was silent. His eyes wondered to the floor as he thought about what Kurama had said. He glanced at the reincarnated thief one more time before closing the bed curtains once more. Kurama was afraid that Hiei had decided to chance leaving after all, but then he heard the shorter demon's voice mutter, "I suppose it wouldn't kill me to stay."
Kurama smiled and gladly pulled back the covers on his own bed. That was one crisis avoided, but while being the 'partner' of this short-tempered demon there was sure to be plenty more. Especially tomorrow, when it came to behaving in class and listening to teachers.