"I hope Christina gets into Gryffindor. She's my little sister."
"Oh! That must be the new Defense against the Dark Arts teacher!"
"I can't see his face...can you?"
"He's wearing that hood!"
"I think it's going to be a girl teacher!"
"Maybe it'll be a vampire. We had that werewolf, remember?"
"There was a werewolf here?!"
Harry wanted to run upstairs to his dorm and fall into his bed. He couldn't stand all of the noise.
"Harry, you ok mate?" Ron asked, looking worried.
"I'm fine," Harry lied, grinning. "I forgot how noisy it was."
"Who do you suppose are new teacher is going to be?" Hermione asked, looking at the hooded figure. "I hope it's a witch. We've never had one you know."
"Yes we did. Umbridge." Ron looked at Hermione.
"But she's not a witch. More like a hag." Hermione sat down at the Gryffindor table. Harry and Ron laughed.
"Shush," Hermione whispered. "The sorting is starting..."
The black cat leaped lightly through the trees. Her midnight fur rippled and she hissed at an owl. A small black dragon followed her.
Electra told you to stay back in the forest! The cat, by the name of Jupiter, hissed. If you are seen, humans will come and kick us out!
Relax, Norenchi, nicknamed Nor, yawned. There is no way they will find us. Besides, you know I can disappear. Electra taught me how.
Yes, hissed Jupiter, fire in her eyes. But magic and sense dark magic. You should stay back.
Electra has worked with you as much as me, argued Nor. You have dark magic too!
Ah, but yes. Jupiter grinned a cat's grin, showing glistening fangs. But I be a cat, and you be a dragon, and dragons are not supposed to be at Hogwarts. They are supposed to be far a way, were the humans can watch over them. Now do me a favor, and fetch Saturn. He needs to watch the boy's room, while I spy on the hall.
Nor flew at Jupiter to snap at her tail, only to be given a sharp scratch on the nose. He hissed and flew off.
Glad to be rid of him! Jupiter thought. I can hardly concentrate. If only that dragon was ground up into cat food...but no, Electra is fond of the little salamander.
She grabbed a small robin out of its nest with her claws, and promptly ripped its head off. It didn't have a chance to screech.
Electra sat by a small pool of water, chanting a scrying spell. Harry Potter's face was in the pool, watching the sorting.
"Legilmens!" she hissed, pointing a wand at Harry's reflection.
Flashes filled Harry's mind, Cedric lying dead, Sirius through the curtain, Lord Voldemort's face. He felt a dark presence in his mind. He gasped, and jerked his head.
"Harry!" Hermione whispered. "Are you alright?"
"Someone just tried to enter my mind," Harry whispered back. "I broke the connection."
Snape whispered in Dumbledore's ear, and Dumbledore nodded.
"Ravenclaw!" the hat cried.
"Come with me, Potter." Snape whispered in Harry's ear. "Be quiet."
Harry numbly followed Snape out into the hall.
"What happened?" Snape asked, cold eyes glinting.
"Professor...someone tried to enter my mind." Harry said, not looking at Snape's face. "Someone here knows Legilmency."