It's my fifteenth birthday and how do I celebrate it? By giving you lot a double update on both of my stories, how else!? *laughs* so, that really works out that I'm giving you guys presents on my birthday … Oh well! Read, enjoy, and review!
After the Dawn: The Philosopher's Stone
Chapter Four: Unexpected Arrival
Harry slipped out of the thorny bush and crept up to the doors, listening intently for a moment, then following Sirius across from the doors.
In a little garden bed not far away there was a lion statue, with it's mouth open in a silently, eternal snarl. Harry remembered Sirius telling him about this and reached under the lions mouth, running his fingers across it until he found a small bump. Pressing this, he pushed upwards.
The lions mouth closed, and the statue stood up, moving off it's pedestal. Harry gave this a light shove, and it moved easily to the side, revealing steps leading into the ground.
Sirius bounded down first, and Harry then carefully lowered the trunk, before jumping down himself. He reached above him and found a small handle on the stone, pulling it back into place.
Above he heard soft, muted noises as the lion returned to its perch. Harry, still tugging the trunk along behind him. A very short distance later, Harry came to the end of the tunnel and opened a door – there was a handle on this side, but it was inaccessible from the inside of the castle.
Pulling the backwards, he caught hold of two brooms as they fell – this was a little broom cupboard that looked onto the Entrance Hall, or so Sirius had said.
Setting the brooms up against a different wall, Harry pulled his trunk behind him into the broom cupboard, and Sirius came in as well. Harry closed the door behind him and reached up to stroke the head feathers of his owl, whom he'd named Hedwig, a name he'd found in A History of Magic.
Harry heard the doors to what he knew must be the Great Hall open, and a wave of sound roll out from the students in second to seventh year who were seated there.
A moment later he heard the first years being led inside. When the doors closed again, Harry slipped out from the broom cupboard, still towing his trunk, Hedwig perched on his shoulder and Sirius prowling beside him.
From within the doors, Harry heard the strains of song. The words seemed to go something like this:
'Oh you may not think I'm pretty,
But don't judge on what you see,
I'll eat myself if you can find
A smarter hat than me.
You can keep your bowlers black,
Your top hats sleek and tall,
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
And I can cap them all.
There's nothing hidden in your head
The Sorting Hat can't see,
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart;
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true
And unafraid of toil;
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
If you've a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;
Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folk use any means
To achieve their ends.
So put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap!
You're in safe hands (though I have none)
For I'm a Thinking Cap!'
This song was followed by a momentary silence, then loud applause. Harry smiled slightly – he knew all about the Sorting Hat, of course. Sirius had told him when he was much younger.
He listened on, as Professor McGonagall started calling out names from a roll. The students, he guessed, where trying on the hat. After a short time, the Sorting Hat would yell out a house.
HUFFLEPUFF!
HUFFLEPUFF!
RAVENCLAW!
RAVENCLAW!
GRYFFINDOR!
SLYTHERIN!
HUFFLEPUFF!
Harry lost track after a while, and it was a bit boring. He perked up a little at: Malfoy, Draco, who was instantly sorted into Slytherin, then his interest died again. He didn't know the names of any other students.
Then also, he was very surprised when McGonagall yelled out "Potter, Harry?" there was a questioning, hopeful tone in her voice, and Harry could almost feel the hall holding it's breath, but no one came.
The sorting continued, but it seemed a little subdued now, Harry noted.
Finally, the last person, Blaise Zabini, because a Slytherin, and Harry knew that it was time to act. Sirius thrust a moist, cool nose into Harry's hand, and the boy took comfort in the gesture and threw the doors open wide.
There were many gasps of surprise, and everyone turned to look at him. Harry could see himself from their point of view: a strange, young boy, standing beside a dog that came almost to his elbow, a trunk on his other side and an owl perched on his shoulder.
Harry suddenly felt very small and alone. Then Sirius gave a soft whine beside him, and Harry felt his heart begin to soar again.
A tall, greasy haired man with a fearsome scowl prowled towards Harry from the staff table. Deep in his throat, Sirius growled. Harry guessed that this was Severus –Snivellus- Snape, Sirius's long time enemy and potions master of Hogwarts.
"Who are you boy?" the man demanded. He stood tall over Harry, and for a moment the boy felt cowed.
Then Harry straightened his back and shoulder and stared up into the fearsome face. "No one, Sir," he replied, his voice, sounding so small, echoed in the silent hall.
At the farthest table, the Gryffindor one, two red haired boys started laughing, and tittering swept across the hall.
"I am not in the mood for jokes boy, what is your name?" Snape hissed dangerously. The laughter stopped.
"Nemo, Sir. Like I said, no one," Harry repeated, as if speaking to a slow child.
Black eyes flashed, but before Snape could do anything, Albus Dumbledore arrived on the scene. Harry knew what the famous wizard looked like, of course, he'd seen pictures on numerous occasions, but the reality seemed startlingly different.
I hadn't thought he'd look so … old, Harry thought softly to himself.
"Now now Severus," Dumbledore mused. "Let me speak with the boy. Nemo, isn't it?" Harry nodded. "What are you doing here, Nemo?"
"I came to learn, Sir," Harry replied, feeling small and afraid and alone again as Dumbledore's blue eyes seemed to pierce his soul.
"Indeed. Why did you not then catch the Hogwarts Express, and why have we no record of you here?"
"Because my family has been in hiding since before I was born," Harry replied, confidence rising again as he began to weave his web of lies. "We would have stayed that way too, but my parents thought I needed teaching, so they sent me here. You would not have any record of my birth, because my parents have been hiding under strong charms since long before it."
"Indeed …" Dumbledore mused. "Well, there is no doubt that you are magical, for you are here, after all … But I will need to question you more thoroughly later tonight."
"You mean I can stay?" Harry asked, not having to fake the hope that rose in his voice.
"Of course you can stay. All people have the right to learn," Dumbledore replied. "But I still must know more about you … Well, that can wait until after the feast, and after you've been sorted."
"Headmaster, dogs are not allowed in this school," Snape said suddenly. "Only cats, owls, or," his nose wrinkled slightly, "toads."
"That is a point…" Dumbledore mused, turning to Harry.
The boy immediately twined in the dogs fur and he looked suddenly afraid. "You can't take Ardeo away!" he said, suddenly seeming both angry and frightened. "He's been with me forever!"
"Define forever," Snape sneered before the Headmaster could get a word in.
"Since the day I was born," Harry replied defiantly. "Our dog gave birth two hours after I was born, Ardeo was the runt of the litter, so we had to raise him by hand. He's been with me ever since!"
"I think it unwise to separate such long-term companions," Dumbledore said before Snape could open his mouth again. "The dog, Ardeo did you say? May remain. Come, you must be sorted."
Harry felt triumphant. The first part of the plan had gone without hitch. He was about to be Sorted, and he hoped it would be into Gryffindor.
"What is your last name?" McGonagall asked.
"Protectium," Harry replied.
"Protectium, Nemo!" McGonagall called out, and Harry sat on the stool, placing the Sorting Hat on his head. It came down to his shoulders, and for a moment Harry felt somewhat ridiculous.
So, a soft voice spoke in his ear. Nemo Protectium, is it? No, it then said, not Nemo at all, are you? You're Harry Potter. What are you doing, not using your name?
Many will be hurt if I am found – myself among them. I will sign no one's death warrant by appearing out of no where! Harry thought back at it.
Now why would that be? The Hat asked him, and Harry had the unpleasant sensation that it was searching threw his memories and thoughts. Ah, I see – Mr. Black. Well, I see that you cannot go by your own name, and therefore will Sort you and keep your secret.
Thank you, Harry thought back at it.
The Hat did not reply to this statement at all, in fact it seemed to have gone off on some completely different trail of thought.
Plenty of courage, certainly you aren't short on that, loyalty you have shown even here and now. A thirst for knowledge, a wish to prove yourself … Ambition, certainly … but where to put you? You would do well in any of the Houses. Why, if this was back in the founders time, I would have thought you to have been accepted by all of them! Well, there's no help for it, you'll have to chose the House you would most like to be in. Think carefully, for your decision will shape your life.
Harry thought now. Before, he'd just thought – Gryffindor. I want to be in Gryffindor … But now … Ravenclaw, home of the wise, the knowledge seekers, or Hufflepuff, the loyal friendly ones … Not Slytherin, he didn't like their pureblood values.
For awhile, Harry considered his options, and when he decided, he thought was sure. I still wish to be in Gryffindor.
GRYFFINDOR! That hat shouted for all the houses to hear, and Harry stood up, replacing the Hat before he heard it's last thought. You will do great things, Harry Potter, and I will be there to help you when you need it the most.
The Gryffindor table exploded into cheers, and Harry felt very self-conscious, standing beside the stool. "Leave your trunk, it will be dealt with soon," McGonagall whispered to him, go and sit with the others."
Harry nodded and walked off across the hall, Sirius following, his claws clicking on the ground. After the initial applause, everyone had gone silent and was watching him.
He walked down the table to the very end where there were very few people seated, and sat down there, trying to make it clear, without words, that he didn't want company.
The house peered at him curiously, but didn't have the chance to try and speak with him because Albus Dumbledore had stood up. "Now, start of term announcements.
"First years, and Fred and George Weasley" – this seemed to be the red haired boys who'd started laughing when Harry stood up to Snape, "should note that the Forbidden Forest on the grounds is, as it's name suggests, forbidden to all students without a teacher present.
"Mr. Filch, our caretaker, wishes to remind you that no magic is to be used in the corridors between classrooms.
"Quidditch trials are in the second week, and are not open to anyone above second year. Anyone interested in playing for their team should speak with Madam Hooch.
"Also, an announcement that applies to everyone. The third floor corridor on the right had side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death."
Several of the Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs laughed. Harry didn't – he didn't see anything funny about it at all.
"I'm sorry to have to keep you from your food for so long, and therefore I have only four more words to say to you before the feast begins, and here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!"
With that, the house tables were suddenly festooned with food and drink. Harry piled his plate high with food, so that if anyone tried to engage him in conversation, he had the food as a way of getting out of it.
A ghost floated down to where Harry was sitting. "That looks good," he said sadly.
Harry smiled at the ghost – you shouldn't be rude to dead people, he thought – "I am sorry for your loss," he said, knowing that ghosts couldn't eat.
"Ah well, no help for it. I should be used to this by now, one would think. I have been dead for almost five hundred years now," the ghost remarked.
"My name is Nemo," Harry said, "what's yours?"
"Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington, at your service," he replied, standing up and bowing. To Harry's amusement, his head fell almost off.
"It's nice to meet you," Harry said courteously, hiding a smile. "Would you be nicknamed Nearly Headless Nick?"
"I would," he sounded suddenly stiff. "But I would prefer to be called Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington."
"Would Sir Nick do?" Harry asked. "Or Sir Nicholas?"
"Sir Nick would be grand," the ghost assured him. "It was nice to make your acquaintance," with that, he floated off.
Harry smiled slightly and slipped some ham and chicken to Sirius under the table, turning his attention to the conversations further up the table.
Some people were talking about blood lines – Harry tuned out on that one, he couldn't care less – but the brown haired girl whom he'd seen in Ollivanders and later coming into Hogwarts was talking with a red haired boy wearing a prefect badge.
This was about lessons. Hermione was hoping that they'd start on practical work straight up. "I'm rather interested in Transfiguration," she admitted.
"You'll start small," the prefect told her. "It's really hard, and at first you'll only be doing things like turning matches into needles."
Harry nodded slightly to himself. Suddenly, the Prefect excused himself from the new girl and walked down the table to Harry, who tried to ignore him.
"Hello, my name's Percy, Percy Weasley," he said, sitting down beside Harry.
"Nemo," Harry replied shortly.
"Where did you come from?"
"None of your business."
Percy stood up and walked back to the other girl with a stiff back.
"Hey, that was cool! Keep doing that!" It was the two red haired boys, Fred and George turned up suddenly. "That's our brother, he's boring."
Harry smiled vaguely. "I'm sorry, I'm not much of a people person, if you know what I mean. I would rather be left to my own devices."
The twins nodded. "That's cool," they told him. "If you ever need a hand, just ask!" they waved and headed back up the table. Their brother Percy gave them an irritated look.
For the rest of the meal, Harry was left alone for the most part. Everyone was watching him all the time, but no one tried to talk to him – he guessed that Fred and George had something to do with that.
Finally the dinner faded, the desert came and went and Dumbledore stood up. "Well, since I got all of the announcements over and done with before the feast, all that is left is to since the school song!"
Harry immediately noticed that no other teacher looked at all happy about this, though Dumbledore was still positively beaming. "Everyone pick a favourite tune and we'll get started!"
Harry thought about it for a minute, then decided that he simply wouldn't sing – he didn't like singing much … At least, not in front of other people.
All the same, he muttered the words under his breath as they came over the tables, written on floating golden ribbon.
"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,
Teach us something please.
Whether we be old and bald
Or young with scabby knees,
Our heads could do with filling
With some interesting stuff,
For now they're bare and full of air,
Dead flies and bits of fluff,
So teach us things worth knowing,
Bring back what we've forgot,
Just do your best, we'll do the rest,
And learn till our brains all rot!"
Harry decided that he would seriously like to meet the person who'd composed that song – he or she must have had a very interesting personality.
He smiled when he realised what tune the two Weasley pranksters were singing to: A slow funeral march. When they were finished (everyone else already had, long before) they saw Harry watching them and winked. One of them mouthed: We do that every year.
"Now, everyone please follow your prefects up to your house dormitories!" Dumbledore smiled around at them all. Harry stood up, Sirius by his side and Hedwig on his shoulder, walking after Percy and wondering why Dumbledore hadn't called him yet.
Shrugging it off, Harry didn't particularly relish the idea of lying to one of the most formidable wizards in history.
However, half way to Gryffindor tower, Harry, who was at the back of the line, felt a light hand on his shoulder. Spinning around, ready to fight, he relaxed when he saw only the headmaster standing there.
"Could you come to my office, Mr Protectium?" Dumbledore asked quietly. No one up ahead noticed, and Harry only nodded.
"Come along then," Dumbledore showed him the way, walking ahead. Neither said anything. Not yet.
Dumbledore came to a stop in front of an ugly looking gargoyle. "Sherbet lemon," he said. Harry smiled slightly at that.
"Would you like one?" Dumbledore asked, reaching for a pocket. "I always keep a stash close at hand."
Harry laughed at that and shook his head. "No, thank you – I'm still full from dinner."
"Ah yes, of course, the feast," Dumbledore said, leading the way up a set of moving stairs and in through yet another door.
"I'm afraid I must question you a little as to your origin – Professor Snape is going to help me."
Harry stopped immediately and glared at the Potions Master. Snape glared back. "I will not say anything while he remains here," Harry said firmly.
"May I ask why not?" Dumbledore enquired, sounding surprised.
"The name of Snape is tarnished by darkness," Harry replied coldly.
"I trust Severus," Dumbledore said firmly.
"I don't," Harry replied, just as firmly. "A Snape killed my sister, or so my parents told me. I will say nothing while one of my sister's murderer's relatives is in the room."
For a moment, Dumbledore and Snape both stared at him. "Then I will take my leave. I'll look forward to your first potions class, no one." Snape swept from the room coldly, back stiff.
"He is a bad enemy for you to make," Dumbledore remarked, sounding a little disapproving.
"I do not care. I spoke only the truth, as I know it," Harry said firmly.
"Very well – that is not what I would have wanted but … I have not heard of the Protectiums, would you like to tell me a bit about them?"
"My last name is not Protectium," Harry replied coolly. "But I will not endanger myself and my remaining family by giving out any information on them."
"I will tell no one," Dumbledore said.
"All things have a way of being found out eventually," Harry countered. "I do not want anyone to be in danger because of me. I would request that you allow everyone to think of me as Nemo Protectium, and I would ask that you forget that I have another name."
Dumbledore hesitated and then nodded. "Very well. But why did your family go into hiding?"
"Because Voldemort was going after them. The world believes us all dead now, though this is not the truth. The Death Eater threat is not yet over, and it is best that my family remains in hiding," Harry replied.
Dumbledore nodded after a moment. "I feel that you may be trusted. The Sorting Hat thinks so to, and I believe that I can trust it's judgement – I have not yet known it to be wrong."
Harry blinked in surprise. He was believed that easily?
"Well, it is getting late now, isn't it? Would you like me to show you to the Gryffindor tower?" Dumbledore asked.
"No, I'll be able to find someone who knows the way," Harry replied. "But could you tell me the password please?"
"It's pig snout," Dumbledore replied, and Harry fixed this in his mind, and nodded once.
"Thank you," he said, and left the office.
Little did he know how confused a headmaster he left behind him.
***
Well! Another chapter at an end. 3500 words! Pretty good, eh? Hope you like it, please review!!
Thanks:
Dumbledore's Heir, LonelySpirit, Kathy Stgqvk, athenakitty, Jbfritz, TopQuark, Lady Prongs, Alexa, Wytil, Aowyn, Angelmorph, Nicoletta, Sea-Turtles, Chicken Stars, Maxx77, Songbreeze Swifteye, Taka Ichijouji, Wynjara, Dweem-Angel, The Vampire Story Hunter, Chiquita-3, The Vampire Story Hunter, The Vampire Story Hunter, solar, Hot-Salsa, Musicstarlover, SelenA, In_Sirius_Denial, gaul1, the Shadow Bandit, Anna L. Black, Nasser Himura, Jeanne2, Kemenran, Stix-the-Rebel, Dakana Warrior, Sadisticfreak529, howling wolf1, katy-ster687, Jen, Jester, Angechaos, Celestia, Silver Scale Serpent, captuniv, azntgr01, Tamsy, ia, Empress Sarah-sama, Vicious Pixie, Eowyen Lady of Horses1361, Rianna, SaraH BetH, OhioGrl-HPFan, chady, Enelya Fefalas, Butler, Magewhisperer-su, MikiBaby, Lord of Darkness13, Corie, Cyblade Silver, Siripiritus, Gaia, Lady_Sharahzad, Phoenix Flight, Kodomo, Wolfia, The Lord Voldemort.
Thanks all! Please review again!
~WolfMoon~