A/N: Well, this chapter is shorter than the others but I wanted to post this for the anniversary. And this is what I came up with. Hope you all like this mini chapter. PLEASE REVIEW!!! Also, I have found my two Betas. Thank you guys, IcBlue-Dmoness and The Mystical Elf. Thanks everyone else for their offer!!
Chapter 12- The Students Arrive
The students would soon be arriving, and Hogwarts would once again be filled with wandering students. The sky outside was beautiful, the stars shone brightly and there wasn't a single cloud visible through the darkness. The students began to step out of the thestral- pulled stagecoaches. They climbed up the stone steps and through the entrance hall that was lit up with torches as the rattle of footsteps echoed off stonewalls. They passed through the great double doors leading to the Great hall. Most of the four house tables were empty, except for the Gryffindor table where Harry, Ron, and Hermione were found. Fred had left back to try and repair his store, while Tam was waiting in an empty room off to the side of the Great Hall.
"Do you think they'll ask too much about why we're here?" Ron asked the two when half the Hall was full."I don't think they will, they must've heard about the incident at Hogsmeade," Hermione responded. They were soon approached by Dean and Seamus, both boys taking seats in front of the trio."Hey guys," Seamus said. "How's your summer been?" The three of them seemed hesitant to respond, but they were saved when the doors opened again. This time, McGonagall stood at the double doors, followed by a bunch of small and scared first years. She led them up to the three-legged stool and turned to face the rest of the student body. She quickly walked to the adjoining room and brought back out the old raggedy hat. She placed it on the stool and began its yearly song.
Loud applause followed its end. The Deputy Headmistress took out the roll of parchment with the list of names and began to call the new students up.
"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat yelled out, and the blond boy hopped off the stool and made his way to his roaring house table.
The sorting was finished when McGonagall called "Xias, Jade," who was sorted into Slytherin. Dumbledore stood up and introduced a special student to those in the Hall. At that moment, Tam walked in from the adjoining door. McGonagall called up the last and final student to be sorted for the year. "Night, Tam," she called up. Tam slowly walked up and sat down. The hat was placed on her and the entire room had to wait a minute or so before the hat called out her house. It yelled out Gryffindor. Tam hopped off the stool and sat down next to her brother.
McGonagall picked u the hat and stool and walked away with them as Dumbledore stood up.
"I would first like to say welcome, to our newcomers," Dumbledore said with his arms stretched wide and a beaming smile on his face. "And to our older students, welcome back. Now, enjoy yourselves to a delicious feast! Tuck in!" A strike of applause followed as Dumbledore sat down. Food appeared along the recently empty tables, and everyone took as they pleased.
"So," Seamus said stirring up a new conversation. He turned to Ron and his face took on a grim look. "I'm really sorry for what happened," he whispered. Ginny and he had gotten together soon after last school year started. He had grown fond of her, and was even planning to propose to her after Ginny finished school. "I really loved her." He got up and walked over to Dean and sat down leaving Ron with a sad smile plastered on his face.It soon spread and Harry, Ron and Hermione all had grim looks. Neville, who hadn't heard anything at about their previous conversation, turned towards them.
"Who do you think is gonna be the new DADA teacher?" He obliviously asked them."I don't know. But then again, where's Hagrid?" Hermione asked."I'm not sure," Neville responded just curious as the young bookworm. "I saw him bringing in the first years but then he disappeared."The rest of the feast was peaceful, with the exception of Nearly-Headless Nick, who came in scaring the new first years. Once the noise quieted and everyone was done eating, Dumbledore rose to his feet and complete silence filled the hall.
"I must ask that instead of wanting to walk to your dormitories that you listen to me banter on," the Headmaster said with a smile. "First years, you should know that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to students, and a few of our older students should remember that." Harry, Ron and Hermione smirked in unison to make a Malfoy proud. "Mr. Filch the caretaker has asked me to remind you all that there is no magic to be done in corridors between classes. Also he has revised his list of items not allowed on school grounds, you may visit him to see those items."Now, our new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor seems to not be here at the moment, but-"His speech was cut short as the doors to the Great Hall banged open and in streamed a woman who was obviously in battle not too long ago.
"Sorry for coming so late Albus," the recognizable voice of Lilith shouted through the silence. But its tone was different as to what the golden trio was used to hearing.To say that the four were surprised was an understatement. Tam, as always, didn't care much. But now she had to endure her mother during the school year too? She did not find this fair. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were quite the opposite. They were happy that Lilith would be teaching. They now understood why they had to wait to start training. Everything had to be planned out before they could start.
"There were a few lose hippogriffs and Hagrid needed some help. And well, hippogriffs don't like my kind very much," she yelled across the vast amount of students to the Headmaster.
"So that's what taking Hagrid so long," Dumbledore said his eyes twinkling just as brightly as ever.Lilith nodded to her peer and walked towards Harry. She ruffled his hair, making it messier than it naturally was, and gave a glance to each of her kids, those where were blood children and those who were not; and then stalked towards the Head table.
Her demeaning figure seemed to spook out some of the students, though others were admiring her, most of the male population anyways. She was a mysterious figure that just shouted an odd aura. She wore a turtleneck shirt and ripped black jeans. She wore short boots and her hair was tight in a ponytail. Her eyes were no longer red, but a soft shade of violet. Lilith reached her chair and sat down with a mastered art of elegance.
"Well, I believe I can introduce our new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Professor Night." The hall erupted into a mass of applause for the new teacher, causing her to smirk. She wasn't going to let them off easy, she came here to teach them, and teach is what she was going to do. When the applause died down, Dumbledore continued."There will also be a Halloween ball, done the muggle way, using costumes and such." Most of the Slytherins groaned at celebrating such a muggle custom. "ALL students must participate, and obviously they cannot be a witch or wizard. There will also be a Yule Ball, to try and ease the tension out of the school year," he said, he was referring to the ongoing war. Many parents were fighting, some for the light and some for the dark. "If you want any more information, you can ask me or any of your Head of Houses. Now off to bed."
The silence was shattered as the whole hall moved as one to their respective dormitories. Harry and Tam were both being hounded by their fellow Gryffindors. "How are you related to her?" They kept asking Tam, Harry was banged with "How do you know her," from many people. Both just shrugged the questions off. Each for their own reason; Harry because he could not tell them the truth, and Tam because she did not want to say the truth.
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A/N: Hey guys, hope you all liked this tiny little bit. Please review, it'll mean so much to me!! I have also posted the 'Blood Lust Trio' cover on my site. Its not too great, but I like it. Go see it if you want.
Now, to thank my wonderful reviewers:
HecateDeMort: Thanks.
Shania Maxwell: Thanks, I will!!
Final Spirit: Yea, sure school tomorrow. W/e. Why don't we stick to story topics here? This is FF.Net. Ok? Thank you.
HyperCaz: Thanks!!
Usha88: Thanks! It seems unbelievable to me too!! Here it is! Thanx!!
1gobgirlie15: Thanks. And yes, Hermione is going to be a vampire. She will join the rest of them. So will some other characters that will surprise everyone.
pointed tooth fairy: Quiet you fool!! You don't go saying things like that around the place! You will reveal our secrets, then how will we get food? . . . oops.
Sally: Thanks!! Shadow of a Cat: Thanks! I hope it up to bat!!