((AN: Yes, this story is AU now. I'm going to try to update more and get the rest of this posted ASAP))
Harry Potter and the Blades of Alpha and Omega
Chapter Four: Resurfacing
Aspirat primo Fortuna labori - Fortune smiles upon our first effort. (Virgil)
Just as had been predicted, Farrah forgot about her dream completely when she woke up the next morning. Whether she would have remembered it under normal circumstances will forever remain shrouded in mystery; She woke up to the sound of her little sister's voice telling her that it was time to get up. After showering and grabbing a Jammy Dodger from Binkie, she began hauling all of her luggage down the winding stairs.
It took a while, but within two hours all seven members of the Potter family were fully clothed and loaded into the family car. Harry had just recently purchased a brand new Mercedes SUV, just big enough to fit the family in. (The family had been pestering Harry to buy a car for quite sometime, although the final purchase was mostly to thwart off the muggle residents of Godrics Hollow, who had long since been wondering why a family as wealthy as the Potters had to make do with out a vehicle).
The group drove on in silence for a respectable thirty minutes or so before pulling up to the large parking lot of Kings Cross Station. The second they were let out of the car, the Potter children scurried off in different directions, looking for friends and heading toward the barrier.
Fortuitously, they had arrived somewhat early, and the Express was virtually half-empty. After he father escorted them onto the train, Phoenix, Farrah, and Piper easily made themselves at home in an empty compartment near the caboose.
After a many hour-long train ride, the students listlessly filed out of the train, most shuffling into horseless carriages, the rest following the same old Half Giant into lantern lit rowboats.
Awe unwillingly swept through the eleven year old Potter girl as the boats reached the shallow shore of the Hogwart's Lake. Why this site stirred up such admiration and astonishment in the lass was beyond her, seeing as she had only last been at this very place a matter of months ago. Perhaps it was the faint natural glow from all of the castle's numerous windows (A site that would have put Thomas Kincaid to shame), or maybe it was the sheer significance of the moment. It made every student following the eight foot tall man into the castle feel as miniscule as ever.
A talkative chatter went around the group when they were left alone in the entrance Hall. Conversations of which houses each one preferred seemed to be the most prominent.
"I don't know whether I'm to be set in Gryffindor or Slytherin." Phoenix whispered in a nonchalant tone. "Dad would be horribly upset if I was in Gryffindor, but mum really wouldn't care either way. How 'bout you, Fair?"
"Well, I haven't really thought about it, as I don't really think it matters that much." She said as she gazed around at the large stone walls. And this is just the entrance. "On the other hand, I do not want to be with my sister, so I guess I'm aiming for Gryffindor. Although, if it meant that I would get to be with you, any away from my father and brother's prying eyes, I would easily take Slytherin."
The babbling assemblage of young students immediately stopped their banter when the Headmistress entered the room, as dignified as ever though gaining steadily in years, she struggled to talk over the Sorting Hat, which had already begun its song, and gave her annual instructional address of the series of events that would accompany the sorting. Days passed in minutes, and it seemed like an hour before the students were let into the Great Hall.
"Abbot, Samantha!"
Hufflepuff!
"Bones, Nicole!"
Hufflepuff!
"Boot, Mark!" The hat called out…
Ravenclaw!
"Crabbe, Victoria!"
Slytherin!
"Davies, Kimberly!"
Ravenclaw!
"Evans, Roland!"
Ravenclaw!
"Finnigan, Gary!"
Gryffindor! A loud cheer could be heard as the Gryffindors celebrated their earliest first-year.
"Finch-Fletchley, Amanda!"
Hufflepuff!
"Goyle, Alfred!"
Slytherin!
"Jordan, Leander!"
Gryffindor!
"Jordan, Zoë!"
Gryffindor!
"Knott, Pandora!
Slytherin!
"Patil, Micheal!" The hat seemed to sit on his hat for what seemed like a long while in comparison to the other students before shouting out a resounding…
Gryffindor!
"Potter, Farrah!" The Hall seemed to go quiet as the girl made her way up the stool and coolly placed the hat on her head.
Will it be Hufflepuff? No, a little too much personality. Ravenclaw? Don't want to be with your sister, eh? Well, you know what they say about sisters; be kind to them, for one day you may need an alibi. But all joking aside.. It appears as if you're going through the same experience that happened with your father. Gryffindor or Slytherin? You'd do great in both, but in Slytherin you'd shine. So what shall it be? Not Slytherin? Afraid to be away from your friend? But you'd do so well. Still sure? Alright then...
Gryffindor! Was the house that the hat shouted after a few minutes. Farrah made her way to Gryffindor table through cheers and shouting. Her cheeks slightly aflame, she sat down to watch the rest of the sorting.
"Malfoy, Phoenix!"
Gryffindor!
"Weasley, Charles!"
Gryffindor!
"Weasley, Piper!"
Gryffindor!
"West, Maverik!"
Hufflepuff!
"Wood, Cassandra!
Gryffindor!
It took a while, but soon enough all the students were sorted into their respected houses, and after the Headmaster made his speech everyone began to eat. As everyone was serving themselves, tid-bits of information could be heard about a broad range of topics, but one was interesting enough to strike up Farrah's attention.
"What do you think was the matter with the Sorting Hat, James?" David Weasley asked her brother, who was sitting to her left.
"I dunno. Whatever it was, Dumbledore will fix it." He said through a mouthful of pudding (James always preferred to eat dessert first).
"What was wrong with the hat?" Farrah asked, interrupting her brother's conversation and temporarily abandoning the one that she was currently engaged in with Phoenix.
"Well, nothing major, really. It's kind of hard to explain… The hat didn't really sound like itself. The song was extremely pessimistic and almost- sinister." Farrah watched as her older brother visibly cringed.
It had only taken a few minutes after her tour with prefects for the girls of Gryffindor tower to fall fast asleep after getting briefly acquainted (most of them knew each other). Little did they know a very heated conversation was taking place roughly halfway around the school in a certain circular office...
"What's going on, Professor?" A fatigued Harry Potter asked his childhood mentor.
"Well Harry, the Blade of Alpha was stolen from it's fortress under the sea. We know very little of the culprit because the merfolk that were acting as sentries allegedly did not see anyone." Amazingly, Dumbledore managed it out in one breath.
"But just how would someone get by Saltwater merfolk unnoticed? Can't they see past invisibility charms, cloaks, and shields?"
"Well, yes under normal circumstances-"
"So you think that this is an inside job?" Harry interrupted unthinkingly.
"No Harry," The usually mature and somber man was starting to lose his patience. "I am sure that the merfolk merely made a mistake.. Perhaps there was a shortage of guardsmen that day-"
"A shortage of guardsman?" Harry too, was starting to get infuriated. "Mermen don't just call in sick, Dumbledore! You know it and I know it too." Had any of his children taken place at the meeting, they would have immediately identified the look on his face. It was the: must burn thong underwear look.
"Harry," Dumbledore asked through gritted teeth. "Please remain calm."
"How can I remain calm? Only a descendant of Voldemort would be able to get the sword out of Turris Fini. How can I remain calm with the thought of someone trying to harm my family persistently finding its way into my thoughts every second of every day since I first got that damned letter? Sure enough, James, Fair, and Aerin are safe here, I'd never question that Albus, but tell me, what of the other three?" By now, Harry was calmer, but still thoroughly concerned.
"You know I would never let anything ever happen to my godchildren, Harry." Dumbledore said with a sigh.
"All the same, it's hard you know. Luna and I thought we had put the worst behind us.. If anything happened to any of the children-"
It was now the Headmasters turn to intervene. "Nothing will Happen, Harry. Of that I can assure you. Now I told you not to worry, and it's getting late. I understand you've got a double Gryffindor-Slytherin NEWT block class first thing in the morning?"
The conversation had gotten so intense that Harry hadn't noticed the time.
"Yes, right you are, Albus. But if I may ask you one thing.."
"Why of course, Harry." The headmaster replied with a smile.
"Why exactly is the Sorting Hat not in here?" Throughout the entire conversation Harry had noticed that the hat had been absent, which was a bit unorthodox to any of his past experiences.
"Well Harry, Quite frankly, I don't trust it."
"You don't trust the hat, sir?" Perhaps the fatigue was getting to him.
"Yes, it hasn't sounded like itself lately. I've had Minerva looking for curses on it, but so far she's found nothing. God forbid there should have to be a re-sort!"
"Re-sort, sir?" Harry asked.
"Yes, but I'm sure that you have naught to worry about, Harry." The old man said, finally rising out of his plush seat..
Harry Potter thought of little else but his family as he entered the large common room that had been assigned to him. He thought of Luna and Rose at home, and little baby Sirius as well. While he laid down on his large four-poster, a slight wave of grief and other strange emotions that he had not felt since he was a teenager swept over him. For a moment before he ventured into a dreamless sleep, he thought of Sirius Sr., Tonks, the batty old Alastor Moody, and many countless others who had not had the blessing of coming back from the war. Then again he thought of his family, and vowed that there would be no more innocent lives taken, no matter what the cause...
Audny- thanks for the review. As for your question, it will be answered in time...