"Hey Vanessa" Vanessa turned to face Charlie from the piece of parchment she was looking at as if testing it to see if it was good or not.
"Hmm?" Charlie looked at the piece of parchment, held flat by two rather large books on either side of it.
"What's that?" Vanessa followed her eyes to the piece of parchment.
"Oh this?" Charlie nodded
"Its a map" Charlie looked at it then her friend and gave Vanessa a quizzical look.
"You know, like the Marauders Map? I modeled it after that. That way every corridor in Hogwarts is on here already. Since the both of us have invisibility cloaks, we could make twice the amount of mischief a normal first year could. Just one problem"
Charlie frowned, what could be a problem with a map like the Marauders Map?
"It needs a password" Vanessa said, frowning. Charlie looked at her strangely.
"Why not use the Marauders Map's password?" Vanessa rolled her eyes.
"Two reasons, one, people would guess it easily, two, maps like these can't have the same passwords or else they wont work." Charlie thought a minute.
"why don't you ask Maddy?" She asked, since Maddy had came over to their house, and by a bit of bribing(sp?) they had convinced both her mom and their parents to let her stay the eight days until September first. Vanessa gave her a incredulous look.
"It was supposed to be a surprise. That would ruin it!" Charlie frowned and tried to think up a password.
"Did you ask Alex?" Vanessa shook her head.
"Nope he helped me make it. He couldn't think up a unique password that wouldn't be guessable." Charlie didn't have time to feel a bit mad that she hadn't asked her for help. But it was a good thing that they'd actually been together. Suddenly a light flickered in Vanessa's eyes.
"Why not Deal su ot fiechsim?" Charlie looked at her confused.
"Come again?" Vanessa shook her head.
"Deal su ot fiechsim."
"Are you speaking French?"
"No! its Lead us to mischief spelled backwards."
"Oh, duh!" Charlie said trying it out.
"Sounds cool" she said after a minute.
"So when do we show it to Maddy?"
" I'll show it to Maddy. You pretend to be surprised."
"fine" Charlie groaned, rolling her eyes, but smirking.
Later that day, after Vanessa cast a few charms on the map and put the password into it Charlie headed downstairs to the living room were she got Maddy to play a game of exploding snap. Vanessa came down smiling. Maddy gave her a look and raised a eyebrow.
"What's going on?" She asked, sensing something was about to happen.
"Well I'm going to show you something." Charlie played her part and gave Vanessa a confused look, desperately fighting for a straight face.
"Look" Vanessa took out the piece of parchment and said the password. The parchment sprung to life, saying "hello fellow mischief makers. Welcome to the key to pranks." Maddy looked at it.
"Is this like the..."
"Marauders Map? Yep it is, almost anyways. Its called Prankster's map" Vanessa announced smiling. From in the kitchen Harry and Kathy watched the children quietly.
"Maddy seems fair enough. Poor girl i feel sorry for her." Kathy said leaning against the counter, on which a freshly made sandwich lay.
"Yeah" Harry said, he still felt weird about a Malfoy being friends with his daughter. But judging by what Charlie'd told him Maddy had always faced that.
"Vanessa reminds me of Sirius so much" Kathy said going over to her husband an putting a hand on his shoulder.
"D'you think they could end up like..."
"Like the Marauders? No, Harry, time likes to fool with our minds. But it never repeats itself." Kathy smiled reassuringly at him and Harry knew she was right.
How they all -Maddy, Charlie, Alex, Vanessa, Adam and their parents plus the school stuff- managed to fit in the small station wagon was beyond belief, and a miracle that some of it could even fit in the trunk. The kids were crammed in the two back seats, Charlie, Maddy and Adam in one mixed with Silver's, Cyvus, and Lyra (Adam's owl) cages, and Alex and Vanessa in the back with Venus and most of the stuff.
They went all the way to Kings Cross in this manner, no one saying a word for it was too hot for the car had overheated in the heat that was left from summer blending into fall. They all practically jumped out of the car when they parked at the train station.
"D'you got the Map?" Charlie whispered to Vanessa. She nodded and pointed to her pocket of the hip hugger jeans. Charlie tied her hair into a ponytail in a effort to tame it, which was, of course, in vain, for her hair never was tame.
Well here it is. But... wait.. there's no platform 9 3/4 ... what the hell is goin on? Charlie stared wildly across the station as did Maddy. Vanessa was looking suspiciously between platforms 9 and 10.
"Dad" Charlie turned to Harry "where's the platform?" He smiled mysteriously and led them in-between nine and ten.
"Its through there." He spoke quietly, as he showed her the seemingly solid wall. She gave him a 'are you insane?' look and he laughed. "Just run through there and next thing you know your there. I'll come with you." Charlie stared at him.
Is he mental? she thought as she braced herself. No.. he's don't this before. Then they were running. The wall was coming closer and closer. God don't let me crash. She thought wildly as she squeezed her eyes closed.
When she opened her eyes, she was no longer in Kings Cross, but standing in front of a big scarlet steam engine. Harry smiled encouragingly at her and she looked up for a minute.
Above her head, an iron sign said "Hogwarts Express, 11 o'clock" and as she turned about briefly she saw an old but, surprisingly, not rusted at all, iron archway saying "Platform Nine and Three Quarters." All around her the platform was crowded with students climbing in and out of the train, dragging their luggage, their owl cages, cat baskets or rat boxes. One boy in a corner was even displaying a beautiful garden snake to his friends impressively.
The noise was incredibly loud, yet not annoying, not yet anyway. There were many goodbyes, some laughing and joking, some sobs, hugs, kisses, and several hoots, mews and other animal noises.
Maddy and Vanessa appeared next, then Adam. She felt hands slip over her eyes and a scary like voice whisper in her ear "hello." She whirled round with great speed, ready to either slap or shriek, and let out a sigh of relief.
It was just Nick.
"God Nick, did you have to scare the bloody hell out of me?" She joked and he laughed.
"Yep, naturally. Where's Alex?"
"He'll be coming through any minute now."
Sure enough, a minute later Alex and his mom appeared.
"Some stupid muggle conductor stopped us and quizzed us." Charlie heard Alex mutter to Nick.
"C'mon Todd and Mike are waitin for us." He turned to Kathy.
"Bye mum. Bye dad, i gotta go, my friends are waitin." Their mom hugged him like she'd never let him go, "I gotta go, mum, ciao (AN: sounds like see ya) later" his voice sounded chocked and forced. Harry and him embraced and then bid each other goodbye then Adam, after a few minutes bid them goodbye and he too left.
"Mum" Charlie started as her mum hugged her too tightly, "Mum," she felt a odd lump start in her throat, "I gotta go now... the train's gonna leave." Her mum had tears in her eyes as she kissed Charlie goodbye and then her and her dad shared a warm embrace.
"You try not to get into too much trouble, and don't let anyone pick on ya, eh?" He said smiling not noticing the look that her mum shot him. She had to force her words, as Alex did earlier,
"sure dad." They gave Maddy and Vanessa goodbye hugs too, and Charlie could have sworn Maddy looked like she was having serious issues with tears trying to form.They met up with Vanessa's dad later and he hugged her goodbye and apologized for "being a stubborn git." and now were on the train searching desperately for a empty compartment.
"Hey in here" a voice said pulling Charlie into a compartment.
It was Alex. Nick, Todd and Mike, the boy Charlie had met twice in Diagon Alley, sat in the compartment, looking somewhat ill at ease.
The other two followed in and all three girls sat down. Charlie sat across from Mike, next to the window, Vanessa was across the seat from Alex -Charlie almost laughed at the look they shared- and Maddy, next to Nick.
"Nervous?" Mike whispered to her in the same voice caught between amusement and gentleness that Charlie seemed to like.
She shrugged, "aren't we all?" He smiled.
"So what do we talk about?" Vanessa asked.
"How about we play a game of matchmaker?" Mikes eyes glinted with the same light Charlie's did. He and Nick, Todd and Alex and became friends over the time between Diagon Alley and Platform 9 ¾ and he'd found out about Vanessa and Alex.
Suddenly as if they finally got it seeped into their heads, the other three got the same glint to their eyes.
"Who's first?" Maddy asked smiling.
"Hmmm... how's bout or little Alex here." Mike said teasingly.
"I know" Charlie said as Vanessa and Alex grew redder and redder.
"Vanessa" Maddy finished her smiling as evilly.
"Go on then!" Nick pushed Vanessa, who was next to him into the seat where Alex sat. They both turned redder than possible.
"Next is..." Todd started.
"Our new friend, Maddy" Mike said watching her turn a light shade of red.
"Hmm... wonder who. Can't give her to you Todd, Jinni'll be mad. Jinni's his girlfriend," Nick said smiling.
"Then she'll go to you, Nick!" Charlie said laughing as she pushed Maddy towards his seat. They both looked at each other and burst out laughing.
"So... you're next Mike." Alex declared finally breaking the trance Vanessa and him had been staring into each other. Mike smiled and would have protested, as it was only he and Charlie and that might not be fair to her, but his words weren't even produced.
"Well the only girl here's Charlie" Nick said as he pushed Charlie into Mikes seat. Incidentally, she tripped and landed on top of him. The two looked at each other and started laughing. Vanessa and Alex looked at each other and Maddy and Charlie caught the passion radiating between the two and rolled their eyes.
"Looks like our friends fancy each other" Mike whispered in her ear, laughter in his voice, and she laughed.
Just then the door opened and a boy already changed into his Hogwarts black robes with slicked back white blonde hair and icy cold blue eyes walked in. He was about 4'2" and flanked by two huge boys who were very tall for eleven year olds, about 5 feet or more, really and very thick (and looked very thick). It looked like they were his bodyguards.
"Malfoy" Charlie and Alex whispered at the same time, both their eyes turning hard as rock and equally icy cold.
"What d'you want, Jack?" Maddy's voice was no longer a soft and shy voice but now icy cold and had a bite to it. Charlie remembered what she'd said the day in Diagon Alley "...everyone hated me because of my name..." Well no wonder she hates him. Charlie thought. Malfoy -Jack, Maddy had called him- ignored her totally.
"My name is Jack Malfoy," he couldn't have said anything more proudly. "This is Crabbe and Goyle.
You, blood betraying mud blood lover, have no right to speak my name. You and your-" -he called her a word that made both Nick and Maddy's eyes blaze even worse. "Of a mother stopped being worthy of my name when you left. Your mother is worse than mud bloods, she is the dog excrement that stains peoples shoes." Maddy started to get up, she looked like someone had just spit on her face and then shoved it in mud, but Nick held her back gently. Actually, like Charlie and Mike, were holding each other back. Jack smirked smugly and Charlie wanted to wipe that stupid smirk right off his ugly little face. He then spotted Vanessa who looked already about to kill him.
"Such a beautiful girl like yourself shouldn't be around such jerks. You should be around sophisticated people like me." He lifted her up, avoiding a horible slap she aimed for his nose.
"My, my feisty little thing. Doesn't know what's good for her." He started to lower his lips to hers when suddenly in a blur he as on the ground clutching a bleeding nose. Alex jumped on him with the fury of a wildcat, aside from Crabbe and Goyle, no one made a move to pull him away and hurled Alex across the compartment.
In a split second Charlie, Mike, Nick, Maddy, Todd, Vanessa and Alex all were standing. The seven looked ready for war, their wands drawn like spears. Malfoy got up his whole face bruised and bloody.
"Now OUT or we'll force you out!" Charlie realized she along with Maddy had accompanied Alex in the threat, all three's voices growling like wolfs. Malfoy turned, since he was out numbered seven to three muttering, "You'll pay Potter, you'll pay."
"Oh go eat shit Malfoy" Alex called out after him.
Vanessa glared after Malfoy.
The tension in the room was so thick you could have cut it with a knife. After a minute of silence Vanessa rounded on Alex.
"Alex, you idiot why the hell'd you do that? He could have hurt you for Christ's sake!" She all but screamed he looked at her like she was crazed.
"Vanessa, he was trying t.. to-to rape you!" he stuttered not expecting that reaction.
"Yes, well you much more important than me! You're a Potter and I'm just a stupid little worthless Wood! I'm no reason to get you killed over Alex!" Alex grabbed her and shook her.
"I swear if you ever talk like that about yourself again I- I'll- I'll..." Vanessa glared at him.
"You'll do what?"
"Kill myself." He looked stubborn as her dad in a argument.
"You wouldn't dare!"
"Would too" Vanessa frowned.
"Would not." Alex frowned slightly
"Why not?" Vanessa sighed.
"Because I won't let you." They glared at each other for a minute and then she noticed he was bleeding .
"Oh my God. Your hurt!" She said suddenly.
"Yeah Vanessa why don't you kiss it and make it better" Nick teased. Vanessa and Alex both blushed crimson "go on" Mike pushed her into him. Alex caught her just in time and both their lips met. Charlie laughed at the looks on their faces as they realized what was goin on.
"That's the way to do it" Nick said smiling.
"Hey Todd, you ought to know, any future snogging possible?" Mike teased ignoring the evil look Alex was giving him.
"Well, we'll find out wont we" Todd said laughing.
"Well, how's about a game of exploding snap?" Alex said desperately trying change the subject. After some teasing they finally agreed. Alex was like always great, but Maddy, Mike and Vanessa were pretty good rivals. But in the end, like always, he won the most.
Later the snack cart came by and they all bought something, and in-between them they had a few of everything. Charlie looked, between them they each had a box of Bertie Botts Every Flavored Beans.
"Hey," Nick said, "how's about we all eat a Bean at the same time and see who gets what."
"Sure" Charlie and Alex said at the same time.
"Ok then, at the count of three we'll eat on Nick said Todd started counting,
"Ok one ... two ... three." They all ate their Beans. In the end only Vanessa, Nick and Maddy were eating theirs.
"What'd you get?" Mike said as the other four stared at them enviously.
"Chocolate" Maddy said giving them a lop sided smile.
Vanessa laughed "coconut,"
"Pizza" Nick said, chewing happily, as the others gave them evil looks, "You?" he asked.
"Goblin blood" both Todd and Mike said.
"Dragon liver" Charlie muttered.
"Spinach" Alex groaned, frowning. Then a voice boomed throughout the train.
"We'll be at Hogwarts in a few minutes, please get changed and ready if you're not already. Leave all your things here, they will be brought up to the castle later."
Charlie and Maddy opened the door the same time as the other boys did and Alex laughed at the looks on their faces.
"No we didn't snog or anything. We just got changed." Charlie gave him a 'yeah right' look.
"We didn't do anything!" Vanessa said, indignantly.
"Sure you didn't" Mike said laughing. They continued on like this until they got to Hogwarts.
"Woah look" they heard a boy next to them breathe as they got out together. They all looked up as a gruff voice boomed out over them .
"Firs' years this way!" The seven of them knew who this was. They'd met him before. Hagrid. Despite his very scary appearance from his seven feet tall and black shaggy beard and hair, they knew he was really friendly.
"Firs' years this way, right, no more 'en four to a boat." He said as they all grouped around him and the boats that seemed to float on top of the water. Charlie Maddy and Vanessa got into one and instead of one of the other four boys joining them, they got a very unwelcome, greasy black haired, hook nosed girl who seemed to have a air of smugness about her. Charlie saw Maddy and her exchange glares.
"Maddy" she whispered "who is that?"
Maddy's voice had a definite bite to it and her eyes had hardened like stone.
"She's Kaly Snape, a impossible git that thinks she's better than everybody else cause her dad got killed fighting Voldemort's gang. But she doesn't seem to realize that for a time there he was one." She whispered in a cold, forced bite that would of scared Charlie had she not heard it before when that Malfoy git had invaded their compartment.
"Should've known looks just like him" Charlie saw Vanessa fighting back laughter. The girl, Kaly, looked down at them from her abnormally large nose and scowled.
"You must be a Potter" she said spitting the name out like it was poison. "Your brothers as ugly as your father is. Personally i think that he isn't worth even looking at. The slimy piece of.." Charlie would have beat the hell outta her had Vanessa not jumped up and lunged at Kaly before her.
Charlie sat there stunned as Vanessa planted a few well placed punches on Kaly's face. after a few minutes of this, both girls stood up breathing heavily. Vanessa had got a few good punches to her eye, but that was all. She pointed her wand at Kaly and muttered a spell. Suddenly Kaly made a choking noise and doubled over. She opened her mouth as if to puke but snails came out.
Both Charlie and Maddy watched, stunned as Kaly righted herself momentarily and pushed Vanessa hard. Neither Charlie nor Maddy had time to grab her and she fell over, seemingly in slow motion. Then there was a loud splash.
Vanessa was a great swimmer, but this had caught her off guard and both Charlie and Maddy grew panicked as she did not resurface.
The next moments were a blur.
Before Mike, Nick, or Todd could stop him, Alex had literally jumped into their boat, which rocked dangerously, and punched the crap outta Kaly (though he usually did not punch girls, this was a totally different thing). He reached into the water till it was up to his shoulder and finally felt her hand grasp his wrist and then heaved her up onto the boat and she sat there, momentarily stunned, looking between Alex and Kaly.
"What the hell'd you do that for?" He hissed when they got to dry land. Hagrid still looked worried even though they'd told him a alibi. ("This git jumped on her and then she tried to get her off. She fell out of the boat" Alex had said despite the girls -Vanessa, Charlie and Maddy- and the other three boys scandalized looks and cries of protest.)
"She called you a name that wasn't exactly the sweetest name in the world. I took up for you, and now you sound mad!" She hissed back.
He frowned, "what the hell we're you thinking? I'm mad because you're a beautiful and powerful witch and I'm just a rich snotty and powerless wizard and here you are acting like I'm a god. You could have got killed!" Vanessa scowled.
"I did it because i love you damn it! D'you mind! You're not snotty or powerless! You're one of the most humblest and nicest wizards I know and I love you!" Alex looked a bit embarrassed,
"I'm sorry. I love you too." But they were interrupted by a series of gasps and looked up.
Charlie looked at Vanessa an Alex fighting.
"They'd better say something to each other before i make them" she said to Maddy who just laughed.
"They will. Just give 'em some time."
Charlie was about to reply when several gasps made her look up and even then she had to look twice.
In font of them was, possibly, the biggest castle they'd ever seen.
"God it's huge" Alex whispered to Vanessa as they ran up to the other five, who were too busy gawking at it to shot some teases.
"Yep." Was all Vanessa could manage.
The purple of the dawning night looked beautiful against the now almost black castle in front of them. Candles shone out of several windows and the castle looked almost as welcoming as their homes.
"Beautiful ain't it?" Charlie heard Mike whisper behind her.
"Yeah, you seriously need to stop sneaking up on me, though." She joked.
Hagrid went up to two huge oak doors that were actually bigger than him and knocked three times.
A witch in emerald robes with her black hair with just starting gray streaks tied up into a tight bun, opened the door.
Her strict, yet welcoming blue eyes peered down at the first years from her glasses. Charlie immediately got the impression that this was not somebody to cross.
"Thank you Hagrid. I trust there was no problems." Her voice was sharp and strict Hagrid looked at the group of friends.
"Er.. no Professor Mc Gonnagal."
"Right then. Follow me, please" she said turning to the first years and leading them inside.
"Before you join the other students of the school for the start-of-term feast, you are going to be sorted into one of the four houses of Hogwarts; that is Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Whichever house you get sorted into shall be your home for the next of your seven years here. It will be your home, your family and you shall defend its honor.
"When you are good, you gain points, however, any rule-breaking" she paused to look at the seven friends then continued.
"Any rule-breaking and you will lose points.
"At the end of the year the house that earns the most points will win the House Cup. It is a great honor to the house that wins the Cup.
"The Sorting Ceremony is about to take place. I shall fetch you when its time, until then i suggest you smarten yourselves up a bit."
With that she turned around briskly and walked away.
"Wow seems stern don't she?" It was Maddy
"Yep, sure does." Charlie whispered back watching Vanessa and Alex.
"You'd better stop, some one will think you're obsessed" Maddy joked, "What d'you think this sorting things about?" she whispered, trying to conceal the nervousness starting to show its self to her. Charlie said nothing for a minute.
"I dunno. No one's ever said anything about it to me." She said, trying not to let her heart start yo-yoing up and down.
It was true, no one had ever told her about the sorting. She hoped it didn't mean they'd have to do spells, she didn't know any at all.
"What if they don't want me? No one wants a death eater's shunned daughter in school with their children."
Charlie smiled, "of course they want you. Dumbledore accepts any kid. Look, they put the horrible Malfoy here and he's a bullying git. If they didn't want you they wouldn't have sent you the letter." Maddy smiled and opened her mouth to reply but the Professor they had been brought in here with came in.
"Were ready for you now come along." She said leading them to a huge hall with four long tables in it. Seated at each one of them were students dressed in black robes. There was another table, much taller than that of the four below it. This table stretched from one end of the longer wall to its opposite. At it about thirty or more teachers sat, including Dumbledore Hagrid.
Suddenly silence took over the Great Hall. Professor McGonagall vanished for a few minutes then came back bringing with her a little four-legged stool and a hat probably the oldest and most patched that Charlie had ever seen perched lazily on the stool.
Suddenly the hat stirred slightly, and a small rip opened and the hat began to sing:
"Welcome young witches n' wizards, Ladies n' gents.
You come to learn magic,
To grow in its art.
But this is the step
that comes from your heart.
Into your head i shall look.
For I, you see, am much smarter than a book!
Now put me on and i shall see, in which house I'll put thee.
those of bravery, and those of strength,
like a lion,
Shall meet their home in Gryffindor.
Those who are clever and cunning
Those of the snake,
who shall achieve at any odds,
Then you my friend, belong in Slytherin.
The house of Hufflepuff,
the sweet and kind, they, like the badger,
will toil without complaint,
they are fair and soft spoken,
If you are these,
then i shall give you to Hufflepuff.
Then there are you, the wise,
If knowing is the aim of your life
Then you, my child are Ravenclaw
Now i end my song for now.
So don't be scared,
no, just put me on,
and I shall sort you in one of the four."
The hat ended its song and The Great Hall burst into applause.
The Hat bowed to the four tables, then it stood still.
"That's all we have to do, wear a hat? How easy!" Vanessa said in a whisper making her way to the others with Alex by her side.
They didn't notice the looks the other five were giving them, or that they were grasping each other's hand.
Charlie looked to the Gryffindor table and saw Tasia, Kat, Belle Wood, Issy, and Adam sitting at the Gryffindor table. They all waved at them and then Mc Gonnagal spoke again.
"Now, when i call your name you will step out of line, come up to the stool and place the Hat onto your head. Then you shall be sorted."
She then held up a long roll of parchment, her eyes moving from row to row under her glasses perched comfortably on her nose.
"Abbot, Sarah!" She called out. A girl with sandy-colored hair braided into a long silky braid and bangs that nearly covered a pair of soft brown eyes came forward, timidly. Then the hat fell over her eyes and after a minute the rip opened again, "Hufflepuff!" it called out.
Then was "Avery, Timothy!"
Charlie suppressed a shiver at his last name, she had heard of them, used to be death eaters.
He, of course, like all of his family got "Slytherin!" after only a second on the stool.
He grinned widely at his friends, and went to the Slytherin table.
After "Arisin, John" became a Ravenclaw, Todd was next (Todd Brown was his full name.) After a minute on the stool, the hat called out "Gryffindor!" He practically ran to the Gryffindor table.
"Butcher, Amanda" was in Slytherin, then Bowing, Aleshia, was a Hufflepuff.
After a few more names, it was finally Mike's turn. After only a few seconds, the hat announced "Gryffindor!" He went to the table and sat next to Todd.
Then it was Nick's turn.
Like Todd and Mike he was placed into Gryffindor. Finally as if the minutes crawled by they reached "m."
"Malfoy, Jack." He went forward, an air of importance about him, an impertinently smug look on his face. He knew where he'd be and the little shit was proud of it. Immediately the Hat shouted "Slytherin!" There was a pause and then. "Madison, Malfoy." Maddy was white as a ghost and shaking like a leaf, Charlie and Vanessa gave her encouraging looks and she smiled nervously.
She took a deep breath as the Hat fell over her eyes and jumped slightly as the small voice started.
"Well, well another Malfoy. But a very, very different one i see. Well... your kind are rare, here too. You certainly have many qualities that differ greatly from your family, Friendship, loneliness, far too much loneliness for a child of your age. You can control your anger rather well, a trait quite rare in children of your age. No hatred at all, but intense emptiness. A rather deep need for affection, too. Much to give, limitless loyalty and a very great strength of mind. Hufflepuff would be good for you. But... no. Seeing what's written all over your heart, young Madison, you'll go to Gryffindor!"
Maddy sighed and smiled. She went over to the Gryffindor table quickly and sat down, ignoring the looks Jack was shooting at her.
After a while Charlie heard her start on the P's.
"Potter, Alex!" Alex walked shakily up to the stool and sat on it.
"Hmm, another Potter, let's see. You certainly live up your family's tradition, dear boy. A quick mind, hot temper, and a very strong sense of fairness ... not very keen on studying, though, but a surprising ability to understand. And a strong will to prove your self and to stand apart from the rest. Great amount of courage there, yes, its very noticeable in you, demanding to be seen.
"You very well could be sorted into another house than Gryffindor. You could do great things even in old Slytherin, you know, but it would go against something that is inside you ... deeply rooted in you're blood, soul, and heart ... So then, young Alex, like your future love shall be, it'll be GRYFFINDOR for you!"
Alex opened his eyes as the Hat came off his head.
Future love... does it mean Vanessa? Of course it does she is my love! He realized he'd already sat down next to Mike who was congratulating him.
"So what'd it say?" he asked. Before Alex knew what he was doing he blurted it out.
"That my love would be in Gryffindor." They all smiled and joked and then Charlie's name was called.
Charlie took a deep breath and steadied her shaking hands as she walked up to the stool.
"Well, well... a second Potter... twins, eh?" Charlie jumped slightly; almost yelping in surprise, "Now, now don't be afraid, i don't bite. Well then you are extremely difficult. Strong, definitely brave and noble. You know what your strengths are and how best to use them to your advantage. You can be a great leader, you know, its right there in your heart. You're also very sarcastic and blunt, not that that's necessarily a bad thing. You've got a short fuse, and have quite a temper when that fuse is lit. But you know how to control it for the most part, you'd be a good Slytherin, you know, like your brother and father."
'Oh please not Slytherin!' Charlie thought desperately to herself.
"Not Slytherin? You know you could fit very well into that house. No? Well then, young Charlie, you'll just have to be a GRYFFINDOR!" It shouted the last part. Charlie immediately relaxed and her grip on the stool, which was beginning to hurt, loosened and she took a deep breath. She stood up and walked shakily over to her brother.Soon it was only Vanessa, three other boys and two girls. The Snape girl had went to Slytherin, of course.
Then "Wood, Vanessa!" She was, perhaps, the calmest one of all of them. Or at least she was faking it out horribly good. She put on a indifferent face and clenched her mouth shut, willing herself to be calm. This was a gift she'd had when she was younger. Though she never really used it, right now, she decided, was a time to use it.
Then there was the little voice speaking into her ear.
"You are very complicated my child. Much like your father was. Ah, my, my...very smart, you are. Maybe Ravenclaw. But, no a very trustworthy and loyal friend i see you are... Hufflepuff would fit you perfectly. But, no alas, a very great bravery in you're heart... Maybe Gryffindor. My child you are very difficult indeed. But your true love shall be in Gryffindor so i suppose it'll have to be... Gryffindor!"
Vanessa jumped slightly as it called out her houses name and she looked up. No one was clapping harder than her friends. And none of them was clapping harder than Alex. She smiled as she walked over to them and sat between Alex and Charlie.
My true love. She thought happily.
After the three boys -Jack Wundlowe, Patrick Xavier and Eric Zagsby- went to Hufflepuff -Charlie knew by the gleams in their eyes they would not be perfect saintly Hufflepuffs. Two girls, twins, - Lavender and Alexis Ziggs - got into Gryffindor, Dumbledore stood up and silence fell over the Great Hall.
He beamed at them as if nothing could of possibly made him more happy than them being there.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling merrily. "I know you're all starving, so I'd suggest starting the feast at once. Now, I've got only two words: eat up!"
Right in front of their eyes like a flash, dozens of dishes appeared on the tables. They were filled with steaks, chips, pastas of all sorts, fried potatoes, many different kinds of salads and salad dressings, widely diverse vegetables, hams, sauces of all kinds, chicken, spaghetti, mashed potatoes? and even mint humbugs in a small dish. Charlie looked at them, one eyebrow raised.
"They give us them every year." Adam said following her bewildered gaze. "Reckon somebody must like 'em." Charlie stared at them and then caught Maddy and Vanessa's eyes. They all looked down hurriedly, to keep from laughing.
A girl in front of her with long sandy-brown hair and dancing soft blue eyes was talking to one of the girl twins. Charlie thought it was Alexis. She caught a snag of the conversation.
"Did you hear?" it was the sandy haired girl, she sounded Irish. "Lupin and Black are teaching again." It was the twin.
"...Dad said Lupin was the best Defense teacher he ever had..."
"...mum said Black was great at teaching anigmagis lessons." -Charlie remembered her dad had said it was added on in his sixth year. The sandy haired girl looked up at her.
"Oh hi... you're Harry Potters daughter?" Charlie nodded, hoping it wasn't another Potter fan club.
"My names Amber Finnigan my dad knew yours. This is Alexis Ziggs -you are Alexis, right?" The girl nodded.
"Nice to meet you." Charlie said smiling.
Amber seemed rather nice, but Alexis seemed oddly distant. She introduced Maddy, Vanessa and the boys. To her surprise she didn't even seem caught off- guard or suspicious about Maddy. Though Alexis seemed to look at her edgily, as if daring Maddy to speak to her.
"I knew you weren't anything like Malfoy" Amber said with a kind smile. "Just something told me." They talked like this until the main course then dessert melted away and Dumbledore stood up.
"I shall take this time to introduce four new teachers this term." Charlie looked up and caught Remus and Sirius. They both waved and Sirius winked. She smiled and turned back to Dumbledore,
"Professor Lupin and Black are back. Professor Lupin shall be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Professor Black shall be teaching Anigmagis Training. Which is now open to all years." Both teachers got very warm applauds, even from the Slytherins, except Jack Malfoy and his little gang.
"Now before I introduce the other two, I would like to tell you about a new class. As we know many of you have special dancing, and musical talents. We have made a class to honor those talents. It's called the Dancing and Singing class. You shall know if you're in it or not when your class timetables are handed out tomorrow. So now after that bit of news is over, here are the teachers of the class. Yes there are two.Tamora and Johnny Michlie, they are both married." They both stood up and were greeted with applause as Remus and Sirius were.
Tamora was short and skinny with long silky brown hair and soft, sparkling brown eyes. Johnny was somewhat like her. Very tall with brown-blonde hair and the same soft, sparkling brown eyes. They both seemed anxious and nervous, but Charlie couldn't blame them. All new teachers probably were.
"So" Nick said to Vanessa as they ate the last of the dessert. "What did the Hat say?" Vanessa meant not to say anything about her future lover and all, but some how she found herself blurting it out and looked confused and embarrassed.
Alex and Vanessa hadn't realized they'd put a truth charm on them.
Pretty soon they were being shepherded to their dorms.
"First years follow me" a prefect called above the noise. They trudged up many flights of stairs, on the way up Mike gave a very annoying tiny knight that challenged everyone to a duel a very descriptive use off cuss words. Which caused a very good imagery, having to do with the knight's sword and a very personal part, which caused a small wave of giggles to spread through the wave of first years.
The knight to challenged him to a duel, and called him a "scandalizing cauwlkon." Charlie decided that phrase was best left uninterrupted. After a while, which included climbing more steps than Charlie had ever climbed in her life, they stopped in front of a portrait of a rather fat woman, in a silk pink dress with lace on it.
Charlie looked at it apprehensively, not wanting to be the next to get on with a annoying picture.
"Password?"
"Ridgeback" the Prefect replied lazily. The picture sung open and the first years stared in amazement.
The Gryffindor Common Room was big and round. Inside of it was a warm fireplace crackling merrily. Arm chairs, sofas, chairs, and desks adorned the room. Decorating its walls were many portraits like the fat lady. The room felt warm and welcoming. Vanessa's eyes flickered over the room and fell on a huge book shelf that looked like a miniature library and couldn't help but marvel at the accumulation of various assorted books.
The prefect cleared her throat to attract their attention.
"Girls dormitories are to the left, boys to the right. Your things have already been brought up." Charlie yawned as the sudden sleepiness had overcame her. They all trudged up to their appointed dormitories.
Vanessa, Maddy and Charlie shared the dormitories with Amber and Alexis. Charlie, for some strange reason, really didn't like her. She seemed somewhat stuck up. Alexis chose the bed closest to the wall, Vanessa was in the next bed, then Maddy then Charlie and Amber got the one next to the window.
The room was big enough, the stairs that lead to the common room lay in the middle of it and the beds were positioned around them. They all fell asleep rather quickly, though none of them were used to the place. There were over two-hundred stairs at Hogwarts, loads of secret rooms, corridors, secret passageways, millions of class rooms that seemed to move daily. There were doors that would open only if they wanted to, or if you did something to them, doors that liked to lock people in them -one of the bathrooms had one.
Doors that would appear one day and disappear later, some would open onto different passages or classrooms, some opened only one day a week, or a special hour a day, and some even just pretend to be a door and not open at all. Those were the worst. Like the stairs, doors moved, too. On day a door would open to a Charms class, the next day it could open to a Transfiguration Class.
Then there were the stairs.
Staircases moved without warning. There were playful stairs that liked to imitate stairs. Stairs you had to avoid or you'd fall through a first year Hufflepuff, Annabelle Amos, had already broke her arm (though not uncommon for accidents on the first day to the faculty, to some students it a tiny bit odd that some one could have a accident their first day at Hogwarts).
But the worst by far was Peeves.
Peeves the Poltergeist.
Peeves would pull the carpet out from your feet, come up behind you silently and suddenly scream bloody hellish screams in your ears, he would wriggle his fat little toes and break out in very insulting songs, and much more. He only listened to The Bloody Baron, the resident Slytherin ghost, very few professors (Dumbledore he mockingly did) and sometimes the caretaker. Argus Filch and his God forsaken horrible cat, Miss Nox.
Every single student, from first years to seventh years and even some teachers, hated that cat with a passion.
Some would dare others to kick her -but, of course, no one had yet. She was a ugly skinny yellow tabby with huge golden eyes and Lynx like ears.
She was silent and always on the look out for mis-behaving students. When she would find one she would rush away to Fletch who would be there in seconds, his beady black eyes shining down over his long hook nose -that nose was seriously challenging the Snape girls ugly hook nose- at the unfortunate student. He took no mercy on any house or the student, no one wanted to really meet his wrath.
And after you managed the feat of actually avoiding the playful step, avoiding Peeves, Filch, or his cat, and avoiding moving staircases. And not getting tricked by doors or getting completely lost. Then there were the classes. They were enough without the maze that was Hogwarts.
Their very first class was Potions, and, unfortunately they had it with the Slytherins. The classroom was situated down in one of the dungeons, cold and dark and dreary, had the professor, Professor Ivus, not looked so strict, Charlie could have found it a good sleeping class. But she wasn't sure she could have even thought of sleeping "peacefully" anyways.
There were thick volumes of numerous books pilled on huge bookshelves that could rival those in the Gryffindor common room. Books lay in dusty corners while spider's webs found their way weaving up the wall like ivy on a house.
There was on main chandelier over the center of the room. Its eerie candle lights shone here and there over the dark room. Carefully labeled and assorted jars of animal and various other things that Charlie didn't even want to know about lay in the pickled jars pilled on assorted shelves.
No one dared breath and everyone, save a few smug looking Slytherins, looked around in mixed shock, horror, amusement, and curiousness. In the front of the class room was a boiling sleek shiny black cauldron, shifting from a plum purple, to wine red, to blood red, to sunset red, to a earthly brown, to a beautiful royal blue slowly.
"You are here to learn" she told the students in a rather unpleasantly cold as ice and sharp voice. "I am here to teach you. I will not tolerate any uproars in this class. I speak, you listen, you write down. You only speak when I ask you. Is that clear? If anyone in this class does not agree wit these rules the may get up and leave. I, for one will not miss them." Nobody even breathed, much less moved.
Wow sure knows how to control a class don't she? Charlie thought, trying to look interested.
"You shall not get any 'breaks' in this class. Either you can keep up with the class, or you can, like i said before, leave. It's no lose to me, only you. Tomorrow i will give you a test to see your ability level. I have given you a warning, i shall no from now on. I suggest you study hard, for i do not cut slack."
"She's a hag" Amber said as they left the room.
"I dunno which is worse, her or the room." Lavender (Alexis' twin) said shivering.
"And to think we have to have that teacher in that room with the Slytherins. They're determined to make Potions a living hell." Charlie said throwing a contemptuous look back at the dungeon room.
"So" Vanessa said "who's got what next?"
"Singing and dancing class" they all said at the same time.
Amber laughed "well at least we'll be together, oh hey Charlie looks like Alex and his friends are there."
They stopped outside of a long hall and looked by the door and looked. Sure enough, with a few other kids from each house -even, to their disgust, Slytherins- Alex, Mike, Todd and Nick stood there, looking at a pair of Slytherin girls.
"Are they gonna do what i think they are?" Maddy said, Charlie laughed.
"I think so, if I'm thinking what you're thinking."
A few seconds later the girl on the right let out a shriek and pointed to the girl on the left's hair. Charlie immediately started laughing and after they had figured it out, the rest followed suit.
Both girls, now shrieking like mad veela, had spiders and spider's webs in their silky white blonde hair. There was a minute of just laughter then two tiny flashes of blue light and the spiders vanished.
Sirius and Lupin stood there, equal amusement on their faces. Then they smiled and turned around.
Charlie thought she saw Sirius wink at Alex and give him thumbs up.
A few minutes later the two teachers came there -by that time the shrieking was over with- and let them into a room.
The room was big like the potions room, but it wasn't dark and dusty.
A small fire place stood in the corner of the room, its fire crackling merrily. As it was still warm and Fall coolness hadn't took over yet, the fire was enchanted to put out cool air. A rather large chandelier hung on the ceiling casting light below. Around the room was smaller versions of armchairs and regular school desks, Muggle kind. Charlie, Vanessa, Maddy, Amber, Lavender, Alexis and the boys sat in chairs and desks in the back.
The two teachers stood in front of the class rooms and waited for them to all sit down. Professor Tamora Michlie took attendance. Unlike Professor Ivus, who said something smart after every name, she just called them out.
After that she spoke in a gentle yet strict voice.
"This is your Dancing and Singing class. Every week you trade off between dancing and singing. I will be the singing professor and professor Johnny will be your dancing one. You have been chosen for this class because either you have natural talent, or you want to learn. This class is not like your usual classes. There is no passing or failing technically. All you have to do is show up and do what we tell you. No body here will be favored for talent, so no one should expect it.
"If you behave and try then this class should be fun," she continued, "Now you will be divided into partners of two. These partners will be for both parts of the class, starting with singing. I will let you choose your partner, they must be one of the opposite sex though. However, if it becomes a problem. Or if one person or more has no partner, I'll choose."
After that she let them go to choose their partners.
Like everyone thought Alex and Vanessa ended up together. Maddy paired up with Nick and Charlie with Mike. Amber and Todd paired up and Alexis paired up with someone in Hufflepuff and Lavender got a Ravenclaw boy.
As soon as everyone had chose a partner, the bell rang to signify classes end.
In the days that followed they quickly found out Vanessa was the best in Singing and Dancing class, well just singing so far anyways.
She was also the best at Charms and Transfiguration.
The first day it was turning a needle into a match. Hers was perfect, Charlie's was a match with very pointy edges. By dint of concentration Maddy's had turned into a rather metal like one. They were the only ones to get that far.
In Charms they'd made feathers fly. Alex and Vanessa's had rose three feet. Charlie and Mikes had rose pretty good. And Maddy and Nick's had, only to burst into blue flames after a moment. Flitwick had said something about saying the spell wrong.
They were all good in Flying class, well, except Alexis, who ended up with a broken jaw and a broken broom, but she had been good at Herbology and, miraculously, Potions. That day they were starting Defense and Anigmagus Training as well as Dancing classes.
Anigmagus Training was first that day, then Singing and Dancing, Potions, D.A.D.A., then Charms. That day was also Quidditch Practice, Charlie was trying out for Seeker, Alex and Vanessa were for Beaters.
"D'you think you'll make it?" Vanessa asked Charlie as they walked to Anigmagus Training, she just shrugged.
"Hopefully. There's some good people trying out though. But it's worth a shot anyways."
They sat in the same group of nine in the back of the room again. Charlie noticed it looked like Vanessa and Alex were holding hands.
"Hey" Amber said "you hear 'bout the contest?" They all shook their heads
"What is it?" Vanessa asked.
"Its for singing class. Takes place next week. They decide who wins the next day, you can sing whatever you want." She showed them the poster with flashing colored words.
They stuffed it into Mikes book bag as Sirius came in, wearing black teachers robes, his wand in his belt.
"Now I'm here to teach you Anigmagus Training. This art is complicated and difficult.
Far more difficult than Transfiguration. It won't be an easy thing, but if you pay some attention to classes, everything will, hopefully, just be fine. I'll tell you right now, this won't be a over night thing. It might take you years, you might never learn it. some of you might actually learn it quite fast for witches and wizards.
"This used to be illegal for children, but when our former Minister, Fudge" Charlie thought she heard a bitter resentment in his voice for a second but he continued, "When he left office, Arthur Weasley was hired by Dumbledore. He changed the Anigmagus rule, to where if children can learn it, they get registered.
"Now then, like your Singing and Dancing Class, this does not have passing or not passing. But levels. This is Beginners level. There are even some older students here. If you're very good for your level, you go up to the next level. We have monthly quizzes to see who goes to what level.
Many of you will probably stay at this level. Some might move up. Either way, we start out with theories, as that's the easiest part. Although none of it's easy." They all took out their parchment and quills.
After a introduction like that, everybody was interested.
"Now." He started "the first thing you need to know is that anigmagis aren't affected by werewolves, in their Anigmagus state."
Vanessa thought she saw Maddy pale a little at the mention of werewolves. But the next second she looked normal, so she pushed it away and began copying notes.
The next few days were a blur, Quidditch tryouts, the classes and everything else going on. Tuesday -three days before the competition- Prof. Tamora told them that, to see their singing ability, she'd have them one by one come into a room and sing.
She called a Ravenclaw boy who came out a few minutes later positively beaming. After a few more students including Alex and Mike, Vanessa was called.
She got up, her face was set, and she walked in coolly.
"Ok" professor Tamora said, "think of a song and sing it." Vanessa thought a minute and then opened her mouth. Each note came out like a beautiful waterfall.
"Baby, I'm so into you
You've got that something, what can I do
Baby, you spin me around, oh
The earth is moving, but I can't feel the ground
Every time you look at me
My heart is jumping, it's easy to see
Loving you means so much more
More than anything I ever felt before
You drive me crazy
I just can't sleep
I'm so excited, I'm in too deep
Crazy, but it feels alright
Baby thinking of you keeps me up all night
Tell me, you're so into me
That I'm the only one you will see
Tell me I'm not in the blue, oh
That I'm not wasting
My feelings on you
Loving you means so much more
More than anything I ever felt before
You drive me crazy
I just can't sleep
I'm so excited, I'm in too deep
Crazy, but it feels alright
Baby thinking of you keeps me up all night
crazy, I just can't sleep
I'm so excited, I'm in too deep
Crazy, but it feels alright
Every day and every night
You drive me crazy
I just can't sleep
I'm so excited, I'm in too deep
Crazy, but it feels alright
Baby thinking of you keeps me up all night
You drive me crazy
I just can't sleep
I'm so excited, I'm in too deep
Crazy, but it feels alright
Baby thinking of you keeps me up all night
Baby thinking of you keeps me up all night"
Prof. Tamora looked impressed when she ended the song.
"I must say that you're one of the best singers I've heard so far." She sounded dumbstruck.
Vanessa blushed lightly "thank you." She went out beaming like she'd won 50000 galleons. Charlie was next.
Vanessa walked out and smiled at Alex and sat down next to him and leaned next to him.
"That was for you." He smiled and leaned down and kissed her softly.
"Thank you" he whispered.
Charlie stood up and almost sat back down as an enormous dizzy spell shot out at her at full speed.
jeez calm down she thought they wont kick you out. Her voice was beautiful, according to her family and friends, but according to muggle choir teacher, it was too ungraceful or something.
But that was the way she liked it.
And, after all, her choir teacher had let the girl with the most horrible voice in, so she didn't exactly have good senses.
She set her jaw and walked in.
if i suck, at least i tried she thought laughing inwardly.
She walked into the small room and stood there. Prof. Tamora came in after her.
"All you have to do is pick a song and sing it." She said and Charlie thought a minute. She opened her mouth and heard her own voice coming out. It wasn't exactly as beautiful as her moms or Vanessa's, it was just... unique.
"You with the sad eyes
Don't be discouraged
Oh I realize
It's hard to take courage
In a world full of people
You can lose sight of it all
And the darkness, inside you
Can make you feel so small
But I see your true colors
Shining through
I see your true colors
And that's why I love you
So don't be afraid to let them show
Your true colors
True colors are beautiful,
Like a rainbow
Show me a smile then,
Don't be unhappy, can't remember
When I last saw you laughing
If this world makes you crazy
And you've taken all you can bear
You call me up
Because you know I'll be there
And I'll see your true colors
Shining through
I see your true colors
And that's why I love you
So don't be afraid to let them show
Your true colors
True colors are beautiful,
Like a rainbow
So sad eyes
Discouraged now
Realize
When this world makes you crazy
And you've taken all you can bear
You call me up
Because you know I'll be there
And I'll see your true colors
Shining through
I see your true colors
And that's why I love you
So don't be afraid to let them show
Your true colors
True colors, true colors
Cos there's a shining through
I see your true colors
And that's why I love you
So don't be afraid to let them show
Your true colors, true colors
True colors are beautiful,
Beautiful, like a rainbow."
Professor Tamora smiled, "that used to be one of my favorite songs. It was beautiful." She said smiling encouragingly.