CHAPTER FIVE: Kidagakash
Kida followed the old man wearily as he led her out of the grand room. She had immediately noticed the bewitched ceiling when she had thrown open the doors but didn't have time to appreciate the beauty of it when those people came and attacked her.
The man that grabbed hold of her elbow made her shudder with disgust. When was the last time he cleaned himself? She wondered. Kida returned her attention to her surroundings.
The old man was leading Kida up a narrow, spiral staircase that led to who knows where. The walls were bare except for a large flag with four animals that Kida didn't recognize. With nothing else to observe, Kida scrutinized the man in front of her.
He was happily talking away in his native tongue but Kida didn't understand one word of it. His silver beard was safely tucked into the belt that held his purple robe together. He wore something that was held up by his nose and his blue eyes twinkled with excitement. Judging from the man's kind face, Kida felt she was safe with him but she mustn't let her guard down. Appearances can be deceiving.
Finally, there's a door. The man reached for it and turned the knob while Kida waited hesitantly behind him, her heart thudding. Where is he leading me? She asked herself. What's behind that door? He opened the door.
The door led to a long corridor which, despite the stone walls, is quite cozy. There are windows now, revealing the quarter moon in its entire splendor. Transfixed, Kida stared at this moon. She had stopped in her tracks as the man continued on his way. After a moment, he too stopped and returned to her side.
He's speaking again, Kida thought in great annoyance. She hated being subjected to things she couldn't understand. She hasn't seen the moon in so long, only in dreams… distant dreams. Dreams that always manage to slip away when Kida most especially wants to hold on to it.
When Kida looked at the man, she noticed that he was watching her patiently, as if enjoying the expression of sheer wonderment she had shaping her facial features.
He nodded before continuing back down the hall and with one glance at the moon, Kida followed him.
The corridor ended at a small, circular room with a statue of a gargoyle against the wall. She watched as the old man went up to the statue and verbalized a command of some sort that made the statue leapt aside to reveal another spiral staircase but instead of climbing it, all Kida had to do is stay on one step and wait for it to take her to where ever it led.
Still following the man, they came upon another door and when the man opened it, they entered a large room crowded with all kinds of unusual things. In awe, Kida gaped at all she can see and hesitantly touched things that interested her. The man was watching her but she didn't care at all right now. The walls are fascinating. They're decorated with portraits of different people but they were sleeping. A few woke up when Kida and the old man came in and gasped in shock at Kida's attire.
"You should be ashamed of yourself!" One of them cried out but Kida didn't understood a word.
The old man behind her said something but she didn't pay attention due to the fact that she knew she would not understand.
"This is my office," he said.
"Office?" Kida said questionably, liking how her lips move to pronounce the world. Suddenly she swirled around, facing him.
"I understood you!" She exclaimed then gasped. She just spoke in his tongue! "What's going on here?" She stately demanded. The old man simply smiled. Probably to assure her but Kida is shocked that she can speak another language. She knew only the different dialects of Haloian.
"Do not fret, child. I just used a special charm so that you and I can communicate. Come take a seat," A chair suddenly moved from the fall wall to where Kida stood and waited for her to sit, which she did after a lingering moment. Once she sat, the man moved to his seat behind his desk which is an enormous, claw-footed affair. The surface is highly polished, though at the moment it is covered with piles of papers.
"What is your name?" He asked and another moment ensued before she spoke hesitantly.
"Kidagakash Nedakh," He smiled.
"Welcome, Miss. Nedakh. I am Albus Dumbledore, the Headmaster here in this school,"
"School?" She repeated and Dumbledore nodded.
"It's a place where young people like yourself come to learn," He didn't need to explain; Kida knew what a school is. She had repeated after him only because the way it sounds. It is so different to the way she usually speaks but somewhat familiar, like she's spoken this language before.
"You are from Halo, yes?" At her home's name, Kida sat up straighter. "I see that I am right. Do you have any idea how you came to be here?" Kida shrugged slightly before speaking.
"I was playing a game with the local children when I went to hide. I got lost and found myself in this room I didn't even know existed. There were the ancient writings of our language on the wall and as soon I went to touch it, I was in a different room all together. That is how I came to be here."
Dumbledore nodded reflectively and just when he was about to speak, the door kicked wide open. Two people walked in, one had shockingly black hair, the other vibrant red. Kida had immediately noticed the hair of these two people for only one reason: no one she's ever known had any other color hair but white.
"Potter!" The red-head whispered threateningly through clenched teeth, "You nosy prat! Why do you just have to barge in on a conversation?" The black-haired boy, Kida noted amusingly, simply ignored her which only made the girl angrier and redder in the face. So red that Kida couldn't even tell where her skin ended or where her hair began.
"Ah!" Dumbledore exclaimed, "Lily, James! Welcome," He gestured and two seats were suddenly conjured.
"I'm sorry, sir. I know you're busy at the moment but I couldn't stop him," Lily started to gush out apologetically. Lily was expressing her apologies boldly with her hands. She waved it so much, someone is in danger of getting their eye gauged out by her fingers, Kida noticed. She also noticed the boy looking at her blatantly before he turned to the wizened man.
"Professor, you did say to meet you after the feast once we've directed the prefects to take the first years to their common rooms, respectively." Lily opened her mouth to retort angrily when Dumbledore spoke.
"It's quite all right. I am pleased you came up anyway." James shot Lily a triumphant look which made Lily press her lips together furiously.
"I know you've noticed this young lady during the feast. She performed rather splendidly, did she not?" Dumbledore smiled.
"Splendidly! She was bloody great! You've seen how Hagrid went down? And she's only a fifth his size!" James burst out. Dumbledore laughed softly in response and sent a small smile at Kida when he noticed her blush.
"She's from a foreign country and will be staying with us until otherwise. I'd appreciate it if you'll show her around."
"Not that I wouldn't like to, sir," Lily said. "But she has to be sorted into Gryffindor, doesn't she? I mean, if she's not then how can we show her around? We'd have conflicting schedules,"
"I had planned on showing her around even if she is in a different house," was James's response. Lily glanced at him irritably.
"Oh, what a Boy Scout," she muttered. James looked confused, not knowing what a Boy Scout is exactly.
"Not to worry, Lily. We are to sort her into a house this moment." Dumbledore announced happily, clapping his hands together. "James, the Sorting Hat is behind you, please pass it to me," James happily did what he was told. This would make him one of the few students who have ever held the old hat.
Kida watched the hat warily and when Dumbledore called her forth, she hesitated.
"Don't worry, it's nothing to worry about," Lily assured her kindly.
"Don't worry, milady!" James declared, "If that hat should attack, I'll be you knight-in-shining-armor and save you!" A mutinous look was sent James's way from Lily, making Kida feel more assured with their joking and arguing.
"Now place the hat on your head. That's right… you got it,"
"Ahh, you are different… much different than those who has ever worn me," The hat whispered suddenly in her ear. Kida jumped in shock when she heard it.
"Nothing to be frightened of… I am, after all, just a hat. Mmm, you are clever but Ravenclaw doesn't suit you. Nor does Hufflepuff or Slytherin even though you are both loyal and cunning. Mmmm, GRYFFINDOR!" The hat boomed. James automatically started applauding and Lily smiled at Kida, who then returned the smile.
"Gryffindor it is!" Dumbledore proclaimed.
"I knew it! I knew it!"
"No one cares if you guessed the right house, Potter," Lily hissed at James but James ignored her again. He stood up and walked up to Kida.
"My name is James Potter and this lovely witch beside me is Lily Evans. Welcome to Gryffindor!"
"Thank you," Kida said gratefully. James only laughed.
"She speaks English! And here I thought she was foreign,"
"She is foreign, you dolt! Do you not hear the accent?" Lily responded.
"Yes," James agreed and then turned to Kida flirtatiously, "and what a very lovely accent it is,"
"SIT DOWN POTTER!" Lily shrieked angrily at James. He immediately obeyed but not before sending a roguish smile Kida's way. Kida just stood there, overwhelmed with all the attention. Dumbledore had only sat back, smiling like he knew a little secret about James and Lily.
"I'm sorry for that," Lily said to Kida, "he can be annoying. Believe me; I've suffered for the last six years. What's your name?"
"I am called Kidagakash Nedakh," Kida announced proudly. She's always been proud of her name. She was named after her mother, the one who saved her people.
"Kidafasmagala—what?" James said. Lily smiled at the way the girl's name came out of James's mouth. It was no where near the way the girl said it.
"It's alright, you can call me Kida," She said. James's pretended to wipe off sweat.
"Whoo, you had me worried there,"
"Now to conclude this meeting," Dumbledore announced, "I've invited you here to discuss what school activities should take place,"
"How about we host Triwizard Tournament between the four houses? But instead it'd be a Hogwarts' Quawizard Tournament?" James announced randomly. Dumbledore didn't even answer. "I guess that was a no," James muttered disappointedly.
"I've been thinking about the activities since I've got my Head Girl's badge," Lily said, ignoring James's muttered 'of, course!'
"As you've said before, these are dark times and You-Know-Who is getting stronger. Muggle-borns like me are frightened. Who will help protect us? Does anyone care for us? So to show that Hogwarts do care, that we wish no harm on those who have a different blood status than those who are 'pure-bloods', how about we host a chain of muggle events. Bring what they left home to Hogwarts."
"Mmm, interesting…" Dumbledore said reflectively. "What kind of events?"
"Sporting events mostly and any activity a muggle secondary school holds, like fundraisers, contests, proms and pep rallies."
"You mean to mugglefy this school!" James asked incredulously. Lily looked sharply at him.
"I won't be mugglefying anything," Lily said. James let out a sigh of relief. "We are!" She finished. James started sputtering.
"But we wizards need something challenging! Muggles don't have rough activities like-like-like Quidditch!" He stammered.
"I believe muggles do have something more challenging to share with us. Magic isn't everything, James." James was too shocked to have noticed Lily using his first name.
"Magic isn't everything! Magic is everything! Not that I have anything against muggles but they're kind of a lesser species without magic,"
"I resent that!"
"Enough!" Dumbledore declared. The pair went quiet, sending looks of daggers at each other. "As entertaining as your arguing was, I must step in before things get out of hand," Kida smiled. It was entertaining. They remind her of how a married couple would act.
"I like Lily's plans. It'll be different, something new for the students of Hogwarts to experience. Hopefully, by the year's end, we will all learn to appreciate those who are different from us," Now it was Lily's turn to send a triumphant look at James which only deepened his scowl.
"Now that everything's settled, you are all dismissed. Please help Kida around the school, she is new. If you need anything, Lily, please feel free to come to me. I'll do my best to help you on this endeavor."
"Thank you, Professor," James only stormed out of the room, heading back to the Gryffindor common room on the seventh floor of the castle. Lily reached for Kida's arm and led her back down the spiral staircase and into the circular room with the gargoyle.
"Do you have anything at home you would like for me to bring to Hogwarts? Any holiday, an activity?" Lily asked Kida. Kida smiled gratefully at Lily. She's kind, Kida realized. She realized that Kida would be away from home during her stay in Hogwarts and will most likely miss it.
"Yes, I do have something to bring to Hogwarts."