Harry Potter and the Enigma of the Foreign Matrices – Chapter Two – Sorting Hat Unsure
by Katherine Chan
A/N: So… how did you like the previous chapter? I won't stop writing until I reach like, the third chapter, because I've already got the story all planned until about then, but after that… I'll be looking at the reviews I may get, and see if this is worth continuing. Anyway, I'll just let you read the following warning…
!!PLEASE NOTE!! Harry Potter is the property of Bloomsbury Books, and is written by Joanne Kathleen Rowling. The following story is based on said book, and does not reflect nor affect the aforesaid author's writing.
!!WARNING!! This chapter contains hints of sexuality, namely the questioning of a certain character's personal choices. Please note that future chapters will contain more 'adult themes', including homosexuality, so if that doesn't float your boat, then please leave right now. I will not be publishing a 'clean' version of this, because this is clean. There will be no explicit scenes, as this is not an 'erotic fanfiction', nor is it a mainly romance story. So for all you doujinshi and/or hentai fans out there, I apologise, although the latter should try writing their own, then they'll see how hard it is.
Now, ladies and gentlemen, prepare for the release of the second chapter of 'Harry Potter and the Enigma of the Foreign Matrices"!
The door of their compartment slid open, revealing Draco Malfoy and his 'cronies', Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle. "Well, well, well. Look what the cat dragged in." Draco sneered. Crookshanks, Hermione's pet cat which Harry had been left in the care of, hissed at Draco, hair on end. Luna looked up, her eyes taking in Draco's white blonde hair and recalling the masked Death Eater they had encountered in the Department of Mysteries last year, who had the same but longer hair. "Are you talking to yourself?" She asked, the remark so cutting that Harry had to look twice to make sure it was really the dreamy Luna that he knew.
Malfoy's face was touched by a slight pink tinge, while Crabbe and Goyle growled menacingly, though they were loath to attack Harry, seeing as the last time they had attempted to, they had been left looking like giant oozing slugs stuffed into the Hogwarts school uniform. Retreating from the compartment, they slammed the door, which was immediately re-opened by Ron and Hermione. "He do anything?" Harry shook his head.
"I'm starving!"
"Me too… wonder when we get there?"
"It's been about three hours or so… Almost there, I think."
"Well, I'm still starving."
"Shut up, Ron."
Silence for a few minutes, then…
"I'm hungry."
"Shut. UP!" five voices yelled in unison.
Harry peered out the window into the steadily darkening sky. The forest on either side obstructed most of his view, and he sat back down on the cushioned seats of the Hogwarts Express. Luna was once again reading a copy of the Quibbler, the magazine of which her father was the editor of; Neville was harping over how his Mimbulus mimbletonia, a magical plant which he had managed to breed quite successfully; Hermione was reading Harry's set of Practical Defensive Magic and its Use Against the Dark Arts, which he had received from Sirius and Lupin the previous year for Christmas; and Ginny and Ron were chattering about this new broomstick they had seen in Quality Quidditch Supplies in Diagon Alley.
"It's called the Lightning Strike Mk. 1, and people say that when you're riding it, it almost feels like you are going at light speed! I mean, it's got a max speed of-"
"… 500 miles per hour! And it accelerates from 0 to 100 in five seconds! Five seconds! And they say that every single broom is made by one person, and there's only a limited few in Britain, and they're so expensive. Who was it? Katrina somebody…"
"Katrina E. Dolohov! Not related to that complete ass that's a Death Eater, but Dolohov's a common Russian name-"
"… not that she's from Russia. Didn't the sign say she lives in Australia?"
"Yeah, but it said something about her coming to Britain for awhile, to talk to people about it. Wasn't she coming into Quality Quidditch Supplies the day we were there?"
"Yeah, but we had to leave before we saw her… What a pity…"
"Ooh, look! We're there!"
They scrambled off the train, and hurried to the Thestral-drawn carriages, the spectral horse-like animals reflecting the little light from filtering down from the lamps hanging from above. A tall girl about Harry's age wandered over to where Hagrid was calling out 'Firs'-years over 'ere… firs'-years…"
"Hey! You! We're supposed to go on the carriages if you're not in first year!" Bellowed Seamus, something which made Hermione and Ginny giggle. The girl was quite pretty, although her strange yet familiar hair-style seemed a little severe. The girl laughed, a tinkling kind of sound, but shook her head and continued to head over to Hagrid. "I'm new! And the letter says I have to take the boats with the first years!" Harry frowned, the voice sounding rather familiar, but he was soon shunted off to the carriages.
"New, hey? Wonder where she's from…" Ron asked aloud, his eyes glazing over as he dreamed about asking the girl out.
"Snap out of it, Ron! You don't even know her name!" They all laughed uproariously, and the ride to Hogwarts was short, although the constant rumbling of Ron's stomach seemed to make it seem longer.
Seating themselves immediately, they chatted with Near-Headless Nick, a ghost whose decapitation had been quite botched, and attempted to find out subtly if he knew anything about a new girl transferring here, but he only winked and smiled. Hagrid strode in, and Professor McGonagall swept in with the Sorting Hat and scroll of names in hand.
The first years filed in, with the new girl at least two feet taller than most of them. Whispers broke out in the Hall as all the students gossiped about the girl. Professor McGonagall directed a stern glance at them all, and as everyone fell silent, the Hat twitched, and then opened it's 'mouth'.
Welcome all, new and old,
To Hogwarts' School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!
Assembled here are those that are bold,
Those that are crafty and those that can see
All that is there, and those that try even if it's tough,
To achieve the best, all are sorted into
Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff!
The Sorting Hat continued in this vein, and finally, after Ron's stomach had growled 23 times, Professor McGonagall began reading out the names.
"Arkens, Hilary!"
"Hufflepuff!"
"Bailings, Peter!"
"Ravenclaw!"
Professor McGonagall reached the end of the scroll, until there was only the tall girl left. "Today, we have the honour of introducing Katrina Dolohov, who has transferred here from Australia, and will be entering the sixth year!" Ron gasped.
"The Katrina Dolohov? You mean the one who made the Lightning Strike? I didn't know she was our age-"
Katrina sat down on the stool, the Sorting Hat large enough to slip down to half cover her eyes. She sat there for ten seconds, twenty, half a minute, forty seconds, a minute, one and a half… Then, the hat opened it's mouth, but it did not say anything for a moment, and from the silent opening and closing it seemed it was trying to reach for the most appropriate words.
"The… Champion has arrived." Professor McGonagall whirled around to gape at the Hat, while Professor Dumbledore blinked, smiled, and steepled his hands. "I… cannot decide." Whispered conversations broke out, as everyone tried to work out just what exactly the Hat was talking about. Champion? And why was Professor McGonagall reacting like that?
"But as the Sorting Hat, you must Sort every student that enters this school."
The Sorting Hat seemed to pause at Dumbledore's words. "But it is hard… she is intelligent, exceptionally so. She is so hardworking that she may put many of the Hufflepuffs to shame, and she is brave as well, brave and cunning… She has all the qualities that each founder valued in their students and all in equal amounts." The Hat mumbled.
"And you must Sort her."
"Then… let it be…" Harry held his breath, as did most of the male students in the Hall, as well as a few of the female ones. "SLYTHERIN!" Ron groaned, while Slytherin cheered and stamped their feet, as if they knew what a Champion was and that they held an advantage over the other Houses. "But… if she's a 'Champion'… why Slytherin? Isn't that like, the worst house to put her in?" Harry asked.
He watched Katrina as she strode over to the Slytherin table, and he allowed himself a little smile as she batted away all the questing hands, and sat down with a slightly disgusted expression on her face. Harry turned back to Dumbledore, who was standing, ready to deliver his speech.
He held up three fingers. "Three words: Dinner. Is. Ready." The food appeared on the golden plates, pumpkin juice filled their goblets, and all the students, as they did every year, loaded their plates and commenced eating, some pretty much putting aside the laws of etiquette, but Harry noticed that those sitting near Katrina were on their best behaviour, trying to engage her in conversation.
Shaking his head, he turned his full attention to his dinner, with the chatter surrounding him creating a peaceful ambience he had not experienced for a long time. Glancing up at the staff table, he realised that there would be a new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. Looking from face to face, finally settling on the only unfamiliar face. An auburn haired witch, her slightly hooked nose, high cheekbones and defined chin gave her a sort of hawkish look, similar to that of Professor McGonagall's, though softened by youth. She was probably little older than thirty years of age.
Mains over, deserts come and gone, and Dumbledore was once again standing. "Welcome back to Hogwarts, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry! There are a few notices that I wish to make. One, our caretaker would wish to remind everyone that the list of contraband items is posted on the boards outside his office, and he also wishes to remind you all that no magic is to be performed in the hallways. Two, the Forbidden Forest is, as the name suggests, forbidden to be entered. Three, we are delighted to welcome Professor Freya Nørskï, who will be taking up the post of teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts!"
Harry wandered up the stairwells and through secret passageways, arriving in front of the portrait of the Fat Lady which was the entrance to the Gryffindor tower, and realised, like last year, the year before, and the year before that, he did not know the password and nor was there anyone around to tell him what it was. He supposed that the others would be arriving soon, and he wasn't disappointed when the prefects arrived with the first years in tow.
"The password's Lapis Lazuli, okay?" The Fat Lady swung forward, revealing the stone archway into the common room. Harry stumbled up the stairs, to the door which was labelled "Sixth Year" and collapsed on the bed next to where the house elves had left his trunk. When he finally summoned up the strength to change into his pyjamas, the others had already arrived, and were still talking about Katrina and the Lightning Strike.
Clearing his mind as he had been taught in his long ago Occlumency lessons, he found that sleep came easily, this time, for the first time and months, entirely dreamless. Harry woke up, his scar entirely painless, and thought, I could actually get used to this! Changing into his school robes, he wandered down to the Great Hall, followed closely by Seamus Dinnigan, Dean Thomas, Ron and Neville Longbottom, all of whom were stillchattering about Katrina and whether they'd be able to strike up a conversation with her. "Can't you guys give it a rest?!" he asked, smiling slightly as they glared at him in mock horror.
A small bevy of boys hurried out. "She's already been," they hissed, and Harry burst out laughing as his friends groaned. "Come on, it's not that bad. She's in Slytherin and she's in our grade, so we'll have Potions and Care of Magical Creatures with her at least."
Breakfast was over quickly, as the boys gulped down some toast and then hurried back out again, Ron dragging Harry with him. "Where is she?" "Library!"
"Ahem… Harry? Do you have a moment?" Harry whirled around from where he had been positioned by Ron, the 'better to make her notice you', and blushed as when he saw Cho. "Err… Ron dragged me here. I really wanted to finish breakfast, but…" He indicated the small pile of toast he held in his hand. "Did you… err… want to talk?" Cho shot a jealous look over where Katrina was sitting, where she was already surrounded by Slytherins.
They strolled out of the library, the steady influx of boys flowing into the library caused many of the female students to glare angrily at the library, and to smile in congratulations at Cho and Harry. "Erm… you had breakfast yet?" Harry asked nervously. Cho nodded, then stopped when they reached the lake.
"I just want you to know that Marietta still has to walk around with a balaclava and it's all that Hermione Granger's fault." Harry splutter, but Cho overrode him. "I don't care what you think, but I just wish you would talk to her and find the counter jinx. It's not like it matters anymore, what with that foul Umbridge gone and all, and I'm sure Marietta doesn't want to quit the DA anymore and well…" She trailed away as Harry continued to stare stonily back at her. "You think the rest of the DA will accept her back in, when she sold us all off?" When Cho's eyes darkened, Harry hurriedly added, "I mean, yeah, I'll ask Hermione for the counter-jinx, and you're right, it doesn't matter anymore, but if she wants to rejoin the DA, you'll have to ask them the next time we have a meeting." With that, and unable to continue to stare back at in the uncomfortable silence, he strode off, back to the castle to retrieve his books.
Hermione sidled up to him when he entered the Entrance Hall, and he realised that she had seen him talking to Cho. "… and she wants you to give her the counter-jinx for her friend, Marietta." He finished telling her what they had been talking about, and they headed for the dungeons for Potions as the first bell rang. Ron joined them a few minutes later, the large group of boys trailing behind Katrina as she sauntered down.
"Ah… Is this tenth year Slytherin and Gryffindor Potions?" Harry and Hermione nodded. "Yeah, it is." They sank into a slightly embarrassing silence, and Harry wondered why she hadn't reacted or done anything dramatic about his scar, which everyone else seemed to do when they first met him. Perhaps she had noticed the scar, realised who he was, and didn't need to ask the inane question "Are you Harry Potter?"
The door slammed, and Professor Snape swept in, his shoulder length black greasy hair swirling around his sallow hook-nosed face, and a surge of hatred rushed through Harry, and he knew that it was a mutual dislike. Snape marked the roll, pausing at Harry's name to make a snide comment about him, and strangely, also at Katrina's name, but when he said it, with a slight roll as if caressing her name, they all wrinkled their noses in disgust.
"You have all been accepted into NEWT Potions, all of you having achieved at least an 'A', and although I was rather… loath to take on those who did not manage and 'Outstanding' in your OWLs, it was the Headmaster's wish that Potions was open to all who wished to take it, although I am rather… surprised to find some of you deciding to take this subject." At that, he glanced at Harry, and the Slytherins laughed, all of them except Katrina, who had quirked an eyebrow and was looking at Snape as if she thought he were insane.
Sobering quickly, perhaps trying to impress her, he quickly reverted to know-all-about-this-subject teacher mode, and proceeded to set the task. He strode over immediately to Katrina's cauldron – it wasn't a pewter one, and no-one knew what exactly it was made of – and under the pretence of checking if her potion-making skills were up to standard, he spent the entire lesson at her bench.
Apparently, in Australia, they took the APHIDs, or the All Possible Higher Independent Degrees, which were of a standard, apparently, between OWLs and NEWTs. However, from how quickly and surely she concocted her Bravery Brew and the absolutely perfect amber hue of it indicated that perhaps her standard was at least NEWT level, if not higher.
Harry, for one, was glad that Snape's mind was elsewhere other than on him, because it seemed that Snape delighted in picking on each and every flaw in Harry's life, even outside of Potion making. Hermione, however, was muttering about paedophilia, but even though she wasn't thinking entirely about the potion she was making, she still managed to create a perfect Bravery Brew, which was more than could be said about Harry's which was more orange than amber, and he had been reading and re-reading each and every line of instructions on the board.
Potions over, they filed out of the dungeons with all the boys immediately rushing over to Katrina to congratulate her on her exceptional potion. Harry and Hermione managed to prevent Ron from joining the throng of desperate and hormone overloaded boys, and they sidled away for their next classes, with Harry off to Astronomy, Hermione off to Arithmancy and Ron off to Care of Magical Creatures. Their timetables had been given a good mixing, and the only subjects they were definite of having with all of the other students in their grade and house were Potions, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration and Charms.
Astronomy during the day was spent calculating where the stars would be when during their second class the same night. Katrina fell into step with Harry as he walked to Astronomy, and he could almost hear Malfoy making some snide comment out of the definite and possibly unintentional insult she had just dealt to him. "I heard you talking to your friends that you had Astronomy. Where exactly is the Astronomy Tower?" As he told her, he realised she wasn't really listening to him; her eyes were looking out of the windows that they passed, and also carefully watching all the stairs and hallways they passed and travelled through.
"Didn't any of the other Slytherins do Astronomy?" Harry asked, curious as to why she would ask him, a total stranger. She laughed, the same tinkling sound. "No, it's just that…" She twisted her head around to check that there were none nearby. "It's just that they're so annoying! I have to constantly tell them to keep their distance, and do they listen?" Another laugh, and she shook her head. "I didn't introduce myself, did I? I'm Katrina Dolohov, and you are?" Harry gaped at the girl. She didn't know who he was? What did they teach people in Australia?
"I'm Harry Potter." She only nodded, and didn't say anything else. "Are you the Katrina Dolohov that makes the Lightning Strike racing broomsticks?" She grinned, showing almost blindingly white teeth. "Yeah, I am. I've had hundreds of people ask me that and trying to get me to sell them one."
They entered the Astronomy Tower, with Harry in shock that the girl did not even know his name or what his scar meant. Settling in at their desks, they took out their charts and watched as Professor Sinistra began writing the class's work on the board. When she had finished and everyone was working away, she, like Professor Snape, made a bee-line for Katrina, except this time, it seemed she was experiencing some difficulties.
Her sense of direction in the skies was wildly different, something resulting from Australia being in the Southern Hemisphere and Britain in the Northern Hemisphere. After a while, Professor Sinistra judged Katrina to have gotten her bearings, and strolled around the classroom, helping the other students.
The lesson ended, and Harry was immediately mobbed by his fellow classmates, all asking about Katrina. When he had finally sent them all on their way to have their lunch, he told Hermione and Ron about how the girl had not known who he was.
"Was your hair covering the scar?" Asked Ron, not really believing what he was saying to have even the smallest chance at being possible.
"No, I don't think it was. I thought it was strange how at Potions, you know, she didn't react at all about my scar, and she did see it… She really doesn't know who I am!"
"How could that be? I mean, you're like, the biggest hero of the century!" burst out Ron.
Hermione tilted her head thoughtfully, tapping her nose. "I think that maybe, in Australia, that V- Voldemort wasn't much of a crisis, nor were his Death Eaters. Maybe that's why she doesn't recognize what your scar means."
Harry sighed, and realised that despite all the times he had moaned to his friends about people always making a big fuss about his scar, he actually thought it was worse without. Tucking into his shepherd's pie, a strange feeling settled onto him, as if someone was watching him closely. Shivering slightly, he looked up and noticed that everyone was also looking slightly nervous.
Everyone, except for one person, who was daintily polishing off her pie. Katrina finished her lunch and looked up and Harry gasped. Her eyes! They were silv- No, that must have been the light, Harry thought, as she stood up from her seat, her eyes very much the bright blue they had always been. Looking back at his lunch, he didn't realise that the feeling of being watched had dissipated.
"Hey, do you think we should invite her to the DA?" Ron asked, straight out of the blue. The male members sitting around nodded their heads vigorously, agreeing immediately. "Yeah, we should!" "I bet she's as good at Defence Against the Dark Arts as she is at Potions!" "We don't want to look as if we're discriminating against Slytherins, do we?" Harry and Hermione exchanged amused glances, and shrugging, agreed. The boys dropped their lunches immediately and high-tailed it for the doors which Katrina had just exited through. A few minutes later, they returned. "She said she'd think about it… I gave her the coin though, and explained to her what it meant."
Hermione sighed, and Harry burst out laughing. He stopped immediately when he saw Cho get up and glare at him, Marietta following close behind. Or at least he thought it was Marietta, the balaclava covering her entire face. "Hey, Hermione. When are you going to give the counter-jinx to Marietta?" He asked casually. She looked up, and then ripped open her book-bag and pulled out a piece of paper. "If she crosses out her signature and signs it again at the bottom, everything will be back to normal." Harry quirked an eyebrow. "Isn't there another way? I mean, I don't know if she'll want to… oh I don't know! It just seems a little… oh, forget it… I'll tell her." Harry shot up from his seat and quickly strode towards Cho and Marietta. "Come to the next DA meeting, and cross out your signature and sign again at the bottom. That should- That'll make the spots go away." He tried to inject some certainty into his words, but it seemed that he had failed rather miserably. "Oh, really? I suppose this is what dear Hermione tells you, isn't it?" Cho flounced off, and Marietta glared at Harry and followed her, leaving him standing in the middle of the Great Hall.
Laughing, Ron clapped him on the back and the pair were joined by Hermione as they walked up the Main Stairs, heading to the Gryffindor tower to retrieve their next class' books. They encountered Katrina along the way, who seemed to have been waiting for them.
"Err… Dean Thomas told me that you were the leader of the DA, and uh… I was wondering if you had a spare coin… so that we both have one… Uh… that's if you want me to join. And I would much rather prefer to have a new coin and to return this one to Mr Thomas, if that would be possible." She shifted uneasily, and then brightened when Hermione pulled one out of her pocket. "Here you are… I was amazed they didn't ask for you to join at breakfast. Here, I'll take that. We'll return this to him." As they walked off, Harry looked at Hermione quizzically.
"Wasn't that your coin?" Hermione blushed and nodded. She pushed the fake Galleon into Harry's hand. "Here, give that Dean. I'm sure he doesn't want to miss finding out when the next meeting is." Hurrying off, Harry and Ron looked at each other.
"You don't think…" Ron whispered, eyes wide open.
"How should I know? I mean, she likes Krum, doesn't she? And it's really none of our business if she is, nor is it anything really bad- Err… Ron? You okay? Why are you looking at me like that?" Harry paused. "Oh! I see, ickle Ronniekins fancies Hermione!" Laughing as Ron chased him and tried to bop him on the head, their merriment was interrupted by Malfoy. "Is that Mudblood gay? Ooh, watch out Pansy, she might want to jump you!" As Pansy giggled hysterically, Ron and Harry stalked off, leaving Malfoy looking quite foolish.
"We so have to beat his ass at the next Quidditch game… Hey, did you get your Firebolt back, Harry?" Ron asked. Harry nodded. "Yeah, they sent it to me during the summer holidays. The Dursleys went off when they saw the huge package. Thought it was a bomb, I think." They entered the common room, Ron chuckling at the antics of Harry's only living relations, but Harry nudged Ron in the ribs, pointing at the huge sign newly posted on the noticeboard.
"What? I know the first game's us against Slyther- Oh, you mean that sign."
BY ORDER OF THE HIGH INQUISITOR OF HOGWARTS
All Educational Decrees from Number Twenty-Four to Number Twenty-Eight have been repealed. All decrees from and including Number Twenty-Three are still extant.
The above is in accordance with Educational Decree Number Twenty-nine.
Signed: Cornelius Oswald Fudge, Minister for Magic
And then, below it, another, much smaller sign.
Please note that the current High Inquisitor is Professor Freya Nørskï.
"Huh? We still have a teacher who's reporting to Fudge? Doesn't he believe Dumbledore?! What in the name of Merlin is he thinking?" Ron raged. "Dunno… Maybe they'd just like to keep an eye on the students here, you know, like Malfoy and Crabbe and Goyle. And who knows, we might actually be taught something this year." Ron continued to mutter under his breath. "Well, even if she doesn't teach us anything, we've still got the DA."
