Samhain is on the horizon, as this is my second favourite sabbat I'm giving you and extra chapter.
Let me know what you think?

Chapter 7 –The Castle

It was majestic, I'd seen castles before, but they had all been in some kind of ruined state, my old primary school had taken us to a few, even taken us to Dunster castle once on a long coach trip, it wasn't completely ruined, but it still looked ancient. But this castle didn't look old; from here it could have been only a few decades old. The towers were numerous and doted all over. It really did look magical. Of course I had been inside this castle only a few weeks prior but I hadn't seen much apart from the hospital ward, a few hall ways and professor Snapes office.

'Over here, no more than four to a boat,' Hagrid stood to the side as we all started filing into the boats, as I was near the back, many were already filled, I got in one with another red headed girl with a brunette and a sandy haired boy with a toad.

The trip across the lake took mere minutes until they were floating into a large hole in the side of a cliff, inside the cave was a small dock and a few unused boats were scattered around. The boy with the toad wobbled as he stood from the boat, I held his arm so he could get his balance and kept a hold while he stepped off the boat, I was the last off our boat with only a couple left to get out of their own. Hagrid led us up some steps and through a maze of passages and walkways until we finally made it what I assumed was the entrance hall, there were great big doors leading to the outside, I knew this because one was open and I could just see a part of the lake through it.

We had been left in a room off the entrance; talk started amongst the crowd of first years, many seemed worried about how we were to sorted. Ron was whispering about wrestling Trolls, I didn't think so. Trolls were massive, dangerous; they wouldn't have first years wrestling trolls. I wasn't worried about how we were sorted into houses, but I was intrigued, Hogwarts: a history hadn't mentioned how we were sorted, exactly, but it had mentioned that the vessel sang a new song every year and that its impartial, and that it had been used since the beginning of Hogwarts, which it had said was a thousand years ago. So, to my guessing it had to be an artefact of some sort to be that old.

Screams were heard from the front of the room, I looked up to see something gliding through the walls, a ghost, the book had said that ghosts did roam the halls and that all 4 houses had their own ghost, it hadn't said where they had come from, but they were here nonetheless.

Finally the woman I had met before walked into the room, Professor McGonagall, she looked as annoyed as before, did she always look so stern?

'Welcome to Hogwarts, I am Professor McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress. I will take you to be sorted momentarily; the houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. While you are here your house will be your homes, you will sleep in the dorms, eat with your housemates and you will spend time with them in your common rooms. When you are doing well you will receive house points, any rule breaking and you will lose points, at the end of the year the house with then most points will win the house cup. Come with me, the sorting will begin shortly.' She turned swiftly and strolled away.

We followed the professor into the great hall where there sat 5 tables, 4 running vertically from the door, these had students each with a different coloured logo on their uniform, red, yellow, blue and green; on a raised platform running horizontally across the room was the staff table, there weren't as many staff as I would have thought in a school this big, for maybe 1000 students there were only a dozen staff members.

Above us, through the roof I could see the sun making the sky fill with reds, pinks, golds and blue. Tonight would be a stunning sunset. The affect it had in the hall was beautiful, there was no way any other room in this castle could make up for how majestic this one was.

Finally, the professor escorting us stopped next to an old Gandalf styled hat, and to my amazement it opened its brim and started speaking.

"One thousand years ago my story starts,
There were four sorcerers with kind and strong hearts.
Bold Gryffindor from wild moor,
Fair Ravenclaw from glen,
Sweet Hufflepuff from valley broad,
Shrewd Slytherin from fen.

They had a dream to teach all that they knew,
Witches and wizards came far and it grew.
'Til a castle stood tall by the shores of a lake,
And a thousand years later the magic remains.

Old Hogwarts Sorting Hat sing me a song,
Speak in my head tell me where I belong.
And when things look bad and there's nowhere to run,
Unite all the houses and we'll fight as one.

Brave Godric Gryffindor favoured the strong,
Those who had courage and knew right from wrong.
Bright Rowena Ravenclaw, the cleverest of all,
taught only the best with gall.
Kind Helga Hufflepuff where hard workers were brought,
taking the others that no one else sought.
Power-hungry Salazar Slytherin loved those of great ambition,
seeking those with dreams of fruition.

Old Hogwarts Sorting Hat sing me a song,
Speak in my head tell me where I belong.
And when things look bad and there's nowhere to run,
Unite all the houses and we'll fight as one.'

The room exploded into applause, I myself was still thinking over the words, each house sought different qualities, I wasn't sure I liked this, of course I knew they separated us all, but I didn't think it would feel so regimented in that separation, at primary school we were placed into houses for sports day and quizzes, but this was a lot more extreme. Separating us like this would surely result in a lot of competition and it most probably wasn't friendly.

But before I could think much more on this subject McGonagall started calling out names. I zoned her out, wondering where my own personality traits would place me, I probably would do well in most of the houses, but where did I want to go? Gryffindor was my parents' house, but I wasn't my parents and I wasn't sure I wanted more time with the stern McGonagall than was necessary. Slytherin, it was the house that Snape was the head for, I liked him, he reminded me of Hakaan in a way, I wasn't sure why. Hufflepuff was headed by the one who was covered in dirt, she had smiled kindly at me, she seemed more approachable than McGonagall. And Ravenclaw had the short man if I remembered rightly and he had been neutral in our meeting.

"Potter, Hari," I focused again at the sound of my name, around me many started gossiping, whispering to others behind hands, my name upon their lips, "Hari Potter? The Hari Potter?"

What did they mean by the Hari Potter? I walked carefully up to the stool, I lifted the hat, sat down and placed it on my head.

'A Great mind you have underneath the exterior.'

'Umm, thank you?'

'A thirst to prove yourself I see, and the ambition, your "want" is a very Slytherin trait.'

'There are many things I want in life, as do many, that isn't the issue or the question.'

'What is?'

'Are you prepared to live with the consequences once you have what you wanted?'

'Very well then, better be… ' "–Gryffindor!"

I stood taking the hat off, walking towards the lions I heard that Fred and Handsome George were chanting but I sat down as gracefully as I could, my face passive until they all settled down, why the hell was my name so popular?

Draco became a Slytherin, just like his father and Ron became Gryffindor, he chose to sit away from me but his brothers seemed happy to see him in Gryffindor. The last person sorted was a Zabini, Blaise before the man in the middle stood, "-before we feast I have a few words, Bibbidi bobbidi boo. Enjoy."

The table in front of me exploded with food, it looked and smelled amazing, the sound in the hall was taken up a notch as everyone stated tucking in. I didn't think I had ever seen so much food in one place, let alone food that I was allowed to eat. I grabbed some chicken and rice, Ron it seemed had a filled plate already and was trying to speak to a boy with his mouth half filled with food. He noticed me looking, "why didn't you say you were Hari Potter?" He had an offended look upon his face.

"I don't usually introduce myself with my full name, it's not something that I'm used to." I replied. By now he had shovelled more food in his mouth.

"OO eak oo 'Fey en?"

"I'm sorry I couldn't understand you with a half decimated cow rolling around your mouth." His face went bright red, his brothers though started howling in laughter though.

"Hari is right Ron, don't speak with your mouth full." Another red head stated, obviously another brother.

Without thinking I voiced that question, "Wow, how many of you are there?"

"7," handsome George spoke up. "Bill and Charlie already left, this is Percy and Ginny will start next year."

"I bet that had to have been nice growing up with so many of you, I expect none of you were bored."

"There's both positives…" Fred started.

"-and negatives, to it." George finished. I smiled in return, I couldn't think of anything better than a whole horde of family that loved you and that you loved.

My other years mates seemed ok Hermione, Parvarti, Lavender and Lily were all my female year mates and Seamus, Ron, Neville and Dean were the guys, I wondered who would become my friends and who wouldn't.

The feast couldn't end sooner, I was knackered, I wanted to stretch, a full day sat on a train had made me feel all tight and after this all I wanted a shower and to sleep.

"I've memorised all my books, it didn't take long, I was so excited to see that I was a witch, I'd no idea until I got my letter and professor McGonagall explained everything to my parents." Hermione was talking to Lily, Hermione was a bit full on with learning, she was very eager it seemed.

"Now we all have full stomachs it is time for a few announcements," Dumbledore had stood up, he had a long white beard that reached past his hips, "please welcome back Professor Quirrell, he will be our defence against the dark arts teacher this year. The forbidden forest is just that, forbidden, some of our older students need reminding of that." Fred and George laughed at that, it seemed that they were mischief makers. "Caretaker Filch has reminded me that there is an extensive ban list which you can find in his office, magic is not to be used in the corridors, and the third floor corridor, to the right, is off limits. Now it is time for bed before we start filling your head up with knowledge. Good night."

We followed Percy through the corridors, it was just how I remembered it, moving staircases and portraits that moved? I didn't remember that, but then again I had been concentrating on other things then.

"-this is the seventh floor, and the most direct way to our common room. Welcome to Gryffindor Tower." It was cosy, that was my first thought, already there were fellow Gryffindors in various states of relaxing, "This is the boys dorms and these are the girls," he indicated to each in turn. The girls went up and into our side of the tower, we found a door with first years written on a plaque above it, inside found 5 beds all placed in a circle, there were two doors, this one and one that I guessed was the bathroom.

There was one bed without a trunk, I guessed that this one was mine, and I was right next to the window, I enlarged my trunk, I pulled my wardrobe up and walked inside, there I found my exercise things I changed and then I entered the storage unit, I pulled my record player and my yoga mat out, I placed it the player on my bedside table I put the volume on low and then I began my stretching routine next to my bed.

"What are you doing?" Parvarti asked me, she looked on with a questioning gaze.

"Yoga, I'm not used to sitting still for as long as I have today,"

"My mum did a few classes of yoga, she stopped after only a few though, how long have you done it?" Lily asked me, she was sat on her bed and looked on with intrigue.

"About 2 years, my best friends sister and mum does it, they taught me."

"Oh that's nice of them, what band is this?" Lily asked indicating to the record player.

"Metallica, it's their S&M album, I hope I can see them one day."

"Oh my dad likes Metallica and Iron Maiden."

"I'm not a huge fan of Maiden, I don't know why, I should like them I suppose, but they aren't for me."

"Do you only like metal music?" Lily asked me.

I shook my head, "no I have a varied taste in music, depending on how I'm feeling, I'm already missing my ipod."

"What's an ipod?" Lavender asked, she looked intrigued.

"It's a music player that fits thousands of songs and can fit in the palm of your hand." Lily answered.

"Really?" Lavender asked with wide eyes, "So your muggle born?" She asked Lily who shook her head.

"I'm a half blood, my mum is a witch and my dad was a no-maj."

"A no-maj?"

"Oh sorry, mums American, it's what they call people without magic."

"Was?"

Lily sighed, "dad, he was in the army, he died in Iraq."

"I'm sorry that happened." I spoke to her, she nodded.

"It's ok, I have mum, unlike you, that must be worse."

I furrowed, "how do you know that?"

She looked at me like I was crazy, "everyone knows who you are, and how your parents died."

"They died in a car crash." I answered, "-why would that be important?" All the girls gasped, "what?"

"You parents, they were killed." Hermione answered.

"No they weren't."

"Yes, they were murdered by you-know-who."

"I-don't-know-who."

"I read all about you in a book."

"What?!" I stood up, "what do you mean you read about me in a book?" Hermione looked taken aback.

"I…I…" She stammered but I left the room, I needed to find all of this out, I left the dorm and then the common room. I thought I could make it to Snapes office, the hospital ward entrance wasn't that far away, we had passed it on the way to Gryffindor.

I made it down to the dungeons but now I was a little unsure of where I was going. I got all turned around, "little Gryffindor, what are you doing down here?" I turned to the voice, it was a ghost, he had silvery blood on him, I had seen him sitting next to Draco during the feast.

"Sorry, I got lost, I was looking for Professors Snapes office, could you point me in the right direction please?"

"Come, I will show you."

"Thank you. My name is Hari, it's nice to meet you."

"Hello Hari my name Richard De Lacy, though many call me the bloody Baron these days. Here we are." He stopped at a large wooden door.

"Thank you Richard, your help has been invaluable."

"Goodbye little Lion." He walked through a wall and was gone, I meanwhile knocked on the door.

"Come in." I entered and there he was sat behind his desk.

"Miss Potter, I didn't expect to see you here."

"I'm sorry about interrupting you sir."

"Sit, what's wrong?"

"I'm confused, the girls in my dorm seem to think my parents were murdered, I have always been told that they died in a car crash. Why was there shock when my name was called in the great hall and why does everyone keep looking at me?"

His eyes widened, "you don't know? No one told you?"

"Told me what?"

"We are going to need some drinks, Dipsy?" A pop brought a strange creature into the office, "could we get two fully loaded hot chocolates please?" The creature nodded and popped away and in moments was back with to mugs of hot chocolate. "Come, we should speak of these things in more comfort than in here." He took the mugs and walked through a door, into a warm and inviting living room, a fire was raring in the grate.

"I shall start at the beginning, as much as I know." He handed me a mug and then I lost his gaze to the fire, "this all started over 20 years ago, but we shall speak about events of only 10 years ago. There was a dark wizard, he wanted the purebloods to prosper, and for muggleborns to stop coming to the school. He gained a lot of followers and he would stop at nothing to succeed in his goals. It was a very dark time, many were killed, whole families were wiped out. There were those who stood up against him, your parents were some of them, they were murdered on Halloween 2001. He then tried to kill you, but the spell, which no one had survived before rebounded on him, leaving you with that scar. That's why you're famous, as far as the community believes you were his downfall."

"What happened to him?"

"No one really knows, all that was found were his robes." I looked into the fire, my head spinning with this new information.

"Green light."

"I'm sorry, what was that?"

"The spell, it was green light."

"You… You remember?"

"I dream of it, the green light, a high pitched laugh, she said she loved me, she called me her bambi." I shook my head, "Sorry, it's a lot to take in. Do you know their names? My parents that is."

"You don't… you don't know your parents' names?"

I shook my head, "the Dursleys always called them freaks or lay a-bouts, until now I thought they were drunks, I knew the Dursleys lied a lot, I had caught them out in lies, but to lie about how they died? Well, I already didn't like them, now… now I really don't like them."

"Lily Evans and James Potter, they married right out of school."

"Were you friends with them?" He nodded slightly.

"I was with your mother, until our fifth year, then house loyalties got between us."

I sighed, "that's a shame, that shouldn't matter."

"Gryffindor and Slytherin have a bad rivalry."

I laughed, "-fitting I suppose."

"Whys that?"

"The hat wanted to put me in Slytherin."

"Then why aren't you?"

"I wouldn't sabotage someone to get what I want." We were silent for a moment, "I had best get back, thank you for telling me." I stood and walked towards the door. "What's his name?" There was no doubt in what I was asking, my voice was low, harsh even to my ears.

"They called him Lord Voldemort."

"Thank you professor." I left to find my way back to my dorms, let's hope I didn't get too lost.