DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER NOR ANY OF THE SONGS USED IN THIS FIC
THE BOYS WHO LIVED
Chapter 11: An Old Castle called Hogwarts
The empty halls of Hogwarts were filled with nothing but the sound of echoes of ghosts and the occasional sound of birds and footsteps. The stillness of the cold chilly air brings Albus Dumbledore in a state of peace. His phoenix Fawkes on the other hand was not available for a gentle stroking. The phoenix in question had long since exited through a burst of flame to another district of the castle to where Albus knows not. Sitting down the old Headmaster brought up his cup of tea when suddenly.
CRACK!
Loud music filled the halls of Hogwarts causing the man to spill his tea onto his beard and many of the paintings above him closed their ears to the sound of the wretched noise. It shook the walls to the point where the old man stood up and called for a house elf.
HOGWARTS DUNGEONS
While Dumbledore has his problems with his hearing another was well aware of the cause of the noise caused by such a racket and was not bothered by it. Severus Snape had long ago come to appreciate some of the music that Muggles come up with (but not many know about it) and hummed the tune to himself as he stirred the latest batch of medical potions for Poppy Pomfrey. He smirked when he saw poor Peeves fly in with his hands on his head. "Oww me ears!" he screeched as he floated through walls, "Why Peeves I thought you liked mayhem," Snape said smoothly, "Not like this!" he screeched and flew out of the dungeons.
Taking a deep breath Snape brandished his wand and walked out with a hidden smirk. He walked along the corridors and noticed a lot of people walking out of their rooms with their hands on their ears. Minerva ran up to him, "What sort of trickery is this!" she screamed over the noise and Severus merely snorted, "I do believe Minerva that it is called Rock and Roll?" Severus countered and she huffed, "Does it have to be so loud?" she asked, "I believe that the cause of it is not aware of the noise they are making," Severus said as he walked down the halls towards the second floor.
CHAMBER OF SECRETS
"Alright fellahs is getting better," Hakkai said as the music stopped, "We are pressed for time; as it is we have till May to get this right." She said as she walked up to them and turned towards Neville, "Neville get some of those picks for your fingers or just roll them for as it is your fingers are already blistering." Hakkai said and Neville nodded his thanks. "Ron try not to hit the drums so hard," she said walking up to Ron and felt along the rims and onto the main drum itself. "Look here," she said pointing to a few dents and Ron leaned in to see, "Those are caused by your heavy hitting try to lighten up when hitting the drums. As for the lower drum try not to be so lead footed," she said and walked over to Seamus, "Not bad on the key playing Seamus but it could get better," Hakkai then walked over to the last group the guitars, "Harry, Draco this is not a contest you both are not competing for suppression you are to play your parts separately not try to play the same note," she said and the two looked down. "How do they sound Dean?" Hakkai asked as she checked the boy in charge of the sounds other then the required instruments. "Could get better like you said." He said.
Hermione stood to the side watching the practice with a smirk as Hakkai worked with them till she noticed a few shadows at the entrance. She hissed to Kai and she turned to see the newcomers at the entrance. "Enter!" she barked and Professor Snape and McGonagall entered into the light. "Professors!" Hermione exclaimed feeling a bit guilty, "I am sorry are we making too much noise?" she asked and Hakkai snorted.
McGonagall huffed, "the so called noise you were making is making such an awful racket upstairs Ms. Granger so please either cease this noise or at least put some sort of silencing charm," she said and walked out. Snape on the other hand merely stayed, "As much as I would agree with Professor McGonagall it is by personal request if your band could do a little side performance when you have improved," Snape said with a smirk.
The entire group (minus Kai) had their mouths to the floor. Professor Snape of all people is asking them to perform at school. It was when he swished his robes and left that the group started to talk.
"Did you hear what Snape said?" Ron said or nearly shouted, "Yes we did Ron and we are not deaf," said Seamus as he poked a finger in his ear the classic yell in the ear gesture. "Snape of all people that is a surprise," said Neville who was currently tuning his base. Hakkai took no notice as she stared at the entrance. "He is the other one with the mark yes?" she asked and they all nodded. "Yes he is but he is a spy for Dumbledore," Harry said and Hakkai nodded, "I see," she said without showing anything.
"Now why would Snape of all people would ask us to perform unless he wanted to humiliate them thoroughly?" The thought that Snape would do that to them made even their skin crawl. "I think Snape just wants us to fail," said Seamus, "Oh come off it mate Snape just probably likes this kind of music," said Dean. Draco said nothing as they walked towards the Great Hall.
Hakkai was mesmerized by the size of such a dining hall. 'This place is so large and I can see the sky from in here,' Quick Strike said as he stared at the ceiling. The few students that stayed at Hogwarts looked at the odd group as they made their way in. they all sat at one table while Hakkai just stood transfixed at the ceiling.
"It is bewitched," Hermione said and Hakkai only stared back at her before finally sitting down. "Magic sure has a lot of things done that technology only begun to experiment with," Hakkai said. "Well Kai you Muggles have done some things that we wizards have not accomplished either." Draco said back and the others looked at him. "Well it is true after all," Draco said, "I mean look at it this way who ever saw a decent intelligent wizard these days?" Draco asked and the group snickered.
"Well we thought you weren't that intelligent before," Ron said, "Well Weasley that was when I was bias before," Draco replied, "Now after witnessing Muggles up close and personal I feel that they had at least accomplished something we wizards have not," he said, "oh and what is that?" Hermione asked, "Intelligence and Problem Solving Muggle obviously became smarter then us magical folk. No wonder we are a dying breed!" he said and they all stared laughing.
When food appeared on the table Hakkai nearly jumped out of her skin when it suddenly appeared. "It is the work of House elves," said Hermione, "House elves?" Hakkai asked as she hesitantly took some food and started to eat. Her eyes looked at it as if it would come alive at once.
"Hey Potter what are you working on?" Dean asked as he looked at Harry who already finished his food. Harry in the meantime ignored Dean and continued to write and stopped only to play with an instrument in the air. "Still working on that song Harry?" Neville asked and Harry looked up at him and nodded. "What song?" asked Hermione, "Oh Harry was working on a song and we heard it in the room last night," Neville replied and Hermione looked over his shoulder, "This is awesome Harry!" she said by now the group was looking over the song going over the notes that Harry came up with. "Impressive," said Hakkai as she studied the notes. She took the paper and read it to herself before handing it back to Harry. "Want to work on it later tonight?" Hakkai asked and they nodded, "Do you have any others?" asked Ron and Harry nodded, "I have a few but they need to be tweaked a bit," he said his face flushing with embarrassment.
LATER THAT DAY
"……Now these have been around for only about five hundred years but each year more and more paintings fill the halls of Hogwarts…." Hermione droned on and Hakkai looked up in interest. The various paintings eyed the strange Muggle girlin interest while others turned away to do their own business. "Interesting," Hakkai said as she walked down the hallways towards the courtyard. "We can't wait to show you Hagrid's place," said Hermione and everyone but the trio cringed at the thought of Hagrid. "Hagrid may be strange when it comes to his ways but he has a knack for dangerous magical creatures," said Seamus as Hakkai walked with them to Hagrid's Hut.
Hagrid was busy working with some strange creatures when the group arrived, "Hey Hagrid," said Hermione holding some papers in her hand. "Well hello there Hermione how can I help ya?" he said, "We are here to turn in our assignments," she said and handed the parchments over along with the others. When Hagrid made sure that he had gotten everything he was about to turn in when he noticed someone. "Well hello there ye must be the Muggle I've been hearing about," he said and stuck out his hand, "Rubeus Hagrid Keeper of keys and Professor of Care of Magical Creatures here at Hogwarts," he said and Hakkai took out her gloved hand, "Hakkai Seiryuu Hunter Student at Winchester High School and Music instructor to this lot," she said meeting Hagrid's handshake with surprising force. The half giant was surprised by the power in Hakkai's hand for normally someone like Harry he had to try and go easy on them, but this girl is really a powerhouse.
Hagrid shook himself out of his stupor and smiled, "Witherwings is out back you can say hi to 'em," he said and the group nodded while Draco looked rather nervous before they followed Hagrid behind.
Witherwings or Buckbeak stood proud as usual in his paddock looking as feisty as ever. When he saw Draco he reared and screeched and Draco dropped to the ground, "Sorry! Ok I am sorry!" he shouted and the Hippogriff stopped his tantrum as the Slytherin was on the ground. Hakkai looked confused, "Tell me why are you withering in front of what ever it is?" she asked, "That my lady is a Hippogriff a really proud creature," Hagrid said as he came from behind Hakkai. He walked up towards the hippogriff and slowly patted him. Eyeing Hakkai he growled low in his throat. Hakkai listened in to his barks, growls and calls before approaching. Putting her fist into her hand she bowed gracefully to the creature,
"With all do respect my friend I do not know the meaning in which you attacked my friend," she said and Witherwings or Buckbeak bowed back. 'You speak my tongue? Strange? no human has ever spoken to me in my own before? But you are not human are you? No I smell dragon on you, you are a dragon I sense it enchanted by these humans to live among them why I do not know but I sense it in you,' the hippogriff replied and Hakkai looked up at him her eyes showing a bit of curiosity. "Why did he say that you are a dragon that is more then what Remus said," Hermione said and Hakkai shook her head, "The answers will come in time," she said. 'As to answer you question from earlier he insulted me three winters ago and we Hippogriffs take great offense at such insults!' as to emphasize this he flapped his wings and snapped his beak.
Hakkai turned to Draco and the boy quivered in his wake. She walked up to him her eyes glowing with anger, "What did you say to insult someone like that?" she gave him a look of pure curiosity her eye brow was raised in a Snape-like fashion. "He insulted Buckbeak a few years back," replied Harry and Hakkai shook her head in dismay, "It must have been a grave insult for you to get that kind of treatment a few years later," she replied as she walked up to Buckbeak.
"Brave Hippogriff we mean you no harm," she said this while bowing her head with her fist once again in the palm of her right hand. "He has come a long way from the child you met a while ago," she said, 'oh and how so?' Buckbeak asked, "I have humbled him and his apology is as sincere as a phoenix's song. I do hope you take his apology great Hippogriff," she said and Buckbeak seemed flattered, 'you know for a dragon you sure know how to impress a person such as myself.' Buckbeak replied as he bowed back, 'alright I will take his apology as a sign of good fortune between us,' he said and bowed his head in Draco's direction.
The rest of the day was spent with Hagrid cleaning and tending to a recently deceased Aragog who had died of old age. The spider was laid to rest just outside of Hagrid's home but luckily enough his poison sacs and hairs have been harvested for Professor Snape's laboratory. Even though the man has gotten the Defense Against the Dark Arts job he still has to help the current professor brew some potions for Poppy Pomfrey.
As the days few on by Hakkai had worked the group till they could barely move their fingers and feet and had them practice till they literally dropped. When the last few days before they returned to Winchester High came around they packed all their goods and were at the floo network ready to take them back. "Alright you people be good now," Mrs. Weasley said as she gave them all a hug. Mr. Weasley, Remus, Hagrid, Snape, McGonagall and Dumbledore met in the Headmaster's office as the set up the floo that would take them back to their high school. As they stepped in one by one into the green flames they all had to wonder on what Remus and Buckbeak meant by Hakkai was literally a dragon.
As they watched the last member vanish from the hall of an old castle called Hogwarts one lone rat made its way down and out of the cracks and into the grounds of the castle. It ran down the grounds towards the apparition point and vanished with a pop!
TBC