Chapter 3
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For the next month, Rebekah read and reread each and every textbook she got. She was determined to be prepared to enter into a world she has never heard of, she gained all the knowledge she could and retained it all in her mind.
Her favourite books, by far, were The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble, Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger, and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander, in that order. Though she did like the information the other books gave, they weren't as interesting to her.
Rebekah packed her trunk once, twice and thrice because she couldn't decide on what she needed to bring. She reduced her packing and only put in what she would use almost every day, even sneaking several packs of coloured pens.
She kindly asked Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia for a lift to Kings' Cross, which they didn't argue about when she clenched her fist, torching a piece of newspaper. Rebekah gathered all three trunks of hers and placed them into the boot of the car, then she sat in the car and waited for the journey to end.
Uncle Vernon placed her trunks onto a small cart, one that Rebekah could pull in front of her as she walked. Emperor sat on the very top, draping his long limbs and sometimes grazing the floor. No one seemed to notice the extremely large feline that hissed when someone got too close. Rebekah just shushed Emperor but he grinned in a way that a feline could.
"Packed with Muggles, of course,"
Rebekah grinned at this woman's, this Witch's words. She watched the plump woman, with raggy clothing that belonged in a thrift shop, talking to her children. Two of them, ginger twins, had a bit of fun with being twins, fooling their mother before running into the pillar that separated the ninth and tenth station. Both twins disappeared into the pillar and, with a small warning to Emperor, Rebekah followed after them.
How foolish was Rebekah, to not realise that Magic was in use with everything that had to do with the Wizarding World?
The station, Nine and Three Quarters was packed with Wizards and Witches and their families and their familiars. They buzzed around like bees with honey to deposit, though this honey of theirs was their children and they were going to deposit their children onto the large express.
Rebekah shoved past. "Excuse me. Excuse me. Watch where you're walking! Excuse me. Please move aside. Excuse me, can I get past? Oh, for heaven's sake."
"Miss Potter," Rebekah felt the weight of a hand on her shoulder. "Would you like some help, my dear?"
"Thank you, Mrs Malfoy. It was becoming a hassle walking past these people," Rebekah said as she turned to the Witch. "It is pleasant to see you again."
"And it is pleasant to see you again, also my dear," Mrs Malfoy said. The Malfoy matriarch led her away from the crowded centre, they split as she walked and made a clean path. "I do adore your garment, though Muggle, it is still beautiful."
The garment in question was Rebekah's fitted lace blouse. The overall colour was black with a metallic tone on the lace at her shoulders and arms. Rebekah had tucked the blouse into a pair of dark-wash jeans and flat ankle boots.
"Thank you. I also find your flowy garment pleasant, what is it called?" Mrs Malfoy had a dark beige, slightly formal dress under a long cloak-like coat that buttoned under the bust. The dress looked to be silk and the coat perhaps smooth velvet.
"Oh, I believe it is called a brocade overcoat, but I had asked the designer to make the fabric brocade but also velvet." They stopped when Mrs Malfoy saw her husband. He stood with Draco Malfoy by his side. "There is Draco, go speak with him while you both wait."
"Of course," Rebekah didn't like her tone when she ordered her to do something, but Rebekah forgave her this time and strained a pleasant smile. "It was pleasant to speak with you."
"Miss Potter," The young Malfoy began.
"Please call me Rebekah, Miss Potter makes it sound like I'm in trouble," She asked.
Draco nodded and then smiled. "Only if you call me Draco then, Mr Malfoy is my Father. How has your summer been since we met?"
"All right, I guess," Rebekah shrugged lightly and stroked Emperor's soft fur. "I found myself a familiar of sorts, or that is what Professor Snape had said. I also got the Potter House ring."
"Nice, " Draco said and looked at the ring as Rebekah showed him. "I won't get mine until I am seventeen. How did you get yours so early? Oh, sorry, bad question."
"No, it's okay, I think I got mine early because my parents are dead," She chuckled for a second. "I thought I would have had male relatives somewhere. None actually."
"Magic doesn't discriminate between genders, Miss Potter," Lucius Malfoy said. "Only between those who have the Magic in them. It also helps that you are the rightful descendant."
"Thank you for explaining, Mr Malfoy. No one has really explained anything to me, though I have read through most of my books on Wizarding traditions."
"Both of you, hurry on and get a good compartment, preferably the last one," Mrs Malfoy said, pointing a hand towards the back of the train. "That end has the larger compartments and usually are quieter than the front. Have Draco explain how Hogwarts works, Miss Potter. We have explained to him what is expected of a member of one of the twenty-eight families."
Rebekah shuffled her trunks towards the end of the train, where fewer and fewer people decided to stand. When the trunks were a foot from hitting the edge of the train, they floated on and could then be moved normally.
She shoved her belongings along, startling Emperor as the smallest trunk decided to topple. There wasn't a thud or clunk, so Rebekah looked over to it. The trunk levitated back onto the other two, settling itself back.
"Father said that the last compartment is the best, the one that the Slytherins of his year took," Draco said and wheeled his nicer cart along, pointing towards the end. "Some of my friends will be joining us, is that okay with you?"
"Yes, of course," Rebekah replied, her trunks shrunk slightly in size and were placed in the overhead. "They are your friends and I don't want to impose on you or them."
"Okay, Rebekah. I don't want to make you uncomfortable."
"Hi, Draco!" An average but pretty girl said from the compartment's open door, her dark brown hair in a loose plait. "Blaise and Daphne will be here in a few minutes."
"Hello Pansy, how have you been?" Draco asked. This girl, Pansy, didn't seem to realise that Rebekah was there. Rebekah waited for her attention.
"It's been good this summer, my family went to France for two weeks," Pansy said, plopping herself next to him. "They had the best loaves of bread there. Hi!"
The pug-like girl finally realised that Rebekah was sat across from her, just as two more people came in.
"Rebekah, these are my friends from childhood," Draco introduced Pansy, pug-faced and all, Daphne, a blonde girl with a cute smile, and Blaise, a dark-skinned boy with high cheekbones.
Pansy and Daphne were both pretty, though the latter more so, but they weren't Rebekah. Draco and Blaise were both handsome, surely ladykillers when they have grown, but they didn't hold what Rebekah wanted. Though they all would be extremely useful.
"Hello," Rebekah wiggled her fingers in a small gesture that could be seen as a wave. "Pleasant to meet you all. Are you all Purebloods and going to be Slytherins?"
"Of course," Daphne said. "Best House. So who are you then?"
"Before I introduce myself, two pieces of good news and one bad." Rebekah smiled, showing her upper canines. "I know I'll be part of Slytherin. Bad news, I am a Halfblood."
Pansy scoffed lightly, Blaise sneered a little but Daphne stayed neutral and asked, "You have only said two things. What's the other good news?"
"Well, I think my heritage outshine my Muggle-born mother's blood," Rebekah spoke without giving anything away but her smugness. "After all, who would go against and badmouth a Potter?"
Rebekah chuckled at their expressions of confusion, understanding and shock.
"Really?!"
"Rebekah Potter," She nodded her head in a small bow, her lips tugged into a smug smile.
Soon enough, when the trip was halfway done, The small group of five donned their uniforms. Rebekah changed into a fitted white shirt tucked into a fitted and pleated black skirt. She fasted her plain tie on, slipping her matte black oxford shoes and shrugging the plain black robe on. Her hair was pulled into a sleek, low ponytail. Her wand was in her right sleeve, tucked into a tiny compartment that hid it.
There was a ruckus in the middle of the train. Curious, Rebekah asked if the group could see what the fuss was.
"Is it true?" Draco said when they got to a compartment. "We've got Blood traitors with us?
"My name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy." The ginger coughed, hiding a snigger. " No need to ask who you are. Father told me all the Weasleys have red hair, freckles, and more children than they can afford." He said that last bit to Rebekah as she came into view.
"Rebekah Potter."
The ginger said, gapping his mouth, "Ronald Weasley, you can call me Ron, 'Bekah."
She scoffed. "No one said you could call me by that, most importantly I didn't say."
The group sniggered at his expression,
The disgusting little rodent decided to come from Weasley's arms, scurrying closer to Rebekah. She shrieked in disgust. "That thing is revolting. Emperor, don't touch it."
But it was too late, Emperor had the wretched thing between his claws and pulled it closer to his mouth. Rebekah shouted at him to put it down, or he'd get ill from whatever disease it carried. Emperor meowed loudly, twice hissing and then flicking the mutilated creature into the compartment window.
The group left that compartment and reached theirs by the time a voiced echoed: "We will be reaching Hogwarts within five minutes, leave all belongings and pets in the train, they will be transported separately."
The large group of first years, perhaps forty eleven-year-olds shuffled their way down a narrow and dark path, down to eleven boats that sat on a beautiful lake. They were hurried on, four to a boat, though Rebekah sat with Draco and Emperor in a boat. The boats swayed their way on the smooth, glass-like lake, towards the cliff that held Hogwarts.
Rebekah glided a hand over the crisp waters, feeling the life under the blue-hued lake. Something twirled around her hand as she dipped it further in, almost slimy but yet smooth and soft. When the touching stopped, she pulled her hand out and waved the water off. The touch wasn't unpleasant but slightly unnerving.
They filed off the boats, Emperor shrunk down to the size of a kitten and climbed into her hood, refusing to be left behind. The group of eleven-year-old scrambled up a passageway, coming onto smooth, damp grass in the shadows of the castle. They came up a flight of stone steps, crowding around the large oak door.
Three long knocks at the door, it flew open to reveal a stern-looking, black-haired Witch in jade robes. She opened another door to the entrance hall, large enough to hold the Dursleys' house. The forty children were sent down and into a small side chamber, to prepare themselves and await their allowance into the Great Hall.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," Professor McGonagall said. "The start-of-term banquet will begin soon before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your Houses. The Sorting is an important ceremony because your House will be like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your House, sleep in your House dormitory, and spend free time in your House common room.
"The Houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each House has its own noble history and has produced outstanding witches and Wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn House points, while any rule-breaking will lose House points. At the end of the year, the House with the most points is awarded the House Cup, a great honour. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever House becomes yours.
"The sorting ceremony will start soon, smarten yourselves up and then it will begin."
About a dozen ghosts decided to appear, startling the young students. There was a plump one, one was a monk, one had ruffles and tights, and one was headless with his head tied to his neck by a thread of flesh.
"Move along now," Professor McGonagall's sharp voice said, guiding them towards the entrance. "Form a line, and follow me."
Draco led Rebekah into the line with a head jolt, Blaise stood in front of Draco with Pansy in front. Daphne followed behind Rebekah.
"Hey, it will be alright," Daphne said, noticing the slightly worried look on her face. "They will place a hat on our heads and it will shout out the house, then we join them and they congratulate us."
"We don't get told much, do we?" Rebekah nodded before adding, "They should have told us more than what the letter had told. I did not even know that Hogwarts existed before a month ago. I am just nervous and a bit annoyed, I really like being informed of things."
"Understandable, I knew about Magic and Hogwarts since I was young," Daphne said, Draco nodded from in front as they came to the end. "I think the sorting is about to begin."
And Daphne was right, the sorting began with the hat singing, which Rebekah ignored its awful tune. It was a minute or so long, telling the ancient tales of Hogwarts' history.
"When your name is called, you will sit on the stool and put on the hat, it will sort you into your House," McGonagall began and then she called out the first name. "Abbott, Hannah!"
A girl came out of the crowd, Rebekah's eyes trailed her as she sat on the stool and was sorted. "Hufflepuff!"
Rebekah continued talking with Daphne and Pansy, that was until Daphne Greengrass was called up and sorted. Pansy would be sorted just before Rebekah, Pansy's name was before hers. Daphne was sorted into Slytherin, along with Draco, Theodore Nott, Vincent Crabbe, and Gregory Goyle.
"Wish me luck," Pansy said as she was called.
"You won't need it," Rebekah giggled lightly. "I'll be there in a few moments."
Pansy Parkinson was sorted into Slytherin, a round of applause from the school. Whispers ensured when Rebekah Potter was called.
"Potter, did she say?" Whispered the student body, "The Rebekah Potter?"
Rebekah didn't stumble, trip or falter in her steps as she came and sat on the stool, her back like an iron rod. The sorting hat almost hummed on her head, silent for a moment and then yelled, "SLYTHERIN!" as loud as it could.
The Slytherin table clapped the loudest, huge and menacing grins aimed for the Gryffindors. She came to sit between an older year who clapped her on the shoulder, and Daphne, Pansy across from her.
"Let them think what they want," The older year said, "Adrian Pucey. They'll rethink that ?when you show 'em that you can."
"Well, of course, and I haven't even started," Rebekah said. "Rebekah Potter. Pleasure, I'm sure."
"Dumbledore's about to do his thing again," An older girl nudged Pucey, snorting slightly and Pucey joined her.
"Welcome! Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts!" Dumbledore said, his beard placed over his shoulder. "Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!"
"Is he normally this strange?" Rebekah asked the older girl, Rachel Zimmer.
"He's a Gryffindor lover, he will do anything to help them. He's not right in the head," She nodded, scowling at the tips of her grin. "Go on and eat now."
Dozens of different fruit bowls, loaves of bread, meat and poultry appeared before Rebekah's eyes. Golden plates, knives, forks and spoons glistened with mouthwatering food.
It wasn't like the Dursleys didn't feed her, in fact, she ate handsomely in their home. They allowed her any meal, cooking for her and allowing her to use the kitchen. No meat touched her plate, something she refused to eat was meat, meat and mushrooms. Hells below, she hated mushrooms.
Her golden plate held seven fruits: strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, peaches, apples, oranges, and pomegranates. Dark bread placed against the bottom of a small dish of cream. Rebekah didn't realise she was this hungry, yet her stomach was upset and the castle knew. She sent a silent thank you to Hogwarts and then began eating.
Her robes, the once grey and white areas including the Hogwarts crest, had hints of green hems and the crest turned to a snake's coat of arms. Snakes? how appropriate, She almost chuckled.
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The Slytherin common room was precisely decorated between Edwardian, Victorian and Gothic feels. Two large windows sat on the wall behind the large and roaring fireplace, allowing the Slytherins to look into the Black Lake where the mermaids swam. The floor was dark, smooth spider-marble, allowing the students to walk barefoot if they desired. Gaslights floated around the room, some sticking to the students that studied or read. The twin pale-green leather sofas, both facing each other and looking onto the pale wood coffee-table between them. The fireplace crackled and shed light onto the green-hued common room.
Gemma Farley, as the prefect that led the girls to their dorms introduced herself, didn't mention that they would have their own dorm rooms. It wasn't bad, Rebekah was grateful for it, but it was unexpected by the students.
First thing Rebekah saw was the four-poster bed draped in emerald curtains, a bedside table on each side in sleek grey wood. Two sofas and a coffee table sat before the large circular wall that was in one corner, the waters below the lake in view. A fireplace across from the bed, twin wooden bookcases sat next to the wall of the fireplace. Two other doors lead to a bathroom, extremely large shower and bath, and a walk-in wardrobe.
Plenty of space for four people, but Rebekah was delighted to not have to share. She found that Daphne and Pansy, and Millicent Bulstrode and Tracy Davis, two girls she hadn't met, all had similar rooms but each had a slight difference. Daphne had a view over the lake with a canvas and paints, and Pansy had a piano that sat in a corner.
Each room was designed for the person that stayed, of course by Magic, and by the size of Hogwarts, the castle had plenty of options. Rebekah wouldn't complain, especially since Emperor found his extremely large cat bed under hers. He wouldn't be tempted to sleep on her bed then.
It was late, Rebekah yawned and decided it was time to go to bed. She checked her room again, finding the hamper. The glass that looked into the water turned opaque, allowing her to undress in peace. She stripped, pulled on shorts and a tank top, shuffling into her covers.
She laid her head down, and sighed loudly, "Are you kidding me, Emperor?"
His Cheshire grin adorned his face, his tail swaying his fur against her cheek.
"All right, okay," She moved her body to the side, turning to her right. "Get in here then, or I'll make you sleep in your own bed. Now sleep."
Emperor, in his form that replicated a normal cat's, stood up and came over to the little gap. He pawed the area, shoving a piece of her covers over, and then laid down with his head resting on her arm.
By the morning, Emperor transformed into his extra-large form, keeping his mistress warm as she pushed the covers off in her sleep. She curled up in the middle, Emperor draped her form and snuggled her awake, just before licking her face to the waking world.
Seven o'clock in the morning, an hour before breakfast was to be served, and he was hungry.
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