A/N: Hi! I had a pretty big week this week, what with schoolwork, posting a new story…and cancer claiming a member of my family. My cat Psycho died on Monday from bowel cancer.
Dedication: To my late cat Psycho, RIP buddy. To Ivy, who came up with an idea to honour his memory. And to all my reviewers and fans who now use the phrase "Skinner" (i.e. For Skinner's sake!) I love it when people do that, it makes me so happy knowing that people are using a phrase I use in reality (and if you want to know WHY I use Skinner, look up Jeff Skinner on Google.)
Chapter 7
The Start Of Term Feast.
When Draco and I hopped off the train, he wrapped my leather jacket around me and went to shepherd a few first years to the boats.
But…instead of Hagrid's normal voice yelling "First years! First years over here!" there was a female's voice yelling "First years to me! All first years to me!"
I turned to the source of the sound…it was Professor Grubbly-Plank, Hagrid's replacement from the previous term when Rita Skeeter wrote some embarrassing articles about him and his giantess mother.
Draco kissed my forehead "I got this, love. You go hang out with your brother." Draco smirked.
I smiled and kissed him quick "Thanks, you're the best." I said.
Draco shrugged "When am I not?" he asked before standing straighter (if that was possible) "Oh! I almost forgot!" he said, picking up something and handing it to me "Here. I got it at the Owlery. It didn't want to leave me alone, so I got you one and Blaise got another one for Duff."
I gasped and took the black bundle of fur, which pawed my face.
It was a black kitten with green eyes.
"Awe!" I said, scratching it behind the ears "It's so cute!"
"She." Draco said, shrugging "That's what the Owlery lady told me."
I continued petting the kitten, making her purr and press her head into my hand.
"What to name you?" I asked, looking her in the eyes when Annabelle Drosie, my worst enemy approached.
"Oh, look, if it isn't Potter." Drosie sneered to Nancy O'Neil, her best friend. "What're the odds of you dying this year, Potty? Anyone want to make a bet? How 'bout you, Malfoy? You seemed to be having kittens over her in the maze last term."
"Drop it, Drosie!" I snapped, Draco going stone faced.
"Oh, if you could only hear him, Potter. 'Hannah! Hannah! Oh, she's been in there for a long time, you don't think she died, do you! HANNAH!'" Drosie sneered, making my kitten restless.
The kitten hissed and jumped out of my arms and clawed Drosie.
"AH!" she screamed when it jumped on her robes and clawed her leg.
I giggled when Drosie screamed. I stopped when she kicked my cat.
"HEY!" I shouted, drawing my wand "Don't. Kick. My. Kitten. You. Bitch!" I shouted "AVIS OPPUGNO!"
At that, a large flock of birds burst from the tip of my wand and started attacking Drosie, making the kitten walk over to my side.
I smirked as the birds pecked Drosie's face.
"Han, I think you should take the curse off." Draco said after a minute of this.
I sighed "Ok, fine!" I said, waving my wand. "Finite Incantatum." I groaned.
The birds vanished and Drosie glared at me. "Bitch!" she muttered before walking away, O'Neil still standing there, trying to fight off laughter "O'NEIL!" Drosie screamed, making O'Neil run off with her.
"I have to admit, Hannah, that was great!" A voice said behind me.
I turned around. It was Drosie's former friend, Jamie Vain, a friend of mine now.
"Hey, Jamie. Thanks." I said, smiling at her.
"Where'd you learn that?" she asked.
I shrugged "Read it somewhere." I said before turning to Draco "I'm going to get a carriage." I said, kissing him quick. "See you inside." I said.
Draco stopped me "Wait a moment. Mother told me that those spells you used were NEWT standard."
I nodded "I heard that, why?" I asked.
Draco gaped, then smirked "Nerd." he said.
I smacked him and started walking away "I'll see you inside!" I called to him, my kitten following me.
I bent down and picked up the kitten, petting her. "Nice work, kitty." I said, making her purr. "But what should I name you? Angel…what am I thinking!? You're a hellion!"
Then I smirked. Hellion…
"That's your name. Hellion." I announced, putting the kitten down and heading to a carriage with my brother, Ron, Hermione, Ivy, Scarlett Zimmerman, a friend in my house, a blonde haired girl, and a blond boy with thick hair.
I sat in the empty seat and saw Ivy had an orange tabby.
"Hey, V." I said, putting Hellion in my lap "Where'd you get the kitten?"
Ivy beamed "Blaise got her for me. I named her Coral. Where'd you get-oh, Malfoy?" she asked.
I nodded "I named her Hellion." I said "You should've seen what she did to Drosie back there. She clawed her leg all to hell after Drosie mocked Draco." I said proudly. "Hey, Scar." I said, beaming to Scarlett.
"Hey, girl!" Scar beamed "Nice kitten." she said.
I smiled. "Thanks." I said proudly.
Ivy glared at Scarlett when she said "Black is the cutest kitten colour, isn't it?"
"Uh, Zimmerman?" Ivy snapped "Coral can hear you!"
Scar rolled her eyes "Oh, you know I'm just kidding, Ivy. Kittens are cute in every sense. Though, Coral seems to look like she needs to lose some weight." she said, jokingly.
That's when Ivy let Coral go. Coral hissed and charged after Scarlett, trying to claw at her face.
I got up and pulled Coral off of Scarlett. "Ivy, Scarlett was joking!" I said, handing a still snarling Coral back to Ivy "She wasn't trying to offend anyone."
"Yes she was." said an airy voice.
I turned and saw that the girl with platinum blonde hair had spoken from her magazine…The Quibbler.
"Excuse me?" I asked.
"It's very simple, Hannah," said the girl (I was taken aback, how did she know my name?) "She was making a joke over Ivy's cat's weight." she said simply.
I creased my eyebrows together, Scarlett and her loyalties forgotten "How d'you-?" I started.
"I'm Luna. Luna Lovegood, remember?" the girl said, looking at me from her magazine "You met my cousin, Archimedes and I in third year?"
The blond boy nodded "That'd be me. I'm Archimedes Lovegood." he said before returning to his copy of The Quibbler.
"Oh, Daddy is the editor of The Quibbler." Luna said, noting I was staring at her cousin's magazine "We get them for free. Would you like a copy?"
I shrugged. I didn't want to be rude. "Ok. Sure, thanks." I said, holding out my hand for Luna to slip a magazine into again.
"Daddy thinks his magazine is more reliable than the Daily Prophet these days." Luna said.
I creased my eyebrows together "How do you mean?" I asked.
Ivy turned to me "That rag's been defaming Harry, remember when he said that You-Know-Who was back?" she asked.
I nodded "They don't believe him?"
Hermione shook her head "No. But they took Rita Skeeter's articles and made Harry into a stand up joke. They'd say for something far fetched 'A Tale worthy of Harry Potter', and for someone who had a funny accident 'Let's hope they didn't get a scar on his forehead, or we'll be asked to worship them next.'"
I blinked "Anything about me?" I asked.
Ron shrugged "A bit. Like, every time there's a weird happening, like in the tabloid section, they'd say 'Weirder than the Drannah fiasco'. Or when a secret's been spilled, they'd say 'Here's hoping the Malfoys don't react the same way as they did with Drannah.'"
I rolled my eyes and the carriage strolled to a stop.
I stepped out of the carriage, praying I didn't slip again like I did the previous year. And…I did.
"Skinner, Fanelli and Faksa!" I shouted before someone caught me.
Draco.
"Merlin, Hannah, can't you take two steps without falling flat on your face?" he asked, setting me down.
I rolled my eyes "Shut up!" I said, starting forward into the Great Hall.
"Han!" Ivy shouted, holding Coral "You going to sit with us?"
I shook my head "I can't, V!" I called back to her "I have prefect duties!"
Ivy nodded "Ok, but take your cat with you!" she shouted, nodding towards Hellion.
I nodded back "Well, duh! Like I'd leave my kitten out here?" I asked, before patting my lap "Hellion!" I said, making Hellion run up to me and jump into my arms. "Good kitty." I said, scratching her belly and making her purr. I kissed Draco's cheek "She's adorable. Thank you." I said smirking "You spoil me too much." I said.
Draco shrugged "I'm a Malfoy…it's my job." he said.
I smirked and laughed. I missed when he said that "What is that, your catchphrase?"
Draco smirked "I guess it is." he said.
I smirked. I knew what I was going to get him.
Draco steered me towards the Slytherin table and sat me down on the bench. "I know what your catchphrases are." Draco said in a singsong voice.
"What?" I asked when he sat down.
"Skinner…and 'Skinner Fanelli and Faksa.'" Draco said as Professor McGonagall came in with the first years.
Willow James looked up at me from the gaggle and waved happily. I smirked at her and waved back, earning a weird look from my dorm mates
"Who was that you were waving to?" Lexi McMaster asked.
I smirked when the first years were put into a line. "Oh, a first year I met on the platform." I said happily when the mouth of the Hogwarts Sorting Hat opened up, just like it did in my first year four years previously and started to sing:
In times of Old when I was new
And Hogwarts barely started
The founders of our noble school
Thought never to be parted:
United by a common goal,
They had the selfsame yearning,
To make the world's best magic school
And pass along their learning.
"Together we will build and teach!"
The four good friends decided
And never did they dream that they
Might someday be divided,
For were there ever such friends anywhere
As Slytherin and Gryffindor?
Unless it was the second pair
Of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw?
So how could it have gone so wrong?
How could such friendships fail?
Why, I was there and so can tell
The whole sad, sorry tale.
Said Slytherin, "We'll teach just those
Whose ancestry is purest."
Said Ravenclaw, "We'll teach those whose
Intelligence is surest."
Said Gryffindor, "We'll teach all those
With brave deeds to their name."
Said Hufflepuff, "I'll teach the lot
And treat them just the same."
These differences caused a single strife
When first they came to light
For each of the four founders had
A house of which they mightTake only those they wanted, so,
For instance, Slytherin
Took only pure blood wizards
Of great cunning just like him
And only those of sharpest mind
Were taught by Ravenclaw
While the bravest and the boldest
Went to daring Gryffindor.
Good Hufflepuff, she took the rest
And taught them all she knew.
Thus the houses and their founders
Retained friendships firm and true.
So Hogwarts worked in harmony
For several happy years,
But then discord crept among us
Feeding on our faults and fears.
The houses that, like pillars four,
Had once held up our school,
Now turned upon each other and,
Divided, sought to rule.
And for a while it seemed the school
Must meet an early end
What with duelling and with fighting
And the clash of friend on friend.
And at last there came a morning
When old Slytherin departed
And though the fighting then died out
He left us quite downhearted
And never since the founders four
Were whittled down to three
Have the houses been united
As they once were meant to be.
And now the Sorting Hat is here
And you all know the score:
I sort you into houses
Because that is what I'm for.
But this year I'll go further
Listen closely to my song:
Though condemned I am to split you
Still I worry that it's wrong.
Though I must fulfil my duty
And must quarter every year
Still I wonder whether Sorting
May not bring the end I fear.
Oh know the perils, read the signs,
The warning history shows,
For our Hogwarts is in danger
From external deadly foes.
And we must unite inside her
Or we'll crumble from within
I have told you, I have warned you…
Let the sorting now begin.
Draco and I exchanged looks of confusion.
"Did the Hat always talk about this?" I asked, him knowing more about Hogwarts than I.
Draco shrugged "Father said it only did in times when the school was in danger." he said "Maybe with the Dark Lord back, the Hat must think he'll attack."
McGonagall opened up the scroll of first year's names and read one aloud.
"Abercrombie, Euan!"
A terrified looking boy walked up to the stool and the hat went on his head and over his eyes. The hat contemplated as per usual before shouting.
"GRYFFINDOR!"
Euan Abercrombie went over to my brother's table and sat down, looking as if he would have had given anything to disappear.
"Burke, Desiree!"
A girl with dark brown hair and hazel eyes walked up to the stool, and like Abercrombie before her, had the Hat placed over her face.
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
Desiree Burke walked over to the cheering Hufflepuff table and She-Cat waved merrily at her.
"Burke, Lucas!"
A boy who looked a lot like Desiree Burke walked up to the stool, and like his sister before her had the Hat placed over his eyes.
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
Lucas Burke went over to the Hufflepuff table and waved to She-Cat, who had waved to him like she did with his sister.
"Circa, Akane!"
A girl with black hair in a high ponytail walked up to the stool, looking excited.
"SLYTHERIN!"
I cheered with the rest of my house as Akane Circa came and sat down at the end of the table.
A few more first years were Sorted, including a girl with red hair and blue eyes named "Grey, Marissa." into Ravenclaw, where Sheila and Fireball waved merrily to her.
I paid more attention when McGonagall said "James, Willow!"
Willow looked over to me and I smiled at her before she sat at the stool and the hat went over her ice blue eyes.
"SLYTHERIN!"
I cheered louder than the rest of my house as Willow walked over to sit where the first years normally sat.
"Hey, Willow!" I called to her "There's room over here!"
Willow beamed at me and parked herself in between Gregory Goyle and I.
I gave Willow a hug "Welcome to Slytherin." I said happily.
Willow beamed "Thanks, Hannah." she said.
"Kuchiki, Yuuki." a girl with long black hair and icy blue eyes was another girl sorted into Slytherin. I decided to follow my friends' examples and nodded curiously to her when she sat down.
A girl with short blonde hair tied up into a ponytail and brown eyes (she looked like a younger version of Drosie, but I didn't hold it against her.) named "Kuran, Hiyori." was sorted into Gryffindor. Hermione beamed at her when she came up.
"MacDonald, Natalie." also went to Gryffindor, and Hermione beamed wider.
The final Slytherin of the night was a girl named "Webing, Blair." a tall girl with light blonde hair and dark brown eyes.
The Sorting finished with a girl named "Zeller, Rose." being Sorted into Hufflepuff.
Dumbledore stood up and the talking stopped.
"Let the feast begin!" he said as food appeared on the plates.
…
After the last of the food was cleared away, Dumbledore got to his feet again.
"Now that we are now digesting another wonderful feast, I have a few start of term notices to hand down."
Dumbledore gave the usual reminders. "No students in the Forbidden Forest", "No magic in the corridors." (wasn't going to stop me from hexing Drosie's pants off in Charms.).
Then Dumbledore addressed Professor Grubbly-Plank and an old toad looking woman in an ugly pink cardigan with a black bow.
"Now, I would like to introduce two new members of staff. Professor Grubbly Plank has kindly volunteered to return to the post of Care of Magical Creatures. And our new Professor, Professor Umbridge."
Dumbledore lead a scattered round of applause and then proceeded with his speech.
He didn't get too far, seeing as Pink-Cardigan-Toad-Lady (A/N: That's all I could think of that was funny. I suck at jokes.) cleared her throat as if she wanted to make a speech for herself.
Draco and I exchanged looks and Willow tugged on my robes.
"Does this normally happen at Hogwarts?" she asked.
I shook my head "No. This woman has absolutely no idea how things are done here." I muttered to her.
"Thank you, Professor Dumbledore, for those kind words of welcome." the woman said in a high, girlish voice that made my blood boil unpleasantly.
Was it wrong to loathe someone on sight? I didn't care. I didn't like her at all.
"Well," the Toad-Lady said "how lovely it is to be back at Hogwarts, I must say!" she smiled, revealing a set of vampire like teeth. "And to see such happy little faces smiling up at me!"
I raised my eyebrows and turned to Draco "Does she honestly think she can get away with talking to us as if we're five years old?" I asked.
Draco shrugged "Dunno." he said as the Toad-Lady went on.
"I am very much looking forward to getting to know you all and I'm sure we'll be very good friends!"
I snickered and turned to Willow "As long as we don't have to shop where she shops…oh, who the Skinner am I kidding? I wouldn't be her friend if she begged me. I know it's wrong, but I think I just loathe her."
Toad-Lady cleared her throat again, and when she spoke again, she had the air of a bored, learned off by heart tone to them.
She talked about the differences between "tradition and innovation" and "without progress, there would be stagnation and decay."
She lost me somewhere in her blah-blah with "errors of judgement" and I drifted off.
…
Someone belted me over the head and I blinked.
"Huh? What?" I said groggily, "Oh, hey, Draco." I said, wiping my eyes. "What'd I miss?"
Draco smirked and I stood up "Oh, just Dumbledore dismissing us for bed. I thought I'd wake you so you can help shepherd these first years to the dungeons."
I giggled. "I'm with you. But if I start dropping off again-"
"Carry you?" Draco said.
I nodded "Yes." I said, taken aback "How'd you-?"
"I know my girlfriend so well, don't I?" he asked, steering me out of the Hall.
I nodded "Yes. Yes you do." I said before turning around. "OI! KIDS WHO HAD A MAGIC TALKING HAT PLACED ON THEIR HEAD TONIGHT AND IT SAID SLYTHERIN! OVER HERE!" I shouted.
Draco laughed "You're mean when you're tired!" he said, taking my hand as Hellion circled around my feet.
I heard numerous footfalls behind me and Draco and I started forward, running into the Ravenclaw first years on the way.
Sheila was talking animatedly (her talent) to the first years as Fireball bounced on each first year's head. Seeing me, he waved happily.
I smiled and waved back, smirking.
Draco pulled out his wand "Who were you waving at?" he demanded, pointing his wand where I was waving "Someone I should know about?" he demanded, sending a flash of red light in Fireball's direction.
"No…" I said as Sheila glared at Draco "I was waving to Fireball!" I said "Sheila's dragon?" I said, pointing to him.
Draco flushed slightly "Oh…sorry!" he called out before leading our first years quicker to the dungeons.
"Wow, Malfoy." Willow said at my side "That was pretty classy, wasn't it, guys?"
"Yes, it was." Blair Webing said coming up next to Willow as we got to the snake doorknocker.
"Oh, you first years shut up!" Draco snapped before turning to the knocker "Parseltongue."
The door opened and Draco and I lead our young charges into the dungeon.
"Welcome to the common room." I said, gesturing around "As you can plainly tell, we are under the lake. But don't worry. There are enchantments that keep us safe from the water." I said.
"You mean like the enchantment that that Toad-Lady had put on her speech to make people fall asleep?" Willow chirped, making Blair and Yuuki Kuchiki snort in laughter.
"Ok, you can all tell jokes in your dorms." I said to the gaggle of first years.
"Yeah!" said a black haired boy "Where're our dorms!?" he demanded.
"Boys dorms are to the left, the girls' dorms are to the right." Draco said, gesturing to the stairs "Now bedtime, all of you. Off you trot!"
All the first years said quick goodnights and went upstairs to their dorms.
"Off I trot, too?" I asked, smirking.
Draco kissed my forehead "If you're still tired, then yes."
I smirked and kissed Draco. "You're so cute when you're jealous." I said sleepily.
Draco grinned and picked me up "I should be jealous more often, then." he said, carrying me up to my dorm and laying me down in my bed as Pansy, Monique Clearwater, Lexi, Amelia Finch, and Millicent Bulstrode said "Aww!"
Draco kissed me again. "Goodnight, Hannah." he said.
I smiled "Goodnight, Draco." I said "I love you."
"I love you too, Hannah." Draco said before kissing my forehead again and walking out as I fell asleep.
A/N: So, Ivy's orange cat, Coral, is the cat dedicated to my late cat, Psycho (who was a boy cat, BTW) and Hannah's black kitten, Hellion, is dedicated to my cat that's still alive named It.
Special thanks to the following authors for giving me first years:
-Light.13 (Desiree and Lucas Burke)
3xVanilla (Marissa Grey and Blair Webing)
WillowInTheWind (Willow James)
Chi Akka Yukki Blood Red Snow (Hiyori Kuran and Yuuki Kuchiki.)
Night130 (Akane Circa) NOTE: AKANE WILL ALSO BE IN A STORY OF THIS AUTHOR'S WRITING! SHE WANTED HER TO BE IN THIS STORY TOO! AKANE IS NOT MY CREATION, NOR ARE ANY OTHER FIRST YEARS!
Rose Zeller, Euan Abercrombie and Natalie MacDonald are all property of J.K. Rowling.
SYOFY IS NOW CLOSED! (but if you wish to give me a few Slytherin first year boys' names, I'll accept them.) BUT I AM NOT ACCEPTING MORE FIRST YEARS! NAMES ONLY PLEASE!
