THE MAGICAL MAFIA
CHAPTER THREE
September 1st 2001 Hogwarts Great Hall
Albus to many names for his own good Dumbledore took his seat at the teachers table in the great hall unsure of what will happen at the sorting. Whilst the reply from Potter had come in on a Gringotts owl about two hours after he'd left for the Dursleys had given him hope, Dumbledore did not know where the hell he was. Taking a chance Dumbledore went to the goblins who were loathe to talk with him and when they did. He was told outright that he could no longer tout the magical guardian status of the Boy-Who-Lived, It had been awarded to another and if they found any more discrepancies within their bank because of him the Dumbledore accounts would be in total shut down. Leaving the bank with his tail between his legs Dumbledore set out to find said Boy-Who-lived whilst he hadn't found him had spent the rest of the summer keeping an eye out and his ear to the ground just in case. He'd even asked his good pawn...er friend Molly Weasley to keep and eye out for the Potter boy at Kings Cross station.
Albus received a howler at noon from Molly about how her children nearly missed the train for the Boy-Who-Lived who never even showed up. Albus's heart was heavy, as the students filed in from the train. It seamed all his means of tracking had ultimately failed. Albus perked up however when he heard Blacksmith Margery...that was her damned name was called. The petite blonde reminded him of...Albus shook his head, he knew instantly this girl would be a looker when she was older...no wonder her stepfather wanted to do that to her. Several first years shied away from her as Margery walked to the chair head up and straight backed, Dumbledore could not tell what emotion she was feeling. She sat down and the moment the hat touched her head It sputtered "HU...HU...HUFFLEPUFF"
Margery let Minerva remove the hat from her head and walked down to the Hufflepuff table she politely greeted those nearby as she sat next to seventh year Nymphadora Tonks but turned to pay attention to the sorting. The sorting resumed with a wild haired girl answering to Granger Hermione spent five minutes under the hat before she went to "GRYFFINDOR", Albus barely paid attention until Longbottom Neville was called he too barely took any time as the hat screamed "HUFFLEPUFF" the second it touched his head, it was a surprise but workable Albus thought. Draco Malfoy like Longbottom and Blacksmith barely had the hat touch his head before it yelled "SLYTHERIN" Dumbledore made a note for Severus to keep an eye on that one. It didn't take long before Potter Harrison was called...where did Harrison come from his name was Harry...wasn't it?.
Harrison Potter walked up to the chair like Longbottom and Blacksmith did before him head up back straight and expressionless, If the noise levels around him bothered him it didn't show it. It took a good ten minutes for the hat to decide where he was meant to go but when it did...Albus Dumbledore's plans for the Boy-Who-Lived sank before his eyes as the sorting hat shouted out "HUFFLEPUFF". A strange feeling crawled up his spine as several students of Hufflepuff attempted to greet Harry as one of their own and backed off at the Icy glances of Margery Blacksmith and Neville Longbottom. Their fellow first years got further but ultimately left the three to themselves next to Tonks. With the last two students an angry looking Ron Weasley and Blaise Zabini going to Gryffindor and Slytherin respectively did Albus stand up with his grandfather persona firmly in place.
"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts" He began smiling at the students in front of him...It was going to be a long year
***Mini Break***Mini Break***
"Welcome to the Hufflepuff Common Room I am the Fifth Year prefect Michael Selfridge" the Hufflepuff prefect Michael Selfridge announced to the eleven first years before him. "As you would have heard on the train Hufflepuff is considered the house of leftovers and duffers...but they are wrong we are the house of loyalty and hard workers, I'm positive you first years will prove everyone at Hogwarts and the world these truths"
Harry felt the boys eyes on him as he said this and shifted uncomfortably under the stare. The Prefect shook himself and turned tot he group at large as another prefect a girl stepped forwards.
"I am the other Fifth year prefect Coraline Knoxville" she said with a bright smile "The sixth year prefects are Toby Cole and Johanna Drexel and the seventh year prefects are Nymphadora Tonks and Martin Houston If you have any questions please ask any one of these named people and they will help as will we"
"Now sleeping arrangements can be mixed in sex or year" Michael Selfridge continued allowing Coraline to move out of the way of several third years, he gestured to a corridor in the corner "Down that corridor are The Burrows. They are several sets of rooms with five bedrooms, a bathroom and small living room, Head down and set yourselves up with friends in rooms with empty rooms"
"Now I suggest you go find a burrow and rest until tomorrow" Coraline said still smiling "Tomorrow is Sunday and our head of house Professor Sprout will be here to have a house meeting after breakfast"
Several first years nodded and headed towards the burrows. Harry, Maggie and Neville hung back giving their housemates time to find their own room and hopefully leave a room for them to have together possibly with the seventh year prefect Nymphadora Tonks they'd met on the train. The trio didn't have to wait long for Tonks to appear from the common room entrance.
"Professors Sprout, McGonagoll and Snape have been told about what happened on the train" Tonks said as she approached them "Professor Sprout will most likely ask you for more info tomorrow"
"That's fair" Neville piped up as Harry and Maggie nodded in agreement "Would you like to share a burrow with us Tonks?"
"Go on then" Tonks said after a moment considering it before turning to Michael "Hey Selfridge come bunk with us"
Michael turned from Coraline at Tonks's call with a slight frown which evaporated when he saw she was standing with the boy-who-lived and his friends.
"Erm yeah sure" Michael said a little too quickly "the usual burrow?"
"Yup see you in five" Tonks said as she led the three first years off to the corridor "come on then you three"
Harry, Maggie and Neville followed the quick footed seventh year passed several doors either full or partially full. The rooms crossed sexes and years with ease, usually years mixed above or below (Like first and second, third and fourth) though rarely crossing various years. Tonks led the three first years to an empty burrow in a corridor near a set of external bathrooms with three other burrows. The others held three or four lit lights above the door with the fourth being completely empty.
"when you enter a Burrow you sign your name on this panel level with the handle" Tonks informed them showing them by signing her name with her finger on the afore mentioned panel.
"Now that's pretty clever" Maggie muttered seeing Tonks's full name appear on the plaque above the panel and followed Tonks's lead lighting up a second light above the door
Harry and Neville followed suit pretty quickly and entered the burrow behind the girls. A small living room greeted them with six doors leading off against the walls.
"There are five rooms one for each of us and a bathroom" Tonks began heading over to one of the doors "To accept a bedroom place your hand on the handle and state your name and you'll be the only one to enter that specific room unless invited Nymphadora Tonks""
The bedroom door unlocked at her name and she opened it allowing the three first years to see it. It wasn't the biggest of rooms with a four poster bed, a wardrobe, table, some shelves, a small fire fed heater and a chair. Tonks's Chest sat at the end of her bed having been brought up by the Hogwarts house elves.
"Tonks do the lights above the outer door mean the number of people inside?" Harry asked from his doorway
"That they do" Came Tonks reply "Plus there's a light above the bathroom which clicks on when someone's using the toilet or shower, that why where's a set of public bathrooms next door for overflow in the mornings"
"Wise idea" Neville said leaving his bedroom "Especially for the burrows that are mix sexes"
"That it is Nev...Er Longbottom" Tonks said remembering the strange conversation form the train
"You can use my name Tonks" Neville said with a bright grin "I don't mind we're friends aren't we?"
"That we are Neville...Thank you" Tonks replied holding out her hand "i don't mind being called Nymphadora or 'Dora in private, publicly its Tonks that fair"
"That it is" Neville replied shaking her hand "What about you two what's your wish with your names?"
"Margery or Blacksmith both publicly or privately" Maggie said honestly "Only Harry and Neville can call me Maggie for now"
"Harry in Private, Harrison or potter in public" Harry added with a smile
"I can live with that" Tonks threw in with a nod to both of them
"What have I stumbled into" Michael Selfridge said entering the room "Feels like the twilight zone"
"Discussing names Selfridge" Harry said "Hi I'm Harrison Potter, This is Margery Blacksmith and Neville Longbottom...You can call me Harry in these rooms and either Harrison or Potter publicly"
"ok thanks Harry" Michael said "You can use Michael or Selfridge or any abbreviations I really don't care"
Maggie and Neville repeated what they said to Tonks a hesitant smile on Maggie's face. Michael nodded to both of them before going to claim his bedroom. It didn't take long to get changed for bed and use the bathroom, the girls went first and curled up on the sofa to talk as the boys used the public bathroom
"I realise its going to be crazy for the next few years Harry...Are you aware of your story?" Michael asked as he and the two first years were cleaning their teeth
"Enough to be extremely wary" Harry answered after using mouthwash "Maggie's cousin Jordan came here and he told us enough"
"Jordan as in Jordan Lewis?" Michael asked surprised "Jordan as in head boy Jordan Lewis one of the craziest Hufflepuffs ever to grace these halls?"
"Erm" Harry replied feeling ever so slightly confused "Yes"
"OK we're gonna have to share some stories about old Jordy Boy" Michael chuckled at Harry's confusion and washed his face "And I'll give you some extra details on the Boy-who-lived label"
# # # # END OF CHAPTER THREE# # # # END OF CHAPTER THREE# # # #
Thank you for reading chapter three of The Magical Mafia
Please leave a review.
Thanks to the reviewer who pointed out a date mistake...It'll be changed later on once I've completed book one.