AN: Sorry this chapter took so long to write, I have be focusing more on my other stories or other universe, of which is my children stories. I been rewriting of what was Daughters of Hades and been added more to it and renamed it to children of the grain and shadows. Lockidiot is the name that Phil, Jennifer, Cooper and the rest of the team uses for Lockhart.
In the days leading up going back to Hogwarts that the team kept going on different missions, during that time that Jennifer kept on thinking about what Dobby told her before getting her letter from Hogwarts. She wondered why he would warn her and who he might be bonded to, however her mind kept on going back to what her father told her of her inheritance from her mother's side of the family. The day before Jennifer and Coper were to go to Hogwarts that Jennifer decided to go talk to her father. It didn't take long since her father was in his office, his office didn't look any different than the one at SHIELD headquarters did. There some posters of Captain America, along with some vintage items scattered around the office including a model of Lola on her father's desk. Her father was sitting at the desk looking over paperwork and it was only when Jennifer sat down that her father looked up.
"Jennifer, I thought you might be in your room or in the training room with Natasha. Or at the very least going though the vents with Clint and Cooper."
"I was going to do one of those things by I kept on thinking about the one house elf that I told you about before the Lockidiot event."
"Jennifer, we informed your head of house about this."
"It wasn't just that, I will admit that when I went to Hogwarts last year that I didn't expect it to be like a muggle school. But that warning to me to stay away, that is something I didn't expect. I am curious do you think Dumbledore might be up to something or one of Voldemort's followers this year. I mean Dumbledore put that stone in the castle and Voldemort got inside the castle to get that stone but I prevented that. Who is to say that one or the other had a plan to get rid of me or test me this year once more." Her father leaned back in his chair, he knows that Jennifer wanted to go back since there others of her age there as well as some of her friends are there besides Cooper.
"I never expect you not to have a normal year at Hogwarts, no one ever does. But with you, that goes to a different level with Hogwarts, this is one reason of why I don't like the fact you go there. You know my other reason is because of Albus. I don't have a high opinion of him since he was the one that suggested the one charm to hid your mother, you and me but that didn't work at all, it ended up with Voldemort attacking the house, killing your mother and leaving you with that mark. I thought I almost lost you that night when I entered the nursery. But I wouldn't be surprised if Dobby was under the orders of someone to try to have you stay away from Hogwarts one reason or another. I might be over thinking it, but I am not sure of what kind of bond there is between a house elf and their masters, no matter if the house elf is a personal house elf or a general one. For like I said that I never had a personal house elf and I only meet one once before."
"What if we found out about that bond? Maybe we could go to one of the Selwyn properties and ask the house elves there, if there is any left alive that is?"
A few hours later that the bus landed a little away from an old fashion looking gate that could have built in the medieval times. Her father was the first off the bus with Jennifer, Cooper and Clint right behind him, while the others stood at the edge of the ramp of the bus. Jennifer and the other three walked up to the gate slowly, Jennifer felt like a bundle of nerves at the moment. Yes, her father told her about the Selwyn inheritance, properties, wealth, and everything that went with a noble house during the summer or at least some of the Selwyn history that it felt odd to be standing in front of one of the properties that she owns. Upon reaching the gate that Jennifer was able to look up at the estate or the family home that the Selwyn lived for years till her parents were married.
Jennifer couldn't help but gasp when she looked up at the estate, she wouldn't call it an estate, she would call it a castle. For it was too big to be a manor or even an estate and the estate was far too old looking to be a mansion. There was at least two towers and it looked like if there was about six levels in the estate or that was what she was guessing. The estate was made out of marble and stone or it looks like it for she could see white and silver along with some good design on the building. The grounds looked like it was well cared for, for the grass was green and cut, there was trails, fountains, flowers and she could even barley make it a quidditch pitch and green houses. Jennifer forget for a moment to why they had come here and placed her hands on the gate. As soon as she touched the gate that the gate swung wide open, Jennifer jerked her hands back as the gate open.
"Well, let's go in to see if there any house elves left and if there are, how many are left."
Her father was the first one was meals onto the path, Jennifer, Cooper and Uncle Clint quickly followed him. He lead them up to the front doors and touched the handle and pushed but the doors didn't budge. Jennifer and expected him to try again to open the door but her father didn't do that.
"Shit, I forget about that."
"What?"
Her father looked over at her.
"There are blood wards on the doors and the gate. So that only a Selwyn can open the doors to the entrance hall or the gates. So it will not open for me unless if I was toned into the blood ward."
Jennifer looked up at her father, he stepped aside and Jennifer pushed the door as she pushed the door open that she felt a small prick. Jennifer let go of the door with a small yelp, there was a small drop of blood coming form one of her fingers.
"Sorry for not warning you about that since I didn't know that."
Jennifer merely nodded before she stepped into the entrance hall followed closely by the others. Jennifer looked around, the outside looked like it was brand new but the inside amazed her even more, she half expected it to be dusty and that there would some things that were broken or destroyed. But that as not the case, for everything was clean and looked new like as if someone has been living here for the last many years. But she knows that was not the case since no one has lived here in many years since her grandparents died. Jennifer turned around slowly, she could see the other three doing the same thing as she was doing, but with her father that she was sure it was more because of the state than seeing the estate for the first time.
"Hey Phil, do you think we could use this as the team's headquarters instead of the bus?" Jennifer wasn't sure if her father was going to say anything to Uncle Clint and if he was going to that a loud crack behind Jennifer interrupted him. The crack took her by surprise and she jumped and she grabbed something and she felt a pair of arms wrapped her waist. Jennifer let go, when she did that she found herself on the floor as the arms let her go, Jennifer looked up to see Cooper standing there with his face blushing. Jennifer looked away as a high pitched voice spoke.
"Mistress Jennifer has finally come here, Hibby and the other house elves have been waiting for you a long time." It was a house elf, but the voice was much higher than Dobby's voice, so Jennifer took a guess that this house elf was a female.
"Hmm ... Hi." Jennifer picked herself up from the floor and looked around and noticed that there was six other elves. Jennifer looked the six elves, wondering what to say or do, she also looked at each house elf carefully to see if Dobby was there but he wasn't though. "Sorry it took me a while to come back here but there are some things I need to know." Jennifer paused for a few moments. "Hmm if you don't mind, that you can go back to what you were doing but Hibby." All the elves but Hibby bowed before they popped away, Hibby looked up at Jennifer and her ears twitched as Hibby looked up at her.
"What can Hippy do for mistress?"
"First off, please don't call me Mistress. It sounds to weird to me, I didn't grow up to hearing that. Jennifer would do."
"Hippy will make sure all house elves call Mistress, Jennifer."
"All right. Hippy, what kind of bond is there between the elves and their families?"
"A powerful one, Jennifer. All house elves must be bond to a family and house elves do as they told and ask of them form their family. Some of our magic we can't use unless if we are given permission by our master and the bond is what keeps hippy and other house elves of the Selwyn and other families alive." Jennifer stared at Hippy when she said that.
"In other words, if a house elf is not bound to a family or a person that they would do and can't use any magic, expect for household things, without their master's pemission."
"Jennifer is quite correct."
"Than care to explain of why a house elf was able to go into my room that was not one of my house elves and warn me of things that were to happen this next school year?"
"Hippy can't answer that, Jennifer." Jennifer nodded.
"Thanks." Jennifer turned and face the door, Jennifer wasn't sure what she expected to learn but it wasn't that though. Just as soon as she turned that a thought accord to her and she turned to Hippy.
"Hippy, is it possible for one of the house elves to be at Kings Cross to make sure the gates don't close on anyone. For I think a house elf from a different family may try to stop me from going to Hogwarts."
"Hippy will make sure one of the house elves is there." Jennifer nodded.
"Thanks, keep on doing whatever you are doing here." Jennifer wasn't sure what else to say to the house or even what else to do here, so with that, that Jennifer and the others left the mansion to go back to the bus.
The next day was when they went to Hogwarts, Jennifer and Cooper managed to get there early and they managed to get through the barrier without a problem. So Jennifer and Cooper managed to find an empty compartment, for the next half hour that eventually their Hogwarts friends joined them. First it was Hermione, than Neville and Harry and to no big surprise Ginny was last barely making it with a minute to spare. The six of them spend the time playing exploding snap or talked about some of the things that happen over the summer that they didn't cover at Diagon Alley. Out of the six that Jennifer and Cooper had the most exciting summer or at least compared to the other four but Jennifer and Cooper thought of their summer being normal.
Once they arrived at the train station that the six of them got into one of the horseless carriages and it started to move on it's own. The carriage stopped in front of the castle, they got out of the carriage and made their way to the great hall like the rest of the students. Once inside that they sat down at the table as far as possible from the staff table, she didn't want get notice by Lockhart or Snape. After what felt like forever that the first years came into the great hall, she noticed Ginny's younger brother, Ron, right off the bat. It was hard not to due to his hair as well as the fact that he smiled at her, the smile was a rather creepy and made her cringe. Soon the hat was brought out and the first years were sorted, Ron was sorted into gryffindor even though she preferred that he wasn't sorted into the same house as she was.
As she was eating that noticed something, one that Snape was not there as well as Dumbledore and Mcgonagall. Jennifer wondered why they were gone, she looked around till she notice at least two of the boys in her year and house were missing, Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas. She merely shrugged before going back to eating her food, for she figured that she would learn what happened later on. Once the feast was over that Jennifer and her friends went to the tower, once she reached there that she heard rumors of Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan flying a car to Hogwarts. Of which sounded hard to believe, after a while that Jennifer went up to her dorm.
The next day that they got their schedules for their second year. Their first class of the year was Herbology, so Jennifer, Cooper, Ginny, Hermione, Neville and Harry went to the greenhouses. As the six of them got closer to the greenhouses that Jennifer noticed that the class was waiting for Professor Sprout. Of which was odd since Professor Sprout was the one usually waiting for her classes to show up, since it was outside and a long walk. As Jennifer and her friends joined their class that Professor Sprout came striding into view but Jennifer moaned when she saw of who was walking with Professor Sprout. It was Gildeoy Lockhart that was walking next to her, the last lesson that Jennifer wanted to see expect for Draco Malfoy. She has a feeling that she was going to see too much of Lockhart for the next year.
She also couldn't help but notice that Professor Sprout's arms wee full of bandages, she could also see a willow in the distance that was in slings. Jennifer did notice the guilty looks on Seamus's and Dean's faces, she wondered of how much truth there was to the story she hears of them flying to Hogwarts. Besides the bandages, that Professor Sprout was in her usual robes and her hat that had a patch on it. Her hair looks like it might fly away, despite the dirt she has on her robes and in her fingers of which was quite the contrast next to what Lockhart was wearing. He was immaculate with robes of turquoise of which made her feel sick and it only got worse with him smiling and spoke to them.
"Oh, hello there! Just been showing Professor Sprout the right way to doctor a Whomping Willow! But I don't want you running away with the idea that I'm better at Herbology than she is! I just happen to have met several of these exotic plants on my travels . . ."
"Greenhouse three today, chaps!"
Professor Sprout was looking distinctly disgruntled, not at all her usual cheerful self. Honestly, Jennifer couldn't blame her since Lockhart was the most annoying person in the world, worse than Draco in her opinion of which she didn't think it was possible. Professor Sprout took a large key from her belt before unlocking the door to the greenhouse, Jennifer was about ready to follow her friends when Lockhart's hand shot out and placed it on her shoulder.
"Jennifer! I've been wanting a word - " Jennifer looked at him with a glare and growled at him before he could finish that statement. Lockhart let go of her at once and jumped back in surprise. Lockhart hurried away with a small smile appearing on Professor Sprout's face of which made her seem more normal, as Jennifer walked past her that she whispered.
"Ten points to Gryffindor for growling at Lockhart." Jennifer smiled when she said that. Jennifer stood between Ginny and Hermione as Professor Sprout went over to a trestle bench that was in the center of the greenhouse. There were about twenty pairs of different colored ear muffs that were lying on the bench. When she reached the trestle bench that she spoke. "We'll be repotting Man drakes today. Now, who can tell me the properties of the Mandrake?" To nobody's surprise, Hermione's hand was first into the air.
"Mandrake, or Mandragora, is a powerful restorative. It is used to return people who have been transfigured or cursed to their original state."
"Excellent. Ten points to Gryffindor. The Mandrake forms an essential part of most antidotes. It is also, however, dangerous. Who can tell me why?" Hermione's hand narrowly missed Harry's glasses as her hand shot up again, Jennifer and Ginny were close of giggling when that happened.
"The cry of the Mandrake is fatal to anyone who hears it."
"Precisely. Take another ten points. Now, the Mandrakes we have here are still very young."
She pointed to a row of deep trays as she spoke, Jennifer shuffled forward like everyone else for a better look. A hundred of tufts like plants, that were purplish green in color, were growing there in rows. The plants didn't look very remarkable to Jennifer, she didn't understand what Hermione meant by cry of the mandrake. But since she started Hogwarts that she learned quickly that not everything seems at it was when Jennifer first glance at it or with certain things at least.
"Everyone take a pair of earmuffs."
There was a scramble as everyone tried to seize a pair that was pink and fluffy, Jennifer managed to get a purple pair of ear muffs.
"When I tell you to put them on, make sure your ears are completely covered. When it is safe to remove them, I will give you the thumbs-up. Right - earmuffs on."
Jennifer snapped her earmuffs over her ears, the earmuffs shut out sound completely of which put her in alert with her other senses, she knows that came with training to be an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. Professor Sprout put the pink fluffy over her own ears and rolled up her sleeves of her robes before she grasp one of the tufty plants firmly and pulled hard. Jennifer let out a gasp of surprise that no one else could hear. Instead of roots, like Jennifer was expecting, that it was a small, muddy, and extremely ugly baby that popped out of the earth. The baby, though Jennifer was unsure if it was a male or female, has pale green mottled skin, that it was bawling at the top of it's lung like a baby would. Professor Sprout took a large plant pot from under the table and plunged the mandrake into it. She started to bury the mandrake in dark and damp compost until only the tufted leaves were visible. Professor Sprout dusted her hands before giving them the thumbs up, Jennifer removed her earmuffs as Professor Sprout removed hers.
"As our Mandrakes are only seedlings, their cries won't kill yet." Professor Sprout spoke calmly as if this was normal, to Professor Sprout it most likely was normal. "However, they will knock you out for several hours, and as I'm sure none of you want to miss your first day back, make sure your earmuffs are securely in place while you work. I will attract your attention when it is time to pack up. Four to a tray - there is a large supply of pots here - compost in the sacks over there - and be careful of the Venemous Tentacula, it's teething."
Professor Sprout gave a sharp slap to a spiky dark red plant as she spoke, the plant drew back it's long feelers that had been inching over her shoulder. Harry, Neville, Ginny, and Hermione went to one tray while Cooper and Jennifer went to another tray. They were joined by a blond girl with pigtails and a curled haired hufflepuff boy that she knows by sight but she never spoke to them before. If she remembers right that the girl was Hannah Abbot the first one to be sorted of their year. The boy shook he hand of high puzzled her as he spoke.
Professor Sprout gave a sharp slap to a spiky dark red plant as she said that, the plant draw back long feelers that been been inching over her shoulder. Harry, Neville and Ginny went to one tray and they were joined by Ron before Hermione or Jennifer could join them. Jennifer and Hermione went to a tray nearby of where they were joined by a blond girl with pigtails and a curled haired Hufflepuff boy that she knows by sight but she never spoke to either one of them. But if she remembers right that the girl was Hannah Abbot. The boy shook her hand, of which puzzled her slightly as he spoke.
"Justin Finch-Fletchley. Know who you are, of course, the famous Jennifer Coulson... And you're Cooper Barton - Jennifer's best friend." Justin shook Cooper's hand as well, Cooper seemed just as puzzled as Jennifer was with Justin.
"I am Hannah Abbot." Hannah shook their hands, Justin spoke as they began to fill up their plant pots with dragon dung compost.
"That Lockhart's something, isn't he? Awfully brave chap. Have you read his books? I would have died of fear if I'd been cornered in a telephone booth by a werewolf, but he stayed cool and - zap - just fantastic." Jennifer rolled her eyes when Justin said that. "My name was down for Eton, you know. I can't tell you how glad I am I came here instead. Of course, Mother was slightly disappointed, but since I made her read Lockhart's books I think she's begun to see how useful it'll be to have a fully trained wizard in the family . . . ."
After that, that they didn't have much to talk about, for their earmuffs were put back on and they needed to concentrate on the mandrakes. Professor Sprout made it look easy but it wasn't, she was sure taking on the Norse god Thor would be much easier than unpotting and potting mandrakes. For the mandrakes didn't like coming out of the earth but they didn't seem to want to go back into the earth either. They squirmed, kicked, flailed their sharp little fists and gnashed their teeth, but out of everyone she was one of the ones that had it easier. The only other one that had it easier than her was Neville but Cooper was having a littler harder time with it than Jennifer was. However she noticed that during class that Harry spent ten whole minutes trying to squash a particularly fat one into a pot. By the end of class that Jennifer was sweaty, aching and covered in dirt. Maybe not quite aching but she definitely felt more hunched. The class walked wearily to the castle for a quick wash before going to Professor McGonagall's classes.
