The heavy wooden door shut behind them and Sora jumped as the gargoyle leapt aside again. Well, it looked like he was staying here for a while. May as well get used to it. Sighing, the keyblade master turned and readied himself for Hogwarts School of Magic.
As the Headmistress and Sora stepped out onto the cold stone floor, the brunette immediately found himself missing the brilliant warmth of the office he'd just been in. Shivering, he quickened his steps and followed the stern looking woman through the now deserted corridors. They walked into a tall room with stairs and as Sora looked up, his jaw slackened in wonder as he watched the giant stone steps swinging themselves around as though with minds of their own. "Kingdom Hearts almighty," Sora swore in disbelief and quickly raced up the stairs to catch up with his guide.
"Be careful of the stairs. They will move while you're standing on them," she warned and started up another flight of stairs, this one moving while they were on them.
Gripping the side for a few seconds to steady himself, Sora quickly followed her, ignoring the already dizzying drop below them.
They reached the seventh floor and walked along a corridor, the people in the portraits following them with interest, until they stopped in front of a painting of a very large woman dressed in pink and some other fashion. She beamed at them when she saw them.
"Professor McGonagall! I haven't seen you up here in years! How have you been? Oh, hello? Who's this then?" she asked, peering around the tall and thin witch to peer at Sora with interest.
"This is Sora Hikari, the new Gryffindor student."
"Oh, that's you! I heard the ghosts spreading rumours that there was a new boy, but I thought that was impossible. It seems they were right."
"Ghosts?" Sora squeaked and paled.
The woman in the painting laughed and smiled at him soothingly. "Oh they're not bad ghosts my dear. I wouldn't worry. I'm sure you'll see that when you meet them."
Sora paled further.
"I'm sorry to cut you off, but you wouldn't happen to have seen Professor Longbottom around would you?" the Headmistress, now known as Professor McGonagall asked.
"Neville? Goodness no. I have seen Romilda though. She's teaching at the moment I believe."
"I won't disturb her right now then, thank you."
"You're very welcome."
"Toffee Pancakes."
The fat lady sighed in disappointment and smiled at Sora. "Oh all right. I will see you later Sora Hikari," she murmured with a wink as the portrait swung inwards. The two of them passed through into a glaringly red lounge like area.
"This is the Gryffindor Common Room. Toffee Pancakes is the password this week, so you'd better remember it if you want to get in."
"Okay, thank you," Sora murmured and blinked as someone sprinted down a set of concealed steps and froze.
"Mr Weasley, shouldn't you be in class?" Professor McGonagall asked sternly and with a disappointed scowl.
"Ah… yes Headmistress… sorry… I was just getting some books I forgot. Professor Flitwick said we needed them this lesson."
"Hmm… alright, hurry along," she allowed and the red headed boy grinned and gave Sora a curious look before darting out past the portrait and down the corridor.
"Who was that?" Sora asked curiously as he stared after the red head.
"Hugo Weasley. He's a fourth year. I'm sure you'll get to know him. He's quite a well-known favourite amongst the Gryffindor students," she informed with a small smile. "If you'd like to wait here Mr Hikari, I shall be back in a few minutes. Feel free to explore the Gryffindor section until I get back. Boys dormitories are up the stairs and to the right, girls to the left. Don't try to enter the girls' dorms. You'll be hexed more than likely."
"Oh… okay…"
Professor McGonagall nodded in satisfaction and swept out of the common room.
Blowing his fringe out of his eyes, Sora swung his arms back and forth and let his eyes wander around the red and gold room, chewing his bottom anxiously. Breathing in through his teeth, creating a hissing sound, the brunette carefully sat down on one of the couches and stared at the fire. "This is so weird," he murmured and stood up again, beginning to pace.
After a couple of minutes Sora's curiosity got the better of him and his gaze drifted in the direction of the stairs to the dormitories. Well, the headmistress had said he was allowed to go up there. Following his eyes, Sora slowly and carefully walked up the stairs, peering around corners before he appeared around them completely. After a couple of turns, he managed to reach what he assumed were the boys dormitories, and walked into a room that was filled with beds and smiled as he noticed how each bed was made, and how others had mess cluttering the floor or beds, or there were wrinkles in the covers.
Turning around, Sora jumped and clutched at his chest as he realised there was someone behind him. "Sheesh! Don't do that! You almost gave me a heart attack," he complained as he took a couple of deep breaths to steady himself, taking a good look at his surpriser while he could. The boy had relatively long sandy blond hair and brown eyes. He was wearing what Sora assumed was a Gryffindor uniform with the red colouring mixed in with the black robe.
"Who are you? What are you doing here?" the boy asked as he gripped Sora's pyjama's in his fist and dragged him forward, shoving a stick under his chin with the other.
"Um…Good question…" Sora murmured and frowned as he tried to figure out the reason for the stick. "The headmistress left me here. She said I could look around. Would you mind letting me go please?"
"Not likely," the blond retorted and dug the stick in further, obviously trying to make it seem threatening. "Are you Slytherin? Why haven't I seen you around before?"
"I-I'm new! And it's true! As to what house I'm in, I'm in Gryffindor." A glimmer of doubt wormed its way into the boy's eyes and the tension on his shirt lessened a little before the hard light was back.
"Yeah right. Stupefy."
Groaning, Sora cringed and clutched at his head, blinking when he found himself staring up at a red washed wall and ceiling. Where was… oh…. Right… Hogwarts…
"Are you awake?" A nervous looking brunette adult asked as he swam into the keyblade wielders vision.
"Yeah…" he groaned and pushed himself upright slowly. "What happened?"
"You got stupefied," came the angry and accusing answer as a glare was thrown in the blond boy's direction. "How are you feeling?"
"A little light headed, and my legs are sore. Other than that pretty okay."
"That's probably because you got dragged down the stairs in the nastiest humane way possible."
"Oh…"
"Yeah… oh, sorry, I'm Professor Longbottom. You were probably wondering who I was," the man quickly introduced with a bright smile and held out a hand.
"Not particularly at the moment," Sora answered truthfully and took the hand with a smile of his own. "I'm Sora; although I have a feeling you already know that."
"I do. Do you feel up to some shopping?"
"Sure," the brunette answered and stood up, swayed a second before steadying and turning to face the boy that had accosted him earlier with a curious smile. "Are you coming with us?"
"No, Mr Towler here was just going back to class, right?" Professor Longbottom asked darkly and raised his eyebrows at the boy, who squeaked and scuttled out of the common room as quickly as he could. "Now, how about we get you some decent clothes?" the male asked brightly as soon as the portrait shut. "We can't have you looking like that, can we?"
"Um…no?" Sora replied questioningly as he looked down at his pyjamas and looked back up at the beaming professor.
"No, of course not. Now, what should we dress you up in?" he asked, pulling a stick out of a pocket in his robes. Sora gave the man a weird look. What was with this world and sticks? "You know what? Let's go through the cupboard and see what we have there. Follow me."
Neville swept out of the Gryffindor Common room and Sora quickly followed. They walked down two flights of stairs until they reached the fifth floor and continued along until they reached a portrait of a stiff looking man in a starched suit.
"Incarcerous," Professor Longbottom announced and the painting looked down its nose at them but opened anyway. The older man walked through and Sora was quick to follow, looking behind them nervously as the painting swung shut again. "Come on. Let's find you something."
A sharp pop had Sora jumping in surprise as a small creature with pointed ears appeared, dressed in what looked like rags. "Good day Master Longbottom and Master….?" The creature trailed off and looked at Sora curiously, obviously searching for a name.
"This is Sora Hikari. He's new," Professor Longbottom introduced with a grin.
"Pedra is sorry Master Hikari!" The creature squeaked as it bowed quite low. "Pedra is ashamed for not knowing Master Hikari's name!"
"It's alright. I wouldn't expect you to know my name," Sora quickly threw in and threw a questioning look at the older man, who quickly interjected.
"We need to get Sora some clothes. You don't think you could help us, could you?"
"Certainly!" the creature squeaked happily and waved a hand, a measuring tape flying off a shelf as it began measuring Sora by itself in mid-air. "If Master Hikari could put his arms up please?"
Complying and putting them in the air, he grinned and watched curiously as the measuring tape floated around. "So… forgive me for being rude, but what are you exactly Pedra?" Sora asked curiously as the creature scurried around him for a few minutes.
"Pedra is a house elf. Surely Master Hikari is knowing that?" She asked curiously, hardly pausing in her task.
"Um… no… I'm not from around here. I've never seen a house elf."
"Well, now Master Hikari has," she squeaked with a smile. "If Master Hikari would mind waiting here, Pedra will gather the clothes that will be fitting Master Hikari for Master Hikari to be trying on." Without waiting for an answer, she darted off into the rows of clothes that were hanging up.
"She's good at what she does," Professor Longbottom noted almost absently as he stared after her.
Within a few seconds, clothes began flying out of their own accord and presented themselves in front of Sora for inspection.
"These be all the clothes we have in Master Hikari's size," Pedra announced as she appeared again and gestured at the 15 sets of clothes that were hanging in mid-air.
"Um… these ones," Sora decided and nodded to a pair of faded blue jeans and a striped long sleeve shirt, with a dark blue jumper over the top.
"Now we just need shoes," Neville decided and Pedra nodded rapidly and waved again, the chosen clothes folding themselves while the others whizzed back to where they came, and a choice of about ten pairs of shoes flew out to replace the clothes.
"Joggers," Sora decided firmly and pointed to a pair of dirty white trainers that looked vaguely new.
"Socks?" Neville asked and a pair presented themselves. "Do you need underwear?"
Blushing, Sora shook his head. "I have some on. Can we get some more while we're out today?"
"Of course," Professor Longbottom agreed instantly. "Go and get dressed and we'll get going before the crowds set in. This is going to take us a few hours."
Nodding, Sora was shown to a changing room by Pedra and he quickly changed. Walking out, he smiled at the two that were waiting for him and folded up his pyjamas.
"Feel better?" Neville asked with a grin.
"Definitely," the brunette decided with a grin.
"Good. Give Pedra your pyjamas and she'll wash and name them for you while we're gone."
"Oh… okay. Are you sure?" he asked, looking at the elf nervously.
She smiled up at him and reached for the clothes, which he handed to her.
"Thank you."
"Master Hikari is welcome."
"Thankyou Pedra. You've been a big help. Come along Mr Hikari."
"Can't you just call me Sora? That sounds so weird," the brunette grumbled as he trailed out after the herbology professor.
"You'd better get used to it," Neville teased with a laugh. "It's what all your teachers are going to be calling you while you're here."
"Yay…"
"Come on. Shall we go, or do you want food? I was planning on getting you something in town."
"Town," Sora decided and quickened his steps to catch up. "Let's go."
"Alright. I have money from Professor McGonagall so we just need to head to her office."
"Let's go then."
Sora's first floo travelling experience was nothing like what he would have expected. He'd looked at Neville in concern when the man told him to grab a handful of the green powder and throw it into the fire, state "The Leaky Cauldron," very clearly and then step into the green flames. Once he'd actually done it, he'd staggered and stumbled forwards to stop himself from falling on his face when he'd emerged on the other side, his head swimming.
Clearing his head by shaking it a little, Sora blinked and looked around the dark and dingy pub and watched with interest as people did bits of magic like stirring spoons in mugs of water. The fire flared up behind him and no one batted an eyelid as Professor Longbottom stepped out of the fire place and smiled at him. "You made it alright then?"
"Yeah… I guess. I think I'm still in one piece."
"It's much safer than apparating," Neville agreed and turned to walk towards the other side of the pub, nodding to the bar manager as he passed. Sora caught up quickly and followed, his head swivelling a full 180 degree's constantly to try and take everything in. "Come on, in here."
Blinking and focusing again, the brunette quickly darted into the room and blinked as they came face to face with a brick wall. Watching in confusion as Neville pulled out his wand and tapped a sequence onto the bricks, Sora's mouth dropped open in shock as they began rearranging themselves to create an archway and reveal the town behind the wall.
"Welcome to Diagon Alley," Neville said gently with a laugh as he noticed how slack the brunette's facial muscles were. "Come on. We haven't got much time until rush hour starts. I want to get as much done as possible."
Following the herbology professor on autopilot, Sora walked slowly so as to take in everything there was to take in. Witches and wizards walked past, younger children staring at something in the windows while their parents tried to urge them onwards; the store with owls, cats and rats sitting around outside, along with some other trade bits and pieces.
"Come on, I'll show you all the places I liked when I was your age," the man urged with a grin and waved his charge into a store called Flourish and Blotts. "This is the best store to get stationary and prank objects, not including Weasley Wizarding Wheezers."
"Wow…"
"Go and have a look around. I want to find something while we're here." With that, Neville darted into one of the isles and quickly disappeared from sight.
Grinning, Sora quickly set off down the aisle closest to him. This was going to be fun.
Walking out of the store twenty minutes later with a few sweets, some quills, parchment, a new bag and a few other bits and bobs, Professor Longbottom ushered him over to Madame Malkin's and quickly ordered a new set of school robes for Sora. Just like with Pedra, tape measures began swirling around him even before he was ushered onto a stand and told to stand with his arms out.
Within a couple of minutes three robes flew out and draped themselves over the back of a chair. Sora tried them all on dutifully and stood there as the witch tucked pins into areas and fussed over creases.
Half an hour later they were shooed out with instructions to come back in an hour. Neville dragged Sora to the book shop for text books, to Eeylops Owl Emporium, where Sora decided he didn't want an owl when given the choice. He wanted a cat. Besides, who was he going to send an owl to in this world? Huffing in frustration, they headed to Ollivander's, which had re-opened a few years after the demise of Voldermort, Neville explained.
They walked in and Sora blinked and looked around at the overly clean shop that looked like it had been completely reorganised only a few days previously.
"Can I help you?" an old man asked as he appeared around the corner, a curious look on his face as his icy blue eyes zoned in on Sora sharply. "Hello, I don't think I've seen you in my store before," the man greeted knowingly as he stepped forward with a smile. "My name is Ollivander, the finest wand maker known today."
"Sora," the brunette greeted and held out a hand, which the man shook before holding his hand in place and studying it.
"And how are you young Mr Longbottom? I trust that wand of yours has been working better since you got one to suit yourself?" came the whispy question even as Sora's hand was being studied.
"Yes, it's been working fine. How have you been?" Neville asked pleasantly as he took up residence near an open window.
"A little tired lately, but other than that, never better. Right young man, I know just the wand for you. Wait here." Turning, the old man walked back down a corridor until he came to a section and reached up to pull out a box. Walking back, he offered the end of the open box to Sora, who reached in and drew out a stick that looked like the others he'd seen today. "Holly, eight inches, with a griffin hair," the man announced proudly and stood back.
Blinking, Sora looked at the supposed 'wand' in confusion. What was he supposed to do with a stick?
"Well… give it a wave!" Ollivander announced irritably and the brunette complied, flicking the wand and jumping as the light bulbs in the ceiling shattered. "Apparently not…" the man muttered and took the stick back, walking back down the aisle and pulling out another box, presenting it end first to Sora, who pulled out another wand and gave it a flick. This time all the windows shattered.
Another wand was pulled down and as the keyblader flicked it, a flock of chickens poured out the end, screeching and clucking madly as they scattered, leaving a mess of feathers and a shocked Sora behind. "We're getting there," Ollivander cackled as he retrieved the wand being tested and went for another one. The next one handed to him sent poor Neville diving out the window to avoid being hexed by a suspicious green light. "Almost!" The next wand splintered the wooden shelves. "Definitely not."
By now, Sora was feeling pretty nervous about trying anymore wands and eyed the next one being brought out to him warily. Waving it in the air, he blinked as a stream of water flowed out gently and whirled up above them before splattering on the floor. Moving to hand it back, expecting it to be taken, Sora blinked as he noticed the smile on the elderly man's face. "Ah, we found it. Good. That took longer than I expected."
"All done?" Neville asked nervously from outside the window.
"Yes, we've found it!" Ollivander announced loudly and smiled as the herbology professor climbed back in through the window and cringed at the hole in the wall where the green light had hit.
"Oh good. That was nasty."
"I can certainly say I've had worse."
"Worse than that?" Sora squeaked and glanced down at his new stick in almost terror.
"Most definitely."
"What's it made of?" Neville asked curiously as he walked closer for inspection.
"Twelve and a half inches of maple wood, infused with a single Unicorn hair from a very fine mare, and quite pliable, which is good for charms."
"Oh good, you'll be one of Professor Flitwick's favourites then, if you can manage to catch up and learn enough."
"Yay…"
"Thankyou Ollivander. How much for the wand?"
The two men walked over to the counter discussing costs while Sora turned his attention to the wand in his hands. It was pretty, that was for sure, but what was it supposed to do? Who better to ask than a wand maker?
Turning, he walked over to where Neville was handing over some money and waited until they finished their conversation. "Yes Mr HikarI?" Ollivander asked curiously when they paused.
"Um… this is probably going to sound stupid… but what is the wand for?"
Both wizards stared at Sora in shock before Neville shook himself out of it. "Professor McGonagall said you wouldn't understand much," he muttered before sighing pulling out his own wand. "Mr Hikari, wands are how we use our magic. They're the medium we use to control what sorts of spells we want to perform and on what. Without them, our magic tends to go out of control, especially when we're younger and emotions like anger are present. Each wand is specific to a person, and they get chosen depending on their magic style and personality. Mine is cherry wood with a unicorn hair."
"Unicorn tail hair," Ollivander corrected with a smile. "Mr Hikari, it is not the wizard that chooses the wand. It is the wand that chooses the wizard. That is why there is so much trial and testing, and my shop tends to get mangled in the process."
A smile slipped onto Sora's face as he looked down at the wand in his hands. "Thank you," he murmured and looked back up at them with a bright smile.
"Yes, thankyou Mr Ollivander," Neville echoed and began steering Sora out of the shop. "We should go and pick up his robes. You know how Madame Malkin gets when you're late picking up clothes."
"Ah, only too well," came the wistful response as they were waved away and the old wand maker pulled out his own wand.
"Well, that's almost all the essentials covered," Professor Longbottom announced and turned to him with a smile. "Lunch here or back at the school?"
"Here," Sora decided firmly as they walked towards Madame Malkin's.
The duo appeared back in the Headmistress' office a few hours later, Sora stumbling to keep his balance as he was half thrown out of the fire.
"Ah, Professor Longbottom, Mr Hikari, perfect timing," Professor McGonagall greeted with a smile as she noticed the bags Sora was carrying. "What pet did you get?"
"A cat," Neville announced as he held up the ball of black and brown fluff that was inside the cage he was carrying. It looked petrified. "We had to go to a muggle pet store."
"May I have a look?" the old witch asked curiously as she stood up. The herbology professor walked over and put the cage on her desk. The black and brown ball of fluff had all its fur standing on end as its blue eyes narrowed in on the headmistress as she looked it over expertly and nodded. "She's a good cat. What's her name?"
"Baubles," Sora answered immediately and blinked as a he was stared at by three pairs of eyes. "What? I've always wanted a pet called Baubles."
"Never mind," Neville answered with a shake of his head. "Professor McGonagall, should I take Mr Hikari back to the Gryffindor tower and help him get settled in?"
"Please," she agreed and smiled at Sora when the male professor picked up the cage again. "I will see you at breakfast tomorrow Mr Hikari. Unfortunately I will not be available to introduce you to the school at tonight's feast, so I will have to wait until tomorrow night. Classes will start for you tomorrow morning. Are you satisfied with that?"
"Ah, yes," he answered in surprise and smiled at her before following Professor Longbottom out of the office with his armful of books, robes and other bits and pieces.
"Right, to the Gryffindor Common Room we go," Neville announced cheerfully as he stepped off in the direction of the seventh floor.
Sighing, Sora grimaced a little before quickly following. This was going to be a long night.
Hi guys! Sorry it took me so long to get this one posted. It's also pretty dull. I promise the next one will be more interesting.
Vex
