The next day, after Petunia dropped them off at Kings Cross Station, Natalia, Jamie and Rose made their way to Platform 9 ¾. When they reached the barrier, Natalia told her siblings to hold on to her luggage trolley and together they walked through the barrier. On the other side, Natalia wandlessly and wordlessly shrunk her luggage and placed it in her pocket that had the stuff she'd bought for the twins. Grabbing their hands, she led them onto the train, quickly finding an empty compartment. Closing the door, Natalia pulled a small box out of her pocket, enlarged it, and opened it, letting a small blue and black blur jump out. Reaching inside the box, Natalia pulled out a curled up snake.
(I hate being in that box, especially when it's shrunk,) Breeze, an ice wolf, said as she walked around the small compartment.
(I know, Bre, but it was the only way to get you on the train. In this timeline, you're considered a Dark creature,) Natalia said, scratching her wolf cub behind the ears. Looking down at the snake curled in her lap, Natalia asked, $How are you doing, Nyx?$
$I am doing fine, thank you,$ Nyx hissed, a little annoyed at being kept in a small box.
Sighing at her familiars annoyance, Natalia pulled out a book on parselmagic from the box, opening it to the page she last read. Ten minutes later, the door to their compartment slid open and Natalia's twin brother stepped in arrogantly.
"Can't you go find another compartment, one that's nowhere near this one?" she asked in annoyance as she quickly hid her book.
"I'm the Boy-Who-Lived and I want this one, so get out," Harry said in a superior tone.
Looking up at her twin and his groupies, Natalia said coldly, "I don't care what you want, Harrison, go find another compartment."
"You can't talk to me like that, I'm an important person in the wizarding world," Harry said, scowling at his sister. "And don't call me that."
Rolling her eyes, Natalia said, "Get lost, boy wonder, I don't want you here."
"I'm going to tell mum that you're being mean and not letting me and my friends sit with you," Harry threatened, thinking he could get his way.
"Go tell your mother if you want, I don't care," Natalia said coolly, glaring at her twin. Sighing in relief when he left, Natalia waved the door closed again and put a strong locking charm on it using parselmagic, knowing that only another parselmouth could possibly unlock it.
Hours later when they reached Hogsmeade Station, Natalia let Nyx wrap around her stomach and Breeze disappear into the Forbidden Forest. Shrinking the box again and placing it in her pocket, the Founder's heir grabbed her siblings hands and led them off the train. Looking around for someone who could take them up to the castle, Natalia scowled when she saw no one there except a half-giant who was herding the First Years together. Pulling the twins close, Natalia shadow walked them to the front doors of the castle. Steadying them when the wavered slightly, she grabbed their hands again and pulled them out of the shadows. Stopping when the huge doors slowly opened, Natalia pushed her siblings slightly behind her as she watched an older witch walking towards them.
"Who are you and why are you not with the First Years?" the woman asked sternly.
"No one was at the station to pick up my younger siblings, apparently Lily and James forgot about them again," Natalia said, looking the witch in the eyes. "I didn't want them to have to wait so long to go to bed."
"Who are you?" the witch asked, curiously looking at the young witch.
"Natalia Potter, ma'am," Natalia answered politely. "As I don't think you are Professor Sprout, I'm going to hazard a guess that you are Professor McGonnogal, professor of Transfiguration, Deputy Headmistress, and Head of Gryffindor House."
Gasping softly when she heard Natalia's name, Minerva McGonnogal listened in interest as the young witch named her and her titles. "Yes, that is correct, Miss Potter. Tell me, do you know of the different houses? And which you wish to be sorted in to?"
"I know of the different houses, Professor," Natalia said, grimacing when the professor called her 'Miss Potter'. "As for which house, I'd say it's a tie between Gryffindor and Slytherin. While most of the current Dark wizards and witches come from Slytherin, it does not make the house evil. And Gryffindor has produced a few of those Dark witches and wizards but mostly those who are brave and stand up for what they believe in."
"While I hope to see you in my house, I'm sure the Sorting Hat will place you in the house that best suits you," Minerva said, smiling slightly. "Would you like me to take you to where your family is staying so that the twins can go to bed?"
"I would appreciate that, Professor, but please don't associate me with the Potters'," Natalia said, grimacing slightly. "They gave up the right to be my family the moment they decided to abandon me at my aunt's, with the exception of Jamie and Rose."
"I will remember that but you will still have to be called Miss Potter," Minerva said as they walked into the castle. Leading them up to the second floor, Minerva stopped them in front of a portrait of a girl in a pink dress. "Family Honor."
Natalia scoffed softly at the password, shaking her head as she followed her godmother into the room. Looking at the twins she said, "Lead me to your rooms, cubs."
Rose and Jamie grabbed their sisters hands and pulled her down the hall to their room. Passing two big rooms and another moderately sized room, the twins pulled their sister into the smallest bedroom that had two small beds and very little toys strewn about. Along one wall was a floor to ceiling bookcase overfilled with books.
Shaking her head, Natalia asked, "Let me guess, Harrison has the biggest room?"
"Yeah, mum and dad said that since he's more important, he deserves the biggest room." Rose said quietly.
Pulling her unregistered wand out, Natalia pointed it at the beds, enlarging them so they were queen sized. Enlarging the room slightly, she conjured more bookshelves and a small chest for the twins toys. Pulling out what she'd bought for the twins yesterday, she resized the bags and waved her wand, making everything go where it was supposed to. Nodding in satisfaction, Natalia turned to her younger siblings. "That should work for now, cubs. Now, it's late so get in bed."
After saying goodnight to her brother and sister, Natalia walked out of the room back into the living room to find her godmother. Seeing the older witch standing by the portrait hole, Natalia said, "They're in bed now, we can go."
Minerva nodded, walking out of the rooms with Natalia following. As they headed back to the castle doors, Minerva asked, "What did you do for the twins?"
"Yesterday, I bought them some new clothes, books, and toys. Whatever they wanted. They stayed with me that night," Natalia said, walking beside her godmother. "Then just now, I added a few things to their room so they wouldn't be so cramped. How old are the twins? I forgot to ask yesterday."
"They just turned four," Minerva said softly as they reached the front doors of the castle. Seeing Hagrid there with the First Years, she slipped into her professional mask. "Thank you, Hagrid, for bringing the First Years up. Miss Potter, please join your fellow classmates."
"Yes, Professor," Natalia said politely, moving to stand beside a round-faced boy holding a frog.
"Welcome to Hogwarts. I am Professor McGonagall the Deputy Headmistress and Head of Gryffindor house. The starting feast is to begin shortly. But before that you need to be tested and sorted into your houses. While you are here your house is like your family. Any good deeds done will earn you house points while any rule breaking will lose you points. Wait here I will return shortly." She said as she led them to a room to the side of the Great Hall and walked out of the door. The whole room immediately filled with noise everyone asking what the test was.
Sensing the boy next to her was anxious and nervous, Natalia placed a hand on his shoulder, "Relax, the only test you have to do is put a hat on your head and it'll look through your mind to see which house will benefit you the most. I'm Natalia, by the way. Natalia Potter."
"Neville Longbottom," the boy said nervously, slowly starting to calm down. "So all we have to do is put a hat on our head?"
Giggling, Natalia said, "Yeah, that's all. The hat looks through your mind to find your best traits, such as bravery, loyalty, intelligence, or ambition."
"I'll probably end up in Hufflepuff," Neville said sadly, his shoulders slumping.
"Hey there, Nev, there's nothing wrong with Hufflepuff," Natalia said comfortingly. "It just means you're loyal to a fault, something that's hard to find these days."
"Thanks, Natalia," Neville said, smiling at his new friend.
They looked up when Professor McGonnogal came back into the room. She looked at them, her eyes lingering on Natalia, before she said, "The sorting will begin shortly, so follow me."
Natalia and Neville walked together behind Minerva into the Great Hall, looking up at the ceiling with the other First Years. It was different from when she last saw it in her parents time, the ceiling now showed the nighttime sky. They looked back at Minerva when she started speaking again.
"Now, when I call your name, you will come up here and I will put this hat on your head. When the hat calls out your house, you will go and sit at that table." Minerva said loudly so all the First Years could hear her. "Abbott, Hannah!"
The hat was barely on the girl's head before it called out, "Hufflepuff!" Susan Bones was next, also being sorted into Hufflepuff. Natalia barely listened as Neville was sorted into Gryffindor and Draco Malfoy in Slytherin.
About time the P's came around, Natalia thought impatiently, listening as Pansy Parkinson was sorted into Slytherin. Finally, it was her twin's turn.
"Potter, Harry," Minerva called, barely resisting the urge to roll her eyes as the young wizard strutted arrogantly up to the stool.
Natalia watched in amusement as her twin seemed to be having an argument with the hat before the hat called, sounding annoyed, "Gryffindor!" Natalia snorted when she saw her godmother's eyes roll in exasperation.
"Potter, Natalia," Minerva called, eager to find out which house her goddaughter would be in.
Natalia ignored the whispers of the other students, walking calmly up to the stool. Catching her godmother's eye, she winked slightly and smirked. Sitting on the stool, she waited as the hat was placed on her head.
"Well, who do we have here? Lady Gryffindor Hufflepuff Ravenclaw Slytherin," the hat whispered inside Natalia's head.
"Hello Elgie, how have you been?" Natalia asked mentally, waiting patiently.
"I've been looking through a lot of minds is how I've been, Lady Heir," the hat said. "Can you lower your shields or should I just let you pick which house since you fit all of them?"
Chuckling slightly, Natalia said, "Though I love my mum and mother dearly, I don't think I'll fit the best in their houses. The choice is between my father and dad."
"Yes, you could do very well in both houses. Though for what will come, you'll be very cunning," the hat said thoughtfully. "Maybe I should just put you in both houses, make you the first and only Slythindor."
Natalia pulled the hat off her head and turned it to face her. "Don't do that, Elgie. You'd make me an outcast of both houses." Putting that hat back on and ignoring the stares she was getting from both the students and teachers, Natalia said mentally, "Put me in my godmother's house, Gryffindor."
"Very well, Lady Heir. You shall be best in…Gryffindor!" the hat said, shouting the last word.
Taking the hat off, Natalia thanked the hat and gave it to her new Head of House with a smile. Walking over to the Gryffindor table, she took a seat next to Neville. "Hey, Nev."
"Hey Nat, what took so long with the hat?" Neville asked curiously.
"Stupid thing wanted to put me in both Slytherin and Gryffindor," Natalia said, annoyed. "Wanted to make me the only Slythindor, which would make me an outcast of both houses so I told it to put me in Gryffindor."
"I'm glad your in Gryffindor," Neville said softly, blushing slightly. "You're the only friend I've had."
"I'm glad to, Nev," Natalia said, smiling at her friend. "And don't worry, we'll both have lots of friends by the time the year is over."
Both friends tuned out the welcoming speech, getting to know each other better instead. Natalia told Neville about being left on her aunt's doorstep and being raised as a muggle and Neville told Natalia about being raised by his grandmother, as his parents were both permanently in the hospital. When she heard the story, Natalia frowned that her friend's parents hadn't received any treatment. She knew from her training in healing that there was a potion that could revive victims of the Cruciatus Curse, whether the victim had been like that for a few days or a few years. Deciding to look into it later, Natalia glanced up at the Head Table and saw a greasy haired man next to another man in a turban glaring between her biological father and twin.
Turning to one of the older students, she asked, "Hey, who are the two professors with the turban and greasy hair?"
The older boy, a redhead, turned to Natalia. "The greasy haired man is Professor Snape, Potions professor and Head of Slytherin. The other in the turban is Professor Quirrel, DADA professor."
When Natalia looked at Professor Quirrel, she felt a sharp pain on the side of her neck, where her scar was. Frowning, her eyes became unfocused slightly to look at his aura and saw it completely radiating darkness. Shaking her head, she refocused her eyes and turned away from the man.
"Nat, you okay?" Neville asked in concern when he saw his friends worried expression.
"How long has Quirrel been working here, do you know?" Natalia asked, looking at the redhead.
"He just started at the end of last year," the boy answered, looking at the younger girl questioningly. "What's your name?"
"Natalia," Natalia said, leaving her last name off. "Yours?"
"George Weasley, beside me is my twin, Fred," the redhead said, holding his hand out.
Grinning, Natalia took George's hand, "You two seem like the pranking type, I'm sure we'll get along well."
The redhead twins laughed, nodding their heads, "You got some ideas for some pranks, Natalia?"
"Well first, we need pranking nicknames," Natalia said, looking at the twins. "We can't have everybody knowing it's us all the time."
"What did you have in mind?" Fred asked, looking at Natalia curiously.
"Well, my nickname is Shadow among my family back home," Natalia said, smirking as she remembered how she got that name. "Okay, lets see. Neville, since you look like the Herbology type, you'll be called Snare. Fred, you seem the potions type so you're going to be Venom. And George, you seem the Quidditch type, so you'll be called Valkyrie. Everybody agree with their names?"
"Oh yeah, get ready Hogwarts because here come Mestres da Comedia; Shadow, Snare, Venom, and Valkyrie," George and Fred in unison, grinning widely.
Chuckling at their antics, Neville and Natalia turned back to the Head Table as Dumbledore stood. "Now that everyone has been fed and watered, "Dumbledore started, looking out at the students. "The Forbidden Forest is as stated, forbidden. Also, the third floor corridor is forbidden to anyone who wishes to avoid dying a very painful death. With these announcements, I'd like to welcome all the new students and welcome back the old. Goodnight all."
The four friends slowly followed behind the other Gryffindors to Gryffindor Tower, talking quietly about what pranks they should pull. Natalia quickly departed from the group to go up to the girls dorm and pick a bed. Choosing the bed that was pressed against where the window was, Natalia smiled and pulled her trunk out of her pocket, resizing it and putting it at the end of the bed. The bed she chose put her apart from the other girls in the dorm so she got her own cabinet for her personal belongings. Putting harmless wards up around her bed and cabinet that would let her know if someone tried to look through her belongings, Natalia opened the cabinet and put her clothes inside. Pulling three photos from the bottom of her trunk, Natalia put them on the window sill inside her bed drapes. The first photo was of her mother, father, and Alex. The second had her mum, dad, and Elizabeth. And the final picture was of her whole family, smiling and waving at her.
Pulling her books from home out of her trunk, Natalia put them in her cabinet, charming them so that if anyone else saw them, they would look like muggle books. Standing back, she nodded, satisfied, and walked out of the dorm. Down in the common room, she found Neville, Fred, and George in a secluded corner.
"Hey, guys," Natalia said, sitting beside Neville. "What have you come up with so far?"
"It'll take a few days to get what we need but we decided on a school-wide prank," Fred started, grinning.
"Yeah so, we'll put a drop of potion in all the goblets in the Great Hall one night and the next morning, after about half an hour, the prank will take effect," George finished, a matching grin on his face. "But we will have to drink our goblets also, so nobody will know it was us."
"Okay, sounds like fun," Natalia said, amusement shining in her eyes. "But, on one condition. Don't prank Professor McGonnogal."
"Why not? We've never gotten away with a prank either on her or in her classroom," the twins whined in unison, pouting.
"Because she's my godmother and think about it, if she isn't pranked, she'll know we have more respect for her than the other professors, including Dumbledork." Natalia explained, looking between the twins. "Now, if she knows we respect her more then the others, she'll more than likely let us get away with most of our other pranks."
"You know," Fred started.
"That actually makes sense," George finished.
"You're a genius, Shadow," they said together, smiling at their new friend. "Okay, so we should have the ingredients by tomorrow night and it'll take another day for the potion to be done."
"So we're looking at the end of the week before we can pull it off," Natalia finished for them, looking thoughtful. "That'll work perfectly for us, since it'll be the weekend the next day and they can't trace it back to us." Natalia looked down when she saw a flurry of snowflakes, smiling when she saw Breeze sitting there. (Hey there, Bre, where have you been?)
(I was exploring the forest,) Breeze said, rubbing her head against Natalia's hand. (I found a nest of Acromantula, Centaurs, Light Unicorns, Wood Elves, and the entrance to the Seven Realms. Also, when I entered the castle, it had a serpent type scent to it.)
(The serpent scent probably belongs to dad's basilisk, Basila,) Natalia mused, scratching Breeze behind her ears. (The Acromantula nest I'll have to check out, and the Centaurs. The Light Unicorns should have had the knowledge of me passed down from their ancestors. I'm not sure about the Wood Elves nor the Seven Realms.)
(You could have Nyx search the castle for Basila, if it is indeed her,) Breeze suggested, whining slightly when Natalia's hand moved away.
(I guess so, as long as he is careful,) Natalia said. She looked up suddenly when she heard a throat clear, forgetting that her friends were there. Seeing their questioning looks, Natalia said sheepishly, "Guys, this is Breeze, one of my familiars. She's an ice wolf."
"Don't ice wolves only bond to someone who has the same elemental power?" Neville asked curiously, looking at his friend in surprise.
"Yes, which is why you can't tell anyone what type of wolf she is," Natalia said pleadingly, sighing in relief when her friends nodded. "Also, ice, shadow, and fire wolves are considered Dark creatures but that's not always true."
"You said she was one of your familiars," Fred started before George cut him off.
"So how many do you have and what are they?" George finished.
"I have three; an ice wolf, a snake, and a Death Phoenix," Natalia said quietly after putting up a privacy charm silently. "Breeze is my ice wolf, Nyx is my basilisk, and Akeisha is my Death Phoenix. But, you don't have to worry about Nyx, he can turn off his death sight."
"Alright everybody, it's time for you lot to go to bed," the Head Boy, Percy Weasley, said, interrupting the four friends talk.
"I'll see you in the morning guys," Natalia said as she headed up the stairs to the girls dorms with Breeze. Ignoring the other girls who were getting ready for bed, Natalia opened her drapes for Breeze to jump up on her bed. Grabbing her night clothes, Natalia headed into the bathroom, closing and locking the door behind her. Pulling her outer robes off, she unwrapped Nyx from around her stomach and put him on the sink.
$Hey, Nyx, I need you to search Hogwarts for dad's pet basilisk, Basila,$ Natalia hissed, stroking Nyx's head softly. $Can you shrink and go through the plumbing to search for her?$
$Alright but I better get some tasty mice for this,$ Nyx hissed before shrinking and slithering down the sink drain.
Shaking her head, Natalia changed quickly and left the bathroom, climbing onto her bed. Gazing at her family for a minute, she closed her eyes and fell asleep, feeling Breeze curl up behind her.