Greetings and welcome to Chapter Two, I will be your host for this chapter, you may call me Rozylynn. Now, some of you may have been under the impression that Miss Vesdemort was the coauthor of this tale but, sadly, she decided to duck out, mumbling something about a Quidditch match she had to train for. At any rate, I hope we are enjoying ourselves so far and continue to do so, though you might become rather dazzled with new "stuff" by the end of this section, just hang in there it will all be fine... trust me.
Rozylynn... since when did you become Rozylynn... *shakes head in exasperation* I swear you bloody chit that you are going to drive me into the psychiatric ward at St. Mungo's faster than you can say Avada Kedvara. Holy shite… *sighs* Oh well... and now that ROZ has driven me even further into bedlam, here's my author notes.
WE are prepared to give fifty points to the house of your choice if you can correctly guess who in literature the prefect of Hufflepuff is based on. If you're not an English major or minor you might not get it. However five points to any who get the secondary background character for him. The big hint is tresses.
Disclaimerus: Me no own, you no sue. The only characters that are ours are the ones not from HP, but inspired by it.
*******
Hogwarts University
Primary writer this chapter: Rozylynn (AKA Miss Vesdemort ... sorry love I just had to do that)
Chapter Two – Enter the Prefects
Snape looked up as a fiery feather fell onto his plate, scorching his biscuit. "What is that thing doing in here?" After sparing a scowl for the feather on his plate that was now no more than ash, Snap tuned his attention to Alendi, who was snickering lightly.
"Looks like our house prefect is on her way, that was Rhaja's feather." Another feather fell and Alendi quickly moved her plate out of its path. "Infernal bird makes a game of ruining meals for the professors."
"Good morning Professor Dragnon, Professor Snape." Luna Jinxy chose that moment to enter the Hall, smiling cheerily as all present professors looked up from their plates, frowns prepared for the prefect of Britholden House. After seeing the petite redhead all but Snape returned to their meals. The pale potions professor snarled at the fourth year as she sat across from Alendi.
"Why don't you lock up that damned bird of yours Jinxy?" A low, resonating chuckle interrupted his griping and turned his attention to the owl hatch, where a young woman was sitting on her broom, a phoenix on her shoulder.
"Severus, may I present to you our most esteemed house prefect, Miss Vesdemort." Alendi tried to hide her amusement and failed. Grinning, she turned toward the owl hatch and addressed the snickering prefect. "Come now, you know there's no flying in the Hall."
"Yes professor," came the quick reply as the broom lowered down to the ground and Vesdemort dismounted, taking a seat next to Luna and directly across from Snape. The phoenix sitting happily on her shoulder fixed Snape with a calm stare, seemingly sizing him up.
"I should have known," Snape mumbled, looking away from the bird's gaze.
An uncharacteristically cheerful expression made its way onto Vesdemort's face. "Snape! How wonderful it is to see you again, our potions professor was a dolt, it will be good to have someone competent in charge of the department." The cheerful expression was replaced by a sneer. "Tragic what happened to Professor Sabet."
"I'm sure," Snape replied, sparing a rare smile for one of his favorite former students.
"Vesdemort, did your business at the station go well this morning?" Dragnon asked, shifting her plate away from yet another feather.
"Rhaja, stop that," the prefect ordered, her sea green eyes glaring at the bird before fixing them on her mentor. "All went according to plan, though I did have to clean up a tiny fire Rhaja made when some fool Hufflepuff tried to touch her." A plate appeared before her and she piled a bit of sausage and mash on.
"Miss Vesdemort, has Jemma arrived yet?" Luna asked, making sure she avoided the prefect's piercing gaze.
"She's preparing the house for the first years," the New Zealander replied, lifting her fork to the bird on her shoulder, who nipped at the quickly charring mash.
"That reminds me," Alendi sighed, placing her fork on her now clean plate, "I must go speak with that hat before it tries to overcrowd my house...again." Turning to the two fourth years, Alendi handed Vesdemort an envelope. "Would you two be dears and show Professor Snape around the school?"
"Absolutely," Luna replied brightly. Vesdemort nodded in agreement and finished her meal silently.
*******
"Well, you've seen the house, so you might as well start moving your things in," Vesdemort told Snape as they walked back to the house.
"I'm rooming in the dungeons," he informed them, wrapping his robe around himself as he folded his arms across his chest.
"Do you want me to sick the second and third years on you professor? I'd be more than happy to let them unleash their sad, tragic faces on you until you come to your senses." Snape growled at the prefect- he would not be bullied.
"She means well professor, the dungeons smell horrid and you wouldn't enjoy rooming in Slytherin house with Professor Merger, he..." Luna faltered, not wanting to insult the head of their brother house.
"He never shuts up," Vesdemort finished, having no qualms about insulting Garret "The Parrot" Merger.
"I see," Snape sighed, knowing he would undoubtedly find himself faced with teary-eyed females who would whine until he submitted to their obnoxious wills. "Well, what are you waiting for, get my bags!"
"So glad you saw it Professor Dragnon's way, Snape." Luna chirped, hopping over to the locus of Snape's suddenly present baggage.
"Luna, get the bags, Professor Snape and I need to go greet the first years." Vesdemort glanced over at Rhaja who took the silent signal and lofted off of her shoulder. "I'll meet you at the Hall after I help gather the idiots from the station, Professor."
"You certainly think highly of them," Snape remarked, allowing a slight smile to grace his features now that Luna was gone. "Do tell me how that Hufflepuff managed to be sorted into Britholden."
"The Sorting Hat was angry with Alendi and decided to exact its revenge. She's become more tolerable since I've been working with her."
"So she fears for her life I presume."
"Naturally," the black haired Britholden grinned, mounting her broom. "I hear Potter and his brood are in this year's batch, thought it best to warn you, considering...you know."
"I beg your pardon." Snape arched an eyebrow.
"I caught wind of some conflict between yourself and Mr. Potter, I thought it best you know that he's in the register this year. Now, you'll have to forgive me, I'm running late and the Cadaver's got me black listed already, I'm pretty sure she's going to expel me soon if I giver her an opening."
"Imagine that," Snape muttered in mock surprise. "I suggest you go and my thanks for the warning." Snape's thoughts turned inward as Vesdemort flew away. "Potter," he murmured then sighed. This was supposed to be a peaceful year.
*******
Professor McGaver frowned as Vesdemort dismounted her broom and stood in line with the other house prefects. "Late as usual," the spectral witch snarled before turning to the first years before her. "Follow the prefects to the Hall, where you will be sorted into your new houses."
"But we've already got houses," a haughty voice complained. McGaver caught Draco Malfoy's eyes and held his gaze.
"University houses are chosen upon professional interests, Mr. Malfoy. They are Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Slytherin, Britholden, and Piagera. The Hall is that way, I suggest you hurry." In a cloud of smoke and flame McGaver vanished, leaving the first years gaping.
"Come on then, let's not keep her waiting," the Gryffindor prefect bellowed, turning to lead the group.
"There he goes again, thinking he rules the world," the Ravenclaw prefect, Elaine Cronk, whispered to Vesdemort, who ignored her and began walking to the end of the line to supervise.
"Frances Kuiper is the king and she's the bloody queen," Feiffer Goodwin, prefect of Hufflepuff scoffed, running a hand through his blonde tresses.
"The both of you are just jealous because their skill is seven times yours," Richard Jannen, Slytherin prefect added, casting a disapproving glare over all assembled personages.
"She's going to fail Charms," Feiffer commented, his nose held high into the air. "She nearly failed it at Hogwarts. Word has it she really transferred there her seventh year because she failed it at her old school."
"You're setting a lovely example for these students Feiffer Goodwin. There are enough problems between houses, we don't need any more so kindly keep your gossip to yourself." Cleo Zilbergeld, prefect of Piagera strode toward the front of the mass of students to help Frances.
"Did they say Vesdemort?" Ron asked Hermione in a low whisper.
"She's the prefect of Britholden house, used to be a Slytherin at Hogwarts. They say she has a pet phoenix that can read your thoughts."
"Now Ms. Granger, you mustn't believe everything you hear."
Hermione froze then turned at Ron and Harry's twin gasps. Standing before them was the prefect herself.
"You're walking too slow, the others have begun to pass you," the smiling woman said, shooing the first years onward. These are the children that defeated Voldemort? Vesdemort mused as she watched the three companions scamper. How extremely interesting.
*******
Severus sat at the High Table, cursing his fate. Garret "The Parrot" Merger had decided to befriend the brooding potions professor and was now halfway through his most uneventful life's story. "I do believe it was the sassafras allergy that did my cousin Eustice in, she was never of a strong constitution." Garret lowered his voice, "she was a Hufflepuff back in the day, you know."
"Are you insinuating something about my house Professor Merger?" Sally West, head of Hufflepuff house squawked indignantly.
"Of course not Sally dear, I was merely endeavoring to give Severus a complete picture of the situation." The smirk on Merger's face gave the lie away and West turned away with a snort.
"Your attention please," Dean Palmerdore whispered, needing nothing more than his voice to control the professors present. "The first years will be assembled in the Hall shortly so let us begin our meeting. Is there any new business?"
"Hufflepuff house proposes a dance in honor of the first years." The other professors sighed and endeavored not to strangle West.
"A splendid idea Sally, we will hold the event tomorrow. I will remind you all that classes are to begin promptly at their designated times on Monday, despite the hour the dance ends. Is there any other new business?"
"I noted that the tables in the Potions classroom need replacing," Snape commented, endeavoring to steer the meeting in a productive direction.
"I will see that they are replaced before classes begin." Palmerdore assured him with a smile "If there is nothing else that needs to be discussed we will adjourn to the Hall and greet our new students. Professor Dragnon is the Hat in place?"
Alendi's smile was something less that pleasant. "Aye, it's been put in its place."
*******
Severa Valfoy stood amongst the first years and looked upon them with contempt. Not a one of them seemed to have any sense at all, least of all her cousin Draco. "He's an embarrassment to the entire family," she groaned as she watched him make yet another failed attempt at mocking Harry Potter and his friends.
"Family can be a bother, can't it?" a quiet yet strong feminine voice whispered into her left ear.
"What would you know about it?" Severa grumbled, turning around. Her jaw dropped as she faced the prefect of Britholden house.
"We all have family we are better off without," was all Vesdemort said before turning toward Severa's cousin. "If you are wise you'll reign him in before he causes you further disgrace. A bad apple can not only rot the whole barrel, it can change the course of history." With that the prefect left to stand with her fellows at the doors to the Hall.
"Malfoy!" Severa called, gathering her robes and walking quickly towards her cousin.
"Valfoy, what the devil are you doing here?" Draco snarled at his cousin.
"The same thing that you're doing here you idiot," Severa replied, smacking Draco across the top of his head. "Now listen closely Malfoy because I'm only going to warn you once. You will not embarrass our family while you are here. If you so much as step wrong, I'll be there to correct you, do you understand?"
"Go talk to someone who cares Severa," Draco scoffed, walking away from his cousin and towards the front of the line where the prefects stood.
"I would take heed of your cousin's words," Draco heard a voice whisper, though in the midst of the mass of first years he couldn't make out the voice's owner. "Should she be sorted properly she will have the means to put you in your place Draco Malfoy."
*******
The sorting had been uneventful, as usual. The first years entered an empty hall and were sorted under the watchful eyes of the professors and prefects. When the sorting was over, students followed their prefects to their houses. Severa Valfoy, Sabina Weilsey, and Tanya Solenda watched in rapt fascination as their prefect, Miss Vesdemort, showed them the pathway to their house. "Now, keep in mind that our house is one of few magical houses on campus and is much larger than it would appear. This information is, of course, not to be shared with students from the other houses, is this clear?" The new Britholden girls nodded. "Ah, here we are." Vesdemort lead the students up a grassy knoll and toward what appeared to be a small Victorian house. "La vie boheme," Vesdemort whispered and the door to the house swung open. "I'll show you to Professor Dragnon's room and she'll take care of you from there, I have business to discuss with the other house members. Meet us in the upper Common Room when you are finished."
"Upper common room?" Tanya asked, adjusting her spectacles.
"You'll see soon enough," Vesdemort replied, grinning.
*******
"Hufflepuff has nerve trying to upstage us," Jemma Mariposa, fourth year Britholden growled, gripping her teacup tightly.
"We'll just have to step our prank up from second week to tomorrow," Luna said, her usually cheerful face contorted with rage.
"What about the first years? Are we going to include them?" Emily Shivas asked the two fourth years.
"That's for Vesdemort to decide," Jemma replied between sips of tea. "All I know is that the prank has to happen tomorrow night and completely top any prank we've ever done."
"That's gonna be hard, last year's prank was legend, not even Slytherin house upstaged us last year." Mandy Brocklehurst's eyebrows twitched with excitement. The second year hadn't been involved in last year's prank and she was anxious to be included in this year's activities.
All heads turned as footfalls were heard and the house prefect entered the common room. "Ladies, we have a situation on our hands, though I have consulted Professor Dragnon and together we've come up with a plan." Vesdemort withdrew her wand and traced a few words in the air, a trail of flame following her wand. "Silently memorize this spell, we don't want anything about it to leak out. Even Dragnon doesn't know the curse we're going to do."
"What exactly are we doing Ma'am?" Indiga Montoya, a second year asked, her voice quiet.
"We're going to cast a curse on all of the faculty that will compel them to sing until the counter-curse is performed. The idea to affect the faculty was Dragnon's though, for the sake of safety I, myself, devised the curse so that, should they put her under any truth spells she won't be able to give the game away." With a wave of her wand the words in the air vanished. "Jemma, Luna, it will be your duty to fill the first years in on our plan. Marisol, I want you, Belladonna, and Melinda to scout the location of the dance and make sure there are no nooks that a professor could lodge himself or herself in. I've taken the liberty of removing the invisibility cloaks from storage, you may take them out for this mission. Emily, Mandy, and Indiga will scout the campus and report on the activities of the other houses, I don't want any other prank plans to get in the way."
"No one would have the audacity to try first prank, it's Britholden tradition!" Belladonna de Russou said, cracking her knuckles.
"Be that as it may, I'm taking no chances this year," Vesdemort replied, grinning. "This one's going down in University history ladies, let's make it go as smoothly as possible. This meeting is adjourned, I'll see you all when I get back from the prefect's meeting." The girls of Britholden house dispersed to prepare what would be the greatest prank Hogwarts University would ever see.
*******