Chapter Title: Rocking the Boat
Author: Sam
Story: Harry Potter and Dumbledore's Army: 07 / ?
Chapter Setting: Wednesday, September 1, 1995: Hogsmeade Train Platform and Hogwarts Lake
Chapter Summary: The trip to Hogwarts
Note: Since we know what went on in the carriages, here's a different approach.
Author's Note: I apologize. I lost my notes for this chapter and just found them today. Here you go.
Feedback: Please? I love comments.
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Once on the Hogsmeade platform, Harry eagerly looked around for Hagrid, one of his first friends in the wizarding world. Frowning, he strained to try and see the overly large form as a feminine voice called "First years and transfers please come to me. First years and transfers over here." Whirling, Harry frowned at the form of Professor Grubbly-Plank performing one of Hagrid's standard duties.
From directly behind Harry's shoulder, Seth breathed "why's she want us over there?"
Ginny smiled at his worried tone. "First years go to the school by boat. I guess transfers do, too. That's a treat."
"Boat?" Seth squeaked, glancing at the cloudy sky. "Uh, I'll pass." He turned and started climbing back into the train but Manda grabbed his arm, stopping him.
She pushed Seth towards the still calling professor. "I won't let you fall in," she said, sounding as if she addressed a small child. Glancing at the others, Manda smiled ruefully. "Seth can't swim." The pair disappeared into the crowd of first years, though Manda and Seth towered above those around them.
They were joined by a tiny, delicate looking blonde girl with a narrow face, her pale hair up in two braids and pinned around her head. She nodded absently as Draco Malfoy whispered instructions in her ear. The girl, Emily, finally rolled her eyes, put a small hand directly on her cousin's chest, and said in a clear voice, "Yes, Draco. Now go or you'll miss your carriage."
"Or we could let Seth take your place and you can ride with me . . . us." Manda smiled at Draco.
Startled, Draco stepped back once then shook his head. "No . . . uh . . ." Manda's flirtatious manner threw the arrogant bully off balance. Clearing his throat he looked at Emily, who barely stood taller than the first years, though her confident manner and developing body gave away her greater age. "I'll be saving a spot at the Slytherin table then." He rushed off to join Pansy Parkinson near the long line of carriages on the road. She yanked on his arm, demanding to know who the auburn-haired girl was and why Draco had been talking to her.
"Slytherin . . ." Manda smiled, mischief in her eyes. She turned to a rather nervous Seth. "Do I strike you as particularly ambitious?"
He turned a blank, slightly panicked look on her and she rolled her eyes. Taking his arm to help him into a boat next to an Indian boy about their age, she said "oh, never mind." Manda threw a smile at a willowy Asian-looking girl dressed in dark blue-green robes, her long black hair pulled back into two pigtails adding a youthful quality to her middle-teens looking body.
The Indian boy in the boat looked from Manda to Seth, absently offering a helping hand to the petite Malfoy girl. He said nothing but slid closer to Seth as Emily settled. Finally the boy once more offered a hand, this time to the girl in blue-green, politely assisting her into the boat, slightly larger than the first year boats but not by much. Laying a steady fine-boned hand on Seth's trembling arm, the unknown boy slipped his wand from his pocket and hid it behind his back.
As the boats shoved off the dock, Seth whimpered, eyes squeezing shut. The other boy leaned closer, careful not to rock the boat, and began whispering in the American's ear, using a foreign language which sounded almost a series of musical notes and short vowels. After a few minutes, Seth turned his attention on the stranger, concentrating on the soothing sounds he couldn't translate. Their eyes met and locked while the other boy flicked his wand carefully behind his back, still speaking softly in that odd, melodic language.
Smiling, Manda nodded in approval as the boy cast the calming charm on Seth to ease his fear. His actions also let those nearby know that one did not have to cast spells in the English-standard Magical language; there were other magical languages apparently. "Clever, that," the auburn-haired girl whispered to Emily next to her.
Emily looked up from perusing the water in fascination. She kept her voice equally quiet and asked "what's clever?"
Manda turned to look at the petite girl. "Charming Seth so he forgets his fear of drowning. Now if he could do that when Seth needs to go up a tower for astronomy classes, things would be real smooth."
Emily looked over at the boys and nodded. "Maybe the professor should have thought of it. I'll say something to my Head of House when I get one." She smiled up at Manda. "It's important to keep open communication with one's guardians."
"Uh . . ." Manda blinked in confusion, "Yeah . . ." she said, drawing the word out, then looked over the moving water, the wind in her hair. She loved stormy nights. Next to her Emily chuckled softly. The third girl remained silent, her watching brown eyes intently observing all around her.
After a few minutes where only the unknown boy's soft, melodic voice broke the stillness, Emily turned back to Manda. "Hello," she smiled. "I'm Emily Malfoy . . . yes, Lucius Malfoy iis/i my uncle. And you are?" Emily held out her hand.
Manda looked at the hand then took it. "Manda Dunraven. My father's Assistant Caretaker . . . you know . . . glorified janitor." She smiled wickedly. "And I'm going to corrupt your cousin Draco."
A delighted laugh broke from Emily. "Perfect. I'll help if I can." She leaned closer. "He can be such an arrogant git at times, but I adore him."
Softly, from the front of the boat, the Indian's voice came back to them between soothing charms. "Dmitri Depati." He then began a rhythmic spell once more.
Manda turned to Emily and said "and that's Seth Snape."
"Snape?" Emily curiously turned to look at the extremely pale boy. "Draco's favorite professor is a Snape."
"Yeah, Seth's father from what we've gathered," Manda laughed. "He's potions teacher?"
Emily nodded. "Yes, but I think Draco likes him better because he picks on some of the students. I think I'll reserve justice."
Expectantly, the two girls turned to their fifth member who met their gaze with a serious expression. Softly, voice as musical as Dmitri's, she said, "My name is Kurose Ayune." She bowed at the neck, formally, pausing a long moment before sitting straight once more.
"Are you transferring from Mahoutakoro School in Japan?" Emily's voice sounded excited.
Ayune slipped her hands into the opposite sleeves and nodded once, smiling, eyes filled with a look of interest and laughter. "iHai/i." She studied the four students with her, intent but welcoming in attitude.
"This promises to be an interesting year," Manda smiled at the Japanese girl. I'd love to learn about the other schools."
"I, too," Ayune said softly, her eyes falling on the pair of boys.
Another few minutes passed in near silence as the students looked around at the night-dark lake and the cloudy skies, the rough waters rocking the boat with every fresh wave. Finally, the sheen of lights at the school appeared, and Seth eagerly locked eyes on the beckoning flickers.
A soft bump against the stone dock sent Seth clutching the sides of the boat with a whimper. Dmitri stood and carefully exited the boat then turned and offered a hand to steady Seth. Seth clasped the other boy's hand thankfully and pulled himself up to the dock. He immediately scuttled away from the water's edge then flushed at his display of fear, smoothing down his black robes over his gray slacks and jumper. Manda helped Emily out and followed her to the dock before turning, with Dmitri, to assist Ayune.
Unfortunately, someone jostled against Dmitri in the crowd, knocking the older boy into the icy cold water. A mad scramble ensued and Dmitri was pulled from the water and wrapped in a blanket by Professor Grubbly-Plank who kept shaking her gray head and muttering.
Finally, she cleared her throat with a loud i'harumph'/i that drew all attention. "At the tip of these stairs Professor McGonagall will line you up and lead you into the Great Hall. There you will be tested as to which House you will be in for the rest of your school life. Good luck, students." And the woman turned and led the group of forty-odd students up the damp stone steps and into a wide corridor.
A tall witch dressed in green robes, Professor McGonagall looked down at her charges and waited until they nervously fell silent. Finally, in her strong Scot's burr, she said "Welcome to Hogwarts' School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."
Dmitri sneezed. Everyone turned to stare at him and a light flush appeared over his caramel-colored skin. "Excuse me, please."
"Whatever happened to you?" Professor McGonagall asked, her tone a cross between surprised and offended.
Flushing brighter and sneezing once more, Dmitri said "I fell off the dock, Professor."
"Oh, good heavens!" she responded then went on with her speech, stopping every time the boy sneezed. At the end of the minor ordeal, she sighed. "I'm afraid you'll be reporting to Hospital as soon as you are sorted." She shook her head. "What is your name? We'll move you to the front."
"Dmitri Depati, Professor," he replied sneezing again. "I'm sorry, Professor, I usually only sneeze if I eat Calamari."
McGonagall rolled her eyes. "Well, I'll thank you to refrain from swimming with one in future, Depati. A great squid resides in the lake."
"Oh," Dmitri sneezed twice.
Shaking her head, McGonagall said "line up and get ready to enter. I'll meet you inside." She slipped through a small door to the side.
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To be continued in Chapter Eight: Sorting through Confusion