Disclaimer: The only things I own are any characters that aren't recognizable from the Harry Potter franchise. All else belongs to JK Rowling.
A New Life
Nicole's POV
"Welcome to my- our- new living quarters," Severus said as he pushed the door open. I was staring in awe at the door that had magically appeared from behind the portrait of Merlin. The door swung open to reveal a rather large living room, or so I could assume it to be. There was a fireplace on the opposite end with a few relics scattered on the mantle, one of which appeared to be an ornate dagger. The room was beige with a black and red patterned floor rug. The floor itself seemed to be marble, contrasting nicely with the darker floor rug. Across from the fireplace sat a black leather armchair with a red throw pillow. To one side sat a small glass table with a lamp on it. Between the armchair and mantle sat a large glass coffee table. Forming a U-shape on either side of the coffee table sat two other black leather additions. The far one, which rested against the wall, was a large sofa with five individual cushions that most certainly could hold as many people, if not more. Opposite the sofa sat a love seat. Both were adorned by matching red throw pillows.
"It's wonderful," I told him honestly, looking around at the charming and aesthetically pleasing room. "I love it." I turned to look at him to see him smiling slightly. I had to admit, I was deeply impressed by the quarters thus far. I had had some reservations when I had found out that the quarters were situated in the dungeons, of all places, which turned out to be far larger than I imagined. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that I liked the feel and could see myself feeling at home here.
"I'm pleased to know you approve," he replied as he moved to a hallway situated on the opposite end along the same wall as the mantle. I followed him down the hallway to see four separate doors. "These first two doors contain my study, on the left, and my lab, on the right. I simply ask that you knock on the study door before entering. The lab, however, is my own private lab where I often experiment. As such, it is forbidden unless I give you express permission," he told me, leveling me with serious stare. I nodded and he turned back around. "These last two doors are our bedrooms. The left is my own and the right is your own. My bedroom will follow similar rules as my study. If you need to speak with me, knock and wait for permission to enter. I will, of course, extend the same courtesy to you," he explained before opening the door to my new bedroom.
I entered the room to see it was completely white, with no color. It was adorned with simple furniture, also white, and I felt almost blinded walking in. The opposite wall had a window with a view of the lake, which I found to be oddly calming. I smiled at the sight, knowing that I would love it here after a little bit of work to make it my own. "It's wonderful," I told him honestly.
"Yes, well, it is yours to do what you wish with. You may decorate however you wish," Severus told me as he returned my duffel bag and school supplies to their correct sizes, placing it on my bed.
"How do I do that?" I asked him, glancing around curiously.
"Simple. Develop a design within your mind. You then exit your room and close the door. When you re-enter, the room will be as you designed. Within reason, of course."
"How's it do that?" I asked in wonder, a smile spreading on my face.
"Hogwarts, though a castle, is sentient in a manner. It works to provide for the students as the founders created it to. There are many secrets to the castle- rooms and passages that change to benefit the user. You'll most likely discover some of these secrets over the course of your seven years. One such room being the various staff quarters. All of them change to meet the individual staff member's taste and needs," he explained. I smiled, patting the wall of the room with a newfound appreciation for the castle.
"This is amazing. Thank you," I told him, turning to him. He gave a small smile before nodding his head.
"I'll leave you to unpack and settle in. We're leaving to head to dinner at 4:50, so please be punctual," he told me, stepping outside the room.
"Yeah, 'course," I told him as he left with a nod, leaving the door open. I sat down on the bed, staring around the room for a moment as I thought about everything that had happened today. In a twelve hour period, I had gone from the girl being abused by her adoptive parents to having a new home and a new life in a brand new world. It was unbelievable everything that had changed. I heard a hoot and quickly turned to look at the doorway just in time to see Artemis swoop in. She halted, hovering before settling down on my shoulder, nuzzling the side of my face. Smiling, I stroked her feathers as I looked around the world. "Well, it's you and me. We're both new to this, eh?" I asked her, receiving a hoot in response. "We'll tackle this together then." She hooted again and I stood up, riffling through our purchases until I had found the treats. I gave her one and watched as she gave another hoot before taking off. Smiling, I turned back to the room, trying to think of a design.
"That's brilliant," I muttered to myself after a few moments of thinking. Closing my eyes, I thought hard on the new design for my room as I exited the room, shutting the door. Taking a deep breath, still concentrating on the design, I opened my eyes, resting my hand on the door handle. Bracing myself, I opened the door and entered to see that the room had completely changed to meet my specifications. The opposite wall was now one large thick glass wall with several thick shades and curtains that could be pulled down to cover the wall should I feel the need. With the shades opened, the water filtered in a greenish light, giving the white walls and ceiling a green tinge. The floor was a lighter wood, probably a white oak. The bedding appeared to be silver and a deep emerald green. The bookshelf along the left wall appeared to be between cherry and walnut, with a nightstand next to the bed in the same type of wood. Next to the desk stood a large wardrobe, also in the same type of wood. The wall on the right was largely empty with the exception of the door leading to, presumably, the bath, and a large desk that I could study at. It had a pedestal beneath with three draws which I could use to hold my art supplies, as well as having a shelf above for various knicknacks.
"This is brilliant," I muttered in awe, smiling widely. "Thanks Hogwarts," I added as I moved to the bathroom door, opening it. The bathroom was beautiful and full marble with a large tub the size of a jacuzzi. I took a quick look at the porcelain toilet before backing out of the door and into the main room. Moving back to my bed, I opened my duffel bag and began to unpack. I quickly got my clothes settled into the wardrobe and moved my bathing necessities to the bath. My next item of focus was placing my books, both new and old, onto the bookshelf. With those taking up the top two shelves, I then moved on to unpacking my art supplies, sticking them in the pedestal under my desk. I then removed my wand box and placed it on the shelf above the bed. The rest of my supplies were unpacked and placed on the bottom two shelves of my bookcase for now, and the owl cage set aside in the corner of the room. That being done, I quickly set about putting my robes and uniforms away before sitting down to write a list of items I would still need to acquire for the school year.
With that being done, I quickly took a look at the clock above my bed, taking note that the time was ten after four. Keeping that in mind, I moved to the wardrobe, trying to decipher what to wear. While I had been abused at home, my clothing situation had been much better. My parents had refused to let me out of the house without looking good. After all, they figured it would leave a poor impression with the other parents and with my teachers. Smiling, I quickly pulled out an outfit and took it with me to the bathroom.
Showering quickly, I carefully washed my hair and body of the dust and dirt accumulated throughout the day's events. I was finished within twenty minutes, having rested under the water for a bit in enjoyment of the warm water. After showering, I toweled dry my body and hair as best as I could before moving to the bundle of clothing. I quickly pulled on the black skinny jeans, black sneakers, and blue button down shirt. With that, I turned to the mirror to stare at my reflection. My light blue- almost grey- eyes stared back at me as my damp black hair clung to my cheeks. Sighing, I took up the towel and continued patting it dry until the ends began to curl around themselves naturally. I smiled in satisfaction as I moved to look at the full-length mirror on the back of the bathroom door. Turning, I appraised my outfit. Something was off- it wasn't complete.
Aha! I thought to myself, realizing exactly what was missing. I quickly raced out of the bathroom, skidding to a halt at the wardrobe and opened it, reaching inside to grab a black tie. My style had always been more hipster, and I had many ties that I used to complete many an outfit. In this case, my narrow black tie was used as I quickly tied it into a loose but straight knot. I adjusted it, making it look more casual and took a step back with a smile. Finished, I thought with a smile before turning back to the bathroom.
I finished washing up, exiting the bathroom to see that it was half past four. With that in mind, I knew I would have twenty minutes until I had to meet Severus in the living room, which seemed to be more of a common room for our living quarters. I paused, briefly wondering what to do before the answer came to me. I quickly moved to my bookshelf and removed my copy of Hogwarts, A History.
By the time I had finished the first chapter, which gave a brief overview, I had many questions in my mind. Questions about the founders and the history, of the houses and the rules, and most importantly, of all the interesting things in the castle. The Great Hall was briefly mentioned, saying it was a wonder to behold, and I couldn't wait to go to dinner. Looking up at the clock, I saw that it was 4:47. I quickly shut the book, placing it on my night table before getting up and leaving the room, closing the door behind me. I moved into the common room and sat down on the sofa, waiting for Severus to appear.
"Good. You're on time," I heard a few minutes later, looking up to see Severus entering the room. He was in his black vest and frock coat, robes left behind for the evening. I glanced at the clock to see it was ten to five on the nose, before standing and following him to the exit. We exited the quarters into the hallway, pausing as he ensured that the door and portrait closed behind us. With that, we began our walk through the dungeon corridors.
"So, how many staff members do you think'll be there?" I asked, nervously playing with the cuffs on my shirt. Severus raised an eyebrow, glancing at my fidgeting before turning to look forward.
"All of them. We are only a few short of twenty in number," he informed me as we started up the staircase. I started becoming more and more nervous, though I reined it in and pushed my nerves aside. Focus on remaining calm, I thought to myself.
"That's quite a number. The same amount of subjects are taught here, I'd imagine. Speaking of, what class do you teach?" I asked him, unable to remember him mentioning it. He smiled in response.
"Potions," he replied as we made it to the entrance hall. We crossed it, moving to the large wooden doors. He pushed them open and we walked inside. The Great Hall was indeed a wonder to behold. It was beautiful, with an enchanted ceiling to look like the one outside. The ceiling currently showed the afternoon sky above hundreds of candles floating in midair. I smiled softly, looking forward once more while keeping the impressed look off my face.
Following Severus, I walked through the hall and up to a dais upon which a long table sat. I could only presume this was the staff table. Glancing at the sides of the hall, I could see four large tables pushed to the sides, presumably where the students would sit during the year. Turning my eyes back to the front of the hall, I saw Dumbledore give me a gentle smile, which I returned, as we walked around the table, approaching him. Dumbledore gestured to the seat on his right, which I gratefully took, allowing Severus to sit to my right.
"Hello, Professor Dumbledore," I greeted him.
"Hello, Nicole," he replied, smiling once more. He looked over my head, making eye contact with Severus briefly, though I pretended not to notice or be interested. Instead, I allowed my eyes to wander, taking in the other occupants at the table. "As many of you know," Dumbledore began, addressing the staff, "we received an alarming message of the injury of one of our potential students. I had sent out Severus to investigate this alarm and found that the student's home was not a fitting place to live. As such, Severus has kindly agreed to adopt her. It is my honor to introduce you all to Miss Nicole Riddle." Whatever I had expected- it was not this.
As Dumbledore was speaking, many of the staff looked sympathetic, glancing at Severus with soft smiles. As soon as he mentioned my name though, some expressions changed. While most remained impassive to this, a few showed shock and alarm. I frowned, wondering at the change in certain professors. Frowning at my plate, I decided to commit it to memory. It would be something to dwell on at another time.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Riddle. I'm Minerva McGonagall, Transfiguration Professor here at Hogwarts," an older woman said, smiling at me from the other side of Dumbledore. I smiled in return, shifting my full attention to her as I straightened, shaking her hand.
"It's wonderful to meet you Professor McGonagall," I replied, trying to judge the type of professor she would be.
"I'm proud of you, Severus. You're doing the right thing by this young lady," she commented with a soft smile. Severus nodded, making some sort of grumble of acknowledgement. I looked at him passively, though I was surprised. It appeared as if, as closed off as he was around myself and Dumbledore, he was ten times more so in front of the other staff members. Curious.
"Yes, Severus has been wonderful. I couldn't have asked for a better resolution," I told her, to which she beamed. It seemed that she had already taken a liking to me, something that I hoped all the professors would do. After all, they all seemed genuinely kind, and an in with the teachers could prove advantageous in the years to come.
"You're rather eloquent," Professor McGonagall commented with a smile. "I can always appreciate that. I'm sure you'll make a fine student, indeed."
"A fine student, there is no doubt," came a squeaky voice from McGonagall's other side. I looked around to see an extremely short elderly male professor seated at the table. He was smiling broadly, laughing a bit, and he seemed to be a genuinely happy fellow. "Filius Flitwick, Charms Professor," he added towards me, offering to shake my hand. I took his hand and smiled back, greeting him much in the same manner as the dinner appeared on the table.
The meal was peaceful and quite nice, with plenty of food of all sorts. I had some steak with mashed potatoes, as well as having tried a new drink- pumpkin juice. It was very popular in the wizarding world, and I could soon see why, considering how amazingly delicious it was. Throughout the course of the meal, I was able to meet almost all the professors, having wonderful conversation with them about their individual subjects. They each gave me a general overview of their subjects, to which many of them interested me. There were many names, all of which I was determined to commit to memory considering I would have them as professors sooner or later. In fact, I had met with all the professors of my main subjects, with the exception of Defense Against the Dark Arts.
I was currently in the midst of talking with Professor McGonagall about Transfiguration, long after dinner had finished. She was explaining many practical uses of transfiguration, as well as a few of the lessons that we will have over the course of the seven years. It was proving to be quite an interesting subject that I would definitely be reading up on later, when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around, glancing over my shoulder to see a shaky man, in his thirties, wearing a turban. He seemed nervous, so I offered a small smile, which was returned with a forced one. I fought off the urge to frown as I studied the professor, wondering who he was.
"Q-Q-Quirinus Q-Q-Quirrell, Defense Against the D-D-Dark Arts Pro-fessor. It's a p-pleasure to meet you, Miss R-Riddle," he spoke with a stutter as if he was fighting to get the words out. His smile remained strained as he stuck out his hand. Something set off red flags in my mind as my hairs began to stand up. I frowned, ignoring the warning signs as I reached out, grasping his hand. The reaction was immediate.
As soon as I touched his hand, a sharp pain ripped through me, travelling up my arm to my body. I pushed my seat out, doubled over as I fell to the floor, convulsing. The pain was searing through me, almost as if I was being burned from the inside out. I began coughing, pushing myself up onto all floors. Opening my eyes, I saw that I was spitting out blood all over the floor. Black spots were appearing in my vision as I tried to stave them off, looking around wildly. I could see the professors standing over me, Severus and Dumbledore kneeling down on either side of me. Quirrell stood above me, looking just as worried as the others, but there was a glint in his eyes that kept my hairs standing on end. It was wrong. He was wrong. I curled inward on myself as another jolt of pain ripped through me, the black spots becoming larger. With a final huff, I felt my eyes roll up into the back of my head as my vision faded to black.
This is not how I envisioned this night going, was my last thought as I drifted off into the comfortable abyss of unconsciousness.
A/N: Updated on 2/23/16 for minor spelling and grammatical changes. I may have reworded a few parts, but the content is largely the same.
