AN:Hi again! Thanks to all those who favouritedfollowed, it's really helpful. I'm still looking for pairings to include later on in the story, so suggestions are appreciated in the reviews. Sorry for the late update!
Disclaimer: Still don't own Harry Potter, unfortunately.
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Hidden in Hogwarts: Chapter 6
Harry, Hermione and all the other Ravenclaw first years were lead by the Ravenclaw Prefect to the common room, which was situated on the fifth floor of the west tower. They stood in front of a door that, curiously enough, had no handle or keyhole, but only a bronze knocker in the shape of an eagle. To the first years' surprise, the eagle began to talk:
"What has an eye, but cannot see?" It asked, and the prefect answered without hesitation-
"A needle." They then turned to face the students. "To enter the Ravenclaw common room you must answer a riddle, to keep students from other students out. Merlin knows why, since half of them can't even find their own way up here."
This caused a fair few snickers from the group as they stepped through the doorway, where they all stopped and gasped as they caught sight of the room.
It was fairly sized, with many blue and bronze armchairs scattered around the room. A fire roared merrily in the corner of the room, with a group of third years playing a game of exploding snap on the fluffy rug on the hearth. Many other students were dotted around the room, performing various activities such as what appeared to be last-minute homework, reading and wizard's chess.
The Prefect informed them of various study clubs that occurred regularly and pointed out the first-year dorm rooms before leaving to join their fellow sixth years.
Harry bade Hermione goodnight before hurrying up the staircase and into the boys' dorm, which he was sharing with Terry Boot, Michael Corner and Anthony Goldstein.
The room consisted of four beds, accompanied by battered-looking desks which sat resolutely by their room, with each of the boys' trucks sat upon the mattresses. Harry rushed to his bed and perched on the corner of it, drawing the sound-proof blue hangings shut. He felt along the mattress, eventually finding an unexplained lump in the bed. Harry pulled off the invisibility cloak, revealing a giggling Em. Tibby, a Potter house elf, had apparated her up shortly before the Welcoming feast, since Harry was hoping to make her existence remain a secret to the Hogwarts faculty.
Harry grabbed a book from inside his trunk and began to read out loud to his sister, and she wriggled around happily as she listened without a sound.
After a short while, Em fell asleep by Harry's side and the young boy was left to think over the events of the day. What were the chances of his Dad's best mate beginning his first years of teaching in the same year Harry arrived at Hogwarts? Very slim, that's what. Harry already knew he would be required to pay the dear old headmaster a visit tomorrow after his first class tomorrow. And possibly Sirius, too. Harry wasn't too keen on either of those talks- in fact, he was almost dreading them, but both for very different reasons. Sirius would be wanting to know what happened to his parents, and Dumbledore would be keen to entrap Harry in his manipulative clutches.
With these thoughts on his mind, Harry picked up one of his books on occlumency and began reinforcing his shields in preparation for the inescapable mental probe that would no doubt be performed by Dumbledore the next day. Several short hours later, the raven-haired boy fell asleep alongside his three-year-old sister.
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Harry was rudely awoken by Em rolling around the bed in an attempt to escape from the bed. Ensuring that the silencing charm was still firmly in place on the hangings around the bed, Harry dragged his trunk onto his bed and opened it up.
Inside his trunk was note the sort of things you would find in most eleven-year-old boys' trunks. No, Harry's trunk consisted of many different compartments, each of a rather large size. After months of research, much trial-and-error, and also several well-placed undetectable extension charms (courtesy of his father's old wand) he had managed to change the rather ordinary trunk into an almost identical replica of Potter Manor. It was rather helpful for both his and Em's needs, especially for their time at Hogwarts.
Gently picking Em up, Harry surpassed the many precautionary locks placed on the trunk and climbed through the opening, and he found himself in a bright and welcoming living room. Wooden floorboards paved the floor, and stylish leather sofas had been placed around a dancing fire that warmed the room to maintain a pleasant temperature. Pushed against the walls were many bookshelves with a small selection of books, although most of the more valuable ones resided in the library.
Harry glanced at the grandfather clock in the corner of the room, which read six thirty. He sighed, exasperated. Em never let him get much sleep, but at least now he would have plenty of time to prepare for the day of oncoming classes. Em started wriggling in Harry's arms, and he set her down onto the nearest sofa before leaving the room and entering the kitchen.
Surprisingly, the kitchen in Potter manor was not dissimilar to that of a muggle household. This was partially due to the fact that Harry particularly enjoyed cooking, and was reluctant to allow the house elves to do all of it. And so Harry began the familiar routine of cooking breakfast. However, unlike most days, today he was preparing only for Em, since he realised it may seem rather suspicious if he didn't turn up to breakfast.
After breakfast for Em had been prepared, served and consumed, Harry called for a house elf, and Tibby appeared with a crack. He requested for her to look after Em for the day while he was attending his classes, and Tibby eagerly complied. For whatever reason, many of the house elves seemed rather fond of the young witch
After that call of business had been rectified, Harry picked up his first-year transfiguration textbook and exited his trunk, where he found himself sitting on his newly-acquiered bed in the Ravenclaw common room. After casting a quick tempus charm, he discovered the time to be seven thirty, and that an hour and a half still remained before breakfast was served. At least he still had a bit of time to go over the material for his classes- not that he hadn't already read the compulsory reading material... several times over.
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Time passed quickly and, before he knew it, Harry was meeting Hermione in the common room and making their way to the Great Hall. They discovered Neville, the boy who they met on the train and was sorted into Gryffindor, along the way, and the trio happily discussed their classes for the day.
Neville claimed he was most looking forward to their herbology lesson, whereas Hermione was excited for charms. Personally, Harry was eagerly awaiting their defence against the dark arts lesson- although that may have something to do with the new professor.
The friends entered the Great Hall, and they were greeted with a sudden hush and many pointed glances in Harry's general direction. Rolling his eyes, said child led Hermione to the Ravenclaw table, and Neville parted with them to join the Gryffindor table. As Harry sat down, the Hall was filled once again with an urgent chatter, although it was not hard to guess the subject of the majority of the conversations. Not hard at all.
Harry helped himself eagerly to the banquet that lay before him and Hermione, who was sat beside him, did the same. Harry chose to ignore all of the unabashed stares in his direction, even two in particular from the direction of the head table- one excited and eager, the other with eyes twinkling maniacally and scheming expression.
Both Albus Dumbledore and Sirius Black were watching Harry Potter as he sat down at the table, though both for very different reasons. Sirius was contemplating what his arrival could mean about James and Lily, whereas Dumbledore had skipped over that point without care, and was already planning the young boy's future.
Harry sighed as the post was delivered and a plain brown tawny owl dropped a letter in front of him, already having guessed at its contents. Hermione noticed his actions, and craned her neck to see the contents of the letter as he broke the seal.
"Who's it from?" She asked.
"Dumbledore. He wants me to go up to his office after classes. I can hardly guess why," his voice was laced heavily with sarcasm, and Hermione frowned.
"What's wrong?"
"I'll tell you later, we have transfiguration in five minutes."
The pair hurried out of the Hall, their every move followed by the majority of the student population.