Disclaimer: Not ours.
Three Gryffindor boys strolled quietly, trailing their Head House track in direction toward the Headmaster office. Professor McGonnagall stopped in front of a gargoyle, and said the password, "Toffee Caramel." And Dean commented in soft voice, "Yummy…" Harry sniggered, as did Neville. All of them hopped on the stairs and soon they were facing a big double door that lead to the office itself.
Harry heard a noisy sound, like a girl's whining and screeching, from inside and wondered what had happened. Professor McGonnagall sighed before opened the said door only to reveal Clarissa Aiden, with a pouting look on her face and crossed arms, having arguments with Professor Dumbledore, or more likely Professor Snape .
"But Professor…" Clarissa pouted.
That time, Harry was sure he saw the desperation in Snape's eyes, as Dumbledore still had the smile on his face, his twinkling of amusement never left his eyes. McGonagall coughed slightly and the other occupants in the room aware of their arrival.
"Ah, Harry my boy…" Dumbledore greeted warmly. "And Mr. Thomas and Mr. Longbottom, please come inside and have a seat. "
Harry, Dean, and Neville were seated in a comfy couch which suddenly appeared. McGonagall and Snape exchanged their look at each other and had a silent understanding.
"Now, Minerva…?" Dumbledore demanded an explanation.
"Albus, The Gryffindors refused to accept Mr. Potter as their dorm-mate. As for Mr. Thomas and Mr. Longbottom, they had chosen to stay with Mr. Potter." McGonagall sighed. "We have to arrange new quarter for them, as I cannot let them stay in the tower anymore. Young Mr. Weasley had made it clear not to be responsible shall anything happen to him, have we not agree with the petition."
For once the sparks lost their way from Headmaster eyes. He looked at Harry with sympathy and something else. Harry looked down, finding the floor attractive.
"Then they can live with me!" exclaimed Clarissa. "Oh, Professor please… the dungeon is unhealthy! I will be bloody sick… there's no sunlight in there. Please put them with me, or me with them, actually. Please, please, Professor. I don't mind sharing with Gryffindors," at this, Clarissa took a glance at Snape. "Pretty Please!"
Dumbledore chuckled at Clarissa's behavior. All the three Gryffindors stared in confusion at her while Snape seemed speechless. Dumbledore seemed to be deep in thought, but McGonagall knew better. The Headmaster already planned this, "Very well Ms. Aiden." Dumbledore said in fake defeat. "You and the boys may have your own quarter."
"Yay!" Clarissa bounced her way to Dumbledore and hugged the old man on the neck. "Thank you, Professor…thank you so…. Much!"
Dumbledore chuckled and patted Clarissa's hair, like grandfather did to a granddaughter. Dean leaned his body and whispered right to Harry's ear. "Never thought would see that side of an Aiden heiress. Look at Snape!" Harry managed to hold his snicker when he saw a stressed look at the older man expression.
"Priceless!" Harry whispered back, Dean and Neville sniggered.
Clarissa bounced her way back and headed to the couch where Harry and his friends seated. She had a charming smile plastered on her face and she took Harry's hand and pulled it slightly. "Let's go!"
Harry was surprised but the girl didn't want to let go. They walked, until the girl stop abruptly right in front of the door. She turned and faced Dumbledore. She tilted her head a little and with a confused face she asked, "Err… where's the quarter by the way?"
Dean laughed at her antics, while Neville bit his bottom lip to prevent the laughter, from the corner of his eyes he saw Snape rubbed his temple with more stressed look. McGonagall were chuckling, along with Dumbledore. The latter man approached them, took them by shoulders and said, "I will lead you myself, dears."
He flicked his finger and the Gryffindors trunks were disappeared. "If you please, follow me!"
Dumbledore led them to a corridor in the third floor. Harry recognized this as the same forbidden corridor in his first year where Fluffy was placed. But Dumbledore took a different turn. Now, they were facing a glass painting at the other end from Fluffy's door.
The painting was different from the others. The painting's not moving, it stayed still, like muggle's ones. Harry watched the picture closely, it was a picture of a pair of Elf, this were known by the pointed ears they had. But their faces were not clearly shown, as the women who sat on a branch tree hid her face under a veil which covered her face from nose to down. Harry could only see a beautiful water-like blue eyes. While the man stood with his back facing them on a different level of branch. One thing for sure, both of them had black locks similar as Clarissa's.
"It's not moving Professor…" said Dean confusedly. "How can we get in?"
It was Neville who first saw the dragon statue beside the painting. It had the same height with Harry and had the Hogwarts' emblem on its chest. "Why is this statue here?" asked Neville. "I've never seen a statue like this anywhere before."
"Ah, that's the key Mr. Longbottom. The password will be asked by this dragon." Said Dumbledore amused.
"But it's not moving either, Professor." Claimed Neville.
"Now, is any of you know what the meaning of Hogwarts' motto?"
"Mm… I've read it somewhere…" said Dean deep in thought. "Mmmm… I'm sure Hermione knows Professor…"
"Never tickles a sleeping dragon?" Harry answered with uncertainty.
"You're right, Harry. All you have to do is 'tickle' him right under its chin. Go on. Try it!"
Harry did it. In an instant the dragon moved and asked in a deep raspy voice, "Password?"
"Draconis thverr un grind." Dumbledore said in solemn voice. The painting swung open and all the four stepped inside. The common room was comfy with a big fireplace and couches and table. The ceiling was just like the one in the Great Hall, instead it had the midnight sky in December when Aurora hung beautifully as decoration and snow flakes poured down and disappeared before they reached the floor. Two large windows with the scenery of Black Lake, the shore, and few sights of the forest which extremely… well… attractive. There were few book cases which could contain hundreds of them. The stairs led them to two different ends where the bedrooms placed, right for the boys and left for the girl.
Dean whistled, "Awesome." He praised. He made a mental note to make the drawings of the scenery the windows offered. Neville sighed in appreciation when it was, also, the window that gave him concern. The window would provide the sunlight that's enough to grow the small plants. The boy had few of his personal plants inside the glasshouse, permitted by Professor Sprout of course, because he didn't know where else to place them. Now he 'would' decorate the windows with the plants he had. Harry was beyond amazement. He felt comfort at once when they stepped in. The warm feeling it gave him, unlike some cold stone he sometimes felt when he was in their tower, exactly when he was left out by his friends.
"Great! See Professor, enough sunlight is better than none!" Clarissa thought for a moment. "I think I should let Professor Snape realize that… no wonder he's pale like sick!"
Dumbledore chuckled again, "Now I've seen you settled, I will bid you good night."
The old man turned while humming. He walked to the portrait hole and disappeared from sight once the painting swung closed. Clarissa waved his wand and suddenly dark midnight curtain appeared from nowhere covered the large windows. Neville who stood in front of it jumped from shock.
"Have me a warn before, would you?" said Neville in annoyance.
Clarissa giggled, "Come on…. Let's see upstairs."
She took her way to her room with the boys followed her behind. She opened the right door first, and noticed three beds with deep red covers on them, "Yours!" she said. Then she proceeded to open the left one and grinned suddenly, "Wonderful!"
Dean went inside to his room with Neville and Harry in tow and found his trunk, their trunk, had already there, under the beds. Harry noticed that this room also had a big window in one side, a door to the bathroom and lots of candles like in the Great Hall to lighten them. They grinned at each other, complementing the thought that this wonderful quarter is for them to enjoy.
"I wish Hermione could be here, she could stay with Aiden." mumbled Harry a bit sad remembering Hermione was left alone in the tower.
"She's a prefect, you know it's not possible, Harry!" said Dean. "But I can tell, she would if she could."
"You're worried about her, don't you, Harry?" Neville sat beside Harry and pat the ebony haired boy's shoulder. "Don't worry. She can look out herself, she have more authorization to protect herself as a prefect, Harry. And I'm sure, now that McGonagall already know what happened in the dorm, she'll watch her closely."
"Yeah… it's just, I value her more now than before. She's my very first best friend, beside Ron of course," Dean muttered a dark scowl and Neville had to suppress his frown. "Okay, I'm worried about her. I admit that. I just hope I can always have her in my sight, that would relief me a bit."
"We will meet her tomorrow at breakfast and we'll make sure that she's alright everyday." Calmed Dean. Harry grinned sheepishly.
Clarissa peeked through the room from the door's gap but with both eyes closed. "Can I open my eyes? You're not changing now, are you?"
The boys laughed, "No… it's safe." Neville answered.
She opened her eyelids and revealed the pools of emerald green filled with excitement. "You're not sleepy yet, are you? Come on, let's head downstairs, let's have a talk. I can't find myself asleep right now."
The three nodded and headed back downstairs. They would have a long night chat only among them with jokes and funs. Harry even managed to call Dobby and got them snacks from the very-happily-obliged house elf.
By that time, they knew who on the paintings that guarded their entrance, and why they're not moving. According to Clarissa, the woman in the portrait was the elf who married her ancestor. And that painting was made by the ancestor himself, it's not moving because when it was made, magic hadn't transferred to the human yet, so it was only after that the painting was protected with charms by their lineage.
Dean had asked her why she demanded a room beside in the dungeon. She reasoned him animatedly that she refused to be a pale sick woman who loved to live in the dark cave, nope, she preferred to live with much sunlight as a noble woman should be, thank you very much. It's obvious that Snape didn't agree with her but couldn't do anything with her stubbornness. And all the Gryffindors laughed hard at that and remembered the expression Snape would've had only laughed them more. It was past midnight when they called a night, changed into pajamas, and crawled into a warm, soft, and comfortable bed to have a satisfied slumber.
xXx
The next morning, Harry was awaken by the sudden light that covered his face. He scrunched his face and faintly heard someone's groaning.
"C'mon you lazy asses! It's morning, we've got to hurry or we'll miss breakfast."
Harry opened his eyes and found a stern-faced Neville with hands on his hip glaring at him and Dean. Harry sat up and groggily asked, "What time is it?"
"7.15! Dean, don't you dare fall asleep again!" Neville shrieked.
"Aww, Nev! Just another fifteen minutes, please!" begged Dean.
"No! We'll have potions first," Harry and Dean moaned and half heartedly climbed down from bed. "And Snape will surely have our head if we late!"
"You're sounding much like Hermione!" grumbled Harry and Neville only sighed.
Fifteen minutes later, the three met with Clarissa in their common room. She flashed them a bright smile and together, the walked to the Great Hall for breakfast. They parted as the boys strolled to the Gryffindor Table while the girl made her way to sit on Slytherin's. She approached Draco and sat beside him. She smiled him good morning and piled the food on her plate.
Across the room, three outcasts Gryffindors once again sat on the end of the table, trying to ignore the dark mutters from their former dorm-mates, especially from Weasleys and Finnigan. Hermione walked in and took a seat beside Harry. She hugged him at once and asked whether he's okay.
"I'm fine, 'Mione! We're all fine," chuckled Harry. "You have to stop by at our quarter, 'Mione, it's beautiful. Too bad you're not there!"
"Oh, Harry, I wished I could stay with you, but I couldn't. You know that, right?"
Harry nodded before Hermione squashed him again with her bear hug. Dean laughed.
"Whoa, Hermione… if I hadn't known you better, I would say that you two are offering public display of lovey-dovey, do you know that?" Dean laughed again,
Harry and Hermione turned beet red. They started to fill their plate along with the teasing from Dean and snickers from Neville. Their blushed deepened only until Hermione started to mother Harry, to his annoyance, about his breakfast.
Back to the Slytherin table, two pair of eyes watched the quartet mostly to Hermione and Harry. One pair of emerald and one pair of gray. The preys didn't seem to notice though, about the look full of questions and wonders which sent to them. The owners of the eyes looked at each other before returned to their plate with a small frown on their face.
Their breakfast were distracted with bunch of owls that swarms through the Great Hall with letters, papers, or small packages with them. A letter dropped in front of Clarissa. She picked it and read its envelope. She frowned as she never recalled a name with Seforza before. She didn't have time to open it as another five letters dropped for her, again, with names she didn't know. She sighed and looked at Draco.
"Love letter?" Draco raised his pale eyebrow.
Clarissa shrugged, "Dunno! I haven't read it yet, how should I know?"
Draco picked all six of them and read the names, and he knew. He knew all the names, along with their houses. All were came from the pureblood family's heir. Two from his own house, Slytherin, one from Ravenclaw, one from Hufflepuff, and another two from Gryffindor. He recognized them all from sixth and seventh years. He gave them back to Clarissa and had to hold back a snort.
"I see you've become a heart throb, dear!" Draco said aloud, with his hand hung loosely on her shoulder. Most boys stared at them with curious eyes.
"Aren't I always?" she snorted, tucking her hair behind her ear. Then she resumed her eating.
"Don't you want to read it?" Draco asked further. "Need me to help?"
"Later, darling, in my room!"
That sure was an ambiguous answer. While Draco only smirked, Clarissa was oblivious to the effect she gave to other boys in Great Hall, as they eyed Draco dangerously.
Blaise chuckled at the open gestures between them and the obvious threats sent to their direction. Never did the Malfoy heir notice the dangerous glares flied to the beauty beside him, the 'greetings' came from two Slytherin girls, Pansy Parkinson, who sat right beside Draco, and Millicent Bullstrode who sat beside Crabbe.
The last letter dropped, this time on her lap. She picked it and suddenly a grin of joy formed on her face. "This is what I've been waiting for!"
"Who's it from, Claire?" asked Goyle.
"France, mom and dad!" answered Clarissa as she tore the envelope and read it calmly.
xXx
The first class that day was Potions. Different enthusiasms were shown from the face of fifth years. Eagerness from Slytherin, collected and studious manner from Ravenclaw, calmness if not lack of interest from Hufflepuff, and completely unenthusiastic from Gryffindors, well, except Hermione. Fortunately, Snape only gave them quizzes to solve. It's not fortunate, at least for Harry and Dean, for they got 35 questions to be answered by the end of the class.
Next they have Defense Against The Dark Arts. Harry and co. were eager to see their new teacher. They waited and waited, and only after about half an hour late, the Professor showed up. By that time, Hermione nearly exploded because the taunts from Ron and any other Gryffindors and few from Slytherins towards the three outcast. the weird thing was, Draco Malfoy wasn't one of them. The taunts ended when Clarissa with an annoyed look swept her cold gaze to the entire room, and they all quieted at once. Hermione smiled her a gratitude which only got a nod as a reply.
"Well, well… what's the commotion here?" the unfamiliar voice drawled from the door. There stood with a book on his hand was Professor Timae Rudhee, their new DADA teacher. All heads turned to him in surprise.
What surprised them more was Professor Rudhee didn't wear his robe like the other teachers, instead he had casual white T-Shirt and black leather pants. He strolled in to the front of the class, everyone was changing their looks as if they were struck by lightning. Harry, Hermione, and Dean, who were coming from muggles environment, exchanging their looks as an idea popped out their mind, muggle's fashion!
"Well, sorry I'm late… what's the last lesson you've got last year?" he said to the point.
Parvati Patil raised her hand. After the affirming nod from Professor Rudhee, she asked nervously, "Sir, aren't you going to introduce yourself?"
"You don't know me already? I thought you were there in the Great Hall when Albus introduced me right after miss Aiden did her performances, it's spectacular by the way." Professor Rudhee raised his eyebrow in question. He sighed when he only got guilty looks as responses, indicating none paying attention. "Okay, I guess it's no use if we started the lesson today, besides it's been only a little to half an hour until the bell rang," he said calmly and neglected the book on the table. At his last words, Hermione glared at him accusingly. "My name is Timae Rudhee, I'm your DADA professor for this year. I came from…. Well the last place I was before here, which actually an hour ago, is Three Broomstick. It has a good fire whiskey!"
Hermione covered her face in his hand, felt helpless, while most the students had smiles on their face. One student raised his hand, Blaise. "Why don't you wear your robe, Professor?" he asked.
"Aren't I look charming in this?" Professor Rudhee retorted back in glee. "Or not charming enough for you, Mr. Zabini?"
Blaise laughed out loud. Professor Rudhee smiled and added, "Besides, in my opinion wizards robes is something that's efficient enough to move while dueling or worse in battle. I, myself, would prefer usual pants or jeans. More comfortable for me. Another reason is, I like muggle fashion!"
"Are you muggleborn, Professor?" Dean asked.
"Why, no…. I'm pureblood… as pure as you, Mr. Malfoy!" he added the last comparatively when he saw Draco scowling. And everybody laughed at that.
xXx
The last class that day was History of Magic, after Divination. Nothing major occurred during Divination, only the mocking started again as Hermione left them for her Arithmancy. Clarissa took this class too, instead of Arithmancy like Draco.
The first twenty minutes, Clarissa was having a match with Hermione and Neville about scribbling notes. Who's the more gained notes was the one who won. But it didn't last long, she finally got herself bored. She gave up with a sigh and Hermione who sat beside her smirked slightly. Neville who sat at the other side of Hermione only shook his head and focused once again to Professor Binns.
Clarissa scattered her look in many directions. She saw Crabbe and Goyle at the back of the room munching chocolate cookies quietly, at the time the girl wondered whether the two Slytherin would ever stop eating because every time she looked at their way, they always had something in their mouths.
She stared right in front of her seat where Harry and Dean seated. Dean was drawing while Harry was dazing off. With an evil smirk, she poked Harry's head slightly, destroying anything that Harry was thinking that time. With a slight yelp, the said boy turned around and glared at the girl in annoyance. But she only flashed him her innocent smile, and she was off the hook. She repeated the act again and again until Harry was lost his patience. Harry crumpled a parchment and threw it accurately to the Clarissa's direction and it smacked her forehead with a low thud. Clarissa pouted but stopped disturbing the boy in front of her. She caught the look from Dean and Hermione, and she only answered them with another smile.
Her eyes were roaming around the class to find another victim. Two seats before Crabbe and Goyle, seated the sleeping Blaise and pretended-not-to-sleep-but-nearly-fell-off-because-sleeping Draco. He finally gave up and sleep in the same manner like Blaise. Her evil smirk graced her face once again.
She opened the crumpled parchment, tore it into pieces, and with whispering voice she spelled the incantation with the flick of her wand. The pieces of parchment turned into animal shapes of origami, and some were the shapes of tiny little balls. Soon she had a spider troop, a chick, a worm, and small balls facing her. Another waved of her wand, all the mini creatures were moving. She pointed her wand to Draco and the parchment-made spiders silently walked to the direction silently, followed with the gliding worm, walking chick, and bouncing ball.
The spiders walked their ways to Draco's knees, hanging there, and moving around like playing. The worm crawled to Draco's head and doing some dances, until it seeped through Draco's blond flocks as if hiding when the chick ran to catch it. Once the chick disappeared, the worm did the dances again as if mocking the chick. It repeated again and again, until Draco raised his hand to scratched his itchy head but fell asleep again once he satisfied.
Clarissa had to hold her giggle, and it seemed that Harry, Dean and few the students did the same. Clarissa nearly broke her head off, when Draco made whimpering sounds as the worm on his head dancing a bit brutally and the chick pecking his head a bit hardly.
Clarissa took a look at Hermione who had her jaw dropped to the floor. She seemed torn between to laugh or to scowl her disapproval. The first said won it seemed, as Hermione stifled her laugh.
Draco who was annoyed with the 'war' between the worm and the chick, slapped his head with his palm, only to get the two mini creatures crumpled back into parchment. He looked confusedly at the parchment, as his mind couldn't register as to why there were parchment pieces on his head, because of his beauty sleep. What opened his eyes widely was the feeling of something crawling, hanging, and bouncing softly from his robe and his shoes. He looked down and screamed in an instant. He stood and busily waved off the spider's troop from his robe and kicked off the bouncing balls from his shoes.
At the display, Clarissa laughed heartily, which followed by Harry, Dean, and Neville. Hermione only giggled and took a pity toward him. The class soon erupted into laughter even Professor Binns chuckled at Draco. Draco shot a dark look at the mind master of the menace, Clarissa who cannot stop laughing.
Once the laughter subsided, Professor decide it was still properly, therefore he docked 10 points from Slytherin from distracting the class' concentration. Draco snorted. Yeah, as if someone has been concentrating! He thought darkly.
xXx
A/N : some phrase in this story had been adapted from Eragon. And thank you for reviewer, this chapter is for you. Hope you enjoy it. 'coz we surely enjoy writing it. Honestly, we laughed a lot!