A Little Blood and Darkness
Chapter 4
It was September 1, and Harry and Hermione woke up early to avoid the Potters. As they were already had their things packed they didn't have much to do. Quietly, they made their way downstairs and into the kitchen. They made themselves big meals and snacks as they would be on the train for six hours and knew that eating the treats from the Trolley wouldn't fill them up. When they were done, they flooed to the platform. As it was really early, they were the only ones there and had their pick of the compartments. They picked one and put their stuff in before locking it. They were going back to the muggle world to eat breakfast.
Changing their appearances to make them look like 16 years, they walked into the muggle. They went to a diner and out a hearty breakfast. Done with breakfast, they left the diner.
"Harry, lets do some exploring. It will be hours until the train leaves" said Hermione.
"Okay but if we miss the train it will be your fault." said Harry.
"I know but lets go okay" said Hermione.
They went exploring through many assortment of shops opened and was drawn to Nevo. Walking inside, they found a shop filled with all sorts of things from clothing to swords and everything in between. Walk around they picked up a few items they liked before going up to the counter to pay for them.
"I have a few other items I think you might be interested in" said the clerk from behind the counter. Before they could say anything, he had went to the back room and came back with a small chest. "I think you will need it"
Not wanting to be rude they purchased it.
"How much is all of it" asked Hermione.
"7 galleons" said the clerk and they paid him before leaving. Before going back to the train, they stopped at a few shops and purchased some things before going back to the Hogwarts Express. They had been gone a little longer than they had planned and now the Platform was full of people. It was full with excited muggleborns with their anxious and awestruck parents. Purebloods that stood cold and distant bidding farewell to their children. Children looking for friends and discussing their summers.
Making it to the train, they went straight to their compartment and glad they had saved themselves a seat before hand. They had picked a seat near the front were the Prefects would be as most would avoid these compartments and they would keep trouble away.
Settling in the compartment, they took their purchases out. They stored the food in their bag with preservative, featherweight and undetectable extension charms on it. Stored away everything except what they had bought at Nevo.
Both Harry and Hermione were trying to open the chest when it began to glow. When the glowing died down it opened. Looking inside they found fabric, pulling it out they found that it contained two robes they found were robes of invisibility. Under the robes were two daggers along with a few books inside. They were on elementals.
They already had a little control over their elemental powers but this book gave them instruction on how to perfect the skill and told them more about what they were.
Looking at their other purchases, Harry and Hermione had fell in love with these pair of boots that was made out of some snake skin and was suppose to be almost indestructible. They got these belts that had different compartments that you could be things inside. It even a compartment for potion ingredients you find. It look like a regular belt until you tapped it with your wand in a certain sequence.
After going over all their items, Hermione and Harry decided to just talk for a little while.
"All the teachers are competent except for the D.A.D.A. and the History of Magic teachers. From what we found out, D.A.D.A. and History of Magic are the two lessons that we will need to do mostly self-studying. Over the last decade or so the teachers for D.A.D.A. have gotten of lesser quality because teachers don't seem to last longer than a year. History of Magic is taught by a three hundred year old ghost whose lessons are outdated. But the other lessons are okay" said Harry.
"Well it is a good thing, we decided to continue our pensive lessons as we are going to need them. We can ask one of the other professors, older students or find other materials that will give use the answer in those subjects as well." said Hermione.
"That would be a sound investment so we could get ahead or specialize in a subject that isn't taught at Hogwarts. This way we are not restricted" said Harry.
"That was what I was thinking. Hogwarts didn't offer enough subjects for me so this way I would get the extra subjects and still attend a normal school environment" said Hermione.
"You are right" said Harry.
"Now I was wondering if I can ask you opinion on something" said Hermione.
"Like what" asked Harry.
"It is just a way to use our time better. There are 168 hours in a week. 31 hours a week we spend in lessons and if we sleep 56 hours a week. Add 11 hours a week for eating, bathing and dressing and subtract that by the hours in a week, that will leave us with roughly 70 hours that are unused. If we spend those 70 hours wisely, we can increase our knowledge tremendously during our time at Hogwarts. If we keep up with his study plan, we probably could take our N.E.W.T.S. by fourth year."
"That is a lot of work and are we not going to have fun and be kids. Remember we decided we would try doing that for now on. We are already ahead of children our age as we have already complete what most first years possibly third years know." said Harry.
"I was just giving an example and I wasn't planning on us studying the whole time." said Hermione.
"It is something to aim for but it is a bit took much work" said Harry.
"Like I said it was just an example" said Hermione.
It wasn't long before the Hogwarts Expressed arrived and they were placed on boats that took them to the castle. Where they were herded into the Great Hall to be sorted.
Up at the Head Table, Severus was looking over this year's first years. They were much like other years looking nervous and in awe. He could tell already who was going to be in Slytherin.
He saw his godson Draco. He planned to try and guide him away from all his father's teachings. He did what he could during the times they spent together but he had to be gentle to not cause suspicion. He hoped that he could show the boy that is father's ways were not right or the best for him.
He noticed the child he wasn't looking forward to teaching, Jake Potter. He was even more arrogant than his father. His parents had spoilt him rotten and in his opinion he was worst off than his godson and that was saying something.
Harry was looking around and felt like he was being watched. Looking up, he noticed that it was Prof. Snape. He recognized him from some of his mother's old photo albums. He looked nothing like James portrayed him and actually looked much better. Harry had seen seem pictures of him and some of his mothers old photo albums but the last picture of taken of him was when he was 15 and he had changed a bit since then. He was still tall but he had filled out nicely and his nose actually went well with his face. It gave him character. His overall appearance wasn't contemporarily handsome but he was good-looking in his own rights. He had that hold dark mysterious bad boy type of vibe coming from him.
Harry smiled at him and was surprised when he saw a flicker of shock before it disappeared.
As the sorting went him and Hermione ended up in Ravenclaw. Harry noticed that a few of the teachers were very surprised by Hermione's sorting. He suppose they thought she would end up in Slytherin like her parents but they fail to realized that not all children are like their parents. Yes, Hermione knew more dark spells and rituals than most and she had a bit of a dark side but spending the first five years of your life surrounded by insane deatheaters will do that to you. Harry sometimes wonders what kept Hermione from becoming like her parents but realized that was something that he wasn't meant to know.
The moment many had been waiting for came. "Potter, Jake!" exclaimed Prof. McGonagall with a lot more enthusiasm than she had for the other students. Harry just looked at her with disappointment in her eyes as she was like so many others seeing Jake as this great being when he was nothing but a spoilt, whinny brat.
Whispers broke out as he marched up to the stop and sat down.
"The Jake Potter?"
"I can't believe he's actually here!"
"Jake Potter, as in the Boy-Who-Lived!"
Jake's sorting was just like Draco's as the hat barely touched his head before yelling out. GRYFFINDOR!"
The Gryffindor table was cheering very loudly and the Weasley twins could be heard shouting "We got Potter". The other houses weren't amused by this show but Jake was loving it. He strutted to his seat at the Gryffindor table like his was some kind of royalty.
Harry noticed Prof. McGonagall looking happy about the sorting. Dumbledore's eyes were twinkling. He noticed Prof. Snape didn't look happy about it. If anything he looked disgusted. Everyone else seemed happy about the sorting.
The Gryffindors went crazy cheering as they got the BWL. It was quite annoying to here but Jake loved it. He walked over to the Gryffindor table with a smug smile on his face. He acted like it was there highest honor to have him here.
As the sorting continued, Hermione and Harry scoped out the staff while still paying attention to the sorting. The Headmaster Albus Dumbledore was hard to miss as he stood out like a sore thumb with his outrageous robes and he had a very powerful magical aura. Most would just overlook it but they could sense the great power coming from him.
They looked a few of the other staff which Harry had seen from time to time at the Potters home accept Binns the ghost history professor, the guy in the purple turban that looked rather frighten.
The sorting ended with Blaise Zabini being sorted into Slytherin.
"Welcome," he said beaming, arms wide open. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!" It was moments later that the feast appeared.
People started clapping around them but Harry and Hermione weren't sure whether to laugh or not. It just seemed surreal that an esteemed Headmaster would say something like that.
An older Ravenclaw noticed their confused faces at his words and decided to help them out.
"He always says things like that so don't take it personally" said a pretty girl. They thought she could be either a 5 or 6 year by the looks of it and that theory was supported by the fact she was wearing a Prefect badge.
"But what is the point of it. I mean one of the greatest wizards that could bestow some real wisdom to us but he says only silly words" said Hermione disappointed.
"I understand but he is a genius and they tend to be a bit eccentric. My name is (Penelope) Penny Clearwater and I am one of the Ravenclaw Prefects. If you need any help come and talk with me"
"Will do" said Hermione and the boys nodded in agreement.
"Hermione don't get depressed over finding things are not perfect. If life was perfect than you would be bored. Now stop moping and eat. Remember lessons start tomorrow and we will need our strength." said Harry.
Before the students were dismissed to bed, Dumbledore gave the students a few warnings like the Forbidden Forest was forbidden to all students, not to go to the third floor corridor unless you wished to die a painful death were among the warnings. Then he had the school stand for the most horrendous butchered version of the school song that made Hermione and Harry want to gag.
They noticed that Dumbledore was the only staff member happy while the others looked pained and some looked about to burst into tears. The Slytherins didn't seem too happy about it and even some of the older Ravenclaws but the Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors sung loud and proud.
Once dismissed the first years followed the Ravenclaw prefect, Penelope (Penny) Clearwater, out of the Great Hall. She led them to the West Tower that housed the Ravenclaws' common room and dorms. Hermione and Harry made sure to note where the directions they had traveled from so they wouldn't have trouble finding the Great Hall tomorrow. They stopped at a door with an eagle head protruding from it.
Penny tapped the eagle's head once and it came to life. "Hello Dearies, to enter all you have to do is answer this riddle. One by one we fall, down into the depths of the past, and our world is ever upturned, so that yet sometimes we will last"
"Now unlike the other houses were a password is needed, you will have to solve a riddle. If you can't than you would have to wait for someone to come and solve it. So can any of you firsties know the answer" asked Penny.
Immediately, Hermione answered, "Sand in an hourglass"
"Correct" said the Eagle and the door open for them. Penny was impressed that a firstie knew the answer. She gestured for them to head inside and they quickly filed in.
The common room was decorated in the house color of blue and bronze. It had a round shape and it was filled with blue hangings and fat armchairs. Its domed ceiling was painted with stars and features a replica statue of Rowena wearing her diadem. From the glimpse out the window, Hermione thought it would have a nice view during the day time. What impressed Hermione and Harry the most the bookcases full of books. They had read about Ravenclaw having its own library but to see it was a entirely different thing.
There were tables and chairs all around for you to do your homework and work on projects.
"Listen up, I know you are tired but there are a few things we must discuss before. First, you all need to be in the common room by 7:10 as our head of house will like to speak with you. After that you will be lead to breakfast and I advise you to memorize the route as that will be your only time you will be willingly lead. Here in Ravenclaw, how we choose our dorms are different. You have your pick of them and anyone can share with you be it a boy or girl but those are your dorms for the next seven years. It will not be changed unless Prof. Flitwick says so. The dorms are through that door" said Penny indicating said door and the first years headed through it.
Hermione and Harry followed the others through the door and watched most partnered with one of their friends or chose to stay by themselves. They were picking the most attractive rooms but Harry and Hermione decided to keep on looking. They walked way past were the others had chosen to room until they noticed a decrepit looking door hidden away. You wouldn't really noticed it as it was covered and filth but they decided to have a look inside.
The room was perfect. It was very spacious with a skylight that gave you an excellent very of the stars. It was also had couple of huge windows that Hermione believed she saw the mountains and the Forest.
The duo went exploring around as they noticed a few doors. Harry found two spacious rooms and felt that both had wards on them. They would be good for setting up a potion lab and a spell casting room.
Hermione nearly flip when she noticed that this room had its own personal library that was filled to the brim with books. It was even a nice study area.
Exiting from the rooms they found, it was a big surprise to find that their stuff had been brought inside and that the room had been cleaned along with furnished. It now had three nice beds, bedside tables, and the such. They knew it was the house elves that had done this but they thought they would have at least heard them.
"Harry, you won't believe what a found…a library filled with books" said Hermione jumping with excitement.
"I found two rooms that are warded that we could use for a potion lab and a spell casting room." said Harry.
"From what we have found already, I suspect as time goes on we will find more. I am totally loving this dorm" said Hermione.
"I agree. It will be very useful to us in the future" said Harry.
After a bit more talking, they decided to turn in as they had a busy day tomorrow.
A/N: I originally was going to have them sorted into Slytherin but felt it would be better to be in Ravenclaw for now. This way they will stay under the radar for the time being.