Humanities Inhumanity
Hushed whispers echoed across the silent hall as the dual-haired boy walked to the ragged cap, and stool it laid upon.
"What's with his hair?"
"Why isn't he wearing his robes?"
"Is that really Harry Potter?"
Harry tried to block out the whispers but to no avail. When he finally reached the hat, he sat down and placed the worn cap on his head, frowning when it fell over his eyes.
Hmmm… a very strange one you are, yes?
"I assume you might be the hat?"
Of course I'm the hat. How else do you think a hat is supposed to sort students?
"I didn't expect a hat to sort students at the beginning."
Prepare for the unexpected boy, especially when magic is involved. Tell me, where do you see yourself being sorted into?
"Isn't it your job to sort us, hat?"
Not exactly, while I have my own knowledge, I am your personality given voice. In theory I should be able to sort you with ease, but therein lies an unexpected problem that Godric did not forsee when creating me. Everyone can be cunning as a snake, as loyal as a dog, as intelligent as an eagle, and as courageous as a lion. I reflect who you are, it's your job to choose who you will be.
"I see, and you expect me to decide for myself?"
That is correct.
"Very well. I choose-"
"-Ravenclaw!"
The entirety of the student population, including teachers minus Shadow, sat in stunned silence. Wasn't the precious Boy-Who-Lived supposed to go into Gryffindor, the House of the Brave? A few claps broke the silence, and soon the Ravenclaw table burst out into loud applause, some students hooting and hollering as they unexpectedly claimed their saviour.
Shawn smiled slightly into his sleeve as Harry sat down beside him, happy his new friend would be in the same house as him. The swordsman gave him a smirk in return.
"Looks like we'll be rooming together." He said in his friendliest tone of voice. Shawn was about to reply when the headmaster stood up and called for attention.
"Welcome to Hogwarts, welcome back second through seventh years. I would like your attention for a few moments as I have some news to announce before you begin your dinner. I would like to welcome two new professors this year, Professor Helprin and Professor Shadow. Professor Helprin is taking over the Defence against the Dark Arts position while our other professor, Professor Shadow will be taking over the History of Magic position. Professor Binns had finally realized he died and quickly departed over to the next life. Mr. Filch, our caretaker, has banned a few more items from school grounds, if you would like to see the complete list, it will be posted on his office door. Now eat up, partake in this delightful feast we have provided for you and fill your bellies up."
Harry and Shawn looked on in amazement as the previously empty dishes were filled with delicious looking foods. Harry took some turkey while asking Shawn to pass him the mashed potatoes. Shawn passed his friend the potatoes and decided to go a healthier route and procured some vegetables and some pork tenderloin. When Shawn looked at Harry's plate it was almost three times the size of his.
"Terry, Terry Boot." A hand found itself in Harry's face as he started on his bacon. He looked up at the brash boy and gave a glare that set the brown haired boy's nerves on fire.
"Harry. Just Harry." He shook Terry's hand, and gave a tight squeeze before letting go and returning to his food. Terry opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by Harry.
"After I'm done eating. I just discovered this delicacy called… Shawn what is this thing called?" The quiet boy beside him muttered a small "Bacon." Before withdrawing into himself due to the sudden question.
"Yes, bacon. I just discovered bacon and would like to finish it off. If you would like to talk to me, wait until I have finished."
Terry gained a sheepish look as he scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, sorry about that. I was just really excited." He sat back down and continued to finish off his plate of food. As everyone ate their meals, they examined the two new professors at the table.
Professor Helprin was not wearing his robe, like Professor Shadow and the two boys at the Ravenclaw table. Instead he wore a dark grey patchwork shirt with sleeves that ended at his forearms and a light grey fur vest that reached the middle of his back before stopping. His tracks were just regular old black track pants and he wore black sneakers. A bladed staff was strapped to his back and a smirk lingered on his face, as if he knew he was better than everyone else, even the headmaster.
Harry presumed that he was Shawn's father, and asked Shawn, who quietly confirmed his suspicions. He didn't like the man from first appearances and would be sure to keep an eye on him at all times, though the staff was pretty interesting. The rest of the people around him, mostly third-year Ravenclaws, made comments on about how cute the new Defence professor was. Of course, many of the girls also thought Shadow was cute as well, hearts almost forming in their eyes as they caught sight of his dark and mysterious features.
Once everyone was done eating the headmaster rose once more. He swept his arms out before him and spoke. "I hope you found the feast to your liking, and may every one of you be suffering from a full stomach. I have one last thing to say before all of you children head off to bed for tonight. Our new History professor would like to bring a certain select few, hand chosen by him, on a historical field trip to Magical Japan. I'm sure that most of you don't know this but, many many years ago, there was said to be a pathway to another world. Only one person had ever walked through this pathway, only to never be seen again. This man was called Majora, and he was a bright young man in his own right. I remember him clearly, he was the headmaster before the Headmaster before me! Headmaster Armando Dippet was his apprentice and soon after his master left, he took over the Headmaster role, but I think that's enough of a History lesson for today. Your new professor would like to bring you to this historical place, and I have agreed upon one condition, the students selected will have to raise the funds for the trip on their own. One last thing, the students will have to be in their seventh year."
Out of the corner of Harry's eye two red-headed boys started to excitedly chat amongst each other, no doubt planning on how to become one of those students.
"Off you trot." Dumbledore's voice rang out across the noisy hall, demanding silence. "Prefects, you are to show the first-years where the dormitories are." He ordered the eight students, two from each house. Prefects were the student's connection to the house heads, but break one of the rules in front of them and they could hand out punishments and take away house points.
The prefects gathered the first year students and lead them up the moving stairs, explaining that they were enchanted to head to the direction the student desired to go. The two older students led the group of eleven year olds plus Shawn, to a door with an eagle head knocker. Upon the approach of students, the eagle asked a simple riddle.
"What loses its head in the morning and gets it back at night."
"See? As I was saying, the knocker will ask you a riddle, depending on which year you are in, and to gain entrance to the common rooms you must answer it, or wait for someone else to come and help you." The older male had stated.
"A pillow." He waved the students to follow after him and showed them around the common rooms. The prefects explained the rules, the times to be in bed at, and had told all of them to be on time for study sessions, as everyone had to be there, with exceptions of course. The female prefect explained how there were two students per room, and how they were to respect each other. If any problems were to arise, the student could input a request to change rooms with another student.
"Excuse me." A small voice squeaked. The students all looked to where the voice was coming from and was surprised to see a short squat man that was smaller than even the first years, walking into the common room. "I would like to speak to Mr. Potter and Mr. Helprin. The rest of you can carry on."
The students wondered aloud as to what the professor needed them for while they wandered off to their rooms as the professor brought the two first years over to a couple chairs in the corner of the room.
"Now boys, do you know who I am?" The professor asked the two first years.
Shawn nodded slowly as the short man was his tour guide a couple days ago. Harry simply nodded emotionlessly. Obviously this man was their Head of House. Professor Filius Flitwick had a serene smile on his face as he looked over the two robe-less students.
"Now boys, I'm sure the letter that was addressed to the both of you stated that robes were required." The short half goblin peered at the boys over the rims of his glasses, a twinkle glimmered in his eyes as he wondered what their response would be.
"Professor, the letter only said we had to be in possession of robes. Nowhere on it did it say we had to be wearing them at any time, other than big events involving the presence of other schools." Flitwick sported a small grin as the dark clothed boy explained his loophole to the professor.
"Very good Harry. First day in Ravenclaw and your already finding loopholes. I remember figuring that one out halfway through my first year myself!" The professor hopped out of his chair and clapped happily. "I hope you two enjoy your time here at Hogwarts!" He said joyously as he left the common room.
Harry and Shawn walked up the set of stairs to the male dormitories and found out that they would be sharing the same room. Upon entering the shared room, they were greeted with a plain room. A single bed resided at each end of the room, two oak bookshelves that covered the entire back wall, an oak desk beside the head of the bed, curtains that could be pulled to surround the bed, and a few shelves. It was quite safe to say that their room was perfectly symmetrical.
Harry walked over to the bed to his left and reached for a handle underneath his bed. It was the trunk he had left on the train. "That's interesting…" Harry muttered to himself softly. The dual haired wizard pulled a few books out of his trunk and began to place them on his bookshelf. Shawn walked over to the older boy, and began to help him, sorting the books alphabetically. Harry shot the younger boy a smile in thanks as they continued to put the set the books in silence.
It was an hour later when both boys found themselves finished putting the books away. The bookshelf was half full, and Harry intended to make sure it was completely full by the time the year was up.
The swordsman laid down on his bed in exhaustion. Today was a tiring day, not physically, but mentally. He walked through a brick wall, saw a giant man, talked to a hat, his professor looked like one of those goblin things from Gringotts, and the entrance to the common rooms had an eagle head for a handle. Weird, even by his standards.
A small flashing made itself known and prodded Harry out of his thoughts. Upon scanning the room for the source, he came across Shawn playing with what looked to be a squiggle on the wall beside his bed. Every time he pressed it, the light would turn on or off.
"What did ya find there Shawn?" Harry asked the younger boy, amused at the facial expression of awe plastered on his face. Shawn realized how childish he looked and hid his face from the older boy, red tinting his face.
"It's a rune… for light." He said embarrassedly and quickly hid underneath his blankets. Harry searched the wall beside his bed and quickly found the rune. He pressed it and a light shined out from the rune.
"Ah! I get it. It's for reading, as if it were a lamp." Harry exclaimed. Shawn looked on in surprise. 'Did it really take him that long to realize that?'
"Um… I realized right away…" Shawn's voice was muffled through the blanket, but Harry understood what he said.
"Ah… You must be quite intelligent then." The smallest amount of praise made Shawn light up a complete tomato red as he stammered out a thanks. "T-thanks. I-I'm not that smart though." He pulled the blanket around himself tighter and squeezed his eyes shut due to his awkwardness.
"Nonsense. You're just as smart as anyone else in this castle." Harry was out like a light before Shawn could respond. "Maybe." Before he too fell dead asleep wrapped in his blankets.
"I just can't get this stupid matchstick to change!" Harry muttered angrily as he threw the stupid matchstick back onto the table. Shawn, who sat beside Harry, had already changed his matchstick into a perfect needle. "What in Din's name am I doing wrong?"
Shawn peered over at the rather angry dual-haired boy and decided to finally give him a little bit of advice. "Um… Just… Imagine the matchstick turning into a needle in your mind's eye… Don't force it… Will it…" He inputted nervously.
Harry looked at the boy in a bit of shock. He hadn't even thought of it that way. The swordsman gave the shy boy a smile in thanks, and promptly transfigured his matchstick into a needle.
Minerva McGonagall was watching the mixed class of Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff transfigure their matchsticks for the first time, and was pleasantly surprised when Shawn, the shyest boy of the entire class, transfigured his first. She had promptly awarded him ten points and kept a careful eye out for anyone else who had managed to complete the assignment.
Harry Potter was someone who she thought would go far in any aspect of magic that he put his mind to. Sadly, Harry didn't seem to have an aptitude for transfiguration at all. He had thrown his matchstick onto the table rather violently and seemed as if he were about to give up, when Shawn. Shawn of all people, whispered to him. Harry's next attempt was flawless. It looked like she might have been right the first time.
Aaaaaaand that's it for now! This chapter isn't that long, only making it past 2500 words, which isn't too bad in my opinion. Um, so yeah, I realized I can't post links in my story which sucks, so I'll just tell you the name of my channel and hopefully you'll be able to find it, if you want to find it. I'm not forcing anyone.
SweetNSalty is my channel. I have about 9 videos out, and 19 subscribers. I'm quite awkward so… yeah.
Anyways, I'm having trouble coming up with scenes for this story now, writer's block really sucks. So if any of you have any ideas, just pm me or leave it in a review and I'll credit any scenes I may use/twist for my own benefit.
One last thing. How does a beta reader work?
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