A/N: I own nothing

Clio was woken by Hermione shaking her and she looked up at her friend with bleary eyes.

"Wha-?" she managed to yawn out as she sat up.

"We'll be there in five minutes." said Hermione "You might want to change into your robes." Clio nodded and proceeded to get open her trunk and pull out her new school robes. They were made from acromantula silk and spelled to resist staining, wearing, tearing and light spell damage. Wearing the skirt that went with her uniform didn't bother her as much as it would've previously since Road eagerly forced her into skirts and dresses at every opportunity she got over the summer. Yawning again, Clio fix the star shaped hair clips keeping her bangs out of her face before tucking her book into her trunk and locking it.

"I've been meaning to ask you." said Hermione "Does Portugal have a restriction on underaged magic?"

"No." said Clio taking note that Lulubell had disappeared "Which is why I was all but forced into some extra magical training over the summer because my... unique bloodline awoke over the summer and I needed as much training as I could to gain control of it before I returned to Hogwarts. Though, because of the nature of my bloodline, I will never have absolute control over it."

"So, what sort of bloodline?" asked Hermione.

"My mother was actually a descendant of the Ancient House of Evans." said Clio "Who were the last of the true elementals."

"You're a true elemental?!" said Hermione as she practically bounced with excitement "What type? Oh, you simple must tell me everything!"

"Later, Mione." said Clio with a giggle "Just relax. You don't want anyone seeing you act as though you're on a sugar high, do you?" Hermione stopped, blushing slightly in embarrassment as the train rolled to a stop.

"So, where's Hedwig?" asked Hermione as they exited the train

"Back in Portugal." said Clio with another giggle "Probably lording over the family's owlery like she has been all summer. The other owls there seemed impressed by her when she first arrived and she proceeded to show them who was queen of the owlery. I'm expecting to hear that she's laid an egg any day now." Hermione giggled.

"Well, with all the mothering Hedwig did, it doesn't seem to surprising that she decided to take over the owlery." said Hermione. Clio nodded as they climbed into a carriage, pointedly keeping herself from looking at the thestrals hitched to the carriage. She didn't need to give people another reason to spread rumors about her. Seeing thestrals didn't bother her as much as it did when she first saw them at the beginning of summer. There was a reasonably sized heard of thestrals living in the forest surrounding the Kamelot estate and according to the Earl, they had been attracted by the Noah's presence. Everyone that lived and worked there could see them, because they were either Noah or Akuma. Death revolved around them like the planets orbit the sun. Clio was grateful that no one else decided to join them in the enclosed carriage as the carriages lurched forward, because it would give her a few free moments to speak to Hermione.

"So, you wanted to know about my elemental abilities?" asked Clio.

"Yes, I think that's it's absolutely incredible that you're a true elemental!" said Hermione "There hasn't been a true elemental in over seven hundred years! So what element do you have control over?"

"All of them." said Clio "It's my bloodline's bid to save itself since I'm the last of the Evans line."

"That's amazing!" said Hermione "What else can you do?"

"I can hear the world whispering to me." said Clio "The wind, the earth, the rain, I can hear it all like a symphonic melody of life. I can also sense elemental potential in others. You have that potential, Hermione."
"Really?" said Hermione, her eyes wide with the thought of learning something new "What element?"

"You're connected to the element of air." said Clio "Which is very fitting because air represents intelligence. If you wish, I could teach you how to call upon and control it."

"I'd like that very much." said Hermione with a smile, which Clio gladly returned before they started chatting about their summers until the carriage rolled to a stop. Disembarking, the two of them made their way into the castle and the Great Hall before sitting at the furtherest end of the Gryffindor table, away from the majority of their house as they continued to talked quietly about their summer vacation. Clio glanced up at the staff table and easily spied Lulubell, who looked a bit out of place because she seemed to be the youngest out of all of the professors. She also spied the nasty toad woman from her 'disciplinary hearing'. Umbridge she believed her name was. What was a Ministry employee doing here? The sight of Professor McGonagall bringing out the Sorting Hat made everyone shut up and after a moment the hat began to sing.

'In times of old when I was new

And Hogwarts barely started

The founders of our noble school

Thought never to be parted:

United by a common goal,

They had the selfsame yearning,

To make the world's best magic school

And pass along their learning.

'Together we will build and teach!'

The four good friends decided

And never did they dream that they

Might some day be divided,

For were there such friends anywhere

As Slytherin and Gryffindor?

Unless it was the second pair

Of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw?

So how could it have gone so wrong?

How could such friendships fail?

Why, I was there and so can tell

The whole sad, sorry tale.

Said Slytherin, 'We'll teach just those

Whose ancestry is purest.'

Said Ravenclaw, 'We'll teach those whose

Intelligence is surest. '

Said Gryffindor, 'We'll teach all those

With brave deeds to their name, '

Said Hufflepuff, 'I'll teach the lot,

And treat them just the same. '

These differences caused little strife

When first they came to light,

For each of the four founders had

A house in which they might

Take only those they wanted, so,

For instance, Slytherin

Took only pure-blood wizards

Of great cunning, just like him,

And only those of sharpest mind

Were taught by Ravenclaw

While the bravest and the boldest

Went to daring Gryffindor.

Good Hufflepuff, she took the rest,

And taught them all she knew,

Thus the houses and their founders

Retained friendships firm and true.

So Hogwarts worked in harmony

For several happy years,

But then discord crept among us

Feeding on our faults and fears.

The houses that, like pillars four,

Had once held up our school,

Now turned upon each other and,

Divided, sought to rule.

And for a while it seemed the school

Must meet an early end,

What with dueling and with fighting

And the clash of friend on friend

And at last there came a morning

When old Slytherin departed

And though the fighting then died out

He left us quite downhearted.

And never since the founders four

Were whittled down to three

Have the houses been united

As they once were meant to be.

And now the Sorting Hat is here

And you all know the score:

I sort you into houses

Because that is what I'm for,

But this year I'll go further,

Listen closely to my song:

Though condemned I am to split you

Still I worry that it's wrong,

Though I must fulfill my duty

And must quarter every year

Still I wonder whether Sorting

May not bring the end I fear.

Oh, know the perils, read the signs,

The warning history shows,

For our Hogwarts is in danger

From external, deadly foes

And we must unite inside her

Or we'll crumble from within

I have told you, I have warned you ...

Let the Sorting now begin'

Clio found herself pondering the meaning of the hat's song as Professor McGonagall began to read the names of this year's new students. It wasn't until she heard Dumbledore start speaking that she realized that the sorting was over.

"To our newcomers," said Dumbledore "Welcome! To our old hands, welcome back! There is a time for speech-making but this is not it. Tuck in!" Food appeared on the golden plates, making the tables groan under the weight. Both Clio and Hermione dug in since they were both hungry and they were grateful that they weren't sitting anywhere near Ron because of his horrendous eating habits. They were joined by Nearly Headless Nick about five minutes later, the Gryffindor Ghost grumbling about Ron's lack of manners.

"Good evening, Sir Nicholas." greeted Clio politely.

"Good evening to you, miss Potter." said Nick "I've heard rumors about you over the summer."

"Rumors are nasty things, Sir Nicholas." said Clio "But please do tell."

"I've heard from one of the ghosts that went to the Ministry over the summer," said Nick "That you're apparently betrothed to a member of the family of Noah. Is it true?"

"Yes." said Clio "I am."

"May I?" asked Nick. Clio held her hand out to allow Nick to see her engagement ring. The ghost gave a hum of appreciation as Hermione leaned forward to see the ring.

"Wow." said Hermione "Silver?"

"No, platinum." said Clio as she put her hand back down "The stone is a colorless, flawless, round brilliant cut diamond."

"Sounds expensive." said Hermione.

"I'm willing to bet it was but my fiancé wasn't willing to divulge the price." replied Clio.

"Well, you have my congratulations, miss Potter." said Nick.

"Thank you, Sir Nicholas." said Clio before the ghost floated off down the table. Dinner was soon over and as the chatter in the Great Hall began to pick up, Dumbledore stood and everyone fell silent.

"Well, now that we are all digesting another magnificent feast, I beg a few moments of your attention for the usual start-of-term notices." said Dumbledore "First-years ought to know that the Forest in the grounds is out-of-bounds to students-and a few of our older students ought to know by now, too. Mr. Filch, the caretaker, has asked me, for what he tells me is the four-hundred-and-sixty-second time, to remind you all that magic is not permitted in corridors between classes, nor are a number of other things, all of which can be checked on the extensive list now fastened to Mr. Filch's office door. We have had two changes in staffing this year. We are very pleased to welcome back Professor Grubby-Plank, who will be taking Care of Magical Creatures lessons; we are also delighted to introduce Professor Lulubell Millennium, our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher." there was a polite round of applause and Clio noted that Lulubell had the same blank expression on her face throughout dinner, she didn't even look phased by what was going on "We are also please to welcome, miss Delores Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary to the Minister for Magic, who is here to observe our teaching staff and students for this school year." again there was another polite round of applause "Tryouts for the house Quidditch teams will take place on the..."

"Hem, hem." Clio saw Lulubell's eyebrow twitch slightly when Umbridge stood up, apparently intent on giving a speech. Everyone else seemed shocked that Umbridge would interrupt the Headmaster like that.

"Thank you, Headmaster," simpered Umbridge "For those kind words of welcome." Clio frowned at the sound of her voice. It was the type of voice that just annoyed the hell out of a person and Clio found herself disliking the toad-like woman who dressed in way too much pink.

"Well, it is lovely to be back at Hogwarts, I must say!" She smiled, revealing very pointed teeth. "And to see such happy little faces looking up at me! I am very much looking forward to getting to know you all and I'm sure we'll be very good friends!" Clio shared a look with Hermione, who rolled her eyes as Umbridge continued to speak "The Ministry of Magic has always considered the education of young witches and wizards to be of vital importance. The rare gifts with which you were born may come to nothing if not nurtured and honed by careful instruction. The ancient skills unique to the wizarding community must be passed down the generations lest we lose them for ever. The treasure trove of magical knowledge amassed by our ancestors must be guarded, replenished and polished by those who have been called to the noble profession of teaching. Every headmaster and headmistress of Hogwarts has brought something new to the weighty task of governing this historic school, and that is as it should be, for without progress there will be stagnation and decay. There again, progress for progress's sake must be discouraged, for our tried and tested traditions often require no tinkering. A balance, then, between old and new, between permanence and change, between tradition and innovation..." Clio proceeded to tune out the woman as she droned on and on for several more moments, instead watching the subtle changes in expression on Lulubell's face during Umbridge's speech with an almost morbid fascination. Clio wondered if Lulubell was going to throttle the woman or let Rasutoru out to 'play' so to speak. Finally, Umbridge reached the end of her speech. So, Clio tuned back in.

"...because some changes will be for the better, while others will come, in the fullness of time, to be recognized as errors of judgement. Meanwhile, some old habits will be retained, and rightly so, whereas others, outmoded and outworn, must be abandoned. Let us move forward, then, into a new era of openness, effectiveness and accountability, intent on preserving what ought to be preserved, perfecting what needs to be perfected, and pruning wherever we find practices that ought to be prohibited." Dumbledore stood once Umbridge had sat down.

"Thank you very much, miss Umbridge, that was most illuminating," he said, bowing to her "Now, as I was saying, Quidditch tryouts will be held ..."

"I don't like this." said Clio quietly.

"Neither do I." said Hermione "Thank Merlin that woman isn't a teacher. Can you believe that the Ministry is trying to interfere with Hogwarts?"

"Yeah." said Clio "I can believe it but that doesn't mean I'm just gonna sit around and let them get away with this."

"Neither am I." said Hermione "What do you have in mind?"

"Give me some time, Mione, and I'll let you know." said Clio.