I saw the Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. I absolutely loved it. Daniel Radcliff, you have been elevated to my cutie's list. Sorry, off track. Here's the next chapter. There may seem some OOC ness from some of the characters, but bare with them.
Shout outs to my Reviewers:
Jessalin, Tsuki no Tenshi (thank you very much!), Crescendo, Anime Moon Gurl, (Takes deep breath), Black Mage of Darkness, Maiden Genisis, sylverwind, and of course my number one reviewer, Koldy.
Comet Moon: Yes, putting Haruka there would definitely annoy her. I think I added it in the chap, but didn't put it in. I went with most of the other suggestions (like Usagi, Michiru, and Setsuna), but put Hotaru in another house. I think this one fits her as well.
Fire Dolphin: Ooo, Snape's face. I can just imagine it now. Oh wait, I think I put that in. Love that idea. I actually added it in. : )
DMS: Hey, I'm sorry to say it will not be a serena/severus fic cuz: She's near 16, even with all the immortality and all. I suggest you try one of Eternal Cosmos's fics, The Curse of the DADA teacher, I believe it's called and it's really good.
Angelwings6117: Okay, I compensated. Setsuna didn't get in Ravenclaw, but I took your info about her working in a science lab and got something else. The others were also a good fit, but I decided other places as well.
Eternal Cosmos, Eternal Cosmos, Eternal Cosmos!!!!!!!! –bows- I didn't realize it last chapter, but you are like one of my fav authors. One of my first inspirations –blushes- Can I have your autograph? J/k. But please continue to read the fic. It might be a H/U fic, even though there are a lot of them out there. But whomever I pick, I have the perfect scene set up for when they get together. Please, please, please update Through your Heart. I can't wait to see what happens!
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Chapter 5—Sorting Hat
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"Come on, Ginny, get up!"
"Anyone seen my homework?"
"Where are my socks?"
"Does anyone know where I put my broom?"
Chaos ensued at the Weasley household as children and adults both prepared for either the journey to King's Crossing or work. Last minute packing, curses at overflowing trunks that would not close, and spells to being performed to fit everything into the cars was the main activities around the house. Everyone was doing something or another, running into each other at every corner, and just create havoc.
"Hermione, what's the answer to question nine for Snape's assignment?"
"If you didn't do it, that's your problem."
"And that's Professor Snape to you, Ronald Weasley!"
"Sorry, Mum!"
"You better be. Those OWLS won't keep you in my good graces for long! Not at the rate you are going."
Aww...yes, the dreaded OWLS. The trio scored the highest in Defense of the Dark Arts of course, and Hermione outshined them all every subject. No surprise there. Harry and Ron both scraped by with enough to be accepted in their classes next year. Only disappointments came from Harry's History of Magic exam and the Divination exam (they didn't care as they were dropping the class anyways). Other than that, Charms, Transfiguration, Herbology, Potions (to both the boys surprise), Care of Magical Creatures, and Astronomy (though not very good) were decent enough to not instigate a yelling fest from Mrs. Weasley.
"OH BLOODY HELL! HERMIONE, THAT DAMN CAT OF YOURS IS AT IT AGAIN!"
Harry sighed from his spot at the table. Ron and Hermione were still bickering while Ginny was having a heated discussion with her mother over something. Mr. Weasley, McGonagall, Tonks, Kingsley, and most of the Order left for work before everything went to pieces. Only Moody and Lupin were to escort them to the train station.
Harry looked at Lupin. His eyes were unfocused and he just didn't pay attention to his surroundings as he continued to put salt into his coffee and drink it without realizing it. Moody wasn't much better. He was grumbling and growling to himself, staring at his toast as if to fry it with his glare. Harry was thankful when it was time to go; sitting there was starting to freak him out a bit.
The shiny, red Hogwarts Express sat patiently on the tracks as students ran around trying to find compartments for them and their friends then head out to say goodbye to families. Finally they were on their way, scenery passing by in flashes. The trio ditched Ginny to sit together for the majority of the trip. Nothing truly happened: the yearly encounter with Draco Malfoy, year-mates and friends dropped by then left, Hermione and Ron vanished for a prefect meeting, and Luna Lovegood joined Harry to keep him company until the other two returned. Nightfall came as the train pulled into Hogsmeade.
They had arrived at Hogwarts. Home at last.
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"Man, I'm starving. I wish they would hurry up and get the sorting over with." Ron whined for the seventh consecutive time.
"Your always hungry, Ron. You don't have to keep announcing it to the world." Hermione snapped back at him.
"Geez, it must be your time of the month or something." Ron muttered under his breath. Just as it looked like Hermione was about to spit fire at Ron, he was saved as Professor McGonagall walked in with the new first years and the sorting hat. Placing it on the stool, the students watched in anticipation as the rim opened wide.
Welcome to Hogwarts
All students new and old
I can tell you once I know
If you will fit the mold
Back from the past and into this world
Released from their prison into horrors unknown
New fighters with abilities untold
No wonder you are so cold
Come from a different world
Where there are things to make your toes curl
I will tell you if you are right
To be placed in one of four houses tonight
To try to find your path once more
I will show you your core
For I am the sorting hat, you see
You can never outwit me
Test me if you want to show you're bold
One true and fair, one of gold
Gryffindor was the same
Now one of four holds his name
Into his house, you will be
For there is more to you then we can see
If you never know what's around the bend
But are always trying till the end
Ravenclaw is your next place
Until the time of a distance face
If you live in the moment that you are in
Always searching for a place to begin
Hufflepuff is as before
It's the place for you, so say no more
If you slip in the shadows in between
Never wanting to be seen
Slytherin is want you need
Into the house of darkness and greed
The one who loves has come to us
For to fight that is a must
A bit of advice to all of you
Stand tall or ye shall fall
For I am the sorting hat
And all shall forever know that
From my creation to my crumble
I have warned you of this tumble
Four houses will become one
When the true heir has won
None of this is should seem new
I have told you, I have warned you
Unite against a common enemy
On the bases of infinity
Or we'll crumble from within
But until then, let the sorting begin!
(A/N: yeah, it kind of stunk as a sorting hat song. It rhymes and it's bad. So there is my daily dose of poetry)
Nothing moved; nothing made a sound as pure silence drifted through the hall at the hat's disturbing proclamation. Professor McGonagall coughed lightly before reading off the list of first years. Each placed the hat on their heads and was sorted into the houses. As the sorting finished, the hat was not removed much to everyone's puzzlement. Dumbledore stood up to give his yearly announcements.
"New students, and old, please note that the forbidden forest is still off- limits, no matter what excuse. Mr. Filch has kindly compiled a list of restricted items for you to view. If anyone is caught with an item listed, it will be confiscated immediately. Now, I'm glad to welcome five new students into our school. Please come forth."
From the shadows behind the teacher's table, five figures emerged. Gasps and whispers encircled the room was students who knew where they saw them before filled their tablemates in on the details. Hermione gripped both Harry and Ron's arms and hissed, "It's them!" It was unnecessary because the boys already recognized them. Four of the new students were the one's from the bank, same cloaks and symbols. The fifth had a forest green cloak, but unlike the others, no marks or logos of any kind adorned neither front nor back.
"State your name and year, then be seated so we may sort you." Dumbledore ordered. The one in the aquamarine cloak stepped forward, lowering the hood as they walked.
"My name is Michiru Kaiou. I will be joining the seventh year. It is a pleasure to meet you." The girl smiled serenely at them before gracefully sitting down on the stool. Wavy, blue-green hair tumbled down from the hood to brush just past her shoulders, as marine blue eyes coolly surveyed the room. What caught the students eyes other than the color of her hair, were the shining silver streaks thru her hair and silver specks dancing in her eyes. "RAVENCLAW!" the hat yelled seconds after placing it on the girl's head. Said table burst into applause as the next figure stepped forth.
"Setsuna Meiou. Seventh year." The one with no markings drew the hood from her face. She had straight, dark green hair, half up in a bun the rest hanging down to her calf. She gave a small smile before sitting on the stool. "SLYTHERIN!" The girl made her way to the table, where her dark skin contrasted greatly with the pale features of her housemates.
Dumbledore stood up once more to interrupt. "Ms. Meiou will also be assisting Professor Snape with the advanced potions class." A quick look at the oily-haired professor showed he was unperturbed about the news. The tallest figure quickly strode towards the stool.
"Haruka Ten'oh. Seventh year and taken." The supposedly, male-looking female had short, sandy locks with silver highlights. Silver flecked, gray- green eyes shone mischievously at the student body and winked at them. The only hint of the figures true gender was the way her robes hung on her body. Still, some girls dreamily sighed over the new students appearance as the hat descended on her head. Minutes passed slowly with no verdict, until..."HUFFLEPUFF!"
Seconds later, both cloaked students and some teachers began chuckling as Haruka's face began to turn an interesting shade of red. Her right eyebrow twitched. "What did you say?"
"Wait no, GRYFFINDOR!" Now most of the school was laughing. "No, HUFFLEPUFF, no GRYFFINDOR! Maybe SLYTHERIN..." As the hat continued to yell out houses, the color of Haruka's face deepened. Quickly, she snatched off the hat and began shaking it.
"Make-up your mind you overgrown heap of cloth before I decide to rip that insolent tongue yours and shred you to rags!"
"Really, now. I didn't know enchanted artifacts had tongues. Or brains for that ma—mmph!" Haruka slapped her hand over the sorting hat's brim, effectively silencing it.
"If I have to continue listening to you yell nonsense from that hole you call a mouth, then I'll—YEOOWWWW!" She dropped the hat to the ground and stared at her hand. "It bit me. THAT THING FREAKIN BIT ME! Come here you germ-infested, disgustingly old, useless piece of crap. Come here. I'll show you a thing or two. Biting me. Now I'll have to go for shots. Who knows what diseases you have contracted over the years. You probable have rabies too, great, just what I needed, a bite from a rabid hat. Come here pipsqueak, I ain't done with you yet."
Much of the students and teachers were roaring with laughter at the entertaining antics of the duo. The hat has hopping around yelling for help, always just out of Haruka's reach as she chased it around the teacher's table, a string of curses and obscenities being directed toward the hat. On the third time around, Haruka gave a triumphant yell and dove under the table. When she came up, the hat was struggling in her firm grasp as she tried to strangle it, an evil smile adorning her fact.
"Haruka, enough." A voice laced with mirth cut into the noise.
Haruka looked up toward the two cloaked students. "But Usa, it bit me!" She looked every bit of a pouting child whose sweets got taken away after a sharp reprimand. "And it won't make up its mind."
"Now, now, Ms. Ten'oh. If you would release him, I believe he will place you in the proper house." Dumbledore stated with a few chuckles. Grumbling, Haruka did as told. A few students climbed back onto their chairs, clutching their stomachs from laughing too hard. Ron was wiping tears from his eyes.
"Ok, now. We'll put you in HUFF—"A growling noise emitted from Haruka's throat stopped the hat's declaration. "Umm...how about GRYFFINDOR!" The table eagerly cheered for their new addition. Haruka stomped over and squeezed into a place on the table far away from the hat. She crossed her arms across her chest as she kept mumbling 'stupid hat' and 'bit me' over and over to herself.
The violet cloak stepped forward, calmly gaining the student bodies attention. "I am Hotaru Tomoe. I will be participating in the fourth year classes. Pleased to meet you." She whispered in a small, timid voice. She sat on the stool as quickly as possible.
"Is it me, or does Hotaru seems different now then when she was at the joke shop?" Ron asked the other two. They both nodded in agreement as the silver- and raven-haired preteen shrunk under the students gaze as the hat yelled, "RAVENCLAW!" Hotaru timidly made her way to the table and sat next to Michiru.
"GRYFFINDOR!" Every head snapped back toward the front. The remaining student barely took a step in the hat's direction before it decided. Heated discussions broke out among the students. Who was this person who didn't have to be near the hat to be placed in a house; even Malfoy had to at least touch it. A choking noise came from the teacher's table. Snape apparently inhaled his drink wrong. Professor Sprout was slapping his back as his face returned to a normal shade instead of purple.
"You have to be kidding me?!" Snape roared, glaring at the hat. "I demand a redo. There is no way she can be in Gryffindor!"
"Sorry, Sevy, the hat has decided. I'm a Gryffindor, not a Slytherin." The female student giggled at Snape's face. Lifting a hand, she reached to take off the hood. "My name is Usa-"
BHAM
The double-doors of the Great Hall slammed open and through them the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, his Senior Undersecretary, Dolores Umbridge (who looked both furious and frightened), and two unknown Aurors.
"Albus, I want a work with you immediately. Tell me what I just heard is not true. Tell me you didn't..." Fudge cut himself off when he spotted the new student still standing on the dais, hand raised to lower her hood. "You did. I can't believe you did. You allowed those traitors back into the school." Fudge jumped when a growl came from his right. Unknowingly, he had stopped right next to Haruka, who was glaring dangerously at him. He quickly stepped away from the angered teen.
"I do not believe I understand your accusations, Minister Fudge." Dumbledore calmly stated. "Nor do I agree with them. You took advantage of their naivety and youth to place them into an exile they did not choose."
"I did no such thing. They willingly accepted their punishment and went into that prison on their own accord."
"WILLINGLY?!" The girl threw off her cloak as she argued with Fudge. Silver- gold hair was braided into a thick bun. Heart-shaped bangs fluttered over flashing silver eyes that radiated anger and disgust. "We WILLINGLY accepted banishment? If you call knocking out, drugging, kidnapping, terrorizing, then threatening harmless children willingly, then your more sick-minded then I first thought you were."
"You, my dear, have not right to talk. I saw you walk quietly into that prison without a struggle."
"I was being controlled, Minister." Venom seemed to have leaked into her voice. "Do you want to know by whom? Just ask your Undersecretary, Dolores Umbridge. I'm sure she can provide you with the answer you seek."
Umbridge drew her squat self up to her fullest height. "You dare accuse me, an important member of the Ministry of Magic, to such petty crimes as meddling with your banishment." She squealed in her most shrill voice. "I would never attempt such a thing, you filthy, little—"
"If you didn't do it yourself, you have paid someone else or ordered them to do it. Just like you sent those dementors last summer to attack a harmless student."
"How does she know about the dementor's attack on Harry last summer?" Hermione asked the silent question. She got no reply as students murmured among themselves; some teachers even stood up to see the reaction of their least favorite, ex-Professor. Fudge looked surprised. Turning to Umbridge, he asked, "Is that true?"
She didn't answer him, but locked eyes with the new girl. Each tried to stare down the other. All of a sudden, Umbridge squeaked and covered her ears with her hands. The other girl just smiled.
"Well, well, well. What do you know? You've been a very bad girl, Dolores. So many naughty deeds, I bet the Minister would love to hear about in full details."
"You wouldn't dare!" Umbridge shrieked.
"Oh, I would, but I have a better way." The girl did not break eye contact once. "They're coming for you, Dolores. You better run while you still can. Clip-clop, clip-clop, clip-clop." The sound of clicking tongues echoed in the Great Hall as more and more students joined in. It soon sounded like a whole herd of horses stampeding.
Umbridge looked utterly terrorized. She slapped her hands over her ears and shut her eyes real shut. It didn't help as seconds later she ran out the Great Hall's doors, screaming bloody murder. The hall erupted in howls of laughter. The girl turned her fierce gaze on a stunned Fudge.
"Leave them be, Bunny. You've done enough damage." Dumbledore placed a hand on the girls shoulder. Instantly, silver eyes faded to deep blue. Fudge took the opportunity to quickly make a hasty retreat.
"But Uncle D! She deserved it. It's mostly her fault everything happened."
"Maybe so, but it still does not give you the right to choose her punishment. To do so would just be like handing her a plate of revenge that not even you could wheedle your way out of. Now, I believe you are depriving the curious very important information. Students of Hogwarts, may I present my niece, Usagi Tsukino. She will be joining the sixth years. Please take your seat so we may begin to eat."
Stares followed the headmaster's niece as she joined Haruka at the Gryffindor able. Neither acknowledged their tablemates. As the feast began, the noise in the Great Hall gradually returned to normal. The food was far more tempting at the present moment then the new students who would be examined at a later time. Except for three certain lions, sitting a little ways down the table.
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"She's Dumbledore's niece? The one who was sentenced to exile into the veil and broke free of it a few months back?" Hermione whispered in a little awe. She was trying to crane her neck for a better look at the newcomers without seeming like it. There was something familiar about the Usagi-girl.
"How do you know about that?" Harry asked. Hermione seemed to blush a bit.
"Eavesdropping and a little snooping. Supposedly, a couple of years ago, some incident happened in which they betrayed the ministry or deceived them in some way. They were banished into the veil as punishment for their crimes. I wonder what they were charged with, to have such harsh treatment."
"Well, you want to know what I want to know? Is that their real hair color?" Ron pointed out the obvious. "There's green, purple, teal, and silver. All unnatural hair colors in the wizarding world, if you don't count Tonks that is."
"It does look natural and their roots aren't a different color so they didn't dye it. They could have magicked it to stay that color." Hermione answered in the I-know-I-am-right voice.
"Or they could have been on the receiving end of an experiment gone wrong." Ron countered. Hermione refused to answer. The trio fell silent, each watching the two blondes a few seats further down the table then them. They were having what looked like a mini food fight.
"Let's try to talk to them tomorrow. I for one would like to know what went on tonight between Umbridge and Usa-, Usag-, Dumbledore's niece." Harry finally stated quietly. "They may have answers to some of our questions."
The other two agreed before finishing up dinner. Classes would start the day after tomorrow, so the next day was a good time to get to know the new students. Right now, it was just good to be back at Hogwarts, in the familiar round dormitories, now with the sign that read sixth year over the door, and sleeping soundly in their four-post beds.
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Yeah, new chapter. I just wanted to get the sorting out of the way, and start with everything else. Next chapter will contain more stuff. This is just basic fluff and cotton balls to put out some things. I know this is probably not a very good chapter, but it's all I got at the moment, so please live with me for a while. Luna and Artemis will come in next chapter, along with a broom. Can't say anymore without giving away stuff. Any questions, comments, or criticism, send it in.
Luv all yalz, Sprinklescake67