Chapter 32: The Castle Tour
September 1st fell on a Friday this year, so all the students had the weekend to adjust to the castle before classes started. This gave Harry an idea. So after talking it over with his wife and Albus, Harry decided to offer a tour to all the first year students. Albus announced it at breakfast Saturday morning.
"Good morning everyone, I hope you are all well rested. As the older students know, when September the 1st falls on a Friday or Saturday, classes do not start until the following Monday; because of this, Lord and Lady Gryffindor have extended an invitation to all first years students to join them on tour of Hogwarts Castle and the grounds.
"If you are interested, please be in the entrance hall at 9 o'clock sharp, and please bring your Hogwarts Handbook. If anyone wishes to join the group, you are of course welcome to come along." Dumbledore sat down and looked over to Harry and Ginny who were talking with Cho Chang and a 2nd year Hufflepuff at their table. Dumbledore liked the idea of the smaller tables and wondered why they had never tried it before.
'Because the Castle would not replace the tables permanently for anyone except for the Lord or Lady of Hogwarts Albus.' Dumbledore looked around and saw Fawkes, Apollo, and Mercury all sitting high in the rafters enjoying their view. With a soft chuckle, Albus went back to his breakfast.
At 9 o'clock, Harry and Ginny entered the entrance hall to find not only all the 1st years, but ¼ of the 2nd and 3rd years too. There were also a handful of old the older students along with all of the apprentices, even though they too had the day off.
Ginny spotted Remus and Tonks hanging out by the doors to the Great Hall waiting for the tour to begin. With a nod to Harry, Ginny cast a wandless sonorus charm on herself and began.
"Hello everyone, I'm Ginny." Everyone mumbled hellos back, but they were somewhat afraid of the red head. Ginny picked up on this at once. "Ok, let's try…Hello, my name is Lady Gryffindor, Ginevra Molly Potter, the High Lady of Hogwarts, but you may all call me Ginny, ok.
"I promise that Harry and do not eat people; we are just normal…Ok almost normal people. So let's get started with the tour shall we? Does anyone have any questions pertaining to the school?"
A number of hands shot up, Ginny called on a small boy in Ravenclaw colors "Lady Gryffindor, why did the Founders decide to build Hogwarts, and why here?"
Ginny smiled at the boy and then called out to Fawkes, 'Fawkes, can you or Apollo please bring Gideon to the Entrance Hall, we have a Ravenclaw who wants a lot of answers?"
'Of course Ginny, We'll be there soon.'
Ginny smiled and answered the boy, "First off, what is your name young sir?"
"Andrew Macintosh, Muggleborn First Year Ravenclaw, ma'am."
"Ok Andrew, first off, please do not call Harry or I Lord, Lady, sir, ma'am, or anything that will make us feel old. You can call us Harry and Ginny. Ok?" With a quick nod from Andrew she continued, "As to your second part of the question, well this is a great place to start our tour.
"Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry with founded by the four brightest witches and wizards of the age. They were Lady Helga Hufflepuff, Lady Rowena Ravenclaw, Lord Godric Gryffindor, and Lord Salazar Slytherin…"
During this discussion, Fawkes, Apollo, Mercury, Albus and Minerva all entered the Entrance Hall. Apollo flew over to Harry outstretched arm and landed, holding Gideon, the sorting hat, in his mouth.
"My Lady, if I may continue, since I was here when the school was built?"
Ginny bowed to Gideon, and turned to the assembled masses while Harry cast a levitation charm on Gideon and asked Hogwarts to help him move about freely. "As you all remember, this is the sorting hat. His name is Gideon and yes he has been around for many, many years. If you are ever in need of someone to talk to, you can always come and talk to him. We'll show you where he will be living later. Gideon, the floor is yours."
"Thank you, my lord and lady, as you have already learned, the founders decided to start a school where young witches and wizards can learn to control their magic. Helga and Salazar had actually been teaching for 5 years before the school was even dreamed of.
"You see in those days, there were no 'schools' as you know them today. A young person apprenticed under a master and learned their craft. Hogwarts challenged this way of thinking when it was opened. Now as to Mr. Macintosh's question about why here, well that's easy. Godric owned all the land around here for 100 miles in each direction. He donated the land and actually paid for the construction of the castle. Thanks to Centaurs, Goblins, Giants, Elves, and many other creatures, the castle, the lake, and the village of Hogsmeade were all built within two years of the first construction spells being cast. This exact spot was chosen because it sits on an intersection of 4 lay lines, 2 major, and two minor.
"These lay lines are a form of very, very ancient magic. Their power comes from the earth itself and is one of the purest and strongest forms of magic ever seen. This magic is what actually powers most of Hogwarts.
"It is because of this strong magical concentration here that we have so many ghosts and other magical creatures around here.
"Now, I believe we have a tour to give, so let me begin…"
With Gideon taking over the tour, the group made its way all around the castle and grounds. Gideon, who was a very good tour guide, explained what had been built first and why as some of the castle's more interesting features worked. This mainly included the staircases, and portraits, but Gideon did talk about the house elves too.
As the group walked through the castle, Harry and the others who joined the tour told them where each classroom was, who taught it, and also the fastest path from the Great Hall to the classrooms, Common Rooms, and other important areas of the school.
What really made the tour really great for the 1st years in particular was that each of the professors whom the tour came across talked to the students in a rather relaxed atmosphere, especially Minerva, who had scared the 1st years shitless the night before, and made everyone feel more connected to the first years. The tour group was outside walking around the lake when they stumbled across a picnic lunch, which Dobby had organized, for them.
During lunch, a lot of questions were asked about the castle, and many of the classes. This reminded Minerva about the new handbooks that were created thanks to the Marauders.
"Over the last three months, the staff and a number of former students have been working on a handbook for new students. These are the books that all the first years were given last night. They include a complete history about all four houses, including Quidditch Cups, House Cups, who the Head of Houses are, where the dorms are, and who all the Hogwarts Ghosts are and what house affiliation they have.
"Also included is a map that will show where all the classrooms, restrooms, and offices are. In the back of the handbook is a listing of what courses are offered and if any prerequisites are required for that class as well as general comments on the professors, classes and Hogwarts in general that are from former students and professors. The entire handbook is charmed it to be self updating so it is current as of right now. All students 2nd year and above will receive their handbooks Monday at breakfast."
After that, the tour continued through the stables and paddocks where everyone met Buckbeak the Hippogriff, Gryff the Griffin, who was named after Godric Gryffindor's pet griffin and was his direct descendant, Hagrid, his boar hound Fang, and finally Charlie Weasley who was nursing a sick Norbert.
Norbert, whom had been won by Hagrid in a game of cards during Harry's first year, was suffering from a very bad cold. He got it while traveling to Hogwarts; he had flown through a blizzard. Charlie, who had also been sick, had been fixed up in thrice thanks to Madam Pomfrey.
Finally the tour concluded with Harry and Ginny showing everyone a new chamber right off the entrance hall that would serve as Gideon's new home. Gideon moved over to the pedestal as Harry cancelled the spells the caused Gideon to move.
After Gideon had settled into his new home, he moved around to look over the entire room. It was decorated in all of the school colors with 4 couches and a number of squishy arm chairs. He nodded to Harry then went still and silent. Harry turned to the group and spoke, "This is the Sorting Hat's room. Whenever you need to talk to someone impartial, please do not hesitant to come here. If someone is already in here, the door will not open. With that, this completes our tour; please head to your common rooms and clean up for dinner."
With a large groan, they room emptied out except for the Potters and Dumbledores. Once everyone was gone, the door closed and locked itself. "Albus, Minerva, the door behind you is your direct route to this room from your offices. Albus, your entrance is behind Armando Dippet's portrait, Minerva, yours is the behind the cat statue. Whenever you want to talk Gideon, the castle will clear the room for you, except if Ginny or I are here in which case you may enter our discussion."
With a wave, Albus and Minerva headed out of the room as did Harry and Ginny, who returned to their suite and enjoyed a quiet dinner by themselves.