{Thanks again to maryhead for helping me with Italian. Hope you enjoy the chapter and feel free to comment. I own nothing but plot changes and OCs.}
Chapter 8. Decisions, Decisions
"Who wants to read next?" Septimus asked. "I will Septimus." McGonagall said. She spelled to book into her hands.
The large doors swung open on large iron hinges. A tall woman with emerald robes stood in front of them. She had black hair and a stern expression.
"It's Minnie!" James and Sirius cheered. She gave them a stern look.
Harry hoped Aries and Leo won't cross her; she seems to be a no-nonsense person.
"Their father and uncle never understood that." Frank said with a chuckle.
"Th' firs' years Professor McGonagall." Hagrid said. "Thank you Hagrid, I will take them." Professor McGonagall said, with a slight Scottish brogue. She opened the door wider and led them to the entrance hall. The entrance could have held the entire Dursley house and then some.
Many people snorted.
They followed Professor McGonagall through the torch lit hallways. Aries kept looking around him, trying to take it all in. The marble stair case stood majestically in front of them, and the stone walls rose to a ceiling that rose incredibly high.
Many people smiled. They remembered their own wonder of Hogwarts during their first day.
The low drone of chatter could be heard through the heavy wood doors they were passed as they were lead into a small chamber. Everyone crowded together and peered around nervously.
"They try to psych you out." Sirius complained.
"Welcome to Hogwarts." Professor McGonagall said. "The start of term banquet will begin shortly." Some people lightened up. "Before you take your seats you will be sorted into your Houses first. The sorting is very important because your House will become like your family here at Hogwarts. You'll live and learn with your House, and will spend your free time in your House common room." She explained.
"I think that's the same speech she gave us." James said.
"There are four Houses, each with its own noble history. Those four Houses are Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. Each House has produced numbers of outstanding witches and wizards. During your stay at Hogwarts, you'll be rewarded for your triumphs, and punished for rule breaking, by the House point system. At the end of the year the House with the most points will be awarded with the House cup. I hope each of you will enjoy being here." She finished.
"It is the same speech she gave us." Remus said. The transfiguration teacher ignored the looks she was getting from her students.
There was a small ripple of whispering when Professor McGonagall said they'll be sorted on a few minutes. She looked over all of them. She lingered on Neville's cloak which was fastened under his left ear for some reason,
"How do you do that?" Alice asked. Frank just blushed and looked away.
and on Ron's smudged nose. Harry nervously tried to flatten his hair,
"Losing battle faun." James said while ruffling his own hair.
and Aries' hand had a nervous twitch. Leo kept nervously giggling.
Their fathers just shrugged.
She left them alone, and won't come back until they were going to be sorted. Harry swallowed. Aries and Leo waded towards them through the crowd. "How are we going to be sorted Ron?" Aries asked. "A test I think." Ron said nervously. "Fred said it hurt, but he's probably lying."
"Mum said we had to steal from a dragon." James said. Charlus shot a look at his sheepish wife.
Harry was trying not to panic. Test? He didn't know any magic. He turned his teacher's wig blue once, but that was an accident!
People laughed. The Marauders got another idea for a prank.
Everyone was nervously quiet. Except for Hermione Granger who was muttering about all the spells she knew. Harry was trying not to let her muttering get to him.
"That can be unnerving." Several students said. Lily blushed. She did the same thing.
He kept his eyes fixed on the door. What if he didn't pass? What if he had to leave?
James snorted. "You'll do fine Harry." He said.
Leo was trying to keep himself calm. He was here with Aries and Harry, he could take anything dished out at him.
His parents smiled.
He's had a decade of practice.
Then they frowned.
Aries' mind wouldn't stop racing. He was wondering about everything that might happen. Spells? Fighting a troll like Fred said? Would they need to—
"What is it?" Regulus asked worriedly. "Probably just the ghosts." Remus said.
Then there was a high pitched scream. Everyone jumped at the sound and began to panic. It was a ghost of a portly friar.
"Oh, the Fat Friar." Alice said.
He was talking to another ghost in a fancy ruffle necked outfit
"It's Nearly Headless Nick!" The Marauders cheered. "Why's he nearly headless?" Barty asked. "Incomplete decapitation." Charlus said. Some of the Slytherins looked green.
about giving 'Peeves' another chance.
"They always do that." Septimus said. Everyone nodded.
There were twenty other ghosts who were gliding through the chamber. Much like the Fat Friar, the Hufflepuff ghost, who went through Aries. Aries shivered badly. Apparently death was cold.
"It is unpleasant." Dorea said.
Professor McGonagall came back to lead them to their doom.
"Drama queen." Remus snorted.
Everyone got in a line with heavy legs. Harry was staring at the back of a boy's sandy hair. Ron was behind him and Aries and Leo were behind him. They all followed Professor McGonagall nervously into the Great Hall. It was strange, but wonderful.
Everyone smiled.
There were thousands of candles floating high overhead, towards a ceiling that opened to a starry sky.
"It seems like there is no ceiling sometimes." Xenophilius added wistfully.
"It's bewitched to look like the sky outside." Hermione boasted "I read it in Hogwarts: A History." Aries was trying to not roll his eyes.
The Marauders snorted and looked at Lily. Lily ignored them, but her cheeks did hold color.
There were four long tables seated with students of varying ages. All the tables had glittering plates and goblets of gold.
"They used to be silver." Augusta said. Remus looked awkward. "Yeah, my fault." He said.
At the top of the hall was a long table where the teachers sat. Harry was beginning to feel nervousness from the hundreds of students there.
"Don't worry, you'll get used to them." Dorea comforted. Liliana looked surprised. "The school I go to is pretty small." She said. "How small?" McGonagall asked. "About a hundred students max." She said.
There was a wooden stool with a dirty raggedy hat on the seat. "Do we have to pull a rabbit out of it?" Aries asked Leo.
"Why would you do that?" Regulus asked. "Some Muggles use sleight of hand and play it off as magic. A famous trick is pulling a rabbit out of a hat." Lily added.
"How should I know?" Leo retorted. Everyone began to stare at the hat. Then the hat twitched. A rip it had near the rim moved like a mouth. "It's alive!" Leo whispered in shock.
Sirius laughed. Shizuka looked surprised. "I didn't think England had tsukumogami." She said. "Tsugu- what?" Frank asked. "Tsukumogami. They were house hold objects, but after a hundred years they gain a soul and become alive." Shizuka said. McGonagall looked thoughtful. "The sorting hat was given life by the founders, but there may be items like that." She said before going back to reading.
Then the hat began to sing:
"Sing, Minnie, please!" Sirius and James begged. She didn't listen to them.
I have been since days of yore
To aid magic of lore
When these halls lay fresh I sat 'pon a head
And shall for ages more
I see who you truly be
For nothing's hidden from me
For I am the sole Sorting Hat
And that's the key
To Gryffindor for brave hearts
Never by fits and starts
Nerve, daring and chivalry dwell here
Our knights of these parts
To Hufflepuff the loyal and just
Patient holders of trust
No toil or treachery they fear
Never shy to do what one must
To Ravenclaw the scholars wise
Thirst for knowledge high as skies
Quick wit, creativity hold fast
For knowledge they prize
To Slytherin the crafty hail
Of cunning they will avail
They know guile well
And refuse to fail
Fear not, this cap's to think
To help guide not to sink!
There was a loud applause from the students.
"Nicer than ours." Narcissa said.
The hat bowed its pointed tip to each of the four tables. "So we only need to try on a hat?" Ron asked relieved. "I'm going to kill Fred he said we have to wrestle a troll." Aries saw the twins at their table and shot them a frosty look.
Regulus nodded.
Harry was turning into a nervous wreck. He didn't feel like he belonged in any of the Houses. If there was a House for the queasy that's where he'd go.
"Almost everyone would go there then." Augusta sniffed.
Then Professor McGonagall walked towards the stool. "When I call your name step forward to be sorted." She said. She pulled a long scroll out of her sleeve and lifted the sorting hat.
"Oh! We can find out about our friends kids!" Alice gushed. "That's all fine and dandy, but I want to see my son sorted." James said.
"Abbot, Hannah!" A blonde girl with pigtails and a pink face walked up. Professor McGonagall placed the hat on her head. All was quiet before- "HUFFLEPUFF!"
Ted cheered. Andromeda chuckled.
The hat shouted. The Hufflepuff table cheered loudly as Hannah Abbot walked towards them. The fat friar ghost waved merrily at her with a bright smile.
"He's a nice guy." Ted said with a smile.
"Black, Aries!"
All the Blacks looked interested. Regulus the most.
Aries swallowed before nervously walking forward. He sat on the stool and the sorting hat was placed over his eyes.
"The hat is a bit big." "Well James' head fit." "He does have a big head." "HEY!"
"Interesting."
"Interesting?" Regulus asked.
A small voice whispered in his ears. Interesting? Aries wondered. "You've got a good mind on you, yes a very good mind. There's loyalty yes, cunning too. And some display of bravery if I'm not mistaken" The hat whispered.
"So Aries could go anywhere." Sirius said.
Aries swallowed nervously. "Let me ask you a question."
Everyone looked surprised at that.
The hat whispered. What? "What do you alone own, yet everyone you meet uses it more than you when you give it to them?" The hat asked.
"A riddle?" Liliana asked. Many people looked puzzled. "I have no idea what it is." Lily said. "I know it." Moody said.
What do I own… What do I own… everyone else uses it… What do I-My name! Aries thought.
"That's the answer." Moody growled.
"Better be RAVENCLAW!" The hat shouted.
All the Blacks looked surprised. Regulus couldn't keep the shocked look off of his face. "Aries is the first Black to be sorted in Ravenclaw." Dorea muttered.
The Ravenclaw table cheered loudly as Aries walked towards them.
Regulus tried to give a smile through his shock.
"Black, Leo."
"Gryffindor!" Sirius cheered. Shizuka rolled her eyes at him. "He might go somewhere else." She said.
Leo shuffled along looking at the ground ahead of him. He sat down and gripped the seat as the hat covered his vision. "Ah, another Black."
"Does that mean Slytherin?" Sirius asked with a pinched look.
The hat whispered. The hat hummed a bit. "There is some bravery, yes. A mischievous streak too. A good mind too. Ah, there's loyalty." The hat said.
"See Leo can go to any house." Shizuka said.
Are you going to send me to another House? Leo asked. "Why do you ask?" I've always been with Aries and Harry. Leo replied. The hat hummed again. "Let me ask you a question."
"Again?" Many people asked.
Okay. "If Aries and Leo were hanging over the side of a cliff, which would you pull up to safety?" The hat whispered. Both. Leo replied in a heartbeat.
Sirius smiled.
"What if I told you, you could only save one?" The hat asked. BOTH. Leo said definitively. "Better be HUFFLEPUFF!" The hat shouted.
Sirius smiled and Ted cheered. "First Black to be a Puff!" Remus said patting Sirius' back. A note shaped like a badger unfolded itself. Second Black. It said
Leo walked towards the cheering Hufflepuff table and sat next to the fat friar.
Ted couldn't stop grinning.
"Bones, Susan!" "HUFFLEPUFF!"
"That's a lot of puffs." Barty whistled.
And Susan sat next to Hannah. "Boot, Terry!" "RAVENCLAW!" Terry sat across from Aries. "Brocklehurst, Mandy." Went to Ravenclaw too.
Moody nodded for his old house.
"Brown, Lavender." Was the first Gryffindor.
All present Gryffindors roared.
Harry was sure the twins were catcalling as she walked to the Gryffindor table.
Septimus laughed good naturedly. He did like Molly's brothers, Fabian and Gideon.
"Bullstrode, Millicent." Was the first Slytherin. Harry was probably imagining it, but the Slytherins didn't look as welcoming as the other three houses.
"Not really." Several Slytherins admitted.
"Finch-Fletchley, Justin." Was sorted into Hufflepuff too.
The sandy haired boy, "Finnigan, Seamus" was also a Gryffindor. "Granger, Hermione."
The Marauders groaned.
Was called next. Hermione strutted towards the stool and plopped the hat on her head herself. "Gryffindor!" The hat called. Ron groaned near him.
"Sucks for Ron." Frank said.
Harry wasn't really paying attention though, he was still nervous. What if he was turned away because he didn't fit into any house at all?
"Never happened." McGonagall said interrupting herself.
"Howle, Velvela."A girl with ash blond hair walked forward and was sorted into Hufflepuff.
Ted cheered again.
She sat next to Leo. Neville Longbottom
"Longbottom!?" Augusta asked shocked. She looked at her bug eyed son. "Er, who's-" A note folded in the shape of a leaf floated down. Yes, Alice Prewett. It said. Frank picked his girl friend up and spun her around in joy.
was more nervous than Harry was. He tripped on his way up,
Alice winced. "That's from me." She admitted.
and after a long time he was "Gryffindor!" and almost took the sorting hat with him. He did give it back to "MacDougal, Morag."
Neville's parents laughed good naturedly.
"Malfoy, Draco!"
Lucius and Narcissa looked the most interested.
Malfoy swaggered up to the hat.
"All Malfoys swagger?" Remus asked. "Indeed they do." Charlus added. Abarax shot the Potter patriarch a sharp look.
The hat barely touched his pair before shouting "SLYTHERIN!"
His parents clapped regally.
Malfoy went to join Crabbe and Goyle at the Slytherin table.
Lucius' eye twitched. The Crabbe and Goyle of his generation were mindless muscle heads, and he doubts their sons are any different.
They went through the next five students quickly ("Moon," "Nott," "Parkinson," the "Patil" twins, and Sally-Anne Perks) before-
"Potter, Harry!"
The Potters and Liliana leaned closer to the book in anticipation.
Then everyone started murmuring around him. Harry walked up there trying to ignore all the chatter and whispering. The hat went over his head and the small voice surprised him. The hat hummed a bit. "Difficult, very difficult." The hat said.
James looked puzzled. He didn't have the hat say that to him.
"Plenty of courage, and not a bad mind too. There's talent here. Oh, and a thirst to prove yourself, interesting. Now where to put you?" The hat said. Not Slytherin, Not Slytherin.
Dorea huffed angrily. "I blame Hagrid for that." She muttered. Charlus patted his wife's hand.
"Are you sure, Slytherin could help you on your way to greatness, after all it's all hear in your head." The hat said. Not Slytherin. "Not Slytherin, eh? Better be GRYFFINDOR!"
All the Gryffindors cheered, James being the loudest. Liliana was smiling and cheering to.
The Gryffindor table exploded in cheer. Harry smiled as he walked towards the table. He laughed when he heard the twins cheer "We got Potter, we got Potter!"
The Marauders laughed too.
Percy shook his hand vigorously, and he got many pats on the back. Harry sat next to the ruffle necked ghost. The ghost patted his arm, and Harry felt as if he was hit with freezing water.
"Nick's nice." Remus said. Many Gryffindors nodded.
At the High table Harry saw the staff. He saw Hagrid who was waving at him and giving thumbs up.
Dorea huffed in annoyance with the half-giant.
At the center of the table was Albus Dumbledore.
Many sour looks spread throughout the room.
He looked a lot like his Chocolate Frog card. His long white beard was glowing like the ghosts.
Several snorts were heard.
Leo was looking at the High Table as well. His eyes burned for a bit but when he opened them, the world looked differently.
Shizuka and Sirius shared a worried look.
The world looked grey and faded like splotched ink. But it was the colors that gave him a major head ache. Every person showed a color, and each glowed differently.
"So he sees that." Shizuka whispered in surprise.
Where Dumbledore stood was a blinding light of red. He shifted his eyes and saw another figure of red, with swirling smog of black smoke surrounding its head.
A dark looked crossed Shizuka's face. "What does that all mean?" Arcturus asked. "Aura reading varies but from the sound of it I have an idea of what Leo can see." Shizuka explained. "The glow he sees is a person's magic. The brighter the glow the stronger the magic." Many people looked shocked.
"What about colors?" Moody asked. "That usually varies from the type of aura reading. Mine for example can see a person's words as truths or lies. Blue means truth and red means lies. Leo seems to have a different type than mine. He saw many colors before at the zoo." Many people suddenly remembered that. "But so far red isn't anyone who's helped Leo. Vernon Dursley was red." Shizuka said. Sirius paled. There were at least two staff members who would hurt Leo? He silently panicked.
He blinked and his vision returned to normal. "What happened to your eyes?" Velvela asked him, with a concerned look on her face. Leo smiled and just said "Nothing." She didn't look convinced. She was the first to strike a conversation, and Leo really enjoyed talking to her.
"Who thinks they'll get together?" Sirius asked trying to take his mind off what Shizuka pointed out.
A tall black boy names Dean Thomas, was a Gryffindor, and Lisa Turpin was a Ravenclaw. Then it was Ron's turn. It didn't take long before "GRYFFINDOR!"
Septimus cheered that loudest out of the Gryffindors.
Leo saw Percy pompously shake Ron's hand.
He laughed at his future grandsons good naturedly.
"Are you sure it was nothing?" Velvela asked. Leo just smiled. "Yep, why d'you ask?" He asked. "Your eyes glowed silver." She said in a hushed voice. Leo's smile faltered a bit.
"Guess he never knew that." Remus said. Shizuka nodded. "That's the only give away." She said. "Not bad for a tell." Moody said gruffly.
"Yep, perfectly fine." He insisted. He looked back at the High Table and saw a teacher glare at him.
"Who would do that?" Shizuka asked protectively.
Needless to say, Leo was wondering why? He never met the guy. He'd remember pissing off a sallow,
"Oh no." Remus said in growing horror.
greasy haired,
"It can't be." Sirius gasped in terror.
hooked nose,
"Oh, please no." James begged.
man dressed in all black.
"NOOOOOOOOOO!" The Marauders wailed. Snape looked shocked and Lily glared at the three Gryffindors.
He poked an older boy near him. "Who's that?" Leo asked pointing to the man. The boy looked at him with grey eyes. "Professor Snape, potions professor." The boy explained.
"WHY!?" James wailed before flopping onto the desk. "Idiota." (Idiot) Liliana said patting his messy hair.
The boy held his hand out. "My name's Cedric Diggory."
"Isn't Amos that pompous ponce in Hufflepuff?" Frak asked. "Unfortunately." Ted said.
Leo shook his hand. "Leo." He replied. "Why'd you ask about Snape?" Cedric asked. "I don't think he likes me." Leo confessed.
"Probably won't like Harry either." Remus growled while glaring at the future potions professor.
Cedric smiled. "Don't worry. He doesn't like anyone outside Slytherin. He's probably just mad he didn't get the Defense Against the Dark Arts position again." Cedric said.
Many people looked interested at that.
Leo raised an eyebrow. "Why would he want Professor Quirell's job?" Cedric looked surprised. "You know Professor Quirell?" "Met him in Diagon Alley." Cedric looked at Leo. "Everyone knows Snape wants the DADA position, 'specially since he knows lots of dark magic." Cedric explained.
"Told you!" James said. Lily glared at him. "Evans even the kids in the future know that." Frank said. "He actually does." Regulus added. Lily looked scandalized. Snape shot theyounger Black brother a dirty look.
"Then why's he teaching?" Velvela asked with a frown. Cedric snorted. "If you call writing instructions on the board, and breathing down your neck teaching." Velvela and Leo shared a shocked look. "Really?" They asked shocked.
"If he can't teach, why's he a teacher?" Liliana asked sharply. Shizuka looked at the greasy Slytherin sharply. "I'd bet money on Dumbledore." She growled in a way that would normally make Sirius proud.
"Oh yeah." Another older student said across from Cedric. "You'll have the best chance getting tutored from someone, that's what I do."
"That bad?" Many students asked in shock, looking at the young Slytherin. "I now miss Slughorn so much." Sirius whispered to Remus who agreed.
Albus Dumbledore rose to his feet, and cleared his throat. "Welcome to another new year at Hogwarts." He said with twinkling eyes. "Before we begin the feast I have a few words to share: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! That is all." He finished before retaking his seat. Lots of people cheered and clapped. Leo and Velvela laughed. "H-He's mad!" Velvela giggled. Leo couldn't say anything he was still laughing.
"Don't underestimate anyone." Moody warned harshly.
Then to Leo's utter joy, piles of food appeared on the table. He wasted no time piling food up on his plate. There were various roasted meats, sausages, bacon, steaks, three kinds of potatoes, pudding, vegetables. And for some weird reason—"Why's there peppermint humbugs?"
"Albus enjoys them." McGonagall answered the book.
Velvela asked looking weirdly at the shrugged and didn't eat it.
"Good." Many people said.
Harry always said the Dursleys never starved them per se, they just couldn't eat as much as they wanted. It also didn't help Dudley would eat anything they got just so they couldn't eat it.
Liliana looked sad.
During dessert dinner, the first years were all talking about their families.
Many people had a pained expression on their face.
Justin was a muggle born. Susan and Hannah were half- bloods. "What about you Velvela?" Justin asked stabbing a piece of roasted chicken. "My dad's a muggleborn, and my mom's a half blood." Velvela said.
"Huh. Don't hear that often." Barty said.
"What about you Leo?" She asked.
"Pure blood." Sirius said. "Same." Shizuka chimed in.
Leo stiffened. Half- blood? Pure blood? "I don't really know." Leo said. Many people looked surprised. "I know both my parents were magic though." He said with a fake smile.
"Doesn't matter really." Sirius huffed. "I've been wondering about you Evangelista actually." Bellatrix said, pointing to the Italian witch. "Half-Blood." She answered with a shrug.
Justin apparently didn't drop it. "How can you not know?" He asked. Leo groaned and told them how he and Aries grew up with Harry with a muggle family (although he omitted certain personal details).
"Of course." Arcturus said dryly.
He got mixed reactions. "I'm not saying anything about Harry." Leo said sternly before digging into some ice cream.
"Hufflepuff loyalty." Ted announced.
Leo didn't give into their questions about Harry, or his upbringing. He just started cracking jokes until Aries walked towards him. "What's up Ree?" Leo asked. "Wanna help me get the twins?" Aries whispered in his ear.
The Marauders looked shocked. "We've never pulled anything on the first day feast!" James said in disbelief. "We have competition men." Sirius said like a general preparing for war. Remus had a wily look in his eyes.
Leo grinned like a Cheshire cat.
Sirius frowned. Shizuka laughed.
Harry was happily talking with Ron, Neville, Seamus and Dean when he saw two girly looking pretty boys sneak their way behind the twins.
Everyone laughed at that.
No one at the table seemed to notice, especially the twins as they were busy eating half their weight in food.
"Weasley appetite." Septimus said.
They jumped a foot in the air as Aries and Leo shoved slightly melted ice cream down their robes.
Everyone laughed. The Marauders just nodded. "Easy." James said. "Amatuers." Sirius added. "Novices." Remus finished.
Everyone around Harry laughed hard. Harry wanted to apologize but he couldn't breathe, he was laughing too hard.
Liliana was chuckling behind her hand.
The twins turned to see Aries and Leo, who bowed. The twins shared a look before charging at them with war cries.
People started to laugh again.
Aries was smart enough to slide under the Hufflepuff table to avoid George.
"He is a Ravenclaw." Regulus reluctantly admitted. Well, he isn't Gryffindor at least. He though.
Leo just ran.
Sirius started to cheer for his son.
Unfortunately Fred caught him.
Sirius pouted at that.
Leo kept wrestling the red head to try and break free. He managed to slip past him by slipping out of his robes and bolted across the great hall in his muggle clothes.
And was cheering as if his son was playing in the Quidditch world cup.
He heard a cry and saw George pull Aries out by his ankles. Leo evaded Fred and tackled George.
"Hufflepuff loyalty!" Ted cheered.
Aries ran only to be caught be Fred. That caused more wrestling.
Regulus looked a bit nervous.
That's when Professor McGonagall came towards them. "What on earth is going on!?" She asked sternly.
The Marauders opened their mouths but a look she sent them closed them.
The four looked at each other. Fred had Aries by the waist and George put Leo in a headlock with his ponytail knocked to the side. "Just a friendly prank." Aries said. Her nostrils flared at the word prank before pinching the bridge of her nose. "I'll leave you with a warning since it's the first day." She said before walking briskly up to the High Table.
"Lucky." James and Sirius whined.
The four just fell down laughing at the situation. They heard a soft voice laugh from the High Table and saw that Dumbledore was standing up again. "Now that we've been fed and watered, with a good show."
No one laughed with Dumbledore.
He said Leo and Aries didn't smile. "There are a few start-of-term notices I must cover with you. First years should note that going into the forest is forbidden. And a few older students would do well to note that as well." He said putting his twinkling eyes on Fred and George.
"Us right now." James said motioning to his two best friends.
"Our caretaker Mr. Filch, has reminded me to tell you that magic in the corridors was is prohibited. Quidditch trials will begin at the second week of the term. And the third floor corridor is forbidden to enter unless one would want a painful death."
"Say WHAT!?" People asked in shock.
Harry was one of the few to laugh.
"Not funny Harry." His mother scolded.
He turned to Percy. "He's joking, right?" He asked the prefect. "Don't think so," Percy said "It's odd. He usually gives a reason why were not allowed somewhere. The Forbidden Forest has loads of dangerous beasts. I'd have thought he'd tell us prefects so we could do our jobs."
"Normally we would." McGonagall muttered.
"And now let us sing the school song!" Dumbledore cheered. Harry saw the teachers' fixed faces.
As was McGonagall's now.
With a flick of his wand, a golden ribbon slithered out of Dumbledore's wand and formed words. "Pick your favorite tune, begin!"
Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,
Teach us something please,
Whether we be old and bald
Or young with scabby knees,
Our heads could do with filling
With some interesting stuff,
For now they're bare and full of air,
Dead flies and bits of fluff,
So teach us things worth knowing,
Bring back what we've forgot,
just do your best, we'll do the rest,
And learn until our brains all rot.
Everybody was finishing at different places. Fred and George were the slowest singing to a slow funeral march. Fred wore Leo's robe on his head like a black veil.
Everyone laughed 'till their faces hurt.
Dumbledore conducted the last few lines with his wand before everybody finished. Dumbledore clapped the loudest when they finished saying "Ah, music." He wiped his eyes. "Now, to bed you trot." He said.
"Their kids, not animals." Shizuka muttered angrily. "Stronzo." Liliana cursed.
Leo had to struggle with Fred to get his robe back.
Sirius snorted.
They all left with their houses to their common rooms. All the Gryffindor first years followed Percy through the hallways with heavy limbs and full stomachs. Ron nudged Harry lazily. "D'you know they'd do that to Fred and George?" He asked.
"Doubt it." Dorea said.
"No and I normally don't do pranks." Harry said.
James looked wounded.
"Really?" Ron asked. Harry nodded. "I rarely do anything. Aries usually plans them out and Leo acts it out." Harry explained.
"Beware the Black Cousins." Remus said ominously. Sirius barked a laugh.
They walked down the corridor when a bunch of floating walking sticks were javelined towards Percy as he stepped closer. "Peeves," Percy explained "is a poltergeist."
He stomped closer towards the invisible poltergeist. "Peeves! Show yourself!" Percy demanded. A loud blown raspberry could be heard. "Don't make me get the Bloody Baron!" Then with a loud pop a little man with dark eyes and a wide mouth floated overhead.
"Now what?" Charlus moaned.
"Ooooh!" He cackled "Little firsties! Oh, what fun!" Then he swooped at them. They ducked. "Get lost Peeves! I'll get the Baron! I mean it!" Percy said turning a bit red.
"Kill joy." Sirius pouted.
Peeves stuck his tongue out before vanishing. He did drop the rest of walking sticks on Neville's head.
"Hey!" Frank said. Alice looked mad.
Percy went to make sure Neville was okay.
Augusta and Alice nodded fiercely.
"You might want to watch out for Peeves." Percy said "The Bloody Baron's the only one who can keep him in line."
"Unfortunately." McGonagall said.
Percy led them up to a tower towards a living portrait of a large woman dressed in a pink dress.
"So that's the Gryffindor common room!" Barty said.
"Password?" She asked. "Caput Draconis." Percy said. She nodded and her portrait swung open like a door. The common room was warm and cozy. There were comfortable looking arm chairs and a blazing fire place.
"It sounds nice." Andromeda said as she shifted a drowsy Nymphadora in her arms.
Percy directed the girls to their dormitory and the boys to theirs. Harry plopped down into a four poster bed with scarlet covers. "Great food wasn't it?" He asked Ron who plopped down to the bed next to him. Ron was out like a light.
Septimus chuckled.
Harry drifted into an uneasy sleep.
Harry's family looked worried.
He dreamt that Aries and Leo were with him. But then Aries was dragged through the floors as if it was water.
Regulus looked worried.
Leo was trying to fight off Professor Qurirrell's turban which unwrapped itself and started to strangle him like a snake.
Shizuka looked pale, and Sirius nervously bit his lip.
Then the hook nosed teacher, Snape laughed and his scar hurt again
"What does it mean by 'again'?" James asked nervously.
before a flashing green light blinded him.
Many people looked shocked at the dream.
Harry woke up in a cold sweat. He couldn't remember the dream, and just rolled back to sleep.
"That's the end of the chapter." McGonagall said.