Chapter 6- The first week

Neville woke to something poking him "Neville, wake up" he turned over and groaned, the poke came again, more insistent "Neville, wake up, hurry" finally he pried open his eyes to see Aralas standing next to him in a pair of loose pants with a satchel hanging across his skinny chest and his hair looking disheveled.

"What?" he asked groggily as he rubbed his face.

"Wanna see the sunrise with me?" the young elf asked hopefully, his green eyes wide and dark in the dim light of false dawn.

The words filtered slowly through Neville's sleep fogged brain "Sunrise?" he asked blinking and slowly sitting up to look at his new fried more clearly.

Aralas nodded and gestured towards the window "Hedwig says that there is a perfect ledge a really easy climb up."

His voice was still low so as to not wake their new dorm mates but the last word shook Neville awake as quickly as a bucket of icy water "c..c..climb" he stuttered as his fear of heights asserted itself with a vengeance. The thought of climbing around outside Gryffindor tower made him feel rather ill.

Aralas nodded "it's just along the ledge and up a couple of gargoyles" he said, his face showing his hope that Neville would agree.

"I…I can't" Neville told his friend, his voice quivering like an aspen leaf in a strong wind.

The elf's slanted brows furrowed in confusion "Why not?" he asked, cocking his head to the side.

Beet red with shame Neville confessed "I'm af...f..fraid..o... ..heights" he stuttered out, and buried his face in his hands, imagining the look of disgust on Aralas's face and waiting for the denunciations and accusations of cowardice that he just knew were coming.

Instead he felt a hand on his shoulder "what makes you afraid of them?" Came the gentle question and Neville felt the bed dip a bit as Aralas sat next to him.

"I'm clumsy, I'll fall for sure, and I've been terrified since my uncle dangled me off of a balcony, trying to get me to perform some accidental magic." The confession slipped out from between his arms and tears leaked out from his eyes as he relived the terror he had felt at seeing the ground rush up to meet him as he fell.

The hand on his shoulder was replaced by an arm that wound around his shoulders in a hug he also heard a long slow exhale.

Slowly he peeked out from his shelter to see his new friend hugging him "Do you want help getting over it?" Aralas asked softly. Neville nodded and sniffed, whipping his nose on his sleeve. Aralas reached into his satchel and pulled out a long piece of rope "I know how to keep from falling and if you do I know how to keep us safe. So if I tie us together and help you along… will you come?" he asked shyly, his eyes looking up into the taller boys face.

Something seemed to ignite in Neville as he nodded and slowly eased out of bed, putting on some shoes as Aralas pulled on a shirt and boots.

Then before his courage could fail him, Neville helped Aralas tie the rope into a harness and cinched it around his waist before Aralas did to same. There was about nine feet of rope between them and Aralas opened the window and slid carefully out onto the two foot wide ledge.

Shaking like a leaf Neville followed him, edging fearfully out with his back pressed to the wall. "Breathe deeply, let your fear flow out with each breath, we can wait." Aralas' voice came to him through the still air. Neville obeyed and felt that little spark he felt around his friend flare brighter and drive some of his panic away.

"Now turn to face me." Aralas's voice was calm and sure, blowing on the spark to make it brighter. Neville turned to face his friend who stood on the ledge as if it were a hundred feet wide, not two. "Now don't shuffle. Make each move slow and deliberate. Look where you want to go. Where you look is where you will go." The elf instructed.

Slowly, the two boys made their way along the ledge. Aralas calmly giving instructions and guiding Neville along as the boy's confidence slowly grew.

When they reached a set of Gargoyles sticking out like stairs along the edge of the tower Aralas didn't pause in his instructions. His voice soothing Neville's worry and blowing on the spark of courage that Neville felt.

He wasn't sure how long it was but sometime later he found himself sitting on a five foot deep ledge with Aralas, the two boys wrapped up in the large white wolf pelt to keep warm after having worked up a sweat during the climb and both munching on some kind of Jerky that Aralas had pulled out of his satchel. Neville stared out in wonder at the forbidden forest to the east.

During the climb it had become lighter and lighter, the darkness of the grounds retreating until the full height of the tower was visible, making him shiver. "Look" Aralas pointed and Neville saw a faint tint of gold along the edge of the treetops. "Magic love this moment, feel it inside you" Aralas told him.

Neville breathed deeply, imitating his friend and watched the gold light grow stronger and begin to gild the deep green leaves of the forest.

He almost felt like he was in a trance as he watched the sun, and for a moment he felt something like a surge of light in his chest, like something inside of him was responding to the light of the sun.

Far too soon the moment passed and Aralas looked at him "We need to get back before the others wake up" he said reluctantly. "Just do what you did to get here and you will be fine" he instructed rolling up the wolf pelt and storing it back inside his enchanted satchel.

The climb back to the dorm was harrowing for Neville. Now that the light was stronger, the drop was more visible as opposed to the soft darkness that had been beneath him on the way up.

It was a sweating Neville who followed Aralas back inside. Falling into his bed in exhausting as his muscles quivered as they released the tension they had been holding for the climb back. Aralas nudged him a few minute later "How do I bathe?" he asked cautiously, Groaning now from the feeling of his sore muscles Neville introduced the elf to the wonders of a hot shower and indoor plumbing. Smiling a little at the other boy's amazement and deciding that a shower felt like an excellent idea.

Twenty minutes later saw both boys freshly washed and dressed in their school robes sitting on their beds in their dorm. Neville watched in fascination as Aralas brushed, then braided his hair, carefully weaving three feathers in as well.

Seeing his friend's curious look Aralas explained "Bosmer like nature, the feathers are for decoration and represent freedom." The most fascinating moment was when Aralas pulled out a stone jar containing some kind of grey/silver paste that he then used to draw two curving lines from his eyes down to his neck. The silver colour subtly visible against his bronze skin "clan markings" was his explanation.

Morning rituals finished they headed down to the common room with Snowpaw at their heels and found Hermione dressed and ready to go sitting by the newly lit fire fidgeting nervously.

As they came down the stairs she looked up at them, surprised to see them. "Neville, Aralas… what are you doing up so early?" she asked.

"I always get up early and I was showing Neville a Bosmeri morning ritual" Aralas smiled plopping down in a chair next to her whilst Neville seated himself carefully sat in the edge, of the nearby couch trying to use what he had done earlier to not trip over his own feet. Snowpaw pranced over to Hermione and leapt into her lap, purring as she absently stroked his ears.

"Morning ritual?" Hermione asked excitedly, and would have interrogated them if she hadn't been distracted by the fact that Aralas was now wearing face paint. "What is the paint for?" she asked him, peering at his face closely as if she could pull the answer from the paint itself by sheer force of will.

"It's a personal choice as well as my clan marking. Most wear it when they are about to go on an adventure, but I was so excited to get on the train that I forgot to put it on yesterday" he admitted sheepishly "don't tell anyone" he pleaded.

"Of course not" Hermione assured him before she began to rapid fire off questions until Neville rescued his friend by informing them that breakfast would be starting as it was now seven thirty.

They began to trek their way through the halls, mostly following Aralas's memory from the night before and Snowpaw's sense of smell.

It was seven fifty eight when they finally reached the great hall, which was beginning to fill with students.

As they sat down near the teachers table at the Gryffindor table students and even some teachers stared or pointed at Aralas's ears, hair and paint. The whispers reaching his sensitive ears:

"Do you see him?"

"look at that cat!"

"With the pointed ears and long hair?"

"Do you see the feathers?"

"Do you see the face paint?"

"What a savage"

The last comment was heard by Hermione who turned on the offending Slytherin in a rage and nearly blasted his eardrums for such a comment before Aralas and Neville dragged her to the table.

"They have no right to call you a savage" Hermione fumed as they seated themselves at the table.

"I don't mind, Bosmer means people of the sap, we chose to reject Civilization when we ceded away from the high elves, they still call us savages sometimes" Aralas soothed her, but inside he was feeling as humiliated as she felt angry.

Food did make it better, Hermione and Neville introduced Aralas and Snowpaw to the wondrous food known as bacon. He enthusiastically tried all the new forms of meat and eggs that were placed near him while Snowpaw sat near his feet gnawing on a large sausage and throwing in questions with Aralas's about what other kinds of food this plane had. Both sets of questions had Hermione happily explaining, in her element that Aralas and Neville dubbed "lecture mode".

Around eight thirty the air around the tables became full of owls of every shape and breed as they flew over the tables, delivering items that had been forgotten, letters and care packages to the various students.

Aralas craned his neck and scanned for Hedwig. Soon enough he saw her as most owls don't appear in a flash of blue and purple light causing people to gasp and point.

He ignored them and watched as she sored down toward him, holding a large envelope which she dropped in front of him before swooping to land on his shoulder, nipping the point of is ear and preening his hair in affection…well almost.

"Didn't you preen this morning?" she demanded in a scandalized voice as she pushed strands of his hair behind his ear "do you have No pride in your appearance?... honestly you would forget your ears if they weren't attached to your head." She scolded him and worked to get his hair to sit in some manner of order.

"Hey I washed and brushed this morning, thank you very much." Aralas told her smiling "Thanks for bringing me the letter" he added, passing her a large strip of bacon "try this, it's amazing" the owl daintily took the piece and at the first taste her luminous eyes widened and she gobbled it down, leaning forward to grab more.

Smiling at the owl's antics he picked up the heavy vellum envelope and opened it.

Dear Aralas,

How was your first day? Did you make any friends? Are you enjoying your school? What house did you get into? I hear that one's house is important. Serana is staying for the next few days to wait for our letter. The house seems so much quieter with you gone. Aela says she misses her pup already. Farkas and the others stopped by on their way through and say that they will be visiting on Loredas and Sundas [Saturday and Sunday] to keep up your training. So be ready. If you have any friends who want to join just tell me and I can send some extra training equipment with them. Write to me soon my Hatchling. Don't forget your prayers and try not to hurt any idiots too seriously.

Love Mama

p.s. are you in any trouble yet? was it worth it?

Serana here, how was your first night? Are there any other races attending? From what I've been reading in the books Silandra got there world is very exclusive and rather racist. How are you being treated? If anyone starts giving you trouble you can me and I'll scare the lives out of them. Also I'm curious to hear how they approach alchemy, so write back soon!

Love Aunty Rana

p.s. don't do anything we wouldn't do.

Aela now, so, cub what does your school look like from the outside. Are there any good hunting grounds nearby? I would love to visit and maybe I could bring the pack by to see you, they would love that. Is anyone giving you difficulty? Just say the word and I'll be there with the others on my heels. Have you found some shield-Siblings yet? If you have what are their names? I miss you cub. The house feels empty without you. (Also your mom is moping around like a lost soul.) Hunt well and stay safe little one

Love Aunty Aela

p.s. we thought you might want this. Use it well.

He smiled at the letter from home. The idea of his vivacious mother moping around the hose just didn't fit with his mental image of her. He looked back at the envelope that held something heavy inside and pulled it out. His eyes widened as he looked at it before quickly stuffing it into his pocket before anyone could see. After all an amulet of invisibility would come in use for exploring.

His friends were still laughing at Hedwig as she held a piece of bacon in her talon and nibbled on it happily.

"Careful, eat to much of that and you'll get to fat to fly" he told her as he wrote a reply to his family.

"I won't get fat, I exercise" she told him primly, ruffling her feathers.

Aralas snorted as he folded his letter in to a square and holding it out "do you think you could take this home?" he asked her smiling.

She fixed him with a withering glare "you called me fat" she said in a haughty voice.

"I'm sorry, you're not fat, you're svelte and muscled" he apologised, the owl gave a snort, "and the most beautiful owl here" he added stoking her ego. Finally she took the letter and cuffed him gently on the back of his head gently with her wing before flying up and vanishing though a portal that made several people gasp in astonishment.

Aralas looked at Hermione and Neville who were staring at him "what?" he asked.

"You were hooting at your owl" Neville said.

"And last night you were growling at you cat" Hermione added.

Aralas shrugged "Bosmer can speak to animals, it's one of the gifts Y'ffre gave us… that and several woodland skills." He trailed off seeing lady McGonagall stalking down the table handing out sheets of parchment.

She paused when she arrived at Aralas, her nostrils flaring as she breathed in and looking around. Snowpaw gave a deep meow and slid halfway out from under the table to look up at the teacher with a curious eye. "She smells like a cat… and an alpha… listen to her. She leads the pride here" the cat told Aralas, flattening his ears and adopting a submissive posture.

McGonagall stared at the cat for a moment before blinking dismissively and turning to that three students handing them their timetables. "Stillglade, what kind of cat is that?" she asked fixing him with the same stare that had made Snowpaw submit.

"A snow saber cat, Lady McGonagall" he told her, confidently.

Her brows furrowed "I've never heard of that breed" she said imperiously "and it's professor McGonagall" she informed him, but this time with a slight hint of a smile.

"Of course professor" he acquiesced. She smiled at the three of them fully and continued down the table. "I like her" Aralas told his friends decisively turning to look at his timetable "she reminds me of Aunty Rana when she's teaching me" he added thoughtfully.

Hermione was looking at him with a strange expression whilst Neville was recovering from the shock of being confronted by a teacher so early in the morning.

Their first day of classes was interesting but very confusing to Aralas.

The three of them managed to find their way to transfiguration on time thanks to Snowpaw's nose, but they were confronted by an empty room and a cat sitting primly on the desk .

Greeting night-friend" Aralas addressed the cat politely, "might you know where the pride leader is?" The cat stared at him in surprise, the square markings around her eyes looking rather like the spectacles McGonagall wore.

"I beg your pardon Mister Stillglade." She said in a rather severe voice that Aralas recognised at once, turning dark bronze in embarrassment and sitting in one of the desks quickly.

"My apologies, professor… I thought that you were a common cat, I did not realise that you were able to shift your shape" he muttered by way of an apology.

"Well keep this quiet young man, I have a class to surprise" The teacher told him, fixing a stern gaze on him before turning away and adding "We will discuss your ability to speak to me after class" he nodded and looked back at his friends who again were looking at him funny.

Hermione then shook her head and pulled out her books.

The other students walked in and looked relieved at the apparent lack of a teacher. The last one to arrive was red haired Ron, who stumbled in with a stain on his tie and, once he saw that there was no teacher sighed "brilliant, made it."

It was at this moment that the cat leapt from the desk, shifting as she fell and landing as a human with a very stern expression. "That was bloody brilliant" the boy stammered trying to placate the teacher with flattery.

"Why thank you for that assessment mr Weasely. Perhaps if I was to transfigure you into a pocket watch? then perhaps you would be on time." she fixed him with a withering gaze as he mumbled something about getting lost. "Then perhaps a map, I trust you don't need on to find your seat." The boy fell into his seat with a beet red complexion that clashed dreadfully with his hair.

Aralas listened in fascination as McGonagall began to lecture them on the seriousness of Transfiguration.

He gasped in amazement like the others when she turned her desk into a pig and back, though she seemed rather put out with his question about whether or not the transfigured pig was edible.

It was halfway through her lecture that his confusion reached its peak. "Excuse me professor" he interrupted with a raised hand.

"Yes Mr. Stillglade" she said looking a little miffed at being stopped mid flow.

"You keep saying that wand movements and correct pronunciation are key to performing a transformation, but is it not your will that forces the object to change shape?"

The teacher looked momentarily stumped, but rallied quickly. "The gestures and incantations are the focus, will is imagination, you must visualise the transfiguration, so in a way then yes, will is the key."

Aralas now looked even more confused "so then why are the wand and incantation necessary? Surely ones will is enough to change the objects structure."

Everyone stared at the elf in astonishment, someone questioning the use of a wand? Everyone needed a wand.

McGonagall cleared her throat "the wand is a focus, without it magic cannot be used for more detailed work."

The confused look did not abate, but he dropped the subject, listening carefully until the class ended and the other students trooped, Hermione and Neville promising to wait outside for him.

McGonagall looked at the young elf standing before her "Mr. Stillglade, how were you able to converse with me when I was in cat form?" she asked him curiously.

The boy scratched his nose nervously "I'm Bosmer professor, one out our gifts is beast speech, the ability to speak to all animals" he explained.

McGonagall filed away that piece of information before addressing him in a more serious tone, "now what exactly confused you during my lecture?" She asked him with concern.

The boys expression turned frustrated "Your explanation of the need for a wand, I've seen plenty of mages back home change things without any focus or incantation, they aren't needed, only will power is."

The professor's eyebrows rose to her hairline "can you give me an example?" she asked him curiously.

Aralas nodded and held out his hand, his brows coming together in concentration a sphere of blue light appeared in his hand and grew more intense until it expanded in a flash and revealed a glowing blue dagger sitting in his hand, it was wickedly curved and the hilt and cross guard were adorned with a vicious collection of spines.

Fascinated McGonagall reached out and took the blade from him "what did you do?" she demanded examining the cool metal of the spectral looking blade and gently testing the blades edge and gasping as it drew blood.

"I summoned and bound a lesser dremora into the shape of a blade, it's the only spell I know at the moment apart from summon familiar…" the bell rang and McGonagall started, dropping the dagger which melted away into a soft blue mist.

"Get to class" she told him and he sprinted out, his cat on his heels and joined his friends as they ran to the next class.

Charms presented much of the same problem: "But where do you draw your energy from?" asked an extremely frustrated Aralas.

"I don't understand the question." Flitwick said "your magical core is the source of your power… "

Aralas frowned "Yes but what about when your magika is exhausted? which realm do you draw it from? Aetherius or oblivion? If you pull from oblivion you run the risk of incurring a debt with a deadric prince… Isn't that extremely dangerous?"

His green eyes showed complete and utter confusions he tried to make sense of how they did magic and Flitwick's mouth opened and closed like a gaffed fish.

"How about you give us a demonstration of the different magic you know" he hedged finally.

"Ok what do you want me to do?" The elf asked.

"Create a light" Flitwick instructed.

Aralas nodded and held out his hand, pale white light coalesced in his half closed fist. When he let it go a small sphere floated to just in front of him, he got up and moved, the light drifted along with him as if it were on a pole.

Flitwick saqueaked in surprise and tumbled off his stack of books.

Later that night he met with Minerva in the teachers' lounge and downed glass after glass of Firewhiskey as they tried to dissect what the boy had done.

In the gloom of the common room Hermione was hissing at Aralas and a trembling Neville.

"You can't go sneaking around at night that's against the rules!" Her voice was low but filled with worry as she stared at the elf and his accomplice, both were dressed in dark clothes.

"I'm teaching Neville how to sneak Hermione" Aralas told her patiently "If you want I can teach you too, but this is important to learn."

The furious girl followed the two boys through the portrait hole, hissing like a leaky tire all the way, but finally giving up and taking the elf's hints about moving more quietly.

Several hours later they slid through the halls of the third floor corridor.

Aralas's eyes gleamed with excitement as they eyed the forbidden door. They approached it with Hermione fretting and tugging at his sleeve and Neville shaking like a leaf again. He tried the door and grinned at the locked status of it.

Hermione sighed in relief until she saw him pull out a pair of long thin pieces of metal. "Are those Lock picks?!" she demanded scandalise.

"Yup" he grinned and kneeled down in front of the door began to wiggle the tumblers around humming to himself "Oh there once was a hero named Ragnar the red."

snap, click, the door swung open and they were confronted with the terror inspiring sight of an enormous dog with three very angry heads snarling at them.

Hermione froze, Neville shook and Aralas grinned looking the monster in front of him.

"Hi, whatcha doin?" he yipped at the dog.

Who blinked, sneezed and began growling again "I am Fluffy the terrible" snarled the head on the far left.

"No I am Cuddles the fearsome" the middle head told him, showing off his teeth.

"Fools, I am Bubbles the dreadful" snapped the head on the right.

This started an argument between the three heads who began snapping and snarling at each other and Aralas stifled a giggle.

Hermione recovered first, slamming the door, and with the help of Neville dragged the sniggering Aralas through the corridors back to the tower.

Once they were back inside the empty common room Aralas burst into hysterical laugher, clutching his sides as he relayed what the dog had said in between guffaws.

Soon the terror of the encounter had faded and the three of them were rolling on the floor laughing their heads off.

Then they headed for bed. Their first day had been eventful, to say the least.

The next morning in false dawn, Snowpaw padded into the girls dorm and prodded Hermione with his paw. She snorted awake and stared at the cat. Snowpaw, seeing that she was awake dropped a slip of paper on her coverlet and sat there watching her with large unwinking eyes. She carefully picked up the paper and unfolded it.

Written there in brazen abandonment of the rules was the message:

Hermione, we are going to watch the sunrise, wanna come? If yes get dressed and open you window. If no, then pop out and tell us.

Aralas and Neville.

p.s. we're climbing up the outside wall. Yes that is definitely against the rules, no we don't care.

She gapped at the letter. Climbing along the outside wall? They could be killed… or worse expelled.

She opened the window and looked outside. Aralas and Neville stood in the narrow ledge dressed in their street cloths.

Aralas grinning from ear to pointed ear and Neville keeping his eyes fixed firmly on his friend back, she vaguely noticed the rope holding them together.

"What are you doing?" she hissed at them again.

"Going climbing… Aralas whispered back, his grin not shrinking at all "I was going to start teaching Neville Nirnian magic while we're up there… wanna join?"

Hermione scowled… that was playing dirty and he knew it offering knowledge like that. Also that grin was just daring her to say no.

With a huff she withdrew and emerged a few minutes later in jeans and a sweater. "If we die I'm blaming you" she told the elf fiercely.

This threat was lost on him as he handed her a harness and led them up to the ledge. It wasn't until they were all sitting there wrapped in a bear pelt and eating jerky that Hermione's fury ended and she remembered that she was afraid of heights.

This revelation, coupled with the fact that they were a good two hundred meters above the grounds caused some panic.

But that was lost momentarily in the beauty of the sunrise. She watched in awe as the sun rose and she noticed a faint blueish glow around Aralas and a flickering around Neville, both had their eyes riveted on the sun and Aralas at least had a peaceful expression. "Reach for your magic Hermione" Aralas whispered "it feeds off moments like this."

She tried, she really did. But the more she reached the more frustrated she got, winding her up like a piano string.

By the time the two boys opened their eyes she has hopping mad, forgetting her fear again. "You have to relax Hermione, nothing will come from being angry." She scowled at this but eventually calmed down.

They eventually made their way down and went to class, but Hermione found her mind drifting back to the peace atop the tower.

The week slid by with Aralas confounding his teachers and his teachers confusing him. He spent hours talking with them, and trying to explain what he was doing.

His morning meditations with Hermione and Neville continued and eventually their mutual fear of heights faded as they grew used to the path to the ledge, climbing it without ropes every morning and evening to watch the sun rise and set.

Aralas had taken to teaching them Nirnian magic and they could each conjure up a small flame spell, though not for long and Hermione was finally relaxing enough to feel her magic.

Their friendship grew exponentially and they were always seen together, where one was, the others would be too.

Defence against the dark arts was an Absolut joke in Aralas' humble opinion.

The teacher stuttered more than Neville on a bad day and his class stank of garlic that and every time he turned his back on Aralas his forehead would itch like crazy.

This unfortunate combination had lead to Aralas confronting the quivering teacher.

"How in the name of Auriel's shiny ass are we supposed to kill monsters trying to kill us if all you teach use are tickling jinxes?" Aralas demanded crossing his arms.

"w. ... y.. your enemies w..w..will b..b..be l..laughin t..t...t..to h..hard t.t..t.o atta..attack" Quirrell had finally managed to spit out around his stutter.

"Drauger aren't ticklish" Aralas had informed the teacher who had looked terrified at the mention of the fell creatures.

He had quickly dragged out the textbook and tried to distract them with reading.

After that class, the rumour that the room stank of garlic so as to repel a vampire that was supposedly after Quirrell, Aralas had loudly debunked the myth that vampires were afraid of garlic.

"How would you know?" sneered Malfoy, who had made it his personal mission in life to humiliate Aralas for snubbing him on the train.

"Because my Godsmother is a vampire" Aralas had snapped at him angrily. There had been a moment of silence as everyone stared at him and his face went a dark bronze at his outburst.

The pandemonium that had ensued after that filled the hallways and led to people avoiding him and rumours spreading that he was a vampire, using his purely carnivorous diet as proof, ignoring his insistence that it was for religious reasons.

After several such episode the teachers began having nightly meetings about the elf and his actions in class, bottles of Firewhiskey were consumed as wisdom was sought in the amber liquids depths and many a teacher went to a smirking Snape for hangover cures and Quirrell avoided the elf like the plague.

They were standing outside a thick wooden door that lead to the potions classroom.

Neville was white as a sheet from the tales told by the Weasely twins about the overgrown bat's cruelty against all things Gryffindor. Hermione was muttering various facts about potions and their brewing to them, but that didn't help.

Aralas was staring at a list he and Serana had compiled on the differences between the Nirnian plants and their Terran varieties, there several large ones.

At the correct time the door clicked open and they all filed in.

The room was large, cold and poorly ventilated, rather like one of those ancient Nordic crypts Aralas had visited with his mother.

They all settled into their seats, Gryffindors on one side, shifting nervously while the Slytherins smirked and sneered at them with the smug superiority of a snake in its own lair.

The door slammed open and Snape swept in. His soulless black eyes sweeping the ranks of students.

Where it hit the Gryffindors they shrank from the venom in the gaze while the Slytherins seemed to draw strength from it.

First thing he did was take attendance, his voice a deep terrifying bass that seemed to suck at your happiness.

When he reached Aralas he paused "Mr. Stillglade" he said, his voice a bare whisper that was still audible to all. "Our new celebrity" he spat out the last word and several Gryffindors shuddered in fear, yet Aralas gazed calmly back at him unimpressed at the potion master's antics.

He continued down the list and swept his gaze across the class, Gryffindors wilted, their vaunted courage abandoning them in the face of such hatred, all except Aralas and those immediately around him.

In the silence afterward you could have heard a pin drop.

"There will be absolutely no foolish wand waving or silly incantations in this class, many of you will most likely leave here believing that this is not even truly magic, and you will be fools for doing so."

The sneer that crossed his face was quite impressive Aralas thought idly, but not a patch on Grandmother Valerica's.

"You are here to learn the exact art and subtle science of potion making." Snape continued silkily "I will teach you how to bewitch the mind and ensnare the senses. I will teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory and even put a stopper in death- If you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually teach."

Aralas recognised the last part for what it was, a challenge, a gauntlet thrown down and he silently accepted it.

On his right Hermione quivered like a race horse at the starting gates, ready and willing with all her being to prove her worth and answer the challenge.

"Stillglade!" he snapped suddenly "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

Hermione's hand shot into the arm so fast that Aralas heard the air hiss in displacement.

He considered for a moment, the Terran method sliding away in the face of his rigorous alchemy training under a vampire who had transcended planes with her mixtures.

"If the Asphodel was picked during the full moons using a silver gauntlet and dried in absolute darkness, then mixing it with a wormwood infusion would provide the perfect base. You would need the head of a Hircine worshiping Hagraven which you boil in the infusion over a cauldron of rift flame in a tomb of heroes during the new moons in midwinter. Once strained and cooled the resulting liquid will result in a cure for lycanthropy" he recited proudly.

Dead silence met this statement, and Aralas looked around him in confusion "what?" he asked blankly seeing the shocked faces of all the purebloods who stared at him slack jawed.

"Aralas there is no cure for lycanthropy" Hermione whispered wide eyed. Aralas blinked.

"Yes there is. In fact there are four known cures: the first is to burn the head of the Hagraven witch that cursed you, second is to contract vampirism then get cured of that, though that method is expensive. Third is to get the blessing of a different Daedric prince or Divine and thus be cured and fourth is to the potion I just described."

Everyone continued to stare at the elf as if he had grown two heads and for the rest of the class Snape seemed to be in shock, barely even remembering to terrify the Gryffindors as he tapped the instructions onto the black board before digging out a massive potions tome.

That evening Snape joined the drinking in the staff room.

They were sitting on their ledge, enjoying the golden light of dawn on Saturday, Aralas had invited them to his upcoming lesson with Farkas and they had accepted happily, even now they were taking advantage of the sleep in time. They were lounging and making small talk when Aralas turned to Hermione and looking her dead in the eye and deadpanned "Cuddles the fearsome."

This had become a running joke with them as it still had the power to make them laugh uncontrollably and they would try to make the others slip up. Neville made a strangled choking sound as he repressed a laugh, a few seconds passed and Hermione struggled to stay impassive, but a smile grew as she stared into the elf's eyes that glittered with mischief.

A giggle slipped out, followed by another, soon they were laughing heartily, holding their sides. Their gales of laughter echoed around the outside grounds and woke a certain hungover lioness.

Minerva McGonagall was an early riser, but this morning she was sleeping off the effects of far too much Firewhiskey and a very late night. She and the other teachers had been up for most of the night trying to figure out the cure for lycanthropy he had mentioned, pouring over books trying to figure out what in heaven's name a Hagraven was.

So the sound of children's laughter was not as welcome as it usually was. She cracked open an bloodshot eye and listened for a moment.

Then the meaning of the sound seeped into her consciousness. Children laughing…. Outside….. Students were outside!

She sat bolt upright, pain forgotten and ran a quick diagnostic charm over the dormitories… three students were missing from their beds… and the tower!

She poked her head out of her open window and looked toward the sound of the laughter.

What she saw made her heart stop. Three children were sitting on a ledge near the top of the tower laughing their heads off!

Barely coherent with fear she whipped off a Patronus to Dumbledore and leapt for the broom in the corner.

Yanking on her tartan dressing gown she threw open her window and flew out in a move that was reminiscent of her days as a chaser for Gryffindor. She sped up to the ledge like Snape out of a party and drew level with the trio "What in the name of all that's holy are you three doing here!" she screamed at them, the three jumped at the sound of her banshee like screech and the girl gasped.

"Professor McGonagall!" she squeaked. The Longbottom boy turned the colour of old porridge but the elf looked at her with a wide smile.

"Morning Professor! Beautiful dawn isn't it" he called to her, smiling as if he wasn't a mere three inches from plummeting to his death.

He kicked his heels against the stone wall from where his legs dangled over the abyss.

"Get down from there this instant" McGonagall cried furious. Aralas looked at her in confusion "instantly, it takes time to climb down professor. If you want us down it will take several minutes" he told her in a confused voice. "NOW!" shrieked the terrified professor. By this time the Patronus had been received and other brooms baring the staff of the school were speeding towards the tower.

Aralas stood, balancing on the edge as if it were nothing…. Neville looked at Aralas and trembled. Hermione was white as a sheet… "What are we going to do… we'll be expelled!" she sobbed.

Aralas rolled up the pelt, ignoring the screams of the staff now flying around like overgrown birds.

Aralas sighed and turned to the flock of teachers "you sure you don't want us to climb down? We can do it… but now that you've scared them they will take longer to calm down."

McGonagall's face matched her tartan dressing gown, a woman with a hawk like face was watching him fixedly "just stay where you are" called the greasy haired teacher as he sneered at them.

Aralas sighed and sat down with his elbows on his knees. One by one he and his fellows were scooped up by hysterical teachers and once they had landed safely on the ground, frogmarched through the hallways.

Aralas looked at his friends who were both quivering.

"It will be fine" he told them soothingly.

They found themselves facing a stone gargoyle "Sherbet Lemon" growled their furious head of house.

The statue leapt to the side, making Aralas jump in shock before he was matched up the spiral stairs. He hoped this didn't scare the other two off, he like having company in the morning.

A/N- well is that enough of a deviation from canon for you all? The deleted scene was the original and straight from Sheogorath and I had to share it... like?

Hope you enjoy, sorry for the house name screw ups... I humbly apologise. I used up all my canon for the sorting, now we shall go boldly were my insanity takes us... hold on to your knickers!

Safe travels, Trojan seeress

Deleted scene

"Get yourselves down from there this instant.. you hear me Stillglade! As your head of house I command you to .NOW." came the Accented cry from McGonagall, fear fogging her mind.

Aralas looked at his fellow accomplices "Do you guys trust me?" he asked his two friends.

They both nodded, he grinned "Ready to get down the fun way?" he asked them.

This statement paused the two hysterical humans "What do you mean the fun way?" Neville asked and Aralas smiled.

"We jump and I keep us safe" he told them.

"J..J..J..jump?!" Hermione stuttered and Aralas grinned.

"yup" Hermione looked at Neville then at Aralas "I will take full responsibility." He told her "if anyone asks I'll say I dragged you two out here."

She nodded along with Neville "what have we got to loose" she whispered and Aralas grabbed them both in a one armed hug.

"hold onto me" he instructed, they complied wrapping their arms around his waist.

A breath, then he threw the three of them off the ledge.

McGonagall screamed, so did Hermione as they plummeted "look" Aralas commanded and for some reason she did.

Opening her eyes as they fell. Something built in her chest, an exhilaration, a fire that seemed to be emanating from the elf next to her.

Time moved in slow motion. She heard Aralas laugh, hear Neville's and her own joining his, looked to see Neville with a wide eyed smile and a wild grin that she knew matched hers and Aralas's.

She saw teachers drawing their wands and diving… but that was all drowned out by Aralas's voice shouting "FEIM, ZII, GRON" [Fade, Spirit, Bind], the world turned blue and they landed in their feet perfectly safe. She felt numb, as if she weighed nothing and was nothing more than a breeze.

Aralas grinned at her and Neville "See fun!" he cried, his eyes sparkling and a healthy glow in his cheek, Hermione and Neville joined in his laughter.

That had felt exhilarating, wonderful and terrifying.

Their revelry was interrupted by a initially shocked, then wrathful McGonagall who landed mere feet from them and began screaming at the three of them for endangering themselves and various other things, but most of her tirade was lost in her brogue which was now so thick as to be unintelligible.

The other teachers landed and the three students found themselves being frogmarched though the halls up to the headmaster's office.

Aralas looked at his two friends who were beginning to fall of the high from the adrenalin "totally worth it" he told them and they shyly nodded.

McGonagall smacked him upside the head and practically snarled at the Stone Gargoyle blocking their path "SHERBERT LEMON!"

The Gargoyle came to life springing aside, but this movement was quickly aborted when a large spike of ice suddenly became embedded in its throat, knocking its head right off.

"Oops... sorry?" Said Aralas weakly as his enraged head of house turned to glare at him.

Tottaly unrealistic... but so much fun to write. Hope you like