Chapter 2- Meeting Dumbledore

Dear Mr. Bennett,

I am happy to hear that you will be joining us at Hogwarts this year. Tell me when it would be a good time for you to be picked up, and I will be there.

Sincerely, Albus Dumbledore.

Alec read the letter from Dumbledore, replaying the words in his mind a million times over. Dumbledore, the headmaster of Hogwarts offered to pick him up. Whatever this was, Dumbledore wanted something from him because most headmaster's don't pick their students up from their houses. No, he wants something, and he's going to figure it out.

"Hey, Alec."

Alec raised his head from the table, standing in front of him was Jack. "Hey, kid, where's your mother?"

Jack took a seat next to Alec. "She should be in soon, she was parking the car,", Jack inclines his head towards a piece of stationary and a ball point pen. "What are you doing?"

Alec looks down at the paper and pen, and then back at Jack. "Oh, this. As soon as I talk to your mom, I'm going to write a letter to the Headmaster at my new school."

Jack nods his head along, already lost interest. "Sounds boring."

"What's boring?", there stood Camille, looking at the two boys imploringly.

"I wrote that letter to the Headmaster like you asked, and he replied," Camille nodded her head, encouraging him to keep going. "And I've been offered a ride to school. The Headmaster wants to know when I'm to leave, so I thought before I replied I should talk to you."

Camille nodded her head in consent. "Alright. Write to your Headmaster, and tell him you'll be ready to leave at the end of the week."

Alec nodded his head, grabbed the paper and pen, and ran back upstairs to his room. It was time for him to write his letter.

Dear Headmaster,

I should be calling you that now, shouldn't I since now I'll be attending Hogwarts. Lucky you, you've gained authority over me, though I guess I'll have to warn you, I'm not much for authority figures, we definitely clashed in the past, at my old school. Just a warning. I'm getting carried away, I didn't write to you to tell you that I'm a troublemaker, even though I am, kidding, well mostly. What I meant to say, is that I can leave as early as this weekend, if that pleases you. I guess I'll be seeing you then.

Sincerely, your future most cheeky student, Alec Bennett.

Alec set down the pen, and after looking over his letter thoroughly he thought it would do. Now, only for sending it. He folded the letter, placed it into the envelope, and sealed the envelope. He whispered "Transporto.", and the letter disappeared from sight.

Alec looked around his room, and thought, only 96 hours to go. And he was out of here.

Four days later, Alec is standing in his room, all packed and ready to go. Camille and Jack had left earlier in the day to run errands, leaving him in the house alone. Now it was only a matter of time before Dumbledore arrived to whisk him away. He couldn't wait. Sure, he'd miss a few things, namely Jack, he could always put a smile on his face. But, Hogwarts was where he was meant to be, it was the only place he fit in, and ever since what happened to his old school he had a hard time fitting in. So, he was determined to make this new school work out, he didn't care that he was probably some chess piece in Dumbledore's game, he wanted to go there. And while he was there, maybe he could play his own chess game.

"Meow.", Alec blinked. There in front of him was Ash glaring daggers at him, telling him to pay attention. And up ahead, taller than Ash, taller than himself was an old man with a long white beard with the wisest and oldest blue eyes he'd ever seen. He was dressed in a long dark green robe embroidered with many stars and moons.

"Santa, I think you messed up your costume again, are you getting senile in your old age."

The old man's eyes twinkled mercilessly and he let out a hearty laugh. Okay sarcasm obviously doesn't work. This will be a challenge, but that's okay, I love challenges. "You must be Dumbledore."

Dumbledore nodded slightly. "Mr. Bennett."

Alec frowned with displeasure. "Call me Alec. Mr. Bennett is my grandfather, and last time I checked, I don't have any gray hairs yet."

Dumbledore looked amused. "As you wish."

Alec shuffled his feet. "So...", Dumbledore held out his hand to take, and realization crossed Alec's features. "Oh, so we're going to apparate.", at Dumbledore's surprised face, he shrugged, and said, "I read a lot."

"Quite." and left it at that. Alec scrunched his eyebrows together and tried to figure out what Dumbledore meant, but gave up, grabbed his belongings, scooped up Ash into his arms and grabbed Dumbledore's offered hand. There was a loud crack and they were gone from the room.

They reappeared in an office. It was homey, if that was the word for it. It was exactly the place you would want to end up if you had got into trouble. Though the phoenix was looking at him strangely, he didn't know how he felt about that. He took a step forward, dropped his bags by the Headmaster's desk, and plopped himself in a chair across from the Headmaster's desk, it must have been for students who misbehaved.

Dumbledore was eyeing him, studying him, trying to figure him out, well that was okay because he was trying to figure out the old man too. Dumbledore leaned back in his chair and smiled at him, okay, creepy much. Not that he wasn't studying him, but he wasn't being creepy about it. His face was actually pretty expressionless, he was proud to say, or think. It doesn't sound the same, oh well. It would have to work.

He felt something pulling at his mind, but he couldn't figure out who or what it was. Then he looked up at Dumbledore and realized the reason he hadn't said anything yet, he was trying to get inside his head. He smiled inwardly. There was no way anyone was going to penetrate his walls, certainly not the Headmaster of his school.

"The students should be arriving soon," he nodded his head, not sure where Dumbledore was going with this. First he's trying to probe my mind, and he just changes the subject, like that. Sigh. This guy has totally lost it, if there are any marbles to lose, that is. When the children arrive, we will sort all the first year students where the hat will decide which house the children belong in."

"Wait a second. You're putting your faith in a hat to sort your students. A hat."

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "Yes, it appears I am.", Alec rolled his eyes not believing this guy. His Headmaster was nutters. He'd lost it. His Headmaster was crazy. Perfect. This should be an interesting year. "I will make an announcement after the first years are sorted. I will be telling the school that there is a transfer student this year, from the states, and he will be joining the fourth years. And then the hat will sort you."

"When you say hat, what kind of hat?", Dumbledore's eyes twinkled, but he said no more. "Hey, I'm being serious. Is it a cap, a fedora, a top hat, maybe? Ah, come on, tell me.", a smile crept over Dumbledore's face as he led Alec to the Great Hall.

They entered the Great Hall and Dumbledore took a seat at the staff table, next to all of his perspective teachers. Next to Dumbledore was an empty seat, when he asked about it he said it was Professor McGonagall, Head of Gryffindor, and the transfiguration teacher. Next in line was the potions professor, Severus Snape, his class would be one of his favorites, potions was his favorite subject. And next to Snape was Professor Sinatra, the astronomy teacher, if he was able to take the class it would be an interesting class, he had always succeeded in that subject. Besides Sinatra was Professor Sprout, the herbology teacher, which he had always found interesting, he knew knowing your plants was the difference between survival and death. And at the end of the table was Professor Flitwick, the charms teacher, that would surely be interesting, like every other class it seemed at Hogwarts, he only wondered where their Defense Against The Dark Arts Professor was, since that was a vital element in their learning experience, especially in this day and age.

He sat down, hidden behind Dumbledore's chair, out of sight. And no sooner did all the older kids save the first years rush into the Great Hall and to their table. Not long after that did Professor McGonagall finally return with a line of first years trailing after her. It looked like it was time for the sorting. She placed a four legged stool on the ground before the first years, and on top of it an extremely old patched hat. Damn that thing was ugly. Then it opened its ugly mouth and started to sing a song.

A thousand years or more ago,

When I was newly sewn,

There lived four wizards of renown,

Whose names are still known:

Bold Gryffindor, from wild moor,

Fair Ravenclaw, from glen,

Sweet Hufflepuff, from valley broad,

Shrewd Slytherin, from fen.

They shared a wish, a hope, a dream,

They hatched a daring plan

To educate young sorcerers

Thus Hogwarts School began.

Now each of these four founders

Formed their own house, for each

Did value different virtues

In the ones they had to teach.

By Gryffindor, the bravest were

Prized far beyond the rest;

For Ravenclaw, the cleverest

Would always be the best;

For Hufflepuff, hard workers

Most worthy of admission;

And power-hungry Slytherin

Loved those of great ambition.

While still alive they did divide

Their favorites from the throng,

Yet how to pick the worthy ones

When they were dead and gone?

'Twas Gryffindor who found the way,

He whipped me off his head

The founders put some brains in me

So I could choose instead!

Now slip me snug about your ears,

I've never yet been wrong,

I'll have a look inside your mind

And tell where you belong!

Once the sorting hat finished its song, the Great Hall filled with applause. And Professor McGonagall unrolled a large scroll of parchment. "When I call out your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool," she told the first years. "When the hat announces your House, you will go sit at the appropriate table."

At least now when its my turn I'll know what to do. I won't be made a fool of. Bright side. But after that Alec tuned out the voices, not really caring who went to which house. He finally came back out of his stupor when the last kid, Kevin Whitby, got sorted to Hufflepuff. And Dumbledore stood up, not giving McGonagall the chance to put the hat and stool away, all the students watched this curiously as Dumbledore walked up to the podium. Everyone stopped talking. "Before I let you all start eating, I have an announcement to make," everyone leaned in closer. "This year we have a transfer student from America joining us in the fourth year, I welcome Alexander Bennett."

Alec stood up from his spot on the floor behind Dumbledore's seat, and all the students gasped when they saw how tiny he was. Frowning, he marched over to the stool, sat down, and McGonagall placed the hat on his head, where it fell down over his eyes.

"Well, well, well, isn't this interesting. Another Potter boy, just as peculiar as the last."

"What are you talking about?"

"You are a Potter, are you not."

"My last name is Bennett."

"From your maternal grandfather, but your father was a Potter."

"That isn't possible."

"Anything's possible, but we're not here to talk about your lineage, we're here to decide which house you should go into. You're a hard nut to crack, just like your cousin."

"Wait, cousin?"

"Never mind. You've got the loyalty, the fierce protectiveness, the brains, and you're as sly as a snake, but which traits come out on top."

"Just make a decision already."

"Very well, I suppose I'll have to sort you into Gryffindor!"

Alec slipped the hat off his head and passed it to McGonagall. The whole Gryffindor table was clapping for him. The first time Hogwarts had a transfer student, and he got sorted into Gryffindor. This was a major achievement for them.

He walked over to his house and found a seat next to the chosen one. Harry his name was. He took a seat next to the golden trio and they congratulated him on making it in to Gryffindor. The girl of the golden trio turned to him, and said, "My name is Hermione,"

Alec turned to her, nodded, and smiled in earnest. "Alec."

Alec extended his hand to hers in greeting, and she shook it excitingly. She looked at him like she was reading a new book that she didn't want to put down. "Hogwarts has never had a transfer student."

Harry and Ron looked like they had just realized this for the first time and were just as curious as Hermione. Hermione spoke up. "Where did you attend before you decided to come here at Hogwarts."

"At my magic school in America where I used to attend was attacked..."

Hermione interrupted him. "Really, what happened?", Harry and Ron leaned in, ready to hear the riveting tale. They had forgotten about the food all together which had appeared while they had started talking.

Alec cleared his throat. "I had a free period when it happened. I was in the library doing my homework when I heard this loud explosion, it was followed by lots of screaming. So, I picked up my bag and left the library, searching for whatever had caused the explosion. What I found were bodies, teachers and students dead. I ventured further and I found scorch marks on the walls. Evidence of either fire balls or energy balls. You see, in your world you have death eaters, but in my world we have demons, demonic creatures that can sometimes disguise themselves as human, but if you give them the chance they will kill you. At magic school no intruders can get in, they can't get past the barriers, what happened was a student let down the barriers, and guaranteed their entrance to the school."

"Why the bloody hell would he do that?", Alec looked up in surprise to see Ron all red faced and bothered. He looked absolutely furious, he was sputtering, not knowing what else to say.

Alec smiled a bitter smile. "Everyone thought he was a good student, they never knew there was anything wrong with him."

Hermione frowned. "Surely his teachers should have known there was something wrong with him."

Alec shook his head sadly. "Unfortunately not. You see, his mother had just died. So, they were worried about him, he was detached, not really talking to anyone, but everyone was sure it was just part of the grieving process."

Harry looked down at his hands, and Ron started shoveling food into his mouth. Hermione lifted a hand to her mouth. "How awful."

Alec nodded his head in agreement. "His poor brother was devastated. Didn't even realize anything was wrong with his older brother, what a shame."

Harry lifted his head. "He had a brother?"

Alec nodded. "Yeah, he was sixteen."

Hermione looked at Alec. "What happened to them?"

Alec looked on sadly. "Well, the older brother, the one that brought in the demons started recruiting more demons, and made more destruction, and now he is the Dark Lord of America.

Harry looked intently at Alec. "So, there's a war on in America."

Alec sighed solemnly. "There will be soon."

Before anyone could ask anymore questions on his tribulations in America, there was a loud rumble of thunder and the doors of the Great hall were flung open.

A man stood in the doorway, leaning upon a long staff, shrouded in a black traveling cloak. Every head in the Great Hall swiveled toward the stranger, suddenly brightly illuminated by a fork of lightning that flashed across the ceiling. Hermione gasped.

Alec studied the man as he trudged forward, his staff making a banging noise on the floor. He narrowed his eyes as the man moved forward and stepped in front of Dumbledore. Who was this man, why did he look familiar, where could I have seen this man before?

The man reached Dumbledore. He stretched out a scarred hand, and Dumbledore shook it, muttering words that Alec strained to hear but couldn't quite make out. They finally finished talking, and Dumbledore nodded his consent for the man to sit on his right hand side. Alec gasped in realization where he saw where the man was sitting. He was the missing person, the missing teacher.

"May I introduce our new Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher?" said Dumbledore brightly into the silence. "Professor Moody."

None of the students or staff clapped for the new teacher, except for Dumbledore and Hagrid, and it sure didn't help the atmosphere. No clapping for the new DADA Professor, well this should be a fun year.

After that Alec just kind of tuned everyone out. Sure, he heard everything that was being said, he had a sort of gift for that. He heard all about the Triwizard Tournament and its history, and that Hogwarts would be hosting two other schools for the tournament, but he just didn't care enough to listen with rapt attention.

Alec was still staring ahead of himself when he felt someone shaking his shoulder. He looked up and he saw Hermione looking down at him, concern flashing in her eyes. He got up from his seat on the bench, and thanked her for pulling him out of his reverie. She nodded and told him to follow her, so she could show him the way to their dorms.

Alec followed behind Hermione, but took a glance back to the staff table where Dumbledore and Professor Snape were still sitting. Dumbledore was looking at him, his blue eyes twinkling. He still couldn't figure it out, that old man's end game, but he would. Then his gaze fell on Snape. He was looking at him with curiosity in his eyes, not the barely veiled disgust that was usually in his eyes when he looked at Gryffindors. He would have to figure out Snape, also. This would be a long year.

Alec turned around and followed Hermione out of the Great Hall, and into their dorms. They stepped in front of a large portrait of a fat lady in a pink silk dress. Alec looked on In curiosity, what could they be doing in front of a portrait, was it some kind of secret passage. And then it talked.

"Password?" she said, and Alec almost reeled backward in shock, but once he had controlled himself a smile crept onto his face at how awesome that was. Talking portraits. This is the best school ever.

"Balderdash," said Hermione. The Portrait winked at Alec and then opened. The two of them stepped inside and Hermione told him that this was the Gryffindor common room, where everyone hung out if they wanted, and sometimes they did their homework here, but she also said if you wanted to get any work done you should try the library. He looked around. This was awesome it had a really homey feel to it, nothing like his old school, quite the opposite. She told him where his dorm room was then excused herself and ran up to her dorm room.

He looked around at the common room once more before ascending the stairs to his dorm room. The boys of his year were already up there, and getting settled in their own beds. It didn't take him long to find his bed, his trunk was right by it. And Ash was curled up on his bed, waiting for him. Alec smiled, slipped into bed and fell asleep to Ash's purring.