Chapter 6: The House of the Prince of Gold
A/N: When diverting from cannon, an author must choose what elements to stick to and when to go off the beaten road. Hopefully that road doesn't leave you screaming dear mercy as you are attacked by the Terrasque. I don't own a darn thing.
Harry stared in wonder at the massive amounts of food on the table as everyone else chose what they wanted from the plates. Harry blinked a few times and loaded up his plate with a little bit of everything except the peppermint humbugs and dug in. "So any of you know what the classes will be like?" Hermione asked. Neville shook his head and Ron was too busy stuffing his face. Harry looked over to his newest compatriot. "I should think being that are classes are spread out, some daily, some once a week, that we are expected to focus more so on those that are daily and will receive less work but more application." Draco said thoughtfully, pointedly ignoring the continuing stares from mainly Slytherin and Gryffindor. "Though, if I know Professor Snape," he nodded to the main table, "Potions with Slytherin will be... interesting." Harry was glad, but also worried that his 4 new compatriots were in the same house. It seemed the Slytherins were not happy with himself and Malfoy, and Ron was not happy that Malfoy was with them. Harry knew it'd be a tough year but hopefully they could all get along well enough. The discussion at the table ranged from the school, to classes, to families. "I'm half and half," Seamus had commented, "Me dad's a Muggle. Mom didn't tell him she was a witch 'til after they were married. Bit of a nasty shock for him." Some laughed, but Neville, Hermione, Harry and Draco did not, not seeing the humor in that.
As Harry looked around the room again, he settled for getting a clear look at the professors. Hagrid was drinking from his goblet, Professors McGonagall and Dumbledore were talking, some other professors were talking or eating. Professor Quirrell was talking to a teacher with greasy black hair, hooked nose and sallow skin. It happened very suddenly. The hook-nosed teacher looked past Quirrell's turban straight into Harry's eyes and a sharp, hot pain shot across the scar on Harry's forehead. "Ouch!" Harry clapped a hand to his head. "What is it?" asked Percy. "N-nothing." he responded. Harry was about to ask who it was and then thought on it a bit. Draco had mentioned a Professor Snape, and seemed to have had connections with the Slytherins. By all viewpoints, Snape seemed connected to the Slytherins as well, and the teacher seemed to be connected to Slytherin. He turned to Draco, and nodded to the Professor, careful not to make eye contact. "I'm guessing that's Professor Snape, correct?" Draco nodded, "Why do you ask?" "... No reason." Harry responded, not wanting to insult his professor to someone who knew him.
They finished their deserts, listened to an odd speech about the rules and sang the odd school song. After running into Peeves, the pestering poltergeist, they came to a corridor high up in the tower. "Gryffindor Dorms." Percy said impressively, "You won't get in here without the password and you won't get the password without asking a Gryffindor Prefect." Neville looked nervous about that as they scrambled through the round hole in the wall. They found the first years boys room successfully, and had a very odd dream about Professors Quirrell and Snape.
The next day, Harry found himself with lost with Neville of all people, looking for History of Magic with a 'Professor Binns' They were wandering down a random corridor hoping to luck into a Prefect or Professor to help.
Harry felt a bizarre sensation wash over him and he suddenly heard skittering down the hall behind them. He turned around and grabbed a nervous looking Neville around to face the source of the sound. An odd sight faced him. Two rather large bugs faced them, Harry felt another odd sensation wash over him, but couldn't discern what kind of bugs they were, Neville looked shocked and was edging himself behind Harry. House of the brave indeed, but then again, had Neville picked up any magic this summer? Harry doubted it. Harry squared up with the beasts but before he could act, the bug slithered up to him and attempted to bite him. It almost sunk it's teeth into him but Harry was able to push it off, maybe he could make a move before the other tried the same. Harry whispered to Neville behind him first. "I'm going to take a step back and then try something. Step back with me ok, and close your eyes, I'm not sure what's going to happen." Neville nodded. They took a step back together and Harry prepared a spell, incredibly grateful to have his spell book in his pouch. "Illustrio Collisto, Conius Sprirus!" A vivid cone of clashing colors sprung forth from his hand, hitting both the bugs which immediately fell over. Neville stopped shaking so hard behind him. "Ummm... are they?" "Dead? No, that spell shouldn't be able to kill anything. I apparently got lucky enough to make them unconscious, blind and stunned." "So..." "We should do something about them, I don't want to risk them attacking us or other students." "...Right. What should we do?" Neville asked.
Harry weighed his options, "Someone I look up to says we should kill them to make sure." Neville looked nervous about that. "But I think we should knock them further unconscious just to make sure and tell a professor when we can." Neville nodded and they kicked what looked to be the head end of the bugs a few times to make sure they would stay down then dragged them to a spare classroom and continued on. As they walked, Harry felt both excited and nervous. His magic worked, it worked well, it worked awesomely. But why... why had those bugs attacked them in the hallway? And why did he feel... not necessary stronger, not necessary wiser... just... he wasn't sure how to explain it to even himself but he loved the feeling he'd gotten from beating those bugs.