In a distance, they both heard Hagrid's voice, "Right then. First years, this way, please!"
"I promise that you will see me at Hogwarts, okay? If you don't see me, I'll find you," she said as she leaned down and kissed him on his head then walked in the opposite direction.
"Come on, first years, don't be shy. Come on now, hurry up," he called out and saw Harry walk up to him, "Hello, Harry."
"Hi, Hagrid."
"Everything go all right with Ella?"
"Yes," he replied.
"Right then. This way to the boats. Come on now, follow me," he said as he led the first years to the boats. Harry couldn't help but wonder where Ella had went off. They got into the boats and were awed once they had seen the castle where they would be calling their home during the academic year. Once they had gotten off the boats, they followed a Hagrid until they were told to go up the stairway to meet a Professor at the top of the stairs.
Harry saw Ella standing next to a tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes. She had a very stern face and Harry's first thought was that this was not someone to cross. Once the students had settled on the stairs, Ella and Harry made eye contact and she winked at him. He felt comforted that she was here, "Welcome to Hogwarts. Shortly, you'll pass through these doors and join your classmates. But before you take your seats, you must be sorted into your houses. They are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. While you're here, your house will be like your family. Your triumphs will earn you points. Any rule-breaking and you will lose points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points wins the house cup," she said but was shortly interrupted.
"Trevor!" a young boy called out as he saw his frog on the top stair.
McGongall dismissed his actions, "The Sorting Ceremony will begin momentarily. Wait here," she said and both she and Ella had gone inside the room behind the double doors.
"It's true, then, what they're saying on the train. Harry Potter has come to Hogwarts," a blond boy had said.
"Harry Potter?" Trevor's owner had said.
"This is Crabbe and Goyle, and I'm Malfoy… Draco Malfoy," Ron had smirked at his name, "Think my name's funny, do you? I've no need to ask yours. Red hair and a hand-me-down robe? You must be a Weasley. You'll find out some wizarding families are better than others. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there," he said and stretched his hand out.
Harry looked at it and said, "I think I can tell myself the wrong sort for myself. Thanks."
McGongall had tapped Draco's shoulder with a rolled up parchment, he looked over his shoulder and went to were he was standing, "We're ready for you now. Follow me." Feeling oddly as though his legs had turned to lead, Harry got into line behind a boy with sandy hair, with Ron behind him, and they walked into the Great Hall. Harry had never even imagined such a strange and splendid place. It was lit by thousands and thousands of candles that were floating in midair over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting. These tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting with vampires standing behind them. They were all fascinated with the ceiling.
"The ceiling isn't real. It's bewitched to look like the night sky. I read about it in Hogwarts: A History," Hermione said.
McGongall had stood next to a four legged stool. On top of the stool, there was a pointed wizard's hat. The hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty. "Will you wait along here, please?" she asked the first year students. Professor McGonagall led the first years up here, so that they came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them. The hundreds of faces staring at them looked like pale lanterns in the flickering candlelight. Dotted here and there among the students, the ghosts shone misty silver. Mainly to avoid all the starting eyes, Harry was looking around, trying to find Ella. He found her standing on right hand side of the staff table and calmed down immediately. Ella had smiled gently and winked at him again. He looked at who was sitting next to her and wondered who he was. "Now before we begin, Professor Dumbledore would like to say a few words."
"I have a few start-of-term notices I wish to announce. The first years, please note that the Dark Forest is strictly forbidden to all students. Also, our caretaker, Mr. Filch, has asked me to remind you that the third-floor corridor is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a most painful death. A reminder to all second year and above and an announcement to first years, Ella Cullen and her mate, Edward Cullen are not only assistants to myself, they are most importantly our security here at Hogwarts. You will see eight other people standing around. Two of them are our teachers, Dr. Cullen and Mrs. Cullen as well as Rosalie Hale and her twin brother, Jasper Hale, Emmett Cullen and his sister Alice Cullen, James Laurent and Victoria Laurent who are assistants to the Heads of Houses. I suggest that each and every one of you be on your best behavior. Thank you."
McGongall had stepped up as soon as he was finished, "When I call your name, you will come forth. I shall place the Sorting Hat on your head and you will be sorted into your houses. Hermione Granger.
"Oh, no. Okay, relax," she told herself.
"Mental, that one, I'm telling you," Ron told Harry.
She sat on the stool and McGongall had put the hat on her, "Right, then. Right, okay. Gryffindor!"
"Draco Malfoy"
He got up to the stool and sat down, before she even got a chance to put the hat on him, "Slytherin!"
"Every wizard who went bad was in Slytherin," Ron told him.
"Susan Bones."
"Harry, what is it?" Ron asked, noticing him touching his forehead. Ella held onto Edward's arm as she looked headily at Harry. She was feeling the pain too but she had to focus on him rather than the pain, which made it easier to bear. She looked toward Harry's line of sight and saw Professor Snape and Professor Quirrell. Something was wrong and she knew it.
"Nothing. Nothing, I'm fine," he said. She knew that he was far from being fine. Edward nudged her and she leaned into his ear and in a quiet voice told him what she noticed.
"Let's see. I know! Hufflepuff!"
"Ronald Weasley," McGongall said.
"Another Weasley! I know just what to do with you. Gryffindor!"
McGongall had looked at her list and saw his name and looked toward Ella, "Harry Potter."
Ella held her breath in as she saw him go sit on the stool. "Difficult, very difficult. Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind, either. There's talent, oh, yes. And a thirst to prove yourself. But where to put you?"
Ella could see Harry saying, "Not Slytherin, not Slytherin!" She was hoping for the same thing.
"Not Slytherin, eh? Are you sure? You could be great, you know. It's all here in your head. And Slytherin will help you on the way to greatness, no doubt about that. No? Well, if you're sure. Better be… Gryffindor!" Ella sighed greatly as the House of Gryffindor applauded for getting Harry Potter. Ella and McGongall made eye contact and were relieved. She thought that the Sorting Hat would have placed him in Slytherin. During that time, Harry heard the hat shout the last word to the whole hall. He took off the hat and walked shakily toward the Gryffindor table. He was so relieved to have been chosen and not put in Slytherin, he hardly noticed that he was getting the loudest cheer yet. McGongall had gone through the rest of the students and finally sat down at her seat.
McGongall had tapped her glass with her fork, "Your attention, please."
"Let the feast begin!" He clapped once and out of nowhere, food had appeared on all of the tables. Harry's mouth fell open. The dishes in front of him were not piled with food. He had never seen so many things he liked to eat on one table: roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, fries, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup, and for some strange reason, peppermint humbugs. The Dursleys had never exactly starved Harry, but he'd never been allowed to eat as much as he liked. Dudley had always taken anything that Harry really wanted, even if it made him sick. Harry piled his plate with a little bit of everything except the peppermints and began to eat. It was all delicious. Students were conversing as they ate. Ella was focusing on Harry to see how he was doing.
"Percy, who's that teacher talking to Professor Quirrell?"
"Oh, that's Professor Snape, head of the Slytherin House."
"What's he teach?"
"Potions, but he fancies the Dark Arts. He's been after Quirrell's job for years."
After lunch, Ron and Harry were both running towards McGonagall's class, they were both somewhat relieved when they saw that she wasn't there but only a cat on the desk, "We made it! Can you imagine the look on old McGonagall's face if we were late?" The cat jumped up and turned into McGongall and Ella, who was standing next to the desk had teleported into the room to make her presence known. Ron stood there gaping at both of us, Ella bit her cheek to prevent her from smiling when she heard Ron say, "That was bloody brilliant!"
"Thank you for that assessment, Mr. Weasley. It'd be better if I transfigured Mr. Potter and you into a watch. Then one of you might be on time."
"We were lost," Harry admitted.
"Then perhaps a map? I trust you don't need one to find your seats," she said. They both sat down. "For those of you who missed the beginning of class, this is Miss Cullen, who is my assistant and that is how you will address her. At times, she will take over class for me and other needs in regards to the House of Gryffindor. I ask the students to work on the questions from page 5 from the Transfiguration book. Get started both of you, when you are finished, raise your hand and Miss Cullen will come by to pick up your parchment," she said, looking pointedly at Ron and Harry. Harry looked at Ella who was really curious as to who she was. There has not been an opportunity for them to sit down and for him to ask her questions. She looked at him and winked and mouthed to him to get started. He smiled and took out a piece of parchment and started writing. When class had ended they all went to Snape's class, McGongall started talking as soon as they were out of earshot, "Ella, astral project to Severus' class, stay invisible and follow Harry. I'm concerned about him." Ella sat down in a chair that was in the corner of her classroom, drank from her hip flask before proceeding. She knew that she will be needing blood before doing this task. Once she felt comfortable, she astral projected into Snape's class and was grateful that he wasn't there yet, found a quiet place where she knew that Snape wouldn't find her and watched.
Snape immediately started to talk when he entered his classroom, "There will be no foolish wand-waving or silly incantations in this class. As such, I don't expect many of you to appreciate the subtle science and exact art that is potion-making. However, for those select few who possess the predisposition, I can teach you how to bewitch the mind and ensnare the senses. I can tell you how to bottle fame, brew glory and even put a stopper in death. Then again, maybe some of you have come to Hogwarts in possession of abilities so formidable that you feel confident enough to not pay attention," Hermione nudged Harry who was writing down notes. He looked up and stopped writing when he noticed that Snape was looking at him. "Mr. Potter… our new celebrity. What would I get if I added root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?" Hermione raised her hand but Harry remained quiet, "Let's try again. Where would you look if I asked you to find a bezoar?"
"I don't know, sir"
"What is the difference between monks hood and wolfsbane?"
"I don't know, sir."
"Pity. Clearly, fame isn't everything, is it, Mr. Potter?" he asked, "For your information Potter, Asphodel and Wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of the Living Death, a Bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons. As for Monkshood and Wolfbane, they are the same plant which also goes by the name of Aconite. Well, why aren't you all copying this down?" Ella had left half an hour after Snape came in and went back into her body. She drank deeply again from one of her hip flasks.
"What happened?" McGonagall asked.
"Snape just lectured on the basics of potion-making. The only thing that he picked on about Harry was to see if he knew anything about potion-making because he's famous here," she explained.
"Oh," McGongall said, "I had a feeling that Snape would be picking on him. Harry doesn't deserve it especially from Severus."
"Why is that, Professor?"
"Severus came to Hogwarts the same year as James and Lily and they've been at odds since then. James did save Severus once and never really gotten the chance to pay his debt," she said.
"But that doesn't mean that he can take it out on Harry for something that his father did," Ella retorted.
"I agree but what can we do? Severus despises James so and so much more to Harry. I don't know what to do."
"I can promise that I'll do my best to protect him… at least that's what I promised Lily."
"That's all you can do, Ella. Just protect him the best you can," McGongall said.
It was study hall and everyone was in the Great Hall studying for a class. Some of the staff members were there as well as Ella and Edward. Since they had heightened hearing, Ella made sure that she was listening to Harry. The owls had come with posts and dropping them off to the appropriate students. She watched Ron and Hermione get their posts. Harry saw that Ron had gotten a newspaper and asked him if he could borrow it. He started reading it silently before reading it out loud, "Hey, look! Somebody broke into Gringotts. Listen. "Believed to be the work of Dark wizards or witches, Gringotts goblins acknowledge the breach but insist nothing was taken. The vault in question, number 713 had been emptied earlier that same day." That's odd. That's the vault Hagrid, Ella and I went to," he looked up and searched for Ella but noticed that she wasn't there but saw Edward. He decided to get up, walked towards Edward, "Mr. Cullen?"
"Yes, Harry?"
"Where did Miss Cullen go?"
"She went to talk to Professor Dumbledore about something urgent," he explained.
"Oh, okay, thank you," he said and left it at that.
"Professor?" Ella called out as she entered Dumbledore's office. She knew that he wasn't teaching a class and didn't have an appointment. The last she heard was that he was in his office. "Professor? It's Ella. I need to discuss something with you."
"What is it, Ella?" a voice said.
She turned around and saw Dumbledore standing by one of his bookshelves, "Oh! Sorry, I didn't see you there," he smiled gently at her. "Anyways, I just heard Harry reading from the Daily Prophet saying that Vault 713 may have been breached at Gringotts bank. It's the same vault that Hagrid, Harry and I went to. I am not sure if you are aware of it, Professor," she explained.
"Ah, that is something that I do need to know. Has Harry read anymore from the article?" he asked.
"No, he didn't but he did say that the goblins acknowledge the breach but insist that nothing was taken and something about someone believing that it was a work of a dark wizard or witch," Ella said.
"Thank you, Ella for informing me. This is something that I need to take care of. I need you to take over for while I go to Gringotts and see if I can help straighten things out. I did ask Hagrid to get something for me from the very vault in question. I'll inform McGongall what you will be doing."
"Of course, please do tell me when you'll be leaving," she said and saw that he nodded.
Ella was in McGonagall's office helping her review the student's papers before going into the next lesson plan. Ella had extended her mind and hearing because Harry was taking Madam Hooch's flying class right outside in the main quad. She vaguely heard Madam Hooch explaining on how to handle a broom and the class attempting it. She heard her whistle and then heard her talking to Neville. At first she wasn't really paying attention to why she was talking to Neville directly until she heard her say, "Everyone, move out of the way!"
"Is he all right?" Hermione asked.
"Oh, dear, it's a broken wrist. Poor boy. Come on now, up you get," she said as she helped Neville stand up. "Keep your feet on the ground while I take him to the hospital wing, understand? If I see a single broom in the air, the one riding it will be expelled before they can say Quidditch." She walked towards the hospital wing and looked up and saw Ella by the window, silently asking her to watch the students. Ella nodded, she pushed her shield out of her mind and spoke to Edward, asking him for help watching the students on the Main Quad. He replied back saying that he couldn't because he was dealing with something that Dumbledore needed and was on the other side of campus. Ella groaned.
"What is it?" McGonagall asked when she heard Ella groaned.
"Neville broke his wrist and Madam Hooch is taking him to the hospital wing. Madam Hooch asked me to watch the students. Edward can't because he's helping Dumbledore with something and is on the other side of campus," she explained. She stretched her mind yet again
"Give it here or I'll knock you off your broom!" Ella couldn't figure out where they were but she listened closely.
"Is that so? Have it your way, then," he said as he threw something in the air. Harry flew as he kept his eye on something. McGonagall and Ella both gasped as they saw Harry catch something before breaking the glass window in McGonagall's office.
"Ella, come with me, please," she said as they both stood up and walked out of her office. They headed towards where the students were standing as they were congratulating Harry for what he's done. "Harry Potter! Follow me. Ella," she said. He was terrified as to what was going to happen. He figured that he was going to be expelled and wondered what the Dursleys would think if he showed up to their doorstep today. Professor McGongall and Ella were sweeping along without even looking at him; he had to jog to keep up. Up the front steps, up the marble staircase inside, and still McGonagall didn't' say a word to him. She wrenched open doors and marched along corridors with Harry trotting miserably behind her. Maybe she was taking him to Dumbledore. He thought of Hagrid, expelled but allowed to stay on as gamekeeper. His stomach twisted as he imagined it, watching Ron and the others becoming wizards while he stumped around the grounds carrying Hagrid's bag. McGonagall stopped outside a classroom, she looked back at Ella and Harry and said, "You wait here." She went into Quirrell's classroom, "Professor Quirrell, excuse me, could I borrow Wood for a moment?"
"Yes, of course." The student got up from his seat and followed McGonagall outside of the classroom, he was generally confused as to why McGonagall called him out of class.
He saw that Harry and Ella were patiently waiting, "Potter, this is Oliver Wood. Wood, I have found you a Seeker." Ella sighed in relief because sometimes she can't predict what she is thinking about and what she will do. Oliver's expression changed from puzzlement to delight. After classes were over, Harry, Ella, Oliver and McGonagall began to discuss what Harry needs in order to allow him to have a successful match.