Chapter Four: A Dire Warning; The Musical
Iris was exhausted by the time they made it inside the castle.
"I know you are eager to tuck in, I'm afraid you must wait a little longer."
"You're killing me smalls." She exclaimed, quoting a no-maj movie most likely lost on him.
Dumbledore smiled, "I have arranged your living quarters, I thought you might be more comfortable."
"Well why didn't you say so sooner, lead the way my good man."
"Gryffindor tower is located on the Seventh floor…" he paused at Iris's groan. "The staircases are in constant motion, it may take a while to get around. Students return on September 1st, there will be a welcoming feast…"
She tried to pay attention as Dumbledore talked but she found her mind wondering. All around she could see the stairs were moving, but Dumbledore either knew where he was going or he commanded them. They seem to move and stop at exactly the right moment. Portraits all hung some asleep, some snoring, some awake, a suit of armor yawned, ghosts moved through the walls. After an eternity right when the burn started to set in her calves they stopped at the end of a corridor with a painting. It was of a very fat woman with fair skin and brown hair wearing a silky pink dress
"Good evening Headmaster."
Dumbledore inclined his head and spoke, "Niffer"
The portrait swung open to reveal a hole in the wall. They both gently stepped through, she found herself in a cozy round room decorated in various shades of red and gold. There were large squishy armchairs spread about, tables, book cases, a bulletin board, tapestries of wizards and animals, and portraits hung about the room. A dominating fire stood on one side, where above a huge portrait of a lion hung; roaring in greeting. An opening stood directly across the fire, where she could see two stone staircases going in either direction, between the staircase was a door.
She followed Dumbledore to the door, and stepped through. They entered a stairwell, about ten feet long going down to an open arch. She stepped through the arch into a spacious curved stone room with 2 large windows covered in thick red drapes, a golden canopy bed lay near the left window and red door, a writing desk and bookcase was placed in the middle, a fireplace with an arm chair and small table were on the right side near the windows, two doors stood off right of the fireplace, revealing a closet and bathroom.
"I hope you will be comfortable here."
"It's beautiful, thank you sir."
"If you need anything please call for Dobby. Have a pleasant evening."
"Thank you, you as well."
Iris slept in the next morning enjoying her large soft bed. She lay awake staring at the sunbeam that peeked through her drapes. In a few short weeks she will be reliving magic school all over again. Her first experience wasn't exactly the high point of her life, but how would she play it this time? Maybe shy and innocent, with some nerd thrown in, should be convincing. She would have to get close to Harry and his friends somehow, the school work would be the easiest part, fitting in not so much.
She got up and set to making her room more comfortable. First things to go up were her band posters, a yellow smiley face on a black background, Nirvana, thick red lips with a tongue sticking out, The Rolling Stones, Four men at a crosswalk, The Beatles, a triangle with a rainbow, Pink Floyd then movies Edward Scissorhands, a Nightmare on Elm Street, The Crow, The Witches, and Batman Returns. She covered the mantle with black lace, skull shaped candles, and pictures of her parents and her, she conjured a black furry rug to place in front of the fireplace. Up next a few shelves and she placed various pictures, action figures from her favorites films, comic books, VHS's, and beanie babies and furbies on them. She took a look around and felt more at home.
Her stomach roared in hunger, reminding her she was still human and needed to eat. "Ummm….Dobby." She yelled out into the empty room. A lite 'pop' sound caused her to turn around.
A small three foot creature stood before her, he had huge green tennis ball shaped eyes, a long pencil like nose, large bat-like ears, he wore a small red sweater, big shorts, mismatched socks, and had three hats atop his head, Emmalie had seen very few house elf's in her time, American witches and wizards didn't have them, but this was the most eccentric looking elf she had ever seen.
"Dobby at your service miss!"
"Hello."
"How can dobby be helping you miss?"
"I was just hungry."
"Of course! Dobby be right back with lunch miss."
"Thank you Dobby, I love your socks by the way."
Dobby blushed, "Such a nice miss you is! Dobby be back a mo'"
Dobby came back a few moments later with roast beef sandwiches, dip, fries, pumpkin juice, apple juice, pudding, and a salad.
"Thank you very much!"
"Miss just calls Dobby if you need anything."
With a pop he was gone. Iris enjoyed her lunch by a dimly lit fire. She spent the rest of the day reading the book Snape had given her. The next day she would spend her day roaming the castle.
Iris went up the same staircase for the fifth time. Hogwarts was very confusing. She had tried asking the staircases nicely, had yelled, cried, threatened, and even bribed, none of it worked. She resorted to magic which also had no effect.
"Oh my god, this is where I die." Finally her brain had an idea. "Dobby!" She called out. Her heart leaped with joy as the little pop sounded near her.
So she spent the next 2 weeks repeating the same cycle; getting lost in the castle and rescued by Dobby. She still couldn't make sense of any of it. She never did have a good sense of direction and all the moving around did not help. She finally just gave up.
Slowly the Hogwarts staff started to arrive and Iris kept to her room. It was easier to tune them out the further away she was. She tried meditating every night but to no avail. She really missed her no-maj devices, her walkman was her safe haven helping her empty her mind. Since devices like that didn't work in Hogwarts she was stuck singing to herself.
Two nights before the start of term Dumbledore came to her room. His blue eyes twinkled, "I hope you have found it quite accommodating here" as he looked around.
"Yes, Dobby's been a huge help."
"That's good to hear." He waved his wand and paper wrapped packages appeared on her bed.
"These are all your supplies for the year."
"Rad, thank you."
"One more thing, students are allowed pets…" Dumbledore reached into his robes and pulled out a small black lump of fur. Iris eyed it curiously, it gave a little meow and lifted up its head.
She gasped, "what a total cutie!"Dumbledore handed it over and she looked at him wide-eyed, "For me?"
He smiled gently at her, "yes. He shall of course need a name."
She brought the sleeping fur ball to her face, "Batman. He looks like a Batman to me."
Batman opened his eyes and meowed, he stretched in her hand and then climbed up her arm, shoulder, and into her hoodie of her sweater.
"Thank you, Dumbledore."
She led them to her fireplace and conjured an identical chair. She placed Batman in her lap, and gently stroked him.
"I read about this new educational decree, who is the Ministry sending?"
"Dolores Umbridge will be filling the post of Defense Against The Dark Arts."
"Yikes, who cursed the job?"
Dumbledore's eyebrow raised up, "how astute."
"Come on, working at the most prestigious school in Europe, any educator would be lucky to be here. You wouldn't need a new teacher, so who was it?"
"Voldemort."
eyebrows shot into her forward, "well damn…I imagine he was more interested in turning young palatable minds towards the dark arts."
"Yes, so naturally after I declined his application, a professor has never lasted longer than a year."
"Well I can see why I'm posing as a student and not a teacher. Glad to dodge that bullet." She tapped her lip thoughtfully with her finger, "back to this Ministry witch, what's the endgame here?"
"Fudge is acting from a pace of fear."
"His fear will be his downfall. The only way to defeat good old Voldy is working together. One ant cannot build a colony."
"Precisely."
"So he makes up this new rule and plants a set of eyes and ears in here. My spidey-sense tells me there's a plot afoot."
"To get rid of me, no doubt." His eyes twinkled.
"None whatsoever. Though I suspect he isn't the first wizard to plot your downfall," she smirked.
Dumbledore gave her a small smile. "Indeed not."
"I'm sorry, sir." She spoke a bit more seriously.
"Whatever for my dear?"
"Just sorry you have to go through this." She gave a shrug, "I read you also got fired from the Wizengamot and International Confederation of Wizards. Everyone Is treating you like the wizard who cried werewolf because they don't want to believe the most evil wizard is alive once again. It's pathetic but you're the one whose being written about and your sanity questioned. It just isn't fair."
"Oftentimes in life we must choose between what is easy and what is right."
"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference." Iris quoted a poem by a no-maj, Robert Frost. L
"Indeed. Well I have taken up enough of your time for the evening." She stood as Dumbledore did. "I shall see myself out, have a pleasant evening."
"Goodnight Sir."
Iris stood before her mirror in her Hogwarts uniform. Her robes had the Gryffindor house crest, she wore a button up white shirt with red and gold tie, a cardigan, skirt, knee high socks and black shoes. She placed the pointed black hat over her braided hair. In a few minutes she would slip down to the Great Hall and blend in with the other students. Dumbledore had made clear he would need to introduce her.
She snuck down to the entrance hall and stuck to the shadows. Tons of students were walking across the stone floor and through a set of doors into the Great Hall. She slipped in between the other students and made her way into the hall.
The ceiling was enchanted to look like the night sky, it was black and starless at the moment, hundreds of candles floated along four long tables, they illuminated the dozens of silvery ghosts that floated around the tables. It was loud and eager as children talked to one another.
Iris took a deep breath. She fought the urge to cover her ears with her hands, not that it would help. All around where eager faces all blabbering about their vacations, hair cuts, robes, and Harry Potter. She glanced around and found the Gryffindor table. She placed herself near the staff table and her eyes roamed to Dumbledore. He sat in the middle, wearing robes of deep purple with twinkling stars, his head bent down talking to a rather short looking wizard. For a second his twinkling eyes caught hers and he gave her a smile. She nodded back.
Her eyes roamed the rest of the table, 12 staff members in all, with two empty seats. Her eyes landed on Snape, who looked like he would rather be anywhere then here. He turned his bored look to her, a sneer playing around his mouth. She gave him a little wave, wiggling her fingers at him, a smirk around her lips. Her eyes drifted one more time to Dumbledore, who was talking to a witch. She was very thick with a broad flabby face, her neck was nonexistent, her eyes were large, round, and looked like they were popping out of her sockets, and she had a wide mouth, square jaw, and thin lips. Her hair was curled and brown, a pink hat sat atop her head with a fluffy cardigan to match. That had to be Dolores Umbridge, anyone wearing that much pink had to be evil.
Doors could be heard opening from the other side, Iris tore her gaze away from the pink toad and looked. A tall thin stern looking witch with square glasses was carrying a stool with a severely aged wizards hat upon it led the charge. Behind her were several timid looking children, first years, she guessed. It was notably quieter as the active chatter died down. This must be how they sort their students. She thought. At her old magic school a student was sorted based on their entrance exam score. She would be considered an A, she had passed her exam with the highest score. If only she could have known the trouble, the pressure that came with being an A she would have gone for the lowest class instead.
Suddenly the hat burst open and started to sing. That certainly was interesting. She wondered if the song changed every year. She supposed the hat would have a whole year to come up with a new one. It's not like it had much to do besides that. The hat sang about the different founders and their household values; Bravery, Purity, Intelligence, Integrity, how Slytherin caused a rift and once he left harmony rang. The last bit caught her attention the most
and now the Sorting Hat is here
And you all know the score
I sort you into houses
Because that is what I'm for
But this year I'll go further
Listen closely to my song
Though condemned I am to split you
Still I worry that it's wrong,
Though I must fulfill my duty
And must quarter every year
Still I wonder whether sorting
May not bring the end I fear
Oh, know the perils, read the signs
The warning history shows
For our Hogwarts is in danger
From external deadly foes
And we must unite inside her
Or we'll crumble from within
I have told you I have warned you…
let the Sorting now begin
The Hall broke out in applause, but whispering and muttering did as well. Something told Iris that the Sorting Hat had a more cheerful song every year. Well either way it wasn't wrong, there was evil afoot both outside and inside the castle. Now would some more of the children be inclined to believe, she certainly hopes so, because their thoughts were full of fear and uncertainty.
The sorting began and she watched as one by one the children were sorted, each house clapped as the hat yelled one of four houses. All too soon they were down to the last one. The stern witch took both hat and stool and walked into a side door along the staff table.
Dumbledore stood up and all talking ceased. Every set of eyes turned to him respectfully or in awe. Iris could see everyone here respected him, he had a commanding presence about him.
"To our newcomers, welcome!" He spread his arms in greeting, his voice clear and loud. "To our old hands…welcome back! One small announcement before you tuck in. Hogwarts has been chosen this year as host to the World Wide Wizard Exchange Program, please join me in welcoming Iris Morgan to our school." Dumbledore started to clap, a polite clap broke out for her. She stood up turning slightly red and gave a little wave. The clapping stopped, Dumbledore started speaking once more, "she will be joining the 5th year Gryffindors, I hope everyone will welcome our guest with the utmost hospitality. Now tuck in."
Iris sat back down as a few whispers broke out around the table. She sat near a bunch of first years who were two scared and wide eyed to talk to her. She enjoyed the English feast laid out before her and the desserts that followed. Finally when everyone was done eating Dumbledore stood up once more to talk.
"Well, now that we are all digesting another magnificent feast, I beg a few moments of your attention for the usual start-of-term notices. First years ought to know that the forest in the grounds is out of bounds to students…and a few of our older students ought to know by now too. Mr. Filch, the caretaker has asked me, for what he tells me is the four hundred and sixty-second time, to remind you all that magic is not permitted in corridors between classes, nor are a number of other things. All of which can be checked on the extensive list now fastened to Mr. Filch's office door."
Iris snorted to herself. The weird caretaker and his cat gave her the creeps. He seemed to have an unhealthy relationship with it. She wondered if someone cursed his mother into a cat that might explain it. The other option being his lover but the mental image was too much for her, as she silently gagged . "-we are also delighted to introduce Professor Umbridge, our new Defense against the Dark Arts teacher. Try outs for the House Quidditch teams will take place on the-"
Dumbledore stopped talking mid sentence and turned his head to the pink fluff that was Umbridge. She cleared her throat with a "hem hem". Clearly she was ready to make her own speech. He took a step back and gave her the floor.
"Thank you headmaster for those kind words of welcome." Her voice was high-pitched, breathy, and sounded too girly.
Iris stared intently at her, trying to make it through the sea of voices and find hers. Umbridge tried to come across as friendly, talking about being friends, and getting to know one another. The breathinees vanished and a cool businesslike tone replaced it.
Her thoughts were not so different, as if she was reciting something from memory. "The ministry of Magic has always considered the education of young witches and wizards to be of vital importance. The rare gifts with which you are born may come to nothing if not nurtured and home by careful instruction…" The ancient skills unique to the Wizarding community must be passed down through the generation lest we lose them forever.
Iris tried to push her way in further but was met with firm resistance. She needed to touch her, ugh she shuddered at that thought, but it was true. So she continued to stare intently, still as a bird, breathing slowly. If her thoughts strayed for one freakin second she would know. Let us move forward, then, into a new era of openness, effectiveness, and accountability, intent on preserving what ought to be persevere, perfecting, what needs to be perfected, and pruning wherever we find practices that ought to be prohibited."
But they didn't, and she lost concentration as the puff ball sat down. An awkward applause started around her, leading into a proper one, as the majority of students were pulled awake. Dumbledore stood up once more and started talking.
Well she was right on the mark, Umbridge pretty much confessed her villainous manifesto with that whole bullshit speech. Progress for progress's sake must be discouraged easily means if the progress isn't going their way it needs to go. Pruning practices they didn't agree with. Hogwarts would be turned upside down in the coming year. She found a small silver lining in the fact that the curse of her subject was real, hopefully before the end of the year Umbridge would be gone, and any damages she inflicted could be healed.
Chairs started clattering as the students got up making their way to the rooms. Iris's gaze followed the bushy haired Gryffindor girl, Hermione, who was shouting "first years. First years!" A tall red headed boy, Ron, shouted behind her 'oi line up midgets.' These were Harry's best friends.
She got up and made her move, in a small voice behind her she said, "oh umm excuse me are you the um…prefect?" She kept her eyes downcast and played with her fingers.
"Yes, can I help you?" She turned around, "oh, Iris right?"
She nodded, "Oh huh, Mr. Dumbledore said that you could ummm show me to the Gryffindor lounge."
"Mr Dumbeldore?" Said the gangly red-headed boy agashted
Emmalie turned red, "oh did I um say something wrong."
Hermione sent Ron a scathing look, "Honestly Ronald must you always be so tactless." She turned her eyes to Iris, slight pity in them.
"We call our teachers Professor here. I'm Hermione and this is Ron. Nice to meet you."
"Oh." She let out a nervous laugh, "so many things are different here. Nice to meet you guys."
"You can follow us to the common room."
"Common room…Not lounge. Got it."
They made their way out of the hall and to the entrance, up the main staircase.
"Where are you from Iris?" Asked Hermione
"America," She said in a shy voice. "California."
"Oh, how lovely. What's your school like?"
"umm it's much smaller, we don't get sorted into houses but by test scores. You only share a room with one person, uh, we don't have any sports. But we do have no-maj devices like radios and tvs."
"No maj?" asked Ron. "What is that?"
"Oh, it's, a n-non magic person."
"We call them muggles over here." He said.
She turned red, "oh, sorry. Muggle." She tested the word out. "It's cute."
"So Iris, how did you get picked? I've never heard of it…" Hermione asked. And I read a lot.
"Oh ummm…it's one of those weird things they do like every 13 years or something." She played with her fingers again. "All the schools are automatically entered. I think my school hosted one like 50 years ago."
"Bill had a pen-friend ages ago, he wanted to do the student exchange trip but..." Ron stopped talking but Iris heard the rest. We couldn't afford it.
She turned red, "oh well uh only top students qualify, I uh had to fundraise the money, my parents ya know couldn't afford the whole thing."
Iris recognized the corridor that led to the common room, the portrait of the fat lady in sight. "So every common room has a different way in, ours is a password." They approached with Hermione clearly speaking the password, "Mimbulus mimbletonia."
She stepped through and put an awe face on as if she was seeing it for the first time. "Wooow, so rad, t- thank you."
"You're welcome." Hermione led the first years to the stairs. "Girls follow me, boys follow Ron." They all disappeared and Iris was left to the mercy of the common room.
She looked around, most of the students had gone to bed, only a few older students were still around. Good she didn't want to be bombarded with questions. Hermione was an intelligent girl, she was about questions, rules, regulations. But those could only take you so far, all these children…still had so much growing up to do.
She turned and looked at her door, a small gold plaque read Guest Dormoirty. She went through it to her familiar room and cast a silencing charm, it was enough she could hear their thoughts she didn't need the echo of their voices as well.
"Meow." Batman wound himself around her legs, purring softly. She bent down and gave his ears a rub. In no time she was settled into bed, with Batman kneading the pillow next to her. "Goodnight Batman."
Another chapter. I hope you all are enjoying the story. Please leave a review much appreciated! :D I gotta say I am liking this version better. For all who reviewed and followed the other version thank you so much! Without I never would have revisited this.
Hope everyone has a happy holidays this season. Can't believe it's almost 2023 ToT crazy!!