The New Princess
Hogwarts Year 1 - Part 4 - Chapter 16
A Trial of Orientations, Mishaps, and Revelations
Previously:
'That...did not sound reassuring,' Aryanna thought.
So teach us things worth knowing, Bring back what we've forgot,
'What kind of headmaster tells curious teens not to visit a place that will kill them if they do?
And what kind of school has a corridor that can kill a student?
Just do your best, we'll do the rest, And learn until our brains all rot."
'Dead flies? Rot? Really? That... did not sound reassuring, at all' Aryanna thought again as the song came to a slow and mournful end, thanks to the two redheaded twins from the Gryffindor table who sang the last few lines like a funeral dirge.
"Morituri te salutant" "Those who have just entered this school to die, salute you."
That summed up her feelings perfectly.
"And now good night, sleep tight. Don't let the bed bugs bite. Off you trot!" came the last few words of the Headmaster.
And with that, everyone got up and the feast came to an abrupt end.
And now the continuation:
All too soon, the students slowly started to make their way out of the hall, and Aryanna observed as Lily and Hermione were escorted away with the other new Gryffindors and Ravenclaws by their house prefects. Scanning the area for her own house's prefects, she first heard, then saw them near the end of the Hufflepuff table.
"First years, over here, please. Hufflepuff first years over here please!" came the call of two older students, a boy, and a girl.
Turning toward the voices, Aryanna noticed both were the prefects she was looking for, clearly distinguished by the silvery badges adorned with a prominent 'P' on their uniforms. Glancing over at Susan, she walked over to her and both girls quickly joined the other new Hufflepuff first years—seven girls and seven boys—who had made their way to the end of the table toward the two Hufflepuff prefects.
"Hello, Are we all here? Excellent! I'm Nathaniel Kingsley, and this lovely lady next to me, who also happens to be my girlfriend, is Grace Meadows," the boy announced, earning a playful eye roll from his companion.
Nathaniel Kingsley, the fifth-year Hufflepuff prefect, cut a tall and sturdy figure. His light brown hair was neatly combed, and a pair of square-rimmed glasses perched on the bridge of his nose. His hazel eyes sparkled with a mix of confidence and kindness, and a perpetual friendly smile graced his lips. He wore the Hufflepuff prefect badge proudly on his chest. Despite his authoritative role, Nathaniel's demeanor exuded approachability.
Beside him stood his female counterpart. Grace Meadows, also a fifth-year Hufflepuff prefect, possessed an air of elegance that complemented her warm and welcoming personality. Her chestnut-brown hair cascaded in loose waves down her shoulders, and her hazel eyes shone with gentle intelligence. Like her partner, Grace's Hufflepuff prefect badge adorned her school robes, which she carried proudly with poised grace.
"We are the Hufflepuff 5th Year Prefects for this year," Nathaniel confirmed. "Please follow us, and we will guide you to the Hufflepuff common room and dormitories." With that, the two prefects led the new first-year Hufflepuff students out of the hall and through a small antechamber, towards four large stone hourglass counters, each displaying the four Hogwarts crests and filled with different colored gems. Aryanna and Susan quickly followed, unwilling to risk getting left behind in the sprawling complexity of Hogwarts with its numerous turns and passages.
Stopping briefly at the quartet of stone counters near the Great Hall entrance, the prefects waited for their new charges to catch up.
"Pay attention, everyone! Before you are the all-important House Points. Take a good close look. Our goal is to see our house's counter filled to the brim and, if possible, beyond, with the jewels you can see at the top of each hourglass. By the end of the year, if we are fortunate, ours will have more jewels than the others, and we will win the House Cup, the ultimate honor here at Hogwarts, second only to the Quidditch Cup. For those of you who are unaware, ours are the yellow sapphires, visible in the left hourglass with the badger crest. Gryffindors are the red rubies, Slytherins have emeralds, and the Ravens have the blue Sapphires." He paused to smirk at the Gryffindor and Slytherin hourglasses.
"There are also Black Diamonds. They may look pretty, but they are not the stones we want to see in our hourglass. They are to be avoided at all costs. As you can see, Gryffindor and Slytherin both have a few of them. Black Diamonds indicate negative points, visible only if the points go into negatives. Currently, both houses are at negative 50. It's interesting, considering Dumbledore only took twenty points during the sorting. They must have lost more. Oh well, our gain, their loss. Let's move on," he said happily, giving the counters one last approving look before leading the first years away, further down a corridor filled with fidgeting statues of old knights and waving portraits, until they reached a stairway leading downwards deeper into Hogwarts.
Glancing one last time at the points counters before quickly following the others, Aryanna idly noticed with interest a few green jewels falling from the top of the Slytherin Hourglass into the bottom half, replacing some of the black jewels, which disappeared as soon as the green ones joined them.
A short walk down the corridor later, the group of first-years and two prefects stopped at a staircase. Here, Grace took over from her male counterpart. As soon as she had everyone's attention, she pointed towards another corridor leading to the right and began to speak.
"Further down that way leads to the Dungeons and the Potions classroom. Please explore and memorize the way as soon as possible. Professor Snape, the Potions professor, is not known for being lenient to anyone who arrives late to his class, even first years on their first day. Unlike the other professors, if you're not a Slytherin, don't expect a warm welcome... unless, of course, it's for your bottom, for those of you unlucky enough to have had your forms signed allowing for punishment." She suddenly sighed. "He won't care if it's your first week. Trust me when I say... you don't want that."
Eyes widening, understanding what she was implying, several first-years gave her looks of sympathy. Aryanna glanced over at Susan, who simply shrugged and gave her a warm, yet also slightly bitter, smile. It was just one of the hazards of being a student. While she herself was safe, Aryanna knew Susan was one of the unlucky ones. Both knew there was nothing they could do. They would just have to be careful.
"Before we proceed to the common room, there's one more thing I'd like to share with all of you," Grace declared, recapturing their attention. Delving into her pocket, she produced several parchments. "In an effort to make your first few days a tad easier, to minimize our house point loss - because we Hufflepuffs watch out for one another, and simply because it's the right thing to do—no matter how much Professor Snape may disagree—I've taken the liberty to prepare a little welcoming gift for each of you," she explained, distributing a parchment to every new first-year. "I'm risking my backside here to help you, literally, so please do not let Snape or any Slytherin, for that matter, see this as I'd like to avoid his wrath. It might even be best if nobody else but yourselves sees this. These parchments contain common questions and their corresponding answers that Snape typically poses to his new first-year students to see how much you have learned. It's his unique way of greeting newcomers to his potions class. I 'strongly' recommend that each of you study these questions and commit them to memory as best as you can before your first potions class..." she emphasized the word 'strongly', "...because I can guarantee to you, he will quiz you on them," she paused, giving them a stern look. "Let's not disappoint the house more than we have to, Ok?"
"Moving on... "Grace pointed towards the stairs. "Please follow us down these stairs; they lead to the Hufflepuff Common room."
Half a minute and about sixty steps down a winding staircase later, the complete group of sixteen new Hufflepuffs—nine girls and seven boys—arrived at a small wall. The wall had a large painting of a bowl of fruit, including a large green pear hanging on it. Stopping at the painting of the bowl of fruit, the prefects turned to face the first years once more.
"Here you can see a typical bowl of fruit," Nathaniel began in a dry, matter-of-fact voice. "Not very exciting, is it?" The first years looked at him, most of them with bemused confusion, wondering why they were looking at a portrait picture of a bowl of fruit. Susan smiled when she recognized where they were from stories she had heard from her aunt.
"It's the entrance to the kitchens, isn't it?" she half asked, half stated. The prefect looked at her with a knowing glint. "Susan Bones, heiress of the Bones family... correct?" he asked her. She gave him a nod.
"Yes, that's right. This is the entrance to the Hogwarts Kitchens... and the dreamland of all the sweet goodness waiting inside just waiting for us to eat it. Figures we would have at least one Pureblood who knows about it in our group this year."
"Would anybody... who is not Susan... or another pureblood, like to guess how to open it?" he asked expectantly. Aryanna, who had heard stories of it, spoke up. "You have to tickle the pear!"
"Yes, that's right," Nathaniel said with a disappointed sigh. "So much for a bit of fun... I forgot that while you are no pureblood, you are the Girl-Who-Lived-to-Save-Us-From-The-Dark-Wanker, heiress of two pureblood families, so of course you would know about it," he said, ignoring the horrified shrieks and gasps from the other first years when they heard him curse the Dark Lord. Aryanna's eyebrows raised at his audacity. Very few people dared to even think about besmirching the evil wizard's name. Dead or not, it just wasn't done.
She liked him already!
"Oh well!... Like Miss Potter... or is it Peverell?..."
"Both, Peverell is senior, but Potter is fine," Aryanna interjected, to which he nodded. He continued: "As Miss Potter just said, to open the door, all you have to do is to tickle the green pear. I won't do it now as we are being expected in the common room and we have just eaten, but that's how you get in. As the house closest to the Kitchens, it's easy for us to sometimes sneak out for some food, after curfew, without getting caught. Just thought you'd like to know. Especially since you may at some point be asked to sneak out to fetch some food for the rest of the house."
"It's a tradition for first and second years to sometimes fetch food if we ever have a party. Please remember to always thank and be kind to the cooks. You don't want them against you," Grace added at their confused looks.
"Oh... and above all, beware of Peeves our resident poltergeist. If he sees you out after curfew, he will try to get you caught. He likes nothing more than getting us students into trouble. If you are caught... well, I don't have to tell you what will happen then, do I?" Grace added.
"I doubt there is anybody who he has not gotten into trouble at some point," Nathaniel added a second later. "Blasted Poltergeist!"
"Anyway, we are nearly at the common room... just around the corner. If you would follow us, please," Nathaniel said as he started to lead them onward to their destination.
The group of first years, flanked by the two Hufflepuff prefects, continued down a narrow corridor until they reached a seemingly dead end adorned with a few wine barrels.
'Wine? Hmm... must be for the professors,' Aryanna mused, as she gave the barrels a closer look. But why stop here? It's a dead end. . Her inquisitive look was mirrored by a few other first years, prompting smirks from the prefects, who then gestured towards the barrels.
"Anyone fancy a sip of wine?" Nathaniel asked, a mischievous glint in his eye. "You have my permission to try some if you wish," he added, relishing the surprise on the faces of the eleven-year-olds.
Aryanna's frown deepened. Something felt off.
"Seriously?" Wayne Hopkins, a Muggle-born boy, asked, astonished at the thought of being allowed to have wine of all beverages, a treat he usually only ever got on special occasions, if at all, and then only under strict moderation.
Nathaniel nodded. "Of course, help yourselves; the mugs are over there," he said, indicating a table with a few mugs. "Enjoy responsibly... just... don't blame me if the taste isn't to your liking."
"No worries, my family runs a vineyard," Wayne replied, eager to sample the wine.
"...or get sprayed," Nathaniel added a few moments later, as the boy approached one of the barrels, touched the bung hole and the connected tap, and was promptly squirted in the face by a spray of liquid, much to his dismay.
"Oh, did I forget to mention it's vinegar, not cider or wine?" Nathaniel chuckled as he and Grace laughed at the unfortunate boy's predicament.
"It never gets old," Grace said, a hint of mirth in her expression, before addressing the other first years. "Welcome to the infamous entrance of the Hufflepuff Common Room, where everyone who isn't a Puff or a professor gets sprayed by vinegar," she said, waving towards the barrel and the partially soaked boy.
"Don't worry about vinegar in your eyes; it vanishes after a minute if it touches your face or clothes," she reassured, taking pity on the boy who was whimpering and vigorously rubbing his eyes. As if by magic, true to her words, any discomfort he felt disappeared along with any remnants of the liquid.
"Now, you might be wondering why it sprayed him. He is a Hufflepuff, isn't he?" Nathaniel queried, noting a few frowns and nods among the Hufflepuffs.
"Well, that's because, unlike the other common rooms, ours doesn't have a password. To access our common room, you need to perform a little ditty – tap a unique song on the barrel. Anyone know the song?" he asked expectantly.
However, the question was met with silence.
"Susan?" he turned to the Hufflepuff pureblood, who shook her head. "Nope, sorry... my aunt never told me," she admitted, to which Nathaniel nodded.
"Yes, she wouldn't have. Couldn't have actually, to be precise. Every Hufflepuff, past or present, is unable to tell... or show the secret to anyone who is not a Hufflepuff. The entrance enchantments won't allow it. The moment you became a Puff, an enchantment was placed on you, making it impossible for you to tell anybody who is not a Hufflepuff the secret. The sole exceptions are the heads of houses, the Deputy, and the Headmaster."
He waited for the murmurs of surprise to subside before continuing.
"As I mentioned, unlike the other common rooms, ours doesn't have a password. So, we needed another way to keep non-Puffs out. This was Helga's, our founder's, solution.
'Impressive,' Aryanna thought to herself. 'An altered Fidelius charm to hide the secret, similar to how my sailor suit works to hide my identity, but with the enchantment as the secret keeper. Ingenious.'
"It's far better than a simple password that needs constant changes. Don't you agree?" Nathaniel asked with a proud smile. The others nodded, many feeling proud to be Hufflepuffs and to have someone like Helga Hufflepuff as their house's founder.
"Now... who would like to try first?" Nathaniel asked, his eyes scanning the group of first years with an expectant gleam. A mischievous smirk played on his lips when no one stepped forward; in fact, a few took a cautious step back.
"Nobody?" he quipped, a hint of humor coloring his voice. Nathaniel now understood why other prefects reveled in this part and lamented its loss upon promotion. The amusement derived from watching new first-years grapple with the entrance was undeniable.
Aryanna, fed up with the wait, decided to volunteer herself and stepped forward."I'll do it," she declared, a mix of resolve and nervousness evident in her voice. She certainly didn't relish the idea of getting sprayed.
"Wonderful!" Nathaniel turned to his counterpart, Grace. "Do you want to take this one? She is one of yours after all," he suggested, taking a step back. Grace nodded, offering a reassuring smile to Aryanna as she approached.
"Please step over here and in front of the barrel," Grace instructed. Aryanna nodded, cautiously advancing toward the barrel, her advanced sailor senses alert, prepared to dodge any unexpected liquid projectiles.
"Don't touch anything... yet," Grace cautioned before Aryanna could make contact. "Not unless you wish to get squirted," she added. Aryanna nodded again, acknowledging the warning and waiting for further instructions.
"Good, now watch closely," Grace said, moving to another nearby barrel. "If you want to practice first, this one is safe and won't give you a nasty surprise. Pay attention to the order and where I tap. Listen carefully to the beat and tune. The little ditty you need to tap is; 'Hel-ga Huff-le Puff,'" she explained, tapping out the sequence on the 'practice barrel' while saying each part of their founder's name. "Watch again, observe where I tap. It must be done in the correct order. Miss one, and you better be ready to jump away. Got it? Good, now you try."
Approaching Grace, Aryanna mimicked the tapping sequence, seemingly doing it right, although her tune sounded slightly off.
"Nearly, but not quite," Grace's voice chimed in beside her. "Had you done that on the other barrel, you would have received a nice squirt to your face. Watch closely." Grace demonstrated the correct tapping sequence again, emphasizing the rhythm. "It needs to be done in the correct order and time. Try again."
For the next few minutes, Aryanna and the other first-years attempted to tap out the correct sequence under the watchful eyes of the two prefects. Nobody got it right on their first try, but gradually, more and more succeeded. In the end, all managed to get it right, if not perfectly.
"Not bad, not perfect, but not bad. Keep practicing, and by the end of the week, it will seem easy," Grace encouraged, offering Aryanna a warm smile. "Now, I think you're ready. Would you like to try it out on the real barrel?" Nodding, Aryanna moved to the actual entrance barrel, taking a deep breath. With cautious determination, she began to tap on the barrel, singing 'Hel-ga Huff-le Puff' in her head.
The other first years collectively held their breath as Aryanna performed the ditty. An air of anticipation hung over the group, with some secretly betting on whether she'd succeed or face the inevitable squirt. To Aryanna's delight and the mix of cheers and groans from her peers, she accomplished the feat on her first attempt, skillfully navigating the rhythmic sequence. A subtle exchange of coins occurred among the observing students, acknowledging the various wagers made on the outcome. As Aryanna's success was confirmed, the barrel obligingly split into two halves, unveiling a small tunnel behind it that beckoned her to duck and crawl through.
"Well done! Not everybody gets it right on their first try," Nathaniel commended, bending low to crawl through the new opening. "Now, please follow us."
The first years eagerly followed the prefects, unwilling to be left behind and forced to face the barrel themselves. The prefects led them into the tunnel, where Grace stopped and pointed to a small barrel on the opposite side of the entrance.
"Do you see that smaller barrel on this side?" she asked. "To get out, you need to tap the sequence again. Don't worry; you won't get squirted from inside the common room, only outside. Use it to practice. We don't want any of you to be late to classes if you get it wrong and get stuck in the common room. Of course, there's also an emergency procedure you can use. Speak to Sir Robin over there," she said, gesturing towards a small portrait that waved and seemed to guard the entrance from the inside. "But beware, he only opens the entrance in true emergencies or if you are hopeless at it. It also works only to get out, not in. If you can't figure it out after your first week, let us know, and we will give you some extra help. But until then, you're on your own. Good luck!" She waited for a few nods before moving forward, confident that at least some of her new charges had paid attention. The rest would learn soon enough.
A few seconds later, the group entered what could only be described as a vast underground greenhouse.
As Aryanna followed the prefects down the winding staircase, a warm breeze caressed her face, carrying with it the distinct scent of honey and fresh flowers. The atmosphere shifted, and she found herself stepping into a vast, round, low-ceilinged room that exuded coziness, reminiscent of a badger's sett. The Hufflepuff common room unfolded before her, adorned in the house's signature colors of yellow and black.
The room teemed with the vibrancy of plants and flowers, strategically placed to enhance the cheerful ambiance. Wooden arches divided the space into four sections, each leading to dormitories through round doors. Plush yellow sofas and a matching carpet welcomed her at the entrance, adding to the warm and inviting feel. Large, low windows offered a view of the surrounding grounds, allowing natural light to flood the room.
In the heart of the common room stood a substantial fireplace, framed by a portrait of Helga Hufflepuff herself. The founder's benevolent smile seemed to welcome the newcomers as she silently observed. Mismatched furniture, including squashy chairs and tables, contributed to the overall comfort of the room. Botanical-themed artwork on the walls and living dancing plants placed in key areas added a touch of cheerfulness, aligning with the values of Hufflepuff House – hard work, dedication, patience, loyalty, and fair play. As Aryanna took in the inviting surroundings, she couldn't help but feel a sense of love and belonging in this friendly and inclusive space.
"Welcome! To the Hufflepuff Common Room. Also known as the Badgers' Den. Your new home away from home for the next seven years of your lives. We hope you will feel welcome and enjoy yourselves here," both prefects called out in unison, waving their arms in a welcoming gesture, having practiced their words beforehand.
The room echoed with cheers and waves from older students, adding to the warm reception that enveloped the new first years as they explored their new surroundings. The Hufflepuff Common Room truly felt like a large, happy family.
After allowing a few moments for the first years to acclimate and the older students to offer greetings, the prefects redirected their attention.
"We are nearly finished. If we could please just have a few more minutes of your time, we have some last-minute housekeeping and rules to go through. After that, you will be free to do whatever you wish to do," Grace announced, drawing the first years back together.
The prefects guided the group toward doors and a set of stairs, where they once again faced the assembled students. Nathaniel took the lead from Grace, assuming a more serious tone.
"Boys' bedrooms are on the ground floor, girls are on the second floor. Boys, beware, only girls can access the top floors. If a boy tries to gain access to the top floor... well... I leave it to you to find out what happens," he said with a grin that mirrored Grace's. The levity vanished as he continued with a solemn expression.
"Listen up; the next part is important," Nathaniel began, and the gravity on his and Grace's faces signaled the significance of what was to follow. "Some of you may find it unfair that girls can visit the boys, but the boys cannot visit the girls... However, it's tradition and has been so for a long time and for a very good reason. I'll simply repeat the same message we were told by our own prefects, the same message they were told by their prefects, and so on throughout the years. A message that has been passed on since the foundation of Hogwarts itself."
He paused before continuing, emphasizing the weight of his words. "In the past, marriages, concubine and servitude contracts were a common occurrence. A respected and valued part of life, especially among the elites. Back then, to fulfill these contracts, the promised or enslaved girls were... 'permitted' and even expected to visit the boys. As such, they needed access to the boys... and well... their beds."
Almost immedetly a range of reactions spread among the first-year students, with some showing disgust and others acceptance, depending on their backgrounds. Grace rolled her eyes and seamlessly picked up the narrative.
"However, us girls also had the right to privacy and a safe area away from our... suitors. A place where we could relax and be on our own so to speak."
Nathaniel resumed, "And so every dormitory has a safe area, where no boy can enter unless in a dire emergency." He directed a stern look at the boys. "Make sure it is indeed an emergency. The punishments for breaking this rule are always... extremely harsh."
Grace took over once more. "In return, we girls are expected to use good judgment whenever we enter a boy's dormitory. We may be allowed into the boys' dorms, but we are no longer required to go in there anymore to fulfill our 'duties'. If we do go in there, beware... this is a privilege... a very dangerous privilege. I cannot understate this enough." She paused and visibly steeled herself for what she was about to say.
Aryanna waited with bated breath, sensing that the next words would be important and perhaps even disturbing. Grace's next statement confirmed her apprehension.
"It's the same for all of the common rooms and dormitories. Whether you're a Gryffindor, a Ravenclaw, a Slytherin... or a Hufflepuff. While in the boys' dormitories, any act... that isn't deemed too excessive or directly forced upon us will be deemed to be done under consent." Grace paused for a few gasps from the first years and nodded grimly. "Even in the excessive cases, it is the witch, not the wizard, who will have to prove it first. You have been warned. I repeat, you do not have to be in there. In fact, it is frowned upon and advised that you never enter. But, the enchantments have not been changed, and so we can go in there if we want to."
Aryanna's mouth fell open in shock, confirming the unsettling nature of the revelation.
At this point, Grace stared at each girl in turn and harshly said, "Don't come running to me if you end up in a boy's bed one night through your foolishness and have to leave Hogwarts in nine months to raise a child...or worse...get claimed by the boy as his chattel. You have been warned, and the choice... and the consequences are yours to bear."
The first years were silent, and some looked scared as they digested this information. Aryanna didn't like what she was hearing. In fact, she hated it. But at that moment, she had to remind herself that this was the culture of the magical world, a culture that had persisted for many centuries. It would also be the culture she would be expected to live in and obey for as long as she stayed in the magical world. When in a foreign land, one must obey their laws. It truly was an outdated and, in Aryanna's eyes, barbaric practice. But until the laws were changed, that was the way it was going to be. She didn't have the right to demand that people change their ways. In the end, the choice was theirs to make. If they were brave or foolish enough to chance it, the result was also theirs to bear.
For the remaining minutes of their inaugural tour, the first years were encouraged to ask any lingering questions they might have. The prefects patiently addressed queries while guiding the students through various areas of the common room. They pointed out the residence of their Head of House, Professor Pomona Sprout, and provided details on how to contact her if needed.
During the tour, the first years caught glimpses of the rarely used and typically off-limits private Lord and Lady chambers designed for off-age heirs and married couples. These chambers were usually reserved for the young heads of important pureblood or political houses, and as a result, they remained largely empty. For a moment, Aryanna considered her eventual right to claim the Potter and Peverell titles, looking forward to the day when she might access one of these chambers herself. She anticipated the possibility of doing so by her 17th birthday or even earlier if she became emancipated by law. The Goblins' influence and a potential Ministry's approval could potentially expedite this process, perhaps even allowing her to claim the title by her 14th birthday, as per ancient law and the stipulations left behind in the last will of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Peverell. This act would effectively emancipate her, marking a significant step in her journey within the intricate tapestry of wizarding society and her ascent to the Silver Imperial throne as its next queen.
However, for the present, Aryanna was destined to share the common dormitories with her fellow witches.
As the tour approached its conclusion, the first years gathered for a brief meeting with Professor Pomona Sprout, the nurturing Head of Hufflepuff House. Known for her kind smile, pleasant demeanor, expertise in Herbology, and love for magical plants and creatures, Professor Sprout warmly introduced herself. She commended the prefects for their excellent tour and assured the new students that her office would always be open for concerns or questions throughout their time at Hogwarts. Handing each student their schedule for the year as well as a map of Hogwarts, she wished them a pleasant first night and good luck for their first day of classes. The first years were then left alone with a mix of excitement and trepidation, ready to embark on their first day at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
A short while later, Aryanna, Susan, and the other girls made their way to the second-floor dormitories. Just as they were about to climb the stairway to the girls' dorms, Aryanna suddenly paused on the stairs. She couldn't help but wonder what would happen if she were a boy and attempted to climb them. Glancing over at a group of older students, mostly boys, she decided to ask and called out to them.
"Hey, lads?" she called out, grabbing their attention. "I'm curious... What would happen if I were a boy and I walked up these steps?" Susan, who was already halfway up the stairs at this point, paused to listen, sharing Aryanna's curiosity.
Hearing Aryanna's question, some of the older students groaned and smiled good-naturedly, while others settled down to watch the unfolding scene. One older boy, wearing a mischievous grin, approached Aryanna. "Oh, nothing much," he said with a wink. "Here, let me show you. It can be quite fun," he added. Walking up to the stairs he stepped onto the first few steps before quickly jumping off again a second later. Before Aryanna could grasp the situation, a loud gong-like sound filled the air, and the steps beneath her transformed into a slippery slide. She yelped in surprise, lost her balance and proceeded to slide down to the bottom. Susan, further up the stairs, followed suit, and both girls ended up in a tangled heap. The stairs, having served its purpose, then promptly turned back into proper steps.
"Has your curiosity been satisfied?" the boy asked as he held out a hand for both girls to take.
Groaning slightly, Aryanna nodded, took his hand, and allowed him to help her up. "Yeah... it did. Thanks," she answered with a slight blush at his sudden closeness.
Beside her, Susan gave both of them a quick glare before refusing the boy's help and getting up under her own power. "Next time, give me a chance to get off first," she said slightly annoyed before making her way up the stairs and into the girls' dorms.
"Is she okay? I didn't mean to hurt anybody," the boy asked, looking up toward where Susan had disappeared with slight worry.
Aryanna nodded. "Yeah, she's fine. Don't worry about it. She'll get over it. I'll go and check up on her in a few minutes," she answered, slightly absentmindedly.
"That's good. My name's Cedric, by the way. Cedric Diggory of the Noble House of Diggory at your service," he said, giving her a warm smile, which only made her blush even more, much to her mortification.
"The pleasure is mine, Heir Diggory. Thank you again for your assistance," she added with a slight curtsy before quickly making her way up the stairs.
Cedric looked on with a bit of amusement as Aryanna excused herself and ascended the stairs, watching as she disappeared into the girls' dorms.
Shrugging to himself, he turned back to his friends. "So!... what else is new? Anybody go for a trip abroad over the holidays?" he asked, acting as if nothing special had just happened.
Aryanna was still blushing slightly as she entered the first-year dorms. Glancing inquisitively towards Susan, she tried to confirm her friend's well-being.
"Sorry about earlier. I didn't know that was about to happen," Aryanna apologized to Susan, who still wore a slight scowl. A few seconds later Susan finally relented and responded with a brief nod followed by a reassuring smile, prompting Aryanna to sigh in relief.
"It's okay. Nothing happened. Just a slight scare. Be more careful next time, though, okay?" Susan replied, graciously accepting the apology. Aryanna nodded appreciatively.
"Besides, he got you too, and I was just as curious as you... and... it was a bit funny," Susan added a moment later.
"Yeah... I guess that's true," Aryanna answered with a smile before turning to claim her bed.
"I guess this one's mine then?" she half asked, half stated, eyeing the only remaining bed unclaimed by the other girls.
Susan nodded. "Yes, your trunk is under the bed. The Hogwarts elves delivered it as soon as they realized your house. We never got the chance to claim our beds, though. The elves saw to that," Susan answered absentmindedly, sorting her clothes into her bed's complimentary wardrobe.
"Ah... okay, thanks," Aryanna nodded in acknowledgment. She began the meticulous task of unpacking her trunk, listening to the other girls gossip about the summer holidays and speculate about classes. She neatly stowed away her clothes in the designated wardrobe, appreciating the dormitory's thoughtful arrangement with individual tables, chairs, nightstands, and wardrobes for each student.
Taking a moment to survey the room, Aryanna relished her first genuine glimpse of her new living space. The Hufflepuff girls' dormitory maintained a circular layout reminiscent of the badger's set in the common room. Cheerful yellow and black tapestries adorned the walls, depicting scenes of nature – sunlit meadows, rolling hills, bustling beehives, and even portraits of a few famous witches. Notably, no male portraits were visible though. Considering Magical portraits, had the ability to act alive, retain their former personalities, and even engage in conversations, this omission seemed fitting and wise. After all, this was a girls' dormitory.
Each girl's bed appeared as a separate haven of tranquility, draped with the finest canopy of soft, earth-toned fabrics wizarding galleons could buy. Ambient lighting bathed the dormitory in a warm glow, casting a gentle radiance that heightened the serenity of the space. In the middle of the dorm, a small stove could be seen, constantly kept alive and warm by invisible elves. The addition of an antiquated privacy screen for each bed provided a touch of modesty for changing and added a sense of personal space. Aryanna couldn't help but appreciate the thoughtful details, making it a wonderful place to spend the next seven years of her life.
As Aryanna continued to settle in, a sudden thought crossed her mind. "Have Luna and Arty arrived yet?" she inquired, recalling the important matter she needed to report. "I need to contact... Setsuna as soon as possible," she added, catching herself before saying "Pluto," realizing they weren't alone in the room. 'That will take some getting used to,' she thought in annoyance. She had to be careful now as they were no longer alone. No one was allowed to know about their alternate identities.
Susan shook her head. "Not yet, although they did say they would be arriving tonight. In fact, they should be arriving via Elf popping any minute now," she replied, briefly looking up from her task.
"Good, the sooner they are here, the sooner I can... give her an update and let her know how it went," Aryanna answered back impatiently. The longer it took, the more nervous she got. Not only was she going to tell her about the hat's song... prophecy?... both? She also had to inform her about Hermione becoming Mercury, request the Mercury wand to be sent over, and get an update on the Seminar.
She had heard what the Headmaster said. They would all be punished severely if they missed it. She had no idea how they were supposed to be there as students and as Guardians simultaneously. It was not like they had a few time-turners lying around, did they?
Either way, to do that, she first needed the communication devices that the Mau were safeguarding - along with some other... 'items'. The Mau currently had them so that they wouldn't be found by any potentially nosy dorm mates... or worse. Unlike her transformation wand, which looked just like any other wand, if a bit more beautiful and very expensive, some of the other items looked way too futuristic... or 'guardian'-like for comfort. As such, it was decided that the Mau would keep them until the Guardians needed them.
"I bet everyone back home is impatiently waiting to hear what houses we were sorted into. I hear there's even a betting pot. Too bad I couldn't bet on myself... though... come to think of it... I probably would have lost that bet."
"Oh? Why? What house did you think you were going to get put into?" Susan asked with interest.
"Truthfully... I don't know... Gryffindor perhaps, like my Father and Mother, Ravenclaw maybe, because of my past love for books and learning... though now that I think about it, I should have expected Hufflepuff, seeing how I love you guys so much," she said thoughtfully, causing Susan to look at her gratefully, her eyes getting a little wet in response.
"Thanks, Arya, love you too," Susan replied slightly emotional at her best friend's response.
At that direct moment, a sudden loud Pop was heard in the middle of the room, and Nibby, the Potter house elf, appeared holding two cat carriers. Inside each carrier, annoyed about having to be transported like common cats, were Luna and Artemis. The two Mau were not happy about it, but both knew that to the rest of Hogwarts, they were just normal cats, not alien advisors to the Sailor Guardians. They would simply have to accept it and live with it. Besides, it was not like they were going to be in the carriers all the time, only when traveling to and from Hogwarts.
"Nibby be bringing your...familiars, Mistress," Nibby said as soon as she could pinpoint Aryanna.
"Excellent, about time you two arrived," Aryanna said quickly, jumping up from her bed and rushing over to Luna's carrier, which she quickly opened. Removing Luna from the carrier, she brought the alien feline up close to her face and acted as if she was cuddling the Mau, much to Luna's surprise and slight embarrassment.
"Meow?"
"Oh Luna dear, Mommy missed you so much," Aryanna said out loud snuggling the surprised wide-eyed alien cat close to her, ignoring her surprised 'Meow' before switching to a whisper. "Indigo Alert! I repeat Indigo alert. Meet me in the bathroom asap... they are a little down the corridor to your immediate right after you leave the room. I need the communicator," she whispered, waiting only long enough to see Luna's eyes widen and give her a very brief nod which would have been easily missed if you weren't looking for it. Luna then promptly acted like any surprised cat would if put into her current situation and frantically tried to wriggle out of Aryanna's clutches. Aryanna let her go and watched bemused as Luna quickly made a quick getaway towards the toilets.
"Oops, looks like I may have been a bit rough there," she said to the other watching girls, trying to look sheepish, which wasn't that difficult at that moment after what she had just done. "I'd better go and make up with her," she added and then quickly left the dorms to follow the Mau, leaving behind a dorm of cooing, laughing, and otherwise amused girls. By this time tomorrow, she was sure everybody would know she cuddled cats and called herself Mommy while talking to them. Oh, the sacrifices she made for the greater good.
Susan had to look away to stop herself from giggling. Quickly releasing Artemis, who was looking incredulously at the scene, from his carrier, she carried him over to her bed and set him down. Whispering to him "com-ergency" as she did so. Artemis quickly understood that Susan meant 'communication emergency,' meaning Aryanna needed to talk to Setsuna quickly, and settled down to wait.
The first thing that Aryanna noticed upon entering the girls' bathroom was the familiar scent of lavender-scented soap and the soft echoes bouncing off the tiled walls. Luna, still wearing an expression of annoyance, sat on the edge of the sink.
"Seriously, Mommy missed you? Was that the best you could come up with?" Luna asked, her voice carrying a tone of skepticism.
Closing the door behind her, Aryanna surveyed the pristine bathroom. "Sorry, Luna. It was the first thing that came to my mind." Her gaze shifted to Luna's vibrant eyes. "I take it the room is clear?"
Luna nodded, and Aryanna's thoughts raced. Privacy was crucial for the upcoming conversation. "Good. Please give me the communicator. I'm going to lock myself into a cubicle and cast a privacy charm. Thank the void Setsuna made sure we learned it; otherwise, this would quickly become problematic."
A quick twist from the Mau later, the communicator in hand, Aryanna headed towards an empty cubicle, followed by Luna who settled down beside her. The cool tiles beneath her feet provided a stark contrast to the warmth of Luna's fur. As she closed the door behind her, she took a deep breath, preparing to share the latest developments with Setsuna.
Chanting 'Obsignare Sonus' while waving her wand in a smooth circular motion, Aryanna tapped the walls and the door of her cubicle in several key places, ensuring that no sound could escape the spelled area. It could still enter, but not leave until she canceled the ward or the ward fell, whichever happened first.
Observing as the ward went up, she sank back onto the toilet seat, winded and gasping for breath. 'Still too powerful,' she thought, recalling the time and effort it took to master this challenging seventh-year spell. Setsuna had emphasized its vital role in maintaining secrecy, and Aryanna now understood why.
The Obsignare Sonus, the Sound Void or Sound Sealing spell, was a challenging seventh-year spell that was unbreakable while active. It had taken her a month of constant daily practice to master. Setsuna had deemed it essential for both her and Susan to learn, and so they had.
Aryanna couldn't wait for the day Setsuna finally felt she was strong enough to learn the Obliviate and Patronus charms. However, until then, the five spells she had been permitted to learn so far and anything else she learned at Hogwarts, would have to do. Patiently waiting for the communication device to established a connection, Aryanna took a moment to settle her thoughts.
"Setsuna here!" Came the sudden harmonious sound of Setsuna's voice as the device finally connected.
"Pluto, it's Moon," she said, wasting no time. This automatically told Setsuna three things: Aryanna was calling as Sailor Moon, her princess, and not as Aryanna, her ward. It told her this was an official call and it also signaled that it was safe to speak as Sailor Guardians. If Aryanna had answered as Aryanna, Setsuna would have known that the call could be overheard, and she would have answered as Setsuna.
"My Princess? Is everything alright?" Setsuna answered, her voice immediately switching to her serious Sailor Pluto persona.
"Yes, all is ok. I got sorted into Hufflepuff, Susan too...but Herms got sorted into Ravenclaw" she said as a greeting.
"Congratulations! But...that's not why you called me, is it?" Setsuna asked turning the conversation towards the real reason for the call.
"Unfortunately not, listen...there are a few things I have to tell you..."
Over the next half-hour, Aryanna rapidly briefed Setsuna on Hermione's transformation into the new Mercury. Setsuna, oddly unsurprised, acted as if she had expected it or already knew. Aryanna couldn't fathom how Setsuna could have foreseen this development. Unless, of course, she had used the time gates to glimpse ahead and kept it a secret from her. But then, if that was the case, why had she 'asked' her not to take the Mercury Transformation Wand with her and practically ordered her not to transform Hermione for at least another year? Unless, of course, she hadn't looked at the mirror yet when she had first told her not to. Sometimes Setsuna just didn't make any sense.
Because of her request, Aryanna had deliberately refrained from possessing the wand to resist any temptation to hasten Hermione's transformation. However, that choice was now beyond her control, as the crystal within her had unexpectedly jumpstarted the change. For better or worse, Hermione had become Sailor Mercury a full year ahead of schedule, and the transformation wand was now all that remained to complete her transformation.
Setsuna assured Aryanna that the Mercury Wand would be delivered shortly before Halloween, just in time for Aryanna to pass it on to Hermione before the Halloween feast. Setsuna's enigmatic tone mysteriously hinted at the wand playing a crucial role on that specific day, yet she provided no further details when Aryanna pressed for more information. Familiar with Setsuna's cryptic ways, Aryanna refrained from probing deeper.
Conscious of the limited time she had left before her spell failed, Aryanna swiftly transitioned to the next topic: The Hat's ominous song-like Prophecy. This time, Setsuna did sound troubled, though not overtly worried. She provided an intriguing history, explaining that the Hat's origins traced back to a gift from a descendant of Apollo - her one-time godly twin brother from the time she still went by Artemis - to Godric Gryffindor, one of the founders of Hogwarts. As her 'twin brother' was the former god of archery, music, dance, truth, and prophecy, there existed a likelihood of prophetic magic being added to the hat at some point. Unfortunately, with the only known portrait of her 'brother' currently on Pluto, Setsuna couldn't be certain and wouldn't be able to investigate anytime soon, given her current Earthbound state.
At that moment, Setsuna also decided to share an even more pressing concern. It seemed that since her adoption into the Potter family, Setsuna's powers over time had been weakening, rendering her visions of the future rare, at least while away from the Gates of Time. They still happened away from the gates as well, but had been drastically reduced. This revelation deeply worried Aryanna, who immediately began to fret over Setsuna. However, Setsuna assured her that she still was the Mistress and Guardian of the Time Gates and was in no danger of actually losing her powers as Sailor Pluto; they had merely weakened, presumably as a side effect of the blood exchange ritual they had undergone. While she couldn't be sure, it seemed she may have lost a bit too much of her own blood during the ritual and taken in a bit too much of Aryanna's, a potential side effect they had been warned about by the goblins. This sacrifice, though unfortunate, had been necessary, and Setsuna held no regrets, as it had all been done to keep Aryanna safe. On the plus side, it only seemed to have affected her powers over visions, and she had also gained some limited healing powers thanks to Aryanna's blood and moon powers, so it had not been all bad.
Unfortunately, because Aryanna and Susan were currently at Hogwarts as students, this also meant that Setsuna was currently bound to Earth, as only she was now available to effectively protect the muggle world against the Youma threat. This situation would persist until Christmas, which marked the earliest time Sailor Moon and the others could reappear without missing school, although Setsuna also mentioned that she was exploring alternatives and hoped to have a solution ready by the upcoming seminar.
Feeling extremely guilty at that moment, Aryanna offered to leave school and be home-schooled to assist in the fight, but Setsuna promptly and sternly shut down that idea. She emphasized that Aryanna's best contribution against the Youma threat was to study magic, grow stronger, and select and train her remaining Guardians.
In the end, unwilling to use her full authority as Princess to order Pluto to home-school her, recognizing the impracticality and unfairness of such a request, not to mention how immature that would have been, Aryanna only had enough time to quickly wish Setsuna and their new 'stray pet dog' (a recent development to keep Setsuna from being alone at home) all the best and a good night before her spell failed, and her 'Obsignare Sonus' collapsed, forcing her to end the call unless she wanted to risk being overheard.
For a brief moment, Aryanna and Luna exchanged concerned glances, digesting the revelations of the call.
Deciding to call it a night and defer the discussion to a later, less fatigued moment, Aryanna, stifling yawns, exited the bathroom with Luna. By the time the duo arrived back in the dorm, most of the other girls were already fast asleep. Only Susan, half asleep, was waiting for her, looking at her through bleary eyes.
Aryanna, while she quickly prepared herself for bed, gave Susan a quick nod that all was ok and a visual pledge to brief her later when they could not be overheard. Too tired and unable to argue, knowing Aryanna was right, Susan nodded, exhausted from the day's events. Seconds later, she was fast asleep.
Smiling at her friends, both new and old, as they slept, Aryanna soon followed them into the realms of sleep, anticipating the long and demanding day that lay ahead.