Harry Potter and the Founders Vault
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.
Year 1: The Journey from Platform 9 and 3/4
Hermione Granger of Bath, Somerset, had always thought she was an unusual girl. It wasn't just her cleverness that made her different, but the little things that spoke to her – such as that time when she was six and had managed to jump the garden fence to get away from the bully of her next-door neighbor, or that time when a dog named Ripper had actually bit her leg but hadn't caused a mark. That was why, sometime in July, neither her, nor her parents were completely shocked at the appearance of a woman in flowing green robes and pointed hat at their doorstep.
Professor McGonagall, as she called herself, had revealed all. Hermione Granger was a witch, the child of two muggles, as she called Mr. and Mrs. Granger, and had had her name down for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry since birth. Hermione had pointed out to the Professor at this point that it would have been nice to know this at an earlier age, but apparently this wasn't 'Hogwarts way'. Nevertheless, what followed was an invigorating trip to London, to the wizarding street of Diagon Alley, followed by information on how to get to the school.
So, on September 1st, Hermione Granger bade her parents goodbye before running at the barrier between platforms 9 and 10 at King's Cross. Professor McGonagall had shown her this on their day of shopping, so Hermione was prepared as she passed through the magical barrier and onto the platform where a large red steam engine stood waiting; students, parents, luggage, and pets littered the platform as Hermione took it all in - she had been bewildered when Professor McGonagall had told her, not the mention the name on her ticket, but to see the wordings 'Platform 9 and 3/4' hanging over the hubbub before her was astonishing. She had smiled as she passed a red-haired family who's youngest male was struggling with a rat and whose obvious twin brothers were joking about toilet seats to a younger female and frowned at the blonde family who seemed to be too aloof with their only son.
Dragging her luggage onto the train – it was overloaded with more books than first years should have, after all – Hermione wondered what to do next. Obviously, she needed to find a seat on this train, but she knew she had to be careful. Professor McGonagall had warned her there was a certain bias against muggle born witches and wizards, even now, so if she went to a compartment with these type of people in, they might not like her right away, but if she went to an empty one, she would be alone. On the whole, she really wanted to meet other witches and wizards before she even entered the school.
That was when she saw a compartment with only two people in; a boy wearing a baseball hat and a girl, who's back was to the door. The two were sitting on the same seat as they talked to each other. There was a beautiful snowy white owl on top of their trunks and the girl had a beautiful black and white kitten in her arms, peering over to look at Hermione as she stared.
Taking a breath, Hermione decided to take a shot as she opened the door.
"Is this seat free?" Hermione asked, pointing at the other side of the compartment and the empty seat.
"Yeah it's free," the girl said. "Come on in." Hermione was shocked at the accent – she had heard American accents before on TV but had never heard one in real life. Hermione also noticed the girl was wearing a shirt with an American flag on it.
"Need a hand?" The boy asked – he had an American accent as well.
"Yes, thank you," Hermione said, surprised as the boy helped her get her trunk in the compartment and stored. Right on time as by the time they sat down just as the train had started moving. "I'm Hermione Granger, this is my first year."
"Us too," the boy said. "I'm Harry and this is my sister Harper."
"And of course, Hedwig," Harper said, pointing at the owl. "And this is Daisy." Harper lifted the cat in her arms a bit as she said it.
"Do a lot of Americans go to Hogwarts?" Hermione couldn't help herself from asking.
"Oh no," Harper said.
"Actually, I think this is –" Harry started.
"–rare, if never," Harper completed for Harry.
"I think we're the first Americans to go to Hogwarts in a very long time," Harry said.
"Extremely long time," Harper concluded.
Hermione was shocked as she watched the two. "You two do the twin finishing each other sentences thing," Hermione said. "You don't look like twins."
"Oh, no we're not twins," Harper said.
"Harper is a few months older than me," Harry said, confusing Hermione.
"My parents adopted Harry," Harper said.
"Are you both from wizarding families?" Hermione had to ask.
"We're both from wizarding families," Harper confirmed. "Although they themselves were all muggle-borns."
"Well, my dad wasn't muggle born, but both of my parents died in the war," Harry added, and Hermione gave a nod. It was hard to think there had been a war in her own country she had not known about. Even worst to think it was about people like her – one side fighting to kill them and the other defending them.
"My dad is his mom's cousin so here we are," Harper said. "But to answer your original question, yes, we do the finishing each other sentences thing."
"Mom says we do it more when we're trying to explain something," Harry said.
Hermione gave a smile and nod. "That's nice, so you two grew up with all this?"
"Yes," the two answered together.
"Nobody in my family is magic at all." Hermione stated quickly now. "It was a surprise when I found out, but I was ever so pleased, of course, it's the only school of witchcraft there is in the UK – I've heard. I've learned all our sets of books by heart, of course, I just hope it will be enough given I didn't know the first thing about Hogwarts until the summer…" with that, Hermione seemed to talk herself into silence as Harry and Harper smiled to one another.
"No one bothered to tell you when you were a kid?" Harper asked with a frown. "Our friend, Jonny, back at home is a muggle-born. Someone found him when he was five from his accidental magic burst to inform him and his parents."
"Professor McGonagall said it wasn't the Hogwarts way, to inform children before their 11th birthday. It would have been nice to know earlier… and what is going on out there?" Hermione had been distracted by the commotion going on outside the compartment. There were students running up and down the train, shouts and slams of doors. Before Harry and Harper could answer, a boy, maybe a few years older than them, opened up their door.
"You there, take off the hat," the boy said to Harry as Daisy gave him an annoyed meow at his tone.
"And why should I?" Harry asked.
"Oh, you're American," the boy said and pulled a face as if 'American' was a bad word. "Never mind." The door closed.
"Well, that was rude," Hermione frowned, looking from Harry and back to the door.
"Is he in there?" Someone else asked the older student outside.
"No just some American and two girls. Harry Potter has got to be here somewhere," the boy said as they moved off.
"Oh, Harry Potter," Hermione mused. "I wonder if he is on the train? He should be the right age according to The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts."
Harper and Harry looked at each other and then started laughing. "Wait till they find out," Harper said.
"In a book?" Harry added, laughing with his sister.
"Find out…?" Hermione started but then paused as the penny dropped. "Holy cricket! You're Harry Potter!"
"Cricket?" Harry asked with a raised eyebrow. "But yes I am."
"I've read all about you," Hermione said. "Apart from The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts, you're also in Modern Magical History and Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century!"
"You are in books Harry." Harper playfully pushed her brother, who laughed at this.
"There were a lot of theories on where you ended up. Some say you went to muggles, others said you were adopted by Goblins, or that a wizarding family took you in with no idea who you actually were. No one said you went to America though," Hermione continued.
"Adopted by Goblins?" Harper blinked at this.
"No one knew," Harry voiced, ignoring his sister at this. "No one seemed to have known my mom had an American family who were magical."
"But Hermione, please, keep this to yourself for a bit. We want it to be a surprise," Harper added with a smile and wink at Hermione.
"It's not my secret to tell," Hermione admitted truthfully. It was soon after this that conversation moved on to Hermione's schooling and was about to move onto the topic of American schooling when an older woman with a trolley full of food stopped at her compartment door.
Hermione eyed the sweets on the top of the trolley with pleasure, noticing the sandwiches on the bottom shelf and had to refrain herself – she has used all her wizarding money back in Diagon Alley and while her mother had packed her a lunch, it was never that filling.
Harper and Harry though didn't even blink as they bought her a couple of sandwiches and a bottle of water. Then they also bought a large number of sweets which they were more than willing to share. Hermione was shocked at the surplus of sweets that siblings bought – she had expected Mars Bars or Dairy Milk Chocolate, not Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans, Droobles Best Blowing Gum, Chocolate Frogs, Cauldron Cakes, Liquorice Wands and a number of other strange things Hermione had never seen before. She wondered how her parents would react to so many sugary treats. Mr. and Mrs. Granger were dentists after all.
Later on, after, they had changed into their robes, Harper had taken out a deck of cards, asking if Hermione had played poker before. Hermione hadn't but she was a quick study as Harper taught her and they used Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans as chips.
"You know, I like these Chocolate Frog cards," Harry spoke up. While he was now in his robes, he had kept his baseball cap on, having rarely gone anywhere without it, after all. He had declined the game and had instead been getting into the Chocolate Frogs. Hermione had been pleased to know this was the first time they had seen most of these treats too. None of them being in America. "Look at this one, I have Albus Dumbledore." He passed it over to Harper who shrugged it off at a glance.
Hermione picked up the card. It showed a man's face. He wore half-moon spectacles, had a long, crooked, nose and flowing silver hair. He had a long beard and moustache and underneath the image was, indeed, the name Albus Dumbledore.
"So, this is Dumbledore," Hermione breathed as Harry and Harper frowned. She'd read a lot about him, but the books she had got from Diagon Alley didn't come with pictures. She turned over the card and saw more wording. She read it aloud. "Currently Headmaster of Hogwarts. Considered by many the greatest wizard of modern times, Professor Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the Dark Wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelves uses of dragon's blood, and his work in alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel. Professor Dumbledore enjoys chamber music and tenpin bowling."
Bemused, Hermione turned the card back over and saw, to her astonishment, that Dumbledore had disappeared from the picture.
"He's gone!" Hermione exclaimed, dropping the card in shock.
"Well, you can't expect him to hang around all day, can you?" Harry mused, picking up the card again and looking it over once more himself.
"Will this be something else to collect with your baseball cards?" Harper spoke up.
"Sure, Ms. Comic Book collector," Harry replied, and Harper gave a laugh. "I wonder if they do any famous American wizards?"
Before either could respond, their compartment door opened to a meow from Daisy, who had been sleeping on a seat. The group turned to see a rounded boy of their age; he was a first year since his robes did not include a house symbol yet, unlike the previous boy who had had a Gryffindor symbol on his robes. "Excuse me…" he said, seeming nervous. "Have you seen a toad? I lost mine."
"Sorry no we haven't," Harper said. "I think Daisy would have gotten the toad if it came in here." Daisy meowed as if saying yes.
"You should ask an older student to summon the toad," Harry spoke up. "There's a spell that can do it, but way too advanced for any of us."
"Um… thank you, I will," the boy said. "I'm Neville by the way. We're almost at Hogwarts, just to let you know."
"Thanks," Hermione said with a smile as Neville left. "We should finish up the game," she told Harper.
"Well, I'm all in," Harper said putting her Bertie Bots Every Flavor Beans into the middle seat. "What are you going to do?"
Hermione looked at her cards and then put them down.
"I fold," Hermione said. "What do you have?" Harper laid her cards down on the table to show she had absolutely nothing as she collected her winning. "Hey, you lied!"
"I bluffed," Harper corrected. "Part of the game."
"Don't worry, Hermione," Harry said, putting the chocolate frog cards away. "I am literally the only person who can tell when she's bluffing. She's sneaky like that." Harper stuck her tongue out at her brother as she tossed one of the beans into her mouth and then pulled a face.
"These things are the most disgusting things I have ever tasted!" Harper complained.
"Yeah, the back of the box say that they mean every flavor – including ear wax and vomit," Harry said, looking at the box.
"Why would they make these things?" Harper asked as she tossed the beans back into the box.
"Because sometimes you can get some really nice ones," Hermione supplied, having grabbed a red one which was, indeed, strawberry, and it was delicious.
The boy, Neville, had been right as a voice called throughout the train: "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time, please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately."
Noting the voice, Harry made sure Hedwig was secure in her cage, just as Harper attempted to get Daisy back into her cat carrier. "You'll be fine," Harper told the cat as Harry went to help his sister put the kitten in the carrier and close it.
The train slowed down right to a stop as people pushed their way towards the doors and out onto the tiny, dark platform. Harry and Harper shivered in the cold night air – not used to this weather in warm Arizona – as Hermione looked around, wondering what was next. Then, a lamp came bobbling over the heads of the students and Harry and Harper heard a familiar voice: "Firs'-years! Firs'-years over here!"
Harry waved at Hagrid and then put a finger over his lips, Hagrid realizing not to say his name out loud from that.
"Blimey!" A red-headed boy whistled at the appearance of Hagrid, but all the first-years must have been gathered as Hagrid was already leading the way. Slipping and stumbling, they followed Hagrid off the platform and down to what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. It was so dark either side of them that Harry thought there must be thick trees there. Nobody spoke much. Neville, the boy who had lost his toad on the train, sniffed once or twice.
"Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, "jus' around this bend 'ere."
There was a loud "Oooooh!"
The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black lake. Perched atop the high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers. Harry and Harper paused that moment, both feeling some sort of affinity to the castle, like some type of unspoken connection. Something calling out to them. Reaching out to their magic, but they didn't understand it as they took in the structure.
It was almost like the castle was happy to see them.
"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, shaking the two Americans out of their confused reverie as the giant pointed to a fleet of small boats sitting in the water by the shore. Harry, Harper, and Hermione headed for one.
"Hey, Neville," Harry said, seeing the boy. "Come on." Neville got on the boat with the three of them.
"I see you found your toad," Hermione said. Neville had a toad in his hands, who seemed to be trying to get away again.
"Yeah, a seventh year summoned Trevor for me," Neville said. "Thanks for the suggestion."
"No problem," Harry smiled.
"Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid at this, who had a boat to himself and even then, looked like he was too big for it. "Right then – FORWARD!"
The fleet of little boats moved off as one, gliding across the lake, which was as smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at the magnificent castle overhead. It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood.
"'ere we are!" Hagrid shouted as his boat reached what looked like a small boat house. Only two boats at a time seemed to be able to dock, so it took the students a few minutes to coordinate themselves.
"Oi, you there. Is this your toad?" Hagrid said, checking Harry and Harper boat and producing Trevor, who croaked pitifully.
"Trevor!" Neville cried happily, grabbing the toad from the giant as Harper, Harry and Hermione shared a look. As the boats left, silently gliding back to the other side of the dark lake, the first-years followed Hagrid up the tall flight of steps, the castle ever looming over them until they reached a huge oak front door.
"Everyone here? You still got yer toad?" Hagrid addressed the group, and then Neville, who nodded. Hagrid then raised a giant fist and knocked three times on the castle door.
The door swung open at once. A tall, silver-haired witch in emerald green robes stood there. She had a very stern face and Harry knew this was not someone he ever wanted to cross.
"The firs'-years, Professor McGonagall," Hagrid said.
"Thank you, Hagrid," Professor McGonagall replied curtly. "I will take them from here." She pulled the door open wide and led the group of first years into the Entrance Hall, which was so big, Harry suspected they could have fit the whole of his and Harper's home in it. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches, the ceiling was so high it was hard to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led deeper into the castle
"Welcome to Hogwarts," Professor McGonagall said to them as Hagrid moved off. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room.
"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history, and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.
"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting." Her eyes lingered on a few people, including Neville, who's cloak was fastened under his left ear, and then looked at Harry who gave her a smile before she left.
"You should probably take your hat off," Hermione muttered to Harry. "You don't want to lose points before you're even sorted."
"Yeah, alright," Harry sighed, taking off his hat reluctantly.
"Well, where is he?" It was a red head boy with a smudge on his nose who was looking around and Harry knew this had to be for him. Others echoed the redhead's suggestion.
"He's dead," Harry recognized the droning voice of blonde boy he had met in the robe shop. "Probably never lived that night. We were all fools for believing it." Harper gave a smirk to her brother as the group remained quiet from this suggestion.
"He's not dead," it was Neville who spoke rather quietly.
"What did you say?" The blonde boy glared at Neville.
"Harry Potter isn't dead," Neville reiterated, his voice barely audible though.
"And how do you know?" The blonde boy rounded on Neville.
"Because the House Potter gave a gift to House Longbottom this summer and Harry Potter was the only one who could authorize that," Neville so quickly, it was almost one long word. He was clearly frightened as he said it.
Harper and Harry looked at each other. They didn't know this Neville was a Longbottom.
"Sure," the blonde stated sarcastically, moving toward Neville threateningly.
"Hey, why don't you back off!" Harper told the blonde, quickly stepping between Neville and the other boy.
"Oh, another American. A pair of you. Dumbledore has really gone barmy," the blonde said, noticing Harry too.
Before either could say anything more, the children were shocked by a group of about twenty ghosts coming through the walls. One or two children actually screamed.
"Forgive and forget I say. We ought to give him another chance," one ghost was saying.
"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves?" Another ghost responded.
"Whoa, I've never seen so many ghosts," Harry stated as the ghosts noticed the students, moving to interact with them.
"There aren't a lot of ghosts in America?" Hermione asked, unable to take her eyes off the silver specters around them. Something else she had read about.
"There are some, but the Catholic Church works to help them move on," Harry explained.
"Some just don't want to," Harper added.
"The Catholic Church?" Hermione asked turning her head to the two. "There's magical people in the church?"
"Every major religion has a magical following as well," Harper explained, and Hermione was relieved to hear that.
"Move along," Professor McGonagall had returned. "The Sorting Ceremony is about to begin. Now form a line and follow me." With that, she led them into the Great Hall. It was a splendid room, lit by thousands of candle which were floating in mid-air 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. Professor McGonagall led the first-years up to here, so 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 now shone misty silver. Harry noticed Hermione looking up and joined her, seeing the velvety black ceiling dotted with stars and had to smile at the magic involved.
"It's bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in Hogwarts: A History." Hermione whispered to anyone listening.
Harry looked down again as Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool, she placed a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched, frayed and extremely dirty. Harry had to wonder about the cleanliness of this place as the room fell silent. Then, a rip near the brim of the hat opened wide like a mouth – and the hat began to sing:
"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty.
But don't judge on what you see.
I'll eat myself if you can find.
A smarter hat than me.
You can keep your bowlers black,
Four top hats sleek and tall,
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat,
And I can cap them all.
There's nothing hidden in your head,
The Sorting Hat can't see,
So, try me on and I will tell you,
Where you ought to be.
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry,
Set Gryffindors apart.
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal.
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true,
And unafraid of toil.
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
If you've a ready mind.
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind.
Or perhaps in Slytherin,
You'll make your real friends.
Those cunning folk use any means,
To achieve their ends.
So, put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap!
You're in safe hands – although I have none,
For I'm a Thinking Cap!"
The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It then bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again.
"What an unusual hat," Harper muttered as Harry overheard the redhead muttering about "killing Fred."
"You just put on the hat and it sorts you, neat right?" Hermione muttered as the applause died down. "Another thing I read in Hogwarts: A History."
"It's weird," Harry corrected, not used to this way of schooling, but Professor McGonagall had started to speak again.
"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," McGonagall called out to the first years. She was holding a long scroll of parchment as she called out the first name. "Abbot, Hannah!"
A pink faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat which fell right over her eyes, and sat down. A moment's pause and then –
"HUFFLEPUFF!" Shouted the hat.
The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table. Harry noticed one of the ghosts, a very large and rounded ghost, waving merrily at her.
"Bones, Susan!" McGonagall called and the next girl moved forward, placing the hat on her head as she sat on the stool.
"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat again, and Susan scuttled off to sit next to Hannah.
"Boot, Terry!" McGonagall called and a small boy moved forward, nervously.
"RAVENCLAW!" The hat shouted after a moment, and the second table from the left clapped this time as several Ravenclaws stood up to shake hands with Terry as he joined them.
'Brocklehurst, Mandy' went to Ravenclaw too, but 'Brown, Lavender' became the first new Gryffindor and the table on the far left exploded with cheers.
'Bulstrode, Millicent' then became the first Slytherin of their group to move off to the final table that had yet to cheer and then came the name Harry and Harper had been waiting for.
"Evans, Harper!" McGonagall called out. Harper gave Harry a nod as she went to take the hat.
"The American," it was the pompous blonde boy who said it. "Whatever house gets them should be ashamed." Harry rolled his eyes. While he knew the muggle governments of Britain and America were close allies, the magical ones were not. Magical governments rarely talked to each other and it seemed because of this, Britain had a superior tone and looked down on Americans.
Harper sat on the stool and placed the hat upon her head. "Oh, it's been a very long time since anyone has had a thought of looking for the Founders' Vault," it was a voice in Harper's head that Harper somehow knew came from the hat. "Well, when you get free time go to the library. In a back corner there under a painting there is a secret compartment. State your intentions and you will receive your instructions."
"Thank you," Harper thought back, surprised by this.
"Oh, don't thank me. The Founders told me to tell this to anyone who intends to take up this quest and I think it's about time what was locked away is finally discovered. So, good luck young Ms. Evans, but before you can begin your journey, I need to sort you," the Sorting Hat said back. "Now let's see. You're fiercely loyal to your brother, but no, Hufflepuff won't do. You're smart, you could compete with the Ravenclaws if you put your mind to it, but no. Your personally doesn't quite combine with Ravenclaw. But you're brave definitely and also very sneaky and cunning. Oh wait, what is this?"
"What?" Harper thought, not sure what the Sorting Hat was seeing.
"I don't just see into your mind; I can see into your magic. All that you are. And I sense a strong connection you feel to this school, to the magic here. I don't know why I didn't see this when young Lily was here, but it's more advanced in you. You and your brother certainly have a journey ahead of you and will find out a lot, but I am happy you are here. Now, yes, you would do well in Gryffindor but for you there is only one place that will let you fully discover who you are..." Then sorting hat then yelled out loud: "SLYTHERIN."
The Slytherin's erupted into applause as the first years remained dead silent – all except the blonde boy, who groaned. Harper smiled as she replaced the hat onto the stood, shared one final look with Harry, and then moved off to the table that was applauding her.
Harry let off a breath at this, now knowing where Harper was going to be, but not knowing his fate yet. Feeling slightly nervous now himself, away from Harper, he put his baseball cap on once more, feeling comfort from wearing it.
As "Finch-Fletchley, Justin" was called next, Neville turned to Harry, confused.
"Aren't you and Harper siblings?" Neville asked. "You're the only two Americans here."
"Yes, we are, but we have different last names," Harry confirmed with a smirk. He had never actually introduced himself to Neville, he realized.
After Justin went to Hufflepuff, Hermione was called, and she spent a long time under the hat. Harry wondered what would happen if the Hat didn't pick a house, wondering if the school would do a move to a more Americanized structure, with students not in a house at all.
"RAVENCLAW!" The Hat finally yelled out, and Hermione gave a smile as she it off and took her place at the Ravenclaw table, shaking hands with several students too.
When Neville Longbottom was called, he fell over on his way to the stool. The Hat took a long time with him, too, before it finally shouted out: "HUFFLEPUFF!" Neville seemed disappointed at this, but nevertheless smiled as he reached the applauding table.
"Malfoy, Draco," was next, and it was revealed to be the blonde bully from the robe shop. He swaggered forward when his name was called and barely had the chance to wear the Hat before it screamed, "SLYTHERIN!"
There weren't many people left now. "Moon, Nott, Parkinson, and then a pair of twin girls, Patil and Patil, then Perks, Sally-Anne and finally: "Potter, Harry!"
As Harry stepped forward, whispers suddenly broke out like little hissing fires all over the hall.
"You're going to have to take off that hat," McGonagall remarked, not seeming amused he was wearing the baseball cap once more.
"Sorry," Harry said, taking his baseball hat off as he sat down. The last thing he saw before the Hat dropped over his eyes was the Hall full of people craning to get a good look at him. The next, he was looking at the black inside of the Hat. He waited.
"Well, hello young Mr. Potter. I told your sister where to start your Founders' Vault journey," the Hat informed Harry, who nodded slightly. "Now let's see. You feel the same magical connection as your sister… now that is interesting." Harry was confused. "You won't be joining your sister in Slytherin though, I am sorry. You don't belong there. Not a bad mind, but no, Ravenclaw won't do. You're loyal, yes, and brave, definitely… maybe Hufflepuff or Gryffindor. Either would be a nice fit. But yes, difficult, very difficult. I think I know the house you will fit very nicely into," the hat then yelled out loud: "GRYFFINDOR!"
A cheer erupted from the Gryffindor table, and Harry removed the hat. He glanced at the Slytherin table to see Harper applauding but looking a little sad. He felt that way too – he wanted to be with his sister, but the Hat had placed him in Gryffindor, so there had to be a reason. He put his baseball cap on again. Reaching the table, a tall redhead in glasses, who had Prefect badge pinned to his chest, gave him a vigorous handshake, while two other redheads, obviously twins, shouted happily: "we got Potter!"
And now there were only three people left to be sorted. "Turpin, Lisa" became a Ravenclaw and then it was the rude redheaded boy with the smudge on his nose. To accompany his red hair, he was pale green, and Harry had to smirk.
"Weasley, Ronald," was his name, according to Professor McGonagall, and after a minute under the Hat, his fate was decided.
"GRYFFINDOR!"
Ronald threw the hat back on the stool as he moved toward the Gryffindor table, but Ron's eyes were fixed on Harry as the Prefect congratulated Ronald – who was his brother. He managed to squeeze between Harry and one of the previously sorted Gryffindor boys, Dean Thomas, just as "Zabini, Blaise," was finally sorted into Slytherin.
As Professor McGonagall removed the Hat and stool, the man Harry recognized as Professor Dumbledore got to his feet.
"Welcome," Albus Dumbledore said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you."
He sat back down. Everyone clapped and cheered. Harry didn't know whether to laugh or not.
"Is he a bit… mad?" He asked the redhead Prefect, Ron's brother.
"Mad?" The Prefect replied airily. "He's a genius! Best wizard in the world. But he is a bit mad, yes. Potatoes, Harry?"
Harry blinked. The dishes in front of him were now piled with food, some of which he had never seen before, which had to be British delicacies. He recognized roast beef, roast chicken, sausages, bacon, steak, various types of potatoes, fries that the others called 'chips' for some reason, peas and carrots; but he didn't recognize the round strange brown things the Prefect told him were 'Yorkshire Puddings', the similar brown thing with sausages apparently called 'Toad in the Hole', and the bowl of minced meat and vegetables topped with mashed potatoes the Prefect's twin brothers greedily served out called 'Shepherd's Pie'. Harry decided to stick to the dishes he knew, for now.
"So," it was Ron, and he turned to Harry, a mouth full of the Shepherd's Pie. "Let's see it?"
"See what?" Harry asked.
"The scar," Ron said, and everyone in the nearby vicinity fell a little quieter.
Harry frowned but rolled up the robe covering his right leg. "Got this scar when I was six sliding into home base at my little league game," Harry stated.
"Sliding into what at a what?" Ron asked.
"You're talking baseball, right?" The classmate Ron had unceremoniously pushed aside earlier to get to Harry, Dean Thomas, asked.
"Yeah," Harry said with a smile.
"Wait," Ron interrupted again. "The scar. The real scar. Let's see it."
"I have no other scar," Harry said, annoyed.
"Everyone knows Harry Potter has a lightning bolt scar on his forehead from the Killing Curse. Go on, take off your hat," Ron said.
Harry wasn't really liking Ron's attitude, but he could see everyone else wanted to see the same thing too. "Look, I'm sorry to disappoint you folks," Harry said, taking off his hat and moving hair out of the way to show his completely scar-free forehead. "But I don't have a scar."
Harry could hear and see the disappointment in his fellow students and sighed.
"Why are you talking like that?" Ron asked, unfazed now.
"Like what?" Harry asked as he put his hat back on.
"Like an American," Ron said.
"Because I am an American," Harry said, confused.
"No, you're not," Ron said.
"Yes, I am," Harry said, taken aback by this statement.
"You were born here," Ron said.
"You're right there, I was. And my biological parents were British. But my adoptive parents, who I have lived with for as long as I can remember, are Americans who live in America," Harry said.
"Bloody hell, who allowed that to happen?" Ron said, but Harry had had enough of him.
"Well considering my adopted dad is my biological mom's cousin it wasn't up to anyone here," Harry snapped at him.
"Sorry!" Ron replied, although he didn't sound it as he now added, "but where are your glasses?" Harry groaned. "They said you'd be wearing glasses."
"Who did?" Harry rounded on him before adding, thoughtfully. "Who would know? I haven't been in Britain since I was one. Besides, where are your glasses?"
"I don't need glasses," Ron replied, confused.
"Exactly," Harry rolled his eyes, not wanting to get into explaining the magical contact lenses he wore instead with this boy.
"Ron, shut up," it was clearly one of Ron's older brothers who said it and Harry was thankful. Dean though had taken an initiative and got up, moving to Harry's other side so he could have a clear conversation with Harry, who was grateful.
"So, do you play baseball?" Harry asked Dean.
"No, I play football," Dean said.
"Really?" Harry asked. "What position? Quarterback? Kicker?"
"What?" Dean asked and then paused. "Oh no, I forget Americans call football a different name and call a different sport football. We play with our feet and kick into a net."
"Oh soccer," Harry said. "I've played a little for fun with my buddies back home."
"You should try Quidditch. It's amazing," Ron tried, wanting back in on a conversation and to get on Harry's good side.
"I really don't care for it or flying," Harry dismissed, not even looking at Ron, who mumbled 'bloody hell' again as Harry and Dean continued their conversation.
At last, the desserts too disappeared, and Professor Dumbledore got to his feet again. The Hall fell silent.
"Ahem – just a few more words now we are all fed and watered. I have a few start of term notices to give you," the Headmaster announced. "First-years should note that the Forest in the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well," his twinkling eyes flashed in the direction of the Weasley twins, Ron's brothers, "I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors. Quidditch trials will be held in the second week to term. Anyone interested in playing for their house team should contact Madam Hooch.
"And finally, I must tell you all that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bound to everyone who do not wish to die a very painful death," Dumbledore concluded.
A few people laughed at this as a fluttering of confused whispers came over the Hall. Dumbledore chose to ignore it.
"And now, bedtime. Off you trot!" Dumbledore smiled at the hall.
-Harry Potter-
At the warning of imminent death for those who visited the third-floor corridor, Harper turned to her own Prefect of the Slytherin table, Gemma Farley.
"He's not being serious?" Harper asked the Prefect.
"Must be," Gemma stated. "It's off, because he usually gives us a reason why we're not allowed to go somewhere – the forest's full of dangerous beasts, everyone knows that. I'm surprised no one's told the Prefects about this one. But come on, I've got to show the first-years the common room," with that, Gemma got to her feet and Harper had to follow her, the other first-years rallying behind her as Gemma led them out of the Great Hall and towards the dungeons. Down a flight of stairs, they reached a bare stretch of stone wall where Gemma waited for all the first years to gather – some older students waited too.
"To get into the common room, you must reach this wall," Gemma instructed. "There is a password which is changed each term. The password this term is Slughorn." As she said the last word, the wall melted away to reveal a small corridor that led into a warm room, portraits lining the windowless walls, as a fireplace roared in the back. Green furniture scattered the room, and some older students were already sitting and chatting. Once the first-years were all through, Gemma turned back to the group.
"This is the Slytherin common room," Gemma stated. "As Slytherins we need to stick together. The other houses aren't our friends."
"Indeed," a low voice spoke and Harper and the first-years turned to see one of the professors had entered – he was a tall man with greasy black hair, hooked nose, and long black robes. Harper had the momentary impression of a bat as she took him in.
"Professor Snape," Gemma stated as the new Professor waved her off to address the students.
"Indeed. I am Professor Severus Snape. I am your Head of House and potions teacher. If you have any problems come to me. Now, go find your dormitories. Ms. Evans, a word?"
Several Slytherins shared a look as Snape maneuvered Harper away from the group, her mind running a mile a minute as she connected dots – her father had mentioned a Severus Snape many times, he had been a friend of Harry's mothers, but a rift had formed between them somehow. She didn't have any more details than that, but she knew she had to use that knowledge to her advantage.
"Ms. Evans," Professor Snape began, "I fear, due to certain things about yourself, you might not have the warmest welcome into my house, or indeed, this school. If anyone were to give you any problems, do come to me. I do not condone my students giving each other a difficult time."
"Thank you, sir, but can I ask something?" Harper asked.
"Proceed," Snape said.
"Is this hard time you think I will have because I am American, because I am a second-generation witch, or because my brother is Harry Potter?" Harper asked.
"Yes," Snape simply answered.
"I see," Harper said with a nod, trying to hide her smile at this. "Thank you for being blunt and being willing to look out for me. I am sure my Aunt Lily would have been happy to know you are."
"Well…" Professor Snape seemed to not know what to say to this. "Do find your dormitory, I believe you're sharing with two other Slytherin girls."
Harper gave a smirk as nodded as she moved away. That sneaky little comment about Lily was Harper letting Severus know she knew his past, and if Harper knew that it meant Harry Potter knew. She hoped some wounds would heal at this.
Harper went to where the other first-years were now being shown: two doors leading off and downward. A girl Harper recognized as Daphne Greengrass was in conversation with Gemma Farley, and upon seeing Harper, moved over to her. "Evans? You're with me and Tracy."
"With?" Harper asked as they moved through the door on the right and down a tight spiral staircase, almost to the bottom.
"We have some space down here so not all the Slytherin years need to dorm together. The boys and girls may be separate but some of those remain separate to each other, apparently," Daphne explained as they finally reached a door with '1A' on it. Harper had noticed several As and Bs on the way down. "It seems me, you, and Tracy will be close for the next seven years," Daphne said as Harper gave a nod, following her to a room with three large four-poster beds. Her trunk and Daisy in her carrier were at the foot of one of them and Harper smiled, moving to let her cat out, who went right for the bed and gave an annoyed meowed at being locked up so long. Harper opened her trunk to get some dry cat food out, so to feed the hungry cat.
"So, you know Harry Potter?" It was the other girl Harper knew was Tracy.
"He's my brother," Harper said, deciding not to hide it.
"I didn't think he had siblings," Daphne spoke.
"Well, if you want to be accurate, he's actually my second cousin," Harper explained, not seeing the harm in this. "But we were raised together."
"Oh," Daphne said with a nod as she went to her bed.
"What's it like in America?" Tracy asked. "Are there not many wizarding schools there?"
"There are loads actually. A lot more than you have here," Harper explained. "But I came here because Harry came here. My parents arranged for it."
"Nice," Tracy smiled. It seemed she wanted to know more but Harper was missing Harry and didn't really want to talk to these strangers right now.
"I'm tired, long day," Harper stated simply. It was true, what with the time difference between Arizona and here, she and Harry had tried to get used to this time zone before coming. But with having to get to England before the sun even came up at home, the two weren't sure when they had slept last. Returning to her trunk to grab her pajamas and then a notebook. She jumped onto the bed and closed the curtains around her bed and then changed.
Then she opened the notebook. It was a communication device connected to other notebooks. She, Harry, and several of their friends had had them for a long time. Each page was dedicated to a person, connected to their own notebooks so one could write back and forth between individuals. Harry was on the first page, but she momentarily rifled through the notebook, seeing all the other names were faded – the magic of these books had distance problems, so most of her friends were out of range. She turned back to Harry, whose name was clear.
'Meet tomorrow outside the Great Hall before breakfast,' Harper wrote on a page. The ink disappeared the moment she finished writing, to be delivered to Harry.
A moment later, ink appeared on her page saying 'Absolutely!' followed by 'miss you. This is weird'.
'I know it is. We'll get used to it' Harper gave a smile as she closed the book and pet Daisy. This was going to be an interesting year.
Post Chapter Note 1: Hope you enjoyed this. I would like to point out two things here. 1, I decided to omit the Hogwarts song (Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts) due to the fact it was never used in the books again and felt out of place here; and 2, Ron may be a bit of a dickhead at the moment, but he has a character arc that starts in the second year which really will mellow him out. I'm playing the long game here.
Post Chapter Note 2: I'm sure some of you might be wondering why Slytherin was not even considered for Harry. There are the reason why, in the book, I think the hat considered him for Slytherin. The first is Harry had Voldemort's soul in his head, which is not true here. The second is being in the Dursley's abusive household made him ambitious and wanting to prove himself, but since he was not raised like that, that particular type of ambition is not there. Then there's a personal reason why I didn't even consider putting Harry in Slytherin, because I wanted Harper in Slytherin and I need them in different houses. You will see why soon. Pay attention to the other sortings that were different from the book as well as they are key.
Please REVEW!
Karry Master OUT!