Chapter 4
Chapter 4
I was sitting in my compartment contemplating changing into my robes when the door opened and a slightly chubby boy with brown hair and eyes was looking around the floor. He looks up at me and with a small voice asks, “I’m sorry to trouble you, but have you seen a toad? I’ve lost mine.”
“I haven’t, but I’ll gladly help you look. I’m Hermione Granger,” I get up to shake his hand.
“Neville Longbottom. Thank you for helping.” Neville says with a smile.
“You keep going from here and I’ll head further up the train and start there,” I say and with a nod from him I head up to the next car going through asking everyone about his toad. Eventually, I come to a compartment filled with candy, empty candy wrappers, and two boys. One has red hair and a little dirt on his nose. The other with black hair, green eyes, and scratched-up glasses.
I take a quick look around and see nothing but continue to ask, “Have either of you seen a toad? A boy named Neville lost one.” Both boys just shake their heads no. I notice the redhead is holding a wand. “Oh, are you doing magic? Let's see then.”
He coughs a little to clear his throat and makes little circles over his rat who is stuffed in a candy box. “Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow, turn this stupid fat rat yellow.” The rat just sits in the box sleeping away with not even a twitch.
“Are you sure that’s a real spell? I’ve only tried a few small ones, but they all worked for me. I’m Hermione Granger, and you are?”
“Ron Weasley,” states the redhead.
“Harry Potter,” says green eyes.
This is the kid who is hero-worshiped. Xander explained it's better to treat everyone as a normal person because I’m going to get recognized by vampires and demons and I wouldn’t want them all crowding around me, so why do it to someone else.“It’s nice to meet you both. I can fix your glasses if you’d like, Harry.” With a nod from him, I take the seat across from him point my wand at his glasses, and state clearly “Occulus repairo.” A small glow appears over his glasses and once it goes away they are as good as new.
He takes them off to look for a moment then puts them back on with a smile and a “Thank you.”
I smile back and say, “No problem at all. You both should change into your robes. We should be arriving soon. I’m going to go do the same. See you when we get there.” I give a wave and head back to my compartment to change, notifying Neville along the way we should ask a teacher to help.
Once the train comes to a stop, I get off to hear the tallest man I’ve ever seen calling the first years to him. The man informs us his name is Hagrid and he’s the groundskeeper for the school. Hagrid leads us to boats and tells us no more than four to a boat. I ask Harry, Ron, and Neville if they would like to share a boat and they quickly agree. We load up and start moving across a big lake. The castle is a beautiful sight with tall towers and windows looking straight out of a fairy tale. We come to the new shore and unload, when Hagrid finds Neville’s toad, Trevor. After passing Trevor to Neville he leads us into an entrance hall where Professor McGonagall is waiting.
Professor McGonagall gives a small speech explaining the House system and advises us to smarten up a bit while she checks everything is ready. My hair is in a simple braid with not a hair out of place thanks to surprisingly Xander. Spending so much time surrounded by girls from the battle with the First taught him a few things that he also taught me.
A moment later I hear an arrogant voice say, “So it’s true then. Harry Potter has come to Hogwarts.” The voice belonged to a platinum-haired boy with aristocratic features and gray eyes. He introduces his two friends as Crabbe and Goyle, then introduces himself as Draco Malfoy as if he were James Bond. Draco then proceeds to insult Ron and makes an obvious attempt at befriending ‘the famous Harry Potter’ which is a small step too far for me.
“I wasn’t aware William the Bloody had a child. Goodness, you’re just as bad as he was, at least he had class,” I say. At the name of Spike, a few of the kids gasped and looked at me incredulously.
“What would you know of him?” Asks Draco in a rude tone.
“I know he preferred the name, Spike, he died this past May, and he would have called you an attention-seeking Nancy boy.” Okay, a little rude of me, but I developed Buffy’s dislike of bullies. At that whispers broke out questioning if Spike was dead. Harry gave me a small smile that I took as a thank you for taking the attention off of him. Then Professor McGonagall came back and escorted us into the Great Hall.
I commented to Neville about the ceiling being bewitched to look like the sky outside and looked around. I saw the Headmaster sitting at the head table as well as Professor Flitwick and Xander. Xander was in a nice suit jacket with a nice shirt on under it. I knew he wouldn’t wear the robes. The procession of first years comes to a stop before a wizarding hat on a stool. Said hat opens its mouth and sings a song about the four houses, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, and Slytherin, and how it will sort us. The sorting doesn’t take too long to get to me. I walk calmly up to the stool, take a seat, and Professor McGonagall places the hat on my head.
A Slayer at Hogwarts? Very interesting. I hear a voice in my head. Well, I can see just where to put you just fine. You would do well in Ravenclaw, but to be great it better be… “GRYFFINDOR!” I just smile, remove the hat from my head, walk over to the Gryffindor table, and take a seat. I note Malfoy and his friends get sorted into Slytherin and Neville, Harry, and Ron sorted into Gryffindor with me.
The headmaster says a few words quite literally and dinner is served. During dinner, the Hogwarts ghosts appear each introducing themselves to their houses, and I notice all four send a little nod my way which I assume is acknowledging my Slayer status. A few of the teachers also observed me, McGonagall with a proud smile, and another professor with inky black hair and eyes to match was looking at me warily.
After we ate, Professor Dumbledore took to the podium. “Just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered,” what are we cattle? “The Forbidden Forest is forbidden to all pupils and a few older students would do well to remember that,” he states looking at the two redhead twins in Gryffindor. “I’ve also been asked by Mr.Filch, the caretaker, to remind you there is to be no magic in the corridors. Quidditch tryouts will be held during the second week of the term. Anyone wishing to try should contact Madam Hooch,” he nods to a professor who reminds me of a falcon. “I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to anyone who does not wish to die a very painful death.” With that, my eyes snap to Xander who looks irritated. “And lastly, I wish to introduce Professor Xander Harris,” Xander stands with a wave and sits back down. “Professor Harris is a muggle here at the behest of the ICW. Any magical actions against him will be met with the fullest force of the law. You will see him around the castle, but he only has one student to teach due to extenuating circumstances. And now before we go to bed let us sing the school song. Everyone pick your favorite tune and off we go.” Honestly, I stayed quiet and saw Xander trying to hold back laughter. It ended with the redhead twins singing in a funeral march, which Professor Dumbledore clapped the loudest for. “Ah, music a magic beyond anything we all do here. And now, bedtime. Off you trot.” I guess we are cattle.
I get up and follow Percy Weasley, whom I guess is Ron’s brother, as he leads us to the Gryffindor dormitories. On the way, we came upon a floating bundle of sticks, which proceeded to throw themselves at Percy. “Peeves. A poltergeist,” He whispered to us, but a little louder said, “Peeves! Show yourself!” A sound of air being released from a balloon is sounded. “Do you want me to go to the Bloody Baron?”
With a pop, a little man with dark eyes appeared holding the sticks. “Ooh, ickle firsties! What fun!” I lean a little to where he can see me and give a small cough with an eyebrow raised. Peeves eyes go wide, “Not fun, not fun at all!” With that, he floats off as fast as he can.
“That’s strange. Normally only the Bloody Baron can control Peeves. He doesn’t even listen to the Prefects. I don’t know what has gotten into him, but keep an eye out. Here we are.” We were now standing in front of a painting with a woman in a silk-pink dress. She comes to life and asks for the password which Percy informs her and us it’s “Caput Draconis.” From there Percy tells us where our dorms are and a few basic rules and we’re off to bed. So far everything seems okay here. Except for that tidbit about the third floor. I’ll ask Xander in the morning.