Wednesday 25 July 2012

HP fan fic, Chapter 2 - Back To Hogwarts...

Okay, this one is quite long, just so you know.


       Me and Thalia spilled onto the platform as the first years were lead off by Hagrid. We found Daniel and Nathan on the path to the carriages and we ran to catch up to them. We climbed into a carriage and it set off up the bumpy road in the forest. The woods rose up on either side of us , blotting out everything to see from the windows. We travelled for a few minutes then rounded a corner, the trees falling back and there, perched on the edge of the mountain in the downpour that had begun, was the large castle.
       I finally felt at home, Hogwarts had always felt safe and no matter how much I moaned about homework or getting double detention from McGonagall, I always had fun. Thalia was smiling on the outside, while mine was more inward. She loved the castle to and that was what had bonded us together.
       The carriages came to a stop by the steps to the courtyard and we climbed out, following the other students across the courtyard and into the Entrance Hall. On our right rose the Marble Staircase, on the left was a few spare classrooms and the door to the dungeons and in front of us rose the large iron doors leading to the Great Hall.
       Peeves was floating above our heads holding a stash of water balloons so we ran into the Great Hall just as the onslaught began. We took our seats about half way down the Slytherin table on the far left of the Hall and laughed as people walked in dripping wet. Eventually, when everyone was in and seated and attempting to dry themselves, McGonagall lead in the fresh meat - I mean first years and lined them up in front of the Sorting Hat, one of which was dripping wet like he'd fallen in the lake and was wearing Hagrid's coat. We watched and waited and finally, the seam opened and the hat began to sing:

"A thousand years or more ago,
When I was newly sewn,
There lived four wizards of renown,
Whose names are still well known:
Bold Gryffindor, from wild moor,
Fair Ravenclaw, from glen,
Sweet Hufflepuff, from valley broad,
Shrewd Slytherin, from fen.
They shared a wish, a hope, a dream,
They hatched a daring plan
To educate young sorcerers
Thus Hogwarts School began.
Now each of these four founders
Formed their own house, for each
Did value different virtues
In the ones they had to teach.
By Gryffindor, the bravest were
Prized far beyond the rest;
For Ravenclaw, the cleverest
Would always be the best;
For Hufflepuff, hard workers were
Most worthy of admission;
And power-hungry Slytherin
Loved those of great ambition.
While still alive they did divide
Their favourites from the throng,
Yet how to pick the worthy ones
When they were dead and gone?
'Twas Gryffindor who found the way,
He whipped me off his head
The founders put some brains in me
So I could choose instead!
Now slip me snug about your ears,
I've never yet been wrong,
I'll have a look inside your mind
And tell where you belong."


       The Hall burst into applause and all the first years seemed relieved, it appeared they thought they'd have a proper test. I know I had. The first year tried the hat on as McGonagall went down the list. I never really bothered listening to names as I knew I'd forget them again soon - I just clapped when I heard 'SLYTHERIN!!' from the hat.
       When everyone was seated (the boy in the coat at Gryffindor, what a surprise) the feast appeared on the golden plates and everyone tucked in, as usual, while the first years gasped. I heard Aisling Dark laugh from up the table. I turned to her and smiled.
       "Oh, like you weren't amazed when you first saw the feast." I said, helping myself to crunchy roast potatoes.
       Aisling had black hair that was slightly wavy, pale skin and dark blue eyes. "I know I was," she nodded "But I distinctly remember someone laughing at me so I'm just returning the favour." she continued, smiling and putting a few slices of chicken on her plate.
       I laughed and continued eating. I often liked to just listen to the random subjects discussed at the table. I heard Pansy Parkinson talking to Draco ('Oh, Draco, imagine having to share a box with Potter! It must have been awful!')  and Scarlet Menagerie talking to Daniel ('But why talk to them Dan? She's a half-blood! You don't want to mix with them, they're all barbaric and Muggle-ish.'). I rolled my eyes at Scarlet, she was a big stereotype for Slytherins. She was a pureblood, she hated anyone who couldn't trace their family back through ten generations of wizards and she lived in a big mansion/palace in the countryside. Most of all, she hated Gryffindors and took every opportunity to hex, jinx or curse them. She had black, straight, mid-length hair and lamp-like shining, golden eyes.
       The last of the savoury food vanished from the golden plates to be replaced seconds later by piles of sweet desserts. I helped myself to a slice of lemon cheese cake while Thalia had a slice of banoffi pie. When the last of the desserts had been finished and only crumbs remained, Dumbledore stood up and quiet fell on the Hall.
       'So! Now that we are all fed and watered, I must once more ask for your attention while I give out a few notices. Mr Filch, the caretaker, has asked me to tell you that the list of objects forbidden inside the castle has this year been extended to include Screaming yo-yo's, Fanged Frisbees and Ever Bashing Boomerangs. The full list comprises of some four hundred and thirty-seven items, I believe, and can be viewed in Mr Filch's office, if anybody would like to check it." he smiled a little. "As ever, I would like to remind you all that the Forest in the grounds is out of bounds to students, as is the village of Hogsmeade to all those below third year. It is also my painful duty to inform you that the inter-house Quidditch Cup will not take place this year." The Hall errupted in roars, which I joined in myself.
       "What??!!" I heard Phoebe Carter shout from the Gryffindor table. She was a Beater sub and she clearly thought she'd get some play time this year. Nathan sat across the table from me and he was outraged.
       "But I've been practising!!" he shouted. He was Draco Malfoy's sub as Seeker for our Quidditch team. As Draco sometimes couldn't be bothered to play, Nathan played quite a bit.
       "This isn't fair!" I huffed. I was a sub Beater. I could knock a Bludger from one end of the pitch to the other in one stroke and I'd nearly knocked Potter off his broom once. My finest hour. 
       Dumbledore raised his hands and quiet fell again but angry whispers still shot around the room. "This is due to an event that will be starting in October, and continuing throughout the school year, taking up much of the teachers' time and energy - but I am sure you will all enjoy it immensely. I have great pleasure in announcing that this year at Hogwarts-" Suddenly, the doors to the Great Hall clattered open and a man with ragged hair and a big overcoat walked in. On every other step his foot clanged on the stone. He walked up to Dumbledore, exchanged a few hushed words then sat behind the top table. "May I introduce our new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Moody." Dumbledore said and scattered applause echoed limply round the Hall but most stared at his odd appearance and darting, electric blue eye. "As I was saying, we are to have the honour of hosting a very exciting event over the coming months, an event which has not been held for over a century. It is my very great pleasure to inform you that the Tri Wizard Tournament will be taking place at Hogwarts this year." Mutters and whispers crackled around the Hall again.
       "But-But it's supposed to be dangerous! People die!" Aisling whispered.
       "The Tri Wizard Tournament was first established some seven hundred years ago, as a friendly competition between the three largest European schools of wizardry - Hogwarts, Beauxbatons and Durmstrang. A champion was selected to represent each school, and three champions competed in three magical tasks. The schools took it in turns to host the Tournament once every five years, and it was generally agreed to be a most excellent way of establishing ties between young witches and wizards of different nationalities - until, that is the death toll mounted so high that the Tournament was discontinued. There have been several attempts over the centuries to re-instate the Tournament, none of which have been very successful. However, our own Departments of International Magical Cooperation and Magical Games and Sports have decided the time is ripe for another attempt. We have worked hard over the summer to ensure that, this time, no champion will himself or herself in mortal danger. The Heads of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving with their short-listed contenders in October, and the selection of the three champions will take place at Hallowe'en. An impartial judge will decide which students are most worthy to compete for the Tri Wizard Cup, the glory of their school and a thousand Galleons personal prize money. Eager though I know you all will be to bring the Tri Wizard Cup to Hogwarts, the Heads of the participating schools, along with the Ministry of Magic, have agreed to impose and age restriction on contenders this year. Only students who are of age - that is to say, seventeen years or older - will be allowed to put their names forward for consideration. This-' Roars burst into the air again, I couldn't understand and single one but I managed to catch the drift of them - 'THAT'S NOT FAIR!!' Dumbledore spoke loudly over the rumble. "This is a measure that we feel is necessary, given that the Tournament tasks will still be difficult and dangerous, whatever precautions we take, and it is highly unlikely that students below sixth and seventh year will be able to cope with them. I will personally be ensuring that no under-age student hoodwinks our impartial judge into making them Hogwarts champion. I therefore beg you not to waste your time submitting yourself if you are under seventeen. The delegations from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving in October, and remaining with us for a greater part of this year. I know that you will extend every courtesy to our foreign guests while they are with us, and will give your whole-hearted support to the Hogwarts champion when he or she is selected. And now, it is late, and I know how important it is to you all to be alert and rested as you enter your lessons tomorrow morning. Bedtime! Chop chop!" He clapped his hands and we were dismissed to our dorms.
       I went with Thalia, Daniel and Aisling through the doors and we waited for Nath to catch up while he spoke to some Hufflepuff girl named Samantha who had black hair. He ran up and we we all went down to the dungeons. We reached a seemingly normal wall amid the maze of dank dungeons and I stood in front of it. 
       "Serpent." I said, we always had a default password for the first night but it change din the morning and was put up on the notice board. We'd always had the default password while I'd been there but one of our prefects, Hugh Mills, had told us they'd started it in his second year because people had been tired of having to find it out before going down. 
       The bricks faded away and there, in their place, was a large, wooden double door. I pushed it open and we went into our common room.


Lynxia x

3 comments:

  1. Awesome!
    Two problems- I don't play quidditch? awww
    Aaaaaand... I NEED MORE NOW!

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  2. Haha! I love when I freak out that people die XD

    Awesome and I can't wait for more!

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  3. Star Inkbright's comment -

    . . . Were you quoting The Goblet of Fire in there???

    Two-thirds of the way through, I actually had to remind myself it was a story on your blog and not a HP book! *laughs* When I'm immersed in a story, I stop noticing how the words LOOK, I just notice what they SAY . . .

    It's really interesting to see the beginning of The Goblet Of Fire from someone else's prespective. What with the Tri-Wizard tornament and all, I can see why you're facficcing that year.

    I take back what I said in my last comment. ALL your stories are really really really good. How am I meant to vote???? :/

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