Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

The Yankees Nephew and the Philosophers Stone	By : Wilde_Guess Category: Harry Potter > General > General Views: 5806 -:- Recommendations : 5 -:- Currently Reading : 5
Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter Universe I am making no money from this fanfiction

Chapter List
- 12
- 13
- 14
Chapter 13, More to be Sorted Out.
The conversation took place rather quickly, so as to avoid delaying either the Thestral Carriages or Hagrid assisting the first years to the boats. However, as the group started walking along the platform towards the front of the train, they were greeted by the quiet multiple crack! of Apparation, announcing the presence of Francisco Floyd along with John, Pet, Danny, and Michael Dvorak.
John addressed the Headmaster, “Professor Dumbledore; my elder brother, wife, heirs, and I would be interested in watching the sorting of one of my younger sons, along with a future daughter-in-law. May we do so?”
The group of new arrivals was wearing formal Wizarding Robes under their cloaks. The robes had coats-of-arms over the wearer’s left breast. John and Francisco were also wearing their military decorations.
Dumbledore was taken aback, even while the group walked towards the carriages. After but a moment’s pause, he replied, “We don’t normally allow parents to watch the sorting, but I’m doing enough exceptional things this evening that your party may join us at the staff table. Do you know what the arms you’re wearing mean?”
Frank supplied, “Headmaster, thank you for your forbearance and hospitality this evening. We don’t normally wear such things, but we have them. Both House Floyd and House Dvořák arms are properly registered in both the College of Arms and the Ministry.”
John instructed, “Aaron, Saria, catch up with the other first years. And Saria, your mother is not upset any more. We will still talk later tonight.”
The two children made a more serious effort to catch up with the first year students to cross the lake. The rest of the party continued walking towards the carriages.
More to the point of their conversation, John offered, “Both House Dvořák and House Floyd descend from Clan O’Connell. So, our arms are properly based on theirs. House Floyd’s arms are differenced by the Helm being replaced with a Spanish morrión argent, the shamrocks being replaced with lions of León, and our shared House Words being in Welsh instead of Irish Gaelic. House Dvořák uses a World War Two American Helmet argent, the shamrocks are replaced with two Welsh Dragons and a red fox, Bohemian Lions are used for supporters Dexter and Sinister, and our crest is a pelican in her piety. Our House Words are in Czech.”
As the group boarded the last of the carriages, Frank concluded, “Our ultimate Clan Head enthusiastically approved our arms and having them formally recognized and registered almost two years ago, although we haven’t boasted of it in public before now. And the Queen herself had the pelican crest added to the Dvořák Arms.”
Dumbledore asked, “What are your House Words, David?”
Without hesitation, he replied, “Smysl a síla, Headmaster. Like the House Words for Clan O’Connell and House Floyd, the literal translation is ‘sense and strength,’ but the more appropriate translation would be ‘power used with judgment.’”
Once the party of seven had boarded the carriage, and the line of carriages started moving, Professor Dumbledore asked, “David, do you have any guesses as to why we’re doing what we’re doing tonight? I would be interested in hearing them if you do.”
After thinking for a moment, the thirteen year old boy replied, “Beyond encouraging those involved to not arrange for ‘romantic get-aways’ on the Hogwarts Express in future, having Saria sorted into a House as a Hogwarts Student will make it easier for her to take the theoretical side of her OWLs and NEWTs, wherever she takes them. If you take that to its logical eventual conclusion, she would also have at least some standing to become a Hogwarts Professor in Latin, History, or Muggle Studies should she choose to do so and should you hire her, at least on a substitute basis.”
Dumbledore chuckled quietly before replying, “You’re actually spot-on, David. That is of course providing that you still intend to eventually teach here."
Changing the subject slightly, Frank asked, “What do you think of King’s College, David?”
David paused in thought carefully before answering. “Uncle Frank, while one of the colleges at Oxford or Cambridge would have slightly more prestige, a Doctorate in History from King’s College will more than do the job for what I need. I’m also guessing that since you’ve already ‘got the wheels greased’ to get Delilah and Debbie in, that you would need a lot less ‘grease’ for Saria and me.”
Danny told David, “Delilah’s flat in Lambeth is actually a town house, and it’s a pretty decent sized one too. Tim, Michael, and I are still going to Salford, but that’s only ‘cause Salford will teach us what we need to learn. But Delilah’s doing well in her nursing studies, and Uncle Frank talked Debbie into going full-in to medical school. He’s also seen a few more of us attending King’s College, too. Pixie’s even going to King’s, although she’s waiting ‘til after she takes her NEWTs before going.
“But how are you guys going to work out your OWLs and NEWTs? You’re still going to Hogwarts, so you won’t have the flexibility Michael and I have, and we’re going to have to do some serious ‘time management and shuffling’ to get away from Salford to take our NEWTs in Guildford.”
David answered, “A.D. and I have barely found time to talk to Dad about that up to now, and time’s getting away from us. We thought that we’d take our OWLs at Hogwarts, and get approval to take our NEWTs at Guildford the following two weeks, since Guildford’s tests usually take place after the Hogwarts tests.”
Dumbledore told the group, “Providing that the group of you impress your Professors and me that you’ll pass with sufficient marks taking both your OWLs and NEWTs in the same academic year, you would sit both exam sets at Hogwarts. You would need to use a Time Turner to do it, but providing she’s with a wizard or witch using it, even Saria would be able to use one without harm. I have a small number of them at my disposal to use at my discretion, since I already have one Professor who is obliged to use one just to keep up with his work.”
John asked, “Are A.D. and you sure that you will be able to take your OWLs and NEWTs like that without failing them or having a nervous breakdown?”
David replied confidently, “The only thing we aren’t sure about is having enough practical application time with Care of Magical Creatures. But we have sat in those classes last year, and we’ve studied with Professor Kettleburn on our own time, too. So we should have enough practice by the end of this school year. In Saria’s case, she’s actually been working on the theory stuff just as long as I have. Since she’ll only be able to take the theory and written tests, she should be fine.”
John opined, “I will follow the advice of your professors, Headmaster Dumbledore, and Remus for whether the three of you are actually ready or not when the time comes. Your Uncle Frank has seen that you will excel if you take your studies this year at least as seriously as you have done before. I would prefer you prove him right, since my actual preferences won’t be honored here.”
David tried to interrupt, but John cut him off. “Your birth father and I sweated blood so that your brothers and you could be children until you grew up to adulthood, unlike the two of us. I grew up without money. At the age of ten, I was working as a short order cook and as a day laborer at a hog farm. The only reason I remained in school was that I knew for a certainty that failures quit school, and I wanted to succeed, unlike your Grandfather Dvorak. Your birth father grew up with money, but at a far greater cost than he could continue paying. I graduated high school a year early, and your birth father only went to college for two years; before we joined the Army together as regulars. That was back in the day, of course, when being a regular actually meant something, and there was still an active Draft.
“But times change and needs change. You’re facing hazards both greater and closer than your birth father and I could even imagine when we joined the Army, much less at your age. You’ll do what needs to be done, saying only ‘koste es, was es wolle.’ We raised you well enough that you’d do no less even if I tried to stop you. Just don’t be in too much of a hurry to grow up, and don’t forget to live instead of merely traveling through life.”
Their carriage arrived at the main doors to Hogwarts. As the group got out of the carriage, David assured his father today, “Intelligo, Pater. Periculo quod vult, sed Terrorista plus reddet.” John hugged his younger son, and the boy went through the doors and into the great hall. Headmaster Dumbledore followed quickly behind. With a stern look from John, Danny also walked briskly into the castle, with Michael, Pet, and Frank bringing up the rear.
John told Sirius, “You know that the only reason we’re still talking at all, let alone my not speaking much more harshly to you, is because you came clean with this plan the very second the train was gone, right?”
Sirius replied contritely, “I do. I still forget sometimes that you’re not James, and that you hew much more closely to the rules.”
John retorted, “I hew much more closely to telling and being told the truth, Sirius; along with knowing where all of my underage children and wards are at all times. If I were a stickler for blindly following the rules, I’d have a pair of four-year-olds who wouldn’t leave the house until they were eight with all the ‘accidental’ Apparation they’ve been doing.
“As a young boy, my experiences taught me that lying was a deadly insult, so I tried to live in such a way that I never had to fear the truth, nor fear telling it. I became a young man in a wartime army, where being lied to, whether by superiors or subordinates, placed me in deadly peril. While I’ve raised my children or wards to never casually shock or hurt feelings with truths they should not have had or observed, or break confidences, I’ve punished lying above every other childhood offense. Even now, no matter their behavior to ‘outside’ authority, they will tell Pet and me the truth, even if they know that they had gone against whatever she or I had told them to do or stay away from.
“I honestly wish that I thought of sticking Saria on the train with David instead of Danny. Between Paul and his friends, and the four-year-old quartet, along with their studying, rehearsing, and performing, they haven’t really had any time just for each other and themselves. Other than not knowing that Saria was going to be on that train before she left on it, and not being asked by the kids beforehand, I honestly didn’t have any problems with her riding the train with David.
“Danny did have a couple of Delilah’s classmates who already knew about the Wizarding World ready to drive them around Lambeth, and when Aaron had told his mother that Saria had already gone, he was in the same train compartment with David and he didn’t want to spoil the surprise. So, they were more misleading than outright dishonest.
“David’s two Adferos right after he and Saria met up proved to me that David wasn’t in on their outing, and since he asked me to reply only if there was a problem, I let him go. Since I can’t punish David, I can’t really punish Saria, either. And, for all the not-quite-adult-yet thinking Danny and Delilah did by not asking Pet or me first, they did at least have the sense to involve you, so there was actually an adult watching if any problems arose. If the MWR didn’t have ‘stowaway warning’ wards that reported to the Headmaster, you probably would have gotten away with it completely.
“Since you came clean before anyone else said anything to me, and since David responsibly told me where Saria really was and gave me all the details of her day’s itinerary as soon as he found them out, I was not surprised when Dumbledore sent me his Adfero late this morning. And, when I Floo’ed him back, I could honestly tell him that while I did not approve of Saria stowing away on his school train, that I was already taking steps to collect her the moment the train pulled into the station. Since he had his own ideas about how to handle things that were close to what I was thinking, we were able to resolve things favorably for everyone.
“Danny and Michael had to stay around Ashford all day to help me and entertain their younger siblings instead of relaxing with Delilah and Debbie in London or putting some time in at the shop in Guildford. After all, I knew I had a Floo close-at-hand in Ashford if something went wrong. I also made Danny dress up in formal robes to accompany me tonight, where he dressed in his kutte and t-shirt when Pet and I got married. Saria gets to ‘play witch’ for longer than she had expected, and Aaron gets to protect her.
“Now that I’ve explained myself to you, that should finish things up. Especially since I was able to bring Pet out here tonight and she knows I’m telling you off right now. Other than the momentary panic and lingering aggravation, this is the cheapest Anniversary Date yet, and Pet’s actually enjoying herself. She never thought she’d even see the place, but she’ll actually get to watch Aaron and Saria get sorted, which most Wizarding parents don’t get to see.”
Sirius contritely replied, “I really am sorry, John. And if there is anything even close to a ‘next time’…”
“Ask first” John finished. “If I’m going to look foolish, I’d at least like the privilege of being the fool first. And, judging by the sound of children in the distance, we need to get moving.”
The two men laughed together while they walked into the castle, with Professor McGonagall briskly closing the door behind them. After all, tradition required that the door be closed when the first years were brought up.
§§§
Meanwhile, Danny entered the Entrance Hall and met up with David. The two boys stepped off to the side as Pet, Michael, and Uncle Frank walked past towards the staff entrance to the Great Hall.
David told Danny, “Before we say anything else Danny, thank you for getting Saria on the train with me. I didn’t mean to drop the dime on you…”
Danny assured his younger brother, “You didn’t. Really. Sirius fessed up the second the train was gone. The only thing your Adferos did was convincing Dad that you weren’t involved, which was the truth.
“The only reasons that Dad was pissed off at all were ‘cause we didn’t ask him or Mom first, and that Uncle Sirius didn’t know about the ‘stowaway warning wards’ on the train. Mom was more upset with both us and Uncle Sirius, but Dad got her calmed down by offering to bring her here to watch the sorting. You know how Mom gets when she talks about her time growing up, right?”
“Yeah, Danny?”
“Well, her coming out here to watch the sorting tonight was actually beyond a triple-dream-come-true for her. When Mom was about your age, Professor Dumbledore told her in a letter that she would basically never see the inside of Hogwarts no matter how she begged or pleaded. I can understand why he did that, but it still hurt Mom. But now, she not only gets to see the inside of Hogwarts, something she was told would never happen, but she gets to see two of her step-kids sorted…”
Whispering the next words so only David could hear them, he finished, “… and one of them has no magic at all.”
The two brothers laughed together, before Danny reminded David, “I’ll need to sit up ‘on stage’ with Mom and Dad. And with Professor McGonagall closing the outside door, I think we need to get seated like five minutes ago. If we don’t talk or write before then, I’ll see you on the fourteenth.”
Danny and David hugged before going their separate ways. David entered the Great Hall and sat down in the middle of his ‘group.’ He told them, “Believe it or not, I’m the only one who didn’t get in any trouble, though things actually ended up going okay. Saria will have to go home tonight after the feast so she can get a replacement wand tomorrow, but otherwise, it’s all good.”
They were all quick on the uptake. Bill asked, “How far behind you were the first years? And why are your parents, uncle, and two older brothers at the staff table with Sirius Black?”
David informed them, “Since they had to come out here on other business anyway, they asked to watch the Sorting and attend the feast. As you can see, the Headmaster allowed them to.”
They also noticed Professor Dumbledore having a quick and quiet conversation with the Sorting Hat. A.D. groused, “Wish he’d have thought of that when I was sorted.”
David chided, “He should have, but you were only embarrassed. If the Hat starts saying weird shit tonight, we could have some real problems to deal with.”
In a few moments, the Sorting Hat was suitably instructed. Headmaster Dumbledore nodded to Professor McGonagall. She left, and less than a minute later she returned with the first years. The Sorting hat started its yearly song.
§§§
While other things happened, Aaron and Saria walked around the Hogwarts Express to catch up with the group of first year students. They caught up with Aaron’s future classmates just as the first students of the group caught sight of the castle on the other end of the Black Lake. Saria was glad that she her amulet, allowing her to bypass the Muggle Repelling wards and illusions. She saw the castle in all its glory and beauty, and she was just as impressed as everyone else.
Once Aaron and Saria got out on what passed for the beach, Hagrid greeted, “Awright, Aaron. I’da thought tha’ David would be accompanying Saria. An’ sorry ta hear ‘bout yer wand and trunk, Saria.”
Saria herself replied, “No worries, Hagrid. Sometimes, those things just happen. And Aaron needs to be sorted like me, where David doesn’t.”
While Saria rapidly approached Tonks and a confused Chiara Lobosca, she continued, “And it’s still four to a boat, right? No more, no less, no lifebelts, and no worries, right?”
Hagrid laughed and replied, “Just so, Saria.”
Addressing the rest of the gathered first years, Hagrid informed them, “Well, you ‘eard the lady! Four ter a boat, and we can cross the lake to Hogwarts as soon as all of yer git inter the boats.”
“Watcher, Tonks!” Saria greeted while arranging so Chiara, Aaron, Tonks, and herself were seated in the same boat.
Once Hagrid was satisfied with his head count and got the boats underway, Tonks asked, “I didn’t think you’d be making it this far tonight, Saria. And Chiara’s cool to keep a secret, but it’s yours to tell.”
Saria answered, “Chiara Lobosca? I’m Saria Cook, David Dvorak’s boyfriend. The boy next to me, who feels like he’s blushing, is David’s younger brother Aaron. We’ve known Tonks for years.” Continuing more quietly, she added, “Our ‘Uncle’ Remus taught Aaron and David a particular spell, and supplied the live target for it, too. He got his ‘furry little problem’ from the same place you got yours, and he was even younger, too. So your ‘secret’ is even safer with us than mine is with you.”
Chiara took Saria’s and Aaron’s extended hands and shook them. She offered, “Chiara Lobosca. Tonks’s already told me all about both of you, and that Aaron was already studying to become a healer. And yes, your ‘secret’ is safe with me. But why are you getting sorted tonight? And Aaron is blushing… and handsome.” Chiara herself blushed at her last words.
“You’re amazingly pretty too, Chiara” Aaron freely admitted. Chiara and he both blushed even more deeply.
Recovering first, Chiara quietly asked, “It’s not my business, but why are you getting sorted this year, Saria? Tonks had led me to believe that you were attending a different school."
After noticing Aaron discretely cast a silent Muffliato Charm, Saria quietly answered, “Aaron just cast a Muffliato, so we’re good unless we scream stuff. And Tonks was spot-on with where I’m going to school. Dumbledore’s having me sorted as an ‘exchange student’ for whatever reasons he has.”
She explained even more quietly, “And the only magic I’ve ever had in me was David’s dick. He and I are paramours as well as boyfriend and girlfriend. We’ll be affianced and later married when the times allow. I decided to surprise David by riding the train with him this year, since we haven’t had enough time together by ourselves with how busy our summer was. I even got Sirius Black to help get me back to London once the train pulled in to Hogsmeade. David and I had a fabulous day together by the way, Aaron, so thanks for helping out.
“The only hint I had that things were probably going to go to shit was David sending two Adferos back to back when he was first brought to my compartment on the train. That’s a Patronus based one-way communications spell, and David can send them silently. Since he got no reply, I let it slip my mind, especially since David was kissing my other lips ‘hello’ at the time. He’s an incredible kisser, but you will have to take my word for it.
“Sirius met us on the platform after we let most of the students get off of the train before us. So did Dumbledore, and David’s parents, who are also my guardians, were only a minute or so behind him. So I know that at best I’ll have a ‘talking-to’ once we get home to Little Whinging later tonight.”
Chiara asked, “How long have David and you been going together?”
“We’ve been going together since we were four or so. Aaron even used to call me ‘Mom’ sometimes. We started ‘going all the way’ the summer before David started Hogwarts, so just over three years.”
To Chiara’s confused laughter, Aaron explained, “Saria’s birth-mother was David’s and my birth-mother’s aunt-by-adoption, and ‘Miss Cook’ was much younger than my birth-mother. Meanwhile, my birth-mother gave me to David as his ‘third birthday present,’ since I was born exactly three years to the minute after David was. Saria was, too; but anyway…
“I think my birth-mother did it mostly to keep David from getting into further trouble, since he had wandered into the delivery room and quietly watched me being born. David and I both took it more seriously then she and Dad ever intended, I guess…”
“Put yer ‘eads down!” Hagrid warned, since the boats were crossing under the vine-covered bridge.
Aaron concluded with, “If we become and remain friends, we’ll both have plenty of time to finish that story, even if we sort into different houses. Only Slytherin tends to keep to themselves, but even they have friends in other houses.”
“Friends for starters then” Chiara replied. “You think any of us will sort Slytherin, though?”
“Not likely. Either Gryffindor or Hufflepuff for all of us. None of us would fit in Slytherin, whether ‘classic’ or today. I don’t know about you yet, Chiara, but Tonks and I are too lively for ‘lofty ivory towers.’ And while Saria could keep up with Ravenclaw academically easily, her bravery, loyalty, and passion shine through much more strongly.”
The boats ground ashore, and Aaron discretely canceled his Muffliato. The group of students followed Hagrid up to the Hogwarts main entrance, which appeared to have been cracked open until mere moments ago, with the last of the Thestral carriages just pulling away to return to their carriage house and paddock. They all followed Hagrid up to the front door. After Hagrid presented them to Professor McGonagall, they all entered the Entrance hall.
§§§
Ben Copper, Rowan Khanna, Judah Kowalski, and Charlie Weasley ended up sharing a boat together. As the four boys got into their boat, Charlie cast a silent Muffliato around them. While Charlie was less unobtrusive than Aaron with his casting, he was still subtle enough that none of the other eleven year olds realized that he had even cast a spell.
Charlie informed the group, “I just cast a special anti-eavesdropping spell. We can talk without being listened in on, provided we talk quietly.”
Ben started to say, “I thought that David’s girlfriend…”
Charlie quietly admonished, “Keep it behind your teeth, Ben. She’s getting sorted, but my guess is that she’s going back down south after the feast tonight. We’ll stay friends no matter what, but I think we’ll all sort Gryffindor, along with Thorin. If we do, we’ll probably get most of the details from David at the feast, or right after it. If not, and if we need to know, David’ll tell us later on, if he sees fit. Otherwise, it’s none of our business.”
“Forward!” Hagrid commanded, and the flotilla of boats left the shore as a single group.
Rowan asked Charlie, “How long have you known the Dvoraks?”
“’Bout four years, Rowan. Why?”
“How did David get a sakura wood wand? Even fruit cherry makes for a powerful enough wand that Ollivander supposedly never presents them to kids. You don’t see kids carrying sakura ‘round here, full stop. And it looked like he was using an Auror Holster, too.”
Charlie replied tersely, “Keep that behind your teeth, too. While it isn’t quite a secret, we don’t go blabbing around about what kind of wand David carries, or any of the rest of us come to that. And you answered your question of ‘why’ with your first question. In a life-or-death magical fight, you take out the heavy-hitters first; and you go for the ambush when you can. And if they know what they’re doing, a wizard or witch with a sakura wand is usually the heaviest-hitter you’ve got.
“How did he get it, though? Simple; he told Ollivander where on the shelf it was, and had Ollivander sell it to him, over eight full months before he came to Hogwarts. I was there, because I got my wand the same day. And I can cast all of those spells Aaron rattled off on the train. I just can’t cast them all silently yet.”
“Fuck me for a game of soldiers! You’re raising Harry Potter, the boy who lived!” Rowan quietly exclaimed. “Lord and Lady Longbottom are always letting their grandson ‘stay over’ with friends in Devon, in spite of how young he is. Their grandson was also staying ‘with friends of the family’ when the Heir and Heiress were tortured into insanity.”
Charlie calmly explained, “Keep that behind your teeth most of all. You’re wrong, but you’re close enough to the truth to get people killed, like my family, if you blab that shit around.
“Lord Dvořák’s wife is Lady Dvořák. She’s also the older sister to Lily Potter, Harry’s dead Mum, and the one who really topped the Terrorist. The Dvořáks are raising him, not us; he’s just over to visit or be babysat all the time. The oldest child Lord and Lady Dvořák have together is only a month and a half older than Harry. Those two boys, along with Neville Longbottom and my littlest brother Ronnie are almost inseparable. While they’ve been to Longbottom Hall a few times, they spend a lot of time either at Harry’s house or mine.”
Judah asked, “So all that shit Aaron said ‘bout Perry ‘n’ my Da is true?”
Charlie told them, “There’s probably lots of shit the adults haven’t told David ‘n’ Aaron. But they’ve told David and Aaron a lot. And there’s loads of shit they know that Bill won’t let them tell me. With the stuff I do know, I don’t want to know what else is out there yet. But yeah, they know ‘bout the Death Eaters, and about R too; or at least as much as anyone who isn’t a Death Eater or in R does.
“I can cast a well-aimed Blasting Hex without saying the incantation. Dya wanna know how I learned it? Alastor Moody, Sirius Black, and my Dad taught me. They didn’t teach me to cast that spell that way to play around, or give me a leg-up on DADA class. They’re worried that I’ll either cast that spell like that, or come home in a coffin ‘cause I couldn’t. And they think that it might happen before I take my NEWTs.
“Point is, even the adults think the war’ll restart, and sooner than any of us would like. So, we all need to work on our magic and studies as hard as we can, and more besides. Bill and I are both staying here for the full seven years, whatever the Dvoraks and Andy Floyd do. We can help you learn what you’ll need when you can, instead of when or if the professors get around to teaching you.”
“What about Perry?” Judah asked.
“I don’t know” Charlie answered honestly. “I mean, we probably don’t want to mess with the Cursed Vaults anytime soon, and I know we absolutely don’t want anything to do with R. But I’ll help you with Perry, and I’m sure that the rest will come around quick enough.
“David is trying to keep peace with his four ghost friends along with everyone else, and from what Bill says, Duncan isn’t even close to helping us. Aaron normally follows David’s lead even more closely than I follow Bill’s. But if David has actually found the time to think things through, he’d have to be a hypocrite. After all, the quickest way I know of to level Hogwarts to the ground would be to kidnap either Aaron or David, and tell the other one that their brother was imprisoned somewhere in the castle.
“Now that doesn’t mean that we’ll casually go fucking with the Cursed Vaults. But we will look for Perry, and if we must go into them to find Perry, we will. But I’m probably the only one of us who can even light their wands right now. So we’ll all be doing a lot of study and practice before we even think about actually going after him.
“Judah, from what I’ve been told, your brother was a tough and skilled wizard. Whatever happened to him happened to him. We will all need to at least be close to his strength along with working together flawlessly to make sure that the same thing doesn’t happen to us. This isn’t a game, and we won’t get a ‘do-over’ if we fuck up and get crippled or killed. Just ask Duncan if you don’t believe me.”
“Put yer ‘eads down!” Hagrid commanded as they passed under the vine covered bridge.
It was a silent and somber quartet of boys who landed on the shore a minute or two later. Charlie gathered the other three up along with Thorin Odinson, and the quintet followed the rest of their fellow first years up the hill to the castle entrance.”
§§§
Aaron was almost at the front of the group, along with Saria, Chiara, and Tonks. He observed Hagrid present the group to Professor McGonagall. It looked like the two adults were following a script that was almost unchanging from year to year, even if spoken in total sincerity.
Likewise, Professor McGonagall’s introduction or reminder of the four houses, house points, and the House Cup also seemed well-practiced and well-rehearsed. The Deputy Headmistress left them to wait in the anteroom while she made the last preparations to sort them in front of their fellow students.
Aaron remarked to the girls he was accompanying, along with Charlie and their four first-year friends from the train, “I suppose the House and Castle ghosts will be along in just a tick. They’d better hurry, though; Professor McGonagall looked like things were running behind the time, so I don’t think we’ll be kept waiting like usual.”
Duncan Ashe, Willa Weholt, Simon Talmadge, and Myrtle Warren joined the group, frightening all the Muggleborns and a lot of the other students, too.
Simon greeted, “Hi, all. Most of our fellow ghosts are dealing with trouble Peeves the Poltergeist caused not ten minutes ago. They’ll be joining us at the feast as soon as they can. Don’t worry; there’s plenty of food and we ghosts don’t really eat that much.”
While some of the other students laughed nervously, Simon quietly asked, “What’s the deal with Saria?”
Aaron replied, “It’s Dumbledore’s idea, the less said, the better.”
Simon chuckled, “The Headmaster was the occasional prankster when he was a student here, so I’ll wait for the answers to present themselves. Will she be joining the band this year, or just you?”
Saria herself answered, “It’s a pleasure to see you again, Simon, and probably just Aaron. I’ll be visiting occasionally as a transfer student, I suppose. But I won’t be attending here full-time. How were all of your summers?”
Willa informed her, “Mine was brilliant, but I didn’t stick around here. I haunted my niece Wanda along with Devlin over at Nimbus. They’ve got some amazing stuff on the drawing boards now. Makes me really miss being alive, but at least I’ll see someone ride them.”
“Dead boring ‘round the castle” Duncan offered. “My folks are still too broken up over losing me for me to haunt by. Mum ended up getting pregnant, she’s due in November. They married young, stayed together even with losing me, and aged gracefully. It woulda been nice if they’d had more than just me when I was younger, but that’s life I guess.”
Myrtle offered, “Rosmerta hired a piano player over the summer for some of the weekends to accompany me. Even with the tourist trade, we don’t have much of a ‘nightlife’ to speak of in Hogsmeade over the summer. Once the kid got used to accompanying a ghost, we worked out okay. But it’ll be nice having the band again this year.”
The four House Ghosts floated in. The Bloody Baron was particularly miffed, and even Friar Tuck wasn’t quite his boisterous self. The Grey Lady was visibly shunning the Baron. Sir Nicholas informed the group, “We House Ghosts normally greet you here. The ‘kids,’ three of whom are actually older than your parents, have only gotten sociable with students for the last couple of years.
“I’m Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington, the Gryffindor House Ghost. Friar Tuck is the House Ghost for Hufflepuff, the Grey Lady is the Ravenclaw House Ghost, and the Baron is the House Ghost for Slytherin. Peeves is a Poltergeist, and not a real ghost. He’s also a bloody nuisance, and the rest of the castle ghosts are keeping the nasty blighter confined so we can attend your sorting. And, here’s Professor McGonagall to collect the lot of you now.”
The Deputy Headmistress asked tersely, “Has Peeves been taken care of?”
“For now…” the Baron growled in an eerie bass voice.
“Very well. Students, form a single-file queue alphabetical by last name and follow me into the Great Hall.”
With a quiet recitation of names and letters, the first-years did as they were bid and followed Professor McGonagall into the Great Hall. Even the students who already knew about the Great Hall were impressed with its floating candles and enchanted ceiling. They were lined up down the center aisle facing the Head Table. Once the doors to the Hall were closed, the hat started to recite its yearly poem.
The Sorting Hat waxed lyrically about each of the four houses and what it was supposed to take to enter each one. While everyone was impressed, they were more impressed that a hat was reciting a poem rather than the poem the hat was reciting. With no further delays, Professor McGonagall read off the first of many names from the first-year roster.
“Ali, Badeea” Professor McGonagall announced.
The first person in line, a slightly smaller than average subcontinental looking girl wearing a Muslim head covering that left her face fully exposed took her seat on the sorting stool, and the Hat was placed upon her head.
After a few moments, the Hat announced, “Ravenclaw!” The first student of the year had been sorted.
Next was; “Atwood, Alfred.”
“… Slytherin!”
“Baker, Beatrice”
“… Gryffindor!”
“Baker, Viator”
“…Ravenclaw!”
“Caplan, Diego.”
“Hufflepuff!” the Hat intoned, giving the Badger House their first student of the year.
After two more students, Professor McGonagall called, “Cook, Saria.”
Saria herself was nearly terrified, despite being quite used to public appearances. Not only was she a total Muggle, she was also almost fourteen, and was obviously not a first year. But bravely and without betraying any of her insecurities, she sat upon the stool before a hall of wizards and witches, having also noticed her guardians and two oldest ‘brothers’ sitting at the High Table. The Hat was placed over her head, and almost fit her.
She heard the voice in her head. “Relax, child; and if you hear me, nod once.”
Saria did so while asking in her mind, “Can you hear me?”
The Hat answered, “Yes, child. It’s a shame you don’t have any magic of your own. With your bravery and determination you would be a formidable witch. Even if you possessed magic, there is only one house where I could sort you. So, join your fiancé in…”
“Gryffindor!” the Hat concluded aloud.
Immensely relieved, Saria stood, placed the Hat upon the stool, and quickly joined David at the Gryffindor Table.
The next student called was, “Copper, Benjamin.”
Ben nervously sat upon the stool and the Hat was placed upon his head.
The Hat told him, “Sometimes I sort because of a trait a student has. Other times, I sort because of a trait a student doesn’t know they have; a trait they desperately need to bring to the fore. So, I’m sorting you into…”
“Gryffindor!” the Hat finished for the Great Hall to hear. Ben barely remembered to remove the hat from his head before joining David and Saria at the Gryffindor Table. The Sorting continued.
“…Dvorak, Aaron.”
Aaron took his seat with an outside air of total confidence. He was actually very nervous. He thought he might be sorted into a different house than his brother.
The Hat assured him, “Relax. I won’t separate you from your brother in…”
“Gryffindor!” the Hat finished for the Great Hall to hear.
Aaron got up, surrendering the stool to “Dvorak, Hannah.”
Sally told the Great Hall, “If addressed by given name, I am ‘Sally,’ to tell me apart from my mother.” She sat confidently on the stool and Professor McGonagall placed the Hat on her head.
The Hat didn’t even bother talking to Sally first. “Gryffindor!” it proclaimed. Sally got up from the stool and placed the hat upon it. The Sorting continued.
“…Egwu, Andre.”
“…Ravenclaw!”
“…Hayden, Corey.”
“…Gryffindor!”
“Haywood, Penny.”
“…Hufflepuff!!”
“…Jablomé, Haywood.”
“…Slytherin!”
“…Karasu, Tulip”
“…Ravenclaw!”
“…Ketsueki, Victor.”
“…Ravenclaw!”
“Khanna, Rowan.”
Rowan took his seat on the stool, and the hat was placed on his head. He heard in his mind, “Hmm. Brilliant mind, yes indeed. You truly have a thirst for knowledge. But where to place you?”
Rowan answered in his mind, “The things I truly need to learn here are best taught in Gryffindor. I need to learn to be brave and to get out in the world with others, and I will learn that best where I can see the example every day.”
“That’s a very Ravenclaw observation, young man. But your house is…”
“Gryffindor!” the Hat finished aloud. Rowan stood up and Professor McGonagall removed the Hat from his head. He was most of the way to the far end of the table before Professor McGonagall called out the next student.”
“Kidd, Wilfred Levi.”
“…Gryffindor!”
“Kim, Jae.”
“…Gryffindor!”
“…Kowalski, Judah.”
Judah was visibly nervous being in front of the entire Great Hall for all sorts of reasons, not the least of which was the somewhat disapproving muttering that some in the Hall were making about Perry. Before he could really get into a strop about that, he seated himself upon the stool, and Professor McGonagall placed the hat upon his head.
“I haven’t seen one like you in a long time, Judah” the Hat spoke into Judah’s mind.
“What do you mean?” Judah nervously asked.
The Hat assured him, “It’s nothing bad, Judah. You have all the traits the Founders desired for their Houses in equal measure and perfect balance. Not many people are so balanced, especially at your age. So, pick a House, any House, and know that with your own best effort you will prosper in any of them.”
“Gryffindor!” Jacob said loudly. Everyone in the Great Hall heard him easily, and they started to giggle nervously.
The Hat saved the situation by loudly proclaiming, “Quite so, Mr. Kowalski. Like your Grandfather before you, had I the chance, you are a Gryffindor!"
Bill Weasley and Rowan Khanna stood up immediately and started clapping enthusiastically. Ben Copper, Tom Daley, the Stock Brothers, Andy Floyd, and the Dvoraks quickly joined him. They continued their standing for only a moment or two before the rest of Gryffindor House joined them, followed immediately by Hufflepuff. Ravenclaw applauded, but more quietly while sitting down. Slytherin remained silent, despite disapproving looks to the contrary from Duncan Ashe, the Bloody Baron, and even Professor Snape.
Once the applause ceased, which took over half a minute, Professor McGonagall gently removed the Sorting Hat from the head of a stunned Judah. She told him gently, “Mr. Kowalski, welcome to Hogwarts. You may join your classmates at the Gryffindor table.”
Judah walked quickly yet dazedly to the far end of the Gryffindor table. He almost collapsed; sitting next to Aaron Dvorak on the side of the table closest to Hufflepuff as his legs almost gave out on him from nerves. Looking at Bill and Rowan, Judah quietly told them, “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome” Rowan answered.
“I can’t believe I did that” Judah groaned.
“I can’t believe I didn’t get the chance” groused Sally. She added bracingly, “But good on ya, Judah, and welcome to Gryffindor.”
The sorting hadn’t waited any longer than it took for Judah to sit down.
“…Lee, Barnaby.”
“…Slytherin.”
“…Lobosca, Chiara.”
Chiara sat nervously on the stool, and Professor McGonagall placed the Hat upon her head. The Hat told her in her mind, “Relax, child, your secret is safe with me, as was Remus Lupin’s back when I sorted him. He was a very brave boy, and from your thoughts I see he’s grown to be a brave man. You, however, prize loyalty and hard work. That makes you a perfect fit for…”
“Hufflepuff!” the Hat proclaimed.
Chiara took her seat at the Hufflepuff table, directly across the aisleway from a once again blushing Aaron Dvorak.
Professor McGonagall continued calling the roll of first years.
“…Murk, Ismelda.”
“…Slytherin.”
“…Odinson, Thorin.”
Thorin took his seat upon the sorting stool, and the Hat was placed upon his head. The hat opined in Thorin’s mind, “I see you were supposed to go to Durmstrang.”
Thorin did manage to answer in his mind, unlike his friend. But he couldn’t hide his disgust while replying, “I’m supposed to go to a school where I will receive an education, not be ‘taught a lesson.’ Which kind of school am I at now?”
The Hat answered contritely, “The first kind, I assure you, though no school is perfect, magical or not. Continue to do your best while respectfully standing up for yourself to authority, and you will truly reach your greatest potential in…”
“Gryffindor!” the Hat proclaimed to the great hall. Professor McGonagall removed the hat from Thorin’s head, and he went to his friends at the Gryffindor table. The sorting carried on.
“…Sanchez, Marina.”
“…Gryffindor!”
“…Snyde, Merula.”
The hat didn’t even touch her head before it proclaimed, “Slytherin.”
“…Tonks, …”
“Don’t you dare say it, Professor McGonagall! Read it silently to yourself. Do you want to trade first names? If not, I am Tonks, mononymous.”
“As ye will. Bludy Blacks. Tonks, with only one name.”
Tonks sat on the stool to the quietly expressed amusement of the students present. The Deputy Headmistress practically dropped the Hat on the girl’s head.
The Hat silently told her, “I know just where to place you…”
“Not so fast! I might have stood up to Professor McGonagall, but I’m a Hufflepuff just like my da’” Tonks quickly inserted in her mind.
The Hat replied audibly, “Hufflepuff! And I almost sorted your dad into Gryffindor, too.”
The somewhat embarrassed new Hufflepuff joined her housemates, sitting next to Chiara. But there was still more Sorting left to be done.
“…Tuttle, Elizabeth.”
“…Slytherin!”
“…Weasley, Charles.”
Charlie sat upon the stool, and Professor McGonagall placed the Hat on his head. The Hat silently asked him, “You aren’t going to try to sort yourself into a less favorable house, are you?”
“I don’t think so? But why wouldn’t I sort into Gryffindor?”
“Why indeed, Charlie…” the Hat told him silently before shouting, “Gryffindor!”
The Sorting had only two students remaining. Talbot Winger became a Ravenclaw, and Corban Yaxley III became a Slytherin. With the sorting completed, Professor McGonagall removed the Sorting Hat and stool from the Great Hall, while Professor Dumbledore spoke to the students.
“I have two things to say before the start of the feast. First, Miss Saria Cook is here as an advanced part-time exchange student. While you might see her in the halls or share a class or two with her later this year, she will be returning to her home tonight due to an unfortunate accident with her school trunk, which also contained her wand.
“Second, our Keeper of Keys and Grounds Rubeus Hagrid was expelled from Hogwarts in 1943. However, after the Board of Governors was finally pressured into authorizing a review of his case over this past summer due to a lawsuit, the evidence brought against Hagrid in 1943 was revealed to be a total and absolute pack of lies. Furthermore, former Headmaster Dippet’s extreme credulity of the baseless accusations brought against Mr. Hagrid not only opened Hogwarts to liability for potential actual damages of over 38,000 galleons, and very sizable punitive damages, it also closely approached making former Headmaster Dippet complicit in the murder of Hogwarts Student Myrtle Warren.
“And the only reason the actual damages were as relatively small as they were was because I saw to Mr. Hagrid being immediately hired as the assistant to then Keeper of Keys and Grounds Angus Ogg over Headmaster Dippet’s strong objections. Had Mr. Hagrid been completely turfed out, as Headmaster Dippet advocated for, the actual damages would have been at least treble.
“The lawsuit brought upon Mr. Hagrid’s behalf and over his personal protests to the contrary was in what is legally called the ‘discovery’ phase. The Hogwarts Board of Governors traded on good-will that neither Hogwarts nor I truly deserved, and a settlement was reached before going to trial. I was able to intervene and ensure that the settlement was even more equitable to Mr. Hagrid.
“Both Hogwarts as an institution and former Headmaster Dippet individually admitted aggravated civil liability for Perversion of Justice and Libel, but not criminal guilt in Mr. Hagrid’s expulsion. Headmaster Dippet personally paid for Mr. Hagrid’s replacement wand, at his own insistence, but was spared any further financial penalty. Hogwarts paid Mr. Hagrid’s actual damages in full, without any tax liability on Mr. Hagrid’s part. They also paid a sizable yet still token sum in punitive damages. Mr. Hagrid will receive additional instruction over the next few years in order to take and pass his NEWTs.
“Finally, effective today, he is now Professor Hagrid, and will serve as an assistant to Professor Silvanus Kettleburn teaching Care of Magical Creatures, at the full salary for doing so, plus additional pay for continuing as the Keeper of Keys and Grounds. This announcement is itself part of the settlement. However, I would proudly have given it even if I were forbidden to. Welcome to my teaching staff, Professor Hagrid.”
The Dvoraks, Andy Floyd, and Saria Cook stood as one to cheer and applaud, though only David knew why. Both Weasley Brothers, Judah and his friends joined them moments later. Finally the entire student body stood, applauded, and cheered; though Slytherin house required a death glare from their Head of House, House Ghost, and Duncan Ashe. Duncan became thoroughly disgusted with his former housemates, and floated over to the Gryffindor table. He joined Simon, Willa, and Myrtle, who were between the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff tables.
Once the applause died down again, Dumbledore proclaimed, “And let the feast… begin!” The house elves sent the food up from the kitchens. Everyone started serving themselves and eating a somewhat delayed supper feast.
David’s band-mates, family, and compartment-mates were all seated at the far end of the Gryffindor table, with Chiara Lobosca and Tonks seated on the side of the Hufflepuff table closest to them. David remarked to them, “I guess that explains Uncle Frank being here, then.”
“How so?” Bill asked.
“And who is ‘Uncle Frank?’” Judah added.
While they all ate and replied politely, David informed them, “‘Uncle Frank’ is my paternal uncle, Francisco Javier Floyd V, Head of House Floyd, Judah. And I’d asked him to look into Professor Hagrid’s circumstances.” David answered.
“But I’d asked him first” Myrtle inserted. She added, “And it was more than just the two of us, David; though Lord Floyd wouldn’t say who else had asked him to intercede.”
“What was Professor Hagrid accused of?” asked Judah.
Myrtle replied, “It was actually Professor Hagrid’s ‘pet’ Acromantula Aragog who was accused, and it was accused of killing me, along with petrifying several other students. It was all a load of tosh. Whatever it was had two huge glowing yellow eyes, not the eight small black eyes of an Acromantula. And none of us were bit by Aragog or anything else.
“I told Dippet that, and so did the other students once they were un-petrified, but he refused to listen. Dippet had his head so far up Tom Riddle’s arse that he could taste what Riddle had eaten for lunch before Riddle did. Riddle was the one who claimed Aragog was the culprit.
“Tom Riddle was the Slytherin fifth year prefect that year. While he grew up in a Muggle orphanage, he was thought to be at least a half-blood, and Riddle had charm and talent enough to burn. Hagrid was finishing his third year, and he was a half-Giant. While Hagrid was by no means dumb, he had to work to get his marks outside of Care of Magical Creatures, and wasn’t nearly as well-received as Riddle. Dippet was also a Ravenclaw who favoured Slytherin, and Hagrid was a Gryffindor.”
Rowan asked David, “Is that your family seated to Professor Dumbledore’s right?”
“Yeah. From Dumbledore out are Uncle Frank, my adoptive Dad John Dvorak, my adoptive Stepmom Petunia Dvorak, my oldest brother Danny, my older brother Michael, and Auror Sirius Black being the last one before Professor Vector.”
“Isn’t he the one who was accused of betraying the Boy Who Lived?” Rowan inquired.
David icily replied, “Those were false accusations, that only stood as long as they did because the Ministry refused to give him a trial until Dad caught the real traitor and had him brought to trial.”
To calm both a cowering Rowan and an angering Judah, Aaron added, “Sorry, guys. David has admired Remus Lupin, our private Magic instructor, since the day they met. Mr. Lupin’s closest living friend is Sirius Black—and the Ministry fucked up so badly that even Lupin had thought Uncle Sirius guilty until Dad pointed out Peter Pettigrew, who was hiding in his Animagus rat form pretending to be a pet.”
A slightly calmer David added, “Aaron got it in one, thanks Aaron. I apologize to both of you, Rowan and Judah. You didn’t have the anger coming, and I shouldn’t have been cross with you.”
While the main courses vanished and the desserts appeared, Rowan answered, “I’m good, David. I can see that what happened still bothers you. I’m also certain that you will explain anything else that needs to be explained later on.”
“Sure thing, Rowan, and thanks.” David concluded. Turning towards Angelica Cole, he offered, “And a belated ‘congratulations’ to you on making prefect this year.”
“Thanks, David. They also made me Quidditch Captain, along with this being my OWL year. So much for having any social life, I guess. How was your summer?”
“Very busy. Beyond the concert tours and rehearsals, we all do extra magical training during the summer. Believe it or not, we still take music lessons. By the way,” David said while gesturing to his right, “This is my younger brother Aaron and my girlfriend Saria Cook. Saria, Aaron, this is Angelina Cole, our fifth year girls prefect. Because of House Rules, Saria has actually been going to a different school; she’ll be attending some classes here from time to time as an exchange student starting this year.”
While Aaron, who was trying to chat up Chiara, was not happy to be interrupted, he didn’t show any displeasure as he faced back around and added, “Well-met, Miss Cole. I suppose you’ll at least be seeing me in the common room and such for the next three years or so?"
“It’s ‘Angelica’ if I may call you ‘Aaron.’”
Saria added, “And I’m ‘Saria’ if you’re ‘Angelica.’ Like David said, I’m a part-time exchange student here for some classes I couldn’t attend to full effect down in Surrey. And while I’ll follow the rest of the first years up to Gryffindor Tower, I won’t even be staying the night tonight, thanks to a rather expensive accident I had on the train with my trunk, which also held my wand, since I’ve yet to find a holster that I can wear that goes with summer Muggle clothing. If Sally hadn’t accidentally packed a set of my uniforms by mistake, I’d be here in a tube top, cutoff shorts, and sandals.”
While the exact reason for Saria’s visible nervousness and embarrassment weren’t on offer, the visible nervousness still helped her cause. Angelica replied, “Don’t worry, Saria; we’ll hold off on ‘taking the Mickey’ at least until you’ve got your stuff replaced.
“And how long have David and you been dating? He’s mentioned you occasionally since first year, but while he’s friendly enough, he’s on “Floyd/Dvorak” schedule, so we only see him in the Great Hall for meals, or if he volunteers to help a study group.”
While discretely snuggling up to David, Saria informed Angelica, “We’ve been ‘dating’ since we were four. David’s been friends with other girls, and I’ve been friends with other guys. But we were always each other’s boyfriend or girlfriend. We’ve shared and kept each other’s secrets, we’ve boosted each other up when the other was feeling down, and we’ve helped each other with everything, including Aaron.”
Aaron snarked, “Don’t include Aaron right now, please and thank you. Aaron is trying to chat up his own girlfriend instead of escorting his older brother’s girlfriend.”
Turning back to Chiara Lobosca, Aaron continued gently, “Like I was telling you, ‘big’ families have their own dynamics. But like I told them, and freely admit I should have told you first, I want you to be my girlfriend as well as my friend. I promise in advance that I won’t be a jerk about it if things don’t work out between us. We’ve only met today, but I believe that you are a kind and fun person, and I hope that I’m good enough in your sight that you will allow the both of us to get to know each other better.”
Chiara huffed before telling him, “You get a C+ over all, Healer-Apprentice. But your sincerity got you over the top.” She kissed Aaron affectionately on the cheek.
While blushing, Aaron nervously returned the favor, which Chiara freely allowed him to do. He sat back on his bench, with his expression being both dazed and ecstatic. After he sat back down, a wave of pure joy and contentment passed over the two first year students, and several of the students surrounding them.
Chiara asked nervously, “What was that? It was beautiful, but what was it?”
Aaron nervously informed her, “Sometimes, when our emotions run really strong, David and I leak. It’s just David ‘n’ me, and we’ve been training the hide it, and I don’t really know what it is.”
David added, “I don’t know for sure what it is, but I think it’s a combination of Family Magic and magical power. One of the Family Magics that tends to run in the Floyd and Dvorak lines is the ability to deliberately project your feelings and emotions on others. They’re almost always perceived as outside emotions, but even Muggles can feel them.”
Chiara asked, “Does it happen like that, even when you…”
Saria inserted, “Especially for that, but only if they are truly in love with you, and you with them. But before you even think about what I think you’re thinking about, make sure that the both of you are truly in love with each other and will never part from each other. Otherwise, the juice just isn’t worth the squeeze.”
“Does that mean that you’ve been blasting guys with rage for years?” Max asked in astonishment.
Aaron assured him, “Of course not, at least not deliberately. When David leaks, he’s always worse, since he’s normally always better than me at hiding it. We certainly weren’t doing it at St. Mary’s.”
David added, “Nether Aaron or I have done it on purpose outside of the few lessons we got from Uncle Frank, at least as far as I know.” While Aaron shook his head in agreement, David added, “If we did do it on purpose, you’d know, and you’d probably piss yourself.”
The ever-amazing Emily Tyler scoffed, “You two are both full of shit, again. There isn’t such a curse, especially one you can do without a wand!”
David chuckled before answering derisively, “If you say so, Miss Tyler. In Asia, even Muggles can do it with their chi if they’ve studied some of the Muggle Martial Arts. In Japan, it’s called ‘Satsui.’ In China, it’s ‘Shaye,’ the Koreans call it ‘sal-in uido,’ and the Indians call it ‘hatya ka iraada.’ Don’t make such firm pronouncements about things you know nothing about.”
Emily doubled-down by scoffing, “You two are both doubly full of shit, and you couldn’t do what you said even using your wands! You’re both lying and making it up!”
Some of the nearby students laughed along with her. But theirs was nervous laughter, since they’d never heard David say he could do something he couldn’t. And they were about to witness even more here.
Proving out that as mature as the were, that they were still only almost fourteen and almost eleven, David and Aaron looked at each other before glaring at Emily Tyler just as the desserts were cleared away. Emily was able to get off of the bench and stand without tripping, in spite of the terror she now felt; before freezing up completely in terror, dread, and resignation. The sound of her breakfast and lunch hitting the floor under her robes, along with the pint and a half of urine that washed it down, revealed that she had “gone commando” that evening.
Professor Snape stood rapidly and almost angrily. He sternly proclaimed, “Messers David and Aaron Dvorak, that will be twenty-five points from Gryffindor each for attacking a fellow student in the Great Hall with Killing Intent during the Welcoming Feast, plus detention with Mr. Filch for a week scrubbing the floor of the Great Hall!”
Professor Athelstan and Chief House Elf Pitts appeared in the Great Hall, standing on table-level stools in front of Professor Snape. Professor Athelstan was dressed in his teaching rig, though it looked like he had donned it in a rushed way, even for a house elf. Chief Pitts was wearing a longer-than-normal tea-towel tabard, with extra silver and gold in the embroidery of the Hogwarts Crests.
Professor Athelstan advised, “Professor Snape, I would respectfully suggest to you that Miss Tyler was equally guilty, and should receive the same punishment as the boys. She was warned by Mr. David Dvorak to not speak boldly about things she knows nothing about, she wasn’t injured, and writing lines for me in Magical Theory and Latin hasn’t seemed to teach her that lesson.”
Chief Pitts added, “Professor, this lowly Chief House Elf would humbly suggest that the detention should be limited to breakfast tomorrow morning, though if they got appropriate uniforms for the work from Professor Athelstan, that might have similar effect? Any longer than that, and the exalted students would be in the way of us lowly house elves serving meals, and the exalted Mr. Filch is busy enough this time of year.”
After a moment’s silence, Professor Snape answered, “They hit Miss Tyler with full-strength Killing Intent at point-blank range. Hogwarts Students aren’t taught how to using Killing Intent, students normally aren’t able to use that spell, and the two of them each cast it stronger than most of the few adults who can use the spell, in concert. They were actively trying to injure Miss Tyler.”
David, who along with Aaron had stood and remained standing once Professor Snape addressed his brother and him said, “Professor Snape, I would respectfully protest that Aaron and I were not trying to injure Miss Tyler at all, though either of us could have easily done so. We weren’t projecting anywhere near to our actual ability or capacity. I could respectfully demonstrate to you what I can actually do, with your advance consent and permission.”
Professor Snape felt suitably challenged, even if respectfully son, since he got along with all the Dvorak children, even while not liking their tutor and loathing their “Uncle Padfoot.” He told both David and Aaron, “You may both demonstrate to me in concert. I will defend in kind. Bring it!”
With no further warning, Professor Snape blasted David and Aaron, and only David and Aaron, with his own Killing Intent at full-strength, though he had to draw and hold his wand in order to do so. While he was more powerful with his Killing Intent than their Uncle Frank, he was only slightly more powerful than their Uncle Frank, so David and Aaron had no problem with returning the Potion Master’s favour in Spades.
The three continued to blast Killing Intent at each other, and only each other, for over a minute. David and Aaron, who hadn’t drawn their own wands, were starting to show some strain. Professor Snape, who had drawn his wand, had sweat visibly beading on his forehead.
Finally, Professor Snape commanded, “Enough!” All the Killing Intent vanished from the Great Hall. And while no one present had any ‘accidents’ similar to Emily’s; that was a near-run thing. The excess Killing Intent was noticeable enough that Headmaster Dumbledore’s phoenix companion Fawkes saw fit to visit the Great Hall and sing for everyone, dispelling the spine-chilling atmosphere that had filled the hall during the brief demonstration.
After another moment’s silence, Professor Snape pronounced, “The specifications are different, but the charges and points lost stand. Miss Tyler, that will be twenty points for you from Gryffindor for messing with things you had absolutely no clue about, and the same detentions as Messrs David and Aaron Dvorak.
“Those detentions will be served under Professor Athelstan during the entire breakfast meal tomorrow, in only the uniforms the professor provides for you if you wear any clothing at all. If the House Elves see fit to feed you before you start your detention, then be grateful; otherwise it’s not Hogwarts’ problem if you missed the meal. You will not change into other clothing until after the meal is finished.”
Professor Flitwick offered, “I am disappointed with your timing, Messrs Aaron and David Dvorak. Otherwise, your Mortkhnvk was worthy of my greater ancestors. I would have awarded twenty points each to Gryffindor for such a masterful display of a rare and misunderstood art.”
Professor McGonagall, since it was her house, decided to join in. “Professor Flitwick, consider the points awarded in full. I, however will dock Messrs David and Aaron ten points each for bad timing and disturbing the Welcome Feast, and their detentions will stand. All three detainees will also wear only their uniforms, as provided by Professor Athelstan, until after the noon meal, which they will attend. That includes any undergarments and footwear that are or are not worn by our service employees. Messrs Dvorak will wear ‘choir dress’ during their Mass in Hogsmeade tomorrow; but they will walk to and from St. Hedwig’s wearing their house elf uniforms. David at least can cast warming charms as needed.”
David and Aaron both paled, since they knew exactly how the serving and cleaning house elves dressed. Aaron did quip sotto voce, “At least that gets you out of wearing shoes tomorrow morning, David.”
David protested likewise, “Not now, Aaron! They’re still telling us off.”
Emily, who fortunately didn’t hear David’s and Aaron’s quick by-play, decided to show her intelligence even further by protesting, “But house elves can’t give or supervise detentions, or take House Points! It says so in the Rule Book!"
Professor McGonagall angrily retorted, “That may be true, Miss Tyler, but I’ve been enforcing Hogwarts rules since before your grandparents were born! House-Elves who are employed only as House Elves may not supervise detentions, and may only deduct House Points through the caretaker or a professor. Professor Athelstan, no matter his race, is a tenured Professor of Latin and Magical Theory, and may do either or both as he sees fit, subject to the good judgment expected from any and all Hogwarts Professors. Professor Athelstan?"
Professor Athelstan stated, “Miss Tyler will remain in the janitorial house elf uniform until after the evening meal tomorrow, she will lose another five points from Gryffindor, and she will also dust the hallways during her free time prior to the evening meal tomorrow under my supervision.
“And Messrs Dvorak…”
“Schadenfreude is the poison of mercy, Professor” David answered.
“The thought never occurred to me, sir” Aaron added.
After a pregnant pause, Professor Athelstan continued, “Barely good enough this time. Try harder next time; or better yet, make sure there is no ‘next time.’ David, you normally set a much better example for your fellow students, and I expect the same from Aaron, so it’s even more glaring when you don’t.”
“Yes, sir” the two boys replied contritely.
Professor Dumbledore took charge of the students by announcing, “Messrs Dvorak will wear full and proper Choir Dress to and from St Hedwig’s tomorrow, including the normal clothing they would wear under their cassocks. But they will change back into their ‘house elf’ uniforms until after the evening meal tomorrow, and none of the three will hide in their dormitories.”
David stood and politely asked, “Professor, could you assign, or at least ask for a professor to volunteer to keep ‘visiting spectators’ to our rehearsal well-behaved and out from underfoot? Aaron and I won’t be hiding, but our normally closed rehearsals are quite important to more than just Aaron and me.”
Dumbledore told him, “Your rehearsal and practice time will be in the Great Hall tomorrow, if you choose to have it at all. The tables will be arranged appropriately, and there will be at least one professor to keep behavior up to standard, including your using appropriate language during those rehearsals compared to what the rumours might otherwise suggest.”
Sensing that this was the best he would get, David replied, “Thank you for your consideration, Headmaster.”
Headmaster Dumbledore continued, “Now, for the normal end-of-feast announcements. First, the forest on the grounds is out-of-bounds and forbidden to all students unless accompanied by a professor or member of staff for school purposes.
“No magic is to be used between classes or in the corridors, especially against other students. Mr. Filch, our caretaker, has a list of prohibited items posted on the door to his office. See to it that you have none of those items in your possession here.
“Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for his or her house team should contact Madam Hooch, the flying instructor. First years may apply to try out for their house Quidditch team after their first flying lesson with Madam Hooch’s permission. However, you will be competing with current team members, along with anyone else interested in playing up to and including seventh year students. You will also have to try out using a school-supplied broom rather than having your parents send your broom here.
“Practicing Catholics may attend your ‘Mass’ at St. Hedwig’s Church in Hogsmeade. If you wish to do so, you may gather in the Great Hall with Professor Sprout and the Friar at the end of the breakfast meal, tomorrow. If you need to fast before your service, I would suggest that you eat at the start of breakfast. If you are interested in seeing what this particular religion is about, you may also attend, with the permission of Professor Sprout, and your own Head of House if you are not a Hufflepuff.
“This will not be a Hogsmeade visit as such, since you will go directly to St. Hedwig’s, and return directly from St. Hedwig’s once the observations are over. Miss Tyler, in the time you’ve attended Hogwarts, you’ve shown no interest in religious activities, so any curiosity you might have can wait one more week.
“I normally don’t give the last announcement. However, since we had a few difficulties with notifying Muggleborn students, and since the Friar wouldn’t have the time otherwise to pass the word himself, I’ve given it tonight.
“But now, it’s time for the School Song! So, everyone pick your favorite melody, and off we go!” Headmaster Dumbledore had already conjured the ribbon with the lyrics, which hung lazily in the air of the Great Hall for all to easily read and sing to.
Four musically excruciating minutes later, the Headmaster cheerfully announced, “Miss Saria Cook will accompany Mr. Aaron Dvorak and the rest of her first year classmates up to the Gryffindor Common Room following the fifth year Gryffindor Prefects. Her guardians will meet up with her there to accompany her back to her home. Mr. David Dvorak will remain behind, he is in no further trouble. Now, to bed with you, and good night.”
As the students started to stand and shift around, Chiara discretely grabbed, hugged, and kissed Aaron; which after he recovered from the surprise, he returned affectionately.
She quickly teased, “We don’t have house elves, but I know what they wear. I’ll try not to make things harder for you at breakfast tomorrow?”
While blushing almost purple, Aaron replied in dazed happiness, “Be sure that you do for real, especially before Mass tomorrow. And be sure to watch our rehearsal tomorrow if you can. If the other students don’t cause trouble, I’m sure you’ll like it.”
“Good night” they said to each other as their groups of first year students parted ways; with the Hufflepuffs going down to their Common Area and the Gryffindors preparing to climb up to theirs.
While the Gryffindor first years followed Angelica Cole, she told them, “We’re taking a longer way up to the dorms, so the upper years can get there first, that’s just how Hogwarts does things. And don’t any of you get upset with Aaron Dvorak for what happened in the Great Hall. Emily Tyler is a know-it-all twit who doesn’t know nearly so much as she thinks she does, and David Dvorak will definitely get all the points back in a day or two; I think that Aaron will help if he grew up like David.”
Aaron offered, “Other than not being here, I’ve mostly kept up with David in my Magical studies. And everyone, be sure to read and take notes from the foreword to Magical Draughts and Potions. Professor Snape always asks questions out of it for the First Years’ classes, and he can be unpleasant if you get those questions wrong. Also, read and take notes for the Boil Cure Potion, especially with when to heat and not heat it. We always brew that for the first double-period class, which will be first thing Monday morning for us.”
Marina Sanchez asked, “Why should we listen to you?”
Angelica Cole retorted, “Because he knows what he’s talking about. He and David have been getting extra potions lessons from Professor Slughorn for years, and Slughorn was the Potions Master before Professor Snape. And, since one of their uncles helps run a Muggle University, they know a thing or two about how schools are run, too. Besides, if you talk to any of the upper years and listen, they’ll tell you pretty much the same thing.”
Wil Kidd protested, “I’d heard that Snape favors Slytherins and picks on Gryffindors, so what does it matter?”
“That’s not quite how it is, it just looks that way!” announced Duncan Ashe, who was following the first years along with Sir Nicholas.
The Gryffindor House Ghost added, “Tis true indeed, and that’s how it has been done since before Professor Slughorn’s time. The Slytherin Head of House almost never rebukes the Slytherin students outside of their Common Area. But inside the Common Room, the gloves come off. If the Slytherin Head of House has to rebuke one of their students publicly, they’re in twice the trouble anyone in the other houses would be in.”
This conversation saw the group of first year Gryffindors standing in front of the Portrait-doored entrance to their Common Room. Angelica handed Saria a piece of parchment and told her, “Read that aloud and clearly; that’s the password for the entrance to start this year.”
The Fat Lady portrayed in the Magic Portrait added, “And welcome to all of you new first year Gryffindors.”
Saria read aloud, “Et lux vincere.”
The portrait replied, “Just so,” and the Portrait-door swung open wide, revealing the Gryffindor Common Room, with Saria’s family waiting on her.
After all the first years entered the Common Room and got a quick look at it, Petunia informed her two first years, “Aaron, you will be in the same dorm room as David. You will accompany Saria and the rest of us to the main entrance, and Professor Athelstan will walk David and you back. One of your dorm mates will pass on any notices you need to hear unless Professor McGonagall sees fit to wait for you.”
Saria told her fellow first years, “Sorry I can’t stick around. I’ll see the rest of you when I see you.” With that, Saria and Aaron followed the rest of their family out of the Gryffindor Common Room towards the main entrance to Hogwarts.
While they walked, Petunia told them, “Your Dad has already told all of you off about Saria’s coming out here in the first place, so that matter is closed. While I wasn’t happy with your Magical demonstration, David and Aaron, I think the school handled it fairly enough, and that’s done with, too. Just the same, the both of you need to be better than you were, even if that Tyler chit was as subtle with her snooping and troublemaking as a brick to the head. Your Aunt Lilly would have lit her up like a Christmas tree, but she would have been smarter about it, and that still doesn’t make it a good example.”
John added, “It’s also not always wise to ‘show off’ Family Magic, especially since you don’t have any better idea than I do what the other students in that Great Hall will get up to after leaving Hogwarts, or for that matter, what their family at home will be ready for now that they wouldn’t have been otherwise. Outside of family, only Snape, Flitwick, and Dumbledore can perform that class of magic; our propensity for Mind Magics is that strong. And outside of family, only those three Professors even knew what Killing Intent or the other related magic were, until less than an hour ago.
“If the two of you get ahead of us enough, we can give you a little discretion to say good bye to each other for the next few days, but we don’t have a lot of time to give.”
Taking the hint, Saria and David very quickly made their way to the main entrance. Saria asked, “Are the house-elf uniforms that revealing?”
“Only for teen guys without underwear” David answered. “The armpits are more open for male house elves, and they don’t have sleeves, but otherwise, they’re no different than a night-shirt, except for the ‘no underwear’ part. The females wear bandages that could pass for panties for their ‘monthly visitor,’ but that’s the most they wear under it. Remember, they’re people, but they’re not human people, and even humans dress differently in different parts of society.
“Miss Tyler will have trouble tomorrow, but it’ll all be of her own making. Aaron might need the occasional warming charm for his feet, but otherwise, it won’t be that much of a bother for either of us, even if Chiara does tease him, which I don’t think she will.
“And thanks again for riding the train with me, Saria. I appreciated everything about our ride together, and tonight was exciting in its own way. Did you have a good time?”
After they finished the passionate embrace and kiss Saria started, she assured him, “It was the greatest, and I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.”
As they released each other, they were joined from one side by the rest of their family, and the other by Chiara Lobosca, who was being escorted by one of Madam Pomfrey’s house-elf assistants.
Neither Aaron nor Chiara were expecting to see each other so soon. To ease the shock and break the ice, Petunia suggested, “Aaron, why don’t you introduce me to your new friend?”
Seeing he had no choice, he replied, “Everyone, this is Chiara Lobosca. If I haven’t already botched it six ways from Sunday, she’s my new girlfriend. Chiara, this is Petunia Dvorak, my adopted mother…”
Aaron introduced Chiara around, with Petunia shaking her hand and all the men she hadn’t met yet kissing the back of her hand in the ‘polite pureblood’ manner.
Pet opined, “Sirius Black has spoken highly of both your mother and you, and I’ve been friends with Remus Lupin since I’ve been married. You seem like a nice enough young lady, so you have my approval for whatever that’s worth to you. Neither one of you should make any commitments you are not truly ready to make, and if things don’t work out romantically, don’t be jerks to each other. That being said and done, and we’re good.”
Chiara asked, “But what about…”
Petunia gently cut her off, saying, “If the two of you actually make it that far, I’ve been told that starting a family is only more difficult for girls in your position, not impossible. Just don’t try starting a family before you’re ready to start a family. Raising children is tough. It’s tougher when you’re by yourself.”
With that said, good-byes were said all the way around, and those not staying in the castle left. The three students with their two house-elf chaperones started walking slowly towards their common rooms.
David told the other two, “We can’t dawdle, and we’ll split up pretty quickly. But I’ll give you what privacy I can.” He started singing Harry Chapin’s Story of a Life and walked on ahead.
Aaron explained, “He’s singing so he can’t accidentally listen in on us. He could hear us easily otherwise, even if we whispered.”
“How bad will the house elf uniform stuff be for you tomorrow?”
“Other than the ‘no underpants’ part, it won’t be bad at all. Even with that, providing you don’t tease me too badly before Mass, I’ll be good. For guys, it’s pretty much the same thing as a nightshirt with the sleeves removed and the armpits blown out down to your belly button. The girl’s uniform’s armpits are intact, so it’s just an ‘unconventional’ and somewhat modest dress. And Tyler certainly wasn’t wearing panties earlier. So, Tyler will go through hell tomorrow, but it will all be of her own making.”
Both first years giggled, even knowing better. Chiara asked teasingly, “So, what if I make things harder for you after your Mass thing tomorrow, hmm?”
While they both blushed, Aaron informed her, “Well, that all depends on how much of me you want to see. My brother and I were both ‘early bloomers.”
Blushing even more deeply, Chiara retorted, “I noticed, and I liked what I saw. But I don’t understand why I’m being so forward with you. Are you doing this to me?”
Humble yet confident, Aaron assured her, “Not with magic, certainly. But from what I can guess, you haven’t had a lot of friends who could genuinely and honestly say that they could help you with what you’re going through, you’re old enough to want a boyfriend, you liked what you saw, and I liked you back without being pushy or pervy.
“I don’t know how long this will last. But I will do my level best to make sure you never regret learning the name of Aaron Russell Rush-Cook Dvorak. You have my word.”
Neither of the two noticed the rush of magic that passed over them, nor the agreeing pulse that came from Chiara herself.
Before they knew it, they were at the place where their paths needed to diverge. Chiara asked, “How much longer can we take?”
From his discrete distance, David sang, “Good night sweetheart well, it’s time to go…”
Aaron and Chiara embraced and kissed deeply. After coming up for air, they said, “Goodnight” in unison before releasing each other and parting ways.
§§§
Aaron and David left the shower wearing towels around their waists to greet the rest of their dorm-mates, who also happened to be everyone else from their shared compartment on the Hogwarts Express minus Sally. A.D. was smoking the day’s last cigarette next to the window, having cast his own charms to force all of the smoke out of the window.
David quipped, “Welcome, newcomers. Did Professor McGonagall have anything to pass on?”
Bill answered, “Not a whole lot; and Aaron got ten of your ‘lost points’ back already when he gave the other first years the head’s up to study for first year Potions Monday morning.”
Andy added, “Aaron and Sally are starting with the first year schedule, but they’ll probably get moved up, especially Aaron. A.D. and we are starting the fifth year schedule, and we’re supposed to be ready to move up quickly, too; at least A.D. and you. I’ll be good for my OWLs this year, but I don’t think I’ll be trying my NEWTs.”
Aaron opined, “Sally and I will probably be on the first year schedule for this week, and maybe next. After that, it depends on how well the professors think we learned the stuff.”
David told them, “Unless you’re going to Mass tomorrow, the rest of you guys can sleep in. We’ll kick off rehearsal at around eleven in the Great Hall, and we’ll probably work ‘til at least four. We’ve got a lot of hits from summer we need to work in and re-arrange for out here, especially working Myrtle in. We’ll want to try some new jokes out too for timing.
“Michael also wants us to work in more Bossa Nova and jazz, so we’ll go through Desafinado, Só Danço Samba, and Manhã de Carnaval; in both the Brazilian Portuguese lyrics. We’re keeping the Conte stuff too, so we’ll need to dust that off, plus whatever Myrtle’s picked up over the summer that’ll fit for students.
“Finally, I’ve worked up an original song along with that American song about the diner, and I’ve got the diner song arranged mostly how I want it. It is a cover, but the writer is at least a couple of years away from getting a recording contract. So, I think we can make a big hit with it on the Muggle side, especially in the dance clubs on the continent, with either Tim or Joe laying down rhythm and Delilah’s synthesizer. The version we do here will also have a strong rhythm track, but instead of the synthesizers I’ll use the sax line, since I’ve got two out of three of you out here now.
“The original song itself will bring its own challenges with the backup. We’ll use piano and sax for it, and I’ll fit the guitars in where I can.”
A.D. asked, “Is that the one you started noodling with after we met that Quentin Crisp guy in the East Village?”
Bill asked “Where?” at the same time David answered, “Yeah.”
David added, “That’s a neighborhood in New York; it’s part of Manhattan.”
Bill asked further, “Is that where that diner is?”
“No, Bill. The diner is called ‘Tom’s Restaurant,’ and it’s in the Morningside Heights neighborhood of Manhattan.”
Changing tacks, David called politely, “House Elf?”
Surprisingly Professor Athelstan showed up in the room, still in his professor’s clothing. He asked, “What may I do for you, other than let you out of a detention you richly earned?”
David replied, “I wasn’t going to ask for that. I was going to ask what time Chief Pitts wanted us down in the Great Hall tomorrow, and to see if Aaron and I could get our ‘uniforms’ tonight.”
Professor Athelstan snapped his fingers once, and a human-sized tea-towel tabard appeared on each of their beds. While Aaron and he dressed, David asked, “Will we be able to eat before the Great Hall opens at 7:30?”
The house elf professor replied, “If you show up at a quarter ‘til, you can eat either in the Great Hall or the kitchens. Just make sure you’re ready to work at a quarter after. We won’t actually have any of you doing a lot, since we end up having to undo and redo most stuff the human students try to clean anyhow. If your attitude is good enough, we might try teaching Aaron and you how to send the empty or almost empty platters and stuff back down to us, which actually will help us if you can make your human magic do it. You’re better than most, but few humans can do any of it.”
After a moment’s silence, the professor asked, “Are you going to rehearse in the Great Hall tomorrow?”
David told him, “Yes, starting around eleven or so. While I won’t be doing a public show tomorrow, our first Hogwarts night this year is on the fifteenth, and we’ll only have tomorrow, and next weekend to rehearse for it. So, tomorrow we’ll be working on a lot of stuff we need to practice mostly to get used to performing together including working Myrtle in, with the real stuff getting worked up next weekend.”
Professor Athelstan replied, “I’ll let Chief Pitts know, and the elves who normally work with your band equipment will have you set up. Will you have the sheet music with you?”
David assured him, “Either with me, or the other band members will bring their own music and notes. We will need the music stands, of course, and thanks.”
Professor Athelstan finished with “Make sure you get to bed quickly, it’s just past eleven. And Max, keep studying.” With a snap of his fingers, Professor Athelstan was gone.”
To the confused looks towards him from the first years, Max informed them, “Professor Athelstan was Joe’s and my Latin Professor going back to Ilvermorny. I’d thought I’d escaped him when Dad’s work got us sent out here. And lo and behold, David’s family got him brought out here—and the Floyds and Dvoraks are native Latin speakers.”
Joe retorted, “If you put half the effort into studying Latin that you do bitching about it, it wouldn’t be nearly as hard for you, especially being in a band and hanging out non-stop with no fewer than five native Latin speakers. You’re smarter than me, Max, so I know you can do it, ‘cause I can do it. Besides, your Latin grades have been better since coming out here, and Professor Athelstan isn’t grading any easier here than he did at Ilvermorny.”
“Nullam hic misericordiam invenies, Max.” Aaron quipped.
“Vade futuare te ipsum, Aaron, and I guess I can understand it better than I did” Max retorted without any heat.
Everyone decided that the day had been long enough, so they nox’ed the lights and went to sleep. They expected tomorrow to be another day, and it would come for them whether they were rested up for it or not.
- 12
- 13
- 14
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

The Yankees Nephew and the Philosophers Stone