# # #
The train slowed right down and finally stopped. People pushed their way towards the door and out on to a tiny, dark platform. Harry shivered a little in the cold night air until he wandlessly cast a warming charm upon himself.
The train had pulled in to Hogsmeade Station just as it was getting on dark. A very tall, large, man Harry recognised as Rubeus Hagrid was standing on the platform holding aloft a large lantern calling, "Firs' Years! Firs' Years! To me! Come along now! Firs' Years!"
Harry could feel that same yearning and excitement he felt from the direction of the castle the last two times he was here. But this time he also felt great joy. It almost made him feel a little giddy.
"Do you feel that?" asked Hermione in a loud whisper to the others with wonder in her voice.
"Yes," whispered Susan. "It's like the... castle is expecting us. Welcoming us."
"I feel... great joy!" whispered Hermione.
"Here," interrupted Ron. "What're you on about?"
"Nothing for your concern, Mister Weasley," said Harry, firmly shutting down the discussion.
As they were in the first compartment of the first carriage after the prefects', the four heirs and Ron were the first to reach Hagrid.
"'Ello, 'Arry," said Hagrid, looking down at him. "You may not remember me, but I was... we've already met. I knew yer parents."
"I know," replied Harry with a straight face.
Hagrid appeared a little flustered by the boy's stare so just looked up and called some more. "Firs' Years! Firs' Years!"
Once he thought he had all the First Years standing in front of him, he said, "Leave yer trunks! They'll be taken to the castle for you!"
Then said, "Follow me! Mind yer step, now! Firs' Years, follow me!" Holding aloft his lantern he led them off the platform and down to the edge of the lake on foot.
There, he said, "Four to a boat! Don't crowd, now! There's plenty o' room fer ev'rybody!"
Harry and the other three moved to board one of the little boats together. Ron, seeing which one the others were going to board, jumped in first, almost tipping the little vessel over.
Harry glared at him and just motioned for the others to board another. Ron had tried to clamber back out to follow but was forced back in when another first year joined him in the rear seat. Two others quickly filled the front two.
After Hagrid made sure there weren't too many students to a boat he handed one person in each craft a small lit lantern on a pole. Susan accepted theirs. Then he climbed into one of the little boats on his own. As soon as he was seated, he said, "Everyone in?" and looked around. "Right then - FORWARD!"
His boat headed out into the lake. The other boats all followed along in its wake.
As they passed through the wards, all four of them reacted as if they'd been hit with a strong wave of emotion. Harry, as he was sure did the others, heard in his mind, 'Welcome home, my lords and ladies!'
"Oh, my!" exclaimed Susan. "The castle!"
Other students in nearby boats looked across, wondering what was going on.
"Shhh!" whispered Harry. "You're drawing an audience!"
"Harry!" whispered Hermione. "The castle's sentient!"
"I heard it, too!" whispered Neville.
"We all did!" whispered Harry.
'My Lords and Ladies, prepare to receive the wards!' the castle said in their minds with a very happy voice.
'No!' shouted Harry in his mind. 'Not yet! We're nowhere near ready!'
The four heirs' boat was one of the last. Ron's boat was about thirty yards ahead of them, and he kept glancing back with a frown.
Harry received the sense of great disappointment emanating from the castle. But there was something else, as well. A sense of... determination.
'We four will let you know when it's time!' he thought, hard. 'And, we'll discuss this later! Now is not the time!'
Harry whispered to the others, "This was not anticipated. Myrrdin and I knew the castle was magical, but we had no idea it was fully sentient!"
Neville whispered, "Well, it seems very happy that we're here!"
Susan asked, "Why did it suddenly feel as if it was disappointed?"
"I told it not to give us the wards," whispered back Harry. "That, we were not yet ready to take them. It wasn't happy about that."
Harry watched the boats ahead of them as they each rounded the little headland and came upon their first sight of the castle. There seemed to be a lot of gasps of wonder. When his own boat rounded the headland he, too, gasped. It definitely looked impressive all lit up the way it was. Much better than at a couple hundred feet in daylight.
'No wonder they have the first years arrive for the first time by boat,' he thought.
"Heads down!" yelled Hagrid as the first boats reached the cliff. They all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy,which hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle, but it was actually more like a flue. With Hagrid leading all the little boats made their way into a small harbour at the base of the cliffs under the castle. As each boat reached a long pier and came to a halt hard up against it, the students clambered out. Then the boat moved away.
Harry and the other heirs were one of the last to disembark.
Harry could see Ron, up ahead, trying to hold back to join them. However, the pier was narrow and, after some angry mutterings from fellow students, he was forced to move along up the pier, and then up the narrow path leading up through a narrow ravine in the cliff face. Harry walked along with the other three heirs in line ahead of him. He was in no race.
When they reached the top the land opened up around them. Harry could see out over the lake and the train still sitting at the station with its big headlight on. Ron had finally managed to hold back and was waiting for them.
"What have you lot been whispering about?" he asked.
"Mister Weasley," snapped Susan. "We have been engaged in a private conversation. It is not for you to ask!"
"Move along, Mister Weasley," said Harry. "We have a date with destiny."
He didn't know how prophetic his words were about to be.
They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, oak front door.
"Ev'ryone here?" called Hagrid. After looking around over their heads, he turned back, raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.
# # #
The door swung open at once. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there. She had a very stern face and Harry's first thought was that this was not someone to cross.
"The Firs' Years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid in an authoritativevoice.
"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here."
She pulled the door wide. The Entrance Hall was quite large, the stone walls were lit with flaming torches, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors.
They followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. Harry could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right - the rest of the school must already be here - but Professor McGonagall showed the First Years into a small empty chamber off the hall, an antechamber. They crowded in, standing rather closer together than they would usually have done, peering about nervously.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory and spend free time in your house common room."
Harry could sense something 'off' with the emotions he could feel from the castle. There was a sense of many emotions all laid over each other. He felt, disappointment, great happiness and joy, consternation, glee, determination, and others. He couldn't make sense of it all. The only thing of which he was sure was that the sentience of the castle was definitely up to something.
Professor McGonagall was continuing to talk as Harry thought. "The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the House Cup, a great honour. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.
"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting... I shall return when we are ready for you," she said. "Please wait quietly." And left the chamber.
Harry grabbed the other three and led them to the rear of the chamber. "The castle's got something planned, I can feel it," he whispered.
Susan replied, "I sense it, too. What do you think is going on?"
Harry looked around and noticed Ron edging over to join them.
Harry looked over at him and firmly said, "Are you still trying to listen in on other people's conversations, Mister Weasley?"
Quite a few students looked around to see what Harry was talking about. Ron had the decency to at least look a little abashed. He moved away again.
Harry leaned back in to the other three and whispered, "I just have this feeling, is all. I get the sense we're not going to get our year."
Hermione drew a sharp intake of breath, and whispered, "But, the plan!"
Neville frown and whispered, "I think Harry's right. Now that I think about it, I think the castle's going to act, whether we like it or not."
That's when the sense Harry was getting from the castle subtly changed.
Susan whispered, "It's... she's... I'm getting the impression of smug satisfaction!"
Harry and the other two looked a little shocked, but nodded their heads.
"Don't do this!" Harry thought hard, but also whispered so the others could hear. "I told you we're not ready. We won't be ready for another year!"
Another shift in the emotions. Neville whispered, "That'll be a 'No'."
Then something happened which made him jump about a foot in the air. Several people from with the crowd screamed.
"What the...?" gasped a dark skinned boy. So did the people around him. About twenty ghosts had just streamed through the back wall. Pearly-white and slightly transparent, they glided across the room talking to each other and hardly glancing at the First Years. They seemed to be in deep discussion.
What looked like a fat little monk was saying, "What do you suppose has Cassie in such a state? She seems almost... 'giggly'."
"My dear Friar, I haven't a clue. But there's bound to be something big in the wind, I tell you, if she's like this," said a ghost wearing a ruff and tights. It suddenly noticed the First Years. "I say, what are you all doing here?"
Nobody answered.
"New students!" said the Fat Friar, smiling around at them. "About to be sorted, I suppose?"
A few people nodded mutely.
"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff" said the Friar. "My old house, you know."
"Move along now," said a sharp voice. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start."
Professor McGonagall had returned. One by one, the ghosts floated away through the opposite wall.
"Now, form a line," Professor McGonagall told the First Years, "and follow me."
Harry had the others hold back, and they fell into line behind a boy with dark hair. They walked out of the chamber, back across the entrance hall and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall.
Harry had never even imagined just how beautiful it would look in real life. It was lit by thousands and thousands of candles which were floating in mid-air over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting. These tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the Hall was another long table, forming a squared off 'U' shape, where the teachers were sitting. Professor McGonagall led the First Years up towards there, until they came to a halt in a crowd between the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff tables, and short of the low platform where the head table was. The hundreds of faces staring at them looked like pale lanterns in the flickering candlelight. Dotted here and there among the students, the ghosts shone misty silver.
Mainly to avoid all the staring eyes, Harry looked upwards and saw a velvety black ceiling dotted with stars. However, he quickly looked down again as Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of them, the First Years. On top of the stool she put the Sorting Hat. It was patched and frayed and extremely dirty.
For a few seconds, there was complete silence. Then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth, and the hat began to sing:
"Oh you may not think me pretty,"
"but don't judge on what you see."
"I'll eat myself if you can find"
"a smarter hat than me."
"You can keep your bowlers black,"
"your top hats sleek and tall;"
"for I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat"
"and I can cap them all."
"There's nothing hidden in your head"
"the Sorting Hat can't see;"
"so try me on and I will tell you"
"where you ought to be."
"You might belong in Gryffindor,"
"where dwell the brave at heart;"
"their daring, nerve, and chivalry"
"set Gryffindors apart."
"You might belong in Hufflepuff,"
"where they are just and loyal;"
"those patient Hufflepuffs are true"
"and unafraid of toil."
"Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,"
"if you've a ready mind;"
"where those of wit and learning,"
"will always find their kind."
"Or perhaps in Slytherin"
"you'll make your real friends;"
"those cunning folks use any means"
"to achieve their ends."
"So put me on! Don't be afraid!"
"And don't get in a flap!"
"You're in safe hands (though I have none)"
"for I'm a Thinking Cap!"
The whole Hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again.
"So we've just got to try on the hat!" Ron, who had carefully moved back to join Harry and the other three, whispered to Harry, "I'll kill Fred; he was going on about wrestling a troll."
Harry didn't even bother to respond.
Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment.
"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. "MacMillan, Ernie!"
A boy stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over his eyes, and sat down. A moment's pause, "HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.
The table on the middle right cheered and clapped as Ernie went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table. Harry saw the ghost of the Fat Friar waving merrily at him.
"Jones, Megan!"
"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat again, and Megan scuttled off to sit next to Ernie.
"Patil, Padma!"
"RAVENCLAW!"
The table on the far left clapped this time; several Ravenclaws stood up to shake hands with Padma as she joined them.
"Goldstein, Anthony" went to Ravenclaw too, but "Thomas, Dean," became the first new Gryffindor and the table on the left exploded with cheers; Harry could see Ron's twin brothers catcalling.
"Davis, Tracey," then became the first Slytherin.
He was starting to feel ill. He'd have a better idea about what was going on before very much longer.
"Finch-Fletchley, Justin!"
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
Sometimes, Harry noticed, the hat shouted out the house at once, but at others it took a little while to decide.
"Finnigan, Seamus," the sandy-haired boy now next to Harry in the line, sat on the stool for almost a whole minute before the hat declared him a Gryffindor.
Professor McGonagall kept calling out names. Students would come forward and be sorted. The number remaining grew smaller and smaller, and not one of the four heirs had yet been called.
"I've got a bad feeling about this," muttered Harry to the other three. "The odds of none of us being called, and we're now down to less than a quarter of the original number..."
"Malfoy, Draco!"
"SLYTHERIN!"
Susan whispered, "I agree, the odds are too small to be considered pure chance. I think we're going to be called last."
"Brown, Lavender!"
"GRYFFINDOR!"
"Entwhistle, Kevin!"
"RAVENCLAW!"
Neville nodded and whispered, "I agree."
"Weasley, Ronald!"
"GRYFFINDOR!"
As the numbers dwindled the four friends listened with a little dread.
"Abbott, Hannah!"
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
Harry whispered to the others, "Yep. We're last."
The rest of the First Year students were slowly divided amongst the houses. As the numbers dropped, Harry could see the expression on Professor McGonagall's face. She was obviously counting down the number of remaining names on her scroll and seeing there were four extra students standing before her, waiting to be sorted.
Finally, there was only one student besides the four heirs to be sorted.
"Parkinson, Pansy!"
"SLYTHERIN!"
'Here we go!' thought Harry.
# # #
Professor McGonagall was staring down at her scroll. She didn't call out a name.
"Minerva?" Dumbledore asked. "Finish the sorting."
"Headmaster," she said shaking her head with a frown. "There are no more names..."
Turning to the other four, Harry whispered, "Awww... crap. The castle is forcing the hat to announce us as the heirs!"
"What do we do?" whispered Susan.
"Look in your ceremonies file. It was on the fourth cube," Harry whispered back.
The hat, quiescent after the sorting of Miss Parkinson, suddenly erupted once more into verse.
"In times of old, when I was new,"
"and Hogwarts barely started;"
"the founders of our noble school,"
"thought never to be parted."
"United by a common goal,"
"they had the selfsame yearning;"
"to make the world's best magic school,"
"and pass along their learning."
Professor McGonagall was standing there in shock, staring at the hat as it sang. She still held the scroll unfurled in front of herself.
"'Together we will build and teach',"
"the four good friends decided."
"And never did they dream that they,"
"might some day be divided."
"Minerva?" called Dumbledore, standing up. "Professor McGonagall, what is going on?"
"Got it", said Hermione. Susan and Neville nodded.
"The Founders that, like pillars four,"
"had once held up our school;"
"now turned upon each other and,"
"divided, sought to rule."
The old witch replied, "I have no idea, Headmaster."
"And for a while it seemed the school,"
"must meet an early end;"
"with duelling and with fighting,"
"and the clash of friend on friend."
"Alisdair?!" cried Dumbledore. "What are you doing?"
'I've got to shut him up,' thought Harry.
Suddenly, Dumbledore was yanked back into his chair. He was bound to it and a silencing spell had been cast on him. Harry received the feeling of satisfaction from the castle.
Neville, though shocked, also snorted in amusement.
"And at last there came a morning when,"
"old Slytherin departed;"
"and though the fighting then died out,"
"he left us quite downhearted."
'Okay,' thought Harry. 'That'll work.'
"And never since the founders four,"
"were whittled down to three,"
"have the Houses been united,"
"as they once were meant to be."
No one else was moving. The staff was frozen in shock. A few of the students were muttering among themselves, trying to understand what was happening.
"Oh, know the perils, read the signs,"
"the warning history shows;"
"our Hogwarts is in danger,"
"from vile and deadly foes."
"Though I must fulfil my duty,"
"and must quarter every year,"
"still I wondered whether sorting,"
"would not bring the end I fear."
"But now the time has come, my friends,"
"to end the long divide;"
"The heirs have come to Hogwarts new - "
"together - side-by-side."
The hat paused for a few moments. The only sound was Dumbles struggling in his bindings and attempting to make noises. No one paid him any attention.
'What now?' thought Harry.
A light smattering of applause was started but it quickly died back out again. The new First Years didn't know this was not normal.
"We have the lady of the glen,"
"fair skin and eyes of brown;"
"the smartest lady of her time,"
"most beautiful renowned."
'Well, at least we know,' Harry thought.
"Intelligence and bright of wit,"
"in her house you saw;"
"step forth the heir of knowledge wise,"
"the Countess Ravenclaw!"
"Okay, Hermione; you're up," he whispered.
Hermione walked forward and across to her far right to stand in front of the table of Ravenclaw House, facing down its length.
Holding her wand over her heart, Hermione began her acknowledgement. "I, Lady Hermione Jean Granger, Countess Ravenclaw, being the blood heir of founder Lady Rowena Ravenclaw..."
A few mutterings were heard throughout the hall. Especially from those on the Ravenclaw and Gryffindor tables.
"... do take my place as Head of the Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Ravenclaw at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. So mote it be!"
Suddenly, a tone was heard throughout the hall and a column of golden light, at first lost within the enchanted ceiling, descended and surrounded Hermione where she stood. Golden motes danced within. It held there with Hermione standing in the middle of it. Her robes changed to pure silk and her hems, cowl and hood changed colour to rich blue. And a gold coloured ghost, Rowena Ravenclaw, gently appeared alongside Hermione and appeared to lay her hand on the young girl's shoulder.
A moment later, the Hat continued with its song.
"He stood proud with head held high,"
"but still with heart most caring;"
"To his side attracted he,"
"those with verve and daring."
"He fought for equal rights he did,"
"the bravest of the four;"
"Welcome back to Hogwarts, all,"
"the Earl of Gryffindor!"
Neville braced himself up proudly and strode forward and across a few steps to his right to stand in front of the table of Gryffindor House.
Holding his wand over his heart, Neville gave his acknowledgement.
A second, lower, tone was heard and a column of golden light descended and surrounded him where he stood. Golden motes also danced within this column. His robes changed to pure silk and the hems, cowl and hood changed colour to a deep red. A second gold-coloured ghost, Godric Gryffindor, gently appeared alongside Neville and appeared to lay his hand on the young boy's shoulder. Godric and Rowena looked at each other and smiled.
"Next, we have from valley broad,"
"the witch who saved the elves;"
"her house she taught with love and care,"
"put-others before themselves."
"A kindly lady whom all loved,"
"this one knew her stuff;"
"now I'm introducing,"
"the Countess Hufflepuff!"
Susan walked forward and just across to her left to stand in front of the table of Hufflepuff House, facing down its length.
Holding her wand over her heart, Susan gave her acknowledgement.
Another tone, higher than the first tone, was heard and a third column of golden light descended and surrounded Susan where she stood. Golden motes danced within this column, too. Her robes changed to pure silk and her hems, cowl and hood changed colour to bright gold. A third gold-coloured ghost, Helga Hufflepuff, gently appeared alongside Susan and appeared to lay her hand on the young girl's shoulder. Helga looked across at the other two and joined them in smiling.
"Misunderstood his ethics were,"
"he sought our world's protection;"
"from hate filled eyes of mundane kind,"
"to slide below detection."
Harry looked to his right and saw Ron staring between him and the Hat and looking quite gobsmacked. It was an expression on many other faces.
Harry winked and smirked at him.
"Though first to leave these walls behind,"
"he's now returned within;"
"Prophecy has called him back,"
"the Earl of Slytherin!"
Harry held his head up high and strode forward and across to the far left, passing behind Susan and Helga along the way, to stand in front of the table of Slytherin House. He, too, faced down its length.
Holding his wand over his heart, and recalling the accepted oath from his memory, he began his acknowledgement. "I, Harry James Potter, Earl Slytherin..."
That started a few gasps and mutterings.
"... being the magical heir of founder Lord Salazaar Slytherin by right of conquest and inheritance, do take my place as Head of the Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Slytherin at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. So mote it be!"
A middle tone between the first and second tones was heard and a fourth column of golden light descended to surround Harry where he stood, matching the other three. Golden motes also danced within this column. Harry glanced down as his robes changed to pure silk and the hems, cowl and hood changed colour to a deep green. Looking to his side he saw the gold coloured ghost of Salazaar Slytherin standing there with his hand, apparently, resting on his shoulder. He glanced across at the others and gave a small nod.
Together, as one voice, all four began to recite the unified oath, "We four, the heirs united, swear on our magics, to work together, to raise the quality of education within Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry so that, once again, Hogwarts will be among the most respected institutions of magical learning around the world. So mote it be!"
The four columns of light faded as did the four ghosts.
"Hogwarts; we will have the wards!" called Neville. And all four felt the shifting of the wards from the Headmaster, to themselves.
"Hogwarts; seal the wards. Nothing in, nothing out, until further notice!" called Susan.
Neville suddenly began to turn around saying, "What on Merlin's..."
Harry, already knowing what was about to happen, had dropped his wand into the proper grip. He spun on the spot, raised his wand, pointed it at Professor Quirrell and cast the spell, "Stupefy!"
Professor Quirrell, where he was looking back in shock, bounced off the backrest of his chair and slumped forward, unconscious. Professor Snape, on Quirrell's right, shot out of his chair to his right and went to draw his wand. He froze when he noticed Harry had shifted aim and was pointing his wand right at him.
By this time, Susan, Neville and Hermione had their wands pointing at Quirrell's slumped form.
"Nobody move!" yelled Harry.
Once he was sure no one was going to make a silly move. He called, "Susan! Summon your Aunt! Tell her what happened and tell her to bring aurors. Tell her it's an emergency and to apparate directly to Hogwarts into the Entry Hall. Hermione! Tell Lady Hogwarts to drop the anti-apparation wards in that spot only."
'Done, My Lord,' heard Harry, in his mind.
"Never mind!" he called. "She's done it."
"While still holding her wand pointed towards Professor Quirrell, Susan had her mirror out and was calling Madam Bones.
"Professor Flitwick," called Neville. "Please move out and away from Professor Quirrell. You, too, Professor Burbage and Groundskeeper Hagrid!"
Snape, Burbage and Flitwick all moved away from Quirrell. Hagrid was frozen in his chair staring at Quirrell's slumped form. They were as stunned as everyone else over what had just happened. But, they obeyed and made sure they made no sudden moves.
Professor McGonagall was still standing next to the stool with the now quiescent Hat upon it. She'd dropped the scroll.
"Mister Potter?" she called. "What do you think you are doing?"
Without taking his eyes off Quirrell he replied, "It's Lord Slytherin, Professor. I'm acting in my capacity as part owner of Hogwarts. All four of us are. You are not to interfere. The repercussions for interference, by anyone, will be severe!"
# # #
The sudden sound of an apparation crack came from through the doors into the Great Hall.
"Hermione?" called Harry. "Who is that?"
"Lord Potter?" called Amelia's voice. Harry could hear her footsteps come into the room. She was walking up between the Hufflepuff and Gryffindor tables. She also sounded alone.
"Madam Bones," called back Harry. "Please join me. And it's Lord Slytherin, at the moment."
Standing away from the boy, and not wanting to step between her niece and her wand, Madam Bones said, "Lord Slytherin? What is going on?"
"Ma'am, Hogwarts gave us the wards, whether we wanted them or not. As soon as we had them, they immediately alerted us to a possession of one of the members of staff by a malevolent spirit; Professor Quirrell, over there," said Harry, indicating the Professor with his wand tip as from those nearby he heard gasps of shock. "We had to immediately act in the best interests and safety of the staff and the students."
"I see," she said.
Suddenly Susan called out, "Stupefy!" and Professor Quirrell's inert form jumped a bit. Mind you, so did a couple of the other Professors.
"Susan!" called Amelia.
"Sorry, Aunt... err... Madam Bones. I thought I saw him... twitch!"
Harry snorted.
"Why is Headmaster..." Amelia began.
A few more echoes of incoming apparations were heard from the Entry Hall. "Aurors!" was called from out the doors.
Amelia, who had already turned, as soon as she heard the apparations, called, "In here!"
Though he wasn't watching, Harry could hear multiple footsteps making their way to the front of the hall through the tables. His eyes were fixed firmly on the form of Professor Quirrell.
"Your target is the head table, gentlemen," Amelia called. "Not the four children."
Two aurors walked to stand behind the head table. Harry recognised one as Kingsley Shacklebolt. He didn't know the other one.
Calling to the aurors over the back, Amelia said, "Auror Shacklebolt. Please check Professor Quirrell... the one in lavender lying on the table... for signs of a possession."
Shacklebolt came forward and cast his wand over the back of Quirrell. He lurched back in surprise. "Yes, Ma'am! A definite possession!"
Harry called, "Remove his turban. Do not touch the back of his head!"
Shacklebolt looked at Amelia for confirmation before stepping forward and pulling Quirrell's turban off his head with his left hand.
As the turban fell free, Kingsley shot backwards and cast a third, "Stupefy!" at Quirrell's back. There were also gasps of horror coming from the rest of the staff who were in a position to see.
Amelia, showing annoyance, said, "Auror Shacklebolt! The man was already stunned and unconscious!"
Still pointing his wand tip at the back of Quirrell's head, he said, "It's Voldemort, Ma'am! I'm not taking any chances."
Some of the students screamed. Some tried to flee the hall. One of the two aurors at the door called out, "Sit down!"
Students slowly returned to their seats. But they all slid as far on the benches, as they could, towards the rear of the hall.
Amelia walked forward and stepped up onto the step about five feet in front of the table. She looked at the back of Quirrell's head, before stepping down again and turning to Harry.
"Alright, Lord Slytherin," she said. "We've got it from here. Please, lower your wands. Is the apparation point still open in the Entry Hall?"
"Yes, Ma'am," replied Harry, finally dropping his arm and turning away. The other three heirs also lowered their wands.
Amelia nodded and looked at one of the aurors still over by the doors leading in from the Entry Hall. "You!" she barked. "Go and get me two Unspeakables and two more aurors. I want them here, yesterday!"
The auror gave a firm nod, stepped out through the doors and apparated away.
Turning back to Harry, she asked, "Now, why is Headmaster Dumbledore tied to his chair and silenced?"
"I think Hogwarts, herself, did it, Ma'am," he replied.
"Really?" she asked. "The castle?"
"That's the best I've got for the moment, Ma'am," he replied.
"Can you release him?" she asked.
Harry thought, 'Do it'. And Dumbledore's bindings and the silencing spell were negated.
He spluttered and rose to his feet. "How dare you!" he half-bellowed at Harry.
"No, Headmaster," spat Harry. "How dare you! You allowed a person suffering a possession onto the grounds of Hogwarts! You were informed he was possessed as soon as he entered. Yet you did nothing!"
Turning to Amelia, he said, "When you take Quirrell with you. Take the Headmaster, as well. You'll probably be wanting to ask him why he knowingly allowed a possessed soul onto, and remain on, the grounds and in amongst children."
Amelia gave a firm nod. Turning to the other auror behind the head table she said, "Bullfinch! Take the Headmaster into custody! He'll be coming with us when we depart."
"No, I will not!" yelled an angry Dumbledore.
"Headmaster!" snapped Harry. "You will accompany Madam Bones's aurors, you will answer the questions they put to you, or you're fired!"
Harry then turned to the other three and asked, "Heirs! Are we agreed?"
"Yes, Harry."
"Yep!"
"Yes, Lord Slytherin!"
"There was the sound of multiple incoming apparations from the Entry Hall again.
Harry glanced out the door, once, before turning to look back at the Headmaster. He said, "Then it appears the first joint decision we're going to make is to fire your butt! Congratulations, Albus Dumbledore, you're about to make history... again."
"Alright!" spluttered Dumbledore, angrily. "I'll go with them!"
"That was not the entirety of the instructions given to you, Albus!" said Harry. "You will also answer their questions. Is that understood?"
"Alright, Harry," the old man replied with a bit of a snarl. "I'll go with them and answer their silly questions!"
"That's Lord Slytherin!" roared Harry. "It appears the senility you demonstrated in the Wizengamot has spread to your role as Headmaster of Hogwarts. Will we need to take the same action here?"
"No!... Lord Slytherin," spluttered Dumbles.
"The new aurors, or possible Unspeakables, approached Madam Bones and she had a quiet word with them. Heads suddenly shot towards where Professor Quirrell was still lying slumped over the head table, with Kingsley Shacklebolt still holding a drawn wand on him, ready to fire off spells.
Two of the older gentlemen walked around the table and stood each side of Quirrell's chair. They took one look at the back of his head, glanced at each other, before looking back again. One drew a wand and magical bindings flew from his wand tip lashing the man tight.
The other grabbed the chair and drew it back while the first levitated the still unconscious man up and away. He was flipped onto his back and the second gentlemen lashed him with his own magical bindings. A black hood suddenly appeared over Quirrell's head. Then they carried him from the hall, back through to the Entry Hall. A moment later, they'd apparated away.
"Shacklebolt. Bullfinch. Take Mister Dumbledore back to the Ministry and stick him in a holding cell." She thought for a moment and then said, "Put him in the same one as the last two times. He should be thinking of it as home, by now."
"Yes, Ma'am!" they each said. Dumbledore was lead from the Hall. He was apparated away a moment later.
Harry looked at Professor McGonagall. She was still standing next to the Hat on the stool. "Professor McGonagall!" he called.
"Errr... yes, Lord Slytherin?" she asked, obviously still quite shocked.
"You're Acting Headmistress until... if... Headmaster Dumbledore returns," instructed Harry. "Please, take your seat."
"Yes... Lord," she replied. She slowly walked around the other end of the head table.
Harry then turned to Professor Snape and said, "My apologies for pulling a wand on you, Professor. I know you found it quite shocking and, probably, offensive. I can only offer you my apologies, at this time, and hope that you can find it within yourself to accept it at some stage. Please, you and the other professors may resume your seats."
"Madam Bones," called Susan.
"Yes... Lady Hufflepuff?" asked Amelia.
That made the corner of Susan's lip twitch.
'Not a bad steeling of expression,' thought Harry.
Susan said, "The wards have also informed us there are dark artifacts in the castle. May we... borrow... your aurors to search for them and remove them?"
Surprised, Amelia said, "With those sorts of things around where children are moving about? I think I'd have to insist on it!"
Hermione then said, "And there are other creatures in the castle that'll also need to be dealt with. I don't want them here!"
"But first," said Harry. "These children have waited long enough for their meal. They're safe enough here with at least one of your aurors present, and the teaching staff. Do you mind if I get them fed while they're forced to wait here?"
"No, Lord Slytherin," replied Amelia. "I can see the wisdom in that."
"Thank you," he replied before walking back the couple of paces he had moved away from the head of the Slytherin table. Laying his palm on the table he intoned, "The House of Slytherin is ready to be served!"
A large throne-like chair appeared at the head of the table, and a smaller, similar chair appeared at the other. The table then filled with the feast. The other three did the same for their own houses.
Harry then said, "You can eat, folks. I apologise that I'll likely not be joining you, this evening. I'm in for a long night."
Turning to the head table he said, "Acting Headmistress McGonagall, you may serve the head table."
Professor McGonagall frowned and said, "Please, serve the feast." And the head table was filled with dishes.
"Madam Bones," said Harry turning back to Amelia. "Perhaps, you'd care to join us in the Entry Hall?"
Amelia nodded and Harry indicated she should lead. He then indicated for the others to join them. Most of the aurors came, too.
# # #
Once out in the Entry Hall, Amelia spun about and quietly but vehemently asked, "What the hell happened?"
It was Susan who replied. "The castle, Lady Hogwarts, wasn't prepared to wait. She saw the students were in grave danger and the Headmaster refused to do anything about it. He was even the cause of a lot of it. And she wasn't prepared to tolerate that."
Hermione picked it up from there. "So, she saw us as the saviours of the children, recognised us as the rightful heirs - even though we demanded she not - acted against our wishes and had the Sorting Hat announce us, right at the end of the sorting. As soon as we went through the ritual of accepting the Lordships - we couldn't avoid it - we had to take the wards before she had a chance to just dump them on us."
Then Neville took the conversation, "That's when we were immediately informed of the possession of the Professor... Professor Quirrell. I turned to look at the man to try and figure out what had happened, but Harry was far faster. He stunned the Professor before he could even blink! And held a wand on Professor... Snape as Professor Snape went for his own wand."
Back to Susan. "That's when Harry had me call you. You know what happened from there."
Harry said, "Hogwarts did what it was supposed to do, Ma'am. Hell, it did what the Headmaster was supposed to do! It put the children, the students, first and foremost! And we couldn't stop it from happening." He sighed, "Murphy's Law of Circumvention: If you perceive that there are four possible ways in which something can go wrong, and circumvent these, then a fifth way, unprepared for, will promptly develop."
Amelia sighed and said, "If I get the opportunity I'm going to throw Dumbledore through the veil myself for this!"
"At the moment, we've got this contained," she continued. "But, come tomorrow, a lot of those kids are going to start writing home to their parents and guardians letting them know what happened. The furore from this latest... misadventure... is going to turn magical Britain on its head!"
Harry said, "And that's why we want this castle searched, top to bottom. And I'm including the personal effects of the students in that. Go through their trunks, any trunks that cannot be opened, set aside. Then we'll have the owner brought in to open it for you. Go through the dormitories and the common rooms next. Once the four house sleeping areas are cleared - the feast should be concluded by then - we'll be able to send these kids to bed."
He then looked up slightly and said, "Lady Hogwarts, please unlock the four House common rooms so the aurors may search them."
"Done!" the four heard.
Hermione then said, "Then, we're going to need to search the rest of the castle from top to bottom; starting with the third floor corridor on the right."
"Oh?" asked Amelia. "What's there?"
"A giant Cerberus, a giant Devil's Snare, and some other nasties. And they're only sitting behind a single locked door!"
Amelia looked back stunned. "A... Cerberus and a Devil's Snare? And there's only a single locked door keeping students out?"
Hermione grimly nodded.
"No wards, or anything like that?"
Hermione grimly shook her head.
Amelia said, "Oh, Gods!"
She turned to two of her aurors, who'd been listening, and said, "You two, get up there now!"
The two of them bolted up the stairs.
To another auror, she said, "Go back to the DMLE. You are to start contacting every auror we've got; even the trainees. I don't care if you have to drag them out of bed. Tell them they're to report for duty immediately at the DMLE. Once there, they are to be told to apparate direct to here, in the Entry Hall of Hogwarts. I also want the Department of Mysteries contacted. Tell them what we're up against and that we need them. And tell them all they are not, under any circumstances, to speak to anyone outside of the DMLE or the Department of Mysteries. Go!"
The auror blinked, nodded once and apparated away.
Turning back to the heirs she said, "If parents and guardians start learning of this before everything's been cleared out, there will be mass panic among the citizenry - especially the parents and guardians - who will demand their children be brought home. I don't blame them for that. But, this is the only school in Britain they can attend. If we don't get this dealt with, we're going to end up in a situation where children are going to forcibly have their magic bound and their wands snapped. Five hundred children!"
Susan said, "That's one of the reasons we sealed the wards. I've also had all the floos locked off, and we can let owls in but stop owls flying out, for now. But, if parents don't start getting replies to their letters, they're going to panic, anyway."
Amelia nodded, surprised at her niece's quick thinking and understanding of the issues involved.
Harry said grimly, "And with something this big, Ma'am, you're going to have to tell that loudmouth, the Minister."
Amelia winced. She said, "Yes, but I don't have to tell him immediately; only when it looks like the story's going to break."
Hermione said, "I'd also suggest using the Seventh Years, and maybe the Sixth Years, to help with the search. But not of the private possessions, dormitories or common rooms. However, I don't think that's wise, for now."
Thinking, Harry said, "The staff also deserve an explanation of what's just happened. This has hit them cold; even colder than us. I want to take them aside directly after the feast and lay it all out for them as I think they have a right to know. It's what I was planning to do after the end of the school year, anyway. But we're now on a much accelerated timetable."
"Well, that's an understatement," smiled Neville. "And I need to let my Gran know what's happened. I mean, with me having to identify I'm a Lord, now."
"I think we're all going to have to do that," said Hermione. "Except Susan, of course."
Harry said, "Well, I've just had the Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor hauled off, and the transfiguration Professor temporarily promoted to Headmistress. I think Minerva McGonagall is going to have her hands full in her dual roles as Headmistress and Counsellor for House Gryffindor. I think it would be unfair to have her fulfill three roles."
Turning to Neville, he said, "Nev? How much do you want to keep Professor McGonagall as the counsellor for Gryffindor?"
Neville thought about it, shrugged, and said, "Lots! I'll need her knowledge and expertise to get a handle on taking over as Head of Gryffindor House."
"Damn!" said Harry, with a smile to take the sting out of it. "Myrrdin and I trained you too well. She's going to have to drop her teaching duties, for now."
Harry sighed and said, "So, two new Professors. And we need them tomorrow. Anyone have any objections to me calling Sirius and Remus and offering them temporary, at least, positions as Professors of Hogwarts?"
He only received head shakes. Neville said, "They're both really good teachers. I think we'd be lucky to have them teach here."
"Then I'll call them directly after we finish here."
"You'll need approval from the School Board," said Amelia.
"No, we won't," said Hermione. "We'll just disband the board. The founders never had them, and we're not required to have them, either. Irrespective of what the Ministry says."
"Oh, damn!" said Harry giving himself a face smack. "The map!"
"Pardon?" asked Amelia.
"I'm about to make your job a lot easier," replied Harry. "Give me a minute."
Harry walked back into the Great Hall. Quite a few eyes looked up as he entered and there were hushed whispers through the students while they ate.
Harry walked up the Gryffindor table and stopped when he reached the Third Years. He turned to Fred and George Weasley and said, "Gentlemen. You have something that belongs to me. I need to have it back."
Both of them blinked and then looked at each other before looking back. Fred, or was it George, said, "Ummm... Harrikins?"
"Don't start!" replied Harry. "I need the map. You know what I'm talking about. And it's Lord Slytherin or Lord Potter, not 'Harrikins'. You just heard me ream the Headmaster a new one over that."
"Ummm... what map..."
"...would that be..."
"...Lord Slytherin?"
"I'm the son of Prongs, gentlemen. Hand it over!"
"Prongs?...
"... Lord Slytherin?..."
"...You?"
Harry nodded and replied, "Me!" And held out his hand. "Now, give!"
The twins looked at each other and back at Harry before one of them reached into his robes and drew out a folded piece of parchment. He handed it over to Harry.
"Thank you," he said. "And, if you behave yourselves, I may give it back to you before too long."
Turning on his heel, Harry walked back out into the Entry Hall.
Walking back up to the others he held the map out in front of himself, drew his wand and held the tip to the parchment. Then he said, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good!"
The map revealed itself. He looked at it for a few minutes and focussed it on the Gryffindor dormitories.
He said, "This will show you where every individual in the castle can be found, and identifies them by name. It also shows a number of hidden passages in and out of the castle."
He frowned and handed it to Amelia, showing her how it worked. "Take a look at who is in the Gryffindor dormitories as we speak. You'll find the individual will be in his animagus form as a rat. He's come in as Ron Weasley's pet."
As they had been talking, aurors had started showing up. Amelia indicated one of the ones that was there while they were all still in the great Hall and said, "Go up to the boy's dormitories in Gryffindor Tower. The one on the sixth floor. You're looking for a pet rat in the First Year boys' dormitory. It's an illegal animagus. Stupefy its butt and bring it back down here. He's under arrest."
She called the rest of her aurors that had already arrived over and showed them the map. Then she started sending them in teams of four to search each of the dormitories, including personal effects. Two teams each of two females and two males.
After the first sixteen had been sent off to deal with the dormitories and common rooms of each of the Houses, she started sending teams of two off to start searching each floor of the castle, including the basements and dungeons.
The pair sent off earlier to investigate the Cerberus returned. They quietly reported their findings to Amelia.
"Get it out of the bloody castle," she said. "Then start clearing the rest of that mess out of there."
"A Cerberus and Devil's Snare, behind nothing more than a simple locked wooden door, in a castle full of children. God knows yet what's beyond that," she said angrily. "Albus flippin' Dumbledore will pay dearly for this!"
"Right," said Harry. "Amelia's busy detailing off her aurors. I'm going to go and talk to the staff and let them know what's going on."
"I'm coming with!" declared Hermione.
They both headed back into the Great Hall.