Chapter 4: Hogwarts
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The cloudless night sky offered a full view of the stars twinkling above the students’ heads as they disembarked at Hogsmeade Station, the lights on the platform doing little to dispel the darkness more than a few feet in any direction. Aurora stood on her tiptoes on the platform in an attempt to get a better view of the barely discernable rooftops in the village just down from the station when she was shoved roughly from behind. She instinctively threw out her hands to catch herself, earning a painful scrape on her right hand for her trouble. Wincing, she stood and surveyed the perpetrator, a blonde boy that towered over her, his pointed chin thrust out defiantly as he regarded her with the most unfriendly pair of grey eyes she’d ever come across.  Standing just behind him were two much larger boys – vertically and horizontally – both of whom were clenching and unclenching their fists threateningly.

"Watch where you're going," the smaller boy snapped maliciously.

"You pushed me," she replied, wrapping a handkerchief around her scraped hand as her temper began to flare.

"Watch how you speak to me, pipsqueak!" He leaned in so that his face was inches from hers, but Aurora couldn’t have felt less threatened - her father was much more intimidating, and if she could bear him, she could bear this boy.

"Why? Are you going to set your goons on me?” she retorted, relishing the surprised look in his eyes as she leaned forward just as much. “It must take real bravery to attack a girl who is half your size. Of course, that’s probably all they're smart enough to do," she said, glaring at them. They stepped closer menacingly, but stopped when they heard a voice booming overhead.

"First years, this way!"

Looking up, they saw a man whose head came just inches below the top of the train, his hand dangling a lantern over their heads. The light of the swaying lantern cast shadows over the large man’s face, but Aurora could tell just by the sheer size of him that he had to be Hagrid, the gamekeeper that her uncle and godfather had always spoken so highly of.

Aurora cast a last glare at the trio of boys before obediently standing in the pool of light beneath Hagrid’s lantern, taking a space between Erin and Jamie.

"Hey Aurora, who was that boy you were talking to? He was kinda cute," Jamie said, craning her neck to try and spot him in the crowd of students.

"I didn't get his name,” Aurora said. “I was too busy telling him off for knocking me down.”

"I suspect he was just nervous," Jamie said, shrugging dismissively as she continued searching for the boy.

"It'll get a lot worse before it gets better, believe me," Erin told Aurora, grinning, as they began to follow Hagrid down a winding path. Aurora frowned – she had no idea what Erin meant.

Now far from the station, the only light that pierced the surrounding darkness was Hagrid’s lantern, and the first years seemed to unconsciously huddle in the midst of the light rather than face what may lie in wait just off the path. They soon came to a halt at the edge of a vast pool of inky nothingness, which Aurora realized was a lake only after Hagrid had seated himself into a boat. The other students began to fill the waiting watercraft, and Aurora and her two companions followed suit.

As soon as the last first year had procured a vessel, the cluster of boats began to move of their own accord, eliciting startled cries from some of the students. Aurora wondered if they’d be able to see Hogwarts from the lake – in all the years her father had been a teacher at the school, she couldn’t remember a time she’d ever seen the castle. The stories her guardians had told her about the school flooded her brain as she craned her neck to catch her first glimpse of it.

They rounded a bend in the lake and suddenly Hogwarts was there – much closer than she had expected – lights blazing from its multitude of windows. Silhouetted against the night sky, the school looked nothing short of spectacular, and its beauty took Aurora’s breath away. Even from the boats she could see the enormity of the castle, and she felt her excitement soar.

Aurora disembarked eagerly with the other students when they arrived at the boat dock. The castle loomed in front of them invitingly, and they once again fell into step behind Hagrid, who led them up the hill and stopped in front of a large wooden door. As though their arrival had been announced, the door swung inward, a stern-looking witch with square glasses framed in the doorway. Her black hair was drawn back tightly into a bun, and Aurora could tell just by the woman's expression that she was not someone to take lightly.

"Here are all the first years, Professor McGonagall," Hagrid said, giving the new students a reassuring smile before heading through an open door on his right.

"I want to welcome you all to Hogwarts, first years,” the witch announced, her bespectacled eyes resting on each one for a brief moment. “The sorting ceremony will begin shortly in order to place you in your respective houses. Follow me, in a single file line, please." She gazed upon the group sternly, and then led them through the doors behind her, and on into the Great Hall.

All of the older students were already seated at the four long tables that lined the room, their eyes following the first years’ progression. Aurora fidgeted nervously as her own gaze swept the room for a familiar face – and found it when she saw her father seated at the staff table, next to a man in an ugly purple turban.

Her stomach began to turn as she remembered that she’d successfully reversed her glamour – she hadn’t given much thought to what he father would say – or do. His eyes were roving over the faces of the other students, and before she could look away, they’d found hers. Even from this distance, she could see his jaw clench and imagined the vein in his neck standing out. Tearing her eyes away, she began to look at the other teachers, though she could still feel her father’s furious stare.

Erin gave her a nudge, and then whispered in her ear. "Things will turn out better than you expect them too, don't worry so much."

Aurora stared at her in confusion. "What are you talking about?" she asked. Erin grinned, and then pointed at the front of the room, where a frayed old hat sat on a stool. "Oh you mean the sorting ceremony? My uncle told me all about it before I left. All they do is place the hat on your head, and it shouts out which house you're in."

Erin smiled, but didn't say anything. Aurora had the funny feeling that she'd misinterpreted her statement, but she didn't have much time to dwell on it as the ceremony began. Aurora was thankful that the first years had to face the other students instead of the staff – though her father seemed as though he was boring a hole in the back of her skull with his gaze.

She watched the students as name after name was called; Erin was sorted into Ravenclaw very quickly, but the hat looked like it couldn't quite decide what to do with Jamie. Aurora could see her sitting there, her fingers crossed. The hat finally placed her in Ravenclaw as well, and she looked very disgruntled as she took her seat.

"Draco Malfoy!" announced Professor McGonagall. Aurora saw the blond boy who'd pushed her sit on the chair, the hat placing him immediately in Slytherin.

"That's no surprise," she mumbled to nobody in particular. Then a name was called that made her breath catch in her throat.

"Harry Potter!" Aurora, along with every other person in the hall, craned her neck to get a better look at the skinny boy with the tousled hair and lightning scar. She'd heard about him all her life from Malichi and Steven, and here he was getting sorted! She hadn't even realized they were the same age. Harry was sorted into Gryffindor, and a few more students were called. Then it was her turn.

"Aurora Rinkle!" For a brief moment, her success with the glamour counter gave her false courage. She hesitated, wondering what would happen if she chose not to respond to her assumed name. It was the thought that she would be shipped to Beauxbatons for sure that caused her to make her way shakily to the stool.

The hat was barely on her head before it shouted, “Ravenclaw!” Beaming from ear to ear, she took a seat between Erin and Jamie. She risked a glance up at her father, who – though definitely still angry – looked as though he was disappointed.  

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Severus watched as the first years filed into the hall, searching for Aurora. Scanning the faces of the students, two boys near the front of the line immediately caught his attention. He groaned inwardly as he recognized the red hair and freckles of the taller boy.

Not another Weasley! he moaned to himself, then stopped as he recognized the boy next to him. It couldn't be James - no, not James. It had to be his son, Harry. Albus had told him the boy would be starting this term. His eyes narrowed as memories of James ran through his head, and he was thankful the boy looked like his father – it would be much easier to forget who his mother had been. Then Harry turned to look at the staff table, and Severus felt his breath catch. The eyes. The brat had Lily’s eyes. Albus had mentioned it, of course, but being faced with the truth – the boy turned away, and Severus was able to compose himself again.

Forcing his attention from Harry, he spotted his daughter, near the middle of the line. Anger surged through him as he recognized her – she had not taken her glamour potion, and now stood, a tiny tin-type of her mother. It was as though the ghosts of the past had been sent to torment him…

The sorting ceremony began, but though he clapped briefly after each student, his focus remained on his daughter. When she was sorted into Ravenclaw, he felt a stab of annoyance. He had anticipated that she would be in Slytherin, as his family had been for generations.  No doubt her placement stemmed from her likeness to her mother.

That’s something, then, he thought idly. So long as she’s a bit more – sensible. Further dwellings on his late wife were prevented as Quirinus Quirrell, newly appointed to the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts, attempted to get Severus’ attention.

"What is it, Quirrell?" he growled, not bothering to disguise his agitation.

"S-Severus, can you b-believe it? Harry P-Potter is at Hogwarts! It's t-terribly excit-ting, d-don't you th-think?"

"I am thrilled by the mere thought, I assure you." Evidently, the sarcasm and anger in Severus’ tone put the other man off his desire for conversation with the Potions Master, because he laughed nervously and turned to the teacher on his other side as the plates before them filled with food.

Now that the sorting was finished, Severus forced himself to keep his gaze off both the Potter boy and Aurora. It would not do for him to seem overly interested – in either of them.

Which is a good thing for her, he thought with a sneer. I can’t very well march up and discipline her without cause, and I can’t approach her Head of House, either. The only staff members knowledgeable about Aurora’s relationship with Severus were Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress, and Albus. And though the head of Ravenclaw – Filius Flitwick – was not prone to gossip, Severus had no inclination to clue him in.

No doubt she’ll be expecting some repercussion, he mused as he allowed his eyes to flick towards Aurora, catching her in a worried stare towards him. Severus smirked as he regarded his food. Letting her stew would be nearly as effective as a howler – and far less likely to draw unwanted attention.

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After the feast, the first year Ravenclaws followed a gangly looking fifth year prefect named David out into the entry hall, where he checked to make sure they were all there. Then he launched into an elaborate speech about how prefects were afforded a certain respect. It would have gone quite well if he hadn't tripped up the main stairs after he was finished. The first years toppled over each other at the abrupt stop. All of the students laughed as they picked themselves up, including a group of seventh years who were following them.

"Forget about that vanishing step again, Davey?"

"My name is David," he spat at the older boy. "And no, I didn't forget. I was merely demonstrating the um, - the-" The seventh years continued to laugh as they pushed past the group.

"Don't mind Davey, kids. He thinks he's all that and a bag of crisps," explained a very tall girl with bright red hair as the first years began walking again. David was muttering under his breath, and didn't speak until they had come to a dead end in front of a suit of armor.

"What's this all about?" Jamie asked quietly.

"Maybe he got us lost," Aurora whispered. Erin joined in the fit of giggles Aurora’s words inspired, but all three of them stopped when David walked over to them.

"What's so funny back here?" he asked crossly.

"Um, nothing, Dave."

"MY NAME IS DAVID!" he roared.

"Sorry, David," Aurora corrected.

"Good, now if you don't mind, I'll continue with what I was saying!"

"Um, were you talking before? I didn't hear you." Aurora didn’t know why she’d said it, but she knew she'd gone too far as soon as the words were out of her mouth. David’s face turned red with anger, and his dark brown eyes looked like they were going to bug out of their sockets.

"What's your name?” he demanded.

"Aurora Rinkle," she said blandly.

"Well, Rinkle, you had better learn not to speak out of turn around here. The teachers certainly won't put up with it!" She stared at him, waiting for him to continue.

"Okay..." she said when he remained silent. He turned on his heel and marched to the front of the crowd.

"Now, each house has a guardian that blocks the entrance to their common rooms. Jonna," he said, indicating the suit of armor, "is ours. The guardians will not grant anyone access without the password, so make sure you remember it. If you learn another house's password, you'd better not use it, because if you're caught in another common room, you face expulsion." He turned to Jonna. "Pink Elephants," he said pompously. Jonna bowed, then moved aside to reveal a door in the wall, which they followed David through. The students looked around them, murmuring with excitement.

The Ravenclaw common room was rather large, with numerous blue armchairs scattered around a magnificent stone fireplace. The remainder of the room held tables of assorted sizes, presumably for studying purposes. David then directed them to their perspective dormitories, where their trunks awaited them.

"This is great!" Aurora said, grinning as they entered. She quickly secured the bed nearest one of the large windows, then changed into her pajamas. As she put her robes away, she reached inside the pocket for her mother’s perfume bottle – only to find that it wasn’t there. Frantically she began to search the robe, then kneeled onto the floor and checked under the beds.

“What are you doing?” A tall blonde girl stood at the entrance to the doorway, an eyebrow raised in bemusement.

“I’ve lost something,” Aurora said hastily, bending again to search beneath Erin’s bed.

“What was it?” she heard the new girl ask.

“A perfume bottle – it must have fallen out of  my pocket. It’s small, but it- I have to find it!” Aurora stood as  she realized that it wasn’t beneath anyone’s bed.

“Maybe it’s in the common room,” Erin suggested, placing a reassuring hand on Aurora’s shoulder. The shorter girl turned and fled into the common room, ignoring the stares from the few students who hadn’t gone to bed as she began searching beneath each of the fluffy armchairs. Her dormmates followed, their eyes roving the floor around them as Aurora’s agitation increased.

“I don’t think it’s here,” Jamie said apologetically.

“Then where is it?” Aurora asked, now on the verge of tears. Suddenly, she remembered the collision after dinner. “I’ll bet you a galleon it fell out when we all ran into David!” she exclaimed.

“Probably,” Erin agreed. Aurora felt herself relax as she sank into an armchair. The last of the older students left to retire to their own dormitories, leaving the first years alone.

The tall blonde, who still had not introduced herself, grinned at Aurora. “You’re going to go and get it, aren’t you?” she asked.

“She is not going to sneak out on her first night!” Erin scolded.

“It’ll be there in the morning on the way to breakfast,” Jamie agreed. But Aurora was already thinking along the lines of the blonde.

“If I hurry, it won’t take long,” she reasoned. “And if I wait until morning – what if someone else takes it? I have to get it back!”

Erin and Jamie still did not look convinced, but the blonde continued to grin.“Just think,” she pushed, “you might find some of the hidden passages!” Her blue eyes seemed to light up at the mere prospect of any adventure. “C’mon, I dare you to run down and get it.”

She wasn’t sure why, but the blonde girl’s dare only strengthened her resolve. And she would be quick. Aurora stood, her face set in determination. “I have to go,” she declared, ignoring the disapproving stare of Jamie. Before they could talk her out of it, she’d left the common room.

As Jonna repositioned herself in front of the door, Aurora suddenly realized what she was doing. But there was no turning back – she was convinced if she didn’t go after the bottle now, she’d never see it again. Trying to be as quiet as possible, she crept down staircase after staircase until she reached the Entrance Hall. The light from the candles flickered over something just below the vanishing step, and she hurried down towards it. The bottle lay on its side, and Aurora was relieved to see that it had survived unscathed. She stuck it into her pocket, and began the long trek back up to Ravenclaw Tower.

She didn’t realize anything was out of place until she stepped off the staircase and into a corridor she didn’t recall seeing before. Frowning, and thinking she must be tired, she followed the corridor to another set of stairs. These led to yet another unfamiliar row of doors. Struggling to remember if she’d taken a wrong turn, she didn’t notice until it was too late that she was headed right into the wall – except instead of squashing her nose, she tripped and fell completely through the stone. Glancing around, she saw that she was in a narrow passage, a set of steps leading up, and another leading down.

This must be one of the shortcuts! she thought to herself. Deciding it wouldn't hurt to follow it, she did so, coming out in yet another corridor, this one lined with doors. Feeling that she had gone farther than she’d needed to, she turned to take the passage back to the corridor she’d just left – and ran headlong into her father.

"What are you doing down here?" he hissed, his voice low.

"I -I’m trying to get back to my dorm, but I got lost," she stammered, still somewhat startled. He looked around to be sure nobody was there before he grabbed her arm and began leading her away.

"This corridor was expressly forbidden - didn't you hear Professor Dumbledore explain that at the feast?"

She frowned, remembering something about the third floor. "But this can't be the third floor - I must have gone up six separate staircases already!" she protested.

"Are you suggesting that I do not know where I am?" he asked savagely as they turned the corner and began climbing a set of stairs. She shook her head, but he seemed not to notice. “Steven decided not to enforce the glamour draught, I see.”

“No – I took the glamour potion!” she insisted. He stopped walking, turning a glare of ice upon her. “I just – I took the counter when I got on the train,” she finished quickly, wanting to look anywhere else but at him. His eyes seemed magnetic, and she found she could not tear her own gaze away.

“Where did you get the counter?” he demanded, his face now inches from her own.

“I – I brewed it,” she admitted. “In my school trunk. It was in a book from the sitting room,” she added hastily, as though the fact alleviated her guilt. His lips tightened, and his anger seemed to increase as he surveyed her.

“You – brewed it?” he asked, his voice low.

“Yes.”

“Have you any idea what could have happened? The smallest mistake with that draught might have turned it into a poison! Were you so anxious to break the rules that you felt it worth risking your own life?”

”I – I didn’t think-“

“That is painfully clear,” he interrupted, his eyes glittering.

“I just –“ she sighed heavily. “-just wanted to be myself.”

“Back on that, are we? You foolish child – appearances and names have nothing to do with who you are. That glamour potion was for your own protection-“

“From what?” she asked quickly, her heart racing. This was as close to an explanation as she’d ever been given. “What do I need protecting from?”

“Do not interrupt me again,” he warned. “It is not your place to question me.”

“Yes, sir,” she muttered.

"What's happened to your hand?" he asked suddenly, indicating the handkerchief still wrapped around her palm.

"Oh, nothing," she lied, wincing as he removed it, pulling some dead skin from the wound. "I fell getting off the train."

He grasped her hand and studied it intently before dropping it. "It's just a scratch, nothing that won't heal on its own," he muttered, more to himself than Aurora. They continued to walk, neither of them saying anything, until they approached the corridor that contained the entrance to the common room.

"So this is what you consider good behavior?" he snarled. "Not even the first day of the term, and you're already sneaking out of your dormitory!" His anger seemed to have resurfaced as Aurora continued to stare at her feet as if there were something terribly interesting about them. "May I remind you that you are supposed to be keeping a low profile?" He leaned down to her, his hand under her chin to force her to look at him face-to-face. His eyes were narrowed until they were barely open, his nostrils flaring with indignation.

"Five points from Ravenclaw for being out-of-bounds, and as for the glamour -“ he paused, as though he was trying to think of a suitable punishment. “Any further errors of judgment on your part, and you’ll be on a train to Beauxbatons. Do I make myself clear?" She nodded, pulling her head away so he couldn't see her tears. "Good. Now get back to your dormitory."

He watched as she walked over to Jonna, spoke the password softly, and then disappeared through the door. Sighing as he walked back to his own quarters, he thought that coping with both James' son and his own daughter at Hogwarts was going to make this a very long year.

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