"Good morning, Professor Snape. It's good to see you again."
"Good morning to you as well, Mr Scamander. Is it time we switch to the first name basis as fellow professors?"
"I suppose so, Severus."
Potions Master nodded and continued on his work.
"I was rather surprised when Binns vanished so suddenly. Now it all makes sense. So, are you here for the boy or the library?"
"That's a very crudee way to put it. Unlike you, I have some passion to teach students, you know."
Seeing Snape's 'cut the crap' look, Sylvian continued.
"I'm here for the club."
"I thought it would continue being run by the students."
"I never explicitly said only students could become part of the club. If professors are there as well, the progress will be faster."
"You want us to babysit them on top of the classes? Nobody wants extra work, Sylvian." With a wave of his wand, Snape hung the last banner in place and applied a Sticking charm.
"It's not babysitting. We learn and progress together. They might be dimwits in your class, Severus, but when it comes to researching magic creativity and perseverance can overcome talent and experience..."
The preparations were complete by sunset. Staff members took their seats on the High Table. Sylvian sat with Snape. On his other side was the new Defense against the Dark Arts professor, Edmund Proudfoot. Sylvian wondered if Dumbledore decided against luring Voldemort into Hogwarts before taking care of another trouble, which was himself. Hopefully, the year would pass more peacefully than the canon version because of that.
The older students arrived in a short while and started taking their seats. Those who knew him from the club activities or other reasons waved at him. He gave each of them a small nod.
Hagrid also returned to the table from the side door. Professor McGonagall led the first year students in. On top of the four legged small stool on the dais she put the old Sorting Hat. Sylvian was still impressed the hat managed to survive all these centuries.
After a moment of silence enveloped the Hall, the brim of the hat opened and it began to sing its new song.
Oh you may not think I'm 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 hall erupted in claps for the song. Professor McGonagall made a silence gesture and started the Sorting Ceremony.
"Abbot, Hannah!"
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
"Bones, Susan!"
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
The first two students got into the Hufflepuff house. Then came a Ravenclaw boy, a girl to the Slytherin, then a boy to Gryffindor...
"Granger, Hermione."
Hermione looked at the only person she knew -professor Scamander - when her name came up. He gave her a small smile and an imperceptible nod. She took confident steps and sat on the stool.
The moment she put on the hat her vision was covered in darkness.
"Hmm, such curiousity for knowledge. Rovena would be proud to have you as her disciple... And your courage is no less small. My, my... What a tough choice. Where do you want to go, young one?"
"I can choose where to go?"
"Of course. As far as I see, both Houses will be immensely pleased to have you. It depends on what you want to get at Hogwarts..."
"I am the Queen of Wands."
"Queen of Wands? Let me see what that is... Courage , exploration, inner fire... I see, I see. Then you shall go to"
"GRYFFINDOR!"
Hermione heard the loudest cheers coming from the table on the left. She took off the hat and ran down to her seat.
The Sorting continued. In a short while Harry Potter, a legend of this century, joined her on the table. When the last was sorted into Slytherin, Professor McGonagall took the stool and the Hat away. Hermione saw Headmaster Dumbledore standing up for a speech.
"The very best of evenings to all of you. Now, to our new students, welcome, to our old students, welcome back.
This year two new professors are joining our team. Sir Edmund Proudfoot, professor of Defense against the Dark Arts, and Sylvian Scamander, professor of History of Magic."
He started clapping for them and everyone followed. An old man, professor Proudfoot and professor Scamander stood up and gave a small bow.
"Now, before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you."
The hall erupted in cheers once again. Suddenly all kinds of food appeared on the table: roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, fries, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup, and, for some strange reason, peppermint hamburgers.
Hermione got a small portion from each on her plate and started eating.
The Gryffindor ghost Ser Nicholas sat beside them. Hermione lost all her appetite when the boy called asked him why he was called "Nearly Headless Nick" and the ghost showed him his grotesque looking half-cut neck. She didn't touch the desert at all.
"This is how he usually greets first years. He probably enjoys scaring kids. Ghosts, you know.
I'm Percy by the way, Percy Weasley. The Prefect of the Gryffindor House."
"Hermione Granger, pleased to meet you. Do all years have Prefects, Mr Weasley?"
"You can just call me Percy. And no, only fifth years and above can become a prefect..."
Once everyone had their fill, the the desserts vanished. Headmaster Dumbledore once again gave a short speech, telling them not to enter the Forbidden Forest without supervision and not to use magic on the corridors. Older students went on their own, Percy and another prefect girl led them, the first-years to the Gryffindor tower.
They passed through corridors filled with shining suits of armors and talking portraits, stairs moving from corridor to another; Hermione wondered if someone would change the stairs into escalators one day.
They came to stop in front of a portrait of a fat lady.
"Password?"
"Caput Draconis"
The portrait swung open, revealing a way to the common room.
"The current password will be written on the noticeboard in the room. Don't forget to check it out. We update the password occasionally. Now follow me."
The common room very spacious. Tables, desks, chairs, armchairs and sofas covered the floor, but it didn't look clustered at all. A huge fireplace covered one side. The walls were decorated with red and gold colors, lions, tapestries of knights, witches and wizards.
The prefect girl let them look around a little bit and then explained.
"Welcome to the Gryffindor common room. You can hang around here with your friends after classes and on weekends. On my right side is the boys' dormitory, on the left is girls' dormitory. Your belongings have been delivered to the rooms. First door when you go up the stairs is the dorm room for you guys.
Off you go, now. We'll lead you to the Great Hall for breakfast at 7:45 tomorrow, don't be late."
There were three girls in Gryffindor this year, so the dorm also had 3 large four-poster beds, with heavy red-and-gold curtains. Hermione found her trunk near the one on the right. Crookshanks was curled up in her bed. Hearing the noise from the door, it lifted its head and gave a lazy meow.
"Wow, you have a cat? My parents wouldn't let me get one. It looks so cute!"
The girl with blonde hair gushed and sat near her bed.
"Can I pet it? What's its name?"
"Crookshanks, she doesn't like getting petted when resting. I'm Hermione, Hermione Granger."
The girl stood up resignedly.
"Lavender Brown, nice to meet you. And you?"
"My name is Parvati Patil."
They all shook hands with each other.
"You have a twin, right? She got into Ravenclaw?"
"Yeah, I'm not surprised though. She always loved books..."
After some small talk, they all prepared to sleep. It wouldn't do to be late in the first day of school.
In the morning Hermione woke up at 6. She got ready and went down to wait for everyone in the common room.
There were couple of older students in there. She went up to check the noticeboard Percy was talking about the day before.
As it was start of the term, there weren't many notices posted there. On top right corner 'CAPUT DRACONIS' was written. She guessed they wrote the password there.
There were a few parchments, "Gryffindor House Rules", "Prohibited Items" signed by Mr. Filch... Soon her attention shifted to a poster.
It was designed in a creative and mystical way. The parchment seemed like a really old scroll from medieval times. On its edges patterns resembling vines, runes, engravings seemed to be alive, constantly shifting and changing. She also noted the parchment itself seemed to be pulsing slowly, as if it was a beating heart. Its contents glowed, faded and reappeared from time to time.
ARCANE CLUB OF HOGWARTS
For Those Who Seek Knowledge Beyond
the Ordinary
Do you find yourself lingering in the library for many hours?
Do ancient symbols, forgotten spells, and hidden meanings call to you?
Do you want to write the history of magic?
Are you curious about the magic behind magic?
Then the Arcane Club invites you to join.
Requirements: Learn magic beyond school curriculum and get an approval of at least 4 senior members of the club.
Only the first year students are eligible.
Acceptance Ceremony will take place on Halloween.
P.s. We provide free snacks and drinks on meetings.
P.s.s. If you have social anxiety and can't demonstrate your magic on Halloween in front of everyone, inform any member from your house.
P.s.s.s. Anyone with the ability to donate a whole library of magic-related books or at least 10 unique books that cannot be found in any library in Britain will get accepted automatically.
"Good morning, Hermione. You're quite early."
"Oh, good morning, Percy. Don't like being late."
"You wanna join?"
"What do you mean?" The boy gestured at the poster.
"The Arcane Club. You are interested?"
"Oh that, I don't know... It sounds cool, but there are so many classes. I'm not sure I can have time for extracurriculars."
They sat on the nearby chairs.
"I'm pretty sure you don't need to worry about the classes, Hermione. First year is easy, and with you finishing all the theory on summer, this will be a breeze for you.
The Arcane Club is somewhat of a legend here at Hogwarts. You remember the new history professor, Mr Scamander, from yesterday?"
"Yeah, I actually met him before. He visited us in the summer to deliver the acceptance letter and help me shop for the school supplies."
"That's cool. Anyways, he was the one who founded this club with his friends. My brother Charlie was also one of them.
They were 3rd year students when they started it. Not many people joined at first. But those who became part of it showed such an accelerated growth and talent in their chosen field. When I came to Hogwarts as a first year student after a year, people were going crazy to join the club."
"Don't all classes teach magic?"
Hermione was confused. This was Hogwarts: school of witchcraft and wizardry. Why would they go crazy over a club?
"That's true. All classes teach magic. And that's the difference, Hermione. In the club, nobody teaches you magic. We research and learn magic together. The club itself doesn't do anything special, it can't grant you powers or teach you some forbidden knowledge. What Mr Scamander and his friends did was to put the people who were truly passionate about certain magic in one club.
In a classroom, professor has to teach a lesson so that even the student with lowest talent and grades can learn something. The club is like an accelerated program."
Hermione grew pensive after these words. She didn't consider even witches and wizards struggled at school. She thought everyone was like her, but now Percy's enthusiasm when she mentioned she memorized all the books made sense.
"Was the entry requirement the same at that time as well?"
"Yes, it was the same."
"What did you do back then?"
"Portable Magic Lock." Percy straightened up a little and seemed quite proud of his invention.
"I combined runes, enchantment and locking charm to make a wooden lock. At the start, it was just a simple wooden lock that opened to a magical signature of a witch or a wizard. Mr Scamander said it was a good project for a short term, and we did joint research with others. Now you can use wand, magical signature, verbal password or combination of runes or symbols. There's a lot of room for customization. We already got a patent for it, it'll go into production in a few months."
"Wow, that's... astonishing."
Hermione was both amazed and frightened. An eleven years old kid thought of such a thing? How could she come up with something this amazing?
Percy seemed to read her mind.
"Don't worry, everyone has an area they excel on. My Dad is good at enchantments, so I guess it runs in our blood. I'm sure you'll find something amazing."
"Uhm, if it's not against the rules, can you tell me a few more things others did? For reference."
"We actually have something here. Accio!"
The moment he lifted his wand uttered the incantation, an encyclopedia-like book flew towards them from some corner of the room.
"This book is called 'The Codex of Arcane Sparks'. There is one copy for each house, one copy in the library and one more in the classroom we use for administration of the club. All the successful members of the club have a few pages dedicated to them, detailing their work that led them to be accepted, their abilities or affinities towards certain magical fields and some photos from their demonstration. You can go over it later.
Just remember, it cannot be taken away from the common room.
If everyone is here, let's go to the breakfast."
The last sentence was spoken outloud to the other kids sitting around the tables. Hermione took one last look on the leather-covered book with flowing patterns and walked away with other girls towards the Great Hall.