Dragonseed I - The Serpent's Head

DRAGON SEED I - The Serpents Head

Chapter Three - Happy New School Year

"Well, really! How rude," snorted my sister Judy, as she watched the receding backs of Marcus and his best friend, Stephen Grey, heading away rapidly to the other end of Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. "To just run off like that. Don't you two normally sit together on the train?"

"No, of course not!" I replied, deliberately not looking in the same direction. "Slytherins and Gryffindors don't share compartments on the Hogwarts Express. It's just not done."

I could see that she was not particularly impressed with this response. Too bad. Acceptance for Marcus down in the Hogwarts snake house was a hard fought and ongoing battle as it was. He could not afford to be seen too often in our company. Fierce house rivalry, particularly between Gryffindor and Slytherin, was a fact of life that Judy was going to learn all about very soon now that she too was starting as a Hogwarts student.

We were standing there with Marcus' brother Matthew, saying our farewells to our grandparents prior to boarding the train. Platform Nine and Three-Quarters was flooding rapidly with a sea of students and their families all intent upon one thing: making sure that the Hogwarts student body were all loaded on the Express, complete with trunks, wands and familiars.

My gaze kept wandering to the wall portal that connected the platform to Muggle Kings Cross station. "Besides," I said grinning, "as soon as Brian gets here I intend to desert you too. Not good for my image to be seen with a couple of ickle firsties. Ouch!" She may be small but Judy packs quite a hard punch and I had not been expecting it.

"Hey, Judy, nice shot," interjected Matthew, grinning widely. "We'll be better off without our lumps of older brothers anyhow." I grimaced and made a covert obscene gesture out of sight of our grandparents, which was reciprocated in kind. Childish I know, but my cousins tend to bring out the worst in me.

There were ten minutes to departure time and students and their families were coming through the wall in a steady stream now. Suddenly I saw a most unexpected face. "Hey, isn't that Professor Lupin?" Everyone turned and looked.

"Yes, I do believe it is," said Grandpa Tonks, squinting at the man who had just come through the wall. I knew it was. Uncle Remus is my godfather and has been at Hogwarts all my life, so I don't think I could have been mistaken, but I was confused and that is putting it mildly. He shouldn't have been there.

The professors were always expected to be at Hogwarts at least twenty four hours prior to the students. That was why Mum's parents always took me to the train, because Mum and Dad couldn't. In fact, at this very time all the teachers were supposed to be in the final pre-term staff meeting. Dad calls it the 'pre-battle strategy meeting', as it's the last one before 'engaging the enemy', the enemy being us students.

I couldn't imagine what special circumstances would see Headmistress McGonagall allowing her deputy to miss that particular staff meeting.

Judy waved at the Professor and he looked up, hesitated for a moment, and then started walking towards us slowly. He was walking slowly because he had one arm protectively around a tiny girl with curly black hair who was almost totally hidden behind the trolley she was pushing.

"Hi, Professor Lupin," I said, when they stopped in front of us. "What are you doing here today?"

He looked a little taken aback by the question, as if he wasn't expecting it. "Ah ... James isn't it? I'm helping out a friend. He wasn't able to accompany his daughter to the train so I said I would as a favour." He gently pulled the girl out from behind the cart.

Now, I am not particularly big for my age but she was so tiny, she made me feel enormous. She had a sweet little face, sort of pointy, almost elfin, topped by a mass of black curls and totally dominated by her big green eyes. "This is Laura Mason." The girl looked up at us with an expression somewhere between terror and curiosity.

He leant down to talk next to her ear as it was pretty noisy. "Laura, these are some of the Weasleys. Do you remember I told you about them? James, um ... Judy and ... Matthew." A look of relief crossed his face. "And of course, Mrs. Weasley and ... Mr. and Mrs. Tonks.

"That's a dreadfully stiff introduction, Remus, lad," said Grandpa as he shook his hand and beamed down at the little girl, "You've called me Ted for years now. And the little lady can call me Grandpa, the rest of them do."

Remus turned to us again. "Would you look after Laura on the train for me? She is new to England as well as to all this." By that I assumed he meant Hogwarts.

"Nice to meet you, Laura," said Judy stepping forward and taking her hand. "Don't expect James to be much help. He doesn't want to be seen with us." I stood there somewhat embarrassed by this blunt repetition of my earlier comments. I could hear Grandpa snickering behind me.

"Hey, James!" someone bellowed across the platform. I looked up and to my relief saw Brian hurrying towards me. "Excuse me, I gotta go. Nice to meet you, Laura. See you at school, Professor."

I turned away from them, said my goodbyes to my family, and walked off with Brian as quickly as I could. Which basically proved Judy correct, but I didn't care. The girl seemed OK enough for a girl I suppose, but there was something about the whole scenario that was really bugging me.

Time was running short so Brian and I jumped straight on the train and flung ourselves down on the seats of the first empty compartment we found. I looked out the window, but could not see Professor Lupin anywhere.

"That was strange," I murmured to Brian, "Professor Lupin being here today."

"Yeah," he said, nodding in agreement, "the professors are normally all at school by now."

"Not just that," I said, frowning deeply in thought. "Uncle Remus, as I call him out of school, is my godfather and he has known Judy, Matthew and me all our lives." I paused.

"And ... your point is ..." said Brian, impatiently.

"Just now on the platform he was having trouble remembering our names."

"That is weird," agreed Brian.

Very weird indeed.

***

It was the start of another school year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The student body had swarmed into the Great Hall, bringing it to life again with their chatter and movement. It was nearly time for the Sorting and most of the students were in their seats. Except for the new first-years who were waiting outside.

Marcus sat quietly at the Slytherin table, taking polite but seemingly detached interest in the conversations going on around him. In reality he was taking in every snatch and snippet of conversation. Information was very valuable and Marcus knew that you learnt a lot more by listening than you do by talking.

Suddenly a large hand clamped down on his shoulder, making him jump, and a voice boomed in his ear. "How is our hot-shot Seeker?" It was the unmistakable voice of the Slytherin Keeper, and new Quidditch captain, Morrison McNair. "Ready to help us retain the cup?"

Marcus shrugged his shoulders under the weight of the older boy's hand. "Why not? It sounds like a great use of my spare time," he replied, the corner of his mouth twisting into a slight smirk.

McNair faltered, obviously unsure how to respond. Next to him, from the corner of his eye Marcus could see Stephen Grey, his friend and classmate, desperately trying to stifle a snigger. One of things Marcus liked about Stephen was that he was one of the few male Slytherins he knew who could understand and appreciate his special brand of subtle and sarcastic humor.

With a loud bang, the large doors at the far end of the room opened and Professor Lupin led in the new first years. The student numbers were starting to increase now. Once the wizarding community had been sure that Voldemort was gone, they had felt free to live normal lives and that included having children. It was not a massive increase, because so many young wizards and witches had been killed, but it was steady.

This year there were forty-four new students, walking in two uneven lines in solemn procession to the front of the hall where the Sorting Hat was waiting. Marcus could see his brother, Matthew, near the front of the group, his bright red hair standing out like a beacon, hair that was only matched in brilliance by their cousin Judy, walking next to him. The moment of truth was near; where would the Sorting Hat put his brother?

After his own rather disturbing encounter with the Sorting Hat, Marcus now had a keen interest in what happened at the Sorting. Last year he had watched every single student and no one had seemed shocked or confused after going under the Hat. Some were perhaps not happy with the outcome, but there were no reactions like his or James'.

Marcus could never forget what the Sorting Hat said to him. It was easy to remember, given that he ended up in Slytherin. Had his and James' Sorting been hiccups or was there something wrong with the Sorting Hat? Last year would seem to indicate that they were exceptions.

Matthew's Sorting was very important to Marcus. If his brother was also Sorted into Slytherin, then it would make sense of his own sorting and invalidate what the Hat had said.

So he sat, at full alert, while Professor Lupin read the names, on the lookout for anything strange.

Slowly Professor Lupin and the Sorting Hat worked through the list with nothing unusual or interesting until -

"Isabella Smith."

A tall girl with straight black hair stepped forward with her head held high and a look of fierce determination on her face. The two first year girls already Sorted into Slytherin were sitting just down from him. Marcus heard one, he thought it was Flint's sister, whisper to the other, "Muggle-born". So this one would not be joining them.

The Sorting Hat took a long time. It was probably the longest one that night. But eventually it cried, "Slytherin!"

As Isabella stood up, turned and took the hat off, there was a puzzled look on her face that was reflected on the faces of several of the other first years, including the two Slytherin girls. The Flint girl jumped up and moved along the table to talk to her brother. This sparked off a series of murmured conversations around the Slytherin table.

As Marcus's stare followed Isabella Smith down to the table he caught sight of a peculiar expression on Professor Lupin's face. It was fleeting, but for a moment he saw a look of satisfaction and triumph.

As soon as Isabella sat down at the Slytherin table, Marcus swapped seats with Stephen. This brought him one seat up from her. He leaned forward, put on his most winning smile and said, "Hi, my name's Marcus Weasley. Welcome to Slytherin."

"Uh, hi," the girl said shyly in response. "I don't think I'm supposed to be here."

"Tell you a secret, neither am I." He winked and shrugged his shoulders.

"Are you Muggle-born too?' she asked.

"No, I'm a Weasley," he said, "which to this lot is just as bad."

"Hey, not to all of us," protested Stephen.

Marcus was just about to ask her what the Sorting Hat had said when he heard Matthew's name being called. He stiffened, turned his head and concentrated on his brother as he walked up to the stool and put on the Hat.

"Gryffindor!"

He slumped down with his head in his hands and Stephen put a consoling hand on his shoulder.

"What did you expect, mate. It was inevitable."

"But even my own brother? Why not me?"

The murmurs and noise at the Slytherin table continued to grow until by the time the last student was Sorted it had become a roar. At the end of the Sorting Maurice Bole, Slytherin seventh year prefect approached the teachers' table.

This was a signal for total silence to descend, as the Slytherins leaned forward as one to catch this most important conversation.

"Excuse me, Professor McGonagall."

"Yes, Maurice. What seems to be the problem?"

"We believe there's been some mistake. Isabella Smith is Muggle-born and, correct me if I'm wrong, but the Sorting Hat criteria are such that no Muggle-born should ever be sorted into Slytherin. Even half bloods have to be an absolute match on all Salazar Slytherin's other requirements."

"Mr. Bole, I am sure that the Sorting Hat knows what it is doing. Kindly return to you House table. No student is ever re-Sorted." At that the prefect returned to the table, looking somewhat disgruntled. Sharp looks were exchanged along the table. The Headmistress then made her usual announcements and the feast began.

As the students got stuck into the food, Marcus noticed Professor McGonagall leave her seat and move to the end of the teachers' table where Professor Lupin was sitting. She bent down and said something to him quietly and then walked out into the next chamber. Professor Lupin quickly rose and followed her.

"Did you see that?" he muttered under his breath to Stephen.

"Yeah, I noticed," Stephen replied quietly. "McGonagall may have told Bole no go, but it is obviously a hot topic."

Marcus couldn't help thinking sourly to himself that it would have been nice if the Headmistress would have been as concerned when he was Sorted. The impression there, however, was that Professor McGonagall and his mother had almost expected him to be put in Slytherin, but in two years no one had given him a satisfactory answer why. And now Matthew was in Gryffindor, with all the other Weasleys. And what about Isabella Smith?

Why was it, wondered Marcus, when he was looking for answers, all he ever got was more questions? As usual when he got on to this train of thought it continued to plague him until he fell asleep much later that night.