Of Girls and Goddesses

Of Girls and Goddesses

Chapter IIII

Before they knew what was happening, the students were pulling into the train station at Hogsmeade. They all scrambled to get outside. The weather was cool, but clear, and Harry was relieved that it was not raining this time.

"Firs' years this way!" a familiar voice called, and Harry and Neville stopped to wave at Hagrid, who was collecting the new students for their traditional boat ride across the lake. They looked so young and scared. It made Harry smile, remembering how he had felt, when he had first arrived at Hogwarts. It seemed like ages long ago.

Luna looked at Hagrid with a detached, but interested expression. "I know he's your friend, Harry, and I have to admit, he's wonderful with all living things, but I still don't think he has that much confidence in himself as a teacher. He's getting better, but he wasn't very good at first."

"Hagrid was the first person from Hogwarts that I met," Harry told her. "He came and took me away from my aunt and uncle." By the time they were ready to get a coach, he had told her the whole story.

When Harry and Neville and Luna were getting ready to get into their coach, Luna recognized the thestral pulling it as the one she had ridden to London, and went to give it a pat. Several third year students standing behind them were looking at her strangely. Harry nudged Neville, who realized at once what Harry had in mind, and they went to pet the thestral, too. The looks changed from scorn to confusion, as the students who had not studied the thestrals yet wondered what the three of them were up to. "I wonder where Ginny is, and Ron and Hermione," Neville said, as they climbed into the coach.

"They probably got off the train before we did with the other prefects, and already got carriages," Luna answered. "I'm sure you'll see them later."

She sat down in the coach, and Harry sat beside her, with Neville on the other side. The students behind them must have either thought they were mad or playing some sort of trick on them, because no one else joined them. The coach was soon moving. Harry saw the gates of Hogwarts in the distance, and started to feel excited. The stone columns topped with winged boars were soon behind them, and they could see the castle ahead. The carriage stopped, and they all got out. They walked up the familiar stone steps, and through the heavy oak doors. When they reached the door to the Great Hall, Harry could see the ceiling, which was black, and clear.

"So long for awhile," Luna said airily, heading for the Ravenclaw table.

Neville and Harry found Hermione, Ron and Ginny already at the Gryffindor table, and squeezed in.

"I hope the sorting doesn't take too long," Ron said. "I'm starving."

Ginny and Hermione looked at each other and smothered a laugh. Ron was always saying he was starving. The sorting hat was already on the stool in front of the head table.

"Hey, who's the muggle?" Seamus Finnegan, who was sitting opposite Ron, asked suddenly. They all looked up. A man with dark brown hair and bright blue eyes, wearing small wire-rimmed glasses was taking a seat at the staff table. He was wearing a blue denim muggle shirt, with a tie striped in deeper shades of blue, and khaki muggle trousers held up by a thick brown belt. They had never seen anyone sit at the staff table wearing clothes like his. Dumbledore smiled at him politely. Professor Flitwick leaned over to talk to him. Professor Vector and Madam Hooch were eyeing him curiously. Snape gave him such a look of loathing that Harry wondered why the stranger couldn't feel it.

Other students were looking curiously at him as well. The Slytherins appeared to be stunned to silence by his appearance, which Harry thought was a little excessive, as most wizard children wore muggle clothing outside of class and on holidays. This man's outfit might have been out of place, but he must have a reason for being present, and Harry thought the stares were getting a bit rude. Professor McGonagall appeared with the first years, and Harry was glad to see everyone's attention diverted to the sorting ceremony.

The first years lined up, looking nervous, and the sorting hat began to sing:
You have all left your homes behind,
And come from far and near,
To seek the path of learning
And to find a new home here!
You've left your families, I would hope,
To seek a bright new day!
Your house will be your family now.
You must now show each other the way.
The founders four left me behind
To sort teach student out.
Yes, I am the Hogwarts sorting hat.
I'll give you each a shout
That will send you to your table
And help you make new friends.
I will give you some direction
And a means to find your ends!
I once belonged to Gryffindor
And so might some of you.
Gryffindors are brave of heart
And to their friends stay true.
I thought I heard his voice today
And his distinctive laugh,
I thought I heard him say to me
That there is hope at last!
Some of you have brilliant minds
And will go to Ravenclaw,
For she was the calmest, wisest one
As the others all soon saw.
I feel a bitter wind coming.
We need wisdom of our own.
We need to stand together
Or it will chill us to the bone.
Hufflepuff takes the earnest ones
Who are not afraid to work!
Just as she always gave her best,
Your duties never shirk.
Nothing can last forever.
The tide comes in but doesn't stay.
Try to gain some knowledge here
That you may take away.
Slytherin had great strength of will.
If you're drawn to his banner green
Only achieving your ambitions
Will fulfill your dearest dream.
Put me on one at a time.
You now have heard my song.
For I'm the Hogwarts sorting hat.
And I'll never steer you wrong!

Everyone in the hall applauded politely when the song had ended. Professor McGonagall stepped forward, explained the procedure to the first years, and held up the familiar roll of parchment. She began reading out names.

It appeared too Harry that there were an extraordinary number of new Hufflepuffs this year. There were very few Slytherins, which seemed to Harry to be a good thing. The sorting went fairly quickly. When all of the students had been sorted, Albus Dumbledore rose to speak.

He was smiling. "Welcome!" he said. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts. I have a few start of term notices that I would like to get out of the way before we begin our most excellent feast, so please bear with me. First, the Forbidden forest is out of bounds to all students. Second, our caretaker, Mr. Filch, would like me to remind you to check the list of forbidden objects posted on his office door. Third, we would like to remind all students that no magic is to be used in the corridors between classes. Last of all, I would now like to take this time to introduce our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Croaker."

Dumbledore bowed slightly in the direction of the man in muggle clothes, who rose, nodded, and sat down once more, to scattered, polite applause.

The headmaster continued, "Professor Croaker comes to us from the Ministry of Magic, where he has worked for three years as an Unspeakable. Prior to that he spent several years in the United States at the Salem Institute. Some of you may be familiar with it. He also taught parapsychology and mythology at a muggle university in the states for two years, and worked for several years at a muggle history museum. His first teaching job, many years ago, was at Durmtrang. He has a wide range of experience to bring to his post, and we are most grateful to him for sharing it with us. I trust all of you will go out of your way to make him feel welcome."

Dumbledore paused, then said, "Now! Let the feast begin!"

The tables quickly filled with bowls and platters of perfectly prepared food. Hogwarts welcome feasts were always exceptionally good. There was roast beef, chicken, pork chops, mashed potatoes, fries, peas, green beans and gravy on the table. Harry and Ron began immediately to pile their plates.

"Look at the Slytherins," Hermione whispered. "They look furious."

"What do you expect?" Ron asked her. "They're going to have to listen to a teacher who has worked with muggles, and muggles in America, no less. If they dislike British muggles, I'm sure foreign muggles mean even less to them. He even dresses like a muggle. It's going to drive them mad."

Harry swallowed a bit of his roast beef and said, "I don't care how he dresses as long as he knows what he's doing. They made fun of Lupin, too, and he was one of the best teachers we ever had. This one has to be better than Umbridge."

"Anything would be better than Umbridge," Hermione agreed, then asked Ginny to pass the peas.

When all of the students had eaten their way through the food on the table, the scraps faded away, leaving the plates clean, and desserts appeared. There was chocolate and vanilla ice cream, hot apple pie, chocolate eclairs, treacle tart, and trifle. Harry helped himself to one of the éclairs, and reminded himself that he'd have to stop down to the kitchens some time to visit with his friend, Dobby the house elf.

Neville was telling Ginny abut his new wand, and Dean Thomas was talking about an art exhibit he had gone to over the holidays. All of the Gryffindors at the table seemed to be enjoying themselves. Looking across the room, Harry saw Luna, sitting at the end of the Ravenclaw table, quite alone. She was eating a piece of pie, and watching everyone else talking and laughing at the other end of the table. She looked rather forlorn. Harry caught her eye and winked at her, and smiled. She then smiled back.

After dinner the prefects took the new students to the tower. Before they left, Ron and Hermione gave Neville the password, which was "oasis". The older students stayed seated a bit longer, to give the new students time to get adjusted, but finally, they too got up from the table. Harry saw Dumbledore talking to Croaker, and as Harry pushed in his chair, he saw Dumbledore glance his way. Harry wondered what they were talking about.

"Do you find the accommodations acceptable?" Dumbledore asked Croaker.

"Quite acceptable, thank you headmaster."

"And did you have a chance to look over the information I sent you?"

"I did," Croaker said, "and I think your suspicions are well-founded. I have some people looking into the situation. I trust you do, too."

"I do," Dumbledore replied. "I certainly do."

The first class the sixth years had was with Croaker, and they were all curious as to how he would shape up as a teacher. Everyone was talking about him at breakfast, and wondering what he would be like, as they had their toast and orange juice. They all arrived at the door of his classroom early. When the bell rang, they filed in to find him sitting casually on the edge of his desk, still wearing his muggle clothes, and holding several pieces of parchment. He called each name, and looked at the students carefully as they replied. When the last student had declared herself present, he told them they could put their books away.

"I have a few things I'd like to discuss with you before we begin. I've been looking over the records of what you have done so far," he began. "In your first year, you got a little basic information, but nothing too intense. In your second year, you did quite a bit of, uh, reading, from what I've heard. In your third year you were given some useful hands-on experience with a wide assortment of dark creatures." He looked at one of the pieces of parchment in his hand. "I've had a letter from Remus Lupin about what went on that year."

"What, you know Lupin?" Ron blurted out.

Croaker looked at him and smiled. "Of course I do, Mr. Weasley. He and I went to school here together. He was in Gryffindor, and I was in Ravenclaw, so we didn't have a chance to know each other well, but I do know him. I consider him a friend."

He continued on. "In your fourth year, you studied curses and how to deflect or overcome them, with an emphasis on avoiding them, from what I've heard. I consider that good advice, no matter what the source was. Last year you just studied magical theory." He coughed a bit as he said this, and Harry wondered what Dumbledore had told Croaker about Umbridge.

Croaker put the parchments aside. "This year I propose to mix things up a bit more. We'll discuss curses, the history behind some of the dark arts, some dark creatures, and we'll get into cursed objects. Any questions?"

"Did you really teach at Durmstrang?" Harry asked boldly.

"Yes, Mr. Potter. Why do you ask?"

"Were you there when Karkaroff was there?"

"No, Mr. Potter," Professor Croaker said, with a thin smile. "I left when Karkaroff became headmaster, for several reasons. Now, I think we shall begin with objects that may have dark purpose. I have borrowed something from one of my former employers. I'd like to see what you make of it."

Croaker held up his wand, pointed it toward the doorway, and the students all gasped as a pair of golden statues appeared, one on either side of the door. They were obviously Egyptian, wearing traditional headdresses, kilts, and jeweled pectorals that were set with hundreds of small pieces of turquoise, jasper, feldspar and alabaster. The figures were life-size. Their eyes were made of white alabaster, set with blue lapis lazuli, and looked almost real. Each statue held a golden staff in one hand. They extended and crossed in the doorway. Harry realized that they were mirror images of each other. The effect of the gold and the jewelry was dazzling.

"These are tomb guardians," Croaker said thoughtfully. "Life sized statues like this were often placed in Egyptian tombs to guard the entrances to the burial chambers. I'm afraid I'm not allowed to tell you whose tomb they originally guarded, but they were cursed to keep out anyone who did not know their secret. One is a truth teller, and can only answer truthfully. One is a liar, and he will attempt to deceive you. When facing them, you are permitted to ask one guardian one question. One has a staff that will rise to let you pass if you choose it. One guardian will attack you if you do not choose wisely."

"It's almost like the sphinx," Harry murmured.

"What sphinx are you referring to?" Croaker asked, interested.

"In the maze at the triwizard tournament, I had to answer a riddle from a sphinx."

"You answered correctly?"

"Yes," Harry said.

Croaker looked impressed. "If you could pass a sphinx, you should be able to manage these. Come here, Potter, and see what you make of them Do not fear. If you answer incorrectly, I will vanish them before the deceiver strikes you."

Harry considered this. Croaker had taught at Durmstrang, a school with a terrible reputation, and known for emphasis on the Dark Arts, but he had left when Karkaroff, a Death Eater, had taken over. Had he left because he disagreed with Karkaroff, or for some other reason? On the other hand, this man had worked with muggles for many years, and Dumbledore obviously trusted him. Harry didn't think for a moment Croaker would let a cursed statue club him to death on the first day of class in front of all of the other students. What purpose would that serve?

Harry stood up and walked over to the statues, thinking hard. All right, so one was a deceiver, and one could only answer the truth. How to get an answer out of them that would be useful couldn't be impossible. This was a puzzle, and puzzles were a fairly common trick added to magical tasks. It would just take logic. He remembered Hermione telling him long ago about how useful logic could be to wizards. She had told him in their first year that a lot of the greatest wizards hadn't an ounce of logic. He thought about it for a few moments more, then grinned. He looked into the glittering eyes of the statue on the right, and addressed it.

"If I asked your fellow statue which staff to choose," Harry said, jerking his head toward the statue on the left, "what would he tell me?"

The statue slowly moved his staff up and down.

Harry smiled. "If you are telling me the truth, that staff is the dangerous one. If you are lying to me then that would also be the dangerous one."

He turned to the statue on the left and reached out for the staff it held. He pushed it up easily, clearing the doorway.

The class burst into applause, and Croaker nodded with satisfaction. "Well done! Ten points to Gryffindor! Now, for homework, I want you to find a story about an object from some point in history that was cursed. It can be even be something from your own experience, if you like. We will discuss the type of curse used on the object, and if it is not a true story, I will try to explain how the legend came to be handed down, if I can. I am going to let everyone sign up for a specific day. When it's your day, bring the stories to class and be prepared to discuss them. Here are some suggestions of books to look in, if you need them."

Croaker turned and began to write some titles on the blackboard, which the students copied down. He then posted a large sheet of parchment next to his desk, that had a list of class dates on it so they could sign up to tell their curse stories. When the bell rang, the students walked a bit nervously past the statues, which disappeared when the last person had passed.

"That was really good, Harry," Hermione said impressed, and several other students agreed. Even Parvati Patil, who had been very cool toward Harry ever since their disastrous date at the Yule Ball, had to compliment him enthusiastically.

"Yes, Harry, well done. They were very beautiful, though, weren't they?" Parvati sighed. "I wonder where he got them."

"Maybe from that muggle museum he used to work at," Neville theorized.

"It's like my dad says. You can't judge by looks alone," Ron said. "I think when I do my homework, I think I'll tell him about that cursed hat Bill's pen friend in Brazil sent him."

"You do that," Harry said, thinking of the strange gleam in the statue's blue eyes. Croaker was all right, really, if he was going to teach with aids like that.