Harry Potter and the Shadows of the Watchgate

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-*~| CHAPTER 5 - The Sorting Ceremony |~*-
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At half past ten, they reached Hogwarts and when they disembarked, they heard, much to their relief, Hagrid's booming voice in the station, "Firs'-years! Firs'-years! Over 'ere, c'mon now, firs'-years..."

"At least something is normal," Harry said in a relieved voice.

"Alrigh' there, Harry?" asked Hagrid. Harry gave him a grimacing smile and a wave. All of the others did the same with varying degrees of cheerfulness.

"Where do you reckon that pointy face is?" said Ron, surveying the crowd. "Must have chickened out to the first available carriage," he added, answering his own question.

Harry was in no mood to discuss anything--he was much too exhausted—so, he stayed silent. As they walked towards the nearest carriage, Harry couldn't help but ask, "Can any of you see the Thestrals now?"

"I can," Hermione said in a small squeaky voice. From the looks of it, Hermione was on the verge of tears, so nobody pressed the matter. They all sat in silence for the duration of the carriage ride. Harry felt as delighted as always to return to Hogwarts, but the beginning of this term was not what he had expected.

They made their way to the Great Hall and noticed no extra welcome-back-to-school decorations. Everything was very subdued, and instead of the House banners, the walls were sporting black banners except four small House banners above each House table, just like in their fourth year.

They all sat down at their respective House tables and Professor McGonagall entered the hall carrying a stool and the Sorting Hat with the extra anxious-looking first years in tow. They were all staring at the Sorting Hat when the brim of the Hat opened like a mouth and started singing:

Things are not always what they seem
'Cause I'm more than what you see--
Don't presuppose I'm just a hat,
I'm brainier than the firstees!

A thousand years I've sat here,
Grasping all your interests and strengths;
Taking a peek inside your head
And sorting you in the end.

You may belong in Gryffindor
If you are gallant, brave and daring,
Or you may be a Slytherin
If you are wily, sly and cunning,

You may belong in Ravenclaw
If you are clever, smart, and bright,
Or perhaps may be a Hufflepuff
If you are loyal and justice is your fight.

Now heed me well,
I tell you no lies,
There are difficult times ahead,
When friendships will be tested,
And loyalties double-checked.
But if you stay true to your heart,
You'll never fail or be dissuaded.

So don't fret so much,
I'll not take long.
Just put me on and hold
and let the Sorting now unfold!

There was scattered clapping - not so lively, but still...

Professor McGonagall started calling out names.

"Alfred, Mitch!"

"Ravenclaw!"

"Brad, Ryan!"

"Gryffindor!"

Gryffindors clapped half-heartedly for Ryan Brad, who came tripping towards them.

"Ira, Tora!"

"SLYTHERIN!"

"Johnson, Tara!"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Hey, did you see Cho?" asked Ron. Harry followed his gaze and saw her with her stupid blabbing friend, Marietta. Michael Corner was trying to talk to Cho, but either she wasn't listening, or was completely ignoring him.

"Price, Felix!"

"SLYTHERIN!"

"Trip, Arek!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Wallace, Tina!"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Harry observed the staff table. There was no new face, but a chair was empty beside Professor Flitwick. So who would it be this time? Or may be Dumbledore wasn't able to find a teacher this year....

"Zoldo, Brian!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

When the sorting ended, Dumbledore said only two words: "Tuck in."

The plates filled with food and even when most of them hadn't eaten much on their way to Hogwarts, nobody attacked the food as they always did. Ron was not grabbing everything in sight and Hermione was just playing with her food. Harry was looking at Ginny when he was almost knocked off his seat by a slap on his back. Jack Sloper was grinning at him stupidly.

"McGonagall has asked me to tell you that you are suppose to meet her tomorrow morning at half past ten, in her office."

"What for?" he asked, to which Jack only shrugged. Harry couldn't think of anything fascinating about his meeting with the Deputy Headmistress.

At last the food disappeared and there was a palpable hush in the Great Hall--everyone was looking at Dumbledore when he stood up.

"This term has begun on a sad note. Some of our own were lost today in an attack on Platform Nine and Three Quarters by the followers of Voldemort"--the usual shudders followed--"known as Death Eaters. We will always remember the innocent lives that were lost this morning." Dumbledore bowed his head and paused.

"Because of this unfortunate delay, the term will officially begin on September third. You all have a whole day free tomorrow. I know that you wouldn't forget what happened today, and it's not wise to forget either. Remember that all your fellows passed on fighting, not cowering in the corner." After another slight pause, he continued to the usual notices, "As always, the Forbidden Forest is out of bounds for all the students"--his gaze lingered on Harry and company--"and Mr. Filch has requested me to inform you that no magic is allowed in corridors between classes and the items not permitted inside the Castle has been increased to nine hundred and ninety-three which may be checked by the list on Mr. Filch's office door. We again have a change in staffing this year. The new teacher of Defense Against the Dark Arts is Professor Tarziah Vidal, who will join us tomorrow.... All of you had enough for a day, so make your way to your dormitories."

"Who's Vidal?" inquired Neville, as they started to fill out of the hall.

"I dunno... but it sure rings a bell," said Ron, scratching his head.

Hermione started calling for the first years and Ron followed. The first years all formed a haphazard line and headed towards Gryffindor Tower. Harry said, "'Night," to Ron and Hermione, and made his way alone through the usual secret passages and reached the portrait of the Fat Lady, who was gossiping with her friend Vi.

"Password?" she asked.

"Tritenzy."

The portrait swung open and Harry went straight to his room, changed, and went to sleep.

-*-

Next morning most of them were eagerly awaiting the owl post, as many of them had subscribed to the Daily Prophet and were keen on getting the news about yesterday's events. When the post arrived, Hermione and Harry both lunged towards their Daily Prophet carrying owls and started scanning the headlines with Ron and Ginny peering over their shoulders.

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*** Mass unrest at Platform 9 ¾ ***
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(This article was accompanied with a picture of a huge crowd in Diagon Alley carrying protest signs saying things like 'Ministry is lame', 'We want our friends back', 'Death Eaters should be torched!', 'Fudge an inept Minister?' and the like.)

Numerous witches and wizards were injured and a few killed in the brutal attack by the Death Eaters at Platform Nine and Three Quarters yesterday. According to the released information by the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, almost forty-three people were injured, three of whom were injured fatally. Four Hogwarts students--Rose Zellers (second year), Alice Chaz (seventh year), Orla Crane (first year), Dennis Creevey (third year), and a witch named Adele Lorian were killed by the Death Eaters.

Harry's and Ron's eyes popped out in shock and Hermione gave a muffled sob. Harry scanned the Gryffindor table for Collin, who was no where to be seen.

Because of their masks, none of the witnesses were able to identify the Death Eaters. According to speculations, they may include the escaped Death Eaters who broke free from Azkaban last week. The Aurors are doing their best to trace them, but at the moment there is no information as to their whereabouts.

This event has started a mass panic across the wizarding world and there have been huge protests against the Ministry's failure to save these lives.

The appearance of the unidentified portal in the Platform is still a mystery. The experts consulted have no plausible explanation. However, Headmaster Dumbledore's nick-of-time arrival and his use of an advanced Sealing Charm saved many witches and wizards from the unknown horrors of the vacuum that sucked in luggage, pets and people.

"The correct safety measures weren't taken and after June events, the Ministry officials should have been more alert," claims a protestor.

The article went on to quote many other Diagon Alley protestors. Harry flipped to the next article on the front page.

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*** Mayhem at King's Cross ***
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The wizarding world faced a massive set-back when the Muggles witnessed Death Eaters in the flesh!

It was all over the Muggle news that the people traveling to different parts of the United Kingdom from King's Cross witnessed about twenty hooded people wearing strange cloaks and masks appear beside Platform Ten and then disappear into thin air. They all saw them Disapparate; the Muggle Prime Minister is furious at the Ministry's error of low security at Platform Nine and Three Quarters.

Muggles are drawing their own conclusions and are painting the Death Eaters as "The Grim Reapers." They suppose that they belong to some occult group. The Muggle Government has declined comment.

For more read:
* Dumbledore's Statement (Page 2)
* The Mysterious Gateway--You-Know-Who's next ploy? (Page3)
* Why the Ministry failed (Page 4)
* Death Eaters--their past and present (Page 5 to 6)

-*-*-

Harry, Ron, Ginny and Hermione simply looked at each other with pained expressions.

As an after-thought, Ron almost jumped and asked Hermione, "Did you see Dennis die?"

Hermione nodded, and Ginny gave a muffled sob and said, "He was so young and always so enthusiastic...."

"Where do you reckon Collin is? He must be awfully upset," said Ron.

Collin and Dennis Creevey were sometimes annoying, but Harry had never hated them. For Collin to lose his brother in such gruesome circumstances was really sad.

"Did anyone of you notice that none of the four students killed belonged to Slytherin?" said Ginny, with her eyebrows raised.

"Yeah! Rose Zellers was in Hufflepuff," said Ron.

"Alice Chaz was in Ravenclaw," said Luna, joining the Gryffindor table.

"Dennis was in Gryffindor and Orla Crane was unsorted, but was a Muggle-born," said Hermione worriedly.

They all looked over towards the Slytherin table. Almost every face was set in a smug expression like they didn't have a single worry in the world. The new kids sorted into Slytherin House were being lectured by Pansy Parkinson, while Draco was nowhere to be seen.

Dean interrupted their observation and beckoned them all to the Entrance Hall. A whole corner of the hall was covered with banners of Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Gryffindor with the pictures of the students who passed away. Students were placing flowers and messages under their pictures; it was a kind of memorial for the departed souls.

All of them headed for the Green House to get some nice flowers when Hermione nudged Harry and said, "You were supposed to meet Professor McGonagall at ten thirty; its twenty-five past ten!"

"Whoa! I almost forgot. Should I join you in the common room?" Harry asked.

"By the lake would be much better," answered Luna.

"Okay," he said and sprinted off to McGonagall's office. He opened the office door, nursing a stitch in his side.

"Sorry, Professor, I got--" Harry broke off seeing Katie Bell in the office.

"Oh no matter, Potter. Sit down," McGonagall said, pointing towards the chair beside Katie.

"Am I in trouble?" Harry asked skeptically.

"No, Mr. Potter, you are not," replied McGonagall, with a hint of smile.

He sat down, relieved, and waited for McGonagall to speak, while exchanging inquisitive looks with Katie, who was grinning slightly.

"I know it's not the right time, but you two have been selected as the Captains of the Gryffindor Quidditch team."

Harry gave a start. He? The team Captain?

Katie beamed at Harry.

"This must be some mistake, Professor, I was banned from Quidditch and I didn't even play more than a match last year. I don't think that I have the right qualifica--"

"Potter, you should know better! Umbridge can't stop you from playing Quidditch--she's long gone and Dumbledore's back. So no rules cooked up by any temporary headmistress apply. And as for the right qualifications, with skills like yours... I don't think I have to explain your abilities to you, do I?" said McGonagall, flaring up.

"You two will co-captain the team. You two were chosen for your abilities and experience. So, I hope to see the Quidditch cup finding its way to my room again." McGonagall smiled at them knowingly.

"And now if you'll excuse me, Miss Bell, I have another urgent matter to discuss with Potter," McGonagall beckoned.

Katie departed by saying, "Thank you, Professor."

When Katie closed the office door behind her, McGonagall continued, "The second matter is that Dumbledore thinks you shouldn't only receive the school education, but something more, because of your future burden,"--her smile faltered a little bit--"So, Professor Lupin will be coming here twice a week to teach you advanced magic which will also help you in your future Auror training."

"Lupin! Wow, but"--Harry gave McGonagall a quizzical look--"I haven't got an 'O' in Potions. Snape--"

"Professor Snape for you," she interjected.

"Oh yeah... so, he won't take me for the N.E.W.Ts classes because I only got an 'E'. How can I continue Auror training then?"

"Well, fortunately for you, Potter, this year not many of the students got an 'O' in Potions. To be precise there are only two students who got an 'O' and they are Miss Granger and Mr. Malfoy."

"DRACO MALFOY!"

"Yes, Potter! And you don't have to be so loud," she barked at him. "So, as I was saying, Professor Snape can't teach only two students for N.E.W.Ts, so he's accepting the students who got an 'E' as well, which makes his class twenty three students healthier, and you to get back on track."

Harry smiled in relief. So he was not out of the game after all.

"And finally, your first Occlumency class will be held tomorrow, and Lupin will start his classes next month. And before you go... why don't you have a biscuit, Potter?"

-*-

After his meeting with McGonagall, Harry went straight to the Green House Four to pluck some roses and lilies. What he didn't know was that Cho was doing just the same thing at that exact moment. When he turned back from the spot from where he had plucked the last lily, he collided, shoulders-first with Cho.

There was a very big pause in between, in which Cho kept looking in Harry's eyes and Harry was too shaken to do anything otherwise.

She said a breathless, "Hi."

Harry only muttered, "Errr...hello." Then he shrugged and picked up his flowers, handed back the rest to Cho and walked as fast as his legs would carry him away from Green House Four--and away from Cho.

He returned to the Entrance Hall and placed his plucked flowers beside Dennis's picture and wrote a hurried message for the departed souls in a piece of parchment borrowed from a Gryffindor first year who kept gawking at him till he made his way to the lake.

When he reached their favorite beech tree, Harry informed Ron about their getting into Snape's class after all. Ron looked like he was going to whoop with joy but stopped in between and did a back flip of some sort.

"So, at least now we are safe till the N.E.W.Ts... but Draco getting an 'O', Merlin's beard! Slippery, Azkaban-escaping Daddy would be so proud!" Ron finished scathingly.

That night, after dinner, they were at last introduced to their new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Tarziah Vidal, who was the foreign-looking wizard Harry had seen in Platform Nine and Three Quarters. When his appointment was announced he nodded to the students, smiling.

"I just hope he turns out all right," said Hermione apprehensively.

"I do too. It's a high time we got a decent Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher," said Ron decidedly.

-*-

He was staring at the picture of Ursula Weasley and she was as sad and glum as he remembered, twirling her wand in her hand. However, the background of the painting was different. The area beyond the rock was hidden by a thick wall. He was absorbing these details, when suddenly Ursula stood up and started pacing the length of the wall.

Harry just knew he could climb inside the portrait. He was thinking he would smash his head on the painting but nothing like that happened, he got through and appeared beside the wall. He looked at Ursula but she didn't take any notice of him and kept on pacing like a tigress on the prowl.

Harry could hear voices from the other side of the wall, which was strange because the wall seemed real thick. He started probing the walls, so that he could get a peek at whoever was speaking. He was prodding everywhere when he felt a small rock give way, and he was blasted with images that he was not at all prepared for--

It was Voldemort, pacing a poorly lit room. There was a hooded Death Eater kneeling on the floor, writhing in pain.

"Master... master, I couldn't.... th- they stopped me before I got it."

"Why are you even alive, Avery? I send my best men and what do I get in return? Some sorry little tale about being overtaken by some enthusiastic rookies! You should be ashamed of yourselves! At least others dueled with them!"

"But—but, master! They were all killed... I was the only one who--"

"CRUCIO!" Avery started screaming his head off.

"You should have DIED, Avery, before coming here EMPTY-HANDED!"

The scene changed and everything went in a swirl of red and green smoke. The room was gone, and now he was seeing a young Tom Riddle of about twelve years, sitting on a bench in a park, reading a very ancient-looking thick book. That's why he wasn't aware of some boys not unlike Dudley's gang coming to ruin his tranquility.

"Oooooh, little ickly Tommy is reading a book?" said the biggest boy, smirking at Tom.

Tom was looking afraid and it looked like he was sizing them up and deciding what approach would be the best to get away from them.

"Are you missing your daddy? Or just entertaining yourself with your freaky ideas--reading some fantasy, Riddykins? Let me see that."

The boys started coming closer when Tom yelled, "NO!"

"What did you say?" the big boy drawled.

"I'm warning you, Buxly, don't make me do this," Tom said, taking out his wand with shaky hands.

"Oh I'm sooooo scared, Tommy, look! My knees are buckling with fright... Ha ha! Are you gonna poke me in the eye, Tom, with this little stick of yours?" Other boys started tittering and snorting at Tom.

"Stupe-" Tom was half way through his spell when the closest boy snatched his wand away and shoved him to the ground. The boy named Buxly stamped on the wand and broke it into two. There was a loud shriek of, "NOOOOOOOO!"

The whole scene changed again in red and green smoke, shaped like a giant snake. The snake lunged at Harry from the gap in the wall and he scrambled back to get away from the smoky snake. His scar came alive and exploded painfully. The smoky snake was swirling around him, tightening its circle and bearing down on Harry, opening its grotesque, smoky-fanged mouth, ready to strike....

"HARRY, HARRY!!!"

Someone was calling his name. Was it Ursula?

"Harry, what's the matter, mate? C'mon, Harry!"

The blinding pain in his forehead was starting to recede and his vision was clearing. Ron was bending over him, while Harry himself was lying on the floor of his dorm room, clutching his scar. He must have slid from his bed during that... It was a dream!

"Did you have another vision or something - didn't you practice Occlumency today?" Ron asked. Dean, Seamus and Neville were all awake and standing beside Ron, looking worried.

"Should I call Professor McGonagall?" asked Neville timidly.

"No, no, I'm alright. It was just a dream...nothing to worry about." This solved the matter for the others, but Ron was still looking worried.

"It's okay, Ron, it was just a dream," Harry said simply.

~*~