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gyattoru · 5 months ago

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the apparition - hogwarts legacy fanfic (s.s)

title inspired on the apparition by sleep token

• chapter one - the dire journey

summary: After arduous magic lessons during the summer, it’s finally time for Fig to escort the twins to Hogwarts for the new beginning of term in the school, but a sudden twist of events turn the journey for the worst.

cw: 5,5k words, MENTIONS OF DEATH, hogwarts legacy fanfiction, female MC, sebastian sallow x female!MC, poppy sweeting x male!MC, muggle raised MCs, eventual pining & romance, eventual fluff & angst, minimal lore alterations, dialogue alterations, added events, sebastian sallow x seer!MC, will definitely add more as the chapters go on.

a/n: thank you all for the support on the prologue!! now the fun is really getting started 😉 enjoy!

- xxx lola

prologue | masterlist

ELLISE.

Something was different this time.

It was the roar of an animal, but it was loud, louder than my usual dream, reverberating in my brain. I see a red glow of magic but can’t figure out where it came from.

I know something is wrong, in my gut there is a feeling I can’t figure out, but I’m certain of one thing - this is not a mere dream.

A strong jaw with big, terrifying sets of teeth closes on me.

Aiden’s eyes snapped towards me as I awake with a start, the usual now. I must’ve fallen asleep at some point during the carriage ride, the steady flying of the vehicle rocking me into a light slumber.

I was glad she didn’t accidentally lay my head on our sudden acquaintance’s shoulder, George Osric. The high-ranking Ministry of Magic official surprised us, asking to accompany us on the journey with “urgent matters” to discuss with Fig.

He sat beside me, opposite my brother and the professor, they talked about the newest journal rumour - sources mentioned a goblin, Ranrok, posing as a looming threat to the wizarding world.

“It was your wife, Eleazar, who alerted me to his activities months ago.” George said softly as Fig’s brows wound tight together.

“Miriam? How?” The professor questions.

“She wrote to me about Ranrok before she died - wondering what the Ministry knew of the extent of his activities” George sighed “Before I could respond. I received this. It was the last thing she sent me.”

The official grabbed a cylinder-shaped container from his bag. As Aiden looked out the window, I studied the mysterious object residing in George’s hands. It had a stonish-esque pattern on its exterior and the intricate pattern carved into its front resembled an intricate swirling flame.

“It came to me via her owl.” He continued “But with no correspondence, I can only assume-“

“-That she had to get rid of it quickly to keep it safe.” Fig cut him off, grabbing the artefact to look closely at it.

“Presumably from Ranrok.” George commented “I cannot open it. Whatever magic protects this is powerful indeed.”

“It looks like goblin metal, George.” Eleazar inspected “That symbol-“

“What’s that glow?” I interrupted, piquing my brother’s interest, who also stopped to take a look at the artefact.

“I don’t see a glow.” Fig said, confused.

“Nor do I.” George agreed.

The professor then passed the cylinder onto my hands, I noted it wasn’t as heavy as I thought it would be and the metal felt cold and sturdy.

“I see the glow too.” Aiden commented, “I can hear a sound coming from it.”

Suddenly, a click was heard and the small frontal opening of the artefact was unlatched, revealing an intricate key posing of the same design which was carved onto the cylinder.

“Merlin’s beard! How did you do that?” George asked surprised.

I reach for the key inside the container, just to be stopped by the professor’s word of caution.

“Wait! We do not know what-“

A roar of an animal.

Everything happened quickly, too quickly. Aiden’s head snapped to the side as he saw something approaching from the corner of his eye.

“Leesie, look out!” He pulled me towards him without even thinking twice, just fast enough to avoid me being taken along with George as a dragon gnawed on our half of the carriage, breaking it off and dragging the man away.

One of her my dangled from the new sudden opening made into the carriage as brother held onto me as tight as he could, preventing me from falling like the artefact that fell from my hands towards the clouds that painted the morning sky. We watch with horror as the dragon held the other half of the vehicle in his mouth, suddenly chomping down on it, crumbling all its remains and, consequently, George.

I turn my head over to the front of the carriage and see the coachman urging the now visible thestrals forward as he tries to get us away from the angry winged beast. Aiden saw the dragon open its mouth and a fiery glow burned in the back of its throat as he urged for us.

“Jump!” Fig yelled over the hiss of the wind as he pulled both of us forward, jumping off the carriage as the dragon spit fire towards it.

Falling.

We were falling at rapid speed as Fig swam across the air, trying to reach for the mysterious key which fell out of the cylinder container and me and Aiden hold tight onto each other, the icy wind feeling like blades cutting our faces.

“Give me your hand!” Fig warned Aiden, who tightened his hold on me with one arm and held onto the professor with the other. “Accio!” The key flew towards Eleazar’s hand.

Nausea.

I hit the solid ground with a thud, pain shooting from my side. My brother quickly got up, anxiously scanning their surroundings, it seemed as if we were in some sort of cave.

“Are you both alright?” Fig asked worriedly as he got up as well “You’re hurt Miss Villin.”

“Perhaps a bit.” I wince as brother's worried gaze found mine once again. “I must’ve hurt my leg in the fall.”

“Take this. It's a Wiggenweld potion.” The professor said as he uncorks and hands me a vial with a green liquid in it. “That stuff’ll right you in a second.”

Unfortunately, I sniff the potion before drinking it, the smell reeking of mucus mixed with a berry-ish scent, which only worsened the churning in my stomach from the sudden Apparating trip. Without thinking too much, I downthe contents of the vial in one big gulp, fortunately feeling immediate pain relief.

“What happened?” Aiden asks as he helps me get up from the floor, keeping close by in case I topple and fall over.

“Poor George- I can’t believe he-“ Fig sighs, one of his hands brush through his dishevelled ash hair. “What the hell got into that damned thing?! Attacking a carriage mid-air? A typical dragon would never!”

“Professor?” Aiden questioned “Sir- Where are we?”

“I’m not sure, but that key Ellise discovered was clearly a Portkey.”

“A Portkey?” I ask, confused.

“An item enchanted to bring anyone who touches it to a specific place.” The professor explains.

“I’m feeling better, sir- If you’d like us to look around a bit.” I say, the pain in my leg had immensely subdued and I felt as if I could certainly walk normally now.

“I would, but stay close, both of you.” He urged us forward, towards the opening of the cave “We’ve no idea who created this Portkey- or why.”

Aiden kept close beside me as I follow Fig out of the mysterious cave, which led to a bright open area, it seemed the hole was on the side of an island and miles of sea were all that could be seen besides-

Abandoned ruins. Just like the ones in my dream. I can’t help but question what in the world was going on, why did I dream about these things countless times before?

“How far did that Portkey take us, professor?” I question, shielding my eyes from the rapid wind that blew my hair.

“Farther from London than the carriage travelled.” He asserted “We’re somewhere in the Scottish Highlands.”

“Do you think we were supposed to be sent to those ruins up ahead?” Aiden points, catching Fig’s attention.

“I do.” Fig asserts “This has not been the day any of us expected. But Miriam sent that Portkey to George for a reason, and I believe they died in pursuit of what it was meant to lead to.” He paused, both of us listening intently to his words.

“If you both are sure you’re alright and wouldn’t mind indulging me- I’d like to have a look around.”

Aiden eyed me carefully, he figured it’d be best for me to choose since I was the one hurt in the first place. I meet his eye with understanding and give him a small nod.

“Absolutely, sir.”

“Good!” He didn’t hide his excitement “Let’s see if we can find a path- however faded it may be.”

Along the mountain's edge, I minded my step not to trip in the rigged path. The wind bled through my coat, making me shiver slightly.

“Where do you suppose your wife got the Portkey?” Aiden asks, both of them walked just ahead of me, engaged in conversation.

We soon found out Miriam spent years looking for signs of another form of magic, a rather ancient one which was long forgotten since its prime. This magic could only be wielded by a rare few people, who seemed to have been lost to time. Eleazar presumed his wife’s research led her to the Portkey, which certainly played a big part in it.

The path flowed downwards and upwards, leading us to do some climbing and jumping, which was something none of us imagined would be required today.

We reached a dead end, a wall which looked as if made of ice blocking them from pushing forward. The professor saw it as a learning opportunity- as he saw most things -and told them to use the, in my opinion, overly practised, basic wand cast to break the wall. That task was no hard feat for the us, whom quickly brought down the wall and kept going forward once again.

“We’re close now.” Fig encouraged “It’s just ahead.”

As we reached a fully open area, the wind seemed stronger than before, me and brother having to steady ourselves to not be blown away. The bridge that led to the ruins seemed to be broken, but it was fixed with a quick ‘Reparo’ from Fig himself. Finally, we reached the ruins, each of us going off in one direction to find clues about the creator of the Portkey quickly.

“Lessie! Professor Fig!” Aiden calls from the back of the ruins

As we arrive, I see a weirdly transparent wall, which seemed to have a room behind it, the same glow from the cylinder container emanating from it. We got closer to it.

“An enchanted wall?” Ellise questioned, “But what’s that room behind it?”

“Room? What room?” Fig asks, confused.

We all exchange skeptical looks before reaching out to the wall, as we came in contact with it our surroundings seemed to change, we were now inside the mysterious room.

“What in Merlin’s name?!” Fig exclaimed.

“Where are we?” Aiden asks.

To say I was tired of being suddenly teleported was an understatement, this was enough teletransportation for my whole year already. We seemed to be in some sort of lobby, a snoring figure lying down at some sort of reception desk.

“Hello?” I ask as I carefully approach the desk. The figure doesn’t bulge, Fig clears his throat in an attempt to wake it.

The figure awoke with a startled yell, now we could make out that it was a goblin, given his pointy ears and black sclera eyes, his nose was big and round and his nails were as long as they could be grown out. He blinked, confused, and suddenly his eyes popped out at the sight of the people in front of his desk.

“It can’t be.” He exclaimed, we just looked at him with arched eyebrows “Ah, just a moment.”

The goblin turned around as he mumbled to himself, getting down from the place he sat in to go around the tall desk.

“Welcome to Gringotts Wizarding Bank.” He said with a bow “Vault number twelve, I presume?”

I look around the fancy lobby once more, Gringotts? Why would we be in a bank?

“Precisely.” Fig disguised his confusion quickly.

“The key?” The goblin said as he presented his hand, waiting for the item to be given to him. The professor just looked at him, confused once more.

“Your wife’s Portkey.” Aiden whispers as he nudges the man.

“Yes, of course” Fig took the key out of his pocket, placing it in the goblin’s big hand.

“This way then.”

We follow the goblin towards what looks like a train platform that had wide rails in front of it, the creature whistled a tune and a cart came quickly, stopping with a half right in front of us.

“After you.” The goblin signalled for us to sit down.

Aiden said he would’ve rathered Apparating a million times before having to ride this hellish cart again. As he focused on the path ahead to not throw up his breakfast, I admired the length of the tunnels of the bank, the cart bringing us lower and lower into the ground as the minutes passed, it tossed and turned and I noticed brother was more pale than usual, the water from the waterfall that cleanses enchantments only making his sickness worsen as his clothes were clinging onto him.

The goblin explained how the vault was commissioned shortly after Gringotts was founded, so it resided in the lowest part of the bank, a long ride ahead of them.

After quite some time, the cart stopped to a halt after a goblin security guard on a platform signalled for them to break.

“Vault number?” His voice was deep and dry, I could tell he wasn’t as nice as the goblin that was guiding them.

“Vault twelve!” The nice goblin answered “Momentous day!”

The guard goblin groaned.

“On your way.”

As he signalled the path ahead with his long hand, I noticed he had a band on his arm which had the same red glow of the collar the dragon that attacked us wore, I eyed their professor apprehensively as the cart took off again, to Aiden’s displeasure. I quietly nudge Fig, who questioned me with a soft hum and quietly told him about the glow of the band.

“Like the glow you saw on the Portkey container?” He asked

“No, darker. I saw that glow on the dragon’s collar.” I whisper, worried.

“What was that?” The nice goblin interrupted us, Fig asks about the guard.

The goblin told them that the grumpy guard watched over the eldest section of the bank, but rarely anyone went there anymore. Me and Aiden exchanged an alarmed gaze over the cart.

With a few more tosses and turns, the cart came to a final stop, and Aiden already took it as a prize that he managed to keep the contents of his stomach on the inside. We got up from our seats and followed the goblin towards one single door on the furthest wall in front of the rails.

The goblin grabbed the key from his pocket and inserted it into the keyhole of the heavy metal door, he turned it and the heavy metal locks groaned and they unlocked themselves. The goblin stood aside to let them get through the now-opened passage, and we thanked him as they stepped into a short candle-lit stone hallway.

“What do you suppose we should be looking for?” I ask as I look around our new surroundings.

“I’m not sure.” Fig says as he turns towards the goblin who was now standing in the doorway “Sir, I wonder if you might-”

“The instructions for vault twelve indicate that I am to grant access to the holder of the key - and then close the door.” He says with a smile, signalling with his hand and, in a swift motion, locking us in the room. “Best of luck!”

“Great.” Aiden complains “Professor?”

Fig didn’t hide his surprise, we certainly weren’t expecting to be locked in an unknown vault for God knows how long.

“Revelio might help us here.” The professor rubs his chin “A revealing charm, no time like the present, ready your wands.”

We both raise our second-hand wands and copy Fig as he shows us the movement of the spell. As we cast revelio, a door appears on the other end of the small hallway, it had the same blue glow as the container of the Portkey and we got closer to inspect it.

As the we touched the door, the corridor around us vanished and we found themselves in a vast, dark room.

White flashes of light

That’s all me and Aiden saw for the past 30 minutes, which felt more like hours of my life. We had to battle knights, a safety matter, the boy presumed, and amidst the chaos we lost their professor, having to battle on our own.

Short of breath, we crossed a portal that led to a room full of grandeur with a basin in the middle of it. If the day hadn't already been weird enough, there was a small vial floating above said basin, we approached it and I reached for the weird container and took it. The door at the far end of the room opened and luckily Fig was just behind it, looking confused.

“There you are!” Fig looks around the room “How did you-? What is this place?”

“I don’t know.” I sigh as we approach him “But we found this floating above that basin.” I show him the vial.

Professor Fig takes a closer look at the said basin curiously “That is no mere ‘basin’. That is a Pensieve - for viewing memories.”

I hand the vial to him and he opens it “I wonder-“ He tips the container over the basin, a glowing liquid falling from it swiftly and making the water below it swirl with black.

“Follow my lead.” He puts the upper half of his face in the murky water.

I look over at brother, confused, he just shrugs “I guess we have no choice.” He chuckles and dips his head in as well. I take a deep breath and follow.

As the cold water swirls around my vision, I see the room we are in, but it was like watching it from behind a foggy glass. A man resided in the middle, he looked a little past Fig’s age and swished his wand around as he finished building the room, the same blue glow me and my brother saw earlier enveloped the pillars he conjured. I notice another wizard is on the other end of the room, seemingly helping with the room’s architecture, although he is quite shorter and fuller than the other man.

They approach each other close to the Pensieve “All is in place.” The shorter one says.

“The Portkey is well hidden?” The tall one questions.

“Perhaps too well, I wonder if the path we created-“

“May be impossible to follow?” The tall wizard completes his mate's sentence ”It will only be impossible for one who cannot see traces of ancient magic - as I can.”

“Your ability to see what others cannot will not be enough, Percival.” Percival, that was the tall wizard’s name, I make sure to keep it in mind as the memory unfolds. “We are entrusting the one who embarks on this path with powerful secrets - with knowledge others will do anything to obtain.”

“Yes, and if we are correct, Charles, the person who completes the trials will have proven themselves worthy of the knowledge and the responsibility that accompanies it.” Percival says, final.

“We’ve done all we can.” Charles agrees.

They both gazed at the far wall for a second. Then, Percival places the tip of his wand to his temple as he pulls out the string of glowing magic that was poured onto the Pensieve.

The memory ends and we pull out our heads from the water of the basin. “That’s what you’re seeing?” Fig questions “The glow that surrounded them?”

“Yes Sir.” Aiden answer as he rubs water from his face “That blue glow.”

“Can we see magic?” I ask, puzzled.

“Traces of ancient magic, to be precise. The magic that Miriam had always believed existed but could never-“ The professor trails off “Miriam, and perhaps George, died in pursuit of knowledge that has been dormant for centuries - And you both, it seems, are the key to understanding why. We wou-“

We hear the voice of the nice goblin banker coming from the other side of the door, accompanied by heavy metal footsteps “It all looks rather different than it did a moment ago.” He chuckles awkwardly.

“Someone’s coming.” Fig warns, turning towards the door.

“Who were they?” A deep voice asks.

“I don’t know - but sir, you shouldn’t be in here.” The nice goblin insists.

The door opens, a red glow coming from the other side. Ranrok. He walked in front, a rookie and the grumpy guard beside him, the nice goblin followed frantically after them “I was right.” Ranrok said in a menacing tone.

“Ranrok.” Fig spat at him, anger evident in his voice.

“Seems my reputation precedes me. I was beginning to think no one was ever going to visit Rackham’s vault.”

“And why are you here?” The professor pulls out his wand, and we follow, pointing them at the goblin.

“No need for that.” He puts out his hand urging us to stop “Just give me whatever it is you found here and we can let bygones be bygones.”

We all stare each other down with icy gazes as the nice goblin places a long hand on Ranrok’s shoulder “Sir, they had the key to the vault.”

“Choose your next words wisely.” Ranrok warns as he side-eyes him.

“- I only meant that the instructions for vault twelve were quite clear.” He mutters carefully and fists his hand to his sides “Sir, I must insist. I was to grant access only to one with the key. And you didn’t have-“

With a flash of red, Ranrok levitates the nice goblin banker with an angry grunt. He holds him in the air for a second before descending him towards the ground with full force. The goblin’s spine snaps with an audible ‘crack’, and I let out a trembling breath as brother steps a little bit more in front of me.

“I have no patience for traitors.” The goblin says, his gaze snapping back to us “Now, where were we?”

“I’m not giving you anything.” Fig barks back at him.

Ranrok hums, annoyed. “Well - Perhaps your young friends here will be more helpful.”

The professor’s wand lights up as he sends a spell towards Ranrok, who blocks it effortlessly with his own and overpowers it. He sends us flying to the back of the room, making our backs hit the floor with a painful thud.

The floor under the Pensieve starts to swirl as if it turned into water. A knight emerges from it, it is big, too big, and it charges for Ranrok and his comrades, barely missing him with his sword. Professor Fig gets up with a cough and I help brother get on his feet.

From the corner of my eye I notice a portal to our right and walk over to it, on the other side lay a forest, seemingly peaceful. “I know a way out!” I yell as Fig and Aiden kneel to dodge a swing of the guardian’s sword, who cuts a pillar in half “Professor!” I scream to get their attention.

They run over to the portal as a pillar that was cut in half falls right in our direction, each of us held one of Fig’s shoulders and place our free hands on the portal, the three of us lower our heads and I squeeze my eyes shut as the pillar gets dangerously close to crushing us. A light flashes and the portal does its job.

The professor whoops at our sudden teletransportation and I abruptly open my eyes. I look around, dark trees being all that was around us.

“Are you both alright?” Fig asks.

“Fine, sir.” Aiden answers “Ellise?”

“Me too.”

“I’ve never seen so powerful a goblin.” Eleazar exclaims as he studies our surroundings “He seemed wholly unaffected by my magic.” He turned back to us.

“Where are we?” Aiden asks. a hint of concern in his voice.

Fig looks around once more and chuckles “It can’t be.” He says marvelled “It seems those who set up the Pensieve, the locket - and the path to both - wanted someone with your abilities to end up here.”

We walk towards a lamppost with multiple path indicators on it, Fig stops right under it “Come. We’ve a Sorting Ceremony to get to.”

The walk to Hogwarts grounds was far from short, and the staircase to the entrance hall was so long that my calves hurt after climbing them. We stood in the hall as Fig placed his ear on the heavy wooden doors.

He walked back to us “We haven’t missed the Sorting Ceremony” He pulls his wand out “I’m no expert, but that seems more appropriate.”

With a swish, Fig changes our clothes to plain black Hogwarts uniforms. The cloak is velvety smooth and the button-up fitted me perfectly. “I need to study this locket as soon as I can, but first I’ll contact the Ministry” He explains “They need to know about Ranrok, and what happened to George. For the moment I ask that you both keep what’s happened only between us.”

The professor walks back to the door and opens it slowly, loud chattering and laughter burst through the small opening and Fig peeks into the room, quickly turning back to us once more.

“Phineas Nigellus Black” He sighs with disdain “Prepare yourselves to meet the Headmaster.”

As if his entrance was timed, a man walks through the doors. He was tall and dressed with splendour, but, in my opinion, he looked much like a cranky goat. I had to hold back a snicker. Aiden noticed and grasped my thought immediately, covering his mouth with his fist to muffle a chuckle.

“Fig - Nice of you to join us.” The Headmaster reprimands “The Sorting Ceremony’s over.”

“There were - complications.” The professor tried to reason “It seems that the goblin problem-“

Nigellus groaned “Enough. Goblins?” He asks amused “I’ve no time for rumours, Fig. And I’m rapidly losing whatever patience I had left.” He turns towards me and my brother “If you’re lucky, we might still get you sorted this evening. Come.”

We both quickly follow the Headmaster, waving Fig a small goodbye with our hands. As we got through the grand doorway, I notice heads turning towards us; not knowing if it was curiosity over our tardiness or late sorting age.

“Professor Weasley, we’ve two more to get sorted” Nigellus exclaims dryly as we reach the front of the room, where a single stool was, ready for whoever to sit on “Go on.’

Aiden notices my apprehension “I can go.”, he reassures. He sat on the stool as the feast hall slowly got quieter, everyone now watching curiously. A woman, seemingly Professor Weasley, placed a hat on his head and as much as I tried to listen in, their mouths moved but no audible sound came out, was the conversation with the hat a private one?

The hat closed its cloth mouth looking deep in thought “You belong in - Slytherin!” The hat yelled through the hall, the Slytherin table bursting into loud cheers and whistles. Aiden got up and Professor Weasley changed his robe accents to his house’s, he walked towards me.

“Good luck, Leesie.” He gave me a reassuring smile and I watched as he walked over to stand beside the woman who was waiting for me to sit down to place the hat on my head.

The hall got quiet again as I sat down on the stool, I look around and-

Brown eyes

The same pair from my dream, I caught a glimpse of them and my heart leapt in her chest for some odd reason. I try to find the gaze again but can’t seem to, my thoughts being interrupted by the weight of the hat being placed on my head.

“Ah, another one of you.” I hear the hat say “Twins I presume?”

“Yes, I’m the oldest.”

“You both are a bit older than the others, aren’t you?” The hat comments, “You come here with preferences and preconceptions - certain expectations.”

“I’m looking forward to exploring Hogwarts and the world beyond the castle and grounds” I chirp at the hat.

“Indeed. Much can be gleaned by having an adventurous spirit. But your professors certainly have a great deal to teach you as well.” The hat stops to think for a bit “You do not give up easily, do you? You are undaunted to challenges that lie ahead, and your loyalty to a friend and your brother delayed your arrival here this evening. I’ve made my mind about you, child.” I fidget with my hands and count down the seconds until the hat announces my house.

“Better be - Hufflepuff!” The hat’s voice echoes down the packed hall, the Hufflepuff table cheering as the woman takes the hat off my head and changes my robe accents to a yolky yellow colour. Dread fills my gut as I realize I was placed in a different house from Aiden. That made me a bit anxious at the least, I hoped I could befriend anyone soon, but I had no clue how different witch children were from muggle-borns, not like I had muggle friends anyway.

“Anyway, I’m sure you all have plenty to do before classes begin tomorrow,” Nigellus speaks out, the students just stared at him, which seemed to annoy the man “I said - I’m sure you all have plenty to do before classes begin tomorrow!”

Students roll their eyes and groan as all of them get up and exit the hall one by one, I figured I wouldn’t be able to talk to anyone from my house tonight, which bothered me even more.

The woman turned towards me and Aiden “Quite an entrance! It’s lovely to meet you, I’m-”

“Professor Weasley,” The Headmaster interrupts “- Would you be so kind as to show our new students their common rooms?”

“I shall see to it, sir.” she nods and turns back to us “As I was saying - I’m Matilda Weasley, a pleasure to meet you.”

Aiden shakes her hand “I’m Aiden Villin, this is my sister Ellise. A pleasure to meet you as well professor.” I also shake her hand and give her a soft smile, which, to my relief, she returns.

“As Deputy Headmistress, it is my distinct honour to show you both to your common rooms. Right this way.”

Finally, me and Matilda get to my common room, we made sure to drop off brother first in the Slytherin common room, the snake door leaving the my mouth agape.

The Hufflepuff common room entrance was less extraordinary, consisting of what seemed like a wine cellar full of huge barrels “Now, here we are at the entrance to the Hufflepuff common room.” Matilda gestures to a couple of stacked barrels on the far end of the cellar.

“This is the entrance?” I ask, puzzled.

“Indeed! I will explain what to do, but I hesitate to do it myself as one errant knock leads to being doused in vinegar. Most unpleasant.” She lets out a low chuckle “You must tap the barrel, two from the bottom, middle of the second row, in the rhythm of Hel-ga Huff-le-puff”

I approach the barrels, the last thing I need this evening is to be doused in vinegar, having to wash myself and my new uniform. I tap the barrel in the rhythm, thankfully in the correct way, and the biggest barrel in the cellar reveals a tunnel, I can’t hide my relieved smile, beaming with a little bit of pride.

“Well done! Now you go in and get some sleep, you have a big day ahead of you tomorrow.” The professor says and I climb into the barrel entrance “In the morning, please make sure to find your brother in his common room if you can, I’ll meet you both there to collect you for your first class.”

“Thank you, Professor Weasley.” I say, feeling grateful that not all faculty is like the goaty Headmaster.

“You’re welcome. I hope you enjoy your first night at Hogwarts. Sleep well.”

As I reached the room of the fifth years, I notice everyone is already asleep, so I’m careful to be as quiet as possible. Waking sleeping colleagues had to be an awful first impression. To my surprise, my tawny owl, Harriet, made it from the dragon attack. I change into the pair of pyjamas that were neatly folded on a bed, seemingly mine, and scratched the owl’s chin, muttering a low “Good girl.”

When I let myself fall on the bed, I feel the heavy exhaustion on my sore muscles, I can’t help but hope tomorrow will be more peaceful, and I can’t help but feel giddy to start classes and meet all sorts of people, people like me.

That night, for the first time in ages, my dreams don’t haunt me.

a/n: Finally I finished this!! I have so much planned for the next chapters, if you read this far, I hope you enjoyed my writing and the next chapter will come soon!

ps. I hope you guys noticed I didn't cancel Quidditch 😉

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