Chapter Four: Devious Sortings and Worried Old Men
The rest of the month Harish spent reading his text books, and as soon as he finished them he went perusing through the great Slytherin library for something else to keep him occupied. He was often having to find something to keep him busy so that he wouldn't get bored, such as reading or Quidditch.
Finally the time to get ready for school arrived. He had to pack his trunk (or order Dobby to do so) and make sure that he had bought all of the school supplies he would need. The night before September 1st he got Dobby to set his trunk by the door so that he would be ready to leave first thing in the morning. When morning arrived he almost literally pushed his father out the door to King's Cross Station.
They arrived at 10:45 and his father showed Harish how to get to the platform. "So you just run straight at the wall?" Harish asked.
"Yes," Voldemort replied, "Come on then. You go first."
Harish nodded and backed up his trolley. He breathed out and ran as fast as he could. When he found that he had made no contact with the wall, he opened his eyes to see a brilliant red engine. His father had come up next to him.
"Now, be sure not to get into too much trouble."
"Yes, sir. You are going to write to me, aren't you Father?" Voldemort was taken aback.
"I might." Harish narrowed his eyes trying not to show his disappointment. Might always meant no.
Harish then turned and ran off to the train to find a compartment.
When the train started up, Voldemort almost raised his hand to wave, before he caught himself. No he would not wave to the boy. He would not! Then, when he saw Harish poke his head out of the window to wave, he couldn't help it. Voldemort waved back. The Dark Lord grimaced as he saw the train disappear. This boy had turned him into an affectionate sap. He almost felt a hole inside as he walked out of the train station without the happy, bouncy boy he had gotten used to. Almost.
AWW—VOLDIE-BE-SWEET!
Harish looked throughout the train but all of the compartments he passed were full. Finally he came to one that only had a pair of red headed boys that looked like twins. He heaved his trunk into the overhead railing in the compartment and sat down.
The boys turned around and looked inquisitively to Harish. "Who are you?" they asked in unison.
Do all twins do that?
"Harish Blake." He said formally as he held out his right hand and the one on the left took it and shook it roughly. Then the one on his right grabbed his left hand and shook it as well.
"Absolutely spiffing."
"Astoundingly wonderful to meet you old chap!"
When they didn't stop shaking his hands he twisted them out of the boys' grasps and wiped them on his shirt. The train started moving so Harish popped his head out the window and waved goodbye. He was astonished to see his father raise his hand in farewell, an almost-smile on the man's normally stern face.
"Who are you?" Harish asked them when he pulled his head back into the compartment.
"Fred and-" the one on the left said.
"George Weasley," the one on the right interrupted.
Harish nodded and looked out the window. His father was still standing there watching the train begin to pull out. "What house do you want to be in?" one of the twins asked; was it Fred?
"Slytherin," he said still not turning to look at them. He watched, still feeling rather dazed, as his father's small figure disappeared along with the platform.
"Man," Fred said.
"And I thought he was alright!" George finished elbowing his brother.
"Let us not get into old house rivalries. I'm guessing you would be hoping to be Gryffindors?"
"The whole family's been in it." Fred said solemnly.
What a shame. These were the first friendly people his age Harish has ever met. It just wouldn't do for them to be in rivalling houses.
"Well you know," Harish began slyly, "It would be very amusing if your whole family was in Gryffindor, but you two were sorted into its rival house. Imagine what they would do!"
Harish sat watching the twins as they pondered their family's reactions.
"You know old chap?" George asked.
"That would be a wonderful prank!" Fred exclaimed.
"The three of us—"
"Could have loads of fun—"
"In the same house!"
Harish beamed. The twins then proceeded to tell him about their pranks that they had done over the years. After a while the trolley came by and Harish bought loads of sweets to share just because his father had never let him have many. The train ride was made mostly of the twins sharing stories and joking about having to recruit Harish 'in the line of pranking duty.' The two of them were rather amusing.
At one point another red headed boy, this one slightly older and wearing horn-rimmed spectacles, poked his head in, trying to look dignified.
"All right there, Fred? George? You had best not get into trouble your first day." He said.
"All right Percy, we most definitely won't," they chorused together with angelic looks on their faces.
The older boy sniffed and walked out of their compartment.
"Who was he?" Harish asked.
"Percy,"
"He's a third year."
After a the sky began to grow dark, they changed into their school robes and waited to pull into Hogsmeade station. When they got out they could see the castle and a large man strode up with a large lantern.
"Firs' years! Firs' years this way!" he called out. They followed the giant of a man with a wild beard and small, warm black eyes down a narrow path. Harish wondered who he was.
"No more'n four a boat!" the giant called, pointing at a fleet of little boats bobbing in the lake.
Harish and the twins climbed into the boat along with a boy who had dreadlocks. The giant, who had a boat all to himself, shouted, "Evr'y one in? All right! FORWARD!"
The boats then zoomed across the smooth lake and when they reached a cliff with ivy hanging down, he shouted, "Heads down!"
When they passed through, they could see a close up view of the castle. All of the first years ooh'd and aah'd at the magnificent sight.
They were lead along a dark, damp tunnel until they reached an underground harbour, where they climbed out. They walked along the dark corridor until they came to the grassy lawn and then finally, climbed up a flight of steps to a pair of large oaken doors. The giant raised a fist larger than Harish's whole head and knocked upon the great doors three times.
It was immediately opened by a witch in emerald green robes. She had a harsh, stern face with her black hair drawn up in a bun. She did not look like someone Harish would want to cross.
"First years?" she asked, receiving a nod, "I'll take them from here."
ENTER-MCGONAGALL—WATCH OUT!
Dumbledore sat in his seat in the Great Hall watching the first years file in. His eyes fell on a particular child with brown hair, handsome features, and pale green eyes. Harish Blake has never yet ceased to amaze him. When the boy had taken control of the Potter family account, he was astounded. He had never heard of the Blakes, so he got some people to find all that they could about them. He was startled even more when he had only found records of that year, talking of Anata Blake getting a job and Harish Blake coming to Hogwarts. It was like they hadn't even existed the previous year.
This year they appear out of nowhere and Harish Blake had taken over the Potter family fortune, closing the account from his influence. What was strange was that the son took it instead of the father. The boy seemed a bit young to have complete control over an account.
Harish, being one of the first few called stepped up to the stool and slipped on the hat that covered his eyes. After a second the hat called out, "SLYTHERIN!"
A Slytherin in charge of a whole Light family's fortune. He would certainly have to keep an eye on this boy.
DUMBLEDORE'S-CONTROLLING—UH-OH
Harish beamed, jumped up, and walked briskly over to the Slytherin table. He caught the twins' eyes and fighting off a smirk, sent them a thumbs up. Just then, an older boy rounded on him.
"Who are you?" he asked with a rather impolite tone.
"Harish Blake." He replied nonchalantly.
A boy named Henry Moon got sorted into Ravenclaw.
"Blake? I haven't heard of any Blakes around here."
"Oh, really? I guess you were too stupid to notice anything. Why, my family is very old going far back to Slytherin's days." Technically that was true as he was a descendant of Slytherin, but that was not something people would believe if he went about boasting it. He glared down his nose at the boy for a while but then turned his attention back to the sorting.
The older boy sat wondering how a child who was both younger and shorter than him could pull off such a look of superior disdain.
"Nott, Hortensia," McGonagall called out.
"SLYTHERIN!"
"Pucey, Adrian."
"SLYTHERIN!"
"Spinnet, Alicia."
"GRYFFINDOR!"
"Warrington, Hubert."
"SLYTHERIN!"
"Weasley, Fred." Harish perked up at this. Fred sat down on the stool and jammed on the hat excitedly. After a few moments he started to look angry and then his expression changed to one of concentration.
Finally after a while, the hat called out, "SLYTHERIN!" and Fred hopped up looking pleased with himself and ran over to join Harish.
"Weasley, George."
"Oh fine; SLYTHERIN!"
"Great job mate!" Fred slapped him on the back as he sat down. They looked over at the Gryffindor table where Percy and another redhead even older than him were sitting with dumbfounded expressions.
"Look at their faces!" George exclaimed with glee.
"Percy looks like he's trying to decide whether he should be mad" Fred started, stroking a fake beard.
"Or confused." George added.
"So, who is that other fellow with him?" Harish asked.
"Charlie," Fred said.
"Sixth year," proclaimed George.
"How many brothers do you two have?"
"Four,"
"Or five counting me" Fred exclaimed.
"Oh I never count you. You're much too important to be a measly brother."
"Really? 'Cause—
"Guys!" Harish exclaimed.
"Yeees?" they asked together.
"Stop bantering and tell me about your brothers."
"Oh, well first there's Bill."
"He's graduated."
"Then there's Charlie,"
"World's best seeker—
"—Percy"
"The perfect one." They chorused together.
But suddenly the last person was sorted and they never did get to continue, for enormous amounts of food appeared, and no teenage boy could keep talking and ignore food when hunger had been gnawing at them all afternoon.
When everyone had eaten their fill Dumbledore gave the announcements, introducing the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Blackthorn. Then they were ushered off to their dormitories in the dungeons.
Down, down, down they climbed until at last they reached their common room. There were green couches and the room had an underwater feel to it. The floors were black, and there was a fire crackling on the back wall. Dull light shimmered off of the walls and bounced around the room. They figured it was most likely under the lake. One boy swore he saw a giant, ghostly tentacle drift by a window. They went down to the boys dormitory and settled in for the night.
"Master, I like it down here"
"So do I, Isis." He replied to his snake, starting to drift off into sleep.
"Whassat?" George asked.
"Nothing. Just telling my pet goodnight."
"Eh?" Fred asked groggily.
"Goodnight." And he rolled over and instantly falling asleep.