CHAPTER 3

 

“Now could you three please explain how you came to be here,” said Dumbledoor calmly fixing them with his bright blue eyes. “I get the feeling that you two,” he gestured at Holly and Foaly, “aren’t human.”

The three of them just stared at Dumbledoor in astonishment. “If you don’t mind,” he continued. “I would like to see you in your true forms.”

“D’arvit,” siad Foaly.

“He already knows Foaly, we might as well turn off your gadget,” said Holly quietly.

“I agree,” said Artemis. “He could probably turn it of anyway just like he did your suposedly fullproof Shields.

“Fine,” siad Foaly in a groachy voice. He and Holly stood up and turned off his device. Magonigal let out a very loud and ordable gasp when she saw what they were.

“As you can see,” said Foaly not looking up. “I’m a centaur and Holly is an elf.

“B-But, all the centaurs I’ve ever seen have no contact with any other creature unless necessary. And I’ve never seen any elf except for a house elf, especially one with a wepon around her waiste.” Magonigal said weakly gesturing to Holly’s nutrino 3000 in it’s holster at her waiste.

“The both of you can sit down again,” said Dumbledoor still not seeming remotely abbashed by the centaur or elf in his office.

“Well as you can see I can’t really sit down because of my four legs,” said Foaly finally looking up into Dumbledoor’s bright blue eyes.

“Ah, yes, so sorry of me to have fergotten,”said Dumbledoor and then pulled out his wand again. The two chairs that Foaly and Holly had just vacated changed. One became smaller and higher and the other became a special chair like the ones in Foaly’s office but not as hightech.

“Thank you,” said Holly politely taking the newly transfigured seat next to Magonigall.

“As I have already asked and I am willing to repeat myself, What are you doing here?”

“I’m sorry but we can’t tell you,” siad Holly quietly.

“And why not?” asked professor Magonigal sharply staring at Holly and Foaly suspiciously.

“If we told you then all of our race might be in great danger,” explained Holly.

“Please, if you don’t want anyone else outside the room to know then we won’t speak a word but I think we deserve at least an explanation of why the three of you hapened to appear in the great hall.” After dumbledoor finished speaking Foaly said,

“So, no one outside of this room will hear what we have to say?”

“That is right. If you wish a little privacy about where you come from then it is understandible.”

“Alright,,” said Holly. “But in return would you please explain to us a little about this place?”

“Certainly, I think that a fair trade of information.”

They sat and talked for a long time. First Artemis, Holly and Foaly ecplained from the beginning about Artemis’s encounter with the people and about their adventures. When the got to the part about Foaly’s scanners picking up their magic MAgonigal interupted and said,

“But how could you have found us? We have defences against all muggle types of searching.

“If a muggle is a human without magic then I will tell you that my scanners are far more advanced then anything that those mudmen have made so far,” siad Foaly attempting to hide the smugness in his voice.

“And so,” said Dumbledoor after they had finished. “That is how you came to be here.”

“Yes,” said Holly quickly. “Now would you please explain to us what is going on around here. Why is everyone around here wearing cloaks and why was their such a great comcentration of magical energy on Foaly’s scanners?”

Dumbledooor then went on to explain. He told them that this place was called “Hogwart’s school of witchcraft and Wizardry.” He told them that there were many witches and wizards living in secret all over the world hidden from the non magic folk. Once a child that comes from a non magic family is found they come here for training. There are children from wizarding families here too but there is mostly muggle-borns. The school trains them as best as it possibly can for when they emerge adults in the wizarding world. He then went on to explain about some of the wizards that were most famous and most infamous. He told them all about Voldemort, about how he had tried in vain to steal the philosipher’s stone four years previously, about the chamber of secrets and about the return of him last year and how all those times there had been one boy in perticular who had stood up to him and defeated him. He also told them about the order of the phoenix and some of it’s efforts to thwart Voldemort. He did not explain all of the measures but that was understandable.

“What was the boy’s name?” asked Foaly after Dumbledoor had finished talking.

“Ah, a good question. His name is Harry Potter. He is just now in his fifth year at this school.”

“So,” said Artemis speaking for the first time in a while. “He has faced Voldemort four times including when he was one and has survived all of them?”

“Yes that is perfectly correct,” said Dumbledore smiling odviously glad that Artemis had understood everything he had said.

“Hay, this kid sounds a little like you Holly,” teased Foaly with a smug grin. “You both seem to take rediculous risks and end up putting your lives in danger. Sounds like you both don’t care what rules you break either. You just want to get whatever it is done.”

“Yes you two seem a lot alike,” siad Dumbledoor thoughtfully. “It is very strange. For Harry looks like his dad with his mother’s eyes while you even more strangely bare a distince resemblence to Harry’s mother only with his fathers eyes.”

“Really,” asked Foaly and Holly together.

“That has got to be the wierdest coincidence that I’ve ever heard in my life.” said Foaly. 

“Yes, I agree with you Mr Foaly,” replied Dumbledore. “Especially when in your human form you look exactly like Lilly Potter.”

The office was silent for a while while Dumbledore stroked his long beard aparently in deep thought.

“I wonder would it be possible for you to show me and Minerva some of your technology?” asked Dumbledoor gently.

“I think that would be Ok,” said Holly taking out her nutrino. She pulled out a little gold coin from her pocket and tossed it into the air. She held the gun up and fired one shot without looking. the blast hit the coin and it flew a few more feet in the air then fell. Holly snatched it out of the air and showed it to the rest of the room. There was one whole right in the centre of the coin. Magonigal and Dumbledoor were impressed.

“Looks like you have very good acuracy,” observed Dumbledore looking intently at the coin. “Those wepons of yours must be pretty strong to put a whole through solid gold.”

“Yes they are, of course they would be because I designed them,” bosted Foaly.

Holly rolled her eyes but Dumbledoor seemed not to notice either Foaly’s bosting manner or Holly.

“The three of you are welcome to stay for the school year if you wish. I believe that it would be a very enlightening experience for all of you.”

“Hmm,” considered Foaly rubbing his chin. “That might be vry interesting.”

“Albus,” siad Magonigal sharply. “You can’t be serious abut letting them stay longer. It could be dangerous. What if the ministy of magic finds out that there are people here tht shouldn’t be here. It would get very complicated.”

“I am aware of that Minerva but I feel that since they have explained about their world it would be fair for them to observe our world in return.”

Dombledore couldn’t have shocked here more if he had pronounced that he was going over to join Voldemort.

“Are you sure about this Albus?”

“Yes I am quite sure,” replied Dumbledore. “Would you three like some time to think over my offer?”

“Yes, that would be most welcome,” replied Artemis politely. Dumbledore nodded and stood up becconing for Mogonigal to follow. The door shut quietly behind them.

“What do you think about staying?” asked Holly quickly.

“I believe that it would be a great opertunity to pass up,” replied Foaly just as quickly.

“Hold on,” injected Artemis. “What about that ‘comander’ Sule. He will surely notice if you two are gone for any length of time.”

“Maybe we could ask Dumbledore to use some of his magic on him,” sugested Holly eagerly.

“I think we should stay regardless of Sule anyway,” said Artemis. “This is a whole new world for us to explore and we have been welcomed into it. Such an opertunity dosn’t just come along this often.”

“Agreed,” replied Foaly. “this is a perfect chance for us to find out a lot more then they told us about their culoture. Let’s do it.”

“Very well then are we all agreed,” asked Artemis staring at Holly and Foaly intently. They both nodded and as if on queue Dumbledore opened the door and asked quite politely, “Have you made your decision?”

“Yes we have,” replied Artemis cooly. Dumbledore and Magonigal came back into the room and took up their original seats on both sides of the desk.

“We have decided to remain for the duration of the year,” said Artemis looking into Dumbledores clear blue eyes.

“Exelent,” replied Dumbledore smiling. “The first order of buisness that we need to atend to is what house you three will be in.”

“What do you mean,” enquired Holly curiously.

“Well there are four houses in the school. They are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. At the beginning of each year at the feast we have a sorting ceramony. The house you are in depends on the kind of person you are.” Dumbledore stood up and took a battered pointed hat with a rip in the brim off a shelf and walked around to face the three of them.

“This,” he said in response to their questioning looks, “Is the sorting hat. It has never been wrong about a student yet. It will look into your mind and decide which house you belong to.

“How can it do that?” asked Holly.

“You will see,” replied Dumbledore smiling at her. “Who would like to go first?”

“I will,” replied Foaly standing up from his special chair.

“Very well, just place the hat on your head.” Foaly did so feeling rather foolish. Suddenly the rip in the brin opened wide and started to speak.

“Hmmm. So you’ve invented a time stop, the neutrino series of wepons and are the top person in the LEP technology department. That odviously means taht you’re very brainy. But I can also sense a lot of loyalty and courage coming from you. It must have taken great courage to keep taunting that Root fellow over and over again.”

Foaly smirked. That had been one of his favourite pass times at the LEP base when Root had been alive. Holly rolled her eyes again at the look on Foaly’s face.

“After consideration I will have to put him is GRYFFINDOR!!” The hat bellowed the last word and Dumbledore and Magonigal clapped.

“Very good now if you could take off the hat and hand it to Holly.” Foaly took off the hat and went back to his seat. Holly stood up and took the hat from Foaly. She put in on and it slid down and covered her eyes. Foaly chuckled and Artemis couldn’t help smiling a little.

“This is also very tricky. She is very brave and loyal that is for sure, She will always help someone in trouble and won’t abandon her friends. But what else can you expect from the first female LEP officer in history. She has a good heart and also has a fiery temper.” Holly blushed a little at those words as she remenbered some of the times when she had lost her temper. She had heard Root once say that he pittied the person who was on the receiving end of one of Holly’s punches. “I think it will have to be GRYFFINDOR!!” Holly smiled and passed the hat to Artemis. He stood up and put the hat on his head.

“Hmm, this one is even more difficult. There is bravery, loyalty, intelegence and also quite a great deal of cunning. I dare say that this is one of the hardest choices I’ve ever had to make. From these memories once you would have belonged in Slytherin but now. There is no dought I’m putting you in GRYFFINDOR!!!”

Artemis removed the hat and passed it to Dumbledore who smiled at the three of them.

“Good, you are all in the same house, this will make things a lot easier on us all. Professor Magonigal here is head of Gryffindor so this will be a lot less complicated. Now if you two,” he indecated Holly and Foaly, “Would be so kind as to change into your human forms I will give you some robes and the equiptment you will need.

Holly and Foaly stood up and turned on Foaly’s gadget. There was a blinding flash of light and when it cleared there were two humans standing where an elf and a centaur had stood seconds before.

“Good,” said Dumbledore. “Now if you three will stand still I will fit you for some robes. He took out his wand again and waved it at each of them in turn. Their clothes vanished to be replaced with clothes just like the other students of the school.

“Very impressive,” said Artemis studying his own robes.

“Why, thank you Artemis,” replied Dumbledore cheerfully. “Acording to the sorting hat you are all able enouph to go into the year group that you look like. In other words fifth year. This is a very inportant year for all witches and wizards in their studies. Since there will be so much work you will all get much experience in the magic.

“My magic isn’t the same as yours,” interjected Holly quickly. “And Artemis and Foaly don’t have any magic at all.”

“I think I have an idea of how to handle that,” replied Dumbledore calmly. He strods around his desk and opened a drawer near the top. He looked at the three of them and took out three long sticks.

“These are special wands. They can conect to the magic that all creatures have inside them. Now Artemis I think that this one is yours.” He handed Artemis a long the stick that appeared to be medium length. “This one is an oak wand with a unicorn hair core.” Artemis took it and the tip of it glowed red and gold.

“Ah, I see I was right.” He turned to Foaly and handed him the shortest wand. “This one is Cherry wood and Dragon heartstring.” Foaly took the wand from Dumbledore and it glowed red. “Exelent, and now Holly for yours.” HE handed Holly the longest wand and said, “this wand is made from Willow and has a phoenix feather core. In fact it is the phoenix feather comes from my own phoenix Faukes.” as he said this a large red and gold bird came in through the window and perched on Dumbledore’s sholder.

Holly took the wand and it immediately glowed an iridesent blue. The colour was almost pure saphire. It almost covered her completely in the shimmering light.

“Incredible,” breathed Magonigal staring at an amazed looking Holly who was staring in disbelief at the wand in her hand.

“When a wand glows that brightly it means that you are indeed destend for it. There is no dought in my mind that the three of you are destend to learn magic.” After Dumbledore had finished this statement all ocupents in the room just stared at him.

“Now, there are many subjects at Hogwarts. I will pass you a list and you can choose which ones you wish to attend.” As he spoke he waved his wand again and a list of subjects appeared in front of Artemis, Holly and Foaly.

The three of them looked down at the subjects. They included. Charms, transfiguration, Defence against the dark arts, potions, history of magic and herbology each of which had a tick by it.

“The subjects that are ticked are the ones that each student has to attend untill their sixth year at Hogwarts. You can tick any of the other ones that you wish to attend.”

He waved his wand again and three quills apeared in front of them along with a jar of ink.

Holly took the quill and immediately ticked “CAre of magical creatures and Arithmancy.

“Eight subjects should be enouph for me,” she said and passed the list to Dumbledore who looked down at it.

“Ah, I see that you like the outdoors. Care of magical creatures is a practical class that takes place outside in the grounds.” Holly beamed and llooked back at Artemis and Foaly.

Foaly walked over to Dumbledore and showed him the list. Dumbledore saw that he had ticked Arithmancy, care of maical creatures and ancient ruins.

After a minute Artemis gave his list to Dumbledore. HE saw that Artemis had taken the same subjects as Foaly.

“You have all made good choices. Now what names will you use while here? I think that people will think strangely of the name Foaly.

Foaly nodded his head and said, “When I stayed with Artemis I used the name Ronan, will that do?”

Dumbledore nodded and said cheerfully, “And now Professor Magonigal will show you to your dorm rooms.” Professor Magonigal stood up from her chair and said briskly,

“Follow me the three of you.” She strode comfidently to the door and opened it. The spiral staircase seemed to be going in the oposite direction now and carried the four of them down it. Once they reached the bottom the professor turned to her right and walked along the coridor. They walked along until they reached a portrait of a fat lady in a pink dress with ringlets surounding her face.

“This,” said Magonigal, “is the entrence to the Gryffindor commen room. The password this year is Lionheart.” The portrait swung open at the mention of the password.

“I will acompany you in and introduce you to the students,” said Magonigal and climbed through the whole in the wall. Holly, Foaly and Artemis looked at each other and followed her in.

If you lot are wondering why I changed this. It is becuase it is important to the plot of the story so no comments about it. Ok.

Some other stories by Arya:

• Animagus choosus
• Moonlight Ritual

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