Honestly the first years of Hogwarts was disappointing, really. The magical tomes and grimoires were detailed and awesome in scope, but that was it. The teachers were mostly useless in teaching the fundamental concepts that the spells we use were tied to. The laws and rules of each branch were the most useful part of this years' lessons and even then they failed to explain the sheer depth in which those arts operated.
Transfiguration, for instance, stated that you could not create life from nothing. This is true, from a certain point of view. If you understood Alchemy and thus how molecules work you would easily find that you could create bacteria or other smaller forms of life. In totality this meant that you could create life you just needed to know how.
Charms was much the same, with their 'guidelines' about overlapping intents. On a basic level, they were correct. On a deeper more fundamental level they were completely incorrect. Intents don't overlap, only the magic overlaps. If you could control where and how your magic is placed alongside another 'string' of magic then you could easily have two spells enacted on the same object with differing intents/programs.
It was frustrating to understand this and yet not be taught to the same level... Though we were probably biased due to how advanced me and Lun are. Father had taught us, what he considered, magical theory and magic up to NEWT level before we reached 10. It had been explained to us that due to our merged existence that our IQ's had also merged and thus we were extremely efficient in learning. That wasn't to say he allowed us to practice spells with a wand. According to him and every other adult at the time, gaining a wand before the 11th birthday would damage the magical ability of a child... Thus, we had to learn all of the first level spells when we awoke.
We sighed as the rattling of the cabin droned onwards in the background. Last night the first year was called to an end. Dumb-as-a-door did his cookie speech about friendships or whatever and then had us all eat the feast the elves had prepared for us. Overall the year was eventful, socially, but dreadfully boring academically.
Most of the targets we wished to know avoided us due to our house or simply had different schedules. It would be detrimental to sit with other houses so early into our schooling at Hogwarts, so we were forced to simmer with a large, but stifled, friend group.
Rubbing our right eye I looked up and found Harry and Hermione discussing something in hushed tones, the latter blushing slightly as the former leaned in closer to her. Movement in the opposite side to the two lovebirds was Neville who looked as if he were attempting to be swallowed by the seat below himself. Every now and then he glanced upwards at Dracoria who was slumped to the right against the wall, fast asleep.
Neville had been struggling this year and hadn't been able to meet us at all due to the house rivalries. The boy was excellent at Herbology and Astronomy, he was getting straight O's... Unfortunately his Grandmother had disavowed him of the notion of getting a new wand. The repugnantly stubborn old witch had even gone as far as chastising him for being a 'hollow shadow' of his father. It was needless to say that Lunaris and I despised her shallow attitude.
Stretching our body I slumped back into the chair and fixed the position of our runes book. The previous book on Thurisaz had been intriguing in its scope and thus we had moved onto reading a general runes book to see if we could discover runes that could stack on top of the protective Thurisaz to create interesting wards or enchantments. Uruz, Fehu, Nauthiz and Tiwaz were looking to be the most promising; with all of them having multiple meanings inside of them that indicated strength, protection, wealth, immensity and endurance.
Anyway, this summer was planning to be rather fun. Harry was going to be released to Sirius, the man being his guardian. From there I would join him in Grimmauld place and help him study up on soul-connections, rituals, etc...
Hermione is going to introduce me to her parents at the station and we were going to flu-travel to the LeFay family Villa. As my newly landed vassals they needed to be informed on the political state of my families, their responsibilities as nobles inside the Wizarding world and the new decision-making position that Hermione would be granted due to her being the only magical member of her family; her parents having been qualified as squibs by the Lords Advisory Council. My current plan was for her family to be heralds for the LeFay family, a position that would have any Garrowen; Hermione's family's new name, be messengers, emissaries and, in times of war, House knights for all of my houses.
Apart from those small goals I managed to get several crates worth of magical materials ready for the brewing of the Elixirs of life, as well as an assortment of raw lead that will soon be ready to be transmuted into Gold. The philosophers stone would be a boon for the family coffers and in the meantime a useful study tool that can be used to explore alchemy more efficiently.
~We need to get some information from the muggles. Remember what Hermione said earlier in the year?~
'Yes, it seems they discovered physics and have advanced upon it to a greater degree than us...'
~It couldn't hurt to understand how they perceive molecules and materials so we could use it for our own purposes~
'I'm agreeing with you brother, you don't need to sell me on it...'
~I know, I'm just salivating at being able to read more books. Not that these rune books aren't utterly fascinating~
'Runes seem to be very useful. I believe we could even use them in place of wand movements if we can envision the runes imprinted on the air...'
~Mmm, maybe... But that sounds like what they do for warding anyway, yeah?~
'Ah! Right. I forgot that was how wards were temporarily engaged before a wardstone could be placed.'
~yeah, well, we need to read more on runes before we rush ahead. Father may have taught us care of magical creatures, basic arithmancy and muggle-studies but he never taught us runes... So we're working off of very simplistic knowledge here~
'Yeah, yeah... We'll do it your way... It's not like we won't read all the basic books in less than a week. Hell, it only took us a year to read up to the third year in charms, potions, transfiguration, astronomy, herbology and DADA...'
~Most of it was just revision though...~
'My point still stands!'
We flipped to the last page in our rune book and read the entire thing in under a minute. Then we were left with nothing to do. Only the rattle of the carriage and the humming chatter of other students in the train added flavour to the uninteresting Scottish Highlands rolling past the window.
~~~
Two hours later the roaring red Hogwarts Express rolled into central London, it's magical exterior and out-of-time look covered by complex glamours and 'Notice-me-not' wards. Everything immediately turned chaotic out in the hall beyond as hundreds of children, teens and adolescents poured out of their cabins.
Our cabin was the same as the others, as we all stood and started grabbing our trunks. Lunaris and I ignored the urge to rush out and simply shrunk our personal effects, placing them in a pocket of our robes, sitting calmly whilst staring out at the edge of the platform.
Hundreds of families were arrayed around, all of them oozing happiness and excitement at seeing their family members once again. Small magic fireworks flittered off some family's signs whilst others wore embarrassing outfits to mess with their hormonal children or family members. Other families chose to stand serenely, acting as if the hijinks of those around them were nothing more than a summer day's wind rolling through the platform. All in all, the sight was marvellous and also utterly exhausting.
Eventually the halls became free enough for all of us to break out of the train's confines and manage to land on the platform. I expected no one to come pick us up, thus I stood waiting for one of my friend's parents to step up.
Our wait didn't take that long as Hermione's parents soon rushed forwards and scooped their daughter up into big warm hugs. Both parents were fairly normal looking, unremarkable in many ways, but they had a warmth to them that made both Lunaris and I remember our mother and father during Yuletide. Hermione's mother had sharp blue eyes and a simple burgundy-blonde bobcut that gave an almost independent air about her. Her father on the other hand had a ginger mop of hair that was brushed backwards, revealing his hair line and framing his parchment-white skin, freckled face and bright green eyes.
"Honeybug, we've missed you so much...!" Her father hummed into her shoulder as he scooped her up into his chest. Her mother was barely holding back tears in her excitement, her eyes somewhat trailing to Harry and myself, Neville and Dracoria having broken off towards the former's grandmother whilst we were distracted.
"Me too dad! I missed you too..." Lunaris couldn't help but smile away inside our head. I was happy that we made these type of people our heralds, they seemed like genuinely nice people.
"I missed you as well honey." Her mother tried not to sound put out but her face was showing it clearly. Hermione wasn't having any of it though as rushed at her mother and tried to squeeze her organs out in imitation of a hug.
"I missed you too mum!" The older woman chuckled and pressed soft kisses against her daughters forehead.
"Well, now that that is out of the way... Could you introduce us to your friends?" Her dad asked her in mock seriousness.
Hermione immediately started blinking before a Slytherin-esque mask slipped over her face and she stepped back, waving Harry and us forwards. Both parents flashed a look of concern at the change of attitude but snapped out of it as their daughter started our introductions.
"Mum, dad, this is Lunaris Solaris LeFay, our liege lady. This-" she gestured to Harry, "Is Harry Potter, The-Boy-Who-Lived." She looked to us now and blushed a little at the proud smiles we were flashing her; her mask had improved massively over the year.
"Solaris, Harry, This is my mother, Emma Granger or Emma Garrowen. And this is my father, Daniel Granger or Daniel Garrowen..." Both parents looked utterly confused at the new last name their daughter was suddenly giving them out of nowhere.
"Uhhh, nice to meet you...???" The two adults looked at one another before saying.
"It is great to meet you Miss and Mrs Granger." Harry copied the greeting after we said it.
"Ahum, can someone tell me why my daughter just gave us a new last name?" He looked at me and Harry as if one of us was to blame, which I technically was.
"I can sir, but perhaps we'd be better off discussing this somewhere else. I'm sure Hermione sent a letter to inform you of our meeting..." Seeing the confused looks on their faces and the horrified stare of Hermione I guffawed before recovering, "or not... Anyway, perhaps your family would like to join me in my family's Villa for some afternoon tea?"
Harry looked decidedly uncomfortable being a fifth wheel in the conversation, thus I threw him a bone; seeing Sirius Black come sneaking up behind him. "Perhaps Harry and his Godfather can join us and help explain anything that I or my brother miss?" The green-eyed saviour grinned happily, his emerald irises gleaming in mirth.
"Uhhhhh..." Dan and Emma looked at one another again before shrugging, "Sure..."
Hermione was so happy that she started babbling to them at Mach 10 about how great of a decision they just made. Huffing at our bushy-haired friend I turned to face Sirius, the steely-eyed man grinning as he started tickling his godson. Harry dropped to his knees whilst laughing, his flinch hidden beneath unbidden laughter.
"Got yah! Hahaha, I've been waiting so long to finally prank you pup..." He continued his raucous assault until Harry tapped out on the floor, the gangly young man gasping for breath as the eldest of the two readjusted himself and attempted to act the ever serious and dour Lord Black.
"I've finally got you in my care Prongslet, so you better get used to pranks and tickles." Harry got up onto one knee and gave a rather sad-excuse for a glare, his face revealing just how much he needed that laugh.
"Haven't even introduced yourself and your acting cordial... Hmmmph..." At Harry's tone Sirius just broke out into a Roguish grin.
"Ah, ah, ah. I've been around too many Slytherins in my life to be fooled by such a sad comeback Prongslet. Now, I see you've met my liege lord?" Harry nodded in pseudo-confusion, I hadn't really told anyone who my vassals were. "Good, she's the greatest friend you could make. I would know, since she freed me from Azkaban and told those stuck up bastards in the Wizengamot that they were a bunch of fuddy duddy cucks."
Dan and Emma choked on their spit at the last word of Sirius's statement, their chuckles held in by the skin of their teeth.
"Cool. Anyway, Solaris invited us over alongside Hermione's parents... Are we going old man?" Harry made his tone cold and exhausted his eyes twinkling in hilarity.
Sirius held a hand over his heart, his eyes closing dramatically. "Et Tu, Brute... My own Godson calling me old... Could you imagine Prongs!?" He looked up to the sky and only received an equally dramatic eye-roll from Harry.
"Why are talking about a barbecue implement and naming me after one as well...?" Sirius dropped all his exaggeration at his godson's question and instead switched to a hurting melancholy smile.
"Prongs, or rather James Fleamont Potter, was your father Harry. Each member of our group, the Marauders, became Animagus... Each of us had a nickname for our forms. Your father's nickname was Prongs due to his form being a great adult stag..." His voice struggled with emotions sometimes but he got his words out in the end, continuing before Harry could speak.
"My form was named Padfoot, seeing as how my form was a Grim, or a big black dog. The other member of our group was named Moony. There was another member... But we don't talk about him anymore..." Harry was on the verge of tears as he learned about his family for probably the first time.
~I'm adding it to the list of things we have to do this summer~
'Yep, right there with you brother.'
"Padfoo?" Sirius recoiled as if struck by Harry's heartfelt question, before tears started leaking down his cheeks and he scooped his godson up in his arms, not unlike how the Grangers were acting towards their daughter earlier.
~Fucking onion ninjas...~
'Do you always have to ruin a moment?'
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