[ PROLOGUE: 1989 START-OF-TERM FEAST ]
In the Great Hall, Year 1989. Students about a thousand of them could be seen inside it, either waiting for dinner, chatting with one another in low voice, or waiting to be sorted out— as the latter is the instances of first-years, 11-year-old children sweating and waiting which house they are fit into.
A lucky Mr. Davis could be seen having removed the Sorting Hat, a nearly thousand year-old hat enchanted to have thought, decision-making abilities and other such. Seemingly having sorted the last student in the house of Ravenclaw, which made the hems and corners of the student's clothes turned blue, the color of the house.
After the round of applause by the children seated on the Ravenclaw long table, Mr. Davis finally sat welcomed by his classmates, and schoolmates.
Seeing this, Mrs. McGonagall the Dean of Gryffindor— Deputy Headmistress, and the one residing the Sorting Ceremony then cotninued the sorting, reading the next name up the list; a name she is faintly familiar with.
[ "Diggory, Cedric!" ]
A shy but somewhat confident boy after hearing his name walked out from the crowd of first-years, a somewhat tall, somewhat skinny boy with bright grey eyes and dark hair. This boy being Cedric Diggory, the one and only prized son of Mrs. and Mr. Diggory.
Shyly nodding at his classmates, the boy that was talking to his friends earlier paused, as he then approached the stern-looking Professor McGonagall who's holding a tattered beaten up-looking Sorting Hat. He sat on the chair and then closed his eyes.
When the said oversized hat was placed on top of his head. Cedric felt something, but weirdly enough he couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was. Before he could probe on what it really was, the Hat then spoke; [ "Aha! Pretty brave aren't you boy?" ]
[ "But also somewhat shy, a social animal naturally who loves having friends, you value your friends pretty much, that's good!" ] He heard the Hat spoke in a loud booming tone, he wonders, can the whole of the Great Hall hear it? Because that'll really be embarrassing. Thinking about this, the somewhat confident, and somewhat shy boy cheeks slightly turned red in thinking.
[ "They don't hear, don't worry, most of it they don't. Anyways. Better be, HUFFLEPUFF!" ] The Sorting Hat reassured him, before then speaking out loud which house he should be in. Of course it'll be Hufflepuff, that's the house of his Father, and also his Mother.
Gryffindor for the Brave, he doesn't quite fit that, as after all even though he is brave, he isn't that brave. Slytherin for the Cunning, yeah he doesn't like being sly, and also it'll be a problem because he doesn't quite like the people there.
Ravenclaw for the Intellect, he loves learning, but not that type of learning wherein you'll spend hundreds if not thousands of hours on reading. Hufflepuff for the Loyal, alright, that sounds fitting, a banner and idea that he could get behind in, especially because he know first-hand how friendly Hufflepuffs are; his Father being the primarily example.
Smiling at the crowd of Students, Cedric could hear people clapping for him primarily the third table where Hufflepuff Students are sitting at.
He looked closely and could see tides of Red signalling Gryffindor Students on the left, tides of Blue on the second table for Ravenclaw Student. Then entrance/exit.
Then his house that he'll be spending about 7 years in, Hufflepuff with the Orange color in their cuffs and necties. And lastly emerald Green for Slytherin Students on the farthest right seemingly scowling, or just blatantly having a foul aura all around... Cedric doesn't know why.
Ignoring this, Cedric jumped up in the air when he felt the heavy but somewhat light hat taken off of his head. As then the tinge of his robes change from bland to orange, so does his necktie, then his jumper, seemingly everything even the left side of his robes that doesn't have anything then bore the symbol of Hufflepuff.
A black honey badger right in front of a yellowish honey colored background, one that he noticed and quickly began to love. Smiling at his now housemates, he then walked there greeting them. As the Sorting continues behind him.
[ "Elliot, Ludwig!" ]
[ "GRYFFINDOR!" ]
[ "Earl, Carl!" ]
[ "SLYTHERIN!" ]
[ "Fischer, Robert!" ]
[ "RAVENCLAW!" ]
The Sorting confinues as Cedric chats with his newfound friends. His housemates and even seniors chatting away at them first-years talking about how they'll have found here, as Hufflepuff is the house with the most population of Students.
And in how their Common Room is the most unique out of the 4. Friendly house competition from what he could hear. As they continued talking, their topic then wandered on why there's an empty table in the High Table where the Professors are sitting at.
To be more precise besides the joyous Filius Flitwick— Dean of Ravenclaw, a short Professor that needs to sit on books to have proper dinner, not that the old-man mind though. As proven by his enthusiasm and chattery nature in gaining a Student.
And the scowling Severus Snape— Dean of Slytherin, a greezy black haired black eyed Professor that has pale skin, akin to that of a vampire, he wonders... Is this Professor evil? Or perhaps a Dark Wizard?
That'll be dumb, why would the brightest, smartest, and most powerful Wizard in the world Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore hire a vile Wizard to be the Potions Professor, and also Dean of Slytherin, that's just sounds stupid...
But they do wonder, who in the merlin's name is supposed to be sitted in-between those two Professors; McGonagall? No, from what he heard and seen, there is another free chair nearby besides the Headmaster, one which the Deputy Headmistress is seated on each year.
So, what gives? His ears perked up, hearing an exact conversation about that topic he is wondering. So Cedric every the listener, listened on them taking;
[ "Amelia, why do you think it's empty?" ]
[ "I've no ide- wait, there's no DADA Prof. this year, huh, is he perhaps late?" ]
[ "What a cursed position, I still couldn't forget about Prof. Ackleberry, she seems traumatized after just a year of teaching." ]
[ "Perhaps the Headmaster didn't hire anyone this year, and is now disbanding that position. I-I mean, if that doesn't work, then they could change the subject's name or something." ]
Not believing what he heard, Cedric and the other first-years who heard this paused and listened even more. Cedric speaking up his thoughts instinctively, as he then asked, [ "Cursed? There's a cursed subject here?" ]
Which earned him the attention of his chattering seniors, who's happy to chat along with their curious junior housemates, [ "Oh yeah, definitely. You know DADA?" ]
[ "Defense Against the Dark... Arts?" ]
[ "That's the one, you see that's curse, no one can stay as the Professor of that subject for more than a year." ]
[ "Lest something bad happen... Death!" ]
Cedric in hearing that became scared slightly, as he then heard a smack rang behind the senior brother's head who's explaining and somewhat explaining everything to them in a cryptic way... That seemingly earned him a smack in the head. [ "Peterson, stop scaring the children." ]
...
The Sorting after half an hour finally stopped, about 27 or so Students entered Hufflepuff this year alone, a huge haul to be more precise. But none seems to care, as all of them are currently hungry and are metaphorically starving.
About to announce the feast, Albus— the Headmaster paused when suddenly an brown feathered Owl landed in front of him, this bird having a small pouche besides it containing a letter that it pulled, this gained the attention of all the Wizards and Witches in the Great Hall, especially because the Headmaster was about to speak.
The Headmaster sighted, curious also on what the message the dear Owl has. And in recognizing it, the ancient or so year-old man had quite the idea on what it is was. Taking the letter from the Owl, he then read it, not rushing as all thousands or so pair of eyes stares at him.
[ "Hmm, that explains." ] He muttered, which the distressed somewhat worried Deputy Headmistress heard about, [ "Albus, what is it? Spit it out." ]
Turning to look at her, the Headmaster noticed that her eyes are constantly shifting to look at the empty seat. Worried on what happened to the one who's supposed to be sitting there; luckily for her, this letter relates to that said person.
[ "It seems, Elijah will be arriving fashionably late this time around." ] Hearing this, she became pale, then blue, then red in anger. The other Professors also who have an idea who this "Elijah" is reacted.
Flitwick became worried, but then smiled in remembering what kind of personality Elijah has. Pomona— the Dean of Hufflepuff also became worried, but reassured her best friend sitting besides her; McGonagall.
Albus the Headmaster just smiles warmly, knowing about 99% of what kind of person Elijah is, and that is one of... An eccentric accidental troublemaker focused on his work... Apparently a problem occured, but from what the letter entails, his Student is doing all right and would be arriving soon.
Perhaps the most conflicted of them all is Severus Snape, the Dean of Slytherin who has a conflicted look in his face. His eyes twitching as he tries to compose himself, activating Occlumency, detering his thoughts from exploding and going stressed than he already is.
[ "That... fool." ]
But he couldn't help but mutter something under his breath, a mockery, but also one filled with a tiny bit of concern for his Student. Though he hated the boy, the child is still in fact a Slytherin Student, one that he handled after being the Dean.
Motioning for the Owl to fly away, Dumbledore then continued with the announcement, looking at the eyes of the Students that seems to be hungry; [ "Welcome, welcome back old Students back to a new event filled year." ]
[ "And also welcome the new young faces that now joins us." ] For a moment the Student cheered in hearing this, which he let continued, before then subsiding as he continued speaking; [ "Do not worry, the position for the Defense Against the Dark Arts will be filled... By Professor Elijah Everett, but at the moment you're Professor seems to be preoccupied with something. Wherever he may be." ]
...
[ "You filthy mudblood!" ] A dark robed man on the ground could be seen cursing loudly for a certain person to hear, for a black-haired, blue dark green eyed man in his early 20s to hear. And so he heard, reacting, even offended by the word.
[ "Hey, that word is rude. Take it back." ] The said man could be seen lanky in appearance, his robe mixed with muggle style suits, primarily in green and black color could be seen flapping being blown by the winds occasionally as he walks. [ "Besides, I'm not the one here to ambush a what, a poor hapless man." ]
His hands busy stealing on the other dark robed individuals that is currently unconscious and are laid flat on the grass below. For miles on miles, no one would see a thing, other than the plains, which made it even more weird as 10+ individuals, all except 2 knocked out, in there playing dress ups... They are grown ups by the way.
[ "Hah! Hapless is the last thing you are, traitorous snake." ] Of course, they aren't just playing dress ups, they are Wizards to be exact. Wizards and Witches, the 11 are Dark Wizards that tried ambushing Elijah, targeted him even, as they had a cat and mouse chase culminating in all the perpetrators getting knocked out. And soon to be in Azkaban— the Wizard Prison.
[ "H-hey what are you doi-!" ]
[ "Stupefy!" ]
Elijah in a no-nonsense but carefree attitude draw his Wand and instantly shot the immobilized Dark Wizard that is last one to be consciousn after the fight. Before then stealing from the man, grabbing anything he could carry, before dropping it into his Mokeskin Pouch.
Feeling satisfied by his act of plundering others, especially evil people. Elijah then finally stopped, as he left the people there, immobilized, knocked out, and tied to the trees without anything valuables except for their clothes... Which screams Dark Wizard! for, you know, miles on end.
[ "What a great haul!" ] He couldn't help but mutter to himself as he looks at the inside of his pouch, he didn't just steal anything, he stole everything. Even Wands, and everything, that is of course something that the Ministry wouldn't find out as he would be out of here after a short while.
Leaving only about 11 notoriously wanted Wizards hapless and easy to arrest. Would Alastor Moody congratulate him for doing a good job in fighting 11 Wizards in one-go, or be hurled hexes because he again stole from his victims... He doesn't know.
But he is sure to leave the crime scene after reporting it to the authorities, Muggle Authorities to be more precise, which is connected to the Wizard side of the World. So he didn't mind explaining, and just left.
The aftermath would be their problem, as for Elijah, he needs to fly into Hogwarts using his Broom, there is no train at the moment, or whatever else way he could get to his Alma Mater.
Because of his idiocracy, he hasn't asked the Headmaster, the Deputy Headmistress, or even his Dean for a request to use their Floo Network. Or any other way to get into Hogwarts, he didn't even rode the train.
So now, he needs to fly with about an hour left before the Start-of-Term Feast ended, lest he be reprimanded by that old-bat...
Luckily he did sent an Owl beforehand, his friend, Brownie, the letter should have arrived by now, if that said Owl didn't slack off in-between flights... Hope she didn't, or else... [ "Damn it, Broom. Fly faster!" ]
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