Corvus

A/N: And here's your weekly dose! Fairly short as far as chapters go, so expect another one tonight or tomorrow. Thank you for the comments and reviews lovelies! Please keep reading and let me know what you think!

(15) Hogwarts

The rest of the ride to the school was thankfully uneventful. The group changed into their robes and Corvus sat Huginn on his shoulder and kept Vé wrapped around his wrist. Soon as they were out of the compartment, he had his raven fly to the school.

“Huginn, fly ahead. I’ll call for you when I get there.”

/Yes, young Master. I would much rather avoid having to sit on your shoulder over a lake/ the bird said, ruffling it’s feathers in a mockery of a shudder.

“Oh my dear Huginn, no worries. I’m not sure of where the rooms are and I’m not so sure you’ll enjoy time with the owls. Try it though. I’ll call you soon.”

/I will see you soon young Master/ he said, taking off. 

Corvus looked around and realized that he had an audience. He rolled his eyes and sat in a boat with the other 3 boys. 

::Master, where do we go?:: He heard Vé hiss at him. 

He cast a quick silencing charm around himself before replying. ::To a magical school. I am a wizard.::

::I knew that. Is this the magical Hogwarts?::

::Vé you only hatched hours ago, how do you know about Hogwarts?::

::The knowledge of the basilisks is passed down through magic through all generations. I know more as more time passes. I see the Magical school of Hogwarts and the four founders. Slytherin was a speaker of snakes as well, Master::

::I know, Vé:: he replied kindly. 

The castle was amazing, and Corvus continued talking with the basilisk until they got to shore.

They met Professor McGonagall at the door who explained the four houses and how they are represented. She told them how their houses were their families and that they could earn and lose points for the House Cup... in other words, the typical ‘Welcome’ speech with everything that can be read in Hogwarts: A History. 

Rolling eyes. Corvus glanced at Draco and mirrored his smirk. They were led into the hall and listened to a hat sing a song. Sigh.

“Abbot, Hannah” called McGonagall.

“It’s about time,” Corvus murmured, leading the 3 other boys into snickers. 

“HUFFLEPUFF!” the hat called out. 

The sorting continued and the first years watched with Corvus and his friends making commentary. Crabbe and Goyle were obviously Slytherin.

“Granger, Hermione”

“Ah, the uncivilized one. Where do you think she will go?” said Corvus

“Not sure. She looks like the bookish type.” Draco paused for a moment. “Is she arguing with the hat?”

Corvus looked at the girl through hooded eyes, then peeked at the head table. Dumbledore looked a little too attentive on this sorting. “Look at Dumbledore Dray. How much you want to bet he’s influencing the hat? And that girl is in on it?”

“GRYFFINDOR!” 

“She looks too relieved for that to have NOT been what she wanted.”

“Agreed. Watch him influence Potter too. I bet he’s a Hufflepuff. Then again, Gryffindor is not very known for their intelligence,” more snickers. Suddenly Corvus was pushed from behind. If not for Zabini he would have fallen to the ground. He looked behind him to see a smug looking Potter. He knew his name was coming up soon, but would not let this pass by. He looked at the children he grew up with and they all crowded around him, blocking the teachers from view. 

Those around Potter and Weasley stepped back from the idiotic duo as Corvus stepped right up to the boy wonder. “Touch me again and you will regret it. This is your only warning and your only free hit. Do I make myself clear?” 

The boys paled but made no other movement or sound. He whistled quickly and put his arm up as Huginn landed. “Lestrange, Corvus”

He turned around with a smile on his face. “My turn then,” he said as he stepped up to the hat, holding his arm in his lap so Huginn wouldn’t fall. He could feel Vé’s tongue flicking at the crowd of people.

“Ah, What is this?” He heard in his mind. “Could you please drop your Occlumency shields? It is rare for one so young to be so protected.”

“Better to be prepared.”

“That is true, Mr. Lestrange. I see you were born of another name.” Corvus growled. “Now, now, none of that. I will not mention it. Now where shall I put you?”

“Where shall I fit... umm what’s your name?”

“No one ever asks that. Thomas. Thank you.”

“Where do you think I shall go, Thomas?”

“Not Gryffindor. I think you would scare them out of the school in a weeks time.”

“As long as a week? I think I can do better” Corvus said, grinning as the hat chuckled.

“You are loyal like a Hufflepuff, but not extensively so as they tend to be. Definite thirst of knowledge of a Ravenclaw and the cunning and sly ways of a Slytherin. And what is this? Magical Heirs to both of those houses?”

“True, and used to be an heir of Gryffindor. but I’m sure you’ve seen that.”

“That I have. It is truly their own loss. Now where to put you. I don’t think you’ll have the patience for politics, which tends to run a bit crazy in Slytherin. But most Ravenclaws tend to have book smarts whereas you are not only a sponge of the written word but are logical and intelligent as well.”

“That is all true. Politics is definitely not my thing.” 

“Then have we made our decision?”

“I believe so. There’s always a chance for a resorting later should I need it.”

“Very true. And it can’t hurt to be in a different house to recruit to your cause. Your goals will do the wizarding world some good.”

Corvus was surprised “Nothing is concrete, they are just ideas in my mind.”

“But great ideas all the same, young Heir. All right then, RAVENCLAW!”

Corvus hopped off the stool and handed the hat to McGonagall. He put Huginn on his shoulder before smiling at Draco, Nott, and Zabini and walking to the Ravenclaw table. He found a seat on the far end and settled in to watch the rest. 

Draco went straight to Slytherin with a bare brushing of the hat on his head. Corvus clapped for his cousin and laughed at his strutting to the table. He could already see the politics forming as Crabbe and Goyle flanked the blonde. 

Nott soon joined Draco and the names dwindled until... “Potter, Charles” 

The idiot child of the century strutted up to the stool. The hat touched his head and the hall clearly heard “SLYTH...” before it was silenced. Corvus glanced at Draco who looked wide eyed at the hat. 

The Boy-Who-Lived sat on that stool for a good twenty minutes before the hat finally growled out “GRYFFINDOR!” but clearly not happy about it. 

“Fools,” Corvus said under his breath. Weasley went to Gryffindor which was not shocking at all if the other 3 red heads were anything to be judged by. Then Zabini went to Slytherin. 

Corvus looked around at his fellow Ravenclaws. He was quite surprised to see so many around him. He closed his eyes and recalled the names of those sorted. Boot, Brocklehurst, Corner, Cornfoot, Goldstein, Li, McDougal, Patil, and Turpin. He recognized the names Cornfoot, Goldstein and McDougal as Pureblood names. The others were either Halfblood or Muggleborn. He would have to wait and see if an alliance with any of them would be worthwhile. Some families were too ensconced in the light and Dumbledore’s vision of the wizarding world.

Corvus tuned out the speech and announcements and ate slowly when the food arrived. He glanced up at the head table once and nodded his head in greeting to Severus and glanced at the other professors. He glanced at the Defense against the Dark Arts professor, who he found was looking back at him. He felt a pressure against his shields when they made eye contact and raised an eyebrow in both question and annoyance. The thin man who was sitting beside his godfather was an odd man to say the least. He was pale and jerky and work a purple turban wrapped around his head. Something seemed off about him, but he let it be. It wasn’t his responsibility to take care of the staff.

As the meal went on, he avoided looking at the head table. He was glad to be on the end of the table where Huginn perched as he stole bread. Vé on the other hand was stealing Corvus’ sausages. 

“Do you two mind?” he chided his familiars, amusement lacing his voice.

“Mr. Lestrange, I must insist you get rid of those animals!” came the voice of McGonagall. 

Oh joy. “Professor. These ‘animals’ are my familiars and as so have a right to stay with me as decreed by Hogwarts bylaws. Also being we are new to the castle and I did not want Huginn to fly all over the place or risk injury, I kept him with me.”

“And the s-snake?” 

“Also a bound familiar. Véurr, say hello to the professor.” The diminutive snake lifted its head off Corvus’ sausage and nodded at the old woman.

“You will need permission to have both familiars with you. For the time being, put them up.”

Huginn squawked, Véurr hissed, and Corvus grimaced. “Professor. They are not belongings and they are not pets. They cannot be merely ‘put-up’ as you so eloquently put it. I would appreciate you showing respect for a magical being, especially beings as special as bound familiars.”

Corvus stood and whistled at Huginn to get the bird on his shoulder. He left the hall and sat outside on a bench, and pulled out his History of Magic book. He was already halfway through the text and found it quite interesting. He was looking forward to the assignments that would be sent to him.

/Why do you brood so?/

Instead of speaking out loud, Corvus contacted Huginn Telepathically. /I’ve barely been here and I can already see the prejudice that floods this school. Against magical beings and against bloodlines. They don’t even understand what they are prejudiced about!/

/Contact Lucius about the familiar issue. It is not like I will sit on your shoulder all day./

/No, but if you have need I want you to be able to come to me wherever I may be at any time./

Before any response could be made, a group of students left the great hall. Corvus could see the blue patch of Ravenclaw and stood with his shrunken trunk and book in hand to follow them. He stayed to the back of the line but heard every word spoken. 

The prefect stopped before a portrait of a Sphinx. “These are the Ravenclaw commons. To enter you are required to solve a riddle. You are given three chances to enter. Should you fail, you will need to wait for another to come along.” 

::Well, that’s dumb:: came Véurr’s hiss. Corvus chuckled at his little snake’s commentary. 

The portrait then spoke, “A beggar’s brother died, but the man who died, had no brother. How can this be?”

It took a few moments, then a first year answered. Morag McDougal spoke surely, though a wariness rested in her eyes. “The beggar was a woman.”

Corvus smirked. This should be interesting

{Edited 9-21-15}