Finally Where We Belong

Disclaimer: Don’t own don’t sue.

Chapter 2

The four men could only stare; dumbfounded at the words their close friend spoke. Remus was first to recover and thought

‘Did she really think that about us?’

Before asking carefully

“Hermione, what do you mean ‘you don’t belong here’?”

Hermione blinked as she realized they way her words were taken wrong.

“Oh! No, no, no, I meant you don’t belong in our…here just listen.”

She opened the large tome in her hands to the marked page and read.

“‘Welcome students to the third year of Hogwarts…’”

Hermione looked up from the passage to see four fairly confused wizards.

“It’s a direct quote from Rowena Ravenclaw herself on that very night. When Hogwarts was still new the founders used a charmed quill to record every one of the speeches held in the Great Hall. It also wrote every curse, promise, threat, lie, etc.”

Harry raised a winged brow.

“What exactly happened to it?’

Hermione shrugged as she answered regretfully.

“No one knows. It disappeared after the founders left the school.”

Draco coughed softly and captured everyone’s attention.

“As much as I too would like to know more of this charmed quill, Hermione you are keeping us in suspense.”

The curly haired witch blushed as she looked to the tome once more and continued her reading.

“’ I would like to welcome back all returning students and to welcome all new students. Remember the Forbidden Forrest is off limits, unless in the company of our Care of Magical Creatures Professor, or another professor. Now I wish to inform you five classes have been added to the third years and up class choices. You’ll meet your professors then. Now dig in!’”

Draco raised a brow.

“What does this have to do with us?”

“I’m getting there, just listen.”

Gazing once more upon the page that had captured her attention, Hermione spoke again

“’ Maladies, and Gentlemen,

As we all know the four Founders of the prestigious school of Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry have been searching for teachers to fill the remaining classes on the roster list. When the four were asked what they planed to do after another school year started with no results, Lady Hufflepuff replied ‘We plan to look for a while longer. We are still hoping these classes will not have to be removed.’ Lord Gryffindor continued ‘We have agreed should we not find suitable professors we will remove these classes, and wait for the right people to come along.’ Lady Ravenclaw finished ‘It would be a real shame to loose these classes as they teach the students arts not often found in a school curriculum. Of the five classes three are opened to anyone.’ When asked why the other two classes were not open Lord Salazar responded in kind. ‘The classes awaiting teachers are Forging, elemagus, Lost Arts, Crafting, and Summoning. To be able to be in the elemagus and summoning classes one must possess the gifts needed. Any student interested would be tested and allowed to enter if the did indeed have the necessary gift.’ Now this reporter was excited to hear, though it was after the beginning of the new year, a great surprise. During a meeting with the board of governors (a year after the statements above were given), the question was once more asked. The governors were ready to remove the list and had sent the founders a petition to do so at the end of the last school term. They were surprised to find out the founders had not only found one of the needed teachers, but at least on for all five classes. Let’s just say the classes were now opened.’”

Hermione looked up to see a grin on several of the men’s faces apparently Harry caught the look as he informed her.

“It’s nice to know the founders weren’t wimps and were determined to find these teachers even when the governors were against them.”

Hermione smiled before going on to the next paragraph.

“’ Maladies Gentlemen and children of Hogwarts, I would like to announce the first annual Christmas ball. The ball was brought up when one of our Professor of Forging Mr. Draconis Malfoy offered it as a solution to keeping the students entertained as they tend to get rowdy when on vacation. It shall be a twelve day celebration. The Dance will be Christmas Eve. The days leading up to it will be full of demonstration of dueling, with wands and/or weapons and without, several small parties, demonstrations of different arts, performances, etc. The five new teachers Draco Malfoy, Severus Snape, Remus Lupin, Harry Potter, and Si….hmmm the name’s smudged, are going to be planning the new event. I shall keep you posted.

Barbra R. Skeeter.’”

The men chuckled at the last name before Hermione gave them a teary smile.

“You see? You four belong in the time of the founders. Apparently you make an impact on our future.”

Remus sighed.

“Hermione, how do you know these aren’t just people with our names?”

The Witch sat her book down and walked to a nearby bookcase. Pulling on a short, fat book midway down the fourth shelf, the four men watched as the case seemed to move away from the wall and to the side revealing a passage. The group of magical people made their way inside to find a medium sized sitting room full of portraits. A large painting hanging over the mantel piece was where Hermione walked and motioned for the others to join her. Waving her hand in the direction of the painting she said.

“Remus, Harry, Draco, Severus, meet yourselves.”

The four powerful men stared at the picture with large confused eyes, for in the picture were themselves and several other people in various seating arrangements. Sitting in a softly aged, black, leather winged back chair was a tall dark man with long black hair and soft violet eyes, the dark robes he wore disappeared behind the man slightly younger sitting at his feet using his arm to prop himself on the dark man’s knee. His thick unruly hair flowed silkily down over his broad shoulders, as he glanced to his companions red streaks could be seen throughout the dark locks. On the love seat of the same fabric next to them, sat a grinning man with sable brown hair and hazel eyes, his dark red robes matched or clashed with his seating companion. Sitting next to him was a man light were his friend was dark. Platinum blonde hair cascaded down his arms and kept having to be shoved out of slightly smirking sliver eyes, His dark grey robes hugged his muscular chest, molding like a second skin when he turned to look at the man behind him. This well built man had sandy brown hair with soft amber eyes, his dark brown robes stood out against the two female on either side of him. The Woman on the left had golden blond hair that fell in ringlets down to her waist. The cocky smile that graced her slightly plump lips matched the mischievous look in her chocolate brown eyes. Her light blue robes molded her slim figure only to bell at the waist, which was noticeable only because of her continual swaying. On the other side of the man stood a shorter woman wearing golden yellow robes; her pale brown hair fell in slight waves just past her shoulders, the small smile she wore was reflected in her pale blue eyes. In a matching lone chair to the side of the couch sat another dark man, his silky black hair was pulled into a low ponytail allowing shorter strands to fall into piercing dark black eyes.

Hermione chuckled as the picture’s inhabitants grinned in the faces of the dumbstruck men. All quickly looked to the witch just in time to see a tear fall down her cheek as she whispered

“Good Bye.”

Before they were able to respond the four men were surrounded in a bright light and were gone.