The Burning Pen

Heroes
by Ruth Solomon

The story content is adult in nature and can contain graphic sex and violence.  Those under the age of 18 are asked to leave this site immediately.  You are not welcome here.  The author is not responsible for those under-aged who view these works.

Disclaimer: All recognizable characters belong to JKR. All original characters and situations are mine. No $$$ is being made from this fanfic.
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Chapter 5 ~ Entering Hogwarts

”Oh my Sons,” Dahlia breathed as they approached Hogwarts.

The castle was a massive, somewhat scary-looking structure resting on a cliff overlooking a lake. It was constructed of a huge jumble of stone battlements and towers so sporadically placed that it didn’t seem as if the structure should be able to stand on its own. There was also a rather sinister aura about the castle . . . as if it were haunted.

The grounds were extensive as the sorcerers knew when they tried to escape the area. The landscape was well taken care of, green and rich and they had seen flowerbeds, greenhouses, and large vegetable gardens (filled most with cabbages) as they rode about seeking an exit. An impressive but rather knobby willow tree was planted right in the middle of the grounds. Possibly to offer the students shade on sunny days.

They had ridden around the lake, following a road, but it was fenced on one side and also ended at a gate. A small railroad station was beyond it. They had to double back, passing what looked like a stadium set back in the distance, with a few smaller buildings scattered around it.

”Where are we exactly?” Dahlia asked Snape as she stared at the mountainous region beyond the castle

”In the mountains of Scotland,” the Headmaster replied shortly, as if he didn’t have any extra words to spare.

Dahlia was surprised at this. She’d expected to hear they were in some new magical reality, another land or at least another portion of the magical realm they hadn’t yet discovered. But Scotland? How did they keep people from finding out about this place? It was too big not to be noticed, not to mention people clearly flying about on brooms.

The tabloids should be full of stories about a castle that housed wizards and witches.

Still, they were supposed to have been going to England.

Dahlia frowned at Artimus. He was the one who led them through the shimmer, probably wishing they were going someplace exciting, someplace other than “boring” England, unintentionally throwing them off course but still bringing them relatively near their destination. It was clear that the people here were English after all, speaking with that crisp, lofty diction. Well, at least he’d gotten that much right.

And if he wanted "excitement" he'd certainly found it.

Yep. This was all Artimus’ fault. Dahlia narrowed her eyes at the silent wizard as they walked, Snape sweeping before them.

”We’re in Scotland, Artimus,” she said accusingly.

Artimus didn’t look at her, but displeasure was evident in his profile.

”Really? I could have sworn we were in hell,” he responded sullenly as Hogwarts loomed before them. Artimus scanned the premises, noticing there didn’t seem to be any wiring leading to the castle.

Maybe the power lines were underground.

Dahlia sighed. The sorcerer was in too foul a mood to even browbeat so she focused on the castle again.

”How old is Hogwarts?” she asked Snape, looking at the many turrets and battlements. No one could have built it by hand. Magic had to be involved. A magic that could sustain itself for centuries it seemed.

”Over a thousand years old,” Snape replied rather proudly.

Artimus scowled.

”That’s not true. They didn’t have stone structures in this area that long ago. They didn’t have the skills to construct them,” the educator said.

“They learned the skills after Hogwarts was built,” the Headmaster replied. “Our founders were ahead of their time.”

Artimus frowned. Was the wizard trying to tell him that the knowledge of how to build castles and churches came from them? Well, he supposed it could be possible. This place looked like something wizards would build. It’s a miracle it didn’t topple over, it was so haphazardly designed.

They walked up to the large double oak doors that led inside Hogwarts castle. Snape pushed them open and billowed through. Dahlia and Artimus followed him. The first thing Dahlia noticed was a rather tarnished suit of armor standing by the doors on her right. It matched the décor perfectly.

They were in the Entrance Hall, a large, cavernous room illuminated by torches, the ceiling so high that it nearly faded away into the distance. Before them was a large marble staircase, and youngsters dressed in robes with different colored ties, hurried through the Entrance Hall, apparently heading for their classes. On the right were two large doors that led into the Great Hall and next to them a smaller door. It looked like a closet.

On the right side of the main stairs was a stairwell that led down to the kitchens and the Hufflepuff common room. On the left were the stairs that led down to the dungeon area and Slytherin Common Room. On the right side was the corridor that led to the classrooms, and a door that led to a small antechamber.

The students’ speed picked up considerably with the appearance of Headmaster Snape.

A distinct aura of panic filled the area as they rushed past, not giving the strangers a second glance. One moment of hesitation was all it took for the Headmaster to assign a detention or a very nasty chore for “lollygagging.” The Entrance Hall was for passing through, not hanging about. If the students wanted to congregate, they could do it in the courtyard or their common rooms. Snape watched them flee with satisfaction.

Hermione walked up to them. She hadn’t been noticed by Artimus or Dahlia because she was short enough to blend in with the younger Hogwarts population.

”Welcome to Hogwarts,” she said, making a sweeping gesture with her hand.

Dahlia smiled, deciding to make the best of the situation, but Artimus looked about critically.

”Torches? Isn’t this castle wired?” he asked Severus.

“No, it’s not,” the Headmaster said shortly, frowning slightly and not offering anything more.

But Hermione stepped in.

”We have no electricity or Muggle technology at Hogwarts because there’s too much magic in the air. Electronic devices go completely haywire,” Hermione said by way of explanation.

”You don’t have Internet?” Dahlia asked incredulously, her hazel eyes round.

”Since the Internet is technology . . . Miss . . .” Snape said, hesitating for a moment.

”Joiner,” Dahlia said.

”Since the Internet is technology, Miss Joiner, obviously we don’t have it,” he said with a hint of irritation. Hermione had just said there was no electricity at Hogwarts. He hated when people questioned the obvious. It was annoying and just plain bad manners.

Not that Snape had a monopoly on manners by a long shot. He was as rude as ever.

Dahlia sighed. She had hoped to send an email to her best friend and fellow Protector Gregory Cummings at Finklenook, informing him where she was and when she’d be back. She also wanted to check her Paypal account and see how sales at her online store were going. She and Gregory had turned a nice little profit the past few months.

Ah well, she’d just have to make the best of it although she felt a bit like she had stepped through a time warp.

”So what do you do for entertainment?” Dahlia asked Hermione, who was about to reply when Artimus answered.

”Based on how medieval this world appears to be, Dahlia, I imagine they have enormous feasts, hold tournaments, musical concerts and play board games, like the peons of old,” he said, a slight, unpleasant smirk on his face. “Of course, there’s also cave painting, beating sticks on stones and dancing naked around bonfires. I think witches are supposed to enjoy the latter activity.”

Snape actually bristled at this last comment as Dahlia frowned at her lover. There was no need for him to be so insulting.

But Artimus didn’t see it that way. These people had attacked them and injured his familiar. Because of their actions he was stuck in an unknown world without any amenities for the next four days. He had no reason to be civil as far as he was concerned.

“Yes we do those things, with the exception of painting cave walls, pounding rocks and dancing around bonfires,” Hermione said tightly. “We do fine without technology, Mr . . .”

Artimus frowned at the witch, and Dahlia nudged him with her elbow.

”Rogue,” he muttered.

”That figures,” Snape said under his breath. Artimus cut his eyes at the pale wizard.

”Our magic more than makes up for the lack of electronic devices, Mr. Rogue. Besides, there are other ways to entertain oneself rather than sitting in front of some machine,” Hermione said, frowning slightly.

Artimus looked around the Entrance Hall again.

”I’ll just be glad to get back to civilization. You do have indoor plumbing don’t you, or do we have to use chamber pots?” he asked her.

”Of course we have indoor plumbing!” Hermione snapped, reddening. “It was installed years ago. How could you even think we’d . . .”

”Is our room ready?” Dahlia asked Hermione quickly, trying to stave off what was going to probably be a very loud argument.

Artimus could make a saint mad if he gave it a good enough effort. One thing Dahlia didn’t appreciate about the sorcerer was his predilection to purposely goad others into arguments, which he glibly labeled “debates.”

”People don’t yell in debates,” she’d tell him pointedly as he grinned.

Hermione, who was scowling at Artimus, looked at Dahlia as if she’d never seen her before snapping out of it.

”Yes, it is,” she said tartly.

Mr. Rogue was a prat. A total prat.

“Just follow me,” the witch said.

“Miss Granger,” Severus suddenly said. “I’m afraid I’m going to have to leave you to see about our . . . guests. I have to prepare for a meeting with the Governors this afternoon. You will apprise me of the situation on my return.”

”Yes, Headmaster,” Hermione replied as Snape eyed Artimus.

”I trust you will conduct yourself as a proper guest in our domain, Mr. Rogue. Please follow the rules while you are here,” he said to the sorcerer, a hint of iron beneath his statement.

Artimus caught the warning in his voice.

”You can trust us to conduct ourselves properly, despite how we were initially received, Mr. Snape,” he replied, his eyes glittering, “as long as there’s no further treachery on the part of you or your staff. To say I’m uncomfortable about staying here is an understatement.”

”No more uncomfortable than having you stay here, Mr. Rogue,” Snape replied, his eyes hard. “But we must all make the best of a difficult situation. I will see you at supper. Goodbye, Miss Joiner.”

They watched as Snape billowed over to a very large fireplace rather than the stairs. He pulled out his wand and pointed it at the hearth.

”Incendio,” he said quietly, and flames shot out the tip of his wand, igniting the charred wood resting there. The fire blazed brightly.

”It’s not cold,” Dahlia said, “Why is he lighting the fireplace?”

Snape reached into a box on the mantelpiece, drew out a handful of powder and cast it into the flames, which turned green.

”My office,” he said, stepping into the flames and disappearing. After a few seconds, the fire’s color returned to normal, then the flames flared and went out.

Artimus and Dahlia blinked. Snape’s disappearance was almost like walking through a puddle, but a different catalyst. They looked at Hermione.

”That’s the Floo. We use it for travel,” the witch explained. “There’s a network across Britain where fireplaces are interconnected. The ones here at Hogwarts are only linked locally so can’t be traveled through to or from outside destinations, but they can be used to communicate with people in other locations, like telephones. Throwing the powder in connects you to the Floo Network, then you give your destination and step through. You’re instantly taken there, provided you give the proper destination and pronounce it clearly. Traveling by Floo is much more limited than Apparition, but quite handy. Floo travel is regulated by the Floo Network Authority.”

Dahlia and Artimus continued to blink at her, barely able to grasp this concept of transport. It was an amazing way to travel. And what was Apparition?

”I see I have a lot to learn about this world,” Dahlia said as Artimus stared at the fireplace.

Sorcerers had no basic magical manner of instantaneous travel that could be used by everyone except for the puddles that served as a bridge between the mundane world and magical world at sunrise and sunset. Both worlds coexisted in the same space, just on different levels of reality and perception.

There was Psychic Transport that an individual could use to move between both destinations and realities, but the ability had to be learned by trial and error, and could be deadly during the attempt to develop the skill. Because of this danger, not many sorcerers practiced that magic, preferring not to take the risk of killing themselves just to get someplace faster. . Usually they utilized normal modes of travel, cars, planes, trains, animals and other conveyances like normal people although they did ride dragons from time to time.

Clearly, the Wizarding World had a one-up on their own as far as magic went. It was unfortunate that their rules of magic were so different than their own. The ability to instantly travel would have been a real aid in the war against the Antimage.

“I’ll give you a copy of ‘Hogwarts, a History’ once I get you settled in. It’s fascinating reading” Hermione said enthusiastically, remembering when she first read it. She couldn’t put it down. “It’ll help you get the gist of our world in a relatively short time.”

”Thank you,” Dahlia said to the witch.

Well, since there was no Internet, or television, she might as well read.

”Now where is our room?” Artimus asked Hermione impatiently.

He wanted some time and privacy so he could regroup and evaluate his situation. And he was getting one of his tension headaches. Dahlia would take care of it for him.

”Right this way,” Hermione said, walking to the left of the large marble staircase, Dahlia and Artimus following.

A few furtive students appeared on the first floor landing, warily scanning about for Headmaster Snape before descending the stairs with relieved faces. They were all late for class, opting to run up the stairs than past the wizard when he first appeared in the hall.

Hermione descended a narrow, stone staircase to the lower level, followed by the sorcerers. It became quite cool immediately.

”Where are we?” Dahlia asked as she eyed the damp and ill-lit walls of the corridor.

”The dungeons,” Hermione replied a bit apologetically. "You will be staying in Dungeon five."

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A/N: In this chapter I felt the need to lay out Hogwarts more realistically. I’ve never really done that before in any story but it was necessary in this one to show the strangeness and newness of the situation and give us a feel for where they are and what they see. The lack of technology had to be addressed, and I wanted to show just how impressive the magic in the HP world is. We kind of take it for granted now, but it really is amazing when it’s considered. I’m sure Artimus will have plenty to say about being in the dungeons. Lol. We also get some idea of what it’s like to have Snape for a Headmaster, based on the reaction of the students. Man, they hurried up and got out of the way. Rofl. Anyway, thanks for reading.

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