Ouroboros || harry potter

Chapter Eleven

(Neville)

Salazar filled him in on a few final tidbits as they took the long way up to the Great Hall. They shifted to speaking Pictish so none of the students would understand the conversation. It kept them from assuming Godric was even more incompetent than they all apparently thought he was.

Godric didn't think anyone was listening in, or able to hear anything with how quietly they were discussing things, but plenty were glancing at his brother with undisguised interest, or fear and hate, or awe. He found himself staring back at the children until they noticed that he had noticed. They turned away with blushes or scowls, but all were embarrassed at being caught. The lot needed to work on watching a person more subtly.

Sadly, Sally was unable to tell him much about his schedule. It was Tuesday, which apparently meant they sat together in herbology. Some days they also shared a potions class. Everything else, Godric had with either Ravenclaws or Hufflepuffs. Salazar wasn't aware of the details.

So, as they reached the Great Hall, Godric knew two facts about the day beyond it potentially smelling worse than a bog hag. He had herbology before lunch. He had a mental list of his fellow first-year Gryffindors's names. His brother had "helpfully" described each child that went with the name. Godric wasn't clear on how 'bossy know-it-all that didn't like Salazar' was at all helpful. (Her actual name was almost as bad, though unique enough to remember.) It was more descriptive than 'he's blond and Irish', at least.

Godric slowed to a stop as he took in the aged Great Hall. There was an equal amount of change to what had stayed the same.—More Windows. More Color. Stone worn and darkened.—Salazar grasped his arm and took the slightest lead towards one of the tables. Godric attempted to not stare at everything.—There were vibrant red and gold banners of a lion over the table they were headed to. This was his school house. Gryffindor. His gaze moved from the lions to the black and yellow badgers and on to the blue and bronze eagles until, near the new windows, his gaze found the green and silver snakes.—Besides the tapestries displaying their apparent school houses and the age apparent in the building itself, there were the children.

There were a large number of children.

It was a good thing, a brilliant sight, but he hoped to the Mother that Neville didn't know most of them. Salazar claimed he was a shy, clumsy child when in a group so Godric guessed he didn't. But Salazar didn't know what had gone on for the first ten years of Godric's supposed second life. It was a long time to not meet any of these children before school started.

"Good morning Hermione, Dean," Salazar cheerfully said as he nodded at each child in turn, "Seamus."

Godric flicked his gaze over the three. Their faces were vaguely familiar. He knew them, should know them. Hermione wrinkled her nose at Salazar before she stuck it in the air and turned back to her book. The two boys gave slightly varied greetings.

Food appeared in platters around them all. A more familiar fare appeared on the plates in front of Sally and him. Godric, not one to avoid new experiences, shifted some of his porridge to the side for a little of the various meats surrounding him.

"Where you've been, Neville?"

The meat, a thin long piece of fatty goodness, had the perfect crunch to it. It was also wonderfully smoked. There was an odd sweetness to it too but Godric had to admit that he didn't mind it.

Salazar kicked his shin.

Godric snapped his eyes open and glared over at his brother. Salazar tilted his head towards one of the boys. Dean, he reminded himself.

"Pardon me?" Godric offered as he tried to recall what he could have missed.

The boy stared in bemusement at him but didn't have a chance to answer as the bushy-haired girl interrupted.