34A/N So I kind like writing this story so couldn't help doing another chapter. That said I am writing this from my phone so I apologise for any mistakes as I don't have a beta for this. Again I still don't own it. Thank you to everyone who reviewed followed or favorite this story it encourages me to write more and I encourage constructive criticism it helps me make the story better well except that idiot who keeps complaining about Harry hitting the goblin I heard you the first time I disagree thank you for your reviews though. Sorry for mini rant. Enjoy this chapter.
Seeing that they weren't going to have to paddle definitely lifted Harry's spirits. Harry stayed up a conversation with Aife. "So did you convince your dad to start teaching you spells yet?"
Aife pouted a little and replied "No he maintains that even if I can cast the spells without getting caught it's still breaking the law for underage wizardry. I did get him to write out several so I can study them and practice them at school though. So how did you learn Irish do fast anyway?"
Harry winced at the memory "mum had a lady cone from the ministry and did something that put it all in my mind. I had a bloody headache for a week. And then mum made me read out loud from a dictionary for two hours every day. The good part was that after that mum and I would talk for hours, and she'd help me get my pronunciation and grammar right. Most of it was hard. I want used to the pronunciation and had to learn how to make the right sounds."
Aife smiled at him. She knew how much spending that time with his adoptive mother ment to him after he had lived with those disgusting people. She knew from his letters that he had come to really love a Aingeal over their tome spent together. She also knew he was quite surprised to learn that his feelings of desperate clinging to the one person to show him kindness wasn't love.
Harry caught one of the students in the boat with them glancing at Aife with disgust. It was really appraising to Harry he couldn't figure out why he was looking at her that way. Until that is he happened to hear him mutter 'filthy half breed shouldn't be aloud to attend'. Luckily, Harry thought, Aife didn't seem to hear him but one of the others chuckled quietly.
All in all it was a rather boring three hour ride in the boats, though Harry and Aife did enjoy being able to talk more.
Aife finally noticed what was missing. Harry didn't have any of his things including his familiars with him. "Um Harry, where are your things and the girls?" she asked once they were safely on land.
They had landed on a fairly large island a few miles out to sea to the south of Ireland. There was a large castle to one side against a cliff. The main part of the castle looked to be about nine stories tall with nine towers going up another three stories. It looked very old but well maintained. In short it made a beautiful sight.
The castle overlooked a vast grounds that covered the rest of the island. On the opposite side of the island from the castle spread a beautiful forest.
About half way between the castle and the forest a bridge led out to a very small island about 500 feet from the main island. On this small island an occasional person could be seen apparating in and walking across the bridge and up to the castle.
Around the grounds several other buildings built similarly to the castle. The closest to the castle itself was the stables. The stables held several different species of riding animals, both magical and non-magical. The animals included but were not limited to horses, pegasus, thestrals and even a few tame griffin and hippogryph for students with the proper training and permission. Also on the ground was a Quidditch pitch as well as a broom racing coarse.
By this point the students who had arrived could be seen making their way to the castle or just walking the grounds until the welcoming feast was held.
"Mum brought my stuff for me. She thought the girls might not like being in a boat for hours. They will come find me soon I think" Harry smiled at his best and only friend knowing she was probably just worried he had forgotten his stuff in his rush. Even if she knew him mum would be able to go get it for him even if he had.
They walked towards the castle in silence for a few minutes holding hands when his three familiars flew up to him landing in their customary places one on each shoulder and one on his head.
Seeing the three sprites land on the boy ahead of her infuriated Aileen McMahon. "You aren't aloud any pets except a cat, an owl, a toad or a dog!" she shouted at the role breaking boy. "I'm going to report you."
Harry smiled a lopsided grin at the unknown girl. "Hi I'm Harry Potter. It's very nice to meet you miss….?"
Aileen was shocked the boy didn't seem to be repentant at all that he was going to be in trouble for having pets that weren't aloud but proper manners dictated part of her response. "McMahon. Aileen McMahon. Didn't you hear me you're going to be in so much trouble for having more than one pet and for having pets that aren't aloud."
Mia, Tia, and Lia smiled at the stupid girl when Harry responded. "OK, if you say so. The person to report rule violations to is Aingeal Murchadha. She's the assistant to the ardmháistir and the two deputy ardmháistir. Her office is on the first floor third door on the left from the main entrance." He added in aside to Aife "mum made me memorize that part. Said I'd probably be sent there often enough that I should save time and learn where it is early."
Aife giggled a musical giggle add the girl stormed her way towards the castle, presumably to Aingeal's office.
Deciding not to upset his mother by making her look for him he led Aife towards the castle and her office.
Just as Harry and Aife made it through the large front doors Aingeal stuck her head out of her door. "Just the person I was looking for Mr Potter. Step in here."
Harry had a hard time not laughing as he and Aife walked into her office and saw Aileen grinning at getting to see the role breaker getting into trouble.
"Now Mr Potter what is the meaning of this?" Aingeal asked in a hard voice.
"Well I figured you'd be board and could use some entertainment mum. Besides she is so sure she's right she wouldn't listen to my defense anyway. Well that and it gave me an excuse to come see you."
Harry grinned more and more as Aileen's face fell more and more until she got a furious expression. "You can't show favoritism to your children I'm going to report you to the ardmháistir."
Seeing that no matter what she told the stubborn girl she was going to the ardmháistir anyway she looked to Harry "I see what you ment." She got up walked to the side door knocked and opened it a bit. "Ma'am can I have a moment of your time on my office please?"
The ardmháistir of Scoil ar Draíocht was a relatively young woman for her position. But the board of governors had insisted that despite her 54 years of age that she was the most qualified to run the school. She had attended university to get her mastery in education and administration specifically towards running a school, from a muggle university. She had been running the school for three years now.
The ardmháistir stepped into the room saw the three first years and recognised Harry from her several visits to discuss plans for the school year with Aingeal. "Mr Potter, I thought we discussed you staying out of trouble. Why is it that you're here already?"
Harry smiled at her. She was strict but fair and so Harry liked her. "Well ma'am I'm here for having 'pets'" he sneared the weird pets " that aren't allowed. Mum's in trouble cause she's showing favoritism or that's what she's accused of anyway."
She liked Harry he seemed like a good kid so Ardmháistir Bree smiled and said "the school can't disallow familiars Miss McMahon."
Aileen fumed at this and in a barely respectful voice said "may I be excised ma'am?" receiving a nod she quickly left the room and just managed to not slam the door.
"Go explore Mr Potter. You too Miss O'Connell." The ardmháistir told them.
Quickly leaving the room Harry and Aife began to wander the large castle they still had about four hours until the feast started.
The outside of the castle was even more inviting than the outside. It had a homey feel to it and special care seemed to have been spent to make it beautiful. In an alcove but every window several plants with flowers were planted with a bench in front of it for sitting. On either side of the alcove was a suit of armor.
Each suit of armor had a beautiful scene painted on its shield. Legend said that the scenes were from a place that particular suit of armor had gone to battle. Each suit of armor was also spelled to act as a line of defence should the school be threatened. Each suit was well maintained.
Spaced throughout every hallway were paintings of beautiful landscapes. A little know fact was that each painting was done of a place a member of staff had gone to personally. The staff member that had gone there was also painted into the painting and they were in fact 'living' portraits. Students and staff could often be seen having conversations with the former staff members. They were always willing to help students, whether it be about the subject they had taught or just everyday life advise.
Throughout the hallways and each room were what appeared to be lightbulbs that were evenly placed. The lightbulb where in fact indents in the ceiling enchanted with permanent lumos spells to give the hallways a well lit warm inviting feeling unlike what could be accomplished with torches or candles.
Every classroom had several comfortable chairs, each behind a desk. Each classroom had a chalk board at the front of the room and to one side or the other at the front of the room had the teachers desk.
Attached to each classroom was a lab. Each lab was set up differently depending on the class taught. The potions lab had several two person desk s that was set higher than normal. Built into each desk were two devises that were similar to a Bronson burner with a stand for a cauldron. The transfiguration lab had several cabinets, filled with the various things that students would eventually transfigure, along each of the walls and several desks that were like the pontoons lab at a higher set up to be worked at standing.
The dining hall was a large room that held several eight person tables evenly spaced throughout most of the room. At the far end was a small platform with a podium facing the tables. Each table was covered in a white table cloth and had eight chairs. Eight places were set in front of each chair awaiting a meal. The dining hall was, like the rest of the school, well lit. Each wall seemed to show a view looking out from the castle in the direction that wall faced so it almost seemed that everyone was eating in the place the castle sat without the castle being there.
Harry and Aife walked around much of the school, stopping now or then for Aife to smell flowers, look at paintings or 'talk' to several creatures that could often be found in the flowery alcoves, most commonly small fairies.
Fairies, similar to sprites were small nearly nearly human looking. Often the only differences err their size and wings. Fairies however were even smaller than sprites at only about two inches tall. Fairies also had a tenancy to glow brightly.
Harry's familiars loved talking to their 'distant cousins'. They could often be seen pointing at Harry and squeaking away. Harry swore they looked smug when they did this. Almost like they were bragging.
As they were walking Harry and Aife also continued talking this time more about what each currently thought they wanted to do for a living once they grew up. Aife still wanted to be an animal healer like her dad. There was almost no pay but done of the sentient patients, like the sprites, often brought food or plants as a thank you. Aife also felt it would be a very emotionally rewarding career.
Harry still had no idea what he wanted to do however. He thought healing animals could be fun and agreed that it would probably an emotionally rewarding career, but want sure if just doing that would be enough for him, especially if he lived close to his best friend like he promised himself he would. Two or three people in the same area all planning to heal animals didn't leave much for any of them to do. So Harry figured that he could help Aife and her dad when they needed it but would need something else of his own. Now he just needed to find out what.
All to quickly according to Harry and Aife it was time for the welcoming feast. They made their way to the dining hall and found the table with Aingeal sitting at it still had the three seats to her right still open. So they quickly sat there with Harry next to his mum.
After the last seat was filled the ardmháistir rose from her seat at one of the tables and moved behind the podium on the stage. She raised her hand to get the room to silence and began "welcome to a new year and welcome new students. For you new students please be advised that your class advisors will be passing out a booklet of all the school rules. Each of you are expected to follow them and the excuse I didn't know will not help you. Some of you older students are advised to review the school rules as well. Your class advisors are the four staff members signed as the head of your year group. They will remain your advisors for your entire stay at this school. You should feel free to go to any one of your advisors with any questions or concerns. They will also lead your mandatory study sessions. For the two transfers from Hogwarts they perform the same functions as Hogwarts head of houses do. The first year's four advisors are Professors Clark, Gentry and Ironclaw as well as Miss Murchadha. Miss Murchadha is the advisor that is handling your year groups disciplining. If you have a discrepancy with her decision bring it to any of your other advisors and the four of them will meet and vote on the issue. That is all for now. Have a pleasant meal." With that each plate filled with a cut of roast, mashed potatoes, corn and two rolls as the ardmháistir moved back to her seat.