4Title: Year 1: Proof Of the Grey Jackal
Day/Theme: 21. look underneath
Series: Harry Potter
Summary: In which, the Sorting Hat gives Neville surprising, yet utterly damning news.
Character(s): Blaise Zabini, Neville Longbottom, Minerva McGonagall, Sorting Hat.
Date: 17/10/2010
-.-.-.-
"Longbottom, Neville" Professor McGonagall, announced to the rest of the Great Hall.
Stricken out of his daze, Neville jumped straight out of line and promptly tripped over himself when he heard his name.
As the Sorting Hat fell over his eyes, Neville could only pray that wherever he was going, it would be far away from that crazy god, or whatever it was, from the train.
"Well, I don't know about that. The Judge of the Dead usually goes where he will." The hat interjected amiably.
Despite the hat's intentions of calming the boy down, the chills going up and down Neville's spine seemed to multiply when he realized that the Sorting Hat didn't seem bothered by the fact that the was an evil something about to be sorted into Hogwar-
… did he just say Judge of the Dead?
Sensing Neville's rising stress level, the Sorting Hat decided to intervene quickly. "If it makes you feel better, he usually goes into Ravenclaw. Although, with the way he was acting on the train I dare say Slytherin might be in his future this time."
The future Gryffindor may have wanted to scream for any of the other two options, but his curiosity got the best of him, despite his pending anxiety. "Does he always do this?"
"This? Oh, you mean corner you into helping out? I…don't really know. You don't really come through Hogwarts whenever you visit the Isles, my lord."
That statement struck Neville cold. "You think, I'm this Wipwiwat character, too?"
"Wepwawet, my lord. And, it's not that I think you are; I can see it. It's all here, tucked away, ready for you to find. You just need to look."
The chubby boy felt faint. It was true? Well, OK he certainly believed that the boy on the train was some freaky evil god of Ancient Times, but he had hoped he had been wrong about him. Neville knew he wasn't anything special. His whole life, his family had been half scared about him being a squib-
"Well, that and little Ms. Trelawney told me all about your prophecy, back when I was sorting her."
"Prophecy?" The future Gryffindor decided, there and then, that the world hated him. Hard.
"Yes, indeed. Strange girl, that one. Didn't even remember afterwards, you know? Heavens, I'd tell you about it, but sortings are supposed to be secret. Prophecy or no."
"Oh?" Neville had a sudden vision of throwing away the hat and running into the sunset. So far away that he wouldn't have to deal with the unfairness of perpetually secret prophecies, nasty gods or the possibility of dying while keeping Harry 'safe' from He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.
"Yes, well, on with your sorting, my lord. We mustn't dawdle."
Yes, Neville mused, keeping something as scary as Anubis waiting probably wasn't a good idea.
Neville's tummy rumbled quietly.
…especially, on an empty stomach.
"No Slytherin and no Ravenclaw, then? I agree, they probably would have been bad fits for you; on to the next house, then. Seems that you have the makings of a good team player and I see that you are a very loyal person, indeed. However, Hufflepuff isn't for you. Yes, yes, right here. I can see that though you can work well with others, you do cherish having time for yourself."
"However, you do seem to possess a quiet courage. Hmmm…yes, I think that would do well until you find your feet again. Yes, indeed. GRYFFINDOR!"
-.-.-.-
As Zabini watched Longbottom make a fool of himself by forgetting to take of the hat, he focused his attention on the boy in front of him. He couldn't see who the kid was, all he knew was that he had vibrant red hair and apparently had brothers in Gryffindor …a Weasley?
Anubis quietly observed the students around to see if anyone was checking. He didn't quite see how this was of any interest to anyone where any of these brats ended up; they had plenty of time to get to know them during the year, anyway.
Back to the point, no one was even looking in their direction. Blaise felt his mouth water, he could eat the blood traitor, in front of him, and no one would even notice. He was hungry.
Remembering himself, Zabini wrinkled his nose, "…blood traitor trash shouldn't smell this edible."
"Weasley, Ronald!"
The boy walked towards the stool. Zabini blinked as he noticed that he had been caught within his thoughts the whole time.
And, that was how Ron survived the night…
-.-.-.-
Omake:
"Zabini, Blaise!" McGonagall intoned at last.
Finally, it was his turn.
"I know it's a sore subject for you, but…he will remember you again. He just needs time." The hat started to tell him in a consoling manner.
Anubis remained quiet for a moment. "…Hat, it's been a while since I have judged the living; however, I am willing to settle for a compromise. You will sort me and let me run along to dinner or I will eat you. Your choice."
"…touchy…"
"Hat with ragu it is then!" Zabini intoned in a mock cheerful manner.
-.-.-.-
AN: Bad Anubis, bad! Silly jackal, people and hats are not food or dead carcasses…OK, so maybe they could be, but you're human now! So, big NO-NO!
Anubis is one of the few gods that were worshipped throughout the entirety of Ancient Egyptian history.
He was originally a god of death that took care of the King and his family during the Old Kingdom (his name is thought to mean 'Royal Child'), and popular with the masses when that ended. In some areas of the Empire his cult was thought to rival Osiris's.
Somehow, he changed parents so often that he ended up having a war god father giving him a war god aspect which he lost after the Reunification, and then went right back to being a deity to things consistently related to death (mummification, judgment of souls, Lord of Duat, etc.).
After the Reunification, Anubis and Wepwawet (or Upuat/ Upuaut) started to be confused with each other, and at one point were believed to be aspects of each other (which happened much too often to the frustration of many Ancient Egyptian theologians).
After much consideration, some scholars have come to believe that while both Anubis and Wepwawet shared duties such as being gods of death, as well as, the guides and protectors of the dead, they had authority over different areas of Duat (pronounced 'Doo Wah'), the Egyptian Underworld before you get to heaven or hell.
Occasionally, the title of Opener of Ways was also shared by the two. However, Anubis was restricted to opening a safe path souls through Duat for the dearly departed, while Wepwawet would not only have said power (only for a different zip code) but also be capable of granting safe passage in the living world and leading one to enlightenment.
In conclusion, Anubis was a fickle, son of a heifer (yes, his original mom was a cow goddess) about everything that didn't have to do with death.