Chapter Text
Ominis just wanted to have some peace and quiet, so he had wandered off into the forbidden forest. As much as he loved his friend Sebastian, he couldn't help but be frustrated with him and his endeavours into dark magic. All Sebastian wanted to achieve was for his twin Anne to be well enough to come back to Hogwarts – Ominis knew that, but he feared that his friend would take a path which was all too similar to his families'.
Pondering over what he was going to say when he would try to talk some sense into Sebastian this evening he sat down on the cold and damp grass in the forbidden forest and leaned against the trunk of a big tree.
Ominis sighed. When would his friend finally come to realise that dark magic seemed to be harmless until it is not.
Suddenly he heard an unfamiliar sound, so he perked up and grabbed his wand to see what could have caused the disruption of his beloved peace. His heart started beating fast and he got increasingly nervous.
What if I wandered near a poacher's lair?, he thought to himself and tried to take some deep breaths to calm himself down a bit.
Again, a loud crack. Trampling? Centaurs? Ominis thoughts started racing. He knew that the mighty beasts were not to keen on seeing humans near or even worse inside the forbidden forest; especially since the poachers have really become a plague.
Ominis stood up and cast a disillusionment charm. Hopefully the Centaurs were too busy with whatever they were doing as to not pay attention to the glowing red dot, that his wand emitted. He quietly trailed back to where he came from, when he heard someone speaking. The tone was to soft for a centaur. Was it a human?, he thought now getting curious as to who was stupid enough to walk up to the protectors of all beasts.
He turned in his tracks and tried to get close enough is hear what was being said.
“What are you doing here human?, one of the centaurs – presumably the leader – asked the person standing in the middle of their circle. As far as Ominis could tell they had one hand up in the air and were holding something else with the other. Also were they bleeding?
Practically trollfood, Ominis thought to himself and was about to head back to Hogwarts, when he heard a female voice answering without a hint of fear: “I am really sorry to just barge into your forest unannounced but I happened upon a Poacher Camp and they had this little guy captured. So I tried to sneak in and rescue it but I got caught and well.... at least it is unharmed.”
She happened upon a what? She tried to do what? Alone? And how is she even alive? Ominis started bouncing lightly on the balls of his feet. Just listening to the story made his stomach turn. As much as he found the sentiment admirable – even though he would never say so out loud – he couldn't help but to feel like this young woman has lost her mind.
“And so you brought the Puffskein here to...”
“...to ask if you would have a place for it to stay and maybe make some Puffskein friends?”, the female voice finished the Centaur's sentence.
Silence.
That's it, Ominis thought to himself, sure that she must have really gone insane.
Then, the Leader started to laugh. It was an honest and deep sound, which instantly made the air around them feel less tense.
“You have the heart of a Hippogriff, what is your name young lady?”, he asked still chuckling.
“I am Hazel, Hazel Scamander”, she answered proudly.
“Well Hazel Scamander, I will take that Puffskein of your hands now. And please see to your own injury when you leave the forest”, the Centaur answered her and took the little furball from her hands.
I really need to go, or I'll definitely be seen!, Ominis thought to himself and hurried back to Hogwarts and into the Slytherin common-room.
“That's were you are!!”, Sebastian exclaimed. “I have been searching all over for you! Don't think I will suffer through the sorting-ceremony all by myself.”, he added and began walking towards the great hall.
Damn. I totally forgot about it! That was precisely why I hid in the forbidden forest in the first place!, Ominis scolded himself. Because of this girl, he had pushed the annoying ceremony out of his mind. Hours of sitting, silence, clapping and waiting for all the first-years to be sorted into their houses. The other Slytherins took pride in their house so they bet on who would join them based on first impressions. Even if Ominis wasn't blind he wouldn't want to participate, as he wanted to be anything but a Slytherin. He would never be able to not be one though.....
“Hello?! I am talking to you!”, Sebastian shook his shoulder and forced him to come back to reality. As expected, the ceremony was long. Ominis tried his hardest not to fall asleep pinching his cheeks to stay awake.
Just as he was about to lose the battle against his heavy eyelids the big doors to the great hall swung open. The crowd grew quiet and Headmaster Black walked past them and exited the hall.
“What is going on?”, Ominis asked Sebastian who seemed to be significantly more exited now that he was just a minute ago.
“That must be the new fifth-year. They arrived late is seems. You think they'll be Slytherin?”, Sebastian stated.
“Well I don't know but we'll see. Headmaster Black is coming back!”, Ominis answered and quickly turned his attention back to the podium. Now that was a lot more to his liking that the standard ceremony.
“Is seems we have one more to sort.”, Headmaster Black told Professor Weasley and the new student sat down to have the Sorting-hat placed on their head.
“I don't think she'll be a Slytherin this one”, Imelda decided and flicked her tongue.
So she was a girl., Ominis thought to himself.
“Why not?”, he then asked in order to receive a little more information he could't pick up with just his wand.
“She looks way to soft to be a Slytherin. I bet on her being a Hufflepuff. Neither her hair nor her robes are straight. Looks like she just went through the ringer; nothing elegant about her.”, Imelda explained her assessment.
Slowly it dawned on Ominis. Don't tell me that is the girl I saw in the forest?, he thought but before he could really grasp the situation the Sorting-hat loudly exclaimed: “HUFFLEPUFF!!!” and the table next to him erupted with applause.
Imelda made some remark about how amazing she was and then the ceremony was finally over.
Tired Ominis got up. “I'll head back to the common-room. We need to be up at the crack of dawn for Herbology tomorrow”, he explained Sebastian who let his excuse slide and turned around to the other Slytherins to discuss the new student.
Just as Ominis was about to leave the great hall he heard the voice of Poppy Sweeting excitedly welcome said new student, so he decided to walk along the wall to the other side of the hall just to hear if the voice matched to one in the forest.
When he passed the two girls speaking he just heard “...oh, thank you! Nice to meet you Poppy. I am Hazel Scamander! Glad to hear you love magic beasts as well!”, before he finally left the great hall.