Lucius listened to Albus' request for his assitance in expiditing the Dept of Mysteries lending the 'Mirror of Erised' to Hogwarts. He was quite curious about the need for it, but the Headmaster would only say it was 'to guard something'. Severus was not there to give any clues, so Lucius acquiesed with only a few protests, determined to get more information later. He vaguely remembered hearing of the mirror, but could not remember the context.

The Dept of Mysteries tended to be rather ... um ... unimpressed by bribes, threats, infilitration or all Lucius' usual methods of 'hurrying things along'. However they did tend to favor 'old pals' ... like Arthur and Hugo. Albus likely could have done this himself, if he'd bent his mind to it, but Lucius was just as happy to have Albus 'owe him one'.

Lucius stopped at Hugo's office, who looked actually happy to see Lucius. An unnerving experience – having Hugo clap him on the shoulder and eagerly ask after 'the lads'. Lucius recovered after a stunned moment and then answered and was soon boasting about Draco and Harry's 'leading the pack' in Potions and Herbology skills and 'usually tops' in DADA.

Hugo was grilling him closely on Tom's classes and 'how he was doing?' when they arrived at Arthur's new and much larger office. Lucius sneered a condescending demand for Arthur to come with them to the Department of Mysteries.

The occupants of Arthur's Dept. - that of 'Muggle Affairs' listened with excited awe. The Department of Mysteries was a rather exclusive area that few were allowed into. Being invited ... well, ordered to accompany Lucius Malfoy and the renowned Hugo Savage there was an rare privelage.

Arthur agreed, not sure whether to don an annoyed look to make Lucius happy or to look pleased. He decided Lucius would be suspicious if he wasn't pleased by this, and let himself smile happily. Lucius looked a little annoyed and that made Arthur chuckle a bit. Hugo's merry eyes met his in understanding. Dragging a pouting Lucius Malfoy down the path of light could be irritating unless one decided to make a game of it – as Arthur apparantly had.

Arthur muttered a bit about the 'stacks of paperwork' and piles of muggle things needing unhexing or uncharming. "But he'd happily stay after work for a chance to see the Department of Mysteries." This made Lucius sneer a bit more happily, and Arthur smirked a little, himself.

Hugo knew the quickest way into the Dept of Mysteries. Arthur and Lucius followed the spry old Auror there. Arthur looked around the Dept with extreme interest, nodding and smiling at the wizards and witches he knew that worked there. Lucius' eyes darted around as well, trying to appear cool and unsurprised.

Hugo obviously knew many of them, by size of the huddle grouped around him eagerly chatting. Hugo waved a hand at Lucius and Arthur a few times, drawing dubious looks in their direction. A large, ornate mirror covered with a cloth was finally dragged out. This was accompanied by more hand waving and resentful looks by some of the wizards.

One elderly witch finally stomped over and waved a small, age-spotted fist under Arthur and Lucius' nose.

"The mirror shouldn't be at that school, where children might find it!" She shrilled. "It's dangerous, I tell you. Whatever that old schemer is plotting – I'm not happy with it!"

Lucius nodded vigourously in agreement, and a wry smile twisted his lips. She was, after all, likely quite right and he thoroughly agreed with her assessment of the Headmaster.

Arthur nodded as well, struck mute by someone attacking the Head of the Wizengamot's plans. Arthur was fairly sure that Albus always had everyone's best interests at heart, after all. Arthur frowned a bit. Of course not everyone seemed to appreciate Albus' taking a hand in things.

At last the elderly warlock who appeared to be in charge verbally washed his hands of any potential mishaps with the mirror, saying 'It was on that twinkling twit's head, now', and turned the mirror over to the three of them.

"Just remember not to use much magic on it – no shrinking charms or the like. Portkeys and levitation are bad enough!" the old wizard stomped off, leaving the rest to wave goodbye to the three.

Hugo lead the way, the giant mirror hovering behind him, with Lucius and Arthur ambling at the back, to apologize to anyone knocked into by the menace. Arthur conjured a parchment to send a message to his employees.

"Don't tell them we're taking anything from the Dept. Of Mysteries to the school ... just say you need to take a message from them to the Headmaster." Lucius advised. "After all..." Lucius smirked, "... he did say 'tell the twinkling twit the mishaps are on his head'."

Arthur answered with a huff. "I'm not telling him that – you can." And promptly felt an imaginary trap snap shut and shook his head, while Lucius smiled evilly at the thought of calling Albus a twinkling twit to his face with no possibility of reproach ... he was just relaying a message, after all.

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Jarvis Pucey had looked forward to being assigned a particular lecture to give all seven classes, not to mention being given access to books and journals of the founders that he was sure had not been seen since the statute of secrecy had been instituted.

In the end he had enough material for a whole week of lectures and had asked to bring the sorting hat to the classroom 'to help verify things'.

Jarvis fiddled with papers nervously while the first years sat. He cleared his throat and started.

"I intend to give you some history on the sorting hat and the start of the four houses of Hogwarts. I have brought the sorting hat, itself. It can verify or elaborate on anything you may find confusing." He took a deep breath and plunged in.

"The four founders started the school with mostly older magical children – ages fourteen and fifteen and some older than that. At the start, families were reluctant to send younger children to a boarding type school. They prefered to teach the basics at home, and, of course muggleborns were difficult to persuade at times – many were disowned by families when they said they were intending to persue their magical skills. So, of course, it was many times older muggleborns – running away from families - that came to the school.

"Hogsmeade was started partly to house those that were having to restart their lives in the wizarding world. The biggest problem the founders faced was the wild disparity in their students. There were those who had had tutors from infancy to those who could not read or write. Those who had never seen a wand to those who were already quite proficient in magic. Of course there were many branches of magic and most wizards or witches only knew one or two. The reason for the school in the first place was to allow wizards and witches to be able to learn all types of magic – charm and potions and transfiguration, etc. Instead of only knowing just whatever your family was able to teach you."

"The founders and their teachers tried splitting the students many different ways over the first few years – by ability, by area of origin, by interest. Nothing really worked and they really needed to organize better. Housing the students in the castle was more complex than they expected – they couldn't just bunk them anywhere, a certain amount of monitoring was needed and separation of they boys and girls."

"According to Helga Hufflepuffs' own journal from that time the need became even more acute, as younger children finally started arriveing. So, one summer the four decided they needed to make a decision and solve the problem. They did decide on four dorms that they would name after each of the founders as that would divide the students into more managable groups. They had fun picking colors and animal mascots, then they had to decide how they would divide them up in the first place – which was the main problem to begin with."

"They decided to use the qualities each valued and wished to teach their students to value. Helga chose loyalty. She was the only 'pureblood' of the four founders..." At this there were some loud exclamations, making Jarvis smile in sympathy. "Pureblood at that time meant that all your grandparents were magical. Rowena was a muggleborn daughter of famous spanish scholars who were not adverse to having a magical daughter. She was tutored by some local witches they knew and she married an equally impressive British wizard known for his large library."

There were hesitant chuckles at this, though they braced themselves for what was likely next.

"Godric was the son of a witch who was a fairly famous potions-maker and a warlord that had taken over the land where she lived. Godric was a second son and had made his fortune winning battles using formidable skills as both a warrior and a warlock." Jarvis took a deep breath knowing the worst was to come. "Salazar Slytherin was the son of a skilled warlock who lived in the fens. He had married a priestess from a nearby temple – one of the few left from the Romans. It was small and had escaped the notice of others – mostly because they had quite a few witches and excellent wards. This priestess was not a witch, but she was rumored to be either a maened or sylph – or perhaps was the daughter of one." He sighed at the stunned looks on the various students who were trying to assimilate all this.

"Anyway, Helga prized loyalty, Godric bravery, Rowena knowledge, Salazar cunning." Jarvis continued. "Godric insisted on finding a charm to 'sort' the students. Helga says he teased the others unmercifully about how he would do this. They finally found out what he planned on the day school resumed. Godric announced to the students that they would be sorted into 'houses' and took off his hat – which he had been applying charms and potions to for weeks – and all the students were sorted, for the first time - twelve years after the school opened."

Jarvis looked out over the somewhat slack-jawed students and smiled. He'd been surprised by the accounts he'd read as well – especially the extrodinary camaderie that seemed to be present between all four of them. Godric and Salazar had seemed to be the very best of friends.

Not to mention that Helga Hufflepuff seemed to be very much in charge of things.

"There are still families that can trace their origins to these times. Once the Houses settled in, many magical families sponsered muggleborn wizards that were sorted into their House and helped them 'find their way' in the magical world. Did any of you find that your family started at about this time?" Jarvis hoped that someone had done their assignment.

Harry raised his hand eagerly, along with a few others and Jarvis called on him with relief. Harry stood, proud that he'd been able to sort through all those family books and charts and nightmarishly convoluted family trees (with Draco's help) and had tracked down the original 'Potter'.

"The original Potter came to Hogwarts in the year 998. Sorting had already started – he was the son of a potter and a 'hedge-witch', so he was not considered exactly muggleborn – but perhaps a half-blood. He was a middle child of about seven or eight children." Harry grinned in mischief. "He was sorted into Hufflepuff and had resolved to make his fortune as a wizard. He was sponsered by one of the pureblood families there – by the name of Abbott." Harry smiled happily at the surprised face of Hannah. "He combined his knowledge of pottery and magic – started making potions vials and his children invented some of the first unbreakable charms."

Harry sat and Draco nodded in satisfaction. Digging back to one's beginnings was dicey work – one never knew what one would find. But no matter what your origins, if you could find your way all the way back to the founders times you could hold your head up.

The Hufflepuffs in the class were perking up considerably. Helga was of more importance that anyone had guessed – and the original Potter had been a Hufflepuff. Things were looking up.

Jarvis turned to the sorting hat. "I'll be continuing this lecture most of the week, I hope that I've been accurate so far, Mr. Hat?"

"Quite so, quite so." The hat said cheerfully. "But one must remember that sometimes you are sorted not because you have that houses qualities – but because you need to learn those qualities. Many of the muggleborns of the earlier times had lost their families – they had been shown no loyalty by them and needed their house to show them loyalty still existed. Many people of the time of the founders scorned learning – took pride in the fact they could not even read – and they needed to learn the value of knowledge. All the Houses have something to offer and picking out what each child has the most need for can be hard work, I can tell you." The Hat chortled happily as each child wondered about their own sorting, now.

Jarvis relaxed once the sorting hat made it clear that Jarvis had not gotten anything wrong. "I'd like everyone to bring an essay on their family history with them to the next class. This means the Muggleborns as well – everyone can learn something from their past."

Jarvis dismissed the class and sat with a sigh. Professor Binns watched the young man with a smile. He could barely remember his own first years as a teacher – centuries ago. He'd thought he could happily teach forever. But now that he'd memorized his lectures it was harder to keep the interest alive – incuding his own - and deliver the knowledge with any sort of liveliness in his voice. He realized, suddenly, that he was tired of it all.

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Tom happily charged down the trail into Hogsmeade. It was almost Halloween and they were finally turning the older students loose to vent some energy in town. Dora was free today as well and he couldn't wait to see her.

He slowed as he approached the Three Broomsticks, smoothing down his robes and hair and trying to slow his breathing. Looking like a hooligan wouldn't impress her. He walked in with something approaching decorum, though, once he saw her he rushed up and pulled her into a heated kiss. He let go of her and flushed when he realized there was a great deal of hooting and catcalling from the rest of the pub.

Dora pulled Tom into a booth as he waved off a round of applause from the other seventh year Gryffindors seated in a booth across the room. "Roommates. What a pain they can be." Tom muttered to her.

Dora glanced at the eagerly watching faces. They had been younger and in a different house from her, but she recognized them as being a bunch that she remembered as not-too-bad, just loud and a bit brash typical Gryffindors.

She turned back to her boyfriend. "Poor Tom, I was quite shocked to hear you'd not been put in Slytherin House. Though with that 'throwing myself in front of an exploding cauldron to save Harry' stunt – perhaps I shouldn't be so surprised." Dora relaxed a bit, basking in Tom's faintly adoring gaze. She'd worried and fretted over Tom's latest letters – full of admiration for the oh-so knowledgable Heather Black. She'd sent several letters to her mother, trying to find out who this girl was. But Andromeda had not known of any Heather Blacks in the remnants of the Noble House of Black.

She'd missed Tom terribly at the academy. They kept her busy, luckily. The investigative techniques they were learning was fascinating. She'd been relieved, though, to not see much of Rufus – he was teaching upper year students advanced spellwork.

"Our new History of Magic assistant professor has set the kneazle among the jarveys with his series of lectures on the sorting hat and how it came to be." Tom smirked mischeviously. "There had been a flurry of mail between students, parent and teachers. Everyone is in an uproar." Tom briefly thought that it had put him in an uproar as well – he was supposed to write about his family history – now he had to decide what to put down.

"Is it so very controversial?" Dora asked in surprise.

"The sorting hat itself – not so much. It's that he's uncovered that fact that only Helga Hufflepuff was a pureblood – there was apparantly a great deal of information in some journals of the founders and others from that era." Tom watched Dora choke a bit with a smile. "And he'd having everyone 'do an essay' on their families origins. I imagin there is some scrambling to cover up some less that illustrious ancestors, though Harry promptly stood and announced that the original Potter was just that – a potter, and he was sponsered by the Abbott family. Since it was in 998 and he studied under the founders it hardly matters, but it will perhaps encourage others to not be reticent about their origins."

"Perhaps it would help if some of these journals were printed for publication." Dora said thoughtfully. "People could read it all for themselves."

Tom nodded agreeably. "Jarvis Pucey is intending to apply to the governors to start work on Helga Hufflepuff's first. It will need to be 'translated' from the very old English, and of course not everything is all that fascinating – he said she runs on at length about obscure plants or the particular rocks for each section of castle, etc."

Dora grinned, "Some would find that fascinating as well."

Tom smiled in return. It was good to be here, he rarely felt so at ease talking with anyone. He could count on his fingers – with some left over – the people he could speak so freely with. And that included Yvane.

"Harry and Draco are on the secondary string of Quidditch players. They get to practice on weekends, so they will be ready next year." Tom recounted Marcus Flint's plan to get a jump on next years empty places on the Slytherin team.

Dora shuddered delicately. "He always seemed to be a little creepy. And his family..." Dora gave Tom a grimacing frown. Even though he'd been sorted Gryffindor, Tom was partial to the Slytherins – and of course firmly behind his guardian – the Slytherin Head of House.

But Tom nodded, "Yes, he's exactly how you would expect a young Death Eater in training to look. And if Evan Rosier didn't open his mouth to tell everyone his favorite methods of torture, everyone thought him 'charming'. Looks can be decieving." He shrugged. "The Flint family does have their fair share of Voldemort sympathisers. Sev says they're fence-sitting at the moment and the only thing Marcus ever has on his mind is Quidditch – so Harry's safe enough from him."

They continued their conversation over lunch. Dora reassured Tom that beyond one or two long, considering looks, Rufus generally ignored her. Tom shrugged, he was sure that they hadn't heard the last of Rufus.

Dora smiled mischeviously. "Did you hear where Umbridge landed?" She giggled while Tom's eye's lit in anticipation. He was hoping she was shoveling out stalls for some blast-ended skrewts. "The head of the Department of Improper use of Magic - Mafalda Hopkirk – Well, her assistant – Pious Thickness took Umbridge on as a secretary. She's related to him in some manner or other. He is one of the most obnoxiously exacting people – takes obsessive-compulsive to a whole new level. Hope he drives her batty."

Tom nodded in agreement, but was privately worried. He didn't like it that she was still in the Magical Law enforcement offices in any manner whatsoever. They finished their meal and Rosemerta waved off Tom's attempt to pay with an indulgent smile. She'd worried that they would drift apart, and she liked Dora.

Tom and Dora wandered down the street of shops with Tom's roommates trailing them to make a few more catcalls. They scattered once Dora listed off stalking charges they could be making. Tom snickered and remarked that an Auror girlfriend was useful.

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