Ascendancy

Chapter 4

"You are joking right? Because there is no way in hell i am going to pretend to be a student! It is absolutely ludicrous! Me? A student? People are outrightly going to deny it. Do you even know how old i am because i am certainly not sixteen or seventeen!" Nikephoros bellowed slightly hoping that the two wizards standing across from her were merely joking.

"Then how old are you Nikephoros? Because you certainly do look around sixteen or seventeen." Dippet said with an incredulous expression on his face at Nikephoros's statement.

"Oh Socrates! Yes,ummmm I apologise for-for my previous outburst. I might have overlooked the fact that I don't look quite much old. As of my age, it is not the matter of concern Armando. But really, a student! There has to be something else, some other way to introduce me to the present wizarding world." Nikephoros sighed, quitely changing the topic from her age to her introduction to wizarding world. There was no way she could tell them her secret or rather her family's secret on there ageing process. But of course, Dumbledore had noticed her attempt on change of course of discussion and Nikephoros knew it. She was relieved by the fact that he did not try to press on the subject any further.

"Not unless you wish to draw attention on yourself. You look too young to be a professor. The best shot we have got is to introduce you as a student who was home-schooled up until now."

"And I had thought my life couldn't get any more exciting." Nikephoros commented sarcastically absolutely disliking the idea. And who wouldn't. Something that she had already learnt by the age of eleven and much more in fact, it was preposterous to repeat it again.

"Now that its settled, Professor Dumbledore will accompany you to diagon alley to get you your school robes and other necessaries needed for sixth year tomorrow." Armando spoke ignoring her previous comment. "As for now, you can stay at Hogwarts guest chamber but once you have been sorted into a house, you will be required to stay with your housemates in your respective house. Lunch will be served in about two hours at the great hall. Our care-taker Rancorous Carpe will have the room prepared. The start of the year will be on September the first which is two days from now. Well, i guess that's all for now."

There was a loud knock on the door as Dippet finished his rant.

"Enter." Armando squeaked. "Ah Rancorous, if you will please escort Ms. Wharncliffis to the guest chamber and do show her the great hall on your way."

"Thank you.... for everything." And with a nod of respect to the two wizards she exited the headmaster's office, following the care-taker Rancorous. They walked through some corridors which Nikephoros found familiar and few unfamiliar ones. One thing that she loved about herself was how quick she was in learning new routes. There was no way in hell she would forget a path once she has treaded over, even though it was fifty years ago. To her a new road meant a new mystery. She would take different routes every time to reach the same destination because to her it was learning and learning was something she always welcomed.

Finally they reached a huge portrait of a warrior on his knight with a sword blade in one hand and a flag of peace in the other. The warrior was in a battlefield. Nikephoros was suddenly reminded of her own time. The blood, destruction, death; she hated everything about wars. And yet they had to be fought to establish good over evil, they had to be fought for a better future. To show the coming generations that what they have today, the freedom, the good was because of the sacrifices that many made years ago. Wars had to be fought to establish a balance between good and evil. She still remembered what her elder brother Theodosios had told her once 'Too much good is not good.' Even though it was merely a simple sentence, the meaning held behind it was as deep as the middle of the ocean. She missed her brother and there dueling. There was no doubt that Theodosios was an exceptionally remarkable warrior.