Taking Chances and Making Changes
Authors Note - This story is an AU. It follows canon events up until the end of Prisoner and beginning of Goblet.
Disclaimer - I own nothing except my OC's. Everything else belongs to JK Rowling. Basically, if you recognise it from the books/films then it is not mine.
Hayley Liliana Potter had never had a loving or caring family growing up and so when she became 11 and was on her journey to Hogwarts she immediately trusted the first people that showed her any real act of kindness this she went along with what they told her about the wizarding world.
After arriving at Hogwarts, she had originally wanted to do well in her studies but felt that if she did too well she would lose Ronald as a friend due to his laid-back attitude towards his studies and education. So, she followed his example and did average in her studies and followed his example about who she should and shouldn't associate with due to either their house or their family name. She continued this throughout her first, second and third years. When it came to choosing her electives for third year she once again followed Ron's example and choose the less challenging subjects.
At the end of her third year just before he left the school, one of her parent's close friends and that years Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, Remus Lupin told her that she didn't have to hold herself back on her friend's behalf and that she didn't have to follow the expectations that others had of her and if she wanted to she could forge her own path.
