Prologue

HOGWARTS SCHOOL

Of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc. Chf. Warlock,

Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Ms. Evena ,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall,

Deputy Headmistress

She clutched her head in agony as she stared at the letter. She couldn't take anymore news. A teardrop fell on the letter staining the "h" in "Hogwarts." After the news she had gotten yesterday, this was torture. Dumbledore and McGonagall were old friends, but how could they even consider this after yesterday? Were they trying to be comforting in the wrong way, or were they just insensitive?

Should she consider going? Or should she stay in mourning? She took a deep breath in hopes of calming herself. It didn't work. Her head still hurt and her heart continued to pound in fear. The bruises she had obtained in yesterday's fight gave agonizing pain.

"Ow!" She cried out as the owl poked her anticipating her reply. She couldn't think. All she wanted to do was cry. She found a pen and paper and scribbled quickly:

Professor McGonagall,

Thank you for the letter. I accept your invitation gladly. I shall be at Hogwarts September 1.

Thank you,

Skye Evena

What had made her accept? She had no idea. Her head hadn't been working right, that was why. She had been rushed and wanted to get rid of that damn owl. Now she sat alone in an empty train compartment, on her way to a new school. Skye clutched her head in misery. Her headache hadn't gone away, and her body still hurt from the bruises.

After receiving her letter, she had ordered on of her servants to get her the books and robes, since she hadn't been able to get out of the house. The books, Skye discovered, were rather simple and consisted of things she had learned many years before. So going to Hogwarts would probably be a waste of time. Oh well. It's not like she would be more comfortable at home, with only the servants.

When Skye's mother Adelina had been with her, it had been a cheerful house. But after Adelina had died, the house darkened, and the maids hung black draperies and black furniture. They had replaced Skye's bright wardrobe with one full of black clothes of mourning. She was wearing that right now. She had on a long black dress that split in between her breasts and to her belly button. Underneath she had on her black platform boots. She covered her clawed hands with black gloves and covered her ears with a black hat. The fact that she was wearing skin enhanced her pale skin and white blond hair. Her pitch black eyes, soulless eyes, a friend had once said, were her best feature.

And although she couldn't stand the black dress, she was forced to endure it, for it symbolized respect for her dead mother. Although Skye wasn't sure that Adelina would want her daughter to be so depressed for her sake. The compartment door slid open, blasting Skye out of her thoughts.

Three people walked in, two males and one female. The female had bushy brown hair and brown eyes. One of the males was tall and lanky, with red hair and dark eyes. The other boy had unruly black hair and emerald eyes that were covered by round glasses. He had a lightening shaped scar on his forehead that was barely visible through his hair. The trio hesitated, then stepped in and sat on the seat across from Skye. The girl introduced herself and her companions.

"Hello, I'm Hermione Granger, this is Ron Weasley and this is Harry Potter. Pleased to meet you." Hermione stuck out her hand. Skye's eyebrow arched slightly at both hearing Harry Potter's name and at the girl sticking out her hand. Skye stared at it for a second and then took it in her own.

"May I ask for your name?" Hermione said.

"Skye Evena ."

"How come I've never seen you around school before? You seem pretty big to be a first year." Ron said, if a bit rudely.

"Ron!" Hermione hissed.

"This is my first year at Hogwarts but I'll be going into sixth year."

"Is that possible?" Harry finally spoke.

"Oh, well of course Harry." Hermione replied matter-of-factly. She went into a discussion on the history of Hogwarts which Skye wasn't very interested to hear so she got up to change into her robes. When she came back, she discovered the trio was still talking so she decided to look for another compartment. She slid a partially open door all the way but discovered three boys sitting there.

One was blond, with grey eyes and pale skin. The other two were both brown eyed and brown haired and were extremely fat and looked stupid.

"How dare you open our compartment without knocking?" the blond one asked.

"Sorry, I thought it was empty." Skye muttered. Were all kids like him, this unpleasant? The boy frowned at her.

"Who are you anyway? I've never seen you before. Why are you making a big appearance now?"

"It's my first year at Hogwarts." Skye said shortly.

"Well, you're pretty big for a first year."

"Yes, well, I'll be going into sixth year." The boy arched his eyebrows.

"Really? I didn't think that was possible." He stuck out his hand.

"I'm Draco Malfoy." Skye shook his hand.

"Skye Evena ."

"Sorry for being so rude. I was just surprised."

"Oh, don't mind. I'm sorry for not knocking. Goodbye." She turned around, expecting to leave but that was not so as Draco grabbed her hand.

"Oh no, stay."

"No, I wouldn't want to intrude."

"Oh, you're not intruding at all." Skye didn't know what he was up to, but maybe he really liked her? A friend would be a great thing to have in a new school. Skye sat down next to Malfoy and realized she felt a little uncomfortable.

"So, your parents were our kind, weren't they?"

"I don't know what my dad was. He disappeared when I was little. And my mom is half-witch." Draco looked like he had tasted a lemon.

"And the other half was muggle, I suppose."

"Not at all." Skye put down her hood. Draco gasped as he saw her cat ears.

"Demon, actually."

"That's amazing. I heard that demons were extremely magical and that they're physically strong too." "That's true, yes."

"Wow, how lucky. Do you know what house you're going to be in?"

"I have no idea; but I couldn't care less."

"Hmmm. Well, all the houses are pretty good. Except for Hufflepuff. If I was picked to be in that house, I'd leave wouldn't you?"

"I don't know, maybe." Skye said glumly. She liked Draco, but she was beginning to see him arrogant and that if she was put in Hufflepuff, he would hate her.

"And you're in Slytherin?" She asked, pointing to his robes.

"Yes. My family has been in Slytherin for as long as anyone can remember. Did your mother come to Hogwarts?"

"Yes, she did."

"Do you know what house she was in?"

"Adelina was in Ravenclaw." Skye said softly.

"Yes, those in Ravenclaw have brilliant minds. Not that I like them." He laughed. "Your father?" "Hmmm, as a matter of fact, I think he did."

"What house?"

"Slytherin, I think."

"So do you think you'll be in Slytherin?"

"I don't know. Maybe. I'll find out as soon as I get there." For the rest of the train ride Skye and Draco talked. Draco said many things and Skye mostly nodded along, offering few details from her life. Suddenly, the train came to a stop.

"Time to go." Draco and his pals stood up. When they got off the train Draco said "See you inside." Skye was technically a first year and therefore she had to go across the river in the boats with the half-giant Hagrid. After they arrived across, Hagrid let them in and the first years climbed a few flights of stairs and finally arrived at a pair of closed doors.

A stern looking old woman was standing in front of them and Skye's first thought was that this was not someone to cross.

"Welcome to Hogwarts." She said. "My name is Professor McGonagall. In a short while you shall join your classmates for the feast but first you will have to be sorted into your houses. The sorting is very important because while you are at Hogwarts, your house will be like your family. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in the same house dormitory, and share the same common room. The four houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn you points, while any rule-breaking will lose points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points wins the house cup, a great honor. The sorting ceremony will take place in a few moments in front of the rest of the school." She disappeared through the huge doors and in two minutes she was back with a scroll in her hand.

"We are ready for you now." She said. The first year group walked through the large doors and Skye was amazed at how big the place was. There were four large tables and the ceiling was bewitched to look like the sky.

"Now, when I call your name, you shall sit on this stool and I shall place the sorting hat on your head and it will call out your house." The old lady looked at the scroll in her hand.

"Appolline Smeith."

A frightened looking brunette stumbled on her way to the stool. Professor McGonagall placed the sorting hat on her head and after a second screamed "Ravenclaw!" Cheers came from the Ravenclaw table.

"Kari Chowdhury."

A dark-haired girl stepped up to the stool. "Gryffindor!" On and on it went until Professor McGonagall said "Skye Evena ." Skye sat on the stool. She could hear whispers and giggles her way, being the only 16 year old and having cat ears but she ignored them all.

Professor McGonagall put the sorting hat on her head and Skye heard a voice in her head.

"What an interesting mind. You are very suspicious, am I correct? Find it hard to trust anything. A brilliant mind, probably know more than all the students here put together. A thirst to prove yourself and very ambitious. Brave and loyal as well. Hard, hard…where to put you? Slytherin would do you well, but so would Ravenclaw and Gryffindor."

Skye didn't care which house she was put in as long as the stupid hat would just get on with it.

"But interesting family you have…I think, yes, I'm correct…Slytherin!" Skye got off the stool and walked to the Slytherin table. She could see Draco cheering and smiling at her. She sat next to him and he gave her a pat on the shoulder. The sorting went on for a few more minutes and then Albus Dumbledore stood up. "Welcome to Hogwarts, everyone. Before the feast begins, I am pleased to introduce our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Aislinn Evena ." Skye gasped and looked at the teachers table, thinking she had heard wrong. But she unfortunately hadn't.

Her dark-haired, emerald eyed cousin was sitting in the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher's seat. How could Skye not have sensed her? How could she have not noticed, not sensed her aura? Aislinn got some polite clap and then Albus said "The feast begins."

Skye's eyebrows raised as the plates in front of her filled with food. "Eat up!" Someone yelled loudly. Skye didn't eat much; she never did. After the feast Albus said good night and the prefects lead them to the common room. They stopped in front of a bare, damp wall.

"Bellwicket!" The prefect said. A stone door concealed in the wall revealed itself and opened. The Slytherin common room was a long, dark, underground stone room. Round green lamps hung from the ceiling and a fire cackled in the fireplace. The prefect tossed her long red hair back and looked at them arrogantly. "Boys dormitory is through there, girls through there." Skye started to step into the girls' dormitory when the prefect stopped her.

"No, I was told about you by Professor Snape. You're a sixth year, so you go there. A bed has been reserved for you." Skye entered the sixth year girls' dormitory. She was blinded by green velvet attached to four-poster beds.

"Well look at the overgrown first year." Skye gazed at a steely-eyed brunette.

"Fala, do you always have to be so rude?" A girl with dark-brown hair and hazel eyes walked up to Skye and shook her hand. "I'm Kaei Klesmeothse. Your bed is over there." She pointed to a bed next to a window. "And she's not overgrown Fala; she's a sixth year just like you and me. I'd say you're the one who's overgrown for a sixth year." The other two girls laughed scornfully at the somewhat weak remark and Fala reddened. Skye could see what the commotion was about, Fala was probably ten pounds overweight.

Kaei guided Skye to her bed.

"They brought your things up." She said. Skye's trunk was at the foot of the bed. "They'll give the schedules out tomorrow at breakfast. Good night." Kaei walked over to her bed and pulled the covers over her head. Skye knew she would toss and turn for hours before she went to sleep. She was uncomfortable in this new place that was her only home now. But she would have to deal. She pulled the curtains closed and undressed and then she tried to go to sleep. The new year would officially start tomorrow.