Raelynn was only noticed the sun was setting as her eyes adjusted to the fading light for the second time. From her resting place at the edge of the black lake the could see the castle begin to fill with light, preparations underway for the great feast tonight. Raelynn was more apprehensive this year over any other that had come before. Usually this day was an exhaustive one for the surplus of magic that was required of her; today it would be exhaustive in many ways. Raelynn thought back to the moment Dumbledore changed her path.
…
"Join the students?" Her voice took on an unfortunate pitch.
Dumbledore steepled his fingers but made no reply as her incredulous inquiry swept over him.
"Join them? In what, in their classes, and foolery and tea time? Join them why?"
Over his half moon spectacles, she could see him considering her. Lynn felt young under his scrutiny which was obscene considering she was more than ten times his age. This mortal man, this child, did hold wisdom; for his kind he was ancient, for hers she was still a young woman. Lynn frowned at her childish outburst and readjusted herself in the armchair for the thousandth time. She never would be comfortable on land, she thought to herself. Even in such a plush chair.
"Join them in their studies, in their learning, in their lives. Join them as if you were one of them, however different they may seem, and you may feel." Dumbledore took a small breath as he cleaned his glasses. "Raelynn I would not ask this of you if I did not feel it was vitally important. I will require your assistance with a great number of tasks this year and what better cover for you, a young woman, than to participate in my school. Does the use of magic as witches use it not interest you?"
Lynn picked at one of her nails, feigning disinterest. Dumbledore knew very well that the witches and wizards of Hogwarts interested her; she had been observing them for so long. It was certainly not lack of interest that prevented her from seizing the opportunity. It was fear. Fear at the prospect of interacting with the witches and wizards and finding them lacking; or was it perhaps the fear of them finding her lacking. The strangeness of land coupled with the uncomfortableness of human interaction was prevalent enough in Lynn's mind that she protested yet again.
"How will I explain why I was not with them in their earlier studies? I am too old of look to be in my first year of studies, too proficient in magic to claim I had not been studying before now."
"A transfer student then, Beauxbaton seems to fit. Half Veela should explain away the extraordinary features."
Lynn's face screwed into an unpleasant expression.
"Veela! Those harpies. They belong to the skies. My people have no place there nor shall I pretend to be one."
"Raelynn. Though wizard-kind is making large strides to accepting Demi-human beings the Veela's children remain among the most known and tolerated. As accepting as I am I can not guarantee that all parents will be as accepting of your kind, being that you are not even partially human. A demi-veela is the simplest identity for you to use."
Dumbledore fell silent as she contemplated.
"Very well."
…
Raelynn touched the pads of her feet to the surface of the lake, small ripples expanding out from her. Darkness had fallen, the castle had fully come to life. The stained glass from the windows scattered shards of beautiful coloured light onto the surface of the great lake - her lake. With a graceless shove Lynn tumbled into the water, allowing herself to sink to the bottom for a moment, long white hair streaming above her.
The cool water caressed her skin, welcoming her home. The weight on her chest eased, filling with a sense of peace. Her people, Naiads, were the nymphs of fresh waters, this fresh water lake being her home. Raelynn rested on the soft sands for a few moments, spiraling down into the well of magic inside of her. Dragging the magic to the surface from her core was easy after so many years of the same incantation.
When Lynn concentrated on this magic she liked to think it was tinged with blue. Blue for her friend, Rowena, who's favourite colour it was. Blue for the sadness Lynn still felt on occasion from the loss of her first friend a millennium ago. Rowena Ravenclaw, little genius that she was, had arrived at this expanse of land, saw the lush of the countryside surrounding the lake and left offerings to Raelynn. Their friendship had blossomed and as Rowena created her school, Lynn had offered her magic of protection to all Rowena's students.
Each year Lynn swam with the first-year student's boats, offering blessings and incantations of protection, welcoming them to Hogwarts in her own way. She swam along them now, waving her magic around each of their beautiful, youthful faces all turned towards the luminous castle. The boats docked at the base of the castle and Lynn wound her spell to a close, hands dancing though the water as the blue essence faded.
She did not have to wait long by the abandoned boats before Dumbledore appeared, robes in hand for her. Lynn stepped out of the water, dying instantly by her own grace of magic. Dumbledore avoided his eyes as she stood shakily on the land and dressed herself in human clothes. Braiding her long white hair back from her face Lynn was satisfied she had everything in its place. Lynn touched the headmasters shoulder gently.
"Marvelous Raelynn. Now there is the matter of a wand. It is against the law for a non-human to carry a wand and using one would most certainly alert the ministry to your presence here. As such, I took the liberty of having this made."
Dumbledore extended a wand to her making Lynn raise an eyebrow.
"Ah. It's not a true wand, Miss Lynn, but a bit of Willow wood with no core. A prop, if you will. I believe Willow would have made an excellent wood for your wand. Seeing as your magic is a wonderous natural thing please do try to remember to use this prop. You see, Witches require it to preform magic."
Lynn nodded her acceptance of the use of the 'wand' and followed the headmaster up the thousands of steps to the castle.
The smells and sounds emitting from the great hall were overwhelming Lynn's senses. She waited just outside the doors to the great hall, standing among gawking twelve-year-olds looking as nervous as she felt. A few of them were shooting furious glances at her between their chatter with one another. Lynn was leaning against the railing of the staircase, hoping to distance herself from their chaos. A stern woman approached their group.
"The start of term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory and spend free time in your house common room.
The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history, and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."
A sorting ceremony? Dumbledore could have mentioned! Raelynn thought as she obediently followed the first years into the hall. More eyes than she would have liked focused on her, the one individual who was most certainly not twelve years old. Dumbledore stood at the front dais as they approached the tiny stool at the front of the tables.
"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our sorting ceremony I will answer the question that has been asked ten times over already; Raelynn is our newest student at Hogwarts, transferring in from her sixth year at Beauxbaton's Academy."
With a small push Raelynn stumbled towards the stool, looking out to the entire school. So many eyes focused on her for the first time. Lynn scanned the crowd quickly, but her eyes locked with a scowling blonde male, his piercing gaze captivating. The air rushed out of Lynn's lungs as the full dominance of his stare held her. A small smile, more of a smirk, tugged at the corner of his mouth in a purely male way. Seated on the uncomfortable wood Lynn tore her eyes from his and cast a nervous glance towards Dumbledore who was smiling warmly. The hat was placed on her head and all was silent for a moment. Then, to her horror, the hat began to speak.
"Ohh I've heard about you. Oh, what you've seen, what you've done! My there is so much to sort through here, so much to explore. We're the same, you and I, of a different age, a different time. We should discuss sometime, but for now…. Where to put you? Ravenclaw would certainly house you well, your mind is constantly churning however your years exceed the students. Hufflepuff would be kind to your loneliness. Gryffindor would challenge you certainly, but perhaps Slytherin could develop you. There is the matter of the lake…very well ancient little one, better be…!"