Summary: 17-year old Arianne Chase has never met her father. One letter changes all that when he invites her to attend Hogwarts for her last year. She faces the truth about her past and the challenges of love... but how will she handle it all?
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, or his world! If I did, do you think I would be writing this here? I also do NOT claim to have written Professor Dumbledore's speech... I'm sure it'll be recognized as being from the third book.
Enjoy!
The whistle of the scarlet engine blew, making all of the students rush onboard to fill the cars. Parents hurried to give their children last forgotten items, hugs, kisses and hurried good-byes.
Near the front of the train a tall girl was looking in all of the compartments for a seat, finding none. Near the front of the train, she finally found a compartment with a single occupant inside.
"Excuse me," she said as she opened the door, "may I sit here?"
The other girl nodded. "Sure. It's not like anyone else wants to sit here anyway."
The first girl tossed her trunk onto the rack above her seat. "Why not?"
"Once these people hear my accent, they walk out of here. No one wants to sit with the 'bloody foreigner'."
"I'm a student from America here on Professor Dumbledore's request too, you know."
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize..." She let the sentence hang.
"It's ok. I'm Arianne, by the way. Arianne Chase," the first girl said, holding her hand out.
"I'm Saralyn Jackson," the second girl said as she looked Arianne over.
Arianne was a tall girl, around five foot nine or five foot ten with shaggy light brown hair that fell to just above her shoulders. She had bangs that framed her face, her smile and her startlingly grey eyes. She was solidly built, more wiry muscle than anything else, but still slim.
Arianne, too, looked her compartment-mate over. Saralyn was an inch or so over 6 feet with dirty blonde hair cut in a boys' style to the nape of her neck. She wasn't quick to smile, and even at her young age she had crease lines between her eyebrows. Her ice blue eyes took in everything, right down to the smallest detail. She, too, was slim, but had a slightly denser build, making her shoulders wider and collarbone more prominent.
"So which school are you from," Saralyn asked. "I don't think I ever saw you around Dawn's End before." She had named the American western coast magic school.
"I go to Waking, that's why," Arianne replied, naming the east coast school.
"I get it. So...uh... what do you think about Sirius Black escaping?"
"Oh... uh... well, I don't really know what I think..." She trailed off.
"Arianne, you are as white as a sheet. What's wrong? Did I... Oh my gosh... Did he do something to your family," Saralyn asked, worried.
Arianne shook her head quickly. "No."
"Then why..."
"It's nothing. So... Do you play Quidditch?"
Saralyn began to laugh. "Me, play? I can barely fly. I'm like my dad; I'm terrified of heights. I like to watch, though."
"So who's your favorite team?"
They continued to chat throughout nearly the rest of the trip, pausing only to eat. Their conversation came to an abrupt end, however, when the dementors boarded in their search for Sirius Black. The dementors didn't come near their compartment, but the girls were just as shaken up as everyone else they saw through the door afterwards. The station at Hogsmeade was soon announced, and everyone began to hurry into their robes.
It was raining hard when everyone finally stepped off the train onto the platform. The older students raced to get into the first of the carriages in the line so they would stay as dry as possible. Saralyn grabbed Arianne's arm and pulled her into the nearest carriage to avoid being tread on. A moment later, 2 boys jumped in after them, shaking water out of their bangs.
"Sorry," one said to them. He looked to be just over five and a half feet with bright blonde hair and amber-colored eyes. His cheeks were rosy from the chilly rain, and his scowl seemed to radiate from his dislike of who he had to sit with.
"This was the only carriage we could get to without being trodden on," the other boy told them. He was easily six feet, with a build that screamed athlete and strong-looking hands. His hair looked like it was normally a very light brown highlighted with blond, but it was soaked and straggly, laying limp across his forehead.
"A knock would have been a fair warning, but it's ok," Saralyn told them as the carriage started to move.
Arianne couldn't help but notice that the second boy was watching her from the corner of his eye. He looked at her directly, and she saw the color of his eyes; they were the deepest blue she had ever seen. "Something for you," she asked him.
"You're very pretty, you know," he responded.
She blushed. "Thank you, I think."
The other boy's scowl deepened. "I am so glad neither of you are in my House," he muttered.
"What's wrong with Gryffindor," Saralyn demanded. For the first time, Arianne noticed the scarlet and gold lion patch on her new friends' robes. Her own patch was bronze and blue with an eagle.
"A Ravenclaw, I see. I'm a Hufflepuff myself," the boy told her.
"And your friend?"
"He's not my friend. He's a damn Slytherin."
The scowling boy was about to say something when the carriage stopped. "Finally." He jumped out and ran.
The second boy helped the girls out of the carriage and walked them inside, making sure they stayed somewhat dry with his cloak over them. Once inside the entrance hall, he took his cloak off of them and shook it out. Arianne dried it quickly with a Drying Charm as more students swarmed inside. The three of them walked into the Great Hall, Arianne and Saralyn filled with awe as they glanced up at the magical ceiling.
"Well, we're on our own from here," he remarked. "My House's table is over there, yours is there and hers is there," he said to Arianne, pointing to each table as he mentioned them.
"Thank you. What's your name, anyway," Saralyn asked him.
"My name? I'm sorry. It's Cedric. Cedric Diggory."
"Saralyn Jackson." She shook his hand.
"And the one hiding behind you...?"
Arianne looked at him, surprised. "Oh, I got distracted. I'm Arianne Chase." She shook his hand as well, then moved as a small girl edged by.
"I'll talk to you later Arianne. We have to meet Professor Dumbledore after dinner, don't forget." She walked off to the Gryffindor table, and plopped herself in between some random people and began talking.
Cedric looked at Arianne, his cheeks pink. "I need to get to my table and you to yours. I'll see you later. Bye Arianne."
"Bye Cedric." She walked slowly towards the Ravenclaw table, noticing every head that turned her way. She sat off by herself and just took in her surroundings.
A few minutes later, a rather short wizard she knew to be Professor Flitwick walked in with the line of soaked first-years. He placed a small stool and the battered-looking Sorting Hat upon the teacher's dias and stood back as the hat began to sing.
Once the song was over, the Sorting Hat Sorted all of the new students and Professor Flitwick took it and the stool away. She, as well as the rest of the Hall, noticed Professor McGonagall walk in with two Gryffindors a few seconds later. Murmurs were everywhere, but a look from the stern Professor silenced them all.
A girl moved next to Arianne and said, "She took Harry Potter to see Madam Pomfrey since he fainted on the train from the dementors." At Arianne's look, she said, "I'm Cho Chang. I'm in my fourth year."
Arianne had introduced herself and was about to ask how Cho knew, when Professor Dumbledore stood up.
"Welcome," he exclaimed. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have a few things to say to you all and as one of them is very serious, I think it best to get it out of the way before you become befuddled by our excellent feast..." He cleared his throat, then explained to everyone the security measures being taken against Sirius Black.
"On a happier note, I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year.
"First, Professor Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher." He paused to a smattering of applause from the Gryffindor table. "As to our second new appointment, well, I am sorry to tell you that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs. However, I am delighted to say that his place will be filled by none other than Rubeus Hagrid, who has agreed to take on this teaching job in addition to his gamekeeping duties."
There was a bit of confused applause, most of it once again coming from the Gryffindors. It took some time to calm them down, but when they were silent, everyone noticed Hagrid wiping his eyes with the tablecloth.
"Well, I think that is everything of great importance, so.." Professor Dumbledore stopped when he heard someone clear their throat rather loudly. "Oh yes, how silly of me to forget. Thank you, Miss Jackson, for reminding me. This year, Hogwarts is playing host to two witches from America who wish to complete their magical educations here. I hope you all will make them both feel welcome here at our humble school.
"If you each stand when I say your name, I do believe it would help everyone get to know you better. From Waking Academy on the East Coast, we have Arianne Chase, who over the summer was placed into the House of Ravenclaw." Arianne stood, red-faced as everyone turned to look at her. "And from Dawn's End Institute on the West Coast, we have Saralyn Jackson, who was Sorted into Gryffindor." Saralyn stood and made a slight bow.
"Now, if you ladies would please sit, we can begin the feast. Let's eat!" Professor Dumbledore took his seat as the food appeared on all of the platters on the table.
Ok, so that's the first chapter. Please review and tell me what you all think!